Josephine and I have been going to London for over 45 years and frequently visit Chinatown and Sunday night (21-11-21) we were in town with friends watching Jersey boys for the fourth time and while walking down Wardour Street were surprised to see a very commanding Feng Shui Dragon mounted on the wall.
Michael Hanna
Qi can take any of five general states: Prosperous, Growing, Retreating, Dead or Killing and with period 9 around the corner in February 2024, you will need to understand the different states of qi and also what good (sheng) and negative (sha) is and how it interacts with the Feng Shui flying stars.
Prosperous Qi is known as Wang Qi. This is the most vibrant and auspicious type of Qi, bringing prosperity and improved quality of life. Wang Qi is strong and nurturing, and its presence helps accelerate performance. Wang Qi is the most important Qi within an area, and this is the first area in a Feng Shui consultation that we try to enhance as this can bring fast results when activated.
Growing Qi is also called Sheng Qi. It is life-generating and can bring prosperity and good fortune to our lives. The presence of Sheng Qi accelerates opportunities and progress, sharpens our thinking, and stabilises our emotions.
Retreating Qi, also called Tui Qi, declines in strength and influence.
Dead Qi is also called Si Qi. It is stagnant, and its presence creates problems and suffering. Si Qi is deadly. It hinders performance and upsets the balance of energy.
Finally, Killing Qi or Sha Qi is negative, ferocious and destructive. It is powerful and menacing. It can have far-reaching adverse effects and is the opposite of Sheng Qi. Sha Qi reduces vitality and has a blinding effect on one’s performance or thinking.
Sheng Qi is produced by lush, green mountains and slowly meandering, clean waterways. On the other hand, Sha Qi occurs in areas where mountains are sharp, rocky or barren, or waterways rush too quickly or are dirty. Windswept areas are also indicative of the presence of Sha Qi since wind can disperse Qi.
External landforms always take precedence over internal formulas, so be sure to determine if the Qi of the external environment is positive or negative before working on the inside of the structure. If the external environment is inauspicious, your efforts inside will mostly go to waste.
It is essential for those who live in urban environments to point out that artificial structures do not generate Qi as natural landforms do. However, large artificial structures can block, conduct or redirect Qi. They can also transform Sheng Qi into Sha Qi. Therefore, neighbouring buildings or roads can carry Sheng or Sha Qi. Meandering roads with slower-moving traffic are conductors of Sheng Qi, while fast-moving, noisy traffic moves Sha Qi.
External landforms which form sharp or hostile shapes can also cause Qi to become negative. Examples include pillars, lampposts or dead trees directly in front of a property’s main door. One of the worst examples is a road pointing directly at your home. Narrow or dark passageways can also foster Sha Qi. On the other hand, an expansive, open space that allows Qi to gather outside your home and meanders gently brings Sheng Qi. Such a space is referred to as a “Bright Hall” or “Ming Tang”.
Qi flows from high to low places and can move slowly in a meandering way or quickly in a forceful way. It can pool in an area or be dissipated. It can collect and be distributed, it can be squeezed, and it can be expanded. Qi collects in open, uncluttered spaces. Narrow spaces like corridors cause Qi to be compressed and move forcefully.
Because Qi flows downward and not upward, the Qi on an upper floor of a building is always more passive than the Qi on the lower floor. This is why it is better to have more active rooms like living rooms on the ground floor and bedrooms on the upper floor. Qi should not stagnate, so it is a good idea to air spaces out regularly to allow Qi to circulate freely.
It is essential to keep sure you do not have any sha Qi in the north, northeast or southwest as these areas are severely affiliated in 2022, and you must place all the annual Feng Shui cures and enhancers. If you follow this link, you will find more details on the year ahead.
We are coming to the end of period 8 on the 4th of February 2024, but the qi energy had started to decline in December 2020, and it has waned ever since. As Feng Shui consultants, we have been activating the sheng chi energy of the #9 purple star and also the #1 star with amazing success.
I hope you have enjoyed this article on the five states of Qi, and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them in the box below.
Best wishes
Michael
Feng Shui involves the harnessing of energy known as Qi (Chi) to benefit us in our lives. This energy is formed from the interaction between two polarities of energy in nature. The natural landforms that converge to form Qi are mountains and water, and the dual polarities that interact to form Qi are known as Yin and Yang. No study of Chinese metaphysics can be undertaken without a firm understanding of these two forces of nature.
Most of us are familiar with the symbol of Yin and Yang, which is known as the Taiji. The meaning behind the Taiji may be somewhat less well-known; however, it is the Origin of Everything in life.
In the Dao De Jing, Laozi states that everything that exists came originally from a void, which the Chinese call “Wu ji”. It is expressed as a circle, both full and empty at the same time and will no doubt have been seen in many forms such as tattoos, logos, print designs and websites.
When existence arose into being, the circle became populated with a single dot. This dot is called the Taiji, and it represents the limits of what we as human beings can understand within the limitless bounds of Wu Ji.
The energies within the Taiji are expressed as a duality, which is known as Yin and Yang. Everything that we can perceive in existence is made up of a mixture of these dual forces.
Originally, Yin was the word for the shady side of a hill, and Yang was the word for the sunny side. The interplay between Yin and Yang is expressed within this symbology since the side of a mountain that is sunny when the sun first appears in the east is the side that is in the shade when the sun sets in the west. Yin converts to Yang, which then converts back to Yin, and the cycle repeats forever.
It is essential to realise that nothing is completely Yin or completely Yang. That’s what the opposite-coloured dots within each tadpole shape of the Taiji represent. Within Yang, there is a trace of Yin, and vice-versa. The polarities are constantly shifting from one extreme to the other.
In terms of Feng Shui, it is essential to strive for a balance between Yin and Yang in your surroundings. Too much Yang energy can lead to arguments, restlessness and irritability. On the other hand, an excess of Yin can lead to depression, apathy and fatigue.
As mentioned above, the external land features that carry Yin and Yang energy are mountains and water. Mountains are expressions of Yin because they are unmoving and still. Water, which is always in motion, represents Yang.
In the internal environment of a house or other building, the main door and living room are considered Yang because there is movement and activity there. This would also apply to doors and passageways and any other areas where there is a lot of natural sunlight and/or activity.
Such rooms should not be kept too dark or have too many plants that block the sunlight. Bedrooms, on the other hand, are considered Yin rooms because we sleep there. A bedroom should be located and arranged in such a way as to promote Yin Qi. Otherwise, our sleep will suffer, and this will impact our health in the long term. The kitchen stove is also considered Yin because it is not in constant use. Also, the food prepared there has a direct effect on health, which is within the Yin domain.
Even Feng Shui itself can be divided into Yin and Yang. Yin House Feng Shui has to do with the selection and arrangement of the “houses of the dead”, or gravesites. Yang House Feng Shui deals with the homes of the living. Also, the Luan Tou system of Feng Shui, which places greater emphasis on the external environment, is Yang in nature relative to the Li Qi system, which deals with formulas and calculations related to the internal environment.
This is because external landforms can actually be seen and experienced, whereas calculating formulas is an internal, invisible practice. Ideally, you want the internal Li Qi calculations, which are Yin, to harmonise with the external Luan Tou forms, which are Yang. This interaction between Yin and Yang will bring good Feng Shui. Always remember balance is what you should strive for.
A final note on Yin and Yang: artificial lighting and colours do not influence the Yin and Yang of an environment. Perhaps very large manmade features like buildings or roadways can affect Yin and Yang, but painting your bedroom blue will not make it Yin, and painting the living room yellow will not make it Yang. Those ideas are New Age Feng Shui, not authentic classical Feng Shui and what I would call McFeng Shui!
I have been to thousands of homes and businesses over my forty-odd years doing Feng Shui consultations, and you would not believe what I have seen. Creating a good balance of Yin and Yang is in moderation; if you want yang energy in an office, do not paint it bright red as this is too much, and you will not have a good balance, add a bit of red along with some beige, green or other light colours, create a balance of Yin and Yang.
The same in a bedroom; you want yin energy, but you also need some yang in there, so combine some Yin and yang colours, I would say 65% yin and 35% Yang.
When looking at any room in your home or office, use the five elements of Feng Shui and create what is known as a “Sheng cycle” which uses all five elements’ colours.
The majority of the annual Feng Shui cures and enhancers we recommend and create each year are based on Yin, and Yang energy and the five elements as these provide a natural cure or enhancer, and with period 9 commencing on the 4th February 2024, you will need a better understanding of how to activate this very important 20-year cycle.
Gardening is not everyone’s cup of tea; personally, I love it; I find it very relaxing and enjoyable. In the practice of Feng Shui, the garden is often overlooked, but it really is the key to good Feng Shui. If you think about it, what is the point of having the perfect Feng Shui home if the area around you is producing bad energy. All this energy comes into your home via your doors and windows, and if you have clutter and junk in this area, this will be the energy your home will receive.
In Feng Shui, Eight Mansions is called Eight Houses and is a commonly used formula for determining if you and your home are compatible. You can use the results of the formulation to find your Gua number Trigram and determine your four auspicious directions and four inauspicious directions for you and your home/garden.
A good Feng Shui garden will help attract nourishing, high-quality Qi (Chi) to your home, as well as delight all your senses. The size of your garden is not the main criterion, but I understand that it is lovely to be surrounded by a big, lush garden; if all you have is just a tiny space to work with, you can still create a good Feng Shui garden. The main tools used in creating a good Feng Shui garden design are the same tools you use in creating a good Feng Shui home. You will need to know either the Xuan Kong natal chart, eight mansions Bagua, or the energy map of your home, as your garden Bagua is an extension of your home Bagua.
You will also need to understand the five elements theory and know how to strengthen each area to bring auspicious energy. For example, the northeast area of your garden is connected to the energy of personal growth and self-cultivation, and the Feng Shui element needed in this area is Earth.
If you are looking to add a water feature to your garden, areas such as southeast (Money & Abundance); East (Health & Family) and North (Career & Path in Life) are excellent areas for water elements. In designing your Feng Shui garden, be sure to allow gently curving pathways for Qi to flow smoothly. Straight lines are rarely present in nature, so use relaxing, flowing shapes and pathways for your Feng Shui garden.
Good garden decor can be used as a subtle cure. Think of the Bagua energies needed in each area and match your garden decor accordingly. For example, an outdoor fountain with floating golden bells is excellent for the Money & Abundance of energy (Southeast), while a metal sculpture of a turtle is an excellent protection cure for the North of your garden. If you want to create a play area for your children in the garden, the West area is recommended as it is connected to the energy of children and creativity.
Wind chimes are an excellent addition to any garden, as their gentle sound creates healing vibrations in the air. There is a variety of wind chimes that we sell on our website – from metal to crystal – with various symbols, colours and numbers of strings and rods. While each element of the wind chime design is essential, I would say the sound of the chime is always a deciding factor for me (along with the look, of course.)
Working with colours is a great way to emphasise various rhythms in your garden. In Feng Shui, colour is used according to the five elements theory, and you can bring healing harmony and joy to your garden by choosing colours that emphasise specific energies, such as, for example, the Fire energy in the south with red or purple flower colours, or earth energy in the southwest with light yellow colour.
Enjoy creating your garden and bring items, colours and natural elements that bring you pleasure to look at. The more joyful energy you put into your garden, the more joyful and healing energy the garden will reflect back to you, as well as to your home.
After the autumn season, in particular, leaves start to accumulate, which quickly stagnates and stops the flow of Qi, so get the gloves on and remove them from your garden. If you have forgotten about a bucket that’s hiding behind something- check it! There could be stagnated water lying in there which can cause you many problems depending on whereabouts it has been sitting. If there is stale water in there, you should try and dispose of it by tipping it down a drain which leads away from your home. When clearing up in the garden, make sure you clean every corner and crack properly. Any negativity should be washed anyway to allow new positive Qi to enter.
Your garden can be a perfect retreat in the stressful times we live in, especially with the recent Covid 19 events and now the latest economic downturn here in the Uk and seems worldwide; with regards to Feng Shui, it is so vital that you balance the Yin and the Yang in the garden; you can have the ideal Feng Shui home if it is not balanced with your garden your efforts will be wasted. The reason for this is that with an untidy garden, you will not get free-flowing Qi, and it will stagnate, and this stagnant Qi will end up in your home, and this WILL affect health, wealth, relationships and every other aspect of your life.
I remember many years ago, as we were having a hectic year, and we had neglected the garden and forgotten about a big bucket of water at the back of our house, which is southwest of our home. Please don’t ask me how we forgot about a big black bucket which was clearly visible. I guess I could say we just kept saying, ‘we will dispose of it tomorrow or at the weekend,’ and that tomorrow or the weekend just kept lasting forever.
I can’t count how many problems that bucket of water caused Jo and me. It affected our relationship and drove us to argue with each other, which is very rare for us and as with every other time in my life when things go wrong, I get the plans out and check all over the home and garden, and low and behold, this stagnant bucket of filthy water was located in the SW sector which controls relationships.
As you can see by the Ba Gua below, the stagnant water (negative energy) was in the southwest, which was causing relationship problems between the both of us and to top it off, the SW for that year was inhabited by the #3 argumentative star.
If you are thinking about changing the way your garden looks, putting decking down instead of grass, or a new patio, be aware of sharp angles, corners and columns. These can create what’s known as Sha Chi poison arrows. These angles redirect the energy funnelling it into a powerful thrust that transforms Qi into Sha energy.
Certain types of plants are essential in your garden and home, do not use cactus or plants that have spikes as they produce hostility and tension. Plants with fat juicy leaves are very auspicious. Overbearing large trees that are close to the home are not good either. Always try and have them no higher than two-thirds of your home.
Try and fill your garden with colourful plants all year round; they will attract good energy as well as look great. Using herbs in the wealth area southeast to create good wealth and luck. The use of herbs in your garden not only adds colour and life, but they can also have a powerful influence on your life. They also contain medicinal properties that have been used for centuries.
Basil prefers to grow apart from other plants and is said to promote individual and good fortune in personal ventures; planted in the northern area and is not used whilst pregnant.
Jasmine lifts the spirits of depressed or those with marital problems, planted in the southwest to improve relationships or southeast to improve money luck. I love lavender, not just for its healing and aroma properties, but as a plant; you can place it anywhere in your garden; below a bedroom window is excellent to promote better sleep.
Even back in 1986, when Jo was pregnant with Daniel, the health visitors encouraged all of the pregnant ladies to use lavender to help them relax not only during the 40-week wait for their babies but during the labour process too. Way back in the 80s, when I first started using essential oils, I thought it was an old wife’s tail, but it actually does help you relax, and from what Jo said, it 100% makes the labour process just a little bit easier.
Rosemary aids bad memory; plant it in the southwest to encourage remembrance. Do not use it when pregnant or if you suffer from epilepsy; in fact, always seek medical advice before using most essential oils.
Your garden should be treated the same as your home; keep your lawn trimmed, borders clear, and patios clean, pay particular attention to your front door, and make sure it is unobstructed and no paintwork is peeling or cracked. Always clear blocked drains as these will have a severe effect on finances, mainly if located in the southeast.
Use trailing plants like ivy on the edges of sheds or garden buildings to soften harsh edges, do not let them overgrow or block light. Hide your rubbish bins behind a screen if possible and do not have seating near them. If you have a BBQ, have it in the south, southeast or northeast, as it will stimulate the inherent energy. Try and use your garden as a sanctuary. You will be surprised at how much better you will feel after sitting in the sun or watching the wildlife.
I know I have got you all thinking, wondering if your garden needs a good tidy up.. now Autumn is almost here It is the perfect time to get the bulbs in and get the garden looking excellent for those relaxing summer evenings and BBQ parties with families and friends.
It is also essential with 2023 Yin Water Rabbit (Gui Mao) around the corner, and of course, in 2024, we have the long-awaited period 9 arrive, and the 21 odd years will be the most crucial times wherever you live in the world, so start preparing the home and garden now.
“Every time you think you’ve graduated from the school of experience, somebody thinks up a new lesson.”
I have been using Feng Shui for many years to enhance various aspects of my life, and I have professionally practised Feng Shui for thousands of individuals and businesses all over the world. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of knowledge believed to have originated at least five thousand years ago, and it is mentioned in surviving texts from that era. Similar systems exist in India (known as Vasthu Shastra), Tibet, and Japan (known as Nine Star Ki). Interestingly, Feng Shui also shares some similarities with the ancient Egyptian knowledge, which was brought to Europe during the Crusades and later introduced to North America by European exiles.
In the Far East, Feng Shui is widely used by businesses and individuals. In the West, there is a growing interest in Feng Shui adoption. Companies like Virgin, Arthur Andersen, HSBC, and Orange, with connections to the Far East, have been mentioned in the press for using Feng Shui. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of private individuals have also embraced Feng Shui to enhance their lives.
Despite the perception that Feng Shui is a recent development in the West, there is increasing evidence that it was used among the Victorian merchant classes, especially those with connections to the Far East.
Feng Shui is a comprehensive system that covers a wide range of areas. The Chinese believe that it takes at least five years to learn the basics and a lifetime to delve into its more advanced and powerful aspects, and as a Feng Shui Master for fourty-odd years, I am still learning, especially with period nine fast approaching in February 2024 as whatever Feng Shui cures and enhancers we used in period 8 and 7 etc will not work in period 9 and people who have had consultations done will need them updating very soon.
In ancient China, Feng Shui was an exclusive knowledge reserved for the Emperor, and its dissemination to the masses was strictly restricted. Even today, some Feng Shui Masters are cautious about revealing deep and powerful secrets to all but their most trusted pupils. Consequently, much of what is written about Feng Shui in the West can be simplistic, taken out of context, or even misleading.
Feng Shui covers various areas, including buildings, graves, people, time, and landscapes, and all these aspects interact with one another. At its core, Feng Shui illustrates how energy, often referred to as Chi, Ki, Prana, or Life Force, flows through our environment, changing over time and influencing our lives, our buildings, our ancestors’ graves, and ourselves. In the Western perspective, this influence is often referred to as “luck.”
Many individuals can sense this energy intuitively, noticing the atmosphere of a room after an argument or the pleasant ambience in a house where people are thriving. Recently, an increasing number of people claim to see this energy visually, observing mist-like substances or colours and shapes, such as bluish-grey jagged disturbances near certain areas where Feng Shui concepts like Sha lines are involved.
Feng Shui encompasses various “systems,” each with its own supporters claiming it to be the best. In my experience, each system offers valuable insights, and when appropriately applied, they can be effective to varying degrees. Some systems may excel in specific areas, such as identifying causes of illness or improving business performance.
Traditional Eastern societies tend to view the bigger picture, while Western cultures often focus on details and compartmentalization. While the Western approach is useful, it can sometimes limit us when we fail to recognize how these details connect to the whole and to each other within the context of Feng Shui.
In the West, we’ve done the same “Compartmentalisation” with Feng Shui where we think about:
There are proponents of each who will argue that “theirs” is best and, in extreme cases, that you don’t need to bother with the other one. I will merely say that there are well-defined, if little-known, links between compass formulas and “Form”, which modify how those compass formulas express themselves. In my experience, you are wise to learn and use both simultaneously.
There are several methods for assessing the Feng Shui of people. The most popular (& simplest) is the LoShu (or 9 Star Ki) calculation, but others such as Lap Yang, Kwa, Ba Zi and Tzu Wei systems give a great deal of accurate information about a person’s life and how their circumstances change through time.
There are some interesting parallels between aspects of these and aspects of Western Astrology and Indian Vedic Astrology.
The real power to understand and create improvement comes from examining the interactions between the various pieces of information from whichever “school” or “system” of Feng Shui they originate. Intuition can play a part, but feng shui is not just an intuitive process. There are well-defined, objective links between the different aspects of Feng Shui.
But before we all get too lost in the details, remember that the basic premise of Feng Shui is that if an improvement is made in an aspect of the Feng Shui which affects you, a corresponding improvement will occur in your life or business. The more powerful the Feng Shui being applied, the greater the benefit.
