People who attempt to study feng shui principles on their own and subsequently attempt to apply these principles in their spaces may find themselves more than a little confused. When it comes to determining how best to direct prosperity and good fortune into the home, a certain book may say one thing while a particular webpage might say another. At times, the ideas feng shui resources present might even seem to contradict each other. This is because dozens of schools of feng shui have developed over time, each with their own unique perspectives and approaches.
Given that so many disparate schools of feng shui currently exist, is it possible for practitioners to mix methods and principles from different schools they might be interested in? Can they rearrange their spaces according to feng shui principles from more than one school? Uncle Dixer, our feng shui expert, weighs in.
Dear Uncle Dixer: I’m using the BTB method (Black Sect Tibetan Tantric School of Feng Shui) at home and I am also interested in Flying Star Feng Shui. Can I use both of them? My wealth corner is in the upper left side of my home. If I use the Flying Star method, would the 9 Wood Star also be in the same place?
Answer: Please do not mix the two methods together in one reading. Consider them separately and see how you can expedite the inflow of auspicious energy and avoid or minimize harmful energy in your home using each method on its own. The theories behind the two methods are quite different and the wealth potential of each method is read differently as well.
More specifically, Flying Stars feng shui is a traditional school of Feng Shui that correlates the flow of energy within a space with the movement of the stars along defined compass points. Flying Star charts are usually made to track star movements over a predefined period of time, whether the period covered is a year, a month, a week, a day or even an hour. Annual and monthly charts are generally the most common in the current practice of Flying Star feng shui.
In contrast, BTB is a fairly modern school of feng shui that primarily identifies auspicious areas in the home in relation to a specific point, known as the “mouth of qi,” rather than the compass directions. The mouth of qi is generally understood as the formal entrance to the space and usually refers to the front door. BTB also emphasizes the power of the practitioner’s intention in concert with the physical placements of objects within a space. Hence, these two schools of feng shui may not always agree when it comes to identifying auspicious parts of a space or how to make the most of the positive energy in these areas.
Without seeing the Flying Star combinations on the upper left side of your house, where the wealth corner of BTB is located, I cannot comment further. Regardless, please use and consider these two methods separately when rearranging your space, rather than attempting to incorporate a mix of principles from each in the same space. That is my advice.
Feng shui experts generally agree that all schools of feng shui are valid and that anyone interested in the art can find good fortune and success pursuing whichever methods resonate with them the most. However, the abundance of different schools makes it advisable to work with a feng shui consultant, who can help you avoid confusion and keep you from accidentally incorporating contradictory methods. The good news is that qualified consultants can be found the world over.
Uncle Dixer is a Chinese-Australian Feng Shui Expert. He is here to answer your Feng Shui questions so we can better understand the workings of Feng Shui. Read more about him or submit your question to an expert.