A space with too much yin energy will create atrophic and unbalanced yang. Atrophic energy is created by clutter and chaos. Atrophic energy is emitted by dead plants. If you examine a space to determine its feng-shui, you should be concerned if there are lots of dead insects on the windowsills. There may be practical reasons as well, such as the fact that the area has been fumigated. Don’t let your rationality get in the way. Be intuitive, but not stupid.

Sha Qi is a fast, active, and penetrating form of negative energy. It can penetrate, settle deep down and cause harms from the inside out. Sha Qi is often translated as poison arrows in Western feng shui texts.

Poison arrows are caused by sharp, pointed objects and corners. That sharp, pointed object or corner can be thought of as directing a laser beam full of concentrated energy. That poison arrow will affect whatever is within the laser beam’s path. Poison arrows don’t just form from corners or pointy things. Many different things can lead to poison arrows. You will intuitively know what poison arrows are.

Ba Gua mirrors are the traditional remedy for poison arrows in feng-shui. Concave Ba Gua mirrors, which absorb poison arrows and prevent them from being affected you, need to be consecrated every now and again. Convex Ba Gua mirrors direct poison arrows in the opposite direction. They do not block you but redirect the poison arrow in another direction. This may make you immune to the poison arrow. However, if you are the one who placed the mirror and believe in traditional Chinese accounting, then the poison arrow could cause harm to innocent people.

Wu Xing : The Five Elements*

The Wu Xing is described as the five phases, the five manifestations of Qi and the five forms or consciousness of Qi. The five elements are not literal, but they represent the five fundamental character traits that govern the development, the cycle and the personality as well as the generation, regeneration, and maintenance of life.

Each element has both a Yin activating and a Yin supportive attribute. When harnessed together, these elements can create strong positive energy, revive atrophic energy and neutralize poison arrows.

The interplay between these five elements is the foundation of nearly all feng-shui practices. Each element has both strengthening and weakening characteristics. These properties can be used to create balance and support within a living space. It is possible to recognize and resolve tension or imbalance by understanding how elements interact.

Wood, Fire and Earth are the five elements. Metal is Water. Water cycles back to Wood. Water is thought to be the first element in philosophy, since Water creates Wood. However, in the cosmological order, the Wu Xing, Wood appears first.

Wu Xing has two cycles: one is the cycle to create and another is the cycle to destroy.

The cycle of creation is the cycle of birth and rebirth. Creative energy can be described as advocacy, love, support, and love. The circle illustrates it.

The cycle of destruction is a symbol of dominance and subservience. The adversarial nature of destructive energy models war and conflict. The pentagram illustrates it.

It is important to realize that they are not distinct forces of good and evil. Good and evil should not be used as a framework for creation and destruction. Both destruction and creation are necessary and equal forms of energetic transformation.

Feng Shui is based upon the interaction of elements, which is a type of metaphysical chemistry. Certain positive energies are strengthened when elements complement each other. Tensions can be created when elements are subjugated or in conflict.

The following reference tables will show you that the southeast sector of your house cultivates the qithat has the greatest impact on your wealth and financial health. Wood is also the governing Wu Xing period in the southeast sector. If you place too many objects in the southeast that produce Metal qi, it could weaken or destroy the innate Wood qi and thus your luck with money matters. However, objects that are related to Wood or Water can amplify the innate Wood qi and increase your luck in money matters.

* Note. The Wu Xing don’t exactly represent elements, but they are elements in the same way that the Aristotelian creation of Fire, Water and Air are elements. Wu Xing refers to changing alchemical phases. Wu Xing is a belief that all life and existence is constantly changing. This constant change can be described in five ways. That’s Wu Xing. Western elemental theory, on the other hand, is concerned with fixed states. It describes how things look before or after change.

The Ba Gua – Eight Trigrams from the I Ching

The resulting reconciliation between Yin/Yang is called the Ba Gua or eight trigrams. The eight trigrams represent Yin or Yang, with particular permutations. Each represents a physical manifestation such as mountains and thunder, as well as a mental or psychological manifestation such as wealth, knowledge, family, and human creations. You can amplify or subdue these manifestations by harnessing the energies, vibrations, and power of the five elements. These formulations are essential to feng-shui practice.

Ba Gua’s directionality is derived from correspondences with the Four Celestial Guardians. According to legend, the constellations created the Blue Dragon in east during the spring equinox. The White Tiger, which appeared in the west during the autumnal equinox was seen. The Red Phoenix appeared in south during the summer solstice and the Dark Tortoise appeared in north during the winter solstice. However, note the differences in directionality interpretations between the Early Heaven Ba Gua and the Later Heaven Ba Gua.

Feng shui practitioners generally invoke the Later Heaven King Wen Ba Gua. The layout of a living area, such as a building, a room, or office, is superimposed by the Ba Gua. Certain areas correspond to a specific trigram of Ba Gua. The main feng shui practices disagree on whether the Ba Gua directionality refers to the entrance to the living space, or to its directionality (i.e. north, south and west).

The He Tu Magic Squares

This is where serious feng-shui begins. The He Tu or Lo Shu magic square is the basis of most schools and traditions of feng shui. It is superimposed on the directions, and then each sector corresponds to the Wu Xing or Ba Gua. Chapter 1: I discuss the He Tu, the Lo Shu and the Tao of Craft .