Feng Shui Fundamentals with T. Raphael Simons

Equilibrium

Among Americans, Feng Shui is often defined as "the art of placement." Many Chinese, however, understand it as an art of "seeing." And while ideas of placement and design are instrumental to it, Feng Shui is concerned most essentially with the energetic state, or internal balance, of the person. In Feng Shui your inner, mental / emotional environment deserves as much consideration as your outer environment. Feng Shui, like all other Taoist arts, views all pairs of opposites, such as light and dark, space and time, outer and inner, as interdependent affects, or functions, of the Great Spirit whose essence is the Tao. Accordingly, outer mirrors inner; and inner causes affect outer conditions.

Spirit, or Chi, manifests all things through its five stages of change, or five elements called Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. Each of the five elements has numerous outer and inner correspondences. For example, Metal corresponds outwardly to Autumn, the evening, crisp mountain air, the West, round and oval shapes, and the colors white, gray and silver. Inwardly Metal corresponds to the positive states of moral uprightness, interest in communicating, and rhythmical order, and to the negative states of grief, inability to communicate and emotional rigidity. Water corresponds outwardly to Winter, night, cold weather, the North, wave-like shapes, and the colors black and dark blue.

Inwardly Water corresponds to the positive states of reflection and will-power, and to the negative states of fear and trembling. Wood corresponds outwardly to Spring, morning, rainy weather (North Carolina, for example, has a predominantly Wood climate), the East, rectangular shapes and the colors green and light blue. Inwardly Wood corresponds to the positive states of kindness and the abilities to plan and decide, and to the negative states of anger and confusion. Fire corresponds outwardly to Summer, mid-day, hot weather, the South, pointed shapes, and the colors red, purple and pink. Inwardly Fire corresponds to the positive states of courage, joy and love, and to the negative states of hysteria, hyperactivity, rashness and impulsiveness. Earth corresponds outwardly to late Summer when everything is ready for harvest, the afternoon, cool moist weather, the middle, square shapes, and the colors yellow, orange, brown, tan and beige. Inwardly Earth corresponds to the positive states of centeredness, or equilibrium, as well as caring, compassion, and nurturing, and to the negative states of anxiety, selfishness, neediness, and envy. All five elements are actively present in all people at all times. When the elements are brought into balance, one experiences well-being and happiness and radiates serenity, harmony, and well-being into one's outer environment. The key to this balance lies in the essential meaning of Earth. Earth is the middle. When one is poised at the middle, or core of one's being, one experiences equilibrium. From this all the positive conditions arise simultaneously.

The earliest prototype of the Feng Shui compass is the outward projection into space of a mandala of the inner mental states. This compass looks like an equal-armed cross whose center is Earth, and whose arms point to Water in the North, Wood in the East, Fire in the South, and Metal in the West. The middle position of Earth is most significant. Earth in the middle is the key both to what is meant by "seeing" and to understanding how inner causes affect outer conditions. In the Doctrine Of The Mean, Confucius says "To be unaffected by pleasure (Water), anger (Wood), sorrow (Metal), and joy (Fire) is what is meant by equilibrium; being affected by these, each in due degree, gives rise to harmony. Equilibrium is the Great Root (Earth) from which everything in the world arises and flourishes, and from harmony all things are nourished."

One of the first practices I was given in Feng Shui is to be in a space (home, office, or piece of land), whether sitting, standing, or walking about, without entertaining any ideas, without any preconception, deliberately focusing and centering myself, emptying the mind of all thought in order to "see" the person for whom I am doing the reading and his / her space as is, not as I would have them be. Thus I am able to see the person psychically, as well as see how the Chi is moving to and from and about the space, and see whatever spirit entities and hidden conditions might be there as well, thus open the door to all the outer and secret practices of Feng Shui. Practicing centeredness, or equilibrium, while keeping your home in a balanced and harmonious arrangement, free of clutter, will always impart peace, happiness, and serenity to it and thus to all who live in it and who come to visit.

Articles by T. Raphael Simons:

Harmony of House & Doorway

Indoor Shars

Secret Arrows

Underground Shars

Positioning Yourself for POWER

The Balance of Your Relationship: Who Goes on Which Side of the Bed?

Spiritual House Cleansing

The Year of the Firedog

The Number 10 in Feng Shui

Peace in Your Home

Finding a New Home

Money Point

2005 in Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui

Feng Shui and Healing

Equilibrium

Mirrors in Feng Shui

Form Methods in Feng Shui

Feng Shui and Recreating Oneself

Interview with a Feng Shui Expert