The master's instrument
The Lo Pan is a Chinese geomantic compass used by Feng Shui masters for over two thousand years. Its concentric rings encode cosmological knowledge — directions, elements, hexagrams, star positions and time cycles — all necessary for a complete reading of a site.
The needle points south in Chinese tradition, and from the centre outward, the rings reveal ever more nuanced layers of energetic information about the landscape and the buildings within it.
The layers of knowledge
The innermost needle pool. Points south in Chinese tradition (unlike Western compasses). Its precise alignment is the starting point for all calculations.
The primordial arrangement of the eight trigrams attributed to Fu Xi. Used to read the cosmological forces inherent in the landscape itself.
The arrangement attributed to King Wen. This is the Ba Gua used in practical Feng Shui — mapping directions to life domains within a built space.
The circle divided into 24 sectors of 15° each. This ring is used to determine the precise facing direction of a building and calculate its Flying Stars chart.
The outer ring of 64 I Ching hexagrams arranged around the compass. Used by advanced practitioners to decode the deepest currents of the site's energy.
A time-based system that tracks how energy shifts over nine-year periods. Combined with compass readings, it predicts the rise and fall of fortunes in a space.
Practical wisdom
Small, intentional changes can significantly improve the Qi flow in your home.
In your bedroom and office, position yourself so you can see the door but are not directly in line with it. This "command position" creates a subconscious sense of safety and control that reduces stress and sharpens focus.
Your entrance is the "mouth of Qi". Keep it unobstructed, well-lit and inviting. A cluttered entry blocks new opportunities from entering your life. A healthy plant and a welcoming light invite abundance.
A small fountain or aquarium near the entrance, positioned in the South-East (wealth zone), activates the flow of abundance. Water must flow toward the house — symbolising incoming resources, not outflow.
Mirrors multiply what they reflect — both positive and negative. Never place a mirror facing the front door (it pushes Qi back out) or directly facing your bed (it disturbs sleep). Use them to expand narrow corridors.
Healthy, thriving plants bring wood energy — growth, vitality, expansion. A money tree in the South-East, bamboo by the entrance, a jade plant on your desk. Avoid dead or artificial plants as they carry stagnant Qi.
Every object in your home carries an energetic charge. Clutter is stagnant energy — it slows Qi, clouds the mind and blocks change. Regular clearing creates space for new energy, new people and new possibilities to enter.
Go deeper
A full Lo Pan reading, personalised Flying Stars chart and room-by-room Feng Shui audit — all available online with one of our certified masters.