Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology
Feng Shui harmonises energy flow throughout space in the home, it is an ancient Chinese system of design and placement. The philosophy is that people are affected either negatively or positively by their surroundings and the energies within their home. Everything must be taken into consideration, colour, furniture, furnishings, lighting, ornaments, statues, fabric, and placement of all items. The garden, types of flowers, trees, garden statues, water features, window shape, door colour, type of doorbell ring, house and room shape, all is considered when energy flow is being contemplated. The individual’s Chinese astrological animal sign is also to be focused on when feng shuiing your home, this allows the energies to be aligned to your individual needs, assuring greater harmony.
Balancing Yang Energies
Balancing Yang energies with more yin. Yang animals are, rat, tiger, dragon, monkey, horse, dog, these are the extroverts of the Chinese horoscope, they are more physically active than their counterparts. Yang signs require a yin oriented environment, where they are able to rest, relax, reflect, meditate, regenerate and be still. To achieve more yin, a wet, soft, cold, dark, inward, receptive, round, down, north and curvy setting is required. More yin is achieved in the home with, dark, cool rooms, curved, rounded furniture, gentle, melodic, soothing, relaxing music.
Balancing Yin Energies
Balancing Yin energies with more yang. Yin animals are, ox, hare, snake, rooster, pig, needing a quiet environment, they are the calmer, more sensitive animals of the Chinese zodiac. Within their environment more yang energy is required to activate and build their energy reserves and charge their environment. To achieve more yang a light, dry, hard, warm or hot, up, south, outward, straight, angular, creative setting is required. More yang is achieved in the home with, light, bright rooms, angular furniture, passionate and energetic music.
Harmony through the Elements
By knowing your signs primary and dominant element based on your year of birth, in the Chinese Astrological Chart, specific features identified with each element can be added to your environment. By applying the features of your primary and dominant elements to your environment, the characteristics in your personality can be enhanced.
Feature | Wood | Fire | Earth | Metal | Water | |
Direction | East | South | Midpoint | West | North | |
Colour | Green | Red | Yellow | White/Silver | Black/Blue | |
Season | Spring | Summer | All | Autumn | Winter | |
Shape | Tall | Pointed | Flast/Low | Round | Undulating | |
Energy | Outward | Upward | Horizontal | Inward | Downward |
Natural Element and Natural Energy of each animal sign
Animal
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Hare
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Pig
Element
Water
Earth
Wood
Metal
Earth
Fire
Fire
Earth
Metal
Metal
Earth
Water
Natural Energy
Yang
Yin
Yang
Yin
Yang
Yin
Yang
Yin
Yang
Yin
Yang
Yin
Balancing the Elements in your home.
Elements flow in cycles, they can be either productive or destructive, thus it is necessary to not only focus on the features of your own element, but to add some features of those missing in your sign.
The Productive Cycle
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
If your sign has a double element, with the same natural and dominant elements, it is necessary to reduce the influence of the element by using features of the element that can destroy it. This can be done by utilising the features of the destructive cycle.
The Destructive Cycle.
Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, Metal
An example of the destructive cycle is water destroying fire. If someone wants to reduce the fire characteristic in their personality they can add water features in and around their home, creating more balance. Photographs and paintings of waterfalls, lakes, rivers and the ocean, throughout the home, will also help. The garden is the ideal place for water features, they also work particularly well in the bathroom.
Famous Rats
Water Rat – George Washington, US President, 1732
Fire Rat – Mata Hari, 1876
Famous Oxen
Metal Ox – Diana, Princess of Wales 1961
Wood Ox – Paul Newman, actor, 1925
Famous Tigers
Water Tiger – Jodi Foster, actress, 1962
Fire Tiger – Hugh Hefner, Playboy publisher, 1926
Famous Hares
Wood Hare – Ingrid Bergman, actor, 1915
Water Horse – Cary Grant, actor, 1904
Famous Dragons
Earth Dragon – Eartha Kitt, singer, 1928
Fire Dragon – Harold Robbins, author, 1916
Famous Snakes
Earth Snake – Jackie Kennedy Onassis, US First Lady, 1929
Earth Snake – Mahatma Gandi, political social leader 1869
Famous Horses
Water Horse – Barbra Streisand, actor/singer, 1943
Metal Horse – Sean Connery, actor, 1930
Famous Sheep
Earth Sheep – Margot Fonteyn, ballerina, 1919
John Denver – singer/songwriter, 1943
Famous Monkeys
Earth Monkey – Bette Davis, actor, 1908
Fire Monkey – Mel Gibson, actor, 1956
Famous Roosters
Water Rooster – Joan Collins, actor, 1933
Metal Rooster – Peter Ustinov, actor/writer, 1921
Famous Dogs
Wood Dog – Shirley Maclaine, actor/writer 1934
Wood Dog – Elvis Presley, singer, 1935
Famous Pigs
Metal Pig – Lucille Ball, comedian/actor, 1911
Wood Pig – Dudley Moore, comedian/actor, musician, 1935
Bagua
The term “bagua” (or “ba gua”) is derived from the book of the I-Ching, a sacred text which was used to tell the future. Feng Shui Bagua is a map or chart that relates the various areas of your life to the 8 sections of your living space. These eight main sections of a space are represented by what are known as “guas” of the bagua map. The bagua map can also have a ninth center section that corresponds to the 8 major corresponding life areas. So in this way the layout of the bagua map shows the nine main energy centers that we value the most.
To map a room and balance the energies within it, a bagua map is used, this is done to correlate the different aspects of someone’s life. The sections relate to every aspect of the individual’s life. The categories are, fame, relationships/marriage, children/creativity, helpful people/travel, career, inner knowledge, family/ancestors/health, wealth/blessings. The bagua map is used to balance the land/property your home is on, the home, office, bedroom, lounge, kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and so on. The map will show where there are missing, or negative spaces, that need to be attended to, a plant, or water feature may need to be added. New colours brought into the home, furniture repositioned, window dressings changed, statues or paintings placed strategically. The laws of Heaven and Earth are used in the practice of feng shui, it is an ancient Chinese system applied to enhance a person’s surroundings and improve the quality of their life, by bringing the laws of the Universe into play.
Feng Shui has been used for centuries, often used for spiritual structures, especially tombs. When feng shui was first practiced, astronomy was used, this is until the magnetic compass came to be. In China there were rules for the structures of graves and homes, the rules were followed by builders who referred to a carpenter’s manual, setting out the rules of feng shui.
Feng Shui (wind and water), the natural elements that comprise all nature, wind and water have an energy that can be brought into your life, your home. By arranging simple elements in your life you can learn how to balance energies, filling your life with positive energy and harmonising every aspect of your life, creating a unique balance.
When working with the elements of feng shui and Chinese astrology be open minded, be daring and experimental. Not only are you shifting energies within and around your home, you are shifting and awakening mental energies, thus creating room for more positive thinking and creativity. Your home, your living environment is a reflection of you and how you see life and the world as a whole, your life can be enhanced by changing just one element within your living environment. The combination of feng shui and Chinese astrology is akin to the apothecaries practicing their art by mixing various elements together to form a healing whole.
