An accurate compass bearing of the facing side of a building is essential to any serious Feng Shui consultation.

The first aspect of reading a compass is to understand the instrument. A compass basically consists of three parts:

• the magnetic needle
• the pivot bearing
• the housing

The magnetic needle is balanced on a pin-like bearing and pivots to align itself with the Earth’s magnetic field. The perimeter of the compass housing has a 360 degree circumference marked in 1 degree increments, this can be rotated to align with the compass needle.

Any ordinary compass may be used in Feng Shui, but be sure to use a good quality compass showing exact degrees in its most outer ring. A longer needle renders a more stable reading. The Chinese Lopan, or Luo Pan, is a much larger instrument with many markings relevant to Feng Shui analysis. Both perform the same task but due to its size, the Luo Pan tends to be more accurate.

For our purposes, there are eight directions indicated by the compass. The four cardinal directions are North, South, East & West. The four secondary directions are Northeast, Southwest, Southeast & Northwest. Each of these directions describes a 45 degree arc on the circumference or 8 ‘pie slices’ known as the Bagua. Each slice is further sub-divided into 3 sections referred to as mountains, of 15 degrees each, making 24 mountains in all.

The accuracy of the compass reading is absolutely critical in Feng Shui applications. When reading the compass it is suggested that you remove all jewellery, metallic objects, and electronic devices from your person. Remain as distant as possible from any metallic objects, electrical devices, and underground water. Other materials such as wood, glass, brick, and, stone have also occasionally demonstrated the ability to disrupt the compass.

The compass reading must always be taken outside. Readings taken from inside a building tend to be inaccurate due to the influences of metallic objects, electrical wiring, metal water pipes, and various other factors. Even compass readings taken outside may sometimes be inaccurate due to presence underneath the soil of rocks, water, metal.

Stand outside at the facing of the building with your back to it. You are now pointing in the facing direction of the building. Hold the compass stretched away from your body so that it is visible and easy to read, and positioned so that the housing is exactly square to the building. Make sure that the compass is level so that the needle correctly points North and South, a reading can now be taken.

Refine the reading to determine the exact degree of bearing by taking readings from a number of locations and distances around the building, including the sides and at the sitting side. Repeat each reading while continually adjusting the height of the compass and observe any anomalies.

Never work from blueprints, survey maps, architectural drawings, or any other map or drawing regardless of who they are provided by, because maps mostly show geographic North. In Feng Shui we work from magnetic North.