Moving house in Chinese astrology and feng shui

In the 9 Star astrological system used in feng shui there is a method that is used to determine the best directions and the best times to move house, as well as to do construction on a house. While this method is elaborate, and requires in-depth knowledge of the 9 Star system, it can be used to advantage following its basic outlines as presented here.

The first thing to determine is the star number of your year of birth. There are 9 star numbers. As these repeat cyclically you can find your birth star number from the basic set presented below by adding or subtracting 9 or multiples of 9 to or from the years as shown. You may notice how there are different birth star numbers for males and females born on the same year. Chinese astrology sees males and females as mirrors of one another. Using the year 1950 as our starting point we have the following.

Year of Birth               Male Star               Female Star
1950                              5                              1
1951                              4                              2
1952                              3                              3
1953                              2                              4
1954                              1                              5
1955                              9                              6
1956                              8                              7
1957                              7                              8
1958                              6                              9

Using the above year numbers, if you were born in 1985 you would subtract multiples of 9 until you arrived at a year falling between 1950 and 1958. Thus,1985 minus 27 gives us 1958. 1958 for a woman then gives us star number 9, and for a man it gives us star number 6. For another example, if you were born in 1965, you would subtract 9 to give you the year 1956. 1956 for a man yields star number 8, and for a woman star number 7. Knowing your birth star number you are ready to find out the best time and direction to move.

Let's look first at this year, 2011. 2011 is a 6 year in the Chinese system. This puts 6 at the pivot, or center of the compass, 7 in the Northwest, 8 in the West, 9 in the Northeast, 1 in the South, 2 in the North, 3 in the Southwest, 4 in the East, and 5 in the Southeast.

The rule is not to move in the direction of your birth star, not to move opposite your birth star, and not to move in the direction of 5 or opposite 5. If your birth star number is in the pivot it is not considered a good time to move anywhere except to a great distance, possibly to a foreign land. Drawing an example, if your birth star number is 3, it would be inauspicious for you to move Southwest or Northeast this year, and, because 5 is in the Southeast this year it would also be inauspicious for you to move Southeast or Northwest.

If you move on a year chart pattern, the luck of the move begins to manifest after five years, and lasts sixty years. If you plan to move for a period shorter than five years, you would look at a month chart  for more precision.

The 9 star system is based on the solar calendar. It is divided into 12 monthly, or solar periods. The period of June 5th to July 6th this year, for example, constitutes one solar period. The star number for this solar period is 1. Star number 1 at the pivot, or center of the compass, puts 2 in the Northwest, 3 in the West, 4 in the Northeast, 5 in the South, 6 in the North, 7 in the Southwest, 8 in the East, and 9 in the Southeast. Using 3 as our example, a move this solar period will not be auspicious if it is to the West or the East, or, because 5 is in the South, to the South or North. The luck of a move made on a monthly chart pattern begins to manifest after five months and lasts sixty months.

Moves made in inauspicious times and directions are not necessarily unlucky, but bring challenges that may be used to advantage. The exact meaning of these challenges depends on interpreting the complex relationships of the star numbers with the elements they represent and the meanings of the directional houses in which they are found. When the 9 star system is expertly used, moves can be planned in the directions of lucky stars for increased prosperity and good fortune, and in the directions of stars that improve your health.

Raphael is available for in-depth Chinese astrological readings and feng shui consultations. To find out more about Raphael's work visit www.trs-fengshui.com.

Raphael's best selling book Feng Shui Step by Step is now reprinted and available at Amazon.com and at www.createspace.com/3472024