Ingrid's Inner Sanctum
What is your Feng Shui Type
By Ingrid HauckYou may have heard of Feng Shui, the art and science of balancing energy in one's space, and perhaps read some books or articles, but it may seem rather confusing. Sometimes you're told to figure out which compass direction that your house is facing. Sometimes you're asked for your birth date. Sometimes this information doesn't seem to matter- what's paramount are the location of the doors to your home. For a beginner, it is easy to become lost in what appear to be contradictory pieces of advice - unless you know what your Feng Shui type is!
Feng Shui is somewhat of an all-encompassing term for a series of modalities that relate to the energy of the physical environment. It's something like the term "energy medicine" that can refer to a number of modalities for improving our body's health: acupuncture, Reiki, homeopathy, colour and crystal therapies, to name a few. Feng Shui seeks to bring about a strong and harmonious environment for people to live, work and relax in. There are different modalities, known as schools of Feng Shui. One type, the Form School, concerns itself with the exterior environment - the shapes and features of a piece of land.
When it comes to interiors, there are two main schools of Feng Shui: Compass and Black Hat. So you first have to decide which type of Feng Shui that you want to use. It's something like the first decision that you have to make when you decide to purchase a computer: do you want to use a MacIntosh or a DOS platform? Both types of computers work well, and both have certain advantages. Similarly, both types of Feng Shui can provide solid benefits, depending on your needs and inclinations.
The Compass school is the original traditional form of Feng Shui. It orients the fundamental tool of Feng Shui - the Bagua (which I call the energy map)- based on the compass directions. Practitioners use a tool known as a Lo-Pan to precisely determine the energy quadrants in your home or office. This school works closely with the Chinese zodiac and your date of birth is required. The energy enhancements will often tie in with your Chinese sign.
The other main school known as Black Hat (or Western) Feng Shui migrated from China to Tibet and was developed there by a Buddhist order. It employs essentially the same Bagua but the starting point is what is referred to as the "mouth of the chi"- which are the doorways by which the energy enters a space. In this school of Feng Shui, the birthdates of the occupants are not necessarily considered. Western Feng Shui makes use of both visible energy enhancements and invisible adjustments known as transcendental cures.
Feng Shui consultants may be trained in both schools of Feng Shui, but in my experience, they will likely have a preference for one or the other method. Either approach can have an extremely positive impact on your own circumstances. What is not recommended is an attempt to use both types of Feng Shui in the same location. Choose whatever type of Feng Shui best resonates with you and your outlook, and then proceed confidently to change your space and your life!
