Previously, I have highlighted some common external Sha (外煞) which are best to be avoided when selecting an apartment unit. However, if one’s current home unfortunately faces such external Sha, what five fundamental aspects one should know?

Although many people tend to place more focus on wealth nowadays, we must remember that health is truly one’s greatest wealth. Many may have heard of the saying 趋吉避凶. Although it is written in that order, it is important for any Fengshui assessment to avoid the inauspicious first (先避凶), followed by increasing or hastening the auspicious (后趋吉).

To first avoid the inauspicious, one obviously must first assess if there are any inauspicious factors (辨认). Next is to assess the seriousness, to assess whether it will have any significant impact (评估) and if yes, how it can be curbed, reduced or avoided (化煞). Other aspects which are important to know yet commonly neglected by some Fengshui practitioners, are what influences it may cause and to who (何事和人), and when, going forward, it may happen (何时). Since not all external Sha can be curbed or avoided, and not everyone has the means to relocate, it is thus imperative to grasp the understanding of these two aspects when one engage Fengshui practitioners.

The existence of external Sha does not necessary means it will bring about serious or significant inauspicious impact. Several factors such as Jin Long (金龙), Property Luck (宅运), Annual Influences (流年), strength of the external Sha (外煞强弱) etc, need to be assessed together (综合评估). Of all factors, the most important factor is whether Jin Long is active (金龙是否动); the saying 一贵当权，诸煞臣服.

The above picture is a variation of Jian Jiao (尖角) Sha formed by the roof of a neighbouring building in the South (离) of an apartment unit facing Mao (卯). Seeing this external Sha, the previous Fengshui practitioner engaged by the owners upon moving in has advised on placing a Bagua facing the external Sha.

However, how serious or significant this external Sha is, whether the advice given is indeed effective and how effective it is, what negative influences such external Sha may cause, and when, going forward, it may happen, are not being assessed at all. As a result, one is unable to take effective precautions.

For this apartment unit, the main issue is that the Jin Long is inactive. Together with other factors such as the Property Luck, Annual Influences and the strong external Sha, the effectiveness of placing the Bagua is greatly limited. Needless to say, the external Sha has indeed brought about major health problems recently.

Often, most tends to focus only on 化煞 aspect and neglect the others. When engaging a Fengshui practitioner for any Fengshui assessment, it is important that one is able to obtain answers to all these five (辨认、评估、化煞、何事和人、何时) aspects, considered basic knowledge for a Fengshui practitioner.

What, When and Who with regards to the negative influences caused by the external Sha can one tell for the apartment unit above?