Human beings are always seeking harmony on a physical and psychological level. To bring our lives and environment into harmony Feng Shui practitioners rely on several distinctive mental maps in order to interpret daily events. These serve as the underlying assumptions used to determine even such commonplace affairs as the arrangement of furniture in the home.
As with Yin and Yang, the eight trigrams, and The Five Energies, Fengshui principles can be depicted and used almost like a navigational map - with one crucial difference. On the Feng Shui map the location of the human being at any moment determines the directions and relationships of the rest of the surrounding world.
One of the most common maps is known simply as "The Five Animals". At first glance it appears to have a mythical quality, but you can use it as a template to help you understand and assess a remarkable range of phenomena from the physical layout of a dwelling, through to the dynamics of teamwork, or the functioning of dynamic forces in the human personality.
The Feng Shui starting point is the direction in which the speaker is facing. On the template an alert snake occupies the center, facing forward. A dragon is on its left (the Chinese call their left side their "dragon side"), a tiger on the right, a phoenix in front, and a tortoise behind.
Originally, each animal had certain attributes. The tortoise was in the relative position North. Its color black, its season Winter, its element Water. The dragon was to the East; its color green, its season Spring, its element Wood. The phoenix was to the South, associated with red, Summer, and Fire. The tiger's attributes were the West, white, Fall, and Metal. At the center was the snake, yellowy brown, the color of Earth, and the pivot around which the seasons turned.
The phoenix
A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it. The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration.
The dragon
The dragon is a creature unseen in the natural world. Like the phoenix, it is far-sighted and possesses a spiritual quality. The dragon receives the information gathered by the bird, reflects upon it, and makes important decisions. Although it soars above the ground, the dragon is typically depicted resting in the clouds, a figure of stability. It has amazing power and symbolizes the wisdom aspect of the mind.
The tiger
Evoking physical strength and violence, the tiger can both defend and attack. It is essential for survival, but must be carefully controlled. Ready to spring forward on our right side, it is always ready to detect the presence of any threat. But it also represents the danger of violence within our nature.
The tortoise
Equipped with and immensely strong shell, the tortoise is characterized by stability. It conveys a sense of great security. Its proper position is at the back, where, like a shell, it provides security, longevity, and freedom from the fear of attack from the rear.
The snake
Coiled at the center, alert, stable, and ready to act in a flash, the snake is protected by the four outlying creatures, but is also able to direct them. Like the general of an army, it receives imformation from all directions and is able to draw on the special qualities of the forces at its command to take timely and wise action.
A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it. The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration.
The dragon is a creature unseen in the natural world. Like the phoenix, it is far-sighted and possesses a spiritual quality. The dragon receives the information gathered by the bird, reflects upon it, and makes important decisions. Although it soars above the ground, the dragon is typically depicted resting in the clouds, a figure of stability. It has amazing power and symbolizes the wisdom aspect of the mind.
Evoking physical strength and violence, the tiger can both defend and attack. It is essential for survival, but must be carefully controlled. Ready to spring forward on our right side, it is always ready to detect the presence of any threat. But it also represents the danger of violence within our nature.
Equipped with and immensely strong shell, the tortoise is characterized by stability. It conveys a sense of great security. Its proper position is at the back, where, like a shell, it provides security, longevity, and freedom from the fear of attack from the rear.
Coiled at the center, alert, stable, and ready to act in a flash, the snake is protected by the four outlying creatures, but is also able to direct them. Like the general of an army, it receives imformation from all directions and is able to draw on the special qualities of the forces at its command to take timely and wise action.
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