Even though we’ve had nice weather for this time=
of
year here in our area of
The goal of a garden designed using good feng shui application is to create a pleasing, welcoming landscape which is supportiv= e to your home. The same principle= s of feng shui (yin and yang, the flow of qi, and the five-elements) apply here as well as inside your home.
Let’s talk about yin and yang first. The goal of any feng shui applicat= ion is to create a balanced environment. It should be neither too dark nor too bright. Try to provide a good balance of s= hade and light. Also, thinking in = terms of yin and yang, it’s important to keep the garden neat and trimmed.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> I don’t mean it has to be a formal, completely manicured garden, but too much overgrowth results in a garden that is not balanced. = If you incorporate trees, or other tall structures, remember that they should be placed in a way that does not block an entrance into your home which would block the qi from entering. Shrubs or other plants or decorati= ons may be used to block the negative qi (or sha) t= hat is directed toward your home from neighboring buildings (e.g. angled beams) or hide ugly views (sight sha) that would have a negative influence on your ho= me.
Qi should meander gently t=
hrough
your garden. If you have a pa=
th or
walkway ideally it will wind through your garden, not take you in a straight
shot from front to back. This=
is
the same principle that applies to the qi comin=
g into
your home from your entrance. It is
best not to have the front door and back door directly opposite, so the
In terms of the plants and garden accessories, the app= lication of the principle of five elements should be followed in the colors you sele= ct. To do this, you must first determi= ne the trigram of your house. This is based only on the sitting direction of your home. (Remember in the October newsletter, we talked about determining your personal gua based on your birthday. Your house trigram, or gua, is based entirely on directions. The date of construction of your h= ome is used in a deeper feng shui analysis called Xuan Kong.)
The sitting direction is determined by several factors= such as the most yin area of your property, the placement of different rooms in = your home, and the location of windows to name a few. This may or may not be the same as= the architectural front of you home. Generally speaking, what you consider your “backyard” is most likely the sitting, but not always.&n= bsp; The exact degrees of your sitting direction must be determined by a compass reading. Once this is established, you can determine the Triagram of = your home. The table below is the = same table used to determine your ming gua in the October newsletter with the corresponding element and colors added. This table is called a loshu and= is integral to the practice of feng shui.
Trigram Tab= le
|
4 Xun<= /span> WOOD (green) SE |
9 Li FIRE (red) S |
2 Kun EARTH (brown, yellow, tan) SW |
|
3 Zhen= WOOD (green) E |
5 Center |
7 Dui METAL (white, metal colors) W |
|
8 Gen EARTH (brown, yellow, tan) NE |
1 WATER (black, dark blue) N |
6 Qian= METAL (white, metal colors) NW |
A house sitting south is a Li house. The element for li
is fire. The colors used in your garden sho=
uld
result in a productive cycle (wood produces f=
ire)
so green colors are the most supportive to your house. Colors of the same element (red, <=
span
class=3DSpellE>fuschia for =
fire)
are also supportive. Avoid da=
rk
blues and black (water colors) because water dominates fire. Also earth colors (brown, tan,
A house sitting east is a Zhen house. The element for Zhen is wood. = To create a productive cycle, you should use Earth colors --browns, yellow, ta= ns, or terra cotta colors. Using = green plants (the same color as the house trigram color) is also supportive. Avoid reds (Fire) which reduces Wood. Avoid an abundance of <= span class=3DGramE>metal, or metal colors, because Metal dominates Wood.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>
This is a good point to talk about the placement of decorative items, such as metal windchimes, and= the placement of water fountains or large decorative rocks (Earth element) R= 11; but please keep in mind that these are general rules, and there are not many absolutes when it comes to feng shui. There may be particular circumstances in your environment that requi= re a different application of placement principles.
Because metal, water, and large earth elements have a = strong effect, placement needs to be considered very carefully. It is best to obtain the advi= ce of a qualified feng shui practitioner before adding these items to your landscape. That said, there are some general guidelines that need to be considered.
If you recall from the November newsletter, windchimes may serve a very important role in reducin= g the effect of negative qi if placed in the correct directions but may be detrimental in excess or in the wrong areas. This would include any heavy or mo= ving metal garden accessories.
Water is used in particular directions to cause qi to gather and encourage prosperity. Generally speaking, until 202= 4, water can safely be placed in the SW or E. You should avoid water placement i= n the NE which during this period is the direction that the most positive qi is originating and placing water in that direction= will cause it to stop before it enters your home. Water should generally be on the s= itting side of your home. Remember &= #8220;qi rides on the wind, and settles at the water”= . You want the = qi to settle after it has entered and moved out of your home. You don’t want it to stop be= fore it gets inside through the facing entrance.
Large decorative rocks or stone structures can be problematic. These represent = not only the earth element, but also a form of mountain, which is used to suppo= rt certain qi, but can block other aspects if plac= ed in the wrong location.
Most of all, keep in mind that a well designed garden utilizing good feng shui should most importantly be beautiful and welcoming= and pleasing to the sight. The mo= st well-designed colors, element placement, and use of water will not be as effective if a garden is left untended, unwatered, unattractive, and unloved.
In February, we’ll talk more about the changes t= hat occur with Li Chun (or the Solar New Year).