THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OF FENG SHUI
Traditionally, Feng Shui practitioners were employed by the Emperor to determine the best burial sites for their ancestors. It was believed that if they were buried in harmony with the elements of nature; this would have a direct beneficial effect on the wellbeing of their descendants.
As this science evolved, Feng Shui advice was sought for all kinds of buildings and eventually for whole cities.
THE FORM SCHOOL
The Form School is based on the contours of the landscape and its waterways in relation to a site or building. Its references are shrouded in symbolic representations of Celestial Animals, the elements and the intangible forces of yin and yang. This method requires a great deal of intuitive insight.
The Form School describes the union of the Yin White Tiger and the Yang Green Dragon Ð where they meet is considered to be the most auspicious location. If the hills continue one behind the other, this was considered even more auspicious as it was symbolic of them mating. The Yin White Tiger, the Yang Green Dragon, the Red Phoenix and the Black Turtle are called the Celestial Animals. This is sometimes called ÒArmchair Feng Shui.
THE COMPASS SCHOOL
This method assigns less importance to the form of the landscape Ð adopting a more mathematical approach.
Heavily grounded in the I Ching and its eight Trigrams, it uses the Chinese horoscope and numerology. The belief was, after centuries of observation, that honing the analysis to a more personal level, by taking into account the influence of the planets had on the quality of the location and you, allowed your personal Chi to be harmoniously aligned with the Chi of the environment.
