Bagua with Yin Yang: Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a very old Chinese system of understanding the relationship between humans and the forces of the cosmos. The literal translation of Feng Shui is “wind and water.” The meaning has to do with the forces of the universe that are in motion, in constant change and flux. Wind and water are both elements of change, and they both move freely, as potent expressions of energetic forces. They symbolize the basic philosophy of Feng Shui.

Feng Shui practice has gained much notoriety in the West in recent years. People are using this ancient system to get in touch with what they want in their lives, and to begin to live with intention. The ancient Chinese Daoists understood that we are in constant flux, that movement and change are the way of the universe, and that all of life is an interplay of the dynamic forces of creation. The Daoists call the life force energy that flows through all creation qi (also spelled ch’i), and this energy has a cyclic nature, with yin, the receptive component, and yang, the active component. These energies are ever engaged in a dance, seeking to flow in harmony and create from the center, the qi space. To align oneself with the cosmic desire for yin and yang energies to remain in harmony and balance on the planet, in communities, individual families, households, and lives is the purpose of Feng Shui…

…If you are wanting to make changes in your life, the first thing to do is to look at where you are right now, to take a truthful look at your relationships, your health, your work, your service, your connection to the earth, the heavens, and all of life. Part of this process is looking at your home, which can give you lots of insight as well, when looked at through the lens of Feng Shui, as to how you allow energy to flow in your life, what your strengths are, and where you have blocks, literal and on the energetic level, which stop the flow of creative energy in your life.

The Daoists teach that one is fully responsible for every aspect of one’s life. Taking a good look at what you have created can give much insight into what changes could be of benefit. The next step would be to have a personal mission statement, to get in touch with who you are, what you have to give, and what your special piece of the light is. Envision how you can share it, how you can create your life so that you are living your dream, living life to its fullest! This will give you direction and purpose, two very important considerations in applying Feng Shui principles in your life.

When approaching a space, using the Ba Gua overlay as a tool to make an evaluation of how the qi is flowing in your home and life, ask yourself questions such as: What does this area look like? What room is in this area? What is the feel of this area? What things are prominent in this area? Do you feel good when you are here? What is your emotional response to this space? What is this area conducive of? Does it reflect what you want it to reflect? If not, why?

What kind of symbolism do you find in the answers to these questions? Much of the deeper work in Feng Shui practice involves looking intently into what our environment tells us about ourselves. Many people think the approach is the opposite, which we can figure out cures to change the flow of energy in our environment, and this will change our experience. However, in reality it is all part of the cycle of qi, of movement and change, of elements, of moods, each feeding and absorbing the other. We create our environment with our thoughts, feelings and beliefs. In turn, our environment reinforces our thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Our environment is our creation, and represents what is in our mind, heart, and shadow, a picture of how we allow energy to move through us and become manifest, and of how conscious we are of this process. The Daoist knew this, and Feng Shui is a very ancient practice of directing energy by working with our minds and our environment, and understanding how they each mirror the other.

When you have evaluated your area, then you can begin to think about how you want your life to be in this area, what your vision is for this aspect of your creative expression. The placement of objects, the addition of colors, and the application of cures can then be considered with the goal in mind. The movement of things in your environment gets the energy moving in a positive way, and automatically affects your consciousness so that qi can flow more freely throughout your whole creative expression, including your body, mind, relationships, and environment.

Course Continues…

This is an excerpt from one of the many elective course options in the University of Metaphysical Sciences metaphysical degree program.

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