Chinese Rock Gardens

Historically, the earliest Chinese gardens were large parks, built by the aristocracy for hunting and pleasure. Smaller, intimate gardens were associated with scholar-gentlemen (literari). Traditional Chinese gardens were meant to evoke the larger natural world, with rocks representing mountains. Rocks eventually became more prominent in their selection for fantastical arrangements of artificial mountains and the formulas for rock gardens became more complex in their composition, always maintaining the juxtaposition and balance of yin and yang.

According to Chinese rock garden principles, holes in rocks hold qi . Astrophysicist's even hint that life came from outer space, brought to this planet in water droplets of ice lodged into the crevices of meteors. By the Tang Dynasty (618 - 906 CE), a particular aesthetic for Chinese garden rock selection included three key features of preference:

1) Shou: leanness. The use of vertically placed stones, and a preference for top heavy stones.

2) Tou: perforations. More holes and cavities in a rock collect and hold the prized qi.

3) Zhou: surface texture. This references a surface texture heavily marked with crags, furrows, striations, or pitting.

The more complex textured rocks, especially those that were strangely contorted and full of holes, became the most valuable because they expressed the erosive effect of water, an element of yin, acting upon stone, an element of yang.

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Feng Shui and the Chinese Arts

Literally translated, Feng Shui means “Wind and Water.” Most people think Feng Shui is all about the interior décor of your home. But it is a method or science of harnessing the environmental energies to enhance human lives. Feng Shui is a relatively new term that describes what the ancient Chinese philosophers called “Ham Yu,” understanding how nature/mother nature flows and how to harmonize with it so it can help humans.

There are many factors and sources of energy that affect human lives based on placement and the passage of time. Feng Shui practitioners gather ALL the environmental and human energy, analyze it to detect imbalances or idiosyncrasies, and use five natural elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and positioning to harmonize the interior environment of a building. There are also exterior environmental aspects that affect a building and the people who live or work there. These are addressed and adjusted in several ways, from building maintenance to altering the landscape. Since Feng Shui is intended to enhance human lives, their real-life challenges (health, relationships, career, etc.) are addressed, as well as their aspirations.

There are multiple layers involved in Imperial Chinese Feng Shui, based on the historical systems that accrued over time, beginning with the most intuitive (land formation/topographical), to the very complex (Xuan Kong). BaZi, a complex divination system based on planetary and galactic movement, is also used by most advanced Feng Shui practitioners and masters. Their origins are the I Ching, the same source as Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Understanding the flow of energy is the underlying principle for all Chinese arts. There are basically two systems of Feng Shui: San He (3 harmony), which is based in external environment and alignment and is used for long term projections, such as land development; San Yuan (3 cycle), which is cyclical and used for short term needs; Zhong hup (a combination of San He & San Yuan), which is used with individual clients who want to address both long and short term goals/needs.

While cultural and religious practices have found their way into modern Feng Shui, all methods are based on the same basic earth-science systems that evolved over thousands of years. I take the more science-based approach, but I understand the psychology of using cultural imagery such as pendants and statues to impart confidence. Not unlike wearing your lucky socks to take exams or hanging an image of an angel on your car’s rear view mirror, these items focus your intentions on a positive outcome. It is your response to the energy of the world around you that determines the ultimate outcome and human beings have long used imagery to focus them on specific energy. What you think, do, and verbalize are powerful energies that are mirrored back to you in some way.

Feng Shui is used in a predictive and prescriptive way by spotting potential energy patterns and responding to them…whether by enhancing supportive or mitigating unfavorable patterns. As ancient cultures observed specific patterns in nature over time, they recorded them and eventually an entire system evolved that used a kind of “shorthand” to explain these energy patterns. Xuan Kong is applied to determine the energy of a specific time or era on a global scale. The interactions of the “Flying Stars” accurately tell a complex story, along with Ba Zhai, and BaZi. All of this knowledge can assist us to plan proactively and responsively for our greater good.

If you want to know more about how to enhance your personal space to support you and your family or employees, contact me through this website or email me at: HelenKstyles@gmail.com

2020 Year of the Yang Metal Rat

In Feng Shui we use the Solar Chinese calendar rather than the Lunar calendar. At the beginning of each Solar Year we adjust the environment to harmonize with the emerging energy of the year. Unlike some westernized versions of Feng Shui, classical Chinese Feng Shui uses the three energies (celestial/time, earth/place, and human) to determine how to adjust the environment so it’s supportive of the people who occupy the built environment. In this article I’ll explain a little about the energy of the Year of the Rat in terms of BaZi and Feng Shui.

The Solar calendar generally begins on February 4 of each year, exactly mid-way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. We use that date to determine when the emergence of fresh energy is at its peak, and we make adjustments accordingly. As the year progresses, the energy fluctuates until by the end of the year it has given way to the emerging energy of the new year. This aligns with the passage of time and is seen in the cycle of changing seasons and the movement of the solar system.

The Rat is the first of the Chinese Zodiac animals and “new beginnings” since it marks the beginning of a new cycle ( Pig was #12 of 12…endings). So, not only is it a new year and a new decade, but a new 12-year cycle. You can look back at previous Rat years for an idea of the energy and its affects, though the full calendar cycle is 60 years, so 2008 will be a little different than 2020 due to the elements of the Heavenly Stems and Terrestrial Branches. A little Chinese calendar trivia: the first year of the Chinese cycle was 2696 BCE and we are currently in the 79th cycle which began in 1984 (80th cycle begins in 2044).

The BaZi element of Rat is water and it will be receiving a productive boost of energy from metal this year. Rat is clever, a quick thinker, successful, and prefers a quiet peaceful life. This Metal Rat (Geng-Zi) year is in a productive relationship with metal that will “fully arm” the Rat and propel it full steam ahead. The nuance of Metal Rat is characterized by “dangerous” water so there could be challenges along the way. The water element can be associated with wealth accumulation, and metal can be associated with the financial and military sectors.

The Feng Shui aspects of the year reveal that the 7 Metal (Fighting Star) is hosted by an Earth element, which will add energy to the 7 Red Star. The 7 is related to losses and injury, and globally, this means potential for increased fighting/conflict and market/financial challenges. The combination of the BaZi and Feng Shui energy can have both positive and negative impacts on you as an individual, but more importantly, once you know how to use this energy to your advantage, you can avoid some of the pitfalls while taking advantage of the useful aspects this year.

The central hidden energy of a house/building can shade the potential of the overall building. Since the annual energy here this year is inauspicious, it would be best not to disturb it with high activity. There are other ways to mitigate this energy, but the natal chart of the building will determine what action can be taken. If there’s a bathroom or laundry room here, or the center of the house/building is open (such as a courtyard), you’re in luck, since the inauspicious energy will be drained.

I will be posting 9 more articles following this one, each focusing on one of the 8 directions and how you can utilize them to enhance and support your life in 2020! Feel free to leave your comments below.

Wishing you a happy, purposeful, and prosperous new year!

To schedule and appointment for a full audit of your home, office or business, contact me through this website or email me at HelenKstyles@gmail.com