applications of each plate.
Our task is made easier, however, because most of the formulas for Yang dwellings use the magnetic north of the earth plate, and this is what we will largely focus on in this book. I strongly discourage amateurs from even attempting to practice Yin feng shui. The Luo Pan contains more than enough hugely beneficial information on Yang dwellings to keep one fascinated for a lifetime. It is unnecessary and even foolhardy to dabble with Yin feng shui since this requires practical work in cemeteries and gravesites. Ugh! As I have a natural aversion to cemeteries I have always politely declined any offer to teach me Yin feng shui.
There are different types of Luo Pan
Each type of Luo Pan contains the attributes and variables of different formulas. Thus one type of Luo Pan can be used to study the impact of landforms – such as mountains and rivers or buildings and roads in today’s city environment. Another type of Luo Pan is used to assess the quality of spatial and time dimension feng shui, while a third type combines the different plates of the compass that take account of three types of north. The Luo Pan is a very accurate and subtle instrument in that every angle measured in degrees of direction offers various interpretations and applications. Compass feng shui is based almost exclusively on measuring the luck of directions – both facing directions and sitting directions. Compass feng shui evolved from the trigrams of the I Ching placed round an eight-sided Pa Kua symbol, and it addresses the feng shui of both Yin and Yang abodes. As we are concerned with Yang dwellings, none of the Yin feng shui instruction manuals are included here unless they also apply to Yang abodes.
Today’s environment is different
Application of Compass feng shui in today’s environment should take account of how buildings, roads, towns, and cities have developed and changed over the centuries. The living environment of the 21st century bears no resemblance to that of ancient China whatsoever. So the circumstances and visual appearance of today’s world is not at all the same as when feng shui first developed. The chi was not as complex then as it is today, when we have to contend with the added complications of electricity and telecommunications.
Man-made or man-induced energy flow across the earth has added vastly to the lines of natural energy, so the kind of chi that affects modern homes is very different from that which affected homes and buildings of the past. It is important to bear this in mind when using the secrets of the Luo Pan. We need to be sensitive to the new environment when practicing feng shui – especially the significance of modern structures that may affect the feng shui of abodes near them. Thus satellite dishes, water tanks, transmission lines, multi-level roads – to name but a few modern-day structures – simply must be taken into account since their presence in any environment has strong feng shui implications. The same also applies to neighboring buildings. When the feng shui influence of surrounding structures is analyzed then care can be taken to diffuse any hostile chi emanating from them, while enhancing any benevolent chi they may send. This aspect of compass feng shui uses the Sarn He’ Luo Pan’s mankind plate. Here the formula uses the “man” plate set of 24 mountains and their corresponding elements in order to study the meanings of all nearby buildings, mountains, and structures. This is a very valuable formula which Hong Kong feng shui masters are especially fond of using.
The exciting promise of the Luo Pan
The Luo Pan is the key to unlocking a veritable treasure trove of methods that can be used to bring big transformations in luck. Over the course of this book I will share some of the skills that have been passed on to me. These will help you to read and understand the compass, tell you how to use the formulas for installing cures against bad luck, and how to activate chi to create powerful protective energy for you and your family. Good feng shui always means being protected from premature accidents and death. Good feng shui ensures that your family and all the residents of your household are safe, secure, and stable. Living within the embrace of protective chi helps you avert accidents and overcome life obstacles.
In addition, good feng shui that comes from well-positioned enhancers brings longevity and good health, success without obstacles, wealth, and great relationships. When used in conjunction with basic principles of feng shui, compass formulas add a stunning dimension to this wonderful practice.
Feng shui assessment is always about reading invisible chi patterns that influence a property. These patterns can be felt and determined on site – things like the strength and direction of the winds, as well as the smells and lushness of localized vegetation. But chi is best read by using the compass. In the atmosphere of any place there is always a vibration that one can tune into. The feng shui Luo Pan can often pick up these vibrations. More important than the tool, however, is a mind-set that encompasses earth and sky, land and water, Yin and Yang, productive and destructive forces, and a solid knowledge of formulas and interpretations. It is the practitioner that picks up the vibes of atmosphere and environment, so also trust your own instincts.
The living universe is a multiple blend of a billion permutations. No two houses or properties are ever exactly alike, just as no single abode has constantly good or constantly bad feng shui. The nature of energy is such that it is always changing and evolving. So when using the compass it is always a good idea to take directions again and again. This ensures that the orientations of the land as well as the home are accurately read.
Chi is an elusive force
Chi is not easy to pin down so taking directions can be frustrating when the needle of the compass refuses to settle down. Be patient. Chi is like mercury, hard to grasp. One can study it, analyze it, live with it, embrace it, feed it, trap it, accumulate it – but it is foolhardy to take it for granted. So be patient and take your directions carefully from different angles. The key is to get the orientations of your home accurate and then Compass feng shui will amaze with fabulous and quick results.
There is a depth to feng shui that is very challenging. There are those who use instinct or some special metaphysical capability in their practice of feng shui. Others use assessment of physical shapes and structures to arrange their feng shui. Still others use a combination of different methods – I have seen a multitude of approaches used by different people with varying degrees of success. My perspective on feng shui is derived from the viewpoint of a user. I have used feng shui extensively, broadly, and boldly – in my work, my business, and my personal life – and it has given me the competitive edge. For over 30 years feng shui has been a good and dependable friend – and while I have experimented with different formulas, performed various rituals, and applied Symbolic feng shui in every aspect of my life, underlying all those has been my total reliance on the compass. My approach to feng shui has always been based on the compass.
Formula feng shui
I discovered Formula feng shui very early in my practice and long years of experience have made me very confident in its potency. Formula feng shui has never let me down. But, like everything else, practicing feng shui requires us to make decisions and trade-offs: which formula to use, which room to activate, whose direction to use, where to place the main door, and so forth. It is completely to be expected that one has to confront situations where the different formulas offer different recommendations.
In my experience, Flying Star formulas practiced in conjunction with Symbolic feng shui bring the fastest positive results.
