Feng Shui

Permission is given to anyone in order to use and repost this article as long as credit is given to the author, no portion is altered, the information is not used commercially or for profit, and this entire copyright statement is included. Copyright 2002 Bryanny FairRaven. All rights reserved.

Cleansing Bells

Ever wonder why some shops have little bells that chime happily each time a customer walks in? Of course, logic dictates to us that it is to alert the salesman that potential revenue has just come into the shop.

But in Feng Shui little happy bells merrily chiming when the door opens is more than an alert that a customer has come in!

We know that all is energy. In Feng Shui this is called Chi. Chi is influenced by sound, colors, positions, shapes, elements, etc. The purpose of Feng Shui is to teach us how to align the energies/chi of a given location in order to ensure the maximum benefits.

Back to the bells.

One way that we cleanse in Feng Shui is to purify stagnant energies. What are stagnant energies? In the course of every day living, our homes and work places become saturated with the energy flows we give off as human beings, as well as the energy flows from the world at large. Energy flows sometimes get stuck in a repetitive pattern which sometimes can be paralyzing at worst, and mildly disturbing at best.

Do you recall the last place you entered? Business or residence? How was the atmosphere there? Crisp and clear or depressive and heavy? Stagnant energies can become depressive and heavy, cycling in a never-ending whirlpool of negative chi. How do we cleanse this negative chi?

Bells and chimes. Singing bowls, even chanted mantras.

Cleansing Your Home/Business or Space:

Obtain a little bell, bronze or silver will do. Obtain a wooden mallet...you can even use a wooden pestle, if you have one. Make sure that the mallet is wood or leather. Do not use a metal mallet as metal on metal makes a very strident sound. We are looking for the soothing, mellow sounds that bells make when lightly tapped with wood or leather.

Using the wooden mallet, beat the inside rim of the bell three times at your doorway. Walk to each room of your home or office, beating the bell gently three times in each room. Continue to do this until you have covered each room, and also, each corner...for those homes who have little nooks and corners.

Beat the bell a little harder in rooms that have been unoccupied for a while, or in rooms that have a great deal of activity (like the kitchen and the bedrooms) Or in rooms where there have been past great emotional scenes. To counter the stagnant chi found in bathrooms, beat the bell loudest there.

Which Bell to Use?

You are looking for metal bells. Avoid the tinny type. Cymbals and singing bowls are also very good to use. If possible, test the bell before you purchase. I know you will ask, "Where am I supposed to place a wooden mallet?" Use a wooden pencil to test your bell. You are looking for those deep, melodious tones that sound soothing to the ear. If the bell sounds high pitched or strident, keep looking.

Animals
Many animals are considered auspicious for the home.

THE DEER
The deer, symbol of strength and speed, is also considered to bring long life and prosperity. Place a painting or an image/figure of a deer in your home or office. Preferred location is North for prosperity and South for long life.

THE CRANE
Symbol of grace and infinity, the crane is believed to bring abundance and happiness depending where it is placed in your home.

South = placed in the southern portion of your home or office it is said to bring business opporunities.
West = placed in the west, it is said to bring good luck; and to assist women in conceiving.
East = placed in the east, it is believed to bring male sons
North = placed in the north is is believed to bring good luck and health to the head of the household/business.

THE FISH
Fish symbolize wealth. Place a painting or even a figurine of a fish in the Northwestern part of your home to bring prosperity, and any figurines of fish in your office will bring about good luck and movement. If you prefer live fish, make sure that there are only 9 in the aquarium and that this is placed in the Northwestern part of your home or office.

A Feng Shui Master I met once insisted that for best results the fish should all be either green or gold. However, I have not run into this dictum before, and add it here just in case.

THE MANDARIN DUCKS
These ducks mate for life. To maintain a loving relationship with your partner, place a pair of mandarin ducks in the Southewest corner of your bedroom. For singles looking to attract long lasting, commitment, these ducks will create the right Chi to bring that special person.

THE DRAGON
The Dragon is a potent animal, and displaying a dragon along with water in the North will create limitless opportunities for your career. One of the most successful restaurants in my home town has an interactive Waterfalls with dragon painting in their North section. When lit and plugged in, the effect of the moving lights creates the illusion of an immense waterfalls and a gold dragon flying overhead. Needless to say, the painting is always plugged in and they have gone from a small family-owned business into one of the best known eateries in the city!

Place a dragon painting or sculpture in your North section. Many come already with the representation of the water element. If not, you can be creative and place a small attractive cup or bowl with water next to the dragon.

My mother has resolved the issue of dragon and water by purchasing an entire Expresso coffee cups set. These are of an exquisite bas-relief motif showing a dragon flying above a lake....the dragon itself is wrapped around the cup, while the saucer represents the lake.

THE HORSE
If you are in a competitive environment in your work place, displaying a horse figurine will create the right Chi for victory over your competition, and ensuring continued success in your field of employment. The Horse's power and energy is so effective that it will not matter where it is placed, although some say it should be at your left.

THE ROOSTER
Tired of petty office politics and gossip? Bring rooster into the office. The rooster is believed to correct the Chi in situations where petty jealousies and politicking pop up. To give the rooster power and effectiveness, make sure he is plainly visible.

THE TORTOISE
The tortoise is another animal associated with long life. Place a figurine in the northwest part of your home or office to bring prosperity and good luck.

Permission is given to anyone in order to use and repost this article as long as credit is given to the author, no portion is altered, the information is not used commercially or for profit, and this entire copyright statement is included. Copyright 2002 Bryanny FairRaven. All rights reserved.

Panic Attacks

Panic and anxiety attacks should be treated under a doctor's care. However, correcting the chi around your bedroom should create a protective barrier for you and help in warding off the attacks.

Look around your bedroom. Are there many red and orange colors? Remove them and substitute the gentle pinks and mauves. Locate a small statue of a tortoise and place this under your bed. Also, make sure you do not have any images or stuffed toys that portray fierce attacking animals such as lions, tigers, jaguars, sharks, bears, etc.

Kua/Gua Numbers

Kua/Gua Numbers are used in Feng Shui in order to determine the most favorable and auspicious elements, directions, etc for you based on your date of birth.

Calculating your Kua number is quite easy. The directions are different for men and women and are as follows:

For Males:
Add up the digits of your birth year. Ex: 1955 = 1+9+5+5 = 20 Reduce any double digits as above to one digit (2 + 0= 2) Subtract this single digit from eleven (11-2 = 9). This final number is your Kua number [Note: If the final number is a 5, then subtract 3, example: (5-3=2) This is your Kua number.]

For Females:
Add up the digits of your birth year. Ex: 1955 = 1+9+5+5 = 20 Reduce any double digits as above to one digit (2 + 0= 2) Add this digit to four (2+4 =6). This number is your Kua number. [Note: If the final number is a 5, add three. ( 5+3 = 8) This is your Kua number.]

Note: Anyone who is born before Feb 4th or Feb 5th should use the year prior to his/her actual year of birth.

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Kua 1: Life Kua Number (North)
Favorable Directions: SE - E - S - N
Unfavorable Directions: SW - NE - NW - W

Kua 2: Life Kua Number (Southwest)
Favorable Directions: NE - W - NW - SW
Unfavorable Directions: N - SE - S - E

Kua 3: Life Kua Number (East)
Favorable Directions: S - N - SE - E
Unfavorable Directions: W - NW - NE - SW

Kua 4: Life Kua Number (Southeast)
Favorable Directions: N - S - E - SE
Unfavorable Directions: SW - NE - NW - W

Kua 6: Life Kua Number (Northwest)
Favorable Directions: W - NE - SW - NW
Unfavorable Directions: S - E - N - SE

Kua 7: Life Kua Number (West)
Favorable Directions: W - NE - SW - NW
Unfavorable Directions: S - E - N - SE

Kua 8: Life Kua Number (Northeast)
Favorable Directions: NE - W - NW - SW
Unfavorable Directions: N - SE - S - E

Kua 9: Life Kua Number (South)
Favorable Directions: N - SE - S - E
Unfavorable Directions: NE - W - NW - SW

Using the Kua Chart

How do you use this chart? Locate your Life Kua Number given the formula above. Next, locate the Kua number on the chart and you will see your best Kua direction which is next to your Life Kua number and the favorable and unfavorable directions for you.

Example:
If you are a Kua 9, your best direction is always South. Directions of success, health and wealth for you are: North, Southeast, South and East. Directions to be alert on are Northeast, West, North and Southwest.

Kua Directions: Their Elements and Associations

EAST: People with the following Kua numbers are East people:
Kua: 1,3,4,9
Element: Wood
Shapes: Beams or pillars pointing up (associate with trees pointing upward)
Colors: Green
Associated with: Law, order, design and fashion, writing and all wooden furniture.

SOUTH: People with the following Kua numbers are South people:
1, 9,4,3,
Element: Fire
Shapes: Triangles
Colors: Hot pink, reds, orange and purples
Associated with: Food, building and engineering, chemicals, entertainment and the arts.

WEST: People with the following Kua numbers are West people:
8,7,6,2
Element: Metal
Shapes: Spheres
Colors: White, gold or silver
Associated with: metals such as gold and silver; wealth, jewelry and its related business. Commerce and trade.

NORTH: People with the following Kua numbers are North people:
1,3,4,9
Element: Water
Shapes: Wavy patterns or lines (waves = water)
Colors: Gray, blue or black
Associated with: Travel, Ideas, Communication, and prosperity.

NORTHEAST: People with the following Kua numbers are Northeast people:
2,6,7,8
Element: Earth
Shapes: Squares or cube-shapes
Colors: Yellow, beige or brown
Associated with: Numbers and real estate, land, accounting, mathematics.

SOUTHWEST: People with the following Kua numbers are Southwest people:
2,6,7,8
Element: Earth
Shapes: Square or cube-shapes
Colors: Yellow, beige or brown
Associated with: Numbers and real estate, land, accounting, mathematics.

NORTHWEST: People with the following Kua numbers are Northwest people:
8,7,6,2
Element: Metal
Shapes: Spheres
Colors: White, gold or silver
Associated with: metals such as gold and silver; wealth, jewelry and its related business. Commerce and trade.

SOUTHEAST: People with the following Kua numbers are Southeast people: Kua: 1,3,4,9 Element: Wood Shapes: Beams or pillars pointing up (associate with trees pointing upward) Colors: Green Associated with: Law, order, design and fashion, writing and all wooden furniture.

How to Use the Directions:

EXAMPLE 1

If you wish to correct an imbalance, for example, in your area of communication, locate the direction associated with this, (which is North/Water). Are you facing a favourable or unfavorable direction affecting your communication skills? Do you find that you either talk too much or not enough?

Analyze your Kua Life number for a clue. In this case, let us say you are a Kua Life number 8: North is not a favorable direction for you.

Are you facing North most of the time? How do you correct this situation in order to attract the better chi so that you can get the most of your communication skills? You do this by determining which element needs to be weakened, enhanced or controlled.

To do this, consult the table below.

By consulting the table of cycles below, we can see that Water weakens Metal. As a Kua Life Number 8 your element is Metal.

Thus, you can remedy this in a number of ways:

• if possible move so that you are facing West.
• if the above is not possible, remember the cycles! Notice that water weakens metal. Thus you would need to enhance Metal. Place some golden or silver objects in the Northwest section.
• try to play up the metal colors, such as white, gold or silver and tone down on the blue, black or grays if there are any.

EXAMPLE 2

You have not been feeling too well lately. No matter what you do it seems that in certain areas of your home, you feel okay and in others you feel "blah". Analyzing the direction you face in the blah section will help you correct the problem.

In this example, let us say that your "blah" section is the living room. Take a look at how the furniture is arranged. Do you sit often in the living room? And if you do,which chair do you prefer and which way does it face? Let us say your favorite chair in the living room faces South. This is where you feel the most "blah".

Let's then check your Kua Life Number. You are a 4.

You discover you are an East, South, North and Southeast person. You have more flexibility than most! The South section where you face in the living room makes you blah. South's element is Fire. Can it be that there is too much of the fire chi and this is literally sucking the energy out of you? Let's check the cycles below:

In this case you can select from either controlling fire or weakening it. Your selection depends on how often you use the Living Room and how badly the "blah" feeling is.

If you wish to control fire, then remember that according to Cycle 2 (To Control), water dominates and controls fire. In this case, you can:

• simply turn your favorite chair in the Living Room so that when you sit in it you are facing north. If this is impossible, then:
• you can accentuate the water colors in the North section of the Living Room. Add black, blues or grays. Anything with a wavy pattern or paintings of the water element may do the trick.
• if none of the above are possible, then you have another option, which is to weaken the fire element by enhancing the earth. (Earth puts out fire).....can you move the furniture you sit in to face northeast or southwest? If not possible, then play up the colors of Earth by placing warm browns, beiges or soft yellow cushings or rugs in the Living Room.

Consult the Cycles:

The cycles are handy when trying to determine what element/direction is best suited in the case where you are trying to correct an imbalance:

Cycle 1: To Enhance

Water ==> Wood ==> Fire ==> Earth ==> Metal
This means that:
Water enhances wood; wood enhances fire (creates warmth...more wood, more fire); fire enhances earth (rebuilding, rebirth....think of the natural forest fires); and earth enhances metal (earth creates metal).

Cycle 2: To Control

Water ==> Fire ==> Metal ==> Wood ==> Earth
This means that:
Water controls and puts out fire; fire melts metal; metal cuts wood; and wood is dissolved by earth (as wood is in reality a part of earth)

Cycle 3: To Weaken

Water ==> Metal ==> Earth ==> Fire ==> Wood
This means that:
Water weakens metal (corrodes it); metal weakens earth (shovel cuts into the earth); earth weakens fire (puts it out); and fire weakens wood (it consumes it).

Conclusion
This information can be very useful in determining your favorable and unfavorable positions. Print and keep it as a handy reference, and pass it on to those you feel would benefit from it!

Happy and healthy chi to you always!!

Permission is given to anyone in order to use and repost this article as long as credit is given to the author, no portion is altered, the information is not used commercially or for profit, and this entire copyright statement is included. Copyright 2002 Bryanny FairRaven. All rights reserved.