Which Method is Right?

Five elements, Ba Gua, compass directions, Energy Flow, Yin and Yang!  When I read feng shui books these are always discussed but it is so confusing!  Do I use them all? Only one?  How do I know which one to use for my home!?

This is an excellent question.  On the surface Feng Shui seems like it should be simple; move your couch and your life will be instantly changed, right?  In reality, Feng Shui and Intuitive Living is much more complex.

First, understand that there are two ‘schools of thought’ for Feng Shui and most authors, consultants and experts will either go with one camp or the other.  Put simply, the traditional, ancient feng shui-ist will use compass directions in their evaluation and the western feng shui-ist does not.  In intuitive Living we use a combination of both, plus many other types of intuitive sciences.  So when you read a book on Feng Shui make sure you understand which camp your author is coming from because the topics you list above may or may not be discussed differently. 

Second, there isn’t any one tool that is used. If a Feng Shui consultant comes to your home and uses only one resource then you should look elsewhere for help.  Feng Shui is the careful consideration of many different aspects of your home and therefore your questions should be answered using all resources available to your consultant.

Third, when doing your own consultation I always recommend having an objective friend with you.  It is very difficult to determine your own remedies.  Although you may know that you want such as an improved family life, but it may be difficult for you to recognize what is causing the problem yourself.

Lastly, start with just one tool to make the process less complicated.  Just the way you do not mix all the ingredients at the same time for a recipe, try taking feng shui one step at a time. Most people like to use the Ba Gua because it is the most revealing and telling of the tools available to you.  Below is a simple Ba Gua layout. 

I generally start with aligning the Ba Gua with the front door of the home.  Be sure to note missing gua’s and don’t forget to include the entire area of your home (including garages if they are attached).  Once you have overlain the Ba Gua then learn how to use the other tools which will reveal how to implement the remedies you may need.