by T Selva and Henry Fong

This is part 2 of a 2 parts article that appeared in HomeFinder, a leading property magazine. If you had not see part 1 you can view it at Vasthu & Feng Shui 1.

What is the importance and effects of surrounding features such as mountains, rivers, buildings, roadways etc?

Mountain ranges are a strong source of life supporting qi. Water like lakes or rivers on the other hand is a good accumulator. Thus in Feng Shui, the preferred location of a home should be near the mountains and/or water.

The ideal location in Feng Shui is one that is supported by mountains at the back, lower protective mountain ranges on the left (known as the Dragon Side) and right (Tiger Side). There should be water or an open area known as Virtual Water in front and smaller hills (known as Table Mountain) in the distance.

It would be even better if the Dragon and Tiger extend and protect the site like the pincers of a crab! In this configuration, the mountains will not only bring qi but also serve to protect it from being blown away by the wind.

In a flatter terrain, one should look for unusual protrusion as this indicates the presence of strong qi. In the absence of such form, find a site that faces water.
In the urban environment, buildings take over the roles of mountains. While they are not a strong source of qi, they nevertheless serve to protect the site from strong winds, conserving qi in the area.

Roadways unfortunately are unlike rivers, they do not accumulate qi like waters do. However, they can still assist in dispersing or conserving qi depending on the configuration of the roadways.

When choosing a house, buyers should avoid purchasing close to places of worships, stadiums, function halls or any place that attracts large number of people. In Vasthu Sastra, having such a large gathering in front of the house is not good for the dweller.

Mountains can be located in the western and southern area of the house while rivers or water features can be located in the eastern and northern area of the housing scheme.

In terms of roads, a house should ideally have roads on all four sides of the house to allow even flow of energy.

T-junctions, pylon cables, cemetery, lamp post etc, what are they considered as and what are their effects?

In Feng Shui we believe that certain objects like high tension pylon cables and forms such as T-junction can generate Shas of Killing Energy that can negatively affect the occupants of a house. There are many types of Shas, for example stench from a nearby oxidation pond is called Sound Sha, light reflected from the windows or curtain wall of a nearby building is known as Light Sha, T or Y junctions generate Road Sha and cemetery or places of worship generate Yin Sha.

Some Shas have very dramatic names, for instance the lamp post directly in front of the main door is called Heart Piercing Shas while facing the gap between two buildings is called Heaven Chopping Shas. Shas are also found internally such as the overhead beam over one’s bed.

Since these Shas can affect us negatively in one way or another, avoiding them is crucial. In circumstances where they cannot be avoided, then a defence mechanism must be deployed. For example, if the main door is facing a lamp post directly, one can relocate the door especially if there is a more auspicious sector. Another method in to block the ‘sha’. An example is to build an additional pathway or plant trees between the sha and the house. There are also other more aggressive defence methods such as reflecting or bouncing back.

Houses located in the T and Y junctions are very inauspicious in Vasthu Sastra because the negative energy that flows on the road opposite the house will hit into the house directly. People staying in such a property will experience no peace of mind, faced with financial problems and terminal illness.

Both Feng Shui and Vasthu Sastra share the same views on this and through experience, many dwellers in such houses have suffered in silence. Developers do not take this into consideration because they want to maximize profits and this is why such houses appear in the most unfavourable places.

How do we select areas to place the main door, bedroom, kitchen etc?

In Li or formula based systems such as the Flying Star or Eight Mansions, a house is divided into sectors of varying quality. Quality of sectors in the Flying Star system are determined by examining the mountain, water and period star (expressed in numbers) in each sector which in turn is derived from the period and facing-direction of the house. Depending on the type of the stars in each sector, the qualities of each sector is then determined and classified. The classification can range from very good, average to very bad.

The same applies to the Eight Mansions system but instead of looking at the facing-direction, the auspicious and inauspicious sectors are derived based on the sitting-direction of the house and the interaction of the Kuas in the Pa Kua or known as the Eight Trigrams. Again, these sectors range from excellent to very bad and they are given names such as Sheng Qi, Fu Wei, Jue Meng etc to reflect the quality of the qi in each of these sectors.

Feng Shui tries to place the important or frequented areas such as the main door, kitchen, bedrooms, study and living areas in the good sectors. Other areas such as the toilet or store should be placed in bad sectors. The rationale is that the more time the occupants spend in these good or auspicious sectors, the more they will be influenced by the positive qi within. And since less time is spent in the toilet or store, one will be less affected by the inauspicious qi in these areas.

As opposed to Feng Shui, a dweller will be able to determine the direction and location of the main door, bedrooms, toilet and bathrooms by using an engineering compass. For example, couples should sleep in the south-west of the house, which is the most auspicious location in a property. Bathrooms and toilets must not be located in the north-east (spiritual quadrant) and south-west (prosperity quadrant).

The main door can be located in any of the eight compass directions (north, south, east west, south-east, north-east and north-west) except south-west which is regarded as on inauspicious entry. This is because the subtle positive energy that enters into the house through the northeast should settle in the south-west and if there is any opening like a door, the energy will escape and will not benefit the dwellers.

What part do symbols play?

There are many schools of Feng Shui and some make very extensive use of symbols. For example the deity Guan Gong protects the household, the turtle provides support, the horse represents success etc.

Others such as the classical Flying Star and Eight Mansions system make very moderate use of them. In fact in these systems, the potent ingredient is not the symbols but rather the elements that make up the symbols.

Illustrating an example from the Eight Mansions system, a house that sits north, the Sheng Qi (wood element) wandering star occupies the SE sector. In the Pa Kua, the element of SE is wood. In this case, the wandering star is assisted by the sector. A practitioner would introduce more wood and water, where appropriate, in this area to further enhance this sector. Depending on the circumstances, these wood and water elements can be real plants, a water fountain or items of the colours green and blue.

To illustrate another example, this time from the Flying Star system, let’s assume the stars 2 and 5 occupy a certain sector. Both the stars 2 and 5 are earth based and are inauspicious in the current period. In the cycle of the five elements, metal exhaust earth and a practitioner would introduce a metal object to neutralise the inauspicious energy. This metal object can be a pendulum clock, copper tooling art, copper vase, ancient Chinese coins or simply a metallic ornament.

From ancient times, symbols are regarded as powerful products to avert negative energy in Vasthu Sastra. In metaphysics and prehistoric studies, symbols are regarded as visible signs of an invisible reality. Symbols act like keys that help an individual to attract a particular energy pattern he or she needs. Such patterns can be related to love, money, relationship, unity, studies, mental power, health, safety, spirituality and peace of mind. How to choose a symbol? When a symbol is in sight, one must feel a need to wear or carry it. Among the auspicious symbols include the swastika, anchor, cross, fish, bells and arrow.

So there, a quick look at two of the very profound practices of Feng Shui and Vasthu Sastra and how the earthly elements are perceived under each discipline. This concludes our two part series of Feng Shul vs Vasthu Sastra.

by T Selva and Henry Fong

This is part 1 of a 2 parts article that appeared in HomeFinder, a leading property magazine. HomeFinder suggested to T Selva, a well known Vasthu expert and I to author a comparison between Vasthu and Feng Shui for the benefits of their reader and metaphysics enthusiast. This is the result of the collaboration.

Why is Vasthu Sastra and Feng Shui important when constructing, choosing or occupying a property?

According to the ancient study of Vasthu Sastra, when building, staying or working in a building or property, one has to be in tune with the five elements – ether, air, fire, water and earth – which influence our environment. Only when we are in harmony with these natural forces will we enjoy wealth and happiness. Failure to do so can bring misery and misfortune.

Theory of the five elements has it that they are present in every atom of the universe and they need to be present in abundance within the home to make it vibrant and filled with positive energy. A critical study of fundamental Indian beliefs states that the elements have an interactive influence on all dwellers of a house. Our body comprises the same five elements in the form of the five senses – hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell.

According to Vasthu Sastra, if a property is built according to the five elements, the internal energy currents in the bodies of those living there will be in tune with the universal energy, thus resulting in good health, wealth and happiness for those residents. Just like feng shui, the underlying principle of Vasthu is to live in harmony with our environment so that the energy surrounding us works for us rather than against us. It is based on the arrangements and balancing of the five elements in their proper order and proportions.

Feng Shui on the other hand is a Chinese meta-physics study that looks at how mankind is affected positively or negatively by the environment. The environment is not limited to nearby geographical features such as mountains and rivers but also astronomical forces exerted by the planets.

Ideally we want to be located in on area where life supporting ‘qi’ gathers. Feng Shui and its many rules (with regards to soil quality, mountains and rivers etc.) can help you find such a location.

The ‘qi’ or energy distribution within a house can be determined by the orientation and completion date. Having the places such as main door, bedroom, kitchen and living room in the good sectors can affect our fortune. In this case, Feng Shui can help you determine the ideal orientation of the house as well as adjust the main door facing and bed directions for example to match the birth charts of the occupants. When the occupants are in harmony with the house, they can then expect better luck.

The importance of the orientation (facing or sitting) of the house and how it affects the quality of the house.

After choosing a house, it is important for the dweller to check the ideal designation of rooms and activities. Rooms that are not in tune with the five elements of Vasthu Sastra will bring misery to the occupants. For instance, south-east is the fire corner in a house and this is where the kitchen should be located, not ideal for a couple’s room. If they choose to make it their bedroom, then they will constantly be in disagreements, evoke anger and engage in quarrels.

In Feng Shui however, the orientation determines the quality of the house as well as the auspicious and inauspicious sectors within the house. In the Flying Star system for example, houses built during period 8 (between 2004 and 2024) facing SW1, NW2, NW3, NE1, SE2 and SE3 are given the name ‘Prosperous Mountain, Prosperous Water’ These houses are good for wealth and health and especially so if they are backed by mountains and faces water. Houses facing S2, S3, W2, W3 and E1 are given the name ‘Double Facing’. These houses are good for money but not so great for health and relationships. The quality of these houses is increased if there is water in front of the house and mountain in the distance.

Houses that face S1, W1, N2, N3, E2 and E3 are called ‘Double Sitting’ houses. They are good for health and relationship but unfortunately not so great for wealth. The quality of these houses is increased if there is water at the back of the house and mountain further back.

At the other end are less desirable houses with names like ‘Locked’, ‘Reverse Mountain, Reverse Water’ and the ‘Fu Fan Yin’ charts.

Does the quality of a dwelling change over time?

In Vasthu, an analysis on the house owner’s astrology is done to determine the direction that is favourable for him or her. Following this, the individual will have to choose the appropriate house, recommended based on the person’s horoscope. This direction is permanent for the house owner and it does not change from time to time.

Unlike Vasthu, quality of the dwelling change from time to time in Feng Shui. Take the Flying Star example again and assuming the house is built in period 7 (between 1984 and 2004). During this period the star number 7 is current and considered to be very auspicious.

Moving forward to period 8 and assuming the house remains untouched i.e. the same with no renovation whatsoever. This time, the advent of time into Period 8 has changed the Feng Shui for the dweller. What was once the auspicious star number 7, it has now become absolutely inauspicious. Such changes are not only felt in the sectors but also affect the quality of the entire house in some cases.

For example an NW1 facing house built in period 7 and dubbed the ‘Prosperous Mountain, Prosperous’ house (good for money and health) becomes a ‘Locked’ house (bad for wealth) in Period 8.

Even in the Eight Mansions system, where the ‘qi’ quality of each sector does not change, it is still somewhat affected by time too. Take for instance a house with its main door facing the ‘Sheng Qi’ direction. The element of this ‘qi’ is then wood. During the wood and water years, occupants of this house can expect better luck as wood assists and water produces Sheng Qi’. But the occupants will find themselves less supported when time is forwarded to metal years because in Feng Shui’s theory, wood is controlled by metal.

How important is it to select the right date for renovation and moving?

It is important in Vasthu Sastra to choose an auspicious date and time before construction, renovation or moving into a new home. Such activities should not simply be carried out merely based on one’s convenience because unfavourable periods can cause delays and obstructions which in turn have bad effects on the work and house owner. After the auspicious date and time have been determined, the owner should perform prayers and rituals before moving in or starting work.

The ancient Chinese believe that the movement of the planets has an effect on things that happen on earth. For thousands of years the Chinese (and other cultures well) have recorded the movements and try to relate them to events on earth.

Out of these recorded data come formulas that help us to determine auspicious or inauspicious days. The Chinese believe that performing a task on an auspicious day will ensure a smooth progress and success while doing it on the “wrong” day can bring obstacles and failures.

Examples of the inauspicious days include year and month breaker day as well as the 4 Departure and 4 Distinct Days. In fact there are even days called Master Killing Days where the practitioner should not practice Feng Shui! On the other hand auspicious days include Yearly Virtuous Days, Yearly Wealth Days etc.

Most date selection techniques in Feng Shui take the sitting or facing of the building into consideration. A famous Grandmaster by the name of Dong even came out with a 12-day formula called the Build-Divest cycle that tells us what we can or cannot do on any day.

In some systems of Feng Shui, date selection such as Xuan Kong Da Gua, the right date and time can mean the difference between tremendous success and the ordinary achievements.

What kind of challenges will a dweller experience if he or she does not follow these ancient knowledge?

In the practice of Vasthu Sastra, it is all about conscious living. Those who follow the ancient principles can be assured that they will be blessed with health, prosperity, peace, happiness and joy. Those who do not follow the knowledge can still live but in whatever task they undertake, they will face various challenges before achieving their goals, which could have been done smoothly if they have been in balance with the environment.

Like it or not we face challenges in life. Feng Shui is a way for a dweller to use the environment to support his endeavour and improve his life path. With good Feng Shui you can expect ‘help’ in the areas of wealth, health and relationships.