Guest Author - Diane Kern

Let’s talk about trigrams, family relationships, elements and the bagua. This is the first in a series of articles about the eight trigrams, their meanings and use in Feng Shui.

Most of you have probably heard the term bagua. In Black Sect Feng Shui the octagonal diagram is divided into eight life aspirations such as wealth, helpful people, romance, etc. The bagua is laid over the floor plan of the house according to the placement of the door to determine which areas need attention.

Traditional Feng Shui names the eight divisions after members of the family, elements, direction and other characteristics. Each division equals 45 degrees on a compass. When looking at a building or landscape we relate our findings to the area of the bagua, or trigram, to determine what effect it will have on the occupants.

The first trigram I want to speak about is Qian which is located in the Northwest. The family member it represents is the Father or the Head of the Household. The element of the Northwest is metal and its colors are silver, gold and other metallic colors. As the trigram representing the head of household you can imagine that this is a very important area. You don’t want to put anything here that will reduce or negatively affect Qian.

If this area is missing it may mean that the father or bread winner is absent from the family in some way. It could be that he travels a great deal or works extra long hours. Or it could mean there actually is no father present at all.

Inside if there are a lot of red or fire colors in the Northwest then that would reduce the strength of the area as fire melts metal. You would not want to have any actual fire here either. Water and its colors, dark blue and black, will have the same negative effect because water will rust and dissolve metal.

Outside look for situations that could negatively affect this trigram. It could be dead trees, a ramshackle building, swampy ground or anything ugly. You can also look for out of place colors such as a tree with red leaves or flowers.

After you have fixed these problems look into your furnishings and how you arrange your belongings in the Northwest. Is it all cluttered with stuff and books or just a general mess? If it is, what effect is it having on you? Do you have sufficient light, is the ventilation good, is your furniture well placed to allow the movement of qi? Are there any sharp corners or dying plants?

If you need to make the area stronger look for an element that enhances metal. That would be earth. A beautiful sculpture of marble or large crystal would suit the bill. If the area is missing you can help to fill in that area outside by anchoring it with a tree or evergreen. You might also use a solid fence or add a deck to help strengthen the area.