What is Feng Shui?
Traditional Feng Shui
The mysterious forces believed to be responsible for determining health, prosperity and good luck are known as Feng Shui. The word is pronounced "Fung Shway" and its literal translation is "wind" and "water."
Records of Feng Shui go back to the fourth century B.C.
The ancient Chinese knew that is was crucial to control the forces of nature, to harness wind and channel water in order to preserve their agrarian way of life. Houses should be build where they were protected from the harsh winds. Too much or too little water can be damaging to the crops.
As the population grew, auspicious locations became harder to find. Deeper knowledge was required.
Schools of Feng Shui
Through the years different Feng Shui schools were founded. The Traditional Schools strictly follow a traditional approach. The absolute directions (North, East, South,West) are of utmost importance. The placement of the Eight Trigrams is determined by use of a compass. The shapes and tangible factors are strongly emphasized.
BTB Feng Shui
The Black Hat Sect Tantric Buddhism (BTB) Feng Shui has incorporated many of the traditional Feng Shui practices. As it developed the BTB Feng Shui was heavily influenced by the Tantric Buddhist philosophies and formed a unique school distinct from the many existing traditional Feng Shui schools.
Through his many years of Feng Shui practice, Master Lin Yun incorporated the modem field of studies such as Behavioral Sciences, Medicine, Architecture, Art, Urban Planning, and many others, to aid him in the discovery of many Feng Shui theories which are new to the field of existing Feng Shui practices.
The BTB Feng Shui school is distinguished by its unorthodox approach to Feng Shui practice. It contains some of the traditional Feng Shui Theories.
The BTB Feng Shui approach
The intangible (Yi) concept determines the placement of the Eight Trigrams and not the compass. It employs the concept of intangible factors and applies the intangible aspects as integral parts of the Feng Shui adjustment. It encourages reinforcement with the "Three Secrets" method.
It provides transcendental solutions as Feng Shui cures including exoteric methods (tangible) and esoteric (intangible) methods.
It stresses the "relative position" rather than "absolute direction." The main entrance of the building -mouth of Ch'i- determines the position of the tri-grams.
In other words, the mouth of ch'i determines where you can locate the area of the building/space that governs the energies that influences a part of the human body, a life- situation, a member of the family, and many more.
Some examples
In House A, the relative position of the main entrance and the missing corner may be one of the reasons why one inhabitant or more may be experiencing financial difficulties, problems with the hip and/or liver, etc.
In house B, inhabitants may be experiencing problems in their career, with their ear or kidney, etc.
If the main entrance is at a different side of these same house-shapes ( house A and B), other life-situations, body parts or family members may be negatively influenced instead, due to the missing areas and the relative position of the mouth of Ch'i and that missing area.
Perceptual and Psychological Factors
One can also approach the study of Feng Shui by examining the perceptual and psychological effects of shape, design, and arrangement. Condition which results in unbalanced perceptions, such as having one's back to the door, split views, angled or blocking walls, and sloped ceilings can destabilize the nervous system.
Odd or incomplete shapes can create a sense that something is missing, resulting in problems in life experience. Mundane factors such as first room seen on entering the house, can create behavioral effects.
The transcendental domain of ghosts, spirits, and energies of thought all play an important role.
Respecting the differences
There are apparent fundamental differences separating the BTB Feng Shui School from the others. However, Master Lin Yun accepts the differences, and respects all of the traditional Feng Shui schools equally, and encourages his students to do the same. He strongly advises his students never to criticize any practitioner from any school.
James A. Moser
Our teacher and world renown feng shui expert, Mr. James Allyn Moser has given a powerful message regarding the future of Feng Shui.
He said; "People today realize that the environment does affect you and that feng shui is a key to understanding how our surroundings have an influence on us. As we have more say over our space, with more of us working from our homes, you will see the use of feng shui become more prevalent. Interior designers are liberally using feng shui with their clients and the next untapped profession that will start using feng shui will be real estate agents. Real estate is ideal for this, especially for hard to sell properties, sometimes just changing one thing can create that sell. On the other end buyers are going to want houses that are feng shui correct and look to the future for houses to have a feng shui seal of approval.
You will continue to see feng shui written about in magazines, newspapers, exposure on TV and radio. As feng shui awareness grows people are going to realize they are going to be left out if they don't start applying feng shui in their lives. CEO's will realize if their desk is not in the most powerful position, they could be left behind in their business. Housewives will realize by moving their beds they can enhance their marriages. City planners will realize that they can create better traffic control and lower crime rates by using feng shui. Anybody from any walk of life will realize that his or her life will be improved by the use of feng shui. Don't let modern life pass you by, use feng shui for optimum results."
This text is used by fengshuihost.com with the permission of Mr. James Allyn Moser
Source: Professor Lin Yun, James Allyn Moser and Sean Xenja