Archive for the ‘Feng Shui Basics’ Category

The more you know about Chinese New Year, the more confusing it becomes.  Since the celebratory Chinese New Year is coming up soon, I am going to explain the differences in three Chinese New Years, plus the traditional Western New Year.   Two are international celebrations; the other two provide key dates for Classical Feng Shui calculations.

Gregorian New Year

This is the New Year that the world celebrates on January 1 each year.

The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar.  It is Lunar based and was named for Pope Gregory XIII, who initiated the calendar in 1582.  It marks time following Christ’s death and originally was used primarily to determine the date for Easter.

Although inelegant and flawed, it is an effective system, differing from the solar year by only 26 seconds, or only 1 day’s difference every 3323 years.

Chinese Solar New Year

The Chinese Solar New Year, like the Gregorian calendar New Year uses a fixed date.  It begins on February 4 each year, considered to be the first day of Spring.  It’s most important use in Classical Feng Shui is in determining a person’s Gua number.  Those calculations are based on a year beginning on February 4.  If a person is born from January 1 through February 3, the previous year is used for calculations.

Lunar Shift of Annual Energy

Based on my Feng Shui Master’s Feng Shui research and testing, the major shift of energies and influences is the first New Moon following January 1, the Gregorian calendar New Year.  In 2010 the actual shift of energies occurred on January 15.  The shifting energies of time are a major part of my Classical Feng Shui practice.  Most of my clients are updated prior to this date, in preparation for this date.  I consider using this shift of energies with my clients the most valuable service I offer.  It is working with now, which is all we really have – NOW.

Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year)

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

For 10 years I have consulted with numerous 5-star Las Vegas resort casino on the Feng Shui of Chinese New Year event displays.  This work has required me do extensive research on tradition and customs for Chinese New Year, along with feed back from Asian marketing.  My design recommendations for a decade have been to use the real energetic blueprint of influences incorporated into satisfy traditional Asian customs and culture and base the designs on actual Classical Feng Shui principles.  The following are some of the very interesting traditions of this rich culture which takes nothing for granted, incorporating each life detail with significance.

The traditional Chinese New Year for 2010 is February 14, the date of the beginning of 15 days of celebrations.  This date is calculated as the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar year.  Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC when Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac, making 2010 the year 4708 on the Lunar calendar.  2010 is the year of the Metal Tiger.  The location of Jupiter each year is the location of the animal of the year.  Each animal of the Chinese zodiac is simply a way to talk about the location.  In astrology, Jupiter is considered the benefactor of the zodiac, bringing prosperity and loving relationships.  I find it interesting these ancient Chinese mathematicians and philosophers chose the location for the year to be the benefactor of the zodiac, offering hope for each year.

Chinese New Year has catapulted in international popularity in the last few years, and the traditions in the 2 week celebration process are steeped in tradition and symbolism.  Every minute detail is significant – color, food, decoration, action and word is precise and symbolic.

Food

Each food carries a symbolic meaning, often relating to similar sounding words relating to prosperity or favor

Fish, “yu” – sounds like surpluses

A type of black hair-like algae, pronounced “fat choy” in Cantonese, is featured in a dish because its name sounds like “prosperity”

Main Chinese dumplings – resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots

Mandarin oranges are abundant at this time and are round and gold, like coins

Seeds for growth, abundance and expansion – sunflower, pumpkin

Noodles are served uncut, representing longevity and long life

Flowers

Plum blossoms – luck

Kumquat – prosperity

Bamboo- luck, any time

Sunflower – have a good year

Egg plant – plant to heal all sickness

Colors and Symbols

Red, red, red – clothes, envelopes, lanterns;  red and noise (like firecrackers) will scare away evil spirits and bad fortune

Calligraphy – each year has it’s own calligraphy of two characters, one for good fortune, one for the animal of the year

Special Chinese knots – for luck, longevity, happiness

Preparations for the New Year:

Chinese New Year is the most celebrated event of the Chinese year.  No detail is spared or insignificant.  Preparations include such actions as cleaning, sweeping out left over old luck and energy.  New Years Eve focuses on family with a bountiful meal followed by fireworks.  At midnight all windows and doors are opened welcoming in the new energy.  Beginning on New Year’s Day, each day for fifteen days, holds specific significance.

New Years Day

Red envelopes or red packets, “lai shi” or “lai see” are given to children or younger or single members of family.  Lai See are filled with money, usually in even numbers.  Six and eight are considered lucky.

Wearing red is favorable.

Only positive, favorable comments are made.  No arguing, no complaining, no criticizing.

This is also a day for friends and family.  Ancestors are honored and a place is set for the deceased to enjoy and be part of the family.

Day Two

Married daughters visit birth parents. (In traditional Chinese customs married daughters may not see their birth family often.)

Pray to ancestors and all gods.

Day Two is considered the birthday of dogs.  Dogs are supposed to be treated especially kindly on this day.

Days Three and Four

Don not visit relatives on this day; theory is that this is a day to take a break from perhaps too much family time and a rest from too much rich food.

Day Five

Considered the birthday of the Chinese God of Wealth.  Eat dumplings.

Day Seven

Considered Common Man’s birthday

Eat tossed raw fish salad

A family activity where the family gets together and tosses the colorful salad, making wishes for continued wealth and prosperity

Day Eight – On this day people go back to work.  They have not worked for 7 days.

Another family dinner to celebrate the birth of the Jade Emperor.

Days Nine and Ten

Another day celebrating the Jade Emperor and offering prayers

Day Thirteen

Day of pure vegetarianism, probably to clean the gastric system due to too much consuming too much rich foods in the prior days

Day dedicated to General Guanyu, known as the Chinese God of War, a real General, considered the greatest general in Chinese history.

Day Fifteen –

I give you a powerful concept behind the fifteen day celebration period of the Chinese New Year.  Remember, the Chinese New Year is a Lunar based event the most yin time of the year, Winter – a time of  stillness, quiet, death, introspection as it transforms into Spring, the most yang period of the year, Spring -  marking growth, and new beginnings.  The fifteen day celebration is really holding the yang energy of the New Year while the moon is waxing – growing, active and increasing. That is why the celebrations go on for two weeks – to hold this yang energy of benevolence while it is yang – growing. Following that holding, capturing celebration time, there is a celebration, the Lantern parade and dragon dance.

To learn more about the spectacular Dragon Dance, check my blog in the next couple of weeks.

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This glossary is intended provide a clear, simple reference point for most general Feng Shui terms, including the information contained in this web site, and the products and services offered.

Activate – Energy patterns are powerful potential influences. To affect us, an influence must be “activated” in a specific area by some form of stimulation such as how we use a certain door or room. It can also be activated by the movement generated by a computer, TV, fan, etc.

Audit – Often used in classical Feng Shui, this is a term for a consultation. The term emphasizes a diagnostic analysis, rather than just recommendations.

Bagua – A grid map of directions with corresponding information about each direction including color, element, number, characteristics, etc. All schools of Feng Shui use the Bagua. Most Bagua information is consistent; however some information can vary from school to school.

Black Hat Sect – A Western school of Feng Shui brought to the United States by Master Lin Yun in the early 1980s. This school uses door locations for Bagua directional orientation, with life aspirations (experiences) corresponding to each direction. This school also relies heavily on intention and symbols.

Chi – Chi is the life force energy that permeates the universe and all of nature. It represents life itself, much like breath. Feng Shui deals with the quality of Chi. The quality of Chi within a specific space determines what you will experience. The goal of Feng Shui is to identify and locate favorable Chi to help you activate or take advantage of it. At the same time, Feng Shui helps you identify and locate dangerous chi, neutralize its power, and avoid exposure to its affects.

[Note from Karen Ann: In my opinion, a major problem with some of the Feng Shui schools that rely heavily on symbolic cures is that they do not acknowledge or deal with negative chi.]

Classical Feng Shui – Classical Feng Shui is the original form of Feng Shui practiced for 4,000 years. Classical Feng Shui is diagnostic, not symbolic. It is analytical, formula driven, and based on exact compass directional readings, divided into 24 15 degree divisions (sectors), each 15 degrees of the 360 compass, much like the band width of a radio or television station. You know exactly what you will get when you “tune in”.

Direction – Direction is important in classical Feng Shui and not to be confused with position. Direction is where the energy influence, or Chi, is coming from and it is based on the directions of the compass. Most often, your facing direction (what you are facing or looking towards) is most important.

8 Mansions – This is a system of Feng Shui relating specifically to directions and locations for an individual person, based his/her birthday. Locations are personal and different for each person. The name, 8 Mansions, comes from the 8 directions of the compass. The underlying concept is that the energy of each direction hold a different experience for us. [This is the system used for the Powerful Directions Program.]

8 Aspirations – This term is used to describe the 8 life experiences (such as love, career, wealth, etc.) used in many Western schools of Feng Shui. [See Symbolic Feng Shui.]

Element – An element is describes a specific quality of chi and is fundamental to every aspect of Classical Feng Shui. There are five elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal. For advanced Feng Shui studies, an in-depth understanding of the elements and their interactions is essential.

Energy - Feng Shui is one of many schools of practice that work on the principal that there are strong and definable patterns of influence that are not visible.

Favor – Although not a traditional Feng Shui term, Karen Ann uses the term to refer to an energy or influence that is effective for creating positive experiences.

Feng Shui – Feng Shui is a science of working with the environment and living/working space to improve one’s experience and quality of life.

Flying Star – One of the classical schools of Feng Shui, Flying Star incorporates both time and space. It identifies the dominant influence in a particular space at a particular time – and it’s based on the time you moved into that space, or the time the building was built. The other factor basic to this system is the exact facing direction, by 15-degree increments, of the house, business, etc. The Flying Star formula details the influence and possible effects of each room.

Gua - This term is derived from Bagua, as in the Bagua map of directions, characteristics and influences. A Gua is one sector, or direction, on the map.

I-Ching - Refers to The Book of Changes, which is one of the oldest and most frequently translated books in the world. Much of classical Feng Shui is based on this ancient book of divination.

Kua - In 8 Mansions, Kua is the term that relates to you and your direction. Knowing your Kua number will enable you to identify the degree of strength and weakness, as well as the type of experiences, relating to each direction. A wealth of additional information is also revealed by the identification of your Kua number. (This information is contained in Your Powerful Directions Program),

Lo Shu Grid – This is a classical term for the original patterns that formed the basis for the Bagua representing directions, numbers and elements, I-Ching information, and many characteristics used in classical Feng Shui. Lo Shu Grid does not acknowledge the 8 Aspirations of the Black Hat Sect school of Feng Shui. [See Bagua.]

Luck – Feng Shui creates the environment to attract opportunity and positive experiences, not by chance, but by design. When used within the context of Feng Shui, luck refers to a system that will attract unplanned and unexpected good to you.

Neutralize – It is contradictory to the laws of nature to actually change what is, but we can modify or weaken an energy or influence. Classical Feng Shui deals with all the influences effecting you, including the ones that create problems. Once these influences are located and identified, the goal is to calm, weaken, modify, or neutralize the influence so that it causes no harm.

Number – You have a number that relates to you based on your birthday. [See Kua.] That number will relate to a direction and provide a tremendous amount of information, including color, element, favorable and unfavorable directions, personal characteristics and much more. A number essentially relates to a quality of Chi.

Pakua - Another name for the Bagua. [See Bagua.]

Position – Position is the place where you are located within a space or room, not to be confused with direction.

Symbolic Feng Shui - Symbolic Feng Shui is practiced by schools that rely heavily on strategically placing symbolic items to attract specific life experiences. Feng Shui schools that include symbolic cures are Black Hat, Western, Intuitive, Pyramid, and others. Usually, with symbolic Feng Shui, a part of the cure is the intention of the person placing the item. Classical Feng Shui does not acknowledge the validity of these forms of Feng Shui.

Trigram – Trigrams are the I-Ching symbols of a combination of three broken and unbroken lines in the original Bagua. Each direction has a trigram.

Yin Yang – Yin Yang represents the principals of balance and change characterized by the universal opposites of active and passive energy. Both are essential. The key in Feng Shui is knowing when you need Yin and when you need Yang. Many times it is obvious what you need for balance, if you are observant. Other times, more advanced formula-driven systems are required.

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