Feng Shui Geomancy with Sifu JC

Insights from Grandmaster Baugh on Feng Shui  

As we embark on this journey through the history and principles of Feng Shui, it's essential to recognize its roots in Taoism, one of the three foundational philosophies and religions of ancient China, alongside Confucianism and Buddhism. Taoism emphasizes harmony with nature, encouraging us to seek balance through its teachings. 

I respect nature, my teacher, and all the teachers and students who continue to pursue enlightenment or well-being, and happiness in today's world. I hope this article clarifies the true art of feng shui and emphasizes its connection to peace and harmony within the environment and its inhabitants. 

Classical Feng Shui

Based on the two original types first used in China, Classical Feng Shui consists of Form School and Compass School principles and methods. Contemporary Classical Feng Shui is related to, and utilizes, a variety of modalities. It primarily uses directional energy to indicate the quality of the energy at a location within a home. The Luo Pan compass is an essential tool for studying and understanding directions, energy, and opportunities for inhabitants. Classical studies include direction, elements, zodiac animals, the I-Ching, Flying Stars, sectors, and the characteristics of each direction.

During my time with Grandmaster Baugh, I learned that energy readings go beyond mere directional analysis. He taught me to intuitively sense a space's vibrational quality, a skill developed through practice and a deep connection with the environment. Grandmaster Baugh demonstrated how to "read" a room by feeling the subtle shifts in energy as one moves through different areas. He showed me this technique on multiple house and business blessings, which has profoundly enhanced my ability to see the "Living Environment." 

One beautiful insight into materialism I learned was the Jing, Qi, and Shen concepts of seeing everything as living. Let's take a chair for example; the Jing is the substance, the wood, the paint, its parts. etc. The Qi is the chair's potential or what it can be used for like to sit in, stand on, or block a door, etc.. The Shen is the chair being used for its potential, so when you are using it, you are activating its Shen or its Spirit Potential. You see... everything has life... GM Baugh

Form School

The Form School is the oldest branch of Feng Shui, originating during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 906 AD). Initially focused on the design of structures, villages, and burial sites, it has evolved to encompass landscapes and home interiors. Also known as the Landscape School or San He School, it emphasizes how surrounding landscapes influence our energy. Key elements include the symbolism of Celestial Animals and the arrangement of furniture, highlighting that all objects contain Qi or Chi (energy). 

Grandmaster Baugh often compared Form School Feng Shui to real estate transactions. The location's energy directly impacts the value and harmony of the space. Through his teachings, I learned how the right placement of a home and its location can foster abundance and harmony, lessons that resonate deeply with my practice and approach to real estate and helping clients find the perfect environment and healing space.
 

Compass School

In Feng Shui, the "Compass School" is considered the more associated with "Red Hat" Feng Shui, while the "Form School" focuses on the natural landscape features without relying heavily on compass directions, making it distinct from the typical Red Hat approach. Emerging shortly after the Form School during the Song Dynasty (888 - 960 AD), the Compass School employs science and mathematics to harness directional energies. Practitioners use a compass called the Luo Pan (Chinese Geomancer Compass) that was first referenced in the West in 1834 to identify auspicious and inauspicious directions, impacting various aspects of life, from relationships to health. This school plays a crucial role in orienting the Bagua map within a home.

Flying Star Method

The Flying Star Method, a subset of the Compass School, analyzes energies based on timeframes—year, month, week, day, and hour—influenced by planetary movements. It identifies nine distinct energies, or "flying stars," each associated with different aspects of life:

1. One (White Star): Romance
2. Two (Black Star): Illness
3. Three (Blue Star): Quarrels
4. Four (Green Star): Education
5. Five (Yellow Star): Illness and misfortune (most inauspicious)
6. Six (White Star): Wealth and career promotion
7. Seven (Red Star): Destructive energy
8. Eight (White Star): Prosperity (luckiest star)
9. Nine (Purple Star): Celebration and auspiciousness

Feng Shui practitioners often utilize the Flying Star Method to assess a home's energy based on its construction date. 

8 Mansions (Ba Zhai)

The 8 Mansions, or Ba Zhai, is a principle of the Compass School that determines the compatibility of individuals with their homes. By calculating your Kau/Gua number through Chinese Astrology, you can discover four auspicious and four inauspicious directions, each associated with different energies:

Sheng Chi (Wealth): Attracts prosperity and abundance.
Nien Yen (Love): Fosters good relationships.
Tien Yi (Health): Promotes physical well-being.
Fu Wei (Personal Growth): Encourages peace and harmony.
Ho Hai (Bad Luck): Linked to minor misfortunes.
Wu Kwei (Hauntings): Associated with theft and quarrels.
Lui Sha (6 Killings): Connected to missed opportunities.
Chueh Ming (Misfortune): The least auspicious, affecting finances and career.
 

Four Pillars of Destiny

The Four Pillars of Destiny (Sheng Chen Ba Zi) is a tool within the Compass School that breaks down the components of your birth date into eight characters. This analysis relates to Chinese astrology and the Five Elements, helping to assess personal qi and connect your energy with your living space.
 

Black Hat School

The Black Hat School represents a Westernized approach to Feng Shui, emerging in the 1980s. It combines elements of Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Feng Shui, often criticized as a diluted version of the original practices. Unlike the Form School, the Black Hat Sect emphasizes intentional items to manipulate energy flow without considering environmental factors.

While the Black Hat honors some of the Eastern heritage of the traditional practice, one of the key divergences is that it does not consider the use of a compass. This simplification essentially eliminates it from ever being considered true Feng Shui. Instead, the Black Hat uses the Eight Aspirations Map (often erroneously referred to as The Bagua Map) as its primary tool and is otherwise not a geomantic system. Being more of a classical Chinese medicine student and Taoist practitioner of Feng Shui, I tend to use the older methods for insights to create the ultimate nurturing environment for maximizing radiant health.

As we continue to delve into these teachings, may we enhance our understanding of Feng Shui and its profound impact on our lives. If you would like a Feng Shui consultation or wish to learn the powerful Nine Star Taoist Manifestation Meditation using the Bagua Map in your home or healing space, please feel free to reach out.  I have found the powerful Nine Star Meditation particularly transformative. This meditation allows us to harness the energies of each area and aspect in our lives, aligning them with our intentions to manifest desired outcomes in life. 

By Sifu JC