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What is the special compass used in classical feng shui and what are some of the things it can tell us about our environment? |
The Luo Pan or Chinese feng shui compass has a very long history.
The first mention of a South Pointing Compass in Chinese legend goes way back to the time of the fabled Yellow Emperor (Huang Di 2,600 BCE), when it is said he was caught in heavy fog summoned up against him in swampy ground by his mortal enemies. A beneficent deity coming to his rescue presented him with a ‘magical’ solution with which he in turn was able to reel about and in spite of the confusion of the mists, defeat this mortal foe.
The magic provided him with was said to have been the south pointing compass chariot. This was a very imaginative device that had a needle atop, which no matter which way the contraption moved, always pointed south. (This was achieved by an ingenious mechanism of cogs connected to the wheels of the chariot and always kept the needle pointing south.)
However, the Chariot Compass was mechanized and not a magnetic compass.
Historically the first known magnetic compasses were small flat boards on which a magnetized lodestone shaped in the form of a spoon acted as the pointer. These were in use by the time of the Warring States period -– circa 500 -225 BCE.
Later developments saw needles suspended in water until finally the dry needle versions we know and use today were developed.
It was the Italians who then began to put compasses to use as navigational tools in shipping in the West.
Prototype boards were combination astronomical and divinatory tools; marking the four seasonal points of the year: Equinoxes and Solstices, 28 lunar phases for the agrarian calendar as well as four cardinal and four sub cardinal directions.
Later the 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches were added and aligned with a now refined 24 calendar sector. These latter are known collectively as the twenty four mountains which score directional aspects, thus joining observation of time and space in one instrument. |
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What do Feng Shui consultants look for and what can a magnetic compass tell us about a building? |
When a consultant uses a modern day Chinese compass or Luo Pan, the first thing he or she will do is to begin by determining which side of the building is the face. This is a complex and sometimes controversial process in which the only truly set parameter is deciding which aspect of the building is the most Yang.
One might think of it as determining which end is the positive node of a battery; a distinction being made between the Yin or quiet side of the building and the Yang side.
Once this has been decided compass readings will be taken to confirm precisely just what specific direction the building is facing. A Luo Pan is marked in 365 degrees with each of the twenty four divisions apportioned fifteen degrees each.
Depending on which School the consultant is applying they will use one of three basic types of compasses. Each type is used for gathering slightly different information from the surrounding environment.
San Yuan The “Flying Stars school” uses a complex San Yuan Luo Pan with three distinct ‘plates’. Earth Plate, relating to the earth’s magnetic polarity, Man’s Plate to the North Star and Heaven Plate a sundial, all of which gather and refer to differing aspects to be considered within that framework — for example Man’s plate measures protective structures and assigns the 5 elements to each of these. Timing of events can also be ascertained by use of a Luo Pan.
San He The San He Luo Pan helps determine relationships between placement of Mountain, Water and the building in the San He School and focuses on many of the very famous Water Dragon Theories.
Zhang He The third is a combination of both in the Zhang He Luo Pan.
Methods Those applying the Flying Stars School and using a San Yuan Luo Pan will draw up and work from a numerical grid that will look something like the one shown below.
The consultant should be willing and able to explain in quite specific detail precisely how the Time/Space dimension of classical feng shui works and why they are making the recommendation they are to the property.
They will talk in terms of each of the separate locations or sectors within the building such as the Southwest or the West and what will be happening there and in turn make recommendations for the building both indoors and outdoors, in most cases.
Likewise for those applying the San He and Zhang He Schools where no such grid is applied.
Please note that a good consultant will be willing to not only explain which ‘School’ and line of theories he or she is following but also the basic science behind it.
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Earth is a giant magnet. Scientists today speculate that the central or inner core of the globe is a solid sphere of mainly iron material, held in place by the pressure of the super heated, outer molten core. These in turn are surrounded by the earth’s mantle and crust.
It is postulated that the interplay between these two inner spheres at the centre of the earth act as something of a dynamo and that the resultant energy is a gigantic magnetic field which circulates through the earth’s centre and out again.
This geomagnetic field has been imaged as cycling from North to South with the weakest points being just above each of these Polar Regions where the magnetic fields enter the earth. This magnetic force called the magnetosphere, surrounds the earth, protecting life on the planet from the harmful rays of cosmic solar winds that constantly bombard the globe and would otherwise destroy.
The phenomenon known to us as the Auroras (Northern — Aurora Borealis, Southern -– Aurora Australis) are the resultant electromagnetic storms sparked as high energy particles carried by solar winds enter the earth’s atmosphere at these weak spots in the protective magnetosphere. It is these electric magnetic storms which cause the night skies to light up so exquisitely in the polar regions. (See more about this subject.)
However, the earth’s outer crust too is magnetized. It is covered with localized magnetic fields, the source of which is predominantly from earlier volcanic activity which leave iron deposits post eruption in the form of cold lava flows. In deed one method scientists have of dating and measuring the strength of the crusts magnetism is by analyzing these rocks.
A magnetic compass, therefore, aligns itself to these magnetic fields in a direction called magnetic north. True north, on the other hand is the direction from a given location to the north geographic pole. The angle of difference between magnetic north and true north is called magnetic declination.
Many people believe that a compass needle points at the North Magnetic Pole. This is not true; if you follow your compass needle you will eventually arrive at the North Magnetic Pole, but not by the most direct route. |
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Why do Feng Shui consultants use a magnetic compass? |
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If you have ever observed someone using classical methods of feng shui to asses a building, you will immediately be struck by the fact that almost the first thing they do is align a magnetic compass with the facing of the building. There are specific things they will be observing when carrying out this exercise; indeed it can be one of the lengthiest aspects of any audit. |
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