Book Review: Feng Shui

Title: Feng Shui: Harmony by Design

Author: Nancy SantoPietro

©1996

It's funny - this will be the third time now that I've written up a report on this book. For my Architecture History class, we were asked to make a poster and presentation about a book, and since I was already in the midst of reading this one, I decided to do my project on it. It's actually giving me a really interesting opportunity, as for the presentation component, part of my project will include talking about ways in which I have used feng shui principles in the design of my room at home. However, I wanted to do a post about it specifically for this blog, seeing as my readership here is likely more metaphysically-inclined than my classroom peers.

The short version: this is a great book. 

The long version: Nancy SantoPietro is one of only a few women in the US trained and authorized to practice feng shui professionally. Her book is forwarded by Professor Lin Yun, the founder of the Black Sect of Tantric Buddhism, and under whom she studied. Known internationally for her work, and former Chairperson of the first feng shui studies department in the country, SantoPietro is one of the foremost western experts and practitioners.

Yun's forward begins by describing a little of his sect of Buddhism, how it intersects with feng shui, and his experiences working with SantoPietro. This transitions into SantoPietro's introduction, which summarizes some of feng shui's history and its place in the modern world.

The first chapter covers the basics: fundamental principles and theories, how to quickly and easily sketch a floor plan of a building, and how to apply the bagua chart to that drawing. She also describes how to begin analyzing the relationship between floor plan and chart.

Chapter two starts getting into intentions, and how to narrow down one's focus in what changes to make. It also summarizes general categories of the kinds of things to look out for and consider altering.

Chapter three takes the reader through the nitty-gritty of designing the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, some of the most important spaces in the home. SantoPietro explains the impact that each of these has on one's life, and where design decisions can have a significant impact on one's health, wealth, and relationships.

The fourth chapter takes the reader through other spaces (the home office, dining room, living room, etc.) and offers low-cost but high-impact solutions for the problems that can occur there. These principles are really ones which can be applied in any space to produce significant results.

Chapter five covers the role of color, and six describes specific obstacles one might be facing, and where to look in one's home for design issues that could be compounding those obstacles. It also covers transcendental cures, which are in essence rituals written in a feng shui-specific context, but which incorporate elements like mantras, meditations, sympathetic magick, and other elements which western Pagans are likely already somewhat familiar with. 

The seventh chapter deals with sacred space - what it is, why we need it, and how to go about designating a truly sacred space in the home. SantoPietro goes into detail about altars, both religious and secular, and provides lists of correspondences for crystals and essential oils. 

Finally, the eighth chapter gives real examples of situations which SantoPietro's clients have faced, how SantoPietro advised them to adjust their living spaces, and the end results. This was less of an anecdotal advertisement for her work, and more of a step-by-step example about what it actually can look like to analyze a living space and change it, and thereby also change one's life. Her example stories cover a wide variety of living situations and types of people, so chances are good that there are relatable elements one can pick up on.

I will be up-front: I do not agree 100% with every single piece of advice in SantoPietro's book. There are things as an individual and as a designer-to-be which I would do differently. However, with that being said, this is an excellent manual on feng shui; it is extremely comprehensive while still being easy to follow, and there are lots of diagrams to visually illustrate the types of changes the author refers to. In general, she does a very good job of explaining the thought behind a feng shui principle, rather than just providing rules with no context, and it is clear that she is very well-versed in her practice. 

Whether you are just getting into feng shui or are already familiar with the subject, this text is a great resource. If you have any interest in using feng shui at all, definitely consider giving this book a look.

January 18th, 2016

I'm back at school for the spring semester, and I decided that since we had today off, I would try reading some books I had yet to get to. I started working my way through Celtic Lore, but it was pretty dense, so I switched over to Zen. It was quite a bit shorter than the other one, but also a lot more informative than I had supposed.

Zen was something I picked up from the Goodwill here in town last fall. I have forayed a little bit into Buddhism, and actually had the opportunity one afternoon to learn some Zen meditation techniques from a monk while I was in Japan. As such, I was interested in learning more about it, and actually found this to be a reasonably comprehensive introduction. 

Title: Zen: An ancient path to enlightenment for modern lives

Author: Peter Oldmeadow

Copyright 2001

Peter Oldmeadow is a Sanskrit lecturer at the University of Sydney, and when this book was published, had over thirty years' experience in Buddhist theory and practice. I found his writing style to be very approachable, and the book clarified what I felt to be several of the more challenging concepts.

The book starts with the history of Buddhism in India, as well as the Buddhist understanding of suffering and how it relates to the Eight-Fold Path. It then segues into the development of different schools of Buddhism, and describes how Zen came about in East Asia. Oldmeadow traces Zen through China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, as well as how Zen influenced practices such as calligraphy and the tea ceremony. 

Oldmeadow then discusses some of the primary meditation styles in Zen Buddhism, and how the practice was spread to the Western hemisphere.

When I picked this up, I had been expecting that this would be more of a "how to" kind of a book. What I found is that it's more of a summary of the history of Buddhism, and how and why the Zen tradition developed. While it was not exactly what I was anticipating, it was a very interesting read, and in spite of its length (73 pages), I felt like I learned a lot from it. That being said, it does strike me as being more of an introductory work. If you are already very versed in the history of the spread of Buddhism, this may not tell you much you don't already know. 

In short, if you would like to learn about the basics of Buddhist metaphysics and how Zen Buddhism developed, I would recommend checking out this book. If you're hoping for something more advanced, or strictly covering how to practice any given branch of Buddhism, this may not be quite what you're looking for.

Stare deep into the world before you as if it were

the void: innumerable holy ghosts, bhuddies,

and savior gods there hide, smiling. All the

atoms emitting light inside wavehood, there is

no personal separation of any of it. A Hummingbird

can come into a house and a hawk will not: so rest

and be assured. While looking for the light, you may suddenly be devoured by the darkness

and find the true light.

- Jack Kerouac, 1959

Shopping Haul

I did some shopping today! 

In order to celebrate my new job, and also just to relax a bit, I went out and bought some things at Earthbound that I've really been wanting.

First off, they had this amazing candelabra which I've been eyeing since last fall, and I finally just had to have it. It's completely my style, and just very bright and cheerful, so I'm glad to have it, even if it was pricey.

I got this cool candle at a discount, and it's actually a bit brighter purple than it appears in this photo, but it's a four-sided pyramid carved with an eye, and I think it'll lend a really interesting energy to any psychic work I delve into.

I got one of the best deals on these. They're 100% pure essential oil diffuser bottles, originally priced at $16, but they were on clearance for $4 a piece, and I got the second one at an additional 50% off, so I only paid $6 for the pair. The brand is rareESSENCE; on the left is the peace scent (frankincense, myrrh, palo santo), and on the right is the clarity (eucalyptus, sage). 

I also walked over to Goodwill and picked up a few things. This is Zen: An Ancient Path to Enlightenment for Modern Times, by Peter Oldmeadow. It looked interesting, and it was only $1.

This book, also, was $1. It is Medicine Woman, by Lynn V. Andrews, and is an autobiography. Again, it sounded interesting.

And then last, but by no means least, I picked up a frame for a very cool piece. This poem was written by Travis, of the Pagan Scholar YouTube channel. I won it in his giveaway, and wanted to be able to display it appropriately. It's a piece of blackout poetry, and basically turns an old Bible page into a unique, Pagan-ish poem!

Museum Reception

Last night, the campus museum hosted a reception to celebrate the opening of its new exhibits. I think I was the only freshman who went, but there were a lot of faculty and older students in attendance. I bring it up because as I was walking through the exhibits, I noticed this Japanese tsuba, a decorative hand guard for a samurai's katana.

It caught my attention, because its eyes, which were covered with a brighter metal (gold leaf, maybe?), shone in its display. Upon taking a closer look at it, I immediately recognized Raijin, and felt a rush of validation when I looked at the information card and saw that it was, indeed, Raijin being depicted.

Raijin is the Japanese thunder god ("rai" being thunder and "jin" an alteration of "shin", which in turn is the same "shin" in "Shinto", and means "god"). He is often shown with (or competing against) Fuujin, the wind god. According to Shinto mythology, after Izanami and Izanagi created Japan, the Buddha entrusted eight Raijin to protect the Dharma (assigned a variety of meanings, but primarily referring to natural law). This sort of syncretism between Shintoism and Buddhism was and is very common among the Japanese. When there is a storm, Raijin beats his drums (note the drumsticks he holds in the tsuba) and produces thunder. His drums are usually topped with a mitsudomoe symbol, a variant of the tomoe and a trinity figure thought to represent Man, Earth, and Sky. The mitsudomoe is also visible in the tsuba as the circles above and below the central slit for the blade - the top retains its bright metallic covering, making the three-pronged symbol easy to see. Those who are familiar with Japanese mythology might look at Raijin's iconography and assume him to be a demon, or oni. Some versions of the myth do indeed suggest that Raijin is a reformed oni, thus explaining the resemblance. One legend says that Raijin likes to eat children's bellybuttons, and so some parents may warn their children to keep their navels covered during thunderstorms. Another story, found in Judika Illes' Encyclopedia of Spirits, states that Raijin saved Japan from the 1274 Mongolian invasion by firing thunderbolts at the Mongol ships.

Raijin is never found without his loyal companion (and perhaps pet), Raijuu, the thunder beast. This spirit, often taking the form of a white or blue wolf or fox, is the source of electricity and lightning, and has the dubious honor of being the inspiration for the Pokémon, Raichu. Another explanation of the bellybutton story is that Raijuu likes to fall asleep in people's navels, and Raijin must strike him with lightning to wake him up, thus harming the sleeper. Those who believe this version of the story may sleep on their stomachs in bad weather, whereas others say that Raijuu only sleeps in the bellybuttons of people sleeping outside.
Modern practitioners wishing to honor Raijin could call upon him for protection during storms or a power outage. While I imagine there are specific rites one may do to honor the thunder god, a small monetary offering is standard fare among the Japanese kami. Unless you live in Japan, it is unlikely that you live near any sort of shrine to Raijin. If this is the case, money could be donated via the internet to help provide relief for storm victims or to help maintain Japanese shrines which honor the thunder god and associated deities.

Kiyomizudera

And you thought I was done talking about my Japan trip! ;) Not even close. It does give me a lot of blog fodder, though, so I may stretch it out just a bit.

Otowa-San Kiyomizudera

Literally "Clear Water of Mt. Otowa Temple", Kiyomizudera is another famous Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Founded in 778, before Kyoto was made Japan's capital, the temple buildings have been burned down numerous times. Most of the present buildings were rebuilt by the Shogun Tokugawa in the 1630s. In 1994, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list as a historic monument of ancient Kyoto. 

Kiyomizu Temple is a stunning example of Japanese architecture and worship, but regrettably, I only have a few pictures since many of the buildings prohibit photography. 

This is the Deva Gate and primary entrance into the temple grounds. Devas (Ten in Japanese) are Buddhist entities who live on higher planes. They are invisible to the human eye, but those with special extrasensory capabilities may possess the power to hear their voices or see them psychically, or the spirits may take on an illusory form to manifest themselves on the human plane. Their powers include flying and moving from place to place with great speed; the more powerful varieties neither eat nor drink. Under the umbrella term "Deva", there are many varieties of spirit, each having their own abilities and place in the universe. They are arranged hierarchically and in this way could be considered comparable to angelic choirs in Christianity, but a Buddhist would likely caution one to not assume that Devas are equivalent to angels; indeed, some important distinctions exist that one should be aware of. For starters, Devas are not paragons of morality. They certainly can be, and many are, but it is not a requirement. Some possess human vices like arrogance or pride, and likewise they are not omnipotent. Furthermore, Devas are not immortal (though their life span may be billions of years), and they reincarnate just as all other mortal beings do in Buddhist belief. A Deva may come back as a human, another Deva, or something else altogether. It is not easy to work with this brand of spirit, as getting their attention is a challenge, but if they can be contacted they tend to give valuable advice and insight.

Remember the Komainu from Itsukushima? Here's another one, right outside the Deva Gate.

This one is not my picture. It shows the main hall of the temple and the terrace which provides a stunning overlook of the valley and of Kyoto beyond. In this hall is enshrined Kannon Bosatsu (remember her from Kinkakuji?) and I got to see a group of monks performing mass here as well as individuals making offerings and prayers.

This (also not my picture) is the goddess Kannon shown in her form of having 11 heads and 1,000 arms. According to legend, she saw all the misery and suffering in the world but could not answer all the prayers of her supplicants, so her head split into 11 pieces and now she has 11 mouths with which to answer. Likewise, her hands could not offer help to all of humanity, so her arms split apart and now she has 1,000 of them to aid her in her task. The Kiyomizudera statue is hidden most of the time; according to my research, it is only viewable once every 33 years.

The name, Clear Water Temple, comes from the fresh mountain springs which have been flowing since the temple was founded. There are three springs, and patrons wait in a long line to hold a bamboo ladle under the water and drink. Each spring has a different association - longevity, wisdom, and love - but it is generally considered bad form to drink from all three.
I did buy lucky amulets here, of course. One is a small figure of the "god of Business Success", and the other has a dragon printed on the fabric for good fortune.

July 3rd, 2014

Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji is a Zen Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan, and was founded in 1397. The original building was burned down during the Onin war; in 1950, it was burned down again by a monk later diagnosed with schizophrenia and a persecution complex. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955, and is one of the most famous temples in the island nation, attracting huge numbers of tourists annually. The name "Kinkakuji", translated as "Golden Pavilion", comes from the exterior of the temple itself, which is coated in a layer of gold leaf. The gold is used as a purifier of the worshippers, mitigating pollution in the soul and negating unhealthy attitudes towards death. Beyond the beauty of the building itself, the temple is noted for its extensive gardens, which are considered an excellent example of the Muromachi design style.

The Pavilion is sacred for a number of reasons. For one, it functions as a "shariden", holding the Buddha's ashes. It also houses a hall of worship for Kannon Bosatsu, the Japanese goddess of mercy. Known in other Buddhist sects as Avalokiteśvara, or "The God Who Looks Down", Kannon is a Bodhisattva embodying the compassion in all manifestations of Buddha. According to Mahayana doctrine, this Bodhisattva has sworn to refuse its own Buddhahood until all sentient beings have achieved Nirvana. 

Wikipedia (because nothing on that website is ever wrong //sarcasm font//) lists the Japanese mantra to Kannon as "おん あるりきゃ そわか" or "On Arurikya Sowaka".

The temple. The building is not actually open to visitors so far as I could tell (I think it's open only to monks), but there's a boardwalk all around the lake, and plenty of opportunities to make donations and pray outdoors. 

The phoenix roof ornament with a crow sitting on top. Japanese phoenixes have the same essential meaning of life and rebirth that they do in other parts of the world.

Me with the temple - proof that these aren't just photos from Google Images.

At all the shrines and temples we went to, the expectation was that one would donate some small amount of money (usually the equivalent of a dollar or less) before praying. Here, the most powerful prayers are those where the visitor's coin lands in the little metal bowl. As my history teacher put it: "Buddhists were the original capitalists".

At this temple, I bought a safe travel amulet, as well as a wooden bracelet for my uncle (it seemed like the sort of thing he would wear) that is supposed to convey good health.

June 23rd, 2014

I do want to write up posts about my time in Japan, but first, a bit of news from today. My family and I are spending the weekend at my chosen university for next fall, going through the whole freshmen orientation business. The campus is set in a beautiful landscape, mere minutes from a wildlife refuge, national forest, and a park that's actually called Garden of the Gods. Not only that, but five minutes from my dorm is a Gaia Interfaith center, and there's a forest preserve in the middle of campus. It couldn't be a more ideal setting for a Pagan (well, other than no candles or incense in the dorm room). Moreover, there's a ton of diversity in the student body, so I can't imagine I'll be the only Pagan in the area. Like the icing on the cake, we were taking a bus tour this afternoon when we passed the campus forest preserve and saw a doe standing along the edge of the trees. She looked right at me, and I knew that could only be a sign of Goddess-given approval. I can't wait to start here in the fall!

Okay, back to Japan. The first shrine we visited was Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, across the bay from Hiroshima. 

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima is one of the most famous shrines in Japan, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Because it is a Japanese shrine, it is Shinto. Japanese temples are Buddhist. That being said, Shintoism and Zen Buddhism coexist peacefully on this island nation, and indeed, over 70% of the population considers itself both Buddhist and Shinto. Many famous places are actually home to both temples and shrines in the same acre of space. As a general rule of thumb, Shinto rites relate to one's daily life, while Buddhist rites deal with death and remembrance of the deceased. In Shintoism, the color white is considered sacred. Many paper temple decorations are white, as are the robes worn by the priests.

The shrine celebrates the god of the island itself, specifically the god (kami) of Mt. Misen, the island's tallest mountain. That being said, there are websites which say that this shrine venerates Susanoo, the moon and storm god, his daughters, or various local goddesses. I am basing my information off what was listed on the UNESCO website, given that that seemed like the most reliable source of information.

Itsukushima was supposedly founded in 593, but no written record of it exists prior to 811. The original buildings were reconstructed and expanded in the 1100s (1168, according to written record), after which the shrine received the patronage of Taira no Kiyomori, the most powerful shogun of the era. He believed he owed his political power to the god of Itsukushima, and worshiped there often. As a result, some Japanese may consider the place a shrine to Kiyomori as well.

Fire severely damaged the premises in 1207, but reconstruction efforts kept the blueprints very similar to what had been there in Kiyomori's time. Since then, the shrine has never been reconstructed all at once, but individual buildings have required work as storms, typhoons, and tsunamis have done damage. They have been meticulously repaired in accordance with historical materials and practices. The Japanese government now personally oversees work done on this historical religious site. A relatively recent addition? Fire extinguishers, since Itsukushima is built entirely of wood and plaster.

But enough history. It's the pictures that you actually want to see.

Here's your first view of Itsukushima as you approach Miyajima by ferry. That vermillion Torii gate is not the shrine itself, but it is the gate of purification that designates the presence of all Shinto shrines. This one is particularly impressive - for one thing, it's huge. For another, it's set well out on the beach such that it appears to float on the water at high tide. In ancient times, pilgrims could not enter the island until they had passed under the Torii by canoe and ritually cleansed themselves.

Also on the island, besides the shrine, are dozens of these cute little deer (Yes, that's me next to him. Pictures or it didn't happen, right?). They're considered a Japanese national treasure, and are denizens of the shrine in their own right. Being completely used to human presence, one can walk right up to them, and they'll just keep on minding their own business. You aren't actually supposed to pet them (a rule that doesn't seem especially well-followed), but if you have so much as the slip of a paper receipt showing, they will try to eat it. Go figure.

This is a Komainu, a "lion dog" spirit always displayed in pairs and usually at the entry gates to Shinto shrines. Originating in China, Komainu spirits and their statues are found today in Korea and Japan as well. Lions are mystically believed to frighten away evil in the East, and so they sit and guard these sacred spaces. In many pairs, the animals are identical but for one thing: their mouths. Often, one will have its mouth open and the other's will be closed. The open-mouthed spirit is saying "A", the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, while the closed-mouth spirit says "Um", the last letter. Together, they say "Aum", representative of the beginning and end of all things (think Alpha and Omega); the word has significance in Buddhisn, Hinduism, and Jainism, but is relevant to cultures the world over.

This is a much closer view of the Torii gate; note how small the people are by comparison. Leave a coin at its base and make a wish.

These are the handwashing stations which can be found outside all shrines and some temples. The proper way to use them is as follows: holding the dipper in your left hand, scoop a cup of water and pour it over your right. Switch the dipper to your right hand, and pour water over your left. Then cup your left hand and pour water into it. Sip this water and use it to rinse your mouth; then spit it out onto the bamboo or rocks outside the water enclosure. Finally, allow the remaining water to run down the handle of the dipper to clean it for the next person. This represents purification of the body, while passing through the Torii gate is purification of the soul.

And finally, the shrine itself. Inside, one can walk the corridors in quiet contemplation, pray as desired, marvel at the tiny crabs inhabiting the sandy courtyard at low tide, and if you happen to make it at just the right time, watch a Shinto priest perform a ceremony. Available for purchase are paper fortunes (better than fortune cookies) in a variety of languages - English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are the usual ones - or Omamori, which are lucky amulets. These come in a wide variety of colors and meanings, and each can only be bought at that specific temple or shrine. They are often monogrammed, at the very least, with the name of where they were bought and with their purpose. From Itsukushima, I got a purple amulet (or in this case talisman might be more accurate) to enhance studying and a pastel one embroidered with island deer for general good fortune.

That's Miyajima! If you ever have the opportunity to go, I highly recommend it. It is absolutely stunning, not to mention of vast historical, cultural, and religious significance. I can also tell you that the maple leaf is an iconic symbol in the Miyajima area, and that you can not only see many wild Japanese maples (Momiji) but you can also get lots of maple leaf themed snacks and souviners. Yes, I shopped more in two weeks than I've done in my entire eighteen years. No, I do not have a single regret.

August 17th, 2013

Today has been full of cleaning. So far, I've scrubbed down the tub, the walls of the whole first floor, and the kitchen cabinets. I swear, I'm going to smell like a pool for the rest of the day.
Our neighbors across the street had a garage sale this morning; I wandered over and picked up a cool Buddha statue for $2.00. It lights up, too, although I felt that feature was maybe a touch tacky.

He's holding the peaches of immortality, some lucky coins, and a bag (possibly of rice?). After a lot of research and some good guess work, I discovered that the kanji on the necklace, 福, means "good fortune". In Japanese, it is pronounced "Fuku". I think this particular Buddha might be related to Hotei, one of the seven Shichifukujin (七福神), gods of good fortune. At any rate, I really like it and placed it on my little shrine.

Here's what it looks like all put together. I added a shell to hold water and incense, and yesterday rearranged my stone collection so that the crystals are grouped by chakra association. I felt like that balanced out better than dividing them on elemental lines. As you can see, I'm having my new statue keep an eye on my medicine pouch - I don't think he'll let it wander off, do you?

November 7th, 2012

Well, I regret to say that Samhain was something of a let-down this year. Between work and family obligations, I never had the chance to do a nice ritual like I had planned. I did take some time last weekend to work on typing my Book of Shadows, though. I had hand-written the whole thing, most of it when I was 12, and I finally got so sick of all the spelling errors that I decided to type and print it, complete with some lovely Pagan fonts that I downloaded for free at www.dafont.com. If you go to the website, under the Dingbats heading is the "esoteric" subsection; they have a bunch of zodiac fonts, along with several that are more specifically Pagan. I've also been working my way through a couple books on different religions. I just finished two, one on classical mythology and one on Buddhism. Now I'm reading a text on Japanese mythology, which is especially interesting to me since I'm learning Japanese in school. I've got one to go after this, about different symbols from different cultures. After that, I'll have to raid the library again!

The above is Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess. She is holding a snake and a burial sculpture of a female shaman. To learn more about this depiction of the Goddess, visit the GoddessGift website.