The 5 Major Forces that Determine
the Outcome of Your Life
by P.K. Odle, The Feng Shui Advantage
Before the Chinese invented paper all knowledge was taught through wonderful poetry, rhymes, songs and stories. When it was possible to preserve these teachings on paper, scribes would painstakingly reproduce each copy one character (word) at a time. This method was far too time consuming and the process left room for too many errors.
To preserve the accuracy of the most important knowledge, scholars decided to carve entire manuscripts in huge stone tablets. I had the opportunity to visit ‘Beilin’ or the ‘Forest of Stone Tablets’ on my first trip to China. The most important tablets, including the ‘Yi Jing’ (old spelling I Ching), were protected behind plexi-glass. Many of the tablets with poems, rhymes, songs and stories were also depicted with beautiful artwork on the tablets. Several of our group of students, myself included, purchased scrolls made of paper and ink rubbings of various tablets. Mine hangs behind my desk as a reminder of the remarkable effort that was made and continues to be made to preserve China’s ancient knowledge.
Speaking of ancient knowledge, it’s unfortunate that today the majority of people are unaware that Feng Shui shares a similar 5,000 year history with its sister science Acupuncture. Partly, because it wasn’t until the Yellow Bandits Rebellion in 907 a.d. that the first Feng Shui Master was able to escape the Emperor’s Palace and survived by hiding in the mountains. Later he became know as ‘Yang Saves the Poor,’ because he secretly preformed Feng Shui readings all across China.
The idea that you must believe in Feng Shui is another reason that there is so much confusion regarding Feng Shui. Your beliefs or religion have nothing to do with the Feng Shui influences on your daily life. That would be like saying you must believe in the Acupuncturist’s needles for them to relieve your pain.
The Chinese do believe that your success is based on 5 areas of influence. In order of importance, they are:
- Ming – Fate or Destiny
- Yun – Luck
- Feng Shui – Environmental Influences
- Dao De – Virtue & Character
- Du Shu – Education & Effort
Out of these 5 factors you’re aware you have control over Dao De / virtue & character and Du Shu / education & effort. Did you know that the Chinese also developed ways you can use Ming / fate or destiny and Yun / luck to your advantage? That leaves Feng Shui hanging in the balance. When you choose to manage the existing Feng Shui influences on your life… you have the leverage to tip the scale and maximizes your control over the majority of what’s already influencing your life.
MING – Fate or Destiny… An English dictionary defines fate as the power which is supposed to determine the outcome of events, destiny. It also defines destiny as 'the seemingly inevitable succession of events'. In modern Western culture we want to believe we are ‘the master of our own destiny,’ which is why we seldom try to discern our fate. Astrology and other divination arts are not taken seriously by the general population.
In the Chinese language, astrology is often called Ming Shu or fate calculation, as fate is seen to be set at birth, but knowable and predictable. The Chinese believe knowing your fate will save you from trying to move down a road that is blocked for you. The energies present at the time of your birth, which are pictured as stars and/or the stems and branches, have a profound impact on you. Perhaps you're imprinted with this energy, or perhaps you were born at a particular time due to its resonance with your fate.
You could think of your fate as the car that you drive (but not the road that you take it down). If you want to keep your car in good condition and get to your destination, you need to know a little about the model of car that you have. A person's birth chart is like the owner's manual for a new car. It gives the specs and the operating instructions.
Here’s another analogy: You’re hungry and go to a restaurant. You notice that some items on the menu are more expensive than others. You can choose anything you want from the menu or you can order something that isn’t on the menu, as long as they have the ingredients in the kitchen. However, once you’re in particular restaurant, your choices are limited. You can't order pizza in a Chinese restaurant.
This is Ming or fate. Your birth is like entering a particular restaurant. The menu is like your astrological chart; you have choices in your life, but there are limits. Some options cost too much if you're not willing to work for them, yet are still available on the menu in case you're highly motivated. But isn't it better to know what is on the menu than to always be asking for lobster at a fast food restaurant?
Yun – Luck… Westerners tend to believe that luck is random. The English dictionary defines luck as, 'the seemingly chance happening of events which affect one.' Chance is defined as, among other things: 1) the occurrence of events without apparent cause, luck. 2) An unpredictable event. The word chance comes from the Latin 'cadere' - to fall [as in dice]. In short, most Westerners believe, luck is passive, random, unpredictable, and therefore unknowable.
The Chinese view luck as variable with time and at least as predictable as the weather or the stock market. Probably more so. If you can know the condition of your luck, you can base your actions on how strong it is at that time. You’ve probably heard people say “luck involves being in the right place at the right time.” The Chinese wouldn’t disagree. However, the Chinese have ways to predict the right time, and also to make the place right. The latter would be done using Feng Shui remedies.
A few of the meanings of the Chinese character (word) for Yun are: carry, transport, move, and revolve. It is often used in phrases to do with shipping, sports, and even the orbit of planets. This then presents the concept that, like the orbit of planets, luck is cyclical and predictable. An orbit is not random movement. To orbit or to move means to pass through space and time in a specific pattern. Therefore, it is subject to the laws that govern time and space. This makes it knowable.
Another meaning of Yun is to use or to wield. No passivity here. If you can know your luck, you can also use it to your advantage. When it is good, go out and take risks, take advantage of opportunities. When it is poor, stay home and be still, to lessen exposure to problems.
Yun can also refer to a period of time, when used as a technical term in the Chinese calculations methods, such as Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology. Generally, this definition isn’t in most Chinese dictionaries. Feng Shui has 20 year construction periods, which are called Yun. They’re related to the nine flying stars. These repeat in 180-year cycles (9 stars times 20 years each).
In two types of Chinese Astrology (Four Pillars and Zi Wei Dou Shu) there are 2 types of Yun that relate to the stems and branches, which together create a cycle of sixty:
- 10 year periods of time are called ‘da yun’ or big luck.
- Annual cycles are called ‘xiao yun’ or small luck.
In this context, big and small refer to the quantity of time, not the quantity of luck. Luck refers to the characteristic of the time. It does not imply good or bad, which varies with the cycle.
So these periods of time (Yun) transport the energy of the time, which moves and revolves. Your relationship to this energy defines your fortune or luck for that period of time. If you know what it is you can use it to your advantage.
Ming or fate is considered pre-heaven. Written in the stars the moment you’re born. It’s the car you’re issued upon birth. Yun or luck is post-heaven (as on earth). It’s the road you drive your car on. A road map (in the form of an astrological birth chart) helps you get to your destination smoothly. You can decide where and when you want to go (within limits) and choose the best road to get there.
Let's go back to the restaurant analogy. Luck is like this: sometimes you order off the breakfast, lunch or dinner menu. You may also get the menu for Sunday brunch. It all depends on the time. The menu is modified with the time of day. But for the restaurant (the life you were born into), the style of food remains the same, even though the menu changes with time. If you have a steak house, breakfast will be steak and eggs. Lunch will be a steak sandwich. Dinner will be steak and potatoes. So luck is limited by fate, but varies with time. Choices can be made on any menu, but within limitations.
Feng Shui – Environmental influences… You can manipulate these influences to reach the higher levels of what your fate and luck allow. Every building has environmental Feng Shui influences, as well as inherent Feng Shui energy patterns that are created the moment they’re built. The time when your building was constructed and in which exact 15° direction it’s oriented determines its energy blueprint. That blueprint determines which Feng Shui house type you’re living and/or working in. By using the necessary Feng Shui remedies you can neutralize the sabotaging energies and enhance the supportive energies to improve your health, relationships and finances.
In addition, from the moment of your birth you have a unique relationship with Earth’s magnetic field, which are know as your Feng Shui Personal Directions. A great example is that children will turn their heads toward one of their supportive 45° general directions to get a good night’s sleep, even if it means sleeping sideways in the bed. No one told them it was good for them, they just do it naturally.
Your Personal Directions also include a more powerful set of 15° directions, which barely 5% of Feng Shui experts can determine from your date of birth. These include which direction to have behind your back for support when you want to be creative vs. analytical. All 4 children with Attention Deficit Disorder in one family used their personal intellect (analytical/left brain) directions to do their homework and all their grades improved. Another client’s copywriting business broke $100,000.00 annually after she began sitting with her back toward her talent (creative/right brain) direction.
According to your date of birth, the position of your house and/or the location of your door could cause money to come to you easily vs. bring you more expenses to consume your money. In addition to doing all the necessary remedies, one client stopped using her ‘Consuming’ door and soon had enough money to purchase three investment properties.
There are also directions that affect your love-life. One direction brings more romance into your relationship, while another one keeps you single. Even if you’re not single, you’ll want to avoid triggering your ‘Lonely Pillow’ direction… unless you like sleeping alone. A client who hadn’t had a date in seven years, had 3 dates the first week after she moved her bed out of her ‘Lonely Pillow’ direction and began using her ‘Romance Vase’ to bring more romantic partners to choose from.
Knowing your fate is the owner's manual for your car (life). Knowing your luck is your road map and a weather report for the trip. With Feng Shui you can give your car an annual tune-up to maintain and/or increase its performance. But a Cadillac is still a Cadillac, and a Jeep is still a Jeep.
Dao De – Virtue and Character… Virtue is defined as general moral excellence or a specific moral quality regarded as good. In this instance, the definition of character that fits is moral strength, reputation, status or position. You have control over both of these aspects of your life. I’ve always though it important to keep in mind that every day we are setting an example for others, especially the children… who after all, are our future.
‘Think and Grow Rich’ was a best selling book decades before the popular new movie ‘The Secret’ brought the power of your mind and the law of attraction to the forefront again. Today, most people would agree that your mental attitude and thoughts are important keys to your success. However, your positive mental attitude alone isn’t the only factor to taking you where you want to go.
As far as your car (life) goes virtue and character are courteous driving. Remember, what you put out comes back to you. One of my favorite movie quotes is in Harvey when Elwood P. Dowd once said, “My mother once told me… You can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. I recommend pleasant.” Think of it, if more people choose to be pleasant, we’d have less road rage.
Du Shu – Education and Effort… The application of your knowledge is the last, but not least important factor regarding how far you will go in life. Ultimately, you must acquire the necessary knowledge and take the appropriate action to be successful in your life. Not making an effort is just sitting in your car (life) and expecting success to come to you. Education and effort allows you to drive safely, without having an accident or damaging the car.
If you don't use everything: your owner's manual (fate), road map & weather report (luck), a well maintained vehicle (Feng Shui), a positive attitude (virtue) and your knowledge (effort)… you can get stranded and never arrive where you want to go. In life it’s vital that you combine all these factors satisfactorily to allow you to fulfill your destiny.
© 2003 P.K. Odle. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
P.K. Odle is a celebrated classical Yi Jing Feng Shui consultant and the Executive Director of the world-renowned American Feng Shui Institute®, where she has taught since 1998. She created The Feng Shui Advantage's "Lifetime Keys Personal Directions Self-Mastery Toolbox." To learn more about using the ancient Chinese science of Yi Jing Feng Shui to improve your Health, Relationships and Finances... through 16 weeks of FREE TIPS subscribe to her award-winning eNewsletter, The Feng Shui Advantage MONTHLY, at http://www.FengShuiAdvantage.com. The next issue could change your life!
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