Early Chinese scholars were keen observers of their surroundings. A major focus of their studies was not only life here on the globe, the earth’ energies but also on the micro/macro dynamics of the cosmos and how the planet interconnects with the cosmic as a whole. They were the first to discover magnetism and invent a magnetic compass.

The first compasses recorded in the known Chinese histories were used as divination boards and had ladle shaped lodestones for pointers. Similar shaped spoons may still be found in Chinese restaurants today. The shape of these ladles refers to the Big Dipper’s circling around the Pole star. The timing of this cycle was an essential aspect of early Chinese time keeping, particularly as applied in feng shui.

Essentially, feng shui considers three broad aspects of the natural environment

Certain phenomena within the immediate environment:

There are certain, specific factors which early Chinese scholars found recurred frequently enough to warrant close observation and which give reliably predictable effects. Primary amongst them is the unseen flow of Qi and its effect on life.

Many derive from tangible objects and landscapes which although they can be seen, have unseen effects. A simple example of the more tangible can be found in coastal regions and areas which have access to deep, navigable water where societies are based on trade and the accumulation of wealth. Examples of these great trading centres may be found in cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Rotterdam, etc., and are all coastal.

This type of environment can be contrasted with interior, mountainous regions where one will find a different character to the people. Hospitable and friendly, they also tend to be very stubborn. People from these regions make excellent soldiers and politicians. A scan of the world’s major capital cities begins to bear out this observation: Beijing, Moscow, Rome, Berlin, Washington DC and Brasilia etc. and are all in interior or mountainous terrain.

A third is found with flat lands and desserts and wandering nomadic cultures. There are a myriad of such factors in traditional feng shui. A significant number relate to the presence and exact positioning of mountains and water within the landscape and their influence on any settlements and buildings in proximity to them. Complex calculations must be made in most instances.

Magnetism

If feng shui is about anything, it is about directional and locational influences. When considering the effects of magnetism, we must bear in mind that there are two forms of magnetic energy: geomagnetic and electro-magnetic. Since the most active parts of any building are its doorways and we move to and from specific directions as we enter and leave a room these directions will have magnetic influences on us.

Man like all living creatures, is made up of matter which, resonates to an electro-magnetic pulse, the seat of this it seems, is the brain. Just as we are affected by the directions of doors, so we are affected by the same directional influences when we lay our heads down to sleep. Feng Shui takes note of this and reads and calibrates their effects. Making changes as required.

The Time/Space Dimension

The third overall aspect of feng shui is a rather strange and difficult one to understand. It has to do with the changing effect that time has over space, in particular as it is defined by walls and roofs.

Buildings in other words, are affected by positive and negative sets of energies which are subject to change with time. Traditional science based feng shui has been developed to calculate, predict and manage these influences, maximizing the positive and minimizing the negative.