In this article I will answer three (3) of the most frequently asked questions on Feng Shui that I have come across.
Why is north shown at the bottom of typical Feng Shui diagrams such as the Bagua, Yin Yang etc? Why not on the top like conventional maps? Are the directions reversed? Is north south and south really north?
The answer is absolutely not. Magnetic north will always be magnetic north. In western mapping convention, north is shown on the top of the page. Chinese mapping convention is just the opposite. North is always shown at the bottom of the page.
It is like reading a map upside down. Instead of the United Kingdom on the top of the page and Australia at the bottom, it is the reversed.
Should you attempt to redraw everything according to Western mapping convention with north on the top of the page? There is nothing wrong with this approach but I would advice you not to.
Almost all diagrams in Chinese metaphysics involving directions are traditionally drawn with north at the bottom. This include the Bagua – both the early and late heaven arrangement, Yin Yang, Lo Shu, Five Elements, Heavenly Stems and Branches, Seasons and Sub-seasons, Feng Shui Compass, Water Formulas and even the Zi Wei Dou Shu birth chart!
That is a lot of translations to do. Instead you can make life easier by simply getting use to north at the bottom and south on top. Think of this Chinese verse, “Heaven South, Earth North”.
The second most popular question is regarding home ownership. Here goes.
The house that I lived in is not mine (rented or under wife’s name). Will the Feng Shui of the house affect me? Or does it affect the owner who may not be staying in it?
Feng Shui is a metaphysical study on how the surroundings affect the luck of the occupants of the house. This include the profile of the land around your house, surrounding feature such as rivers, roads, buildings etc, house facing direction, internal space utilization etc.
Feng Shui does not and cannot differentiate between the occupants and the owner who may not be staying in the house. It affects those staying in the house, period.
It may sound strange but I know of at least one person who continues to pay rent a house despite having purchased two other houses. His argument is that the two other houses that he purchased do not have as good Feng Shui qualities as the one that he is currently staying!
The third is about wealth. With the right Feng Shui, will I become wealthy?
It depends. Whether you will be wealthy or not depends on a number of factors. Pre-destined factors include your destiny potential and your luck cycles. Non-destined factors include free will, learning, charitable deeds etc.
Some people are born with strong wealth potential. These people are likely to have money throughout their lives. Others, with weaker wealth potential, may have strong wealth luck cycles that support their wealth creation endeavour during these periods or cycles.
Feng Shui is a technique that can influence your destiny potential and luck cycles. When your destiny wealth potential is strong or you are in a strong wealth luck cycle, good Feng Shui can give your endeavour a boost. It is like a sail boat catching the wind.
On the other hand if your destiny wealth potential is weak and you are in a weak wealth luck cycle, then Feng Shui can only help to provide a buffer.
So, it depends!!
