Sunflowers on the south side. There are 9 of them.
It’s been a great year for those hot weather plants like sunflowers, just as I predicted. I planted nine mammoth sunflowers on the south side of the house near the sidewalk. They are on the dragon side.
Mammoth Sunflower with Bee VisitorMammoth Sunflower Opening
Sunflowers are a great example of the the yang wood (Jia) element and how it works. They grow giant sized woody trunks in a short amount of time, all the energy thrusting upward until it blooms. If you’ve grown them before then you know that once they get going it’s not the water that makes them grow – it’s the sun. The yang fire (Bing) element is what makes them so tall.
I missed this post when I was doing my forecast roundup this year. In a sense it doesn’t “fit” with the others on the list because it is written by a consultant who uses a westernized form of the traditional Later Heaven Bagua.
In the western method the bagua is static and it’s orientation is not based on compass directions. Still, from the perspective of five elements I’d say the post is an accurate summary of the energy of the last couple of years and a good prediction for this year.
A lot of talk goes around among those who study and practice feng shui. From novices to masters, the discussions tend to revolve around which school or method “has it right”. If you’ve been in this game long enough you will start to understand that there are many people who “have it right”, that is to say they get results. They are not all from the same school, and use different methods. If you are not comfortable with relativism then a career in the world of metaphysics is not for you.
From a client’s perspective, it is much simpler. Most western clients are not concerned with who taught their consultant or what method/school is applied. What they want is results.
Simply stated, anyone who understands and is practicing based on yin/yang theory and the Theory of Five Elements is on the right track, no matter how they dress it up. Some people are uncomfortable with the fact that this leaves the door open to New Age ideas, approaches and inventions – not to mention the marketing opportunities. The placebo effect does help some, at least for the short term. Some consultants are comfortable selling you the remedy they just prescribed for your house, others will help you make changes that are unrecognizable as feng shui adjustments using the stuff you already have.
Of course it’s up to you to decide who you want to hire. Find someone that feels like a good fit to you but don’t forget to ask about the basic core theories of their feng shui methods. If they don’t mention yin/yang or five elements then feng shui is not what they are practicing.
I’ve put together a list of Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology predictions for 2014. If you’d like to read my 2014 feng shui forecast for gardeners click here.
2014 is the year of the Wood Horse or Jia Wu. It’s also known as the year of the Green Wood Horse or the Horse in the Clouds. Are those clouds of smoke?
I don’t know any of the authors of these forecasts personally, but I have to say some of them have written things that went straight into my brain and heart. Sometimes insight comes with a painful shock that’s meant to wake you up. Some of the images and words they have shared have become like signs by the side of the road, reminding me of the ways I would like to travel. Maybe they will do that for you, too.
2014 Feng Shui Forecast Roundup
Photo by Scott Merrylees courtesy of the Wakefield Express
Raymond Lo is a Hong Kong based Feng Shui Master, teacher, author and public speaker. In this year’s forecast he writes about world events and economies, popular culture, five element interactions and health issues.
Richard Ashworth is a well known Feng Shui Master in the UK. He is one of the most prolific, curious and compassionate writers out there when it comes to BaZi. He might make you cry. He might make you laugh. Here are his animal by animal predictions for 2014.
Josephine Phang is based in Singapore who has a focus on BaZi. She also publishes a quarterly newsletter with feng shui advice. She writes general predictions for 2014.
Beng Kung is a an architect who is also a feng shui researcher and student of BaZi. His predictions for 2014 are helpful for students and written from more of a teaching or technical perspective.
Sarah McAllister is another UK based Feng Shui master. She is also an urban planner and an author. She writes general predictions as well as predictions by zodiac animal.
I’m not sure who is writing this blog which seems to be coming out of Kuala Lumpur, but clearly the writer is affiliated with Lillian Too. The first post listed here is written more from a technical or teaching perspective, the second one is the predictions for the zodiac animals.
Bernice Low may be one of the most no-nonsense writers out there when it comes to BaZi. She reminds me of my favorite teacher of the Greek language who was intimidating and strict, yet made me want to work harder than any other teacher I know.
In her first post she explains how your BaZi reading is derived. It involves much more than your year animal.
In her second post Bernice predicts from the perspective of the day master, rather than the zodiac animal. I haven’t seen anyone else doing the 2014 predictions this way and I’m sure I’ll be revisiting her predictions throughout the year. Part 1 includes the following day masters: Bing (Yang Fire), Ding (Yin Fire), Jia (Yang Wood), Yi (Yin Wood), Wu (Yang Earth).
Susan Levitt, who is based in San Francisco, is interesting because she studies Tarot, Astrology and Feng Shui. She is able to write from both western and eastern perspectives. Her divinations are striking. Her 2014 predictions are general and based on the zodiac animals.
I usually try to sum up the theme of the year in one word. The word for 2013 (Snake in the Grass) was “circumspection”. I’d say the word for 2014 (Horse in the Clouds) is “acceleration”. Can you keep up?
Here’s a nice house in a great neighborhood that’s on the market right now. It has off street parking and a garage. It’s a rectangle shape which is good for feng shui.
What is not in its favor is that it lacks immediate curb appeal, which may be slowing down the sales possibilities. It definitely could use some fresh paint and a little more landscape lighting. There are also some landscaping issues here in terms of feng shui. I think if all of these things were taken care of the property would be purchased sooner.
The biggest issue is the way that the front door and windows are blocked by the landscaping. Because of the way that the plants completely surround and encompass the door step even with the porch light on this area is too dark and enclosed, especially at night. This creates an imbalance for an area which should be yang, but which has become too yin.
Here’s the breakdown:
Shrubs next to the path should not intrude into the line of the path. They must be trimmed back so that the path to the front door is unobstructed.There is also a tree branch extending into the space of the path that should be pruned back or removed.
Overgrown evergreen (English laurel? Camellia?) on the left and a rhododendron on the right are covering the windows and enclosing the door area on the sides. The evergreen should either be pruned so that it is below window level or removed. The rhododendron should be moved to a different part of the yard where it would be helpful to holding energy for the house. It’s planted too close to the window and has grown too tall for that location.
Fuchsias on either side of stairs to door are intruding into the path. They should either be pruned away but most likely they also need to be moved farther away from the corners of the front door steps so that they can reach their natural size and beauty without being in the way. It would probably be better, however, to plant something that has a more upright habit rather than a weeping or drooping habit.
Ivy is growing all the way across the steps. up one of the porch columns and up the front walls of the house. Remove all of the ivy from the front yard. Not only will it reduce the yin quality by revealing the straight lines and angles of the stairs and house but common sense alone will tell you it’s a trip hazard. From a gardening and property value/maintenance perspective this type of ivy is invasive and will actually kill other plants and trees.
As I said before, the fundamental problem is that the atmosphere of the house and yard are too yin. This house is located in a fairly dense neighborhood but in the past it has attracted break-ins and burglaries more than other houses nearby.
Remember, the front of the house and the front yard are the yang or public areas. They are associated with career and money. Keep this in mind when landscaping but particularly in the case of preparing your house for the real estate market.
One of the ways in which feng shui was westernized in the 1990s was by placing the emphasis on what is happening inside of the house. It made the concept of feng shui more palatable to the average person because it seemed to be mostly about re-decorating, placing symbolic objects, and making color choices. The original Chinese approach of working with energy may be less attractive than the interior design approach because the interior design approach allows us to focus on the house itself, and sort of gloss over the need for people in it to make choices and act.
While interior form, decoration and clutter are important to address, they should be considered as a sort of second layer of the analysis. Going indoors, taking the compass degrees and other such factors are appropriately considered after the outdoor form. The outdoor form is stronger and more important.
Exterior form should be assessed as the first part of a feng shui analysis because it determines how, where, and how much energy is available to your home’s interior. This type of assessment also reveals any sources of negative energy. You just can’t proceed to an accurate conclusion without knowing where the chi is coming from, where it’s going and where it enters and leaves the property. What you also need to know is how to use the bagua and which one to use.
Most people who have read a book about feng shui or studied it at all are familiar with what is called the “Later Heaven Bagua” which is the arrangement of the 8 Trigrams used for indoor feng shui analysis and adjustment. Each trigram can be associated with a certain family member such as mother or father, a phase of life like youth or middle age, males or females, etc. The meanings of the trigrams don’t change but their positions do depending on whether you are using the bagua indoors or outdoors.
Qian Trigram
The Qian trigram is associated with the father, the oldest male, males of the house, authority, bosses, and the element of metal. We use its position on the bagua to check for any problems in the areas of the lot or house that will affect that gua or area. If you are working indoors the Qian trigram is located in the NW sector. If you are working outdoors the Qian trigram is located in the S sector. Why?
When you are working with energy indoors you need to use the Later Heaven Bagua. The Later Heaven arrangement is meant to reflect life on earth with its seasons and unique geography, rather than the primordial and perfect arrangement of the Early Heaven Bagua.
Later Heaven Bagua for use indoors
When you are working with energy outdoors what you want to be considering is the Early Heaven Bagua”. Let the Qian trigram be your guide.
Early Heaven Bagua for outdoor use
So – if the man of the house is finding it difficult to succeed in his career, usually you will check the northwest location of the house. Hopefully you won’t find a bathroom there. In addition, you’ll want to check the South to see if there is anything to clean up or any of what is called sha or negative energy that could be causing trouble for him.
As you are wrapping things up in the garden for 2013 it’s time to think about next year’s season and make plans for various projects. If you’ve read any of my other posts about Feng Shui for gardeners you’ll know I’m about to tell you what areas you should not disturb next year. If you want to cut to the chase scroll down to the summary at the bottom of the post.
Just as there are areas in your garden where you’ll want to avoid digging, stump grinding, cutting down big trees or doing other noisy activities, there are also areas that you may want to activate.
Year God, Year Breaker, Three Killings (Tai Sui, Sui Po and San Sha)
Now let’s start with the usual stuff. 2014 is the year of the Yang Wood Horse or Jia Wu. It is also sometimes called the year of the Green Wood Horse or Horse in the Clouds.
The point is that the Horse is in charge for the year and is called the Tai Sui or Year God. The god part isn’t about religion, it refers to the type of energy represented by the horse being the predominant energy of the year. Horse energy is a southern, fiery energy and so it is the Rat with its northern watery energy that is in the position of the Sui Po (or Year Breaker) for 2014. In general, avoid facing south or having your back to the north. If your head points south or north when you are sleeping, or you sit at a south facing desk all day, you might consider changing the position of your furniture. The San Sha or Three Killings energy is also located in the North in 2014.
In the garden you need to avoid disturbing both the south representing (among other things) the father and males of the house and the north representing (among other things) the mother and females of the house. The strongest concern is for young men and women of the household. If you want exact compass degrees for any of this or want to know if there’s a way to do your big project without getting yourself in a bind please contact me.
Flying Stars 2014
For 2014 the Annual Star is 4 which corresponds to the wood element, the oldest daughter, middle aged women and many other things. The annual star, the period star, and the stars corresponding to the sitting and facing direction of the house can be analyzed to give clues about what will happen to whom and when it will happen that year. For example if there is a single woman who wants a relationship, we might look for the 3 star to come into the house in the right place since 4 is in the center for all of 2014. That’s a generalization.
Flying Stars for 2014 with compass directions
The thing you’ll want to pay attention to is actually called the Yellow 5 Star which has the reputation of bringing about all sorts of nasty results if it is not dealt with properly. It will be located in the northwest in 2014. Since the metal element of the northwest will naturally exhaust the earth element where the 5 is located (like babies exhaust mothers) it’s less worrisome. In this case pay attention to the northwest area of the house. Is there an exterior door, bathroom or kitchen? The more active the area the more likely it may generate some trouble. Try to keep the northwest area calm both outdoors and in. No digging or renovations in the northwest. One last thing: don’t place water in the northwest next year.
Four Pillars or BaZi
The year of the Yang Wood Horse begins on February 4, 2014 with the month of the Yang Fire Tiger. That’s quite a bit of fire and wood together.
When the new year pillar Jia Wu or Yang Wood Horse comes into play it is important to consider its interaction with your natal chart. Each pillar (year, month, day, hour) in your natal chart can interact with the year pillar, as well as the monthly and even hourly pillars as they arrive. When your favorable elements come into the chart and are timely, that’s what we call good luck.
The Yang Wood Horse pillar is made up of wood energy being burned by fire energy. The wood may get too dried out. The wood also fuels the fire so to speak, thus the fire energy is strong. That may lead to clashes with the water element.
I expect to be watering more than usual in 2014.
Summary
Guidelines to follow starting on February 4, 2014
Do not dig, renovate or otherwise disturb the south, north or northwest of the house or lot.
No water elements in the northwest.
Do not face north or sit with your back to the south.
If your head points north or south when you sleep consider moving the bed.
There’s still plenty of room to play in the garden in 2014, along with more than the usual amount of interesting energetic combinations happening that I can’t even begin to explain in a blog post. If you’d like a Four Pillars analysis or Feng Shui consultation to help with your planning please contact me.
“I don’t have to believe in Feng Shui, but I use it because it makes me money.” ~ Donald Trump
Rumor has it that Donald Trump began using Feng Shui after his first bankruptcy. He may also have used Feng Shui principles and BaZi analysis in the planning and execution of his third marriage.
There are some interesting historical correlations between kitchen design, feminism, women in the work force and the divorce rate in the United States The decline of the so called “nuclear family” and “home cooking” follow the same timeline as the rising popularity of the open concept kitchen which came into fashion in the 1970s. As more women entered the work force and there were more latchkey kids either due to working moms, divorce or both, Americans came to depend more on processed foods. At that time (and now?) preparing a box of mac and cheese was accepted as cooking and the goal for many women was to “get out of the kitchen” and get paid. Nothing wrong with that.
In terms of Feng Shui, getting rid of the walls and merging the kitchen with other living areas was a way (consciously? unconsciously?) of changing the yin/yang balance within the home and empowering women to work outside the home. As in every revolution there were good and bad results.
In 1969 California Governor Ronald Reagan signed the nation’s first no fault divorce bill making it possible to obtain a divorce without citing any faults committed by either party. Over the next 15 years almost every other state followed suit. From 1960-1980 the divorce rate in America doubled. Less than 20% of marriages made in 1950 ended in divorce compared with 50% of marriages made in 1970. “Swinging” or open marriage was brought into American popular culture in the 1970s, Which came first? The open concept kitchen, open marriage, rising rate of divorce or our dependence and possible overuse of processed foods? It seems like they all appeared around the same time.
Compared to the yang (or public) rooms of a house, kitchens were traditionally considered a yin (private) area which was associated with the matriarch of the house. Kitchens were usually located at the back of the house in a room that could be closed off from the rest of the house. There are some very practical (as well as metaphysical) considerations behind this arrangement that mostly have to do with fire. The ability to use fire to cook is deeply intertwined with the idea of community, safety and social support; an opportunity to go beyond mere survival. In terms of human evolution the kitchen is the home of the cooking fire, without which we would not have developed into the big brained primates that we are. Gathering around the fire or hearth is ingrained in our DNA.
Fire is a source of wealth for us but it is also a danger to us. Keeping the fire in the back area of the house keeps it away from drafts and if the fire gets out of control the results will be less damaging than a fire in a kitchen in the center of the house. Before we had effective ventilation hoods the door that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house was the best way to keep cooking smoke from entering the other living spaces. The kitchen located at the back of the house also kept women out of sight in a private environment. You’ve got to keep your wealth (i.e. food and women) away from those who would take it from you.
The type of cooking being performed indoors by women (therefore yin) traditionally went unseen except by family members*. Women were seen as workers, nurturers, cooks and home makers. With the advent of the open concept kitchen the yin nature of the kitchen was lost to the idea of multiple cooks, entertaining and parties but the reality was less and less frequent home cooking. The intimate family relationship became open to more than just the immediate nuclear family members.
Even when we do cook we use actual fire much less than any other time in history. By 1997 90% of Americans had a microwave in their kitchen. We have continued to find more ways (such as the induction cooktop or “burnerless” stoves) to prepare food and “cook” without any fire at all. This is what I see as the root of the problem. We need someone tending the fire at home to hold the family community together. And by the way I am not in any way suggesting that women should be the only home cooks all the time or that the nuclear family is somehow ideal. I think this remedy is fit for a 2013 kind of family.
Fire, food and cooking are sources of wealth. All kinds of wealth. I have heard some of my Feng Shui teachers say about the open concept kitchen “Oh – you will eat out more often”. This is a gentle way of saying the family won’t be eating meals together at home. I’ve seen it come true time after time.
One more thing: Let’s not forget that the energy of the cook adds its own flavor into the end result. Food made by a decent cook who loves you tastes better than food made by someone who doesn’t know you, regardless of their skill level. What are the dishes that everyone remembers? Whatever Grandma, Mom, Uncle Jim or Aunt Margaret used to make.
What to do?
Everyone in the family should learn to cook, even if it’s just two or three dishes. Of course it will probably usually be the case that one person enjoys it more or has more time to cook, but it’s up to the whole family to keep the home fires burning.
Those two or three dishes should be cooked from scratch. It’s okay if one of them is scrambled eggs. Every time you buy fresh ingredients you are casting a vote for keeping them available for everyone.
Cook on a gas range. Having actual fire in the kitchen is a great energetic boost to your wealth and health.
If you are house hunting and cooking is important to you, look for a house with the kitchen in the back, out of view from the more public spaces such as living room, dining room or family room. You might find it helps with your romantic relationship as well.
If you already have an open concept kitchen there may be a way to create a better yin/yang balance without the high cost of remodeling by hiring a Feng Shui consultant . The people in the house and what they do is more important than the walls.
Set your intention and organize your week to include shopping for ingredients and cooking them in your kitchen. Get in there and rattle around. Lure your family in to see what smells so good. Even if you only have time to make a few meals ahead on a Sunday or throw some of those ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning you will see changes in the energy of your home.
*I find it interesting that fire (yang) was controlled and used indoors by women (yin) In Five Elements theory wood and fire are the most yang elements and water and earth are the most yin. You can put out a fire with water or earth. In modern kitchens having the stove (yang) across from the water tap (yin) can cause serious arguing between males and females of the house. The pot filler or pasta arm used for filling pots while they are on the stove creates a similar situation.
N.B. Among the boundaries broken and yin/yang out of balance: Open concept schools also emerged in the 1970s.
I’ve rounded up some of the more detailed forecasts for the year of the water snake 2013 and listed them by author. They are listed in no particular order. Some are forecasts based on your year animal or year pillar, others are forecasts of world events. These forecasts will also give you an idea of how different people use different timing systems to determine the new year. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did.
If you don’t know what your year animal is click here and enter your birthday including birth time if possible.
The picture below illustrates the proper feng shui according to the Land Form School. Many people consider Land Form the most powerful feng shui method. Note that the house mimics the position of a person sitting in an armchair with an ottoman in front of it. This configuration is sometimes known as the “comfortable armchair” and just like your favorite armchair it will make you feel protected, safe and relaxed.
Land Form School “Comfortable Armchair”
The positions of the Tortoise, Dragon, Tiger and Phoenix are all assessed from the perspective of the person in the house. If you want to know which side is which, go and stand in the front doorway of your house* and look outward. The tiger side is on your right and the dragon side is on your left. Ideally, the land on the tiger side should be slightly lower than the land on the dragon side. If that’s not the case for you it may be possible for you to change this via landscaping or feng shui adjustments.
But for now we’re going to ignore considerations of the compass, five elements, colors, climate, exposure, etc and focus solely on which plants are appropriate for the dragon side based on yin/yang.
The dragon side is meant to be protective and active (yang) while the tiger side is meant to be receptive and quiet (yin).
Plants with big leaves belong on the dragon side of the garden.
Fatsia japonica leaf. Image from Wikipedia.Petasites Japonicus var. GiganteusAcanthus Mollis leaf. Photo from Wikipedia.Gunnera manicata. Photo from Wikipedia.Paulownia tomentosa¹. Photo from Wikipedia.
Trees add protection and the trunks have that upwards, woody energy that is yang. Bamboo carries that same energy. You can use landscaping and trees to make the dragon side “higher” than the tiger side of the lot, which is considered proper when using the Land Form method of feng shui.
Choose trees carefully and don’t plant them too close to the house. Before planting, think about how big the tree will be in 30 years. To my mind, evergreen trees are the best choice for the dragon side.
Eucryphia x Nymansay in bloom with bee visitorBark of the Arbutus “Marina”Arbutus unedo or Strawberry bush
Woody evergreen shrubs are also a good choice to support the dragon side of the garden.
Umbellularia Californica (Oregon Myrtle)Myrica californica (indestructible in the PNW and a good substitute for bamboo)Rhododendron. Photo from Wikipedia.Pittosporum tobira variegata or Japanese Mock Orange
Thorny or dense plants for protection, are appropriate for the dragon side. Keep them planted and pruned well away from where people will be walking or sitting.
Chaenomeles Superba “Hollandia” or Flowering QuinceBerberis darwinii. Also know as barberry.Mahonia aquifolium “Oregon Grape”. Image from Wikipedia.Poncirus trifoliata or Flying Dragon. A literal choice? Image from Wikipedia.
Some people might say you should not have any thorny plants in your garden or that flowering shrubs and trees belong on the tiger or yin side but I disagree. I think you just have to find the right place.
I’ll do another post about what you might want to plant on the tiger side later.
*Just FYI: This is a very simplified explanation. Your front door may or may not correspond to the facing of your house. If it does not, this information may not apply. It depends…
¹ Regarding Paulownia tomentosa: I’m pretty sure Judy Thomas has one of those in her garden. I believe she cuts it down each year so it doesn’t overgrow the space.
