Feng Shui
August 26, 2009 7:23 pm Helpful tips, Home Improvement, Lighting Topics, Maintenance Topics, Paint topicsMany Californians swear by Feng shui (English pronunciation: fung?-shway), an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive qi (an active principle forming part of any living thing), so I did a little research on the subject. As feng shui is becoming more and more popular in countries far away from China or Chinese influence, it is worth looking at its history and understand how feng shui started and why feng shui is bringing such powerful results when properly applied.Feng Shui has a history of many thousands years, some say 2,000 years, some go as far as 5,000 years. As an organized body of knowledge
feng shui was practiced since Tang Dynasty, where we can find early recordings about employing feng shui masters in selecting auspicious sites, as well as about feng shui texts being required reading for imperial exams (court of Emperor Hi Tsang, 888 A.D.)One of the famous feng shui names recorded in the history of feng shui is Master Yang Yun Sang, who left a legacy of many classical feng shui texts and is considered the founder of the landscape school of feng shui.Throughout his writing, Master Yang emphasized the importance of selecting an auspicious site that has dragon’s energy, or dragon’s breath, thus the careful examination of the shape of land formations - mountains, hills, valleys, as well as water formations and specifics. The
vital energy, or Chi, contained in specific earth locations was described as finding the dragon and its lair, and natural formation where symbolic of animal shapes and energies, such as green dragon, white tiger, etc.vital energy, or Chi, contained in specific earth locations was described as finding the dragon and its lair, and natural formation where symbolic of animal shapes and energies, such as green dragon, white tiger, etc.
In time, almost a hundred years later, another feng shui school of thought - the Compass Feng Shui School - gained strength and popularity. The main influence in this feng shui school was a Feng Shui Master by the name Wang Chih who developed his teachings during the Song Dynasty.The Compass Feng Shui School calculations are based on
the compass directions and the I-Ching trigrams arranged in the octagonal symbol of the BaGua.Other feng shui theories employed by the Compass Feng Shui School of Thought are
the Yin-Yang Theory, The Theory of Five Elements, the Lo-Shu Square, and others. The time dimension was first introduced by the Compass School Practitioners, thus calculations can be done to define the best timing for best energies in specific places.Furthermore, the concept of the
Kua number was introduced as a way to calculate the directions of most auspicious energies based on the client’s date of birth.In late nineteenth century, after a period of existence as two separate schools, the two feng shui schools of thought - the Landscape, or Form Feng Shui School, and the Compass Feng Shui School - merged, thus providing for a body of knowledge of unique depth and wisdom in reading the environmental energy patterns.
The level that creates a lot of confusion about feng shui applications is the symbolic level of feng shui.Feng Shui Symbols have a rich, culturally specific history and meaning. Most of us are familiar with the look of many feng shui items such as Chinese coins tied with a red string, wind chimes, three legged toads, gods of wealth, etc.
What is important to understand is that, in order for feng shui to work, you do not necessarily have to apply traditional Chinese feng shui symbols. You have to apply culturally specific symbols that resonate with *you*. Applying feng shui correctly does not imply you have to apply the culturally specific feng shui items that you may not understand or resonate with.
The reason symbolic level of feng shui works is because of the energy specific symbols bring into
one’s environment, as well as because of their connection with the subconscious level of your mind. The stronger your connection with these symbols, i.e. the more you like them, the more powerful they become for *you*.Some of the most popular Chinese feng shui symbols are:
Love & Marriage Feng Shui Symbols
· Dragon and Phoenix
· Mandarin Ducks
· The Double Happiness Sign
· Peony Flowers
Wealth Feng Shui Symbols
· Gold Arrowana or Koi Fish
· Chinese Coins
· The Three Legged Toad
· Golden Ingots
· Sailing Ship
Good Fortune Feng Shui Symbols
· Golden Cicada
· The Red Bat
Health & Longevity Feng Shui Symbols
· Sau, the God of Longevity
· Lucky Bamboo
· Wu-Lou, Gourd
Feng Shui Symbols were used for centuries in feng shui applications because of the power of symbols and associations, as well as because of the energy certain items embody. If a certain feng shui symbol does not resonate with you, feel free to chose one that works for you, expresses the same energy, and it is from the culture you grew up in.
More detailed information on Feng Shui, I’d suggest you do a search on Wikipedia, Google or Bing.
Call me at 818-266-2267 or check our website link below for further details or any information on our home inspection services.
Shawn Blaney,
President,
West Coast Home Inspections
http://www.westcoast-inspections.com/
Home inspection for the home buyer can make your dream home a worry-free reality. This is our mission statement at West Coast Home Inspections.
