Feng Shui Demystified

Countermeasures are used in accordance to the system of the Five Elements, to weaken malevolent energy and enhancers to strengthen benevolent energy.

The numbers 2 and 5, which belong to the Earth Element, represents the most malevolent energies. The energy of number 9 gets malevolent when in combination with the numbers 2 and 5, which are enhanced by it. Other malevolent energies are those of number 7, belonging to the metal element and number 3, and belonging to the wood element.

Benevolent energies are represented by number 1, belonging to the water element, number 4, belonging to the wood element, number 6, belonging to the metal element and number 8 of the earth element. Number 9 is benevolent when in combination with number 8, which is enhanced by it.

Metal

Metal as Countermeasure

Metal is the most often used countermeasure. Traditionally it is used for the malevolent numbers 2 and 5. Metal drains the energy of both numbers, which belong to the Earth Element.

When we use metal as countermeasure, we do not know if our countermeasure is the metal of number 6 or of number 7. In my view the metal of number 6 (soft metal) is gold, brass and any metal of that color. Bronze however, being very hard, may not come under this grouping.

Instead of metal we may also use the so-called saltwater cure. This consists of a glass bowl filled with table salt on which a few round peaces of metal, such as coins are placed and the whole thing is topped up with just enough water to cover the salt.

“How could this work?” you may ask. The metal element is an energy, which directs its force from all directions towards one point. When you think of the hygroscopic action of salt, which attracts water from all directions to it, you will understand the metal nature of that cure.

Metal is used to drain the energy of the number 5. It also drains the energy of number 2. If our metal cure is representing soft metal of the number 6, it will not drain the energy of number 2, but will combine with it to a perfect harmony of yin and yang. This combination is very auspicious.

If our metal cure is representing hard metal of the number 7, it will combine with number 2 to create the combinations 2/7 or 7/2, which are the Ho Tu number combinations for the Fire Element. These combinations are auspicious in some and inauspicious in other directions (see Ho Tu numbers and Conditional interaction of stars).

If you have the combination of 2/8 or 8/2 you can still use metal as a countermeasure for the malevolent 2 of the combination without harming number 8. If the metal you use is of a nature that it would be grouped as number 7, the combinations 2/7 and 8/7 would be created. While the combination 2/7 is the Fire Element, the combination 8/7 creates perfect harmony of yin and yang and is very auspicious.

If the metal used represents number 6, the combination 2/6 is perfect harmony of yin and yang and the combination 6/8 is very auspicious.

As you will have understood from the above, metal is the ideal countermeasure for the malevolent stars 2 and 5 while it does no harm to the number 8. Keeping this in mind the usage of metal bells, gongs and wind chimes in ceremonies to purify places of negative energies, which you may have thought of as being nothing more than meaningless rituals, will now make sense.

Metal, which moves, acts stronger and so does the sound of metal, which is another representation of the Metal Element. Metal countermeasures, which move and produce sound, are therefore very effective.

Metal as Enhancer

Metal is used to enhance the Water Element. Using metal number 6 will create the combination 6/1, which is very auspicious for money matters.

Earth

Earth as Countermeasure

Earth does not have any applications as countermeasure. Earth could be used to reduce the energy of the Fire Element, but in traditional Feng Shui this is not done, since water is a countermeasure better suited for that. We will later see why.

Earth as Enhancer

Earth is used to enhance the metal star number 6. This will create the combination 2/6 which is perfect harmony of yin and yang or the combination 8/6, which is a very auspicious combination. Schools which apply the principle of timeliness of energies will also use earth to enhance the malevolent star number 7 which according to them is benevolent in its own period.

Fire

Fire as Countermeasure

Fire is used as countermeasure to reduce the energy of the stars number 3 and 7 an their combinations 3/7 and 7/3.

Fire as Enhancer

Fire is a very valuable enhancer for star number 8. The combination 8/9 in which 8 is the Earth Base and 9 the Facing Star will give excellent happy relationships with family and friends.

Wood

Wood as Countermeasure

The wood Element is never used as countermeasure in Feng Shui, but can be used to balance the energies of the stars in a palace to create harmony (see under Five Elements).

Wood as Enhancer

The wood Element is never used as enhancer in Feng Shui, but can be used to balance the energies of the stars in a palace to create harmony (see under Five Elements).

Water

Water as Countermeasure

Water is used as countermeasure for the fire star number 9. Water in Feng Shui is understood not only to dowse fire but the energies of water and fire combine to create perfect harmony of yin and yang. The use of water to combat the ill effects of fire is therefore the ideal countermeasure.

Water as Enhancer

Apart of the use of water to direct positive energy into a site or building, water is used to enhance the energy of wood 4 and can be used to balance the energies of the stars in a palace to create harmony (see under Five Elements).