Chinese Astrology

10/03/2010 Feng Shui Florida 7

By now you know a lot about Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement. You’ve probably read how to create a zen-like atmosphere in your home or office, and how rearranging your furniture or strategically placing wind chimes and crystals can change your luck forever. Sometimes, when used with intention, these symbols of change can help alter the energy in a space. But of course, that’s an over-simplification. Authentic Feng Shui advice is specific to each person, each building and each piece of property and quite difficult to generalize. And frankly, sometimes the more you hear, the more confusing it gets.

Perhaps I can help to clear up some of that confusion. One of the eight limbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Five Element Chinese Astrology makes an important and relevant contribution to our understanding of Feng Shui, and I believe is an intricate part of the authentic Feng Shui consultation.

Feng Shui originated over 5,000 years ago in China with early observations about nature. The classic Chinese text known as the I Ching or Book of Changes, taught that everything in the universe can be categorized into one of five elements needed for working and living. The idea is that the properties of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal explain everything in our environment and that each element has a profound effect on the others. Not only do these elements describe everything on earth, but every combination of these elements actually provides an interpretation or prediction for naturally occurring events.

Early Taoist philosophy and yin/yang theory proved that there is order in the universe and that everything is related to each other in a meaningful way: darkness and light, inhaling/exhaling, male/female, summer/winter, birth and death. This relativity also shows that every element depends on the others to exist: For example, wood can’t survive without water to help it grow and metal relies on forces deep within the earth for creation. These elements also help to transform each other. Here’s an example: think about just how usable metal would be without fire to shape it into useful tools. How can a tree which is wood, stand its ground without drawing support and nutrients from the earth?

These same five elements are used in Chinese astrology to determine the traits a person is born with and how they influence their personality, strengths and weaknesses. Unlike Western astrology, which examines the affect of planets and stars on a person’s birth chart, Five Element Chinese Astrology (the Four Pillars of Destiny), uses the relationship of the elements represented in the hour, day, month and year of birth to map out the blueprint of each person. When you draw your first breath, the elements in play in the universe at that moment and in that particular place, imprint you for life, influencing your life path, your destiny and your luck. Once you know and understand your ‘heaven luck’ as it’s called, you can use Feng Shui to enhance your earth luck and have a real impact on your future.

I use the Four Pillars to help people make the best of their own personal element by learning to capitalize on their strengths and support their weaknesses. Knowing more about your chart is useful for choosing a place to live, seeking personal and business partners, career planning and creating your own opportunities. The calculation of a person’s luck cycles also indicates ideal time frames for making important decisions, such as buying or selling a home, expanding a business or pursuing a new objective.

Knowing which elements are supportive to you and which elements are missing in your chart even helps to determine the best building shape to live and work in, the color clothing you wear, the automobile you drive, and décor in your personal surroundings. For example, having an office on the top floor of a skyscraper might be productive for a gentle wood creative consultant, but not beneficial for the gentle earth real estate professional who benefits from being closer to the ground. When young children are found to have very strong or very gentle elements, I often recommend changing the colors in their bedrooms or introducing the element that naturally supports them. An analysis of a person’s Four Pillars also determines their four best compass directions – these are ideal directions for their front door and bed to face, and empowering directions to observe while working, studying or negotiating.

When I perform a Feng Shui consultation for clients, whether they are residential or commercial clients, I include a preliminary Four Pillars analysis for each person in the family or member of the management team. This provides essential information tailored specifically to each individual client allowing me to create a unique customized Feng Shui consultation. Many clients follow up with a more in-depth Four Pillars analysis to help them understand and improve every aspect of their lives and assist them in planning for the future.

I’m certified in Chinese Four Pillars Astrology and provide this service either with or without a Feng Shui consultation. All that’s needed is your place, date and time of birth. If you would like to learn more about your own Four Pillars of Destiny, or to order a gift for someone, please contact me at Diane@windandwaterfengshui.com or call 727-459-1459.

As always, wishing you good ch’i,

Diane Gallin, CFSC