Living the Feng Shui Way
Yin House Feng Shui
By: Kartar Diamond
Ying-yang theory in feng shui explores the effect of opposites and extremes. As an example, a place that is very lively and full of energy is considered yang and a place that is very still and dark is considered yin. Neither in extreme is good in many instances. The type of feng shui that most Westerners are now familiar with is referred to as Yang House. It is the analysis of homes, buildings and the surrounding environment, be it natural or man-made.
Yin House feng shui refers explicitly to the divination of grave sites and it has historically been a big branch of feng shui. If the type of environment you live or work in can have profound influences, then the location of burial can conceivably have consequences on future generations. The philosophy behind this states that all souls are connected and that families share karma. Energy grids under ground can be tapped into by the body laid to rest, and those very bones can act as transmitters of energy to souls who are connected to the dearly departed. Funny that we Westerners have an expression, "I can feel it in my bones."
There are numerous stories about families who were cursed with bad feng shui because of an improper burial or families who prospered for several generations because of good yin house feng shui.
What Do People Consider A Good Burial Site?
Yin House feng shui is as complicated as yang house feng shui.Initially, the natural landscape is taken into consideration. The location, proximity, and shapes of nearby mountains will influence the good or bad energy of a large area. The clustering of hills and mountains and their ability to store energy in them is one aspect that is assessed by the feng shui master. Some of the research and reading I have done makes perfect sense in analyzing the shapes of mountains. Just in my own immediate area, I have noticed a distinct difference between the mountain formations in Malibu, Agoura, Chatsworth, Simi Valley, Hollywood Hills, Sierra Madre and various other mountainous regions that I frequently visit.
Some of the interpretation of these areas appears quite subjective and reminds me of those psychological ink blot tests. As an example, more than one resource states that if a mountain range looks "like a woman lifting up her skirt," then a burial there will produce future generations of prostitutes! This is truly frustrating. What may look like a "dragon" mountain to one person could look like a "snake" to another. What may look like a row of soldiers (producing future generations of army commanders and political leaders) may look like something totally different to another feng shui practitioner.
It gets quite technical with descriptions of "yin mountains" and "yang mountains" as well as inner mountains and outer mountains. You really need to fly over these areas in a plane or look at a topographical map in order to assess the total configuration and decide if the area is auspicious for a burial site. No wonder the fathers of feng shui used to spend years "walking the mountain" to determine its value.
Some of the theories and formulas are more or less agreed upon and not all of it is subjective.
As an example, if no animals live on the mountain and there are no oily, green plants, then this is the type of land that is too barren to store good chi. Another way to find a good burial site is to discover a small space that is distinct from the basic characteristics of the land. For instance, if the land is essentially flat, then the best spot is where you find a ripple of hill formations. This is where the best energy is stored. Or if a big area is full of mountains with lots of variation in height, then finding the nice flat pad is where the energy gets stored for that particular area. This is like reading the I-Ching Trigrams; notice the line that is different from the others. (Like a blonde in China!)
On a more personal scale, the best direction for the head and feet when laid to rest can be determined by the personal astrology of the deceased. There are also calculations to figure out the best day for a memorial service, even a cremation or scattering of ashes. While Yang House feng shui is done for the benefit of the person who enlists the feng shui services, Yin House feng shui is done for the benefit of the living relatives and future generations to follow.
Some Western practitioners like myself wonder about the likelihood of ever putting Yin House theory into practice. We can’t just hike the Santa Monica Mountains to find a wonderful spot for a burial. Everyone must be buried in a cemetery and even the direction of the plot is limited. Because of health laws or Judeo-Christian religious beliefs, burials must usually be performed within a certain time frame after death. The Chinese are known however for waiting until the best time, even if weeks pass. They are even known to dig up a grave and re-locate the body if it is deemed necessary for better yin house feng shui.
The location of water regarding a burial site is less important. Proximity to water is for the living. But virtual water can include a road or highway, since it carries so much energy with it. I think about this every time I pass the Veteran’s cemetery when I’m on Sepulveda or the 405 freeway. This just seems like a very disturbing location for graves.
For more fascinating reading on Yin House Feng Shui, I recommend a book called, "The Art and Science of Feng Shui," by Henry T. Lin. I will be trying to get copies of it directly from the publisher in the near future.
Questions from Students and Clients:
Q: I have my mother’s ashes in an urn on my fireplace mantel. Is this a good or bad location?
A: I once told a client to go and scatter the ashes because I didn’t think it was good to have such a yin type material in the house. Having learned a little more, I still believe that it is best to deposit the ashes into earth or the sea. But if someone insists on keeping them in the house, then I would recommend that they be stored in a positive area of the house. The positive areas of the house are determined by Yang House formulas.
Q: Is it bad feng shui to bury a family pet in the backyard?
A: I don’t think this is bad feng shui. But it doesn’t appeal to me on a personal level.
Q: Is it bad feng shui to build on an American-Indian gravesite?
A: Over the years I have had dozens of clients who were visited by ghosts, in homes built on Chumash Indian burial grounds. Sometimes these areas are prone to periodic fires or other disasters, almost as if to push the people and the houses off the land.
Q: Can peace be made with these spirits if development is inevitable?
A: I don’t know if it works, but I have heard of major builders bringing in Shamanic priests to bless the land and release spirits so that construction could take place without bizarre problems.
For more information contact:
Kartar Diamond
PO Box 67354
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310)842-8870
kartar@fengshuisolutions.net
fengshuisolutions.net
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