THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
	a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects.

To: alt.chinese.fengshui,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.divination
From: cyronwode@aol.com (Cyronwode)
Subject: Re: Q: What is Feng Shui?
Date: 28 Sep 1995 14:23:18 -0400

here is a repost of more feng shui information--

Subj:    basic real estate feng shui 
~Date:    Mon, Mar 27, 1995 4:49 PM PST
~From:  Cyronwode@aol.com
To: sustag-principles@ces.ncsu.edu

Please note that the original author of this oft-forwarded article is 
Mr. Ozzie Jurock (ozzie@jurock.com) and http://www.jurock.com/RealEstate/

---------- Forwarded message ----------

~Subject: Feng Shui information

>From: funglt@newton.ccs.tuns.ca (Leung Tak Fung)

>From an expert, Jeff Olson:

>From: Stephen Dimond 
The Real Estate Developer's Internet Marketing System           
http://www.wimsey.com/~dims/   dims@wimsey.com   
Links to Croquet in Canada
Steve Dimond, M.Sc., P.Eng., Vancouver  Tel: (604) 436-1958 Fax: 434-8686 

Newgroups: alt.planning.urban, misc.invest.real-estate

I received this information from an associate, Mr. Ozzie Jurock
(ozzie@jurock.com) and  http://www.jurock.com/RealEstate/

I hope you find it useful:

FENG-SHUI (WIND AND WATERS)

When a modern new skyscraper goes up in Taiwan, the owners routinely
consult a feng-shul geomancer or xiansheng to determine the optimum
position for the main entrance. Geomancy (feng-shui) is the branch of
classical cosmology which helps man build his dwellings in optimum harmony
with the elements of his or her natural environment. The Chinese exponents
of feng-shui say that where you live and how you allocate and arrange the
rooms or elements of your home or workplace can significantly affect the
harmony of your health, wealth, and happiness. By acknowledging and
augmenting the all-prevalent life energy or Chi you can affect the whole
tenor of your well-being Move the furniture, change the color schemes,
avoid the elemental conflicts such as placing water (i.e. the
refrigerator) next to fire (i.e the stove). Such conflicts encourage
harmful Sha or the opposing force to Chi and thus must be avoided.

Funk and Wagnalls' Dictionary defines this ancient system as such: 
"Feng Shui is the art of locating tombs, cities and houses auspicious1y.
Mountains, hills, water courses, groves, and neighboring buildings can be
useful either in channeling the male Yang influences or in deflecling
them."

Whilc feng-shui is thousands of years old and seemingly steeped in
esoteric rules, it contains much common sense, useful to and understood by
anyone. For cxample, feng-shui says the best site for a home to take
advantage of the vital Chi is to put that home on a south-facing slope and
preferably between two hills of unequal size (the Azure Dragon and the
White Tiger) to best channel the Chi. Ideally a river will be running
along one side of the structure.  The river should then turn in front of
the building and then disappear.

Looked at another way. such a home on the south slope gets the maximum
hours of sunlight, is shielded from the chilly health-sapping north wind
and has a good supply of water for drinking and cleaning. By then
conveniently disappearing under the ground and gravel, the river carries
away effluents and other "dirty" water. (If the water doesn't want to
disappear, feng-shui says this requirement can be satisfied by using a
small brick wall or hedge or shrubs to screen the river as it passes the
boundary.)

Even if the building's owners don't really believe in feng-shui, they will
still follow the geomancer's advice because they know perfectly well that
many prospective buyers and renters will consult their own Romancers about
the building prior to moving in.  The xiansheng considers four factors:

* the Chi or "breath of life;" 

* potential of the neighborhood; 

* the site orientation or the importance of the direction in which the
building faces; 

* the five elements - fire, water, wood, metal, earth -- and their
mutual influcnce upon a location; the power of water and its significance
in relation to the property.

Over the years, several major new buildings in downtown Taipei have
remained unoccupied and their owners have gone broke because they failed
to follow the dictates of Chinese geomancy during construction.

One Chinese restauranteur endured heavy financial losses for two years,
despite excellent food and service and massive advertising campaigns.
Finally, in sheer desperation, he consulted a geomancer who coolly
informed him that the position of his main enhance caused money to flow
out rather than into his restaurant.  He spent a srnall fortune to tear
down and reconstruct the entrance according to the geomancer's
instructions
and before long you couldn't find a seat in the place at night!  Even the
massive Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in downtown Taipei, with its
extensive gardens and numerous gates was all laid out according to the
laws of Chinese geomancy to provide rnaximum harmony with the elements 
and spirits to the cosmos.

Conversely, other building fronts are unhappily positioned for easy
ingress by sources of evil. 

\\\The following are some basic laws of feng-shui necessary to avoid
Sha:///

* A straight road leading directly to the home with people coming and
going or a small stream flowing in a straight course from it dissipates
the good influences.

* The front entrance should not face the upstairs stairway.

* The front door should not have a view of the back door (through
hallway).

* Heavy beams in the rec room are a burden and interfere with Chi.

* To have the right side low and the left side high are both unlucky
signs. The Dragon should be on the left and the smaller White Tiger should
be on the right, therefore be it a grave or a home, the hills to the left
should be higher than those to the right.

* Houses or buildings on triangular plots of land are ill omened as the
strange shape attracts Sha.

* Water is very important and its positioning is vital to good Chi and to
confound Sha.

\\\There are ways to rectify the defects:///

* Avoid building on the junction of a T-street or at the end of a
cul-de-sac.  It will be on the receiving end of the straight-flowing Sha; 
a dead-end street only traps the bad Sha.  

* If the left is too low, plant trees to raise the height.  

* Alter the stream or river to give it bends and curves.  Don't make 
the bends too sharp or the Chi will "run off" and be dissipated The 
vitality of water is best conserved in a gently meandering strearn. A 
pool of water (aka a fishpond) is especially useful to conserve Chi.  

* If your neighbor builds a house higher than yours, add to the height
of yours so your view of the stars in not obstructed. (Of course, this
could lead to some problems with the zoning authorities.)  

* If the plot is triangular, placing the door on the side of the triangle 
rather than on the point will counter the ill-omen.

\\\There are other ways to improve the natural benefits: ///

* In properties which back onto a river, the entrance must be at the rear 
to allow Chi to gain entrance.  

* If the ground slopes upward frorn the front of a building then
again the entrance should be at the back.  

* Properties facing open space to the south (a valley, a section of land
such
as a heath or even the sea) are especially good as the resulting gentle 
winds from the south usher the Chi and allow it to enter unhindered.

* The Chinese also believe that a house with a front slightly lower than
the
back is useful in dispersing the influence of Sha. 

* Similarly, a large tree immediately opposite the front door is
ill-omened 
as it deflects the entrance of wealth.  This concept might 
seem strange to Western architecture and West Coast philosophy and 
has caused some problems in regards to new owners and the 
neighborhood's dismay about sudden tree clearings.

\\\The neighborhood also affects Chi. In a built-up area, the positioning
of a home in relation to other properties can be very important./// 

* If a corner of a neighboring building such as a block of condos
or terrace of homes "points" to the home in question this "secret arrow"
can direct harmful Sha straight into the home. These "arrows" supposedly
also create an unhealthy environment in which illness is a constant
factor.

* Sharp angles can be especially unlucky on an office or commercial
building
as these angles and straight edges drive off money, whereas curves attract
money. 

* The flat edges of buildings which lead toward the front of your 
property are fine conductors of Chi. 

* If there is a road in front of the place which tums at a sharp angle, 
this can bring about the same unhappy effect as a "secret arrow."  
To counter this, a driveway leading up to a front door should always 
approach in a gentle sweep to bring in the good influence.

Whether you believe in it or not, feng-shui is seen by millions as an
ancient science full of philosophy and practical wisdom.  As such, it
can't be summed up in a post such as this.  If interested in learning 
more, read (as we have done) the very fine book "The Way of Feng
Shui: Harmony, Hea1th, Wealth and Happiness" by Philippa Waring. 
You might also refer to the Jurock Publishing Ltd. report: "Asian 
Investors: Where to Find Them."

--------end message-------

reposted by


catherine yronwode
cyronwode@aol.com
owner-operator, alt.lucky.w
restoration team leader, alt.current-events.blizzard-of-93
keeper of the keys, sustag-principles@ces.ncsu.edu
tourguide, http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/The_Sacred_Landscape.html