LUCK FACTORS
According to traditional Chinese philosophy, we are subject to many universal influences. There is a popular ancient Chinese proverb that explains how the Chinese view the nature of life; it states "1st Fate; 2nd Luck; 3rd Feng Shui; 4th Good Deeds; 5th Education." These are considered to be the five primary conditioning factors that determine our destiny and affect our fortune. They are categorized within the scope of the Three Treasures (San Cai) - Tien (Heaven), Ti (Earth), and Ren (Human) in between completing the cosmic trinity.
COSMIC TRINITY
The ancient Taoist incorporated the model of the “San Cai” (Three Treasures) to represent the most precious and significant energies or items within a grouping. From a Chinese cultural perspective, the San Cai are Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, the most essential concepts are Jieng Qi (Essence), Ren Qi (Human) and Shen Qi (Spirit). In the context of Feng Shui, the most influential principle is the Trinity of Luck – Tien Chai (Heaven Luck), Ren Chai (Human Luck) and Ti Chai(Earth Luck).
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW
The ancient Taoist professed mankind as a microcosm of the universe that surrounded them, immersed with the same primeval forces that stimulates the macrocosm. They believed that humankind’s well-being is not only determined by their own free-will and efforts, but also by the energetic influences of the Heavens above and the Earth below and if we balance the Trinity of Luck harmoniously, by aligning our lives with the natural order of the Tao, we could benefit from a vast amount of good fortune luck and success throughout our lives.
HIERACHY OF LUCK
Heaven Luck (Tien Chai)
Heaven Luck is beyond your control; it is governed by God or the unified force. It is the luck you are born with and determines your fate, the conditions of your birth, your character, and your life circumstances. Heaven Luck continuously fluctuates with the movement of the Heavens and cannot be relied upon to be consistently good or bad.
- 1st Fate (Ming)
Fate is the supposed force or power that determines events. It is based on the time and place of birth, karma, past lives, and our constitutional energies. The Chinese believe that we inhale our destiny (Qi) when we are born, and that this energetic blueprint is immutable. However, the type of Qi that we inhaled can be calculated and interpreted through the means of astrology, providing us with the ability to create potential for change.
- 2nd Luck (Yun)
Luck is defined as a force that brings good or bad fortune. The ancient Chinese considered this “force” to be a manifestation of Qi. Luck consists of life variations in fortune; it fluctuates during different phases of our lives. If we learn to moderate downward cycles (bad luck) and capitalize on the upward cycles (good luck) in life, we can transform a mediocre or even an unfortunate fate into a prosperous life. By concentrating on dynamics, such as feng shui, astrology, and methods of personal Qi development, which influence luck, we can transform our lives exponentially.
Earth Luck (Ti Chai)
Earth luck is governed by the visible and invisible energies that surround and permeate the natural world. It is the environment, location, architectural structure, interior design and directions that a dwelling faces & sits. It is within your control, for you can manipulate the energies (Qi) within your surroundings to stimulate and create the potential for better health, wealth, and relationship luck within the vagaries of life.
- 3rd Feng Shui
Living in a state of balance and harmony with the tangible (physical environment) and intangible (invisible forces) environment, in order to benefit from the surrounding Qi energy and enjoy good fortune luck.
Human Luck (Ren Chai)
Human Luck is within your control; it is the luck that we create for ourselves. It is your free-will and intentions (positive or negative) that you set fourth within this lifetime. Ultimately human luck is living by the mighty Golden Rule – “Do on to others and you would like done on to yourself”. Additionally it is also the accumulation of virtuous deeds and continuous education.
- 4th Good Deeds (Dao De)
Through compassionate acts of charity (good deeds) it is believed that we can adjust our karma (cause and effects of our actions), and ensure good things to come in our next life. A supervening “cause” or a good deed we introduce may have the effect of overcoming a history of negative consequences.
- 5th Education (Du Shu)
Continuous self-improvement and the accumulation of knowledge, opens one's inner senses. This facilitates with clarity of thinking and doing, which in turn will direct us to our life's purpose.
Tien (Heaven), Ren (Human), and Ti (Earth), each only occupy 1/3 of the luck factors in our lives. Tien is considered the strongest of these dynamic forces and is totally out of our control; on the other hand, Ti & Ren are within our control and both within our grasp to create potential for change. Take for example; if your Heaven Luck is excellent, practicing good Feng Shui improves your overall fortune luck, when supplemented by your own efforts and good deeds. Conversely, if your Heaven luck is mediocre, good Feng Shui can at best reduce and neutralize the distress and afflictions of bad times, this is where paying close attention to your human luck factor is extremely vital, as it can help boost your personal luck in times of need.
In order to attain the maximum potential of life circumstances, one needs positive provision in each of these realms. Alternatively, ways of improving life circumstances is through awareness and attuning to these areas and begin to move into alignment with the best they can offer. We as humans have the free-will and choice of utilizing these universal forces to their fullest potential by positively manipulating these energies (Qi) in our favor, in order to achieve desired goals and live prosperous lives.