Balance in Chinese astrology and fengshui

Dynamic balance is the key to good health and good fortune. When balance is broken for a long time illness and bad luck come. When illness develops we can correct the imbalance, and return to normal health.

There are two systems in Chinese astrology that address this question directly: Bazi, and 9 Star. In Bazi (ba tze) we have a calculation that gives us what is called the vital element. The vital element is what your life depends on. Your vital element determines the best orientation for your bed, and how you sit; it also gives you the best colors to wear for supporting your health; and it describes your best climate and season. Knowing how to work with your vital element can help you get over illnesses and extend your life.

In Chinese astrology, whenever your vital element comes up in long cyclical progressions, as well as in years, months, and seasons, your life goes better. When it is absent, and you start to have troubles, the situation can be mitigated by adjusting your environmental conditions, and by using the right colors.

Unfortunately, the vital element calculation is very involved, and cannot be made without undertaking a detailed study of this difficult system. Learning how to calculate the vital element is one of the most important steps in studying the authentic old tradition of fengshui. Not many people grasp it correctly.

We find a fair alternative in the 9 Star system. The 9 Star system, while much simpler than Bazi, is good, and it is important in fengshui. While 9 Star doesn't reveal your vital element, it gives what is called your balancing element. This, by the way, is not widely known; it is a secret method. 9 Star works with the system of trigrams, seen above. Your balancing element works to bring your innate energy into harmonious balance; it supports your life and fortunes. The balancing element can be used to determine a good orientation for your bed, and it can give you a very good color to use.

The 9 Star system is very ancient. It is the basis of the Lo Shu compass system, an important part of the traditional Chinese fengshui compass.

The system of balancing elements, based on the 9 Star system, is fairly easy to grasp. To find your balancing element you have, first, to find your birth star number. The birth star numbers repeat cyclically every 9 years. According to Chinese method the 9 Star cycle is opposite for males and females. Given below is the basic cycle from 1990 to 1999. To find your birth star either subtract or add 9 or multiples of 9 from or to the years given, keeping in mind that the 9 Star year begins always at the beginning of Chinese spring season which almost always is February 4. So, if you were born between January 1 and February 3, you have to calculate from 1 year earlier. For example, if you were born February 1, 1970, you would calculate your birth star number from 1969. The years with their numbers for males and females are:

1990 for males is 1; for females is 5
1991 for males is 9; for females is 6
1992 for males is 8; for females is 7
1993 for males is 7; for females is 8
1994 for males is 6; for females is 9
1995 for males is 5; for females is 1
1996 for males is 4; for females is 2
1997 for males is 3; for females is 3
1998 for males is 2; for females is 4

Supposing you are a male born in 1973. 1973 + 18 = 1991. 1991 for a male is 9.
Supposing you are a female born in 1973. 1973 + 18 - 1991. 1991 for a female is 6.

The star numbers with their elements are as follows.
1 is Water.
2 is Earth.
3 is Wood.
4 is Wood,
5 is Earth.
6 is Metal.
7 is Metal.
8 is Earth.
9 is Fire.

The balancing elements for the 9 star numbers with their directions in space and colors are as follows.

The balancing element for 1 Water is 9 Fire. Its direction is South, and its color is purple.
The balancing element for 2 Earth is 6 Metal. Its direction is Northwest, and its color is white.
The balancing element for 3 Wood is 4 Wood. Its direction is Southeast, and its color is dark green.
The balancing element for 4 Wood is 3 Wood. It's direction is East, and its color is light green.
The balancing element for 5 Earth is 6 Metal for women and 7 Metal for men. The direction and color for 6 Metal is Northwest and white. The direction and color for 7 Metal is red.
The balancing element for 6 Metal is 2 Earth. Its direction is Southwest, and its color is black.
The balancing element for 7 Metal is 8 Earth. Its direction is Northeast, and its color is white.
The balancing element for 8 Earth is 7 Metal. Its direction is west, and its color is red.
The balancing element for 9 Fire is 1 Water. It's direction is North, and its color is white.

Supposing your balancing element is 3 Wood, and you are finding this to be a stressful period. You would then consider aligning your bed so your head points to the east, and you would consider using light green as a color to help balance your energy. Orientation in fengshui is always figured by what your head points toward when lying down in bed, and what is to your back when sitting in a chair. If your balancing element was 3 Wood, the best way to sit would be with your back to the East.

These are just very basic considerations in fengshui. Of course, if the space doesn't permit using these indications, and if you are a couple sleeping in the same bed, energetic bridges can be made. Fengshui as part of the Chinese astrological systems is complex.

Fengshui is the spacial projection of Chinese astrology. Imbalances that show up in your Chinese astrological chart can be adjusted and mitigated in your space. Traditionally these two always go hand in hand. To do fengshui correctly you have to know how to do Chinese astrology. This is the tradition.

To follow articles such as this, click the join button at the upper right of this column.

Raphael is available for personal consultations in Chinese astrology and fengshui. To find out more, visit www.trs-fengshui.com.

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