What is Feng Shui?

By Elizabeth Moran and Master Val Biktashev

You're not an idiot if you're confused about feng shui. It seems everyone is either doing it or dissing it. Feng shui articles, books, entire magazines, complete schools, and comprehensive websites have crowded the market. Some of these offer advice and varied techniques far removed from the real thing.

From the many questions we receive from readers, clients, and students, there is great confusion about the different schools of feng shui: “They all conflict.” “Which one is right?” “How do I activate my wealth corner?” “Where is my wealth corner?” Largely steeped in myth and superstition, a discriminating feng shui enthusiast can easily learn to distinguish faux from authentic schools of feng shui by a number of telltale factors. Here are some attributes associated with faux schools of feng shui:

• They are often linked with Life Aspirations or Black Sect (also known as Black Hat Tantric Buddist feng shui) theory. Developed during the 1970s and 1980s respectively, these commercialized schools are referred to as “compass,” “modern” or “Western” schools of feng shui.

• They divide a home into eight “life aspirations” or eight “life stations” of career, knowledge, family, wealth, fame, marriage, children, and helpful people.

• They use the location of the front door to determine the orientation of the eight aspirations/stations.

• They match each of the five elements of qi (fire, earth, metal, water, and wood) with its affiliated direction. For example, fire “activates” the southern fame aspiration/station; earth activates the northeastern knowledge and southwestern marriage sectors; metal activates the western children and northwestern helpful people sectors; water activates the northern career sector; and wood activates the eastern family and southeastern wealth sectors.

• They also use “cures” such as mirrors, crystals, bamboo flutes, and statues of fu dogs, frogs, and cats, among other things, to “activate” the eight life aspirations/stations. Statements like “A mirror will help to ward off evil spirits,” A fish tank placed in the north will bring prosperity,” or “Hanging bells inside your door will ring in happiness” are commonplace among these schools.

• They believe that clearing clutter and maintaining a positive attitude can alter the qi in your living space.

The eight aspirations are correlated with a direction. The magnetic orientation of the main entrance determines the placement of the life aspirations map. In this example, the front door faces south.

The eight life stations are correlated with a direction. The northern stations always correspond to the wall containing the main entrance even if the door does not face a northerly direction. Whether the doorway is on the left, center, or right side of the wall (if you face the dwelling) will determine if you enter the knowledge, career, or helpful people sectors respectively.

It's a pity these inaccuracies have clouded the nature of feng shui. Just to set the record straight, feng shui is not an Eastern philosophy grounded in superstition. It is not a religion, nor does it derive from any religion. Feng shui does not provide cure-alls for your problems. It is not magic. It is not New Aged!

Authentic, “traditional,” or “classical” feng shui is a system based on keen observation of heavenly (time) and earthly (interior and exterior space) forces and how the qi of each interact to bring you fortune or misfortune. In fact, time and space are two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other. For example, your body (your own personal space) changes over time. Everyone and everything moves through ceaseless cycles of birth, growth, decay, and death. Nothing can escape this fate.

The time your home was born into and the time you were born are important factors in a classical feng shui analysis. The Chinese believe the first breath you take at birth marks your innate destiny. In the same way, when the foundation is set and the roof is affixed, your home is born. It, too, has a core personality. But, remember, despite its inherent personality, it still changes! So, an inherently good home encounters times of misfortune. Likewise, we go through lucky and unlucky times.

In classical feng shui, several methods are used to measure how time and space affect a building. Perhaps the most sophisticated and popular method is Flying Star ( Xuankong Feixing ) developed sometime during the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.) and no later than the Song dynasty (960-1279 C.E.). Basically, the method uses the magnetic orientation (space) of your house and the year it was built (time) to yield a numeric qi map. The numbers or “stars” are interpreted, with the objective of remedying negative predictions and enhancing the positive ones. For example, a 4 (wood) 1 (water) combination is known for bringing romance to a woman. To enhance this prospect, water (a table fountain, for instance) would be added to the room in question.

The year the building was built and its magnetic sitting direction yield a numeric qi map. The classically trained feng shui practitioner studies the individual numbers, combinations of numbers, and the location of the numbers, among other things, to determine the likelihood of specific events occurring within the home. Using the five elements, the practitioner balances the dwelling's qi to enhance its positive aspects and discourage its negative ones.

To summarize, classical feng shui studies the environment, buildings, and people, and how the qi of each interacts over time. It is a complex, yet fascinating practice that takes years to fully comprehend and master. Learning classical feng shui requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to peel away the many misconceptions plaguing the tradition. With the dedication of like-minded people, feng shui will soon be recognized as a legitimate and beneficial form of therapy on a par with acupuncture. Soon the practice will be required curriculum for architects, interior designers, and community planners.

[In part, this article contains excerpts from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui, Alpha Books, 2002.]

LONG BIO:

Feng shui master Val Biktashev travels worldwide providing feng shui for individuals and businesses. Several articles have been written about his work in local, national, and internationally distributed newspapers and magazines. Also, Val is regularly featured on television, including being the feature subject on the CBS news magazine program , Sunday Morning . He is the co-author of the highly acclaimed book , The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui . Reviewed as 'an American masterpiece that tops the lot' by Feng Shui For Modern Living Magazine , the book consistently ranks among the top ten feng shui books (out of 709 entries) on amazon. At the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui conference in Germany, Val was a feature speaker. He can be contacted at GlobalFengShui@aol.com or at 323-810-8180. He lives in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Moran has studied feng shui and Chinese astrology with a number of classical masters. She is a highly sought lecturer and teacher of feng shui. In 2002, Elizabeth was a feature speaker at the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui Conference in Cologne, Germany. She is co-author of the best-selling books, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui (Alpha Books, 2002) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to the I Ching (2001). You may contact her at GlobalFengShui@aol.com. Elizabeth lives in Los Angeles with her husband, feng shui master Val Biktashev.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Feng shui master Val Biktashev travels worldwide providing feng shui for individuals and businesses. Several articles have been written about his work in local, national, and internationally distributed newspapers and magazines. Also, Val is regularly featured on television, including being the feature subject on the CBS news magazine program , Sunday Morning . He is the co-author of the highly acclaimed book , The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui . Reviewed as "an American masterpiece that tops the lot" by Feng Shui For Modern Living Magazine , the book consistently ranks among the top ten feng shui books (out of 709 entries) on amazon. At the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui conference in Germany, Val was a feature speaker. He can be contacted at GlobalFengShui@aol.com or at 323-810-8180. He lives in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth Moran has studied feng shui and Chinese astrology with a number of classical masters. She is a highly sought lecturer and teacher of feng shui. In 2002, Elizabeth was a feature speaker at the First Annual World Classical Feng Shui Conference in Cologne, Germany. She is co-author of the best-selling books, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui (Alpha Books, 2002) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to the I Ching (2001). You may contact her at GlobalFengShui@aol.com. Elizabeth lives in Los Angeles with her husband, feng shui master Val Biktashev.