SHAPES AND FENG SHUI
Shapes as well as colour play a role in Feng Shui? What are their significance? As with colour the answer you receive will to some degree depend on the system of Feng Shui you subscribe to.
The Classical Feng Shui approach to shapes describe them as five different types of Qi representing one of the Five Elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.
Modern interpretations of Feng Shui use shapes when recommending placement in certain sectors of the home or office.
This is the generic interpretation of Feng Shui and takes away any personalisation. A Yin Wood person for example may have negative consequences when placing Fire or Metal in their space. (Fire weakens and Metal controls Wood). Gua 1 may feel restricted or constantly suffer from ill health by the presence of too much Earth. (Earth controls the Water element associated with Gua 1).
Around the Bagua or Luo Shu Grid East and southeast are wood sectors; south is fire; west and northwest are metal sectors and north is water. Southwest, northeast and the central palace are earth element sectors.
Wood sectors are opposite metal sectors (metal controls wood), fire is opposite water (water controls fire). The earth sectors are in a diagonal line and influence each of the other elements. Earth controls (holds back) water, wood controls (weakens) earth and earth produces metal (metal is extracted from the earth).
The thing to remember is that control/production varies depending on the strength of each element throughout the year and its Yin/Yang variance. As an example…yang water (seas/large bodies of water) cannot control yang fire (sun) yet yin water (mist/clouds) can – clouds hide the sun from view.
Getting back to shapes specifically, recommending a rectangular table in the east/southeast or a round table in the west/northwest will have little, if any, effect on the quality of Qi in those areas. It is a symbolic representation of the element. If you feel comfortable with a particular shape there is nothing wrong with making that choice. Remember always balance is the key. Too much of any one element is as bad as a missing element.
Using the visual analogy again lets look at each of the elemental shapes in turn.
Wood is the rectangle. In Classical Feng Shui it represents Qi that is in its growth period; it is springtime when the natural world awakens from its winter rest. Fire is a triangle. It is expansion and upward movement; the heat of the summer sun. Earth is square, solid and dependable; its influence pervades all the seasons.
In each of the four seasons Earth is the third month, it is the transition point between one season and the next.
Metal is represented by the circle with no beginning and no end; it is contraction, dense and cold. The autumn season is Metal. Water is like the waves of the ocean. It has no real structure and adapts to its surroundings. It is mysterious and dark with much hidden in its depths and not surprisingly it is the winter season when the natural world is quiet and at rest.
In terms of buildings – your home or office building. To thrive and grow a rectangular building (higher than it is wide) is recommended. It is no surprise therefore that skyscrapers are so common in the business world.
Having a square home provides a solid and stable base. The central palace of the Luo Shu Grid is Earth element.
Triangular shaped buildings can result in occupants becoming aggressive and prone to accidents. Circular buildings are more appropriate for religious structures as the circle is also representative of Heaven. To live or work in such a building could create lack of focus with thoughts going ‘round in circles’. Working in a water-shaped wavy building may well see a lot of staff changes as water indicates flow.
This information is just the tip of a very large iceberg for example interactions between buildings also play a role. The best way to learn is to take a voyage of discovery and visit different shaped buildings to see how you feel.
Any questions please contact us and we will be happy to help.