Feng Shui for the Southern Hemisphere The bagua is at the heart of many feng shui considerations. It represents the eight primordial trigrams, arranged as a mandala to map the energetic qualities of the seasons, colours, directions, life situations and many other associations. The trigrams are a combination of three lines representing humanity between heaven and earth. The bagua is a clear and precise observation on how energy moves and circulates in our outer and inner worlds. It is an energy notation of natural phenomena describing the chi pattern as it exists between Heaven and Earth. The first bagua originated in ancient China, and was used to describe the energetic flow of the northern hemisphere's seasons, sun pattern, directions and the alignment of the five elements. Numbers, trigrams, elements and directions are used in feng shui. Each has a resonance and association with other aspects sharing the same qualities of chi. An example is the number nine on the bagua. It is the most yang number and it indicates the highest placement of the sun's movement in the northern hemisphere -due south. That is why the bagua map is always drawn with south at the top. It representsthe fire element - in this direction we experience what is called in the feng shui classics ' the radiance of the sun'. The wood element represents rising life force or chi, hence it has a resonance and association with the east, morning time and spring. That there are clear explanations of the mapping of the universe, makes the approach of feng shui understanding wholistic. The bagua of the northern hemisphere describes the energy pattern and qualities of the sun's movement. The direction of this movement is clockwise. It also indicates the dominant direction of wind and water movements in the northern hemisphere e.g. water goes down a sink in a clockwise direction and all the major ocean and wind patterns move in a clockwise direction. The southern hemisphere is the counterpart of this movement, our major wind and water patterns flow anticlockwise, and our sun's movement is high due north. Ideal feng shui design for the northern hemisphere in a temperate zone is to orientate to the sun in the south and to protect against the cold winds from the north. The terminology used is referred to as the location of the red bird and black tortoise. These symbolic creatures are associated with the type of chi emanating from the southern direction (heat-bright yang- red bird) and northern direction (cold- dark yin -black tortoise). The red bird is used in feng shui to enhance the activities of the more yang active rooms such as kitchens, living rooms, balconies and social areas. It is designed to be more open (yang), allowing the sun's vital energy into the dwelling, incorporating larger rooms, openings and windows. The opposite direction to the red bird is the black tortoise located in the north. The feng shui principle used is to 'close down' the area , and to design with smaller windows, openings, and rooms like bedrooms, storage areas, and toilets. The classical feng shui arrangement for the red bird and black tortoise would have a mountain in the north, and clear open land in the south.
Common sense adapts these principles for the southern hemisphere. Our red bird appears in the north. The sun rises in the east, goes to the highest yang point in the north, declines in the northwest and west, and is cold towards the south. Ideally, dwellings in the southern hemisphere are orientated to the suns position in the north, with protection from the colder winds emanating from the south, southwest and southeast. The red bird area (north) infers an open space to allow the sun's penetration, a design aspect that is open and active in these areas is good feng shui for the southern hemisphere. Landscape features such as higher land, buildings and trees in the black tortoise direction of the south, is also good feng shui - it doesn't block the sun and gives protection from the colder yin elements and winds. It protects the fengshui 'spot' - where chi needs to gather but also be contained. Placing yin type rooms such as bedrooms, storage areas and toilets to the south, southwest, southeast strengthens the principle of 'mountain like' energy in this direction. Imagine if you made no readjustments, the red bird would end up in the coldest location, and the sun would be located at the black tortoise. This would not be following feng shui principles as originally intended by the ancient sages, who clearly defined the yang as the sunny and yin as the shady side of a dwelling. The bagua is an extension of these principles observed in nature. In thenorthern hemisphere, the element water is generated from the cold north, and is associated with the lowest ebb of chi-winter and the number one. Wood elements are generated from the rising sun, east and southeast, and the numbers three and four. The fire element is generated from the hot south, and the number nine and the season of summer resonate with this tendency. Metal elements are generated from the yin contracting and consolidating energy of the west and north west. Earth elements represent the transitional phases of southwest and northeast, and includes the 'centre' . The trigrams, being an expression of the directional influences, align with these qualities. Trigram fire in the south, water in the north, thunder in the east, lake in the west, and the stillness of mountain in the northeast and strong metal chi of heaven in the northwest. The bagua for the southern hemisphere, which I designed 10 years ago, symbolically represents the chi pattern that we experience, and keeps the unity of the numbers, seasons, elements and directions. The energy of the east and west are the same for both hemispheres (sun rises in the east, sets in the west). However, look at the qualities of the element fire - it is represented by the hot directional energy of the northern sun and the largest yang number, nine. The quality of the water element and the number one manifests and is generated by south. The integrity of the numerological sequence is maintained, all numbers adding up to 15 in what is commonly called the magic square, or lo shu. North East on the southern hemisphere bagua is indicated by the number four, representing the wood element, and what the early Daoist called the 'wind' trigram, indicating the warm winds that flowed from that direction. The same quality of chi is experienced in the northern hemisphere from the direction southeast. Northeast and southeast are interchangeable, depending on which hemisphere you are designing for. Both represent, morning, spring and the same angle of the sun's rays. For example, the ideal location for the kitchen in the northern hemisphere is the southeast, and for the southern hemisphere it is exactly the same position of the sun - in the northeast. The southern hemisphere bagua I use for all of my design principles in Australia. It aligns with the chi pattern we experience, and is complementary to the northern hemisphere. When the numbers are linked, the chi flow is counter clockwise, representing the forces at work. It is in keeping with the intention of feng shui - to make dynamic balance with the forces present in our environment and to adjust to local conditions. Feng Shui Southern Hemisphere considerations In the southern hemisphere, we need to make allowances for the different directional influences and there associated seasons. These underlying principles are obsvered in theflow of nature. Traditionally, yin and yang were described as the sunny side and shadyside of the hill. Yang is associated with heat, activity and stimulation. In the northern hemisphere, this is the direction south (towards the heat) and the seasons spring and summer (representing the rising yang chi). In the southern hemisphere, yang is associated with heat towards the north, and the seasons presenting the months August, September, October, November and December (summer solstice).
Feng Shui calendars are based on the mixture and flow of yin and yang energies. The solar calendar is divided up into equal parts, taken from the winter (most yin) and summer (most yang) solstice. In the northern hemisphere, February 4th is the starting point, as it is the beginning of the spring and its associated element 'wood'. February 4th is also the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Everything in nature is acted upon by the forces of heaven and earth. We live in a vibrational world. Vibrational frequencies are a wave form. Here is a illustration of the vibrational wave form of the seasons for the northern hemisphere. The Southern hemisphere follows the same observations of cycles in nature. The energy of spring begins in August (southern hemisphere wood element ), it is the exact same time of 'chi movement' between the winter solstice and equinox. It is though a respect for the patterns of nature, that the theory and applications of southern hemisphere feng shui have began to be evolved. With the southern hemisphere being the counterpart of the northern hemisphere, with opposite seasons, winds and ocean currents, the following illustration demonstrates this relationship. Drawn together, they form a complimentary and antagonistic wave form, creating a dynamic balance of seasons, winds and ocean patterns. The study of feng shui and its practical applications depend on three aspects, called the 3 treasures, the Tao of Heaven, the Way of Earth and the Human Chi. Feng Shui is the study of the Heavens and the study of Earth in relation to humans. This force, alive in the Universe, was referred to as 'Tao'. The Tao of heaven is the study of constellations, weather patterns, planets, astrological mappings such as 12 animals signs and 10 heavenly stems, ba gua and divination of the I Ching. They are all generally grouped into the study of the feng shui horoscopes and Lo Pan compass, and are referred to as the 'Heaven luck' or 'Tien Chai'. The study of Earth includes the factors that effect a communities feng shui, for example landscapes, buildings, rivers, town planning, colours and shapes. It is the study of the manifested world and is generally referred to as the Form School of feng shui. The human predicament is referred to as the 'Ren Chi ' in the Chinese language, and means a persons disposition, attitude, stage of consciousness, degrees of health and vitality. The feng shui practitioner brings all three together in a consultation, and aims to harmonise the heaven, earth and human forces. The Tao of Humans and Earth are relatively the same in each hemisphere. Adjustments are made for different locations, climatic patterns, cultural tendencies, and a person's sense of aesthetics and health. However, adjustments made to the 'comic order' or the Tao of Heaven need to be looked at closer, otherwise we can be out of step with the flow of the universe. So lets take alook at some of the more important schools of feng shui in regards to making adjustments for the southern hemisphere. Over thousands of years, many techniques of feng shui were developed, including the most popular methods today which are the "Fei Xing' or "Flying Star Method', 'BaZhai' or 8 house method, 'San He' or the 'Triple Combination School', 'Ming Kwa' or destiny number school and the Chinese horoscope referred to as the '4 pillars of Destiny' and the 'Tzu Wei' or Purple Palace Astrology. The ming kwa and the 8 house method (Ba Zhai) are both based on the 'Pa Che' or Eastand West life groupings of the eight trigrams. The writings of Wang Ch'ung during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) allude to planning houses according to the eight 'schemes'. Both house and person fall into one of two groups, and are matched accordingly. The east life group is trigrams associated with the elements water, wood and fire and are use for site selection, orientation, and sleeping and working auspicious directions. As discussed in the previous issue, the principles behind the southern hemisphere bagua govern the assignment of directions, numbers, trigrams and elements. For the southern hemisphere, the east life group adjustments are as follows: Flying Star Feng Shui The Universe is by no means static and natural influences change with the passage of time. This method of feng shui is called the flying star or 'FEI XING PAI', which makes it possible to assess the fortune of a dwelling and predict happenings within it. The Flying Star involves time cycles that are mapped onto the bagua (the numbersexpressed in the ancient Lo Shu diagram). Time is divided into 9 cycles and is associatedwith a 'trigram'. Given the age of the building, along with the direction that it 'sits and faces', the flying stars are then read from the feng shui compass and are then 'flown' over the bagua in a forward or reverse pattern. This creates the location of the 'water' and 'mountain' stars that are associated with health and prosperity. The outcome is a horoscope for the dwelling from which the practitioner assesses vital information that can be applied to the activities of the inhabitants. It shows the effect of time on a dwelling, and using our ba gua for the southern hemisphere we can create the 9 cycles of change with the trigrams representing the appropriate directions and elements. Used extensively by feng shui experts in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the 4 pillars is the ancient system of constructing a horoscope based on the hour, day, month and year of birth. It forms the base for all advice on the feng shui for the client eg directions, colours, cures, lucky and unlucky times, and names. It is used for destiny and character readings as well as fine tuning feng shui advice. The 4 pillars are analysed by the strength and weakness of the five elements - fire, earth, water , wood and metal. Rather than reflecting the position of the stars, the 4 pillars describe the elements associated with the Heaven Stems and Earth Branches at the time of birth. Different characters are needed depending on whether you were born north or south of the equator, as opposite conditions are reflected by opposite elements. Unless adjustments are made for the southern hemisphere and for local time, the correct elements in the chart representing the type of force present at birth - will not resonate appropriately. Let me give you an example. If some one is born in the spring time in the southern hemisphere - wood must appear in their monthly signs, ie tiger and rabbit. If no adjustments are made - anything can appear - depending on what is happening in the northern hemisphere - as all the known calculations are reflecting the seasonal aspects of the northern hemisphere. The 12 animals signs are simply following the season flow of chi for the northern hemisphere:
To make adjustments, we place the correct meaning of the animal with its associated seasonal time in the southern hemisphere. The flow will look like this: 12 animal signs for north and south hemisphere:
No one aspect of Feng Shui need be seen in isolation. Feng Shui can be at its most effective when several useful diagnostic "tools" have been acquired and a wholistic approach is taken. No one tool is better, all have their use in different situations. By adjusting to the southern hemisphere , we can efficiently capture the comic order and bring it into our lives to improve our health and harmony. Used extensively by feng shui experts in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the 4 pillars is the ancient system of constructing a horoscope based on the hour, day, month and year of birt It forms the base for all advice on the feng shui for the client eg directions, colours, cures, lucky and unlucky times, and names. It is used for destiny and character readings as well as fine tuning feng shui advice. The 4 pillars are analysed by the strength and weakness of the five elements - fire, earth, water , wood and metal. Rather than res associated seasonal time in the southern hemisphere. Beginning with spring in the southern hemisphere calendar, the flow will look like this: tiger hare dragon spring months /wood elements, eastern directions snake, horse, sheep summer months/ fire elements, northern directions monkey, Rooster, Dog autumn month / metal elements, western directions pig, rat ox winter months / water elements, southern directions No one aspect of Feng Shui need be seen in isolation. Feng Shui can be at its mosteffective when several useful diagnostic "tools" have been acquired and a wholistic approach is taken. No one tool is better, all have their use in different situations. By adjusting to the southern hemisphere , we can efficiently capture the comic order and bring it into our lives to improve our health and harmony. Authors Sherrill and Chu, in their ground breaking translations of ancient feng shui manuscripts, encapsulated in the book 'Astrology of the I Ching', have stipulated that northern hemisphere feng shui astrology techniques cannot be properly performed in the southern hemisphere without readjustments. The metaphysical view described in feng shui astrology and numerological techniques are a mirror of the pattern of nature on earth, best notated by the 5 elements and seasons. The spiral of energy movement in the southern hemisphere as mentioned earlier is anticlockwise, reflecting the major wind and water directions. The bagua, 12 animal signs and 10 heaven stems need to be oriented in both space and time to reflect this pattern of the unified field. Space and time of the Ba Gua 9 now represents north, radiance of the sun, and the summer months of the southern hemisphere ; November, December January 1 represents water phase of energy: south and three winter months 3 and 7, east and west remained the same. The four corner directions are reversed to reflect the time and position of the sun in the sky Space and time of the heavenly stems and earthly branches influences. The heavenly stems and earthly branches combine to create the feng shui calendar of 60. This is done by combining the first heaven stem with the first earthly branch, creating the wood rat. Each 12 earth branches has one of the 5 elements associated with it, eg. the fire rat, earth rat, metal rat and water rat. 12 animals signs with a possibility of 5 types equals 60 combinations. This cycle of heaven and earth flows over 60 years, 60 months, 60 days and 60 hours. To readjust this cycle to the southern hemisphere, first we need to establish its beginning point. The earth cycle is based on 12. If we take half, represented by the 6 month difference in the northern and southern hemispheres, and combine this with a 5 year difference between the cycle of heaven represented by the cycle of 10, our calculations can be effectively adjusted to the southern hemisphere flow. Keep in mind that the northern hemisphere wood/spring season starts on the solar time of February 4th and the southern hemisphere wood/spring seasons begins on the 7th August. 1984 in the northern hemisphere was the beginning of the wood rat, or the first combination. The wood rat in the southern hemisphere therefore began on the 7th August 1989, using our 5 year shift in the heavenly stems and 6 months in the earth branches. The months, days and hours can be worked out based on the same principle, thus enabling a complete feng shui picture of space and time for the southern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere Lo P'an compass The Lo P'an is a very useful tool for feng shui surveys - it enables you to map the unseen influences and balance the clients horoscope to the dwelling. The Lo P'an incorporates the Taoist concept that Heaven (unseen influences) and Earth (manifested influences) should be in harmony for our well-being and prosperity. This school, as the name implies, analyses the directional aspects of a given site in terms of the relationship between the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, Heaven reflecting the position of the stars, the 4 pillars describe the elements associated with the Heaven Stems and Earth branches at the time of birth. Different characters are needed depending on whether you were born north or south of the equator, as opposite conditions are reflected by opposite elements. Unless adjustments are made for the southern hemisphere and for local time, the correct elements in the chart representing the type of force presented at birth - will not resonate appropriately. Let me give you an example. If someone is born in the spring time in the southern hemisphere - wood must appear in their monthly signs, i.e. tiger andrabbit. If no adjustments are made - anything can appear - depending on what is happening in the northern hemisphere - as all the known calculations are reflecting the seasonal aspects of only the northern hemisphere. If someone is born at midnight, the rat mustappear in the hour of birth, as the hour of the rat is between 11pm and 1am, and represents the water element. The 12 animals signs are simply following the seasonal flow of chi. For the northern hemisphere they are: tiger hare dragon spring months /wood elements, eastern directions snake, horse, sheepsummer months/ fire elements, southern directions monkey, Rooster, Dog autumn month /metal elements, western directions pig, rat ox winter months / water elements, northerndirections To make adjustments, we place the correct meaning of the animal with its Heavenly Stems, and Earthly Branches. To create a lo p'an for the southern hemisphere, first you must realise that the lo p'an is simply a very sophisticated sun dial. That is how it started. The bagua is placed at the center. Fire is drawn in at the north. All elements, trigrams, earth branches and heavenly stems associated and resonating with north/fire/apex of the sun, are drawn using concentric circles around the center ring, referred to as the tai chi. The same applies to water, wood metal and earth directions. The southern hemisphere compass has the same order of rings as the northern hemisphere compass, and the same meanings and applications. However, because of the different directionology and flow of energy, the order is placed into a anti clockwise flow along with the resonance that the original meanings of the trigrams, stems and branches, and five elements have. The I Ching for the southern hemisphere The I - Ching is a spiritual treasure, one of the most beautiful books of the planet. It is a divinatory tool as well as an instrument to develop intuition and perception. It contains a lot of Taoist Knowledge about synchronicity. The Chinese ideogram for the I Ching is made up of pictures of the sun and moon. The word 'Ching' means classic. The word I on the other hand means change. The authors of this book knew that the world of phenomena is a world of ceaseless flux or change. Everything is constantly changing evolving, devolving, being born, growing, reaching maturity, decaying, and dying. Within this constant flux and movement, the world seems to change in an orderly or rhythmic fashion. The phenomenal world, according to Chinese philosophy, is created by 'tai chi' or the great ultimate which arises spontaneously from 'wi chi' or ultimate nothingness. This great ultimate creates the universe and phenomenal world through the interaction of yin and yang, which are the great primordial forces of nature. I Ching, which is the most fundamental expression of yin and yang philosophy states "The changes of yin and yang contain the measure of heaven and earth. Therefore they enable us to know the Tao of heaven and earth and its order." The 64 hexagrams that make up the readings and energy notation of the I Ching are arranged on the lo pan compass to express this order. To readjust this sequence to the southern hemisphere, the hexagrams are placed in a reverse order, starting from the winter solstice- the most yin hexagram- on the 22 June for the southern hemisphere - and placed in the direction- can you how guess? (due South for the water/winter solstice; due north for the summer solstice; from these beginning the sequence continues to complete the 64 possibilities of change.
|
