Buddhism was spread into Japan in the 6th century by Korean
and then Chinese scholars. Japan had borrowed all things Chinese
anyway, including its written language, so this was a natural
progression. Once again, as in China, Buddhism combined with
the philosophy which was already there. Tai Chi was already
there and so we believe was Feng Shui, Buddhism blending into
Shintoism, completed the picture! Chi became the Japanese
- Ki. Shinto, the ancient Japanese way of thinking about life
and death, the way of the Gods, was very simply paying reverence
to all things in nature, its spirits and human ancestors-so
the links to Taosim and Feng Shui were extremely strong. Shinto
teaches that all things, animate and inanimate have their
own kami-gods, special spirits, special energies-which protect
the living and their dead ancestors. Shinto emphasised rituals
of bodily cleanliness and fertility. Buddhism and then Zen
Buddhism fitted very well into this love of nature and ritual.
Feng Shui, meaning wind and water was a natural way of looking
at things. Wind and water were seen as the two most important
and natural elements which helped to underline the theories
of Buddhism. Wind and water were the intermediaries between
earth and heaven. Feng Shui was first used in the siting of
graves. It was important to site the graves of ancestors in
good places that would be unaffected by floods[water] and
typhoons[wind]. If the graves were disturbed - then bad luck
would descend upon the living members of the family! Also,
water is the sustainer of life and has been used in many rituals
in many religions and philosophies throughout the ages. Taoism
and Buddhism as we have mentioned, used water a great deal
in their practices. Soon, common festivals spread across all
the philosophies of China and Japan. For example, on the fifteenth
day of the seventh lunar month, the Chinese carry out a ritual
and communal banquet which is intended to release suffering
souls from hell. This festival is Buddhist in origin, but
in China, Taoist priests would perform their own versions
of the ritual and the same happened with Shinto priests in
Japan. The closeness of these philosophies to the simple,
everyday way of life and cycles of nature cannot be emphasised
enough-and this thinking still exists today within the very
elements of Feng Shui.Chi, the essence of nature, the essence
of everything, is the vital life giving energy which flows
inside us, inside everything. It is the energy flowing through
the meridians or invisible channels of the body, used in acupuncture
and meditation and now proved to exist by the experiments
of Chinese doctors in America.
Chi is the energy spinning in the Chakra centres of the
body as used in Yoga. It is the energy used in martial arts,
notably, Kung Fu, Karate and Tai Chi. It flows like wind and
water. Indeed, Buddhist mantras are said to be carried around
the body by special ëridingíwinds.At the agricultural,
or garden level, chi is the life force which, if not stagnant,
ensures fertile crops, flowers, shrubs and trees. At a climatic
level, chi is carried on the wind and on the waters. As stated
before, Feng means wind and Shui, water--the two elements
which dominated life in Ancient China. These two natural elements
were important in connection with the siting of graves and
the growing of crops. Later on the Feng Shui principles, of
wind and water, with the flowing of the Chi from the eight
compass directions became important in the building and the
design of the interiors of houses.
These energies in India and Japan became important in the
siting of religious buildings. In India, the siting of these
temples uses the art of Vashtu Shastra. Where temples were
constructed was all important, since chi enlivens the earth
as as well as the body. Slow, meandering rivers or streams
accumulate chi in the land nearby. Living, praying, meditating
near or on concentrations of chi is therefore a source of
greater concentration, clear headedness, wealth, health and
happiness and links directly back to the Taoist sages and
the Tantric Buddhist masters who used the chi to help during
their meditations to bring enlightenment. This is how chi
helps in the accumulation of earth luck, something which can
be worked at, enhanced and improved.
The essence of Feng Shui is to analyse a landscape, house,
office, garden and to determine where the most favourable
flows of chi are located, and then work out how to produce
new chi or enhance existing chi concentrations. When the chi
does not flow freely, stagnant chi will accumulate. This must
be dispersed and its harm reduced as much as possible. Once
your good chi provides you with an increasingly positive attitude
to the world, as through Tai Chi, yoga, meditation, chakra
cleansing-your reaction to those around you becomes much more
positive.
Feng Shui does NOT imply a lack of free will. It simply
suggests that it is much easier to go with the flow than fight
against it! By careful manipulation of Feng Shui techniques
you can ensure that the flow, the chi, is going your way-
or - is it you going the way of the flow?
This flow of chi energy within you and outside you is constantly
mixing together. Every building, garden, landscape, town,
street etc etc, has its own unique movement of chi - natural
- and man made electro magnetic energy fields. Wherever you
are, your own flow of chi is constantly being influenced by
your surroundings. Hence the feeling of - this is a nice place
or the feeling of I don't like it here. I Beams and sharp
corners, chi rushing through in straight lines can make you
feel very uneasy! It is therefore important to be able to
control the chi of your environment through Feng Shui, but
also, if you can, your own chi flow by using Tai Chi and meditation.
Once again, these control methods link back directly to Taoism,
Buddhism and the martial arts.
Awareness, Balance and Control/Calmness are so important
in the uses of Feng Shui, meditation and Tai Chi. A lack of
any of the above-A-B-C-will show through into your life as
stress, tension, anger, illness and suffering. Feng Shui is
one good way of attempting to restore the balance, the calmness,
control and awareness of your life. It has a highly complex
and well structured philosophy as we have seen, its pedigree
is a long one and is connected and interwoven with the major
philosophies of the Far East. It needs years and years of
practice, an in depth understanding and sincere intuition
which only comes with the practice!
Congratulations-you have taken the
first step on a very long journey
Through the application of Feng Shui, you can structure
your life around a series of tried and tested principles so
that all the energies within and around you are aligned in
harmonious balance. Your Awareness will be total, your Balance
superb and your Calmness and Control increased! Having achieved
all of that, opportunities for good fortune are more likely
to open up to you, and you will find that you are in a position
to recognise and grasp them. Also, if bad luck happens to
come your way,and it can never be totally within our control
- you will be in a much better position to cope with it and
to defend yourself!Feng Shui, with its roots blended within
the philosophies of the Ancient Eastern World is a way of
life, it will encourage you to be more observant of your environment
and to reflect on the ways it influences your life.
Keep an open mind!
In the next part of these articles,
I will look at Feng Shui influences through tai chi and meditation.
In the meantime, i suggest you read or dip into any of the
following books.
Part
1: The Origins of Feng Shui
Part
2: Feng Shui influences through tai chi and meditation
Part
3: The Roots of Feng Shui
Part 4: Feng Shui and how you can use it
The Guide To Feng Shui, Lillian Too (Element)
1852308826
Early Chinese Mysticism, Livia Kohn (Princeton University
Press) 0691020655
The Taotist Body, Kristofer Schipper (University of California
Press) 0520082249
Taoism-Way Beyound Seeking, Alan Watts (Thorsons) 0722537905
Shinto, Sokyo Ono (Charles Tuttle) 0804819602
Tai Chi Journey, John Lash (Element) 1852301201
Breating Underwater, M.Emerson (North Atlantic Books) 1556431678
Ki In Daily Life, Koichi Tohei (Ki No Kenkyukai H.Q.) 0870404369
China, Charis Chan (Travelsphere Ltd.) 9622175120
A History Of China - Volume One, J.A.G.Roberts (Alan Sutton)
0862998468
If in doubt, do as I do, refer back to Lillian
Too, my first and lasting mentor! Paul Derby is a world renowned
Feng Shui Consultant and Teacher/Educator.
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