The Bagua is a sacred octagon, which is one of the key analytical tools of feng shui. The name Bagua is made up of two Chinese words. The first is ba, which means the number 8. The second is gua, which is translated as trigram. Trigrams are ancient symbols which have been used in medicine and philosophy. Each trigram consists of three lines which can be solid or broken (like ☰ or ☵).
Geometrically, the Bagua is a regular octagon with the most vital circle-shaped part in the middle (the yin-yang symbol representing the two opposing forces). The Bagua consists of nine sections, eight of which correspond to the sides of the world: north, south, east, west, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-west. Each section corresponds to one or more areas of life and has its own meaning, color and direction. Each of the Bagua areas has its own trigram (elemental symbol: water, fire, wood, metal and earth). The Bagua shows which elements of your environment influence certain aspects of your life. The Bagua can also be represented as a square divided into nine equal parts. Each part represents an area of life.
The main purpose of the Bagua grid is to activate sectors so that harmony and happiness come into one’s life. When objects are placed correctly, according to the Bagua grid, the Qi (life force, part of the universal energy) will flow freely. As a result, the atmosphere in your home will improve, the health of people living there will strengthen and wealth will increase.
It is also commonly believed that Bagua is a map that consists of certain zones. Feng Shui experts think that every home and flat is a map, so it’s important to identify problems in each zone in time so that the negativity does not spread to other areas. The Bagua will enable you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your home and create a favorable atmosphere for your success.
The Bagua grid is not only used in home improvement, but also in the creation of a vision board. To learn more about one of the main visualization tools that can help your most cherished dreams and wishes come true, see our article “What Is a Vision Board?”.