Tag Archives: feng shui
How do I know if the feng shui of my house is good?
A house with good feng shui means it has good energy. A house with good energy will support you in all aspects of your life—health, good relationships, prosperity and success in your work or career. A good measurement of whether your house has good feng shui or not, is to look at the true reality of your daily life. If you have been living in the house for a period of time, and everything in your life is going well, then you must have a good feng shui house. If on the other hand, after moving in the house, things start to go bad, either in health, relationships or business, you may want to look into a feng shui issue.
City on the Right-hand Side of the River
On May 7th, I posted a blog about the ancient Trypillian culture (dated back 7500 years ago) along the Dnipro River in Kiev, Ukraine. I mentioned that most of the ancient villages were located on the right-hand side of the river, facing downstream. We find this consistent in the traditional feng shui concept, recognizing that land on the right-hand side was more auspicious. But why it this so? I have challenged students to come up with an explanation and have been waiting for the correct answer. However, it may be time to provide the explanation:
From the city’s point of view, which is the energy spot, the left-hand side is the yang side or the blue dragon guardian, while the right-hand side, also known as the white tiger guardian, is the yin side. The yang side is more dynamic while the yin side is more static. Since the river is more dynamic than land, ideally you want to have the river on the left-hand side of your village. Therefore, it is natural that the village is on the right-hand side of the river. Ancient people were intuitively following the natural principles, the feng shui principle, thus they chose to settle on the more auspicious right-hand side of the river. This holds true for both the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. If you check the big cities around the world which sit along a large river, you will find the majority of cities are on the right-hand side of the river.
What is feng shui?
Is feng shui an ancient wisdom of environmental design? Is feng shui a Chinese cultural tradition or simply, a new-age phenomenon? Another important question is: Does feng shui have universal value?
Most people define feng shui based on their own exposure and understanding to the subject, whether they obtain it from books, the internet, feng shui teachers or through a school. Due to the vast variety of information on the subject, it is inevitable that the difference of opinions on feng shui surface. Even in China, throughout its long history, there has never been a shortage of debates between the pro and anti feng shui camps. Therefore, it is not surprising, that the same debate and arguments continue today in the West.
First, it is crucial to establish a common base defining the term feng shui. Only then, can we begin to have a meaningful discussion on feng shui. If there is no common agreement on the term, there is no basis for an argument.
I define the essence of feng shui as “the philosophy, science and art of environment design”. I strongly encourage all, to read the page “What is feng shui?” on the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Website. The basis of this blog is to share feng shui knowledge and further our understanding. Those who do not and cannot see feng shui as a universal concept might need to expand their knowledge of feng shui or open their hearts to widen their vision.
Feng Shui of Ukraine
While lecturing in Kiev, Ukraine, the students there asked me to comment on the feng shui of Ukraine.
“Good” I answered. Indeed, Ukraine has a good mountain in the Northwest, vast fertile land on the east and south, and it is also adjacent to the Black Sea on the south. From a feng shui point of view, Ukraine has all the four features: Dragon, Guardian Hill, Energy Spot and Bodies of Water. Furthermore, Ukraine has an abundant amount of natural resources, and it exports uranium, coal, electricity… “How then are we still poor?” the students asked?
We are affected by Heaven (time), Human, and Earth (space). Even if the space is good, it is also affected by the human factor. This is a country, where food and clothes are not any less expensive than in the United States. The streets are full of new cars such as, Mercedes, BMW and Lexus. I was amazed; it does not seem like a poor country. Yet, a university professor makes about only $500 per month. People in the private sector make a bit more, but $1000.00 per month is regarded high. The average person is indeed poor. But who are those driving all the expensive cars? There must be an issue with the Human factor. There must be some imbalance in the Human factor. The Human factor includes the average citizen and government officials. Well you can guess what is wrong here. It must be the abundant amount of corruption among government officials!
What can I do to sell a house in a difficult market?
A good friend from St. Simons Island, Georgia, asked if there is a good way to help sell her house. She is anxious to move back to the NW and the fact her house is still on the market has bogged her down. With the current difficult climate in real estate, many people must also be anxious to find a way to sell their house quickly. Traditionally, for a new house, a builder or realtor will rent furniture or employ a staging service, allowing the buyer to visualize how they will live there. But both are costly options. To enhance the house in the information and energy levels, the least expensive way is by using living indoor plants; place an abundant number of plants in the house. If there are people still living in the house while on the market, it is advised to keep the house tidy and clean, and naturally, living plants will help too. However, there is another power and a hardly being recognized way to speed up the process of the sale. I told this charming lady to treat the house humanly—to say farewell to the house: “I love you, and thank you for accommodating me for all these years until now. I know you will be in good hands after I depart”. Is this idea too new-age for you? It doesn’t hurt to try. It might surprise you.
Where do we start?
In this tough economic climate, it is a good opportunity to step back and re-evaluate our living situation and our lives in general. To help guide us, it makes good sense to start with the feng shui principles. But where do we start? Trying to implement the information taught by Master Hsu is not as easy as imagined. In a sense it’s like reading a self-help book. You read it and think you comprehend it, but changing your habits is never simple.
However, there are simple things we can start with in feng shui. I am working on my front yard. Is the path to my entrance clear without obstruction? Are we protected from the energy of the road? Does it look presentable? Do I need to prune a few trees, pull some weeds or trim the hedge? Stepping back and taking a fresh look at something you observe everyday may spark some new vision. Spring is here. Planting some cheerful flowers to greet everyone in the neighborhood is only a small step, but one that will bring a smile everyday.