West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

Lawsuits and Landowners

I receive many questions relating to land. Whether buying or selling, it is a good idea to review the property in question with an experienced Feng Shui expert before the purchase. Westerners are now recognizing the value of the ancient Chinese system used for centuries by other cultures to improve their state of mind and finances at the same time.

When I first began reading about Feng Shui over 20 years ago, I was skeptical of its promises to bring harmony to a living or working space. There was only one English written book on this vast subject, and I found the book while living in the Bay Area of San Francisco. It was authored by Sarah Rossbach and His Holiness Master Thomas Lin Yun, who was teaching in Berkeley, CA and other cities around the globe. My interest was peaked by reading an article in a California newspaper on geomancy, the science of earth and living in balance with nature's forces. I was studying herbs at the time and was an artist who understood the power of color and music. Using and combining the three sciences made perfect sense, and so I began a journey that changed my life.

I began studying with Master Lin Yun and other teachers who had taken his early workshops. I viewed Feng Shui with an open mind and began practicing the Art of Placement in my own home and pushed it on my family and friends! I needed to make sure they were having good results also. My personal evaluation in all nine aspects of my life improved as I listened to my teachers and practiced using all five Elements in the correct stations of my home and business.

At each home I practiced on, I found the land around the home just as important, if not more important, to the success of the client. Feng Shui really began when ancient villages, gravesites, and placement of temples were considered. The LAND must support the house and its occupants. Lush green surroundings, water, climate, wind, wildlife, and certain types of landform were more practical.

Today we have many other things to consider when we purchase. Price, value, and cost seem to be today's trio. We don't seem to consider lush vegetation, wildlife and a river nearby. But there are some modern issues to be included into today's buying market that do still apply. Location, location, location, next might be the shape of the plot as a rectangle, square or a lot which is a bit more narrow in the back than the front is more auspicious, as it is named "The Buddha Bag." This shape holds the Chi or energy on your property longer as the unseen energy swirls around your property. What are the neighbors like? Many people never consider this when moving next door or a few acres away. What does the zoning law permit? Kennels are a great business, but maybe you don't want to be a close neighbor, as the noise may not be music to your ears.

Check into the predecessor Chi, or what took place on the land before you purchased the property. Could there be a burial ground, cave or water running under the ground where the house is going to be built? Are you in the "dragon's vein" of the mountain or gully just asking for a landslide? If there is an existing house, who lived in it before and were they happy? Energy is energy, and when I purchase a home I want to know the history of the property and incorporated birth date of the city, which gives the Element Energy of the town.

When things seem to go sour, there are some easy Feng Shui tips to try before calling in an expert, which I still suggest you do, as they can see quickly what the problem might be and save you studying Feng Shui for many years. When I last checked three years ago, there were 264 books on harmony and balance, many of these books have just jumped on the bandwagon of success and written a quick version on any subject and added Feng Shui to the title for a quick sale, and it worked! Just be sure to get a qualified practitioner.

Here is an example of the latest question I received on the problems of owing land.

Dear Caroline,

I am somewhat familiar with Feng Shui and came across a website in which your name had been referenced (for classes). Do you know of a way to influence the situation below:

My husband and I own a 9-acre plot of land (rectangular shaped) and there is an easement (access road) for the use of our neighbors who live behind us. The "intention" of this easement was "for these neighbors only." However, over the past few years, they have accumulated 100+ vehicles a day (the traffic is for their business - for which they shouldn't be using our land to facilitate). This has created havoc on our property as it runs right through our land.

We have began the proceedings to take the case to land court to stop the commercial business from running through our land - and hopefully bring it back to its original intention or have the road completely shut down if the people are forced to provide their own road on the other side of their property. However, things take a long time in court. I would love to alter this, if possible. I do realize that it might be in mine or my husband's highest interest to go all the way with it - it has taught us a lot already - but I think we have learned enough.

Can you recommend a book that would guide me through some Feng Shui techniques that could improve this situation?

Regards,

A Reader

Dear Reader,

Hello , sorry for your problem. I can imagine the dust and interference you endure. Havoc is the word to describe your annoyance. My first question would be, are you living on a high mountain, and are you at the top? When choosing property, it's better to let someone else put up with all the wind and rain on top of the peak and chose a lower piece of land to surround and protect you from "unseen forces." A natural Feng Shui choice would be selecting land that is higher behind the house and with the doorway gradually sloping to the street or road. People who build at the top of a mountain do get sued often. It's called the "King of the Hill" effect. Too much Wind and Water is not a good thing.

I assume you have tried being friendly, but 100-plus cars seems it would be a lost cause taking them a few brownies, although if this is done in a sincere loving way, it can be effective. Energy is like a boomerang, what goes out there swings back to face us. I recently suggested to myself to let go of some past judgment issues as I know they will show up in another form or lesson for me to reflect upon, which is not comfortable. So do you have a history of neighbor problems?

If this isn't the situation, are there power poles close to the house? If so, use a small Bagua mirror (eight-sided octagonal mirror) six inches on up and place in a window shining toward the power box. This method creates an energetic force pushing the unwanted energy back to the source. Mirrors are the aspirin of Feng Shui as they distort /change or pushback unwanted energies.

Before you start any legal action, which can sometimes take forever, try putting a Bagua mirror with the I-Ching around the outside rim with a CONVEX mirror in the center, or one which bulges outward, toward the neighbor. (You can purchase them on the Internet.) Place this mirror shining toward their property, with a note written on the back, saying, "I sincerely suggest this issue is resolved by itself with the help of only the highest thoughts and that these people move to a much better location for their business and I wish them only abundance." Always add a phrase similar to this, "Without any problems or complications to anyone." A prayer of intention can be done by you as you place this mirror.

Your homework is to find your most cluttered space in you house or yard and clear it up, as this is your clue to the existing problem. Please send me a description of your present floor plan and the shape of your home to check for "missing pieces." See if any of the things I mentioned above are happening in your home and email me your thoughts. Good Luck!

Caroline