Dear Kartar: I have always read to align the bagua map with the front door of my house. Lately, I have read it should be aligned with the North side of my house. Which is correct? I need to improve my love life! I have rearranged my furniture so many times. Thanks!
Answer: You asked a common question about where to place the Ba’gua Map over your floor plan: where the main door is located or aligned with North. Neither answer is correct according to traditional Feng Shui, but you have obviously just been exposed to the “Black Hat” School of Feng Shui, which was popularized in the West in the 1990’s. This is the Board Game version of Feng Shui, not the real practice, which is much more nuanced and specific to your unique space.
In my book, Feng Shui for Skeptics: Real Solutions Without Superstition, it covers this popular fake school of Feng Shui in the first chapter.
Beyond the scope of this forum post, there is a long explanation as to how and why this fake school of Feng Shui came into being and how every floor plan is viewed the same, which is rather silly when you think about it.
Some people claim that it works, but part of that is based on the placebo effect and part of it is based on the 20% chance that someone will use the right element by accident.
If you want an authentic and comprehensive evaluation of your home, you need to have someone versed in classical Feng Shui do an audit. This includes factoring in when the structure was built and its real compass alignment (not just pretending that the door faces north when it doesn’t.)
My response may sound blunt and too direct, but after 30 years of professional practice in Feng Shui, I have seen many people damage themselves and others by using this ridiculous Ba’gua Map and all the superstitions that have also been perpetuated by this New Age version of Feng Shui. The perpetuation of fake Feng Shui is one reason why designers, architects, the science world and the general population still don’t take Feng Shui seriously.
Kartar Diamond of Feng Shui Solutions® has a full-scale consultancy, including assistance with property searches, design phase and existing homes and businesses. She is the author of three books, 6 ebooks, 36 Cast Study Lessons and more to come. See the books she’s authored or browse through her online Traditional Feng Shui school.