Posted by QuickReadAbout.com Staff in One of the most important tools in the Feng Shui arsenal is the Feng Shui compass also known as the Lo-Pan. The Lo-Pan does several things which help you in the design process. For instance, the Feng Shui compass helps you access more in-depth information about a building or site location. The compass will help you identify the best parts as well as the more unfavorable parts.
The Lo-Pan also helps interprets particular areas of a building or location in relation to how it interweaves into specific areas in your own life. In addition, the Feng Shui compass helps you ferret out which of the five elements rings true and fits into your life and home environment for an overall favorable outlook and positive Chi.
When looking at the compass, you will notice the different bands of concentric rings which are set around a magnetic needle (much like a traditional compass). This Feng Shui compass can have as many as forty or more rings of information. The traditional name of this compass, Lo-Pan, can be loosely translated into “everything” for Lo and “bowl” for Pan. This interpretation of Lo-Pan can mean that the compass is a receptacle for mysteries in the universe, which is essentially your own world like you home, office or land area.
For the most part, the Lo-Pan has a square base and is usually a red color. And in interpretation of the color red in Feng Shui colors, it represents good fortune or a favorable outcome. Red also symbolizes protection and in fact helps keep the energy around the compass from becoming clouded with negative energy.
In terms of how you read the Feng Shui compass, you will want your first reading to be done while you are inside your home while looking out. Start by positioning yourself inside your main entry way facing the main door to the outdoors. You will want to take several readings from the Lo-Pan as there will be some electromagnetic interference.
Next, move away from the main door or toward it, taking another reading from both inside the house as well as outside the home with your back facing the main entryway. Compare the readings from the Feng Shui compass from both areas to look for minor deviations. The presence of metal, either on you in the form of jewelry or around the entry (think hardware) could affect the readings.
The average reading from your Feng Shui compass as you are facing the door is needed so that you know which way your home faces. This will help later in determining where your particular life centers are in the home. Plus, this reading will help with your home’s floor plan and in locating the true heart of your home.
The next step is outlining your Feng Shui energy map also known as the Ba-Gua. This map uses the readings from the Lo-Pan in order to delineate which of the five elements applies to each life center. In addition, the colors, textures and other decorative components are determined so that the life centers will be reflected in a positive light. For example, if you have determined through the Feng Shui compass and Ba-Gua that the family areas lie in the North part of your home, then it would be known that components of the water element should be used in the space for optimal results. This could mean employing the color blue with some accompanying colors from the earth or wood elements.
Basically, each tool of Feng Shui inter-connects with one another to create various design concepts which would be most beneficial to your home and environment. While you could have some good Feng Shui without one of the tools, it is not advised to try. The Lo-Pan is a great step in the right Feng Shui direction for overall positive Chi in your home and environment.