The bagua is the fundamental tool of feng shui. Based on the sacred trigrams of the I’Ching which are believed to represent energy expressions of the natural universe, the Bagua Map provides a layout of directional energy sectors of any home, office or outdoor space according to these natural energies.
The Bagua Map is formulated on the concept that nature’s workings depend upon delicate balances of specific energies which can each help, hinder or deter one another from operating at their highest level. In feng shui the Bagua Map is used to determine the directional sectors of your home as well as the location of any negative energies that may be affecting you due to celestial forces of the year. Bagua literally means “eight areas” when translated from Chinese.
In the Feng Shui Bagua Map there are eight cardinal directional sectors taken from the magnetic directions of the compass. In the center is a Tai Chi which represents earth and the fortunate energies we can acquire while on this planet or sometimes a Yin-Yang to evoke the perfect harmony of an ideal energy balance.
Each of the 8 sectors is governed by a trigram taken from the I’Ching. Each trigram, and thus each sector, is associated with a specific life aspiration, color and element. Each trigram can be further broken down to be associated with a particular shape, body part or organ and member of the family.
SECTOR
|
NO
|
ASPIRATION
|
ELEMENT
|
COLOR
|
SHAPE
|
FAMILY
|
BODY PART
|
North |
1
|
Career & Business Luck | Water | Black/Blue | Wavy | Middle son | Kidneys, Waist, Ear |
Southwest |
2
|
Love & Marriage Luck | Big Earth | Brown | Square | Mother/Matriarch | Stomach, Muscle, Mouth |
East |
3
|
Health & Family Relation Luck | Big Wood | Dark Green | Rectangle | First son | Liver, Pancreas, Limbs, Tongue |
Southeast |
4
|
Wealth & Money Luck | Small Wood | Light Green | Rectangle | First daughter | Liver, Limbs, Pancreas, Tongue |
Center |
5
|
Household's General Luck | Earth | Brown | Square | Everyone | |
Northwest |
6
|
Mentor & Contacts Luck | Big Metal | Metallic/White/Silver | Circle | Father/Patriarch | Lungs, Skin, Bone, Nose |
West |
7
|
Descendants' & Children Luck | Small Metal | White | Circle | Youngest daughter | Lungs, Skin, Bone, Nose |
Northeast |
8
|
Education & Knowledge Luck | Small Earth | Yellow/Beige | Square | Youngest son | Stomach, Muscle, Mouth |
South |
9
|
Fame, Glory & Recognition Luck | Fire | Red | Triangle | Middle daughter | Heart, Blood, Eyes |
When the Feng Shui Bagua Map is applied to the living environment one can quickly notice which areas are in the most or least auspicious placement. The bathrooms and kitchen are generally considered to be inauspicious spaces for generating luck as their plumbing systems quickly flush it away and the activity that occurs in them is largely of a menial nature. By observing the areas of our home or workplace through the lens of the bagua one can gain an understanding of how to increase the desired type of luck in their life.
One of the main methods for enhancing your life’s aspiration, besides furniture arrangement, is the placement of appropriate auspicious objects in the sectors we wish to improve. For example a rose quartz crystal ball placed in the Southwest sector, or zone of love and relationship luck, would greatly enhance one’s love luck because rose quartz is recognized as the stone of love and the crystal and spherical shape are both in harmony with the earth element of this sector. Representations of peonies or a pair of mandarin ducks would also serve well for this same purpose. The Southwest sector can be Southwest corner of your house (Big Tai Chi) or a room (Small Tai Chi). However, if let’s say the Southwest sector of your house is the toilet. It’s not advisable to place any enhancer in the toilet, so the next best thing to do is place the Mandarin Ducks in the Southwest corner of your living room or bedroom.
The Feng Shui Bagua directions can be broken down to be applied within each room. This is what we call “Small Tai Chi”. For example a Tibetan Windhorse may be placed on the South of your study room because it is an object associated with Fame and recognition luck and of the fire element.
Yet auspicious objects are not limited to placement directly in the area of the element they are associated with because of the 5-elements Productive Cycle theory. This theory states that each element creates or produces another. Though it is important to take into consideration that each element also destroys another. Here is a guide to the 5-Element Productive Cycle Theory:
Wood produces Fire |
Wood destroys Earth |
Fire produces Earth |
Fire destroys Metal |
Earth produces Metal |
Earth destroys Water |
Metal produces Water |
Metal destroys Wood |
Water produces Wood |
Water destroys Fire |
So based on this theory we can note that placing a water element such as a fish tank or a painting of a waterfall in the South zone might seriously hinder one’s fame or reputation luck because the watery aspects of it would detract from the fire element. On the other hand placing a water element object such as an arowana or carp in the Southeast or East area of one’s space can attract great prosperity or health and long-life luck because water produces wood and these directional areas are of the element of wood.
Though it at first appears complicated do not fear! There are long established trends and ancient protocols for the placements of most auspicious objects and many experts who confer on their proper usage. Only a basic grasp of the bagua is necessary to set your intentions for which areas of luck you are most set on improving.
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