Feng Shui And The I Ching

The I Ching (pronounced E Ching - aka "The Book of Changes") is perhaps the most ancient known of the classic Chinese texts (these texts date from the pre-Qin era - the Qin Dynasty ruled during 221 to 207 BC) and also one of the oldest texts known from antiquity.

The I Ching describes an ancient system of cosmology along with a philosophy at the very center of Chinese cultural beliefs still firmly in use today. The crux of this philosophy deals with the dynamics apparent between yin and yang and also how both yin and yang interact upon each other in opposing yet paradoxically complimentary ways.

Yin represents the still, the calm, the mellow whilst yang represents the exact opposite movement, frenetic activity and stress!

At the core of the I Ching are eight iconic depictions known as Trigrams. Each trigram is comprised of yin and yang line elements. The origin of these trigrams is attributed to the figure "Fu Hsi" some 5 millenia ago.

More information on the history of the trigrams and the Lo Shu can be found here:
http://www.fengshuiastrology.com/LoShu.html

The I Ching uses two trigrams, one placed upon the other to form a Hexagram. The different combinations of the stacked trigrams give rise to some 64 different I Ching hexagrams - each of which when used in combination can give valuable insights to the answers sought by divination practitioners.

Many people look upon the I Ching as purely a system of divination whereas others see it's contents as teachings - full of the wisdom of the Chinese ancients.

It's title throws up a profound view of it's contents:

"I" when used as an adjective means "simple or easy" but when used as a verb means "to change".

"Ching" means "classic text" but the original meaning is one of "persistence" or "regularity"

A popular translation of this title is "Book of Changes" but it is also known as "Classic of Changes" - a title growing in use of late.

The underlying message within the I Ching recognised by many is one of "the ultimate way" or truth - no matter what time the reader comes across the contents, the information contained within will still be as fresh and applicable as the day it was written.

If the information is understood, applied and followed - you can enjoy the easiest of paths through life.

The I Ching is one of the foundations of Feng Shui (or as it was known in antiquity "Xiangdi" - meaning the observation and appraisal of the earth). Before the Qin dynasty (approximately 475 to 221 BC), Feng Shui Experts poured over the I Ching in great depth and used it's teachings to influence the fundamentals of Feng Shui as we know it today.

Along with the I Ching, Feng Shui has it's roots firmly steeped in the philosophies of Taoism and Confusianism as well.

Tracy O'Brien is a long time student and practitioner of the ancient art of Feng Shui. She is also the founder of FengShuiAstrology.com Visit now for more Feng Shui Tips, FREE Feng Shui Astrology Reading and more information on Feng Shui And I Chinghttp://www.fengshuiastrology.com

Sell Your Real Estate Fast Using Feng Shui

Selling your home in today's market has never seemed more difficult. In fact, more people are scrambling to try any sort of real estate advice in order to make the sale of their home smoother as well as to attract buyers. From burying statues of St. Joseph in the yard to rearranging furniture, it seems that everyone has the 'cure' for the slow housing market. But through all this, an ancient practice of creating harmony in one's environment might hold the answers to selling your house -Feng Shui. In fact, Feng Shui real estate tips have been proven so successful that more people than ever are trying their hand in this four thousand year old philosophy.

The idea of Feng Shui real estate works under the principle that everything is interwoven and connected to each other. In knowing that, it's easy to see that if you change one thing in your environment, it will affect the way something else works. On the other hand, Feng Shui also relates to motion and movement in our lives. Everything is constantly changing and adjusting because of the changes that continue to happen. This creates not only excitement in terms of the possibility of change, but also the very real probability that you can do things to promote this change. In learning to balance these kinds of energies, Feng Shui real estate practices will allow you to finally sell your home.

To begin, your Feng Shui real estate focus should be on the main doorway into the home. This entranceway is symbolic of how energy and positive things enter the home, so when you want to increase the flow of energy, it's a common sense place to begin. The main concern for the entrance is that it not be blocked in any way. From the street, it should be clearly visible, without any obtrusive trees or branches covering it up. When it is covered up in any way, this can hinder the flow of energy inside. Surrounding the door, you should remove anything that is dead or dying as this also creates the idea of death-like energy. The windows should be clean and easy to seen into, and the door should be in good repair, easy to open. You may also want to place a red ribbon or bow on the front door as red symbolizes goodwill and strength, increasing the positive energy associated with your home.

As you move into your home, the front interior space near the door is also a place to look into Feng Shui for real estate adjustments. This area should be well lit and easy to move through. Just as with the front door, any problems with entering this space can create energetic flow problems too. Any clutter that might be sitting around this space will also need to be removed, as energy can become trapped in this 'stuff' and cause disturbances as well as a sense of being trapped. Create a focal point of beauty in this area as well - perhaps some fresh flowers, a brightly colored picture, or a clear crystal to create beams of light.

In Feng Shui real estate, the biggest and most common concern for any home is the amount of clutter that is present. Energetically speaking, this creates a sense of staleness in terms of energy as well as disrupts the overall energy flow. Think of clutter as an obstacle course for the energy that is sweeping through your home. When there is a lot of clutter, the energy can become stifled and stuck. But when the area is clean of clutter, energy can move freely. Try to make a point of removing any obvious (and hidden) clutter in your home before you show your home to buyers, but it's also not a bad idea to remove it from your life entirely.

Hidden clutter in closets can also be detrimental to good Feng Shui. Real estate energy can become trapped in these areas, even if the buyers never see them. Plus, removing the old things that you no longer use creates a new energy in your home and the act of giving these old things to charity or your local thrift store also increases Feng Shui energy flow.

Before you show your home to anyone, look around to see if there are any areas that might seem to be congested in terms of furniture placement or arrangement. Rooms with many pieces of furniture can feel stuffy and claustrophobic - hindering both the Feng Shui real estate energy of the room as well as the overall visual cues of space. When a buyer walks in, they want to see that the space is open and spacious. Try moving your furniture around to create this feeling of larger, more open areas. And if the room still seems too crowded, perhaps it's time to remove a piece of furniture from the space - give the positive energy a place to move!

Candace Czarny,ASID,CFM,LEED AP, "Award Winning" Interior Designer, Feng Shui Expert & author. www.artofplacement.com is continually ranked "Top 10" in Google and Yahoo. Clients testify of dramatic results!