For a yearly forecast using Flying Star there are in fact 3 layers (Pan or Plate) of numbers to consider. First there is the Luoshu Earth Plate, then there is the Period Heaven Plate and in between is the Yearly numbers, representing the human concerns we have for each new-year.

Because yearly forecast is a form of divination, so the first thing we have to do is to ask the question what would we want the numbers (or the Stars) to tell us? In this case, the task is to compare the 3 yearly charts for 2013, 2014 and 2015 to find out which is the most auspicious year to complete the project, located to the NE of Berlin Central.

Since the project is located to the NE using Berlin as the central reference and we are concerned with a yearly forecast, the number in the NE palace of a yearly chart becomes the Host and we have to consider 3 other numbers to the Host, using Wuxing Sheng-Ke (the Five Elements relationship) and timeliness to assess the Ji-Xiong (Auspicious and Harmfulness) of each layer.

There are 3 steps to following through:

Step 1) Compare the number in the NE palace of a yearly chart with the number in the central palace, this will give us an indication of the influence of Berlin as a city on the site in the a yearly basis, this comparison uses numbers in the same layer and is immediate but only lasts for one year.

Step 2) Compare the number in the NE palace of the yearly chart with the number in the NE palace of the Period chart, this will give us an indication of how the period affects the year in the NE direction. These are both time stars as well and the comparison lasts longer, so this is the most influential.

Step 3) Compare the number in the NE palace of the yearly chart with the number in the NE palace of the Luoshu chart, this will give us an indication of how the Earth Qi affects the year in the NE direction. This comparison has the weakest expression as the Luoshu layer is non-specific and we are comparing time with direction that are not in the same layer, so this layer is the least influential of the 3 layers.

2013

In 2013, the 8 White Earth is the Host when compared with the 5 Yellow Earth in the central palace, they are “of the same” (Step 1). When compared with the 2 Black Earth of the Period chart, it is again “of the same” (Step 2). On the surface it looks good but in fact, they are too much of the same, all Earth making the situation static and we can also see this is a case of “Fu Yin” (Repeated Chanting) of the yearly star chart with the Luoshu chart in Step 3, so it is best to give 2013 a miss.

If we go through the same procedure for 2014 and 2015, we will find 2014 is a good option. Why? Lets see:

2014

In 2014 and referring to Step 1, 7 Red Metal is the Host and 7,4 is “control out” of a Declining Star to a Dead Star, there is not much gain but no harm is done as well because “what I control is my wealth” as the saying goes, even though little is gained. We don’t mind this because the project is a community “group-built”, the idea is not to make a lot of money but get a good design built for the community of like-minded residents.

Step 2, 7,2 is Hetu pairing, which will give Early Heaven Fire and Fire represents passion, the driving force behind our project.

Step 3, 7,8 is ”generate-in” so the Luoshu Earth Qi also supports the project to be completed in 2014.

2015 is not as good as 2014 because there is no Hetu pairing of the yearly star with the Period star as in 2014, even though 6,8 with the Luoshu layer is better than 2014. When we bring the Stem and Branch of the year into consideration, 2014 Jia Wu is a harmonious Year as mentioned by Sintra, so 2014 is my final choice. Besides, from a construction programing point of view, 2014 is the more realistic year to complete the project, so there is a practical reason to chose 2014 as well.

Thank you for your participations. Kung Hei Fatt Choi to all!

We used Flying Star calculations in the design (see chart below with an auspicious “Prosperous Mountain and Prosperous Facing” pattern) and there is no financial pressure to finish the project with a fixed time frame, so the Flying Star quiz is, “Which of the 3 years, 2013, 2014 or 2015, is the best year to complete the project?” This year (2012) is too soon for a project of this size.

In 2013, 5 flies into the middle palace and 8 ends up in the NE; in 2014, 4 flies into the middle palace and 7 ends up in the NE and in 2015, 3 flies into the middle palace and 6 ends up in the NE. The yearly star in the NE palace represents the project and how it is related to the number in the central palace, to the Luoshu number and to the Period 8 number in the NE, will give us an indication of the influence of the Human Qi, Earth Qi and Heaven Qi of time respectively on the project.

If you are interested in the quiz, please send in your answer and reasoning (click “Leave a Comment”) before the Chinese New Year of the Dragon (23 January 2012), I will give my answer and reasoning afterward. It is a good way to practice your “prediction” skill to help with building scheduling on the first day of a new-year.

A Happy New Year to all!

http://www.harrassowitz-verlag.de/
(look under New Books section)

International Conference on Feng Shui (Kan Yu) and Architecture in Berlin
Edited by Florian C. Reiter

2011 Harrassowitz Verlag · Wiesbaden
ISSN 0948-9789 ISBN 978-3-447-06592-4
Volume : 38
Asien- und Afrikastudien der Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin
Language: English.
Binding: Paperback
Weight: 500 g
Publishing Date: 03.11.2011
Price info: 49,80 Eur[D] / 51,20 Eur[A]
ISBN10: 3-447-06592-3
ISBN: 978-3-447-06592-4

Contents of the book:
Foreword.
FLORIAN C. REITER Considerations about the assessment and application of Feng Shui in Berlin.
OLE BRUUN Feng Shui: a universal mode of thought?
HONG-KEY YOON Cultural ecological links in “The geomantic landscape of a sailing boat” .
MICHAEL Y. MAK Scientific research of Feng Shui applications for the built environment.
WANG YUDE Feng Shui and architecture in Taizhou.
HOWARD CHOY Spatial appreciation with Yin Yang dialectics – a Feng Shui way to
make Sense of our environment.
GYDA ANDERS Traditional Chinese architecture and Feng Shui.
EDUARD KÖGEL Feng Shui in Germany. The transculturation of an exotic concept by Hugo Häring, Hans Scharoun and Chn Kuen Lee.
TSAI SUEYLING Mount Hongding: Buddhist cosmology in geomantic topography.
ALBERT T. SO AND MICHAEL Y. MAK Study of flying stars method of the compass school with case studies.
MICHAEL PATON The cosmology of Yang Yunsong and science.
STEPHEN L. FIELD, J.K. AND INGRID LEE The origin of Bazhai Feng Shui.
ELLEN VAN GOETHEM The four directional animals in East Asia: a comparative analysis.
List of Contributors.

Our client just sent us some photos of his new office, which we not only did the Feng Shui audit and analysis but also the planning. This is the fourth office we did for him in the past 10 years, starting from a one person operation to a multi-national company operating from Sydney, Los Angeles and China. This is one of our success stories, when done well, the use of Feng Shui in business can have some demonstrable benefits.

I have a few questions concerning the 7-9 combination…It is where the fireplace will be in a house in a living room, but in this case 9 is the host and the period star is also a 9. Is there still a fire issue with this combination even though fire is controlling metal? They also want their stove in a 7-9 combination where 7 is the host, in this case I will be using earth to put out the fire and maybe removing too much wood and may even suggest a yellow kettle that they leave on their cooktop. My third question concerning both of these situations is from your notes on pg162 of the GGSFS brochure “Flying Star & Luopan Compass”…..7-9 combination….”so if the external environment is facing a chimney, a furnace, an electrical tower ot a pointed shape with red coloring, it must lead to a fire disaster.” Do you mean the outside of the building facing something like this in the distance or do you mean the inside of this sector viewing onto this? In my case the fireplace has the chimney outside also in this sector, should I be putting square earthen pots outside? Oh and one last question, if this combination 7-9 is in the middle sector of the building, does that mean that there is a fire hazard for the whole building? 

Thank you, I hope my questions are clear, please let me know if they are not.

Kind Regards,
Darlene

Hi Darlene,

Sorry for the late reply, I just finished a four days workshop and only now have time to catch up. I can understand the difficulty in analyzing the 7M9P9W combination, because in Flying Stars we use the Wuxing Sheng-Ke or the Five Elements relationship to establish the Ji-Xiong or the auspicious and harmfulness of a combination but in this case we also use the Early Heaven (EH) and the Later Heaven (LH) correlations to do our assessment.

In this combination of the stars, although the 9 Purple Fire Sheng Qi facing star can “melt” or control the 7 Red Metal Declining star mountain star adequately to avoid conflict, there is still the presence of EH Fire (7 is one-half of the 2,7 EH Fire in the Hetu pairing) and LH Fire (9 Purple Fire) in the same palace, so the potential for fire hazard is still present.

The other issue we have to consider is not only the physical form (a Fire shape) but also the functional use of the space in question, if internally there is a kitchen or a fireplace in use, then the potential to stimulate the harmful effect of the stars is high and if externally there is a restaurant kitchen chimney nearby and that is being used, then the potential for fire is also high. I should have avoided using the term “must” here, because we are talking about potential and tendencies.

When we use the Five Elements to assess the auspicious and harmfulness we can use the Five Elements Jie-Hua or “Cures”, but in this case the correlation we used is based is on EH and LH Fire, so the Five Elements, expressed through shape, colour and material, are not so relevant, it is better to be mindful of the potential for fire hazard and take great care when using fire in the said space/palace. Also as I suggested in the class, check whether there is a fire insurance policy, just in case.

If there is a 7,9 combination in the central palace, and there is fire in active use, then the potential of the fire spread out from the centre of the house is there, I would make sure there is a fire extinguisher readily available in the middle of the house. As they say, ’Forewarned is forearmed’ .

I hope these explanations can clarify the situation for you.

Regards,

Howard

According to Prof. Xu Subin from Tianjin University in her paper, “The Psychological Factors of Feng Shui”, which appeared in Prof. Wang Qiheng’s book “Research of Feng Shui Theories”, the Siling model can be compared to Kurt Lewin’s “psychological life space” and it is a Chinese way of dealing with the psychology of space, in which the form and configuration of the Siling created a spatial field that can “carry the Yin and embrace the Yang” and leads a spatial harmony and balance that can “gather the Sheng Qi” of the land and made the occupants feel comfortable and being embraced by the psychological field created by the physical form and configuration of the space.

It is an abstract modeling device used to plan homes, villages, towns and cities in China and has proven to be an effective way to deal with the psychology of an environmental space using Chinese philosophical concepts like Xing (Form Qi) and Qi (Formless Qi).  The Siling configuration is not only a functionally efficient formation (protect the site from the cold wind and orientate to the warm sun) it is psychologically satisfying as well. So we can say it works to satisfy the basic human needs (being protected and being “loved”) and to improve the Feng Shui (environmental quality) of a site.

The main purpose of Qigong is to develop one’s vital qi (chi) or the vital energy that keeps us alive. It can help realize the body’s full physical potential, resist sickness, repair damages and balance the bodies’ energy flow. The control of respiration plays a central role in the system. The use of the breath is a fundamental aspect of Qigong practice and is the key to energy control as well as the bridge between the body and the mind. The elderly for its specific therapeutic or rehabilitative properties can practice Qigong. Athletes and martial artists from other systems of martial arts to compliment their other training can also practice it.

It has been established that Qigong stimulates the immune system and is favorable for the healing of inflamed and degenerated tissue. It has a calming effect on the nervous system and is therefore beneficial in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and depression. Also, for the student of martial arts and Taijiquan it is a means of furthering one’s study and improving one’s skill.

There are altogether 5 Luohan Qigong forms:

1) Sap Ba Lohan Kuen
2) Siu Lohan Kuen
3) Dai Lohan Kuen
4) Tai Git (Tai Chi) Kuen
5) Mo Git (Wu Chi) Kuen

In the coming weekend workshops (26-27 November 2011 and 14-15 April 2012) we will teach the Sap Ba Lohan Kuen or the Lohan 18 Hands Qigong form, which emphasized on using correct postures and movements to activate the circulation of the Vital Qi in our body. It is most suitable for those who are interested in a classical approach to the practice of traditional Qigong as taught in southern part of China within the famous Choy Le Fut Martial Arts School.

You can see a segment of the form as performed me here on Youytube posted up in his Shouyi Taijiquan Qigong website:

http://www.shou-yi.org/photos-videos/18-hands-lohan-qigong

I will start teaching the Lohan 18 Hands Qigong in Mulhouse France from 26 – 27 November, 2011, this is the first time I teach this in Elizabeth Sartia’s School, anyone interested please contact her:

ASSOCIATION LE FIL DE SOIE – TAI CHI CHUAN & CHI GONG
info@lefildesoie.net
Salle Franklin, 48 rue Franklin 68200 Mulhouse France. Tél: 06 21 60 52 52

> Hi friends,

> There is no place for colour in classic FengShui.

> Harrindra Dhruv
> FengShui Consultant

Hi Harrindra,

Color is a part of classical FS consideration, for example, in olden days only
the imperial household can use the yellow tiles on their buildings, because the
yellow is considered the kingly color, nowadays we should look at color choices
from 3 levels:

1) Human – the psychological level.
2) Earth – the functional and environmental level.
3) Heaven – the symbolic and the ritual/cultural level.

The final choice of a color scheme should reflect these 3 levels of
considerations to achieve a balance and harmony between the San Cai Qi of Tian
(Heaven), Di (Earth) and Ren (Human). This is one of the core aims of classical
FS.

If Susan don’t like the existing color of the door trims, then we should take
her concern into consideration as part of our tasks and come up with another
suggestion that suits her taste and fits in with the rest of the scheme. If she
wants to paint the door red because that is her understanding about FS, then she
has a Ganying or a mutual resonance with red at that level, and we should take
her level of understanding into consideration as well. If we want to change that
then we have to give a good explanation, so she can connect to the new choice.
Without Ganying, FS won’t work because there is not connection between the users
and their environment, this is also how FS “cures” work, through Ganying between
the objects used and the meanings attached to them.

As a consultant we should help our clients to select a color scheme from their
perspective and not from our own color preference and we should explain clearly
to them the reasons for our choice so they can connect to what we have in mind,
and let them make the final decision, they have to live with the colors, we walk
away from them after our consultation.

We perceive the Qi of the environment with our five senses and our mind, and
since the sight is the most acute of all the senses, we must not neglect color
in Feng Shui, but we must consider the choices from all 3 levels and not just
the Heaven level.

Howard Choy
ECOFS

Nature can also be an inspiration, the colors of a nearby tree trunk can give us a lot of creative ideas about how to do a color scheme for a house.

The numbers and patterns are there for us for us to contemplate with what we can observe in the physical environment and what we can find in human needs for each particular thing-events.

Don’t just rely on the compass calculations or a cycle of time to come to terms with our world in a particular space-time. Wealth cannot be explained away simply by a set of numbers, nor can the stock market be understood by following the moon-phase alone.

Below is a typical Feng Shui expert’s advice, attacking other methods and promoting his particular own, but missed the most important aspect of Feng Shui and that is to observe the physical form and configuration of a site and the functional needs of the occupants before looking at the intangible “stars” using correlative thinking with numbers and symbols. In fact the external form is not his first consideration, it is the Gua Qi from his Xuan Kong Da Gua calculations. In reality, the best Qi is not the intangible “Compass” Qi, which is meaningless without taking into considering the Earth and Human Qi at the same time.

“When I design a new house from the scratch, the external form is my first consideration, what direction and compass orientation can give the client the best energy based on Xuan Kong Da Gua, then I will look into the water supply point and sewage exit to get the Jiu Xing water method’s 5 ghost carry money after I know the design of the house shape.

Be careful with feng shui professionals who only rely on the Flying Stars system.”

The 10,000 things come together by the interaction of the San Cai Qi of Heaven, Earth and Human, so please look wider and beyond the numbers and different cycles of time (the so-called “Heaven Luck”), when we want to understand the Feng Shui of a situation.

Also books, whoever wrote them, are good, but they cannot give us the full answers by the nature of the limitation of written words. Only constant practice can give us the skills we need and that is why there is no point in talking to someone who has no experience in doing Feng Shui about the effectiveness of Feng Shui, which lasted for thousands of years, not by a set of numbers, but by its usefulness.

The way to overcome the Da Gua Maze is to observe the physical form and configuration of a site and the functional needs of the occupants before looking at the compass calculations.

There is an absolute truth, but it cannot be spoken, because it is “Above Form” (Xing Zhi Shang 形之上). One can come to know it, after years of study, but one cannot speak about it, because as soon as it is spoken, it becomes “Below Form” (Xing Zhi Xia 形之下) and it is not absolute any more.

Other truths are relative truths, relative to the space and time when it is spoken, it is only true to a particular context but it may not be the same when the circumstance changed.

This should not stop us from searching for the Truth, but we must keep in mind what we have found may not be absolute, especially when it can be written down (like I am doing it now), but only relative to the situation and it keeps changing from time to time.

When someone said that he has discovered the truth, keep an open mind and try to figure out the needs hidden behind this truth that he is telling, for there is a “Need” in his particular space and time to come up with this particular version of the truth and that happened with different schools of philosophy in ancient Greece, which deeply influenced the way we think in modern times.

I am telling you this “relative truth” because there is a need in me to figure out what are the differences and similarities between the ancient Greeks and the ancient Chinese, and I have to agree with Maureen in the end – “they are ever changing and yet always the same,” like philosophies all over the world, from ancient to modern time. It is only the preference at a particular time that made the East and the West seem not the same.

“Nothing is either good or bad, but only thinking makes it so” – William Shakespeare.
“Nothing is either good or bad, but only the opposite makes it so” – Howard Choy.