Learn About Feng Shui-Page 7-Grandpa's General Store

Determining the Facing and Sitting Directions

Prior to any Xuan Kong Feng Shui audit, both the Facing and the Sitting sides of a building must be determined. It is critical that absolute accuracy be employed in this determination. To determine the correct Flying Star Chart a compass reading has to be taken to establish the Facing side of the building.

The compass reading must always be taken outside the house. Compass readings taken from inside of a building will probably be inaccurate due to the influences of metallic objects, electrical wiring, metal water pipes, and various other factors.

The facing direction may or may not be at the architectural front of your house. A detailed and logical analysis is required to determine the Facing and Sitting of your building.

Facing is determined by several different factors that must be considered simultaneously. Correct determination of Facing is absolutely critical because all diagnosis and remedies pertain to this.

In some modern houses it is difficult to determine Facing and Sitting. Always keep in mind that most structures have one Facing side and one Sitting side only. This rule may become more flexible when auditing apartment and business complexes.
One method to determine Facing and Sitting is to determine which sides are not the Facing.

Now let us examine some terminology applicable to Feng Shui.

Structure

In Feng Shui terms this is usually a residential or commercial building. A built structure must be enclosed by walls and a roof before a Flying Star Chart can be constructed.
Undeveloped Land
Vacant and undeveloped land can be evaluated according to Forms, attributes of the Luo Shu, and directional influences. A true Flying Star Chart cannot be constructed for land.

Architectural Front

The side of the house that was architecturally designed as the front entrance usually contains the main entrance. However, this architectural facing is not necessarily what we mean by Facing side.

Main Road

It can be difficult to determine the main road if there are several roads. If there are two or more roads, determine which of them is the busiest as in people and traffic, broadest, the best furnished, has more trees, is closest to your main entranceor has water or more sun. Also, from the interior perspective of the building, which road runs past the most active or quiet parts of the building.

Landscaping

Any nicely done landscaping can act as your facing side if the main road is not (good) enough to be allocated your facing side. Landscaping includes grass fields, trees, furnished gardens, sports fields, parks, playgrounds, etc. This landscaping must be well groomed to be considered as the facing side.

Mountain

Again, either real Mountain, hill or elevated ground. Also virtual Mountains including surrounding walls and fences, adjacent or neighbouring buildings, trees, quieter (more yin) side of structure. To determine Mountain (Sitting side) and in case of equal quantities, real overrides virtual, walls override trees, elevated override trees, trees override calm or quiter.

Water

Real Water including oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, and pools. Also virtual Water including open and active (more yang) space, roads, landscaping, lower land. Real Water must be close to or visible from the building in order to be effective. To determine Water (Facing side) and in the event of equal quantities, real overrides virtual, oceans, lakes, and rivers override roads, oceans, lakes, and rivers override landscaping, landscaping overrides roads, low land overrrides landscaping, moving water overrides calm, sun overrides open and active space.

Doors

The main entrance is fundamental to the qi flow of any building. However, facing and main door may not necessarily be at the same side of the building.

The door may be at the Facing side but not in the same 45 degree compass sector.

The back door, side door, or garage door may be the most used door, with the door at the architectural front of the house used the least. In determining facing side the main entrance (architectural front door) still plays an important role. Do not arbitrarily determine the Facing to be at the back door, side door, or garage door of your house without detailed analysis.

Many factors are involved in the conclusion of determination.
Usually, the main door overrides any other door.

A door leading to a bigger balcony usually overrides a door leading to a smaller balcony. A door on the ground floor usually overrides a door on a higher floor.

Also, according to Feng Shui principles, the term "door" may include any open pathway allowing Qi to travel from one area to another, either interior or exterior.

It is essential for you to understand that an open door is a door and is considered to be Water according to Feng Shui principles, and a closed door has become a wall and is considered to be Mountain according to Feng Shui principles.