As we know, some A.I. functions are only as good as the information they get programmed by humans, who can be outrageously ill-informed and/or biased.  And yet, we’ve also used A.I. to process and filter information at such a high rate of speed that it would be regrettable not to utilize A.I. when appropriate.

In response to a client who thought I was suggesting the use of A.I. to perform my Annual Update reports, I want to set the record straight in what my comment was intended to convey and that I have no intention of replacing myself with A.I.

In an article about annual predictions, I noted that I had been asked by a fellow consultant to create a Master List of the permanent flying stars paired with the annual stars. The permanent flying stars are the energetic coding for the magnetic field created in a structure, based on when it was built and its compass alignment.  For example, an energy “blueprint” for a house that faces north and built in 2025 is a different energy blueprint for a house that faces east and built in 1997.  The unseen energy will be quite distinct, even if those two examples have an identical floor plan.

The annual “stars” are also represented with numerical coding and they are like guests who enter a house or building. The stars position themselves in each of the eight basic directions for one year.  My assignment was to interpret the meaning of this trilogy of stars and also provide an elemental remedy when needed.  The Elements referred to here are real or symbolic representations of Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal.

The main permanent flying stars are classically referred to as the Mountain Dragon(star) and the Water Dragon(star).  We have nine stars and when paired up they create 81 different possible combinations. At this point we are not factoring in a third permanent star called a Period Star. It is more of a shadow influence in most cases.   However, there are some practitioners who place a higher value on the Period star than I do.

If we take the 81 different basic combinations and factor in the influence of each of the 9 annual stars, we get 729 different entries on the List.  Now, for the benefit of other feng shui practitioners reading this, I was only hired to interpret the stars according to how they can influence us during Period 9 (2024-2043). 

In the Flying Star School, we have 9 Periods that last for 20 years each. That is a total of 180 years before the cycles repeat again.  With that in mind, we could interpret the 729 combinations x 9 Periods to get 6,561 combinations.   To give a flying star example:  a 1-5 combination with annual 3 would be interpreted and treated differently in Period 3 compared to Period 5. But we’re not done yet!

We also have eight basic directions (North, Northeast, East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West and Northwest).   A 1-5 combination in the North sector of a house will behave differently than a 1-5 combination in the West sector of a house.   To that extent, we can take the 6,561 combinations and multiply that by 8 directions= 52,488 combinations (in theory).  This is not 100% accurate for reasons I won’t go into in this article, but we’re not far off the mark. (Note to practitioners: We don’t have a 5 mountain star-5 water star combination, for example).

We also need to consider where these flying star combinations land in a floor plan.  To use the same numerical example: a 1-5 combination will have a different influence in a kitchen versus a bedroom.  The use of the space, the built-in contents, the décor and the architecture of the space may influence how animated or dormant the flying stars can be. This can also affect the DOSAGE of the element needed.  We could loosely refer to the inner environment variances as “yin” or “yang” to keep it simpler.  This might change the impact and treatment, so the 52,488 combinations might mandate at least two different approaches if defined as yin or yang environments.   So now we have 104,976 combinations.

We can say the same for the immediate exterior environment.  Is the room near a hill behind the house?  Is the room in direct alignment with a road? Is the room a mere 10 feet from a pool?  Is the room near a decaying tree outside?  While there are so many examples, let’s just be modest and say that the exterior environment may be “yin” or “yang” and influence the stars inside.   Hence, the way we interpret and treat our potential combinations may double to 209,952 individual “feng shui” circumstances.

As well, we can say for sure that the flying stars do not affect people equally.  Based on a person’s gender, age, marital status or occupation, we may enhance or reduce the stars to suit the person’s individual situation.  We may also consider their personal trigram (aka Ming Gua). There are 8 different gua, so let’s factor that in to get 1,679,616 potential interpretations.

We can also concede that not all feng shui practitioners use the same element for the same predicament.  There is a fundamental practice in Flying Star School Feng Shui to use the “Reductive” element as first choice, but some practitioners use more than one element for one grouping of stars. And some use an element in a way that is a departure from strict Five Element Theory.   For example, we could have a 3-9 combination with an annual 1 star.  Most Flying Star practitioners will look at that combination and recommend fire to diminish the 3 wood star. This is because the untimely 3 Wood star can attract arguments or legal disputes.

And yet, with the annual 1 water star present, we also see that a clash is formed with 1 Water dominating 9 Fire.  In this instance we add Wood (a live plant) to drain the 1 water and nurture the 9 fire.  That is a popular way to remedy this trilogy of elements.  And yet, some practitioners will add water to a 9 “Wang” Water Dragon just in Period 9.  This is a practice I cover in my Case Study Lesson Plan on Mountain Dragons and Water Dragons.

If we acknowledge that with the 1,679,616 possible combinations that there may be at least one alternative way to handle the trilogy of stars, such as the addition of a second element or an unconventional use of an element, this could double the possibilities to 3,359,232 entries in our “Grand” Master List of the Flying Stars. That’s three million, three hundred and fifty-nine thousand, two hundred and thirty-two combinations. That being said, there is a lot of redundancy with the star combinations, so don’t be intimidated about learning Feng Shui if you are thinking about it! You won’t have to memorize or encounter 3 million situations. 🙂

If someone reads a simplified list of the Annual stars and what element to add (to enhance or diminish it), without so many other considerations regarding the uniqueness of a space, there is a lot of liability and room for error. This is why I’m always conflicted about publishing Feng Shui Annual Recommendations for the public (spaces I have not personally evaluated), and this is why I mentioned the possibility of A.I. being used by others in the future.

A well-trained and experienced practitioner doesn’t need A.I. as a crutch. But those seeking advice without a practitioner may try to create a program. This is no different than the prospect of replacing doctors with A.I.  Pros and Cons.

Author: Kartar Diamond

Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®

From the Feng Shui Theory Blog Series