Getting
Started
Using Feng Shui Principles To Improve Your Life
"He
who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened."
- Tao Te Ching
Alright, here we go. We come to the "yang" portion of this work!
Enough contemplation, it's time for action. This is the time to put all
this knowledge and wisdom, and these tools, to work in your life. For
this course, we are going to focus on using the Ba gua/magic square as
a tool to apply Feng Shui principles. If you are interested in studying
any of the other tools, you should have enough information to get started,
but for now, we will explore the application of the overlay of the ba
gua on your floor-plan. Remember, as well, that the ba gua can be applied
to any space, including individual rooms, an office, or even an altar.
Think of it like a holographic tool, as you can have ba gua within ba
gua.
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 Taoists 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 chi is flowing in your home/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, that 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 chi, 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 Taoist 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 chi can flow more freely throughout your whole creative expression,
including your body, mind, relationships, and environment.