George Washington had most of the work on Mount Vernon done while he was away from home. 

Fifth Period: 1764-1784

Between 1774 and 1778 the study, master suite, and the new dining room were added to the mansion.  Period 4 had ended in early 1764, and Period 5 had begun.

The wings were added one at a time, with some time in between.  The study wing was the first to be built.  This section was less than half the size of the old portion, and the family did not move out for the renovation.  The main entrance to the house was through the central hallway doors, filling the new section with stars determined by the period 4 chart. The period would not have changed to a period 5, even though the additions were made then. 

General Washington left in 1774, soon after beginning renovations on the study side of Mount Vernon.  He would be fighting the Revolutionary War before the study was finished.   

When we look at the 4th period chart, (in the 5th period) after the addition of the study wing but before the addition of the new dining room, we find that the 1 and 6 mountain stars occupy the space where Washington’s study is located. 

This unfinished (and for the most part uninhabited) portion would have served as an interior mountain for those stars, busy on many days with workers, but quiet more often than not. This is a 4th period chart in the 5th period, so the 5′s are in charge of health and wealth.  The 5 mountain star is in the Potomac, which can be bad for the health of the family, and the 5 water star is in the center, normally not good for wealth, however because of the nature of the house and the location of the Potomac River, in this situation the wealth of the house would have been protected.

We also have to consider the 7 water star.  Coming from the kitchen, (in a separate building to the southwest of the mansion   1-6-7 sector) the servants would bring the 7 as well as the 6 water star when they came through the front door.  These stars would also have access through windows as well.  When the 7 water star meets the 6 mountain star (both metal stars) we have a condition known as “Clashing Swords”.  This combination brings on feelings of irritation and an urge to fight. The attitude of combat is a necessary ingredient for a man who would be in charge of leading others to fight for their freedom.  If Washington had not been so willing, we would have had quite a different result from the Revolutionary War.  He held an army together by being faithful to the cause of freedom and by being willing to put his life on the line to fight tyranny.

At the front door the 1 water star meets the 7 mountain star at the stairway.  As mentioned earlier, the conditions for exile were met.  Here the land does indeed slope, and General Washington most certainly would have felt exiled when he was serving in the war between the spring of 1775 and 1783, when the signing of the Paris Treaty ended the Revolutionary War.  

While he was away his farm manager finished the shell of the study and later the large dining Room. Both were completed when Washington returned in 1783.  By 1784 he was happily settled into his new study.

Walkway at Mount Vernon

The center of the chart changed due to the addition of the large dining room.  Now, instead of the 1 water star coming in the center front door to the 7 mountain we have the 6 coming in.  Since the 6 is the future ruling star, this was good for Washington’s finances, and his military success.

The Feng Shui of Mount Vernon – Part 7 – Flying Star Chart

Reading the Charts

All charts are drawn with the front of the building at the bottom of the page. The numbered stars in each chart represent different types of qi.  Written in the form of a triangle, each number has its own special attributes.  The way they interact with each other, the environment and the people, combine to give us the Feng Shui of the building.

Flying Star Feng Shui

Mountain stars come first at the top left and are in charge of the inhabitants.  They require stillness and solid forms.  Mountain stars are dispersed by water and movement.  Directly to the right is the water star, in charge of the money and more active pursuits.  Water stars are carried on the wind, carried by people and animals, and are encouraged by real water.

At the bottom of the triangle is the time star, providing the environment for the other two. Combinations are written; Mountain-Time-Water.  For example:  7 mountain-1 time-8 water, or 7-1-8.  In individual charts yearly and monthly stars may be shown at the bottom of the triangles.

George Washington's Sheep

Early Feng Shui Chart

Fourth Period: 1744-1764

Washington’s early additions to Mount Vernon helped to provide interior mountains to the house, adding nice, quiet places for the mountain stars to gather. This added to the stability of the home, and the suitability of the Feng Shui chart.

General Washington also opened up the central hallway at that time, giving the water stars a better flow pattern if the doors were closed, but creating the effect of “wood water” if both doors were opened.  This causes qi to rush through the house too quickly.  The qi will not be retained, and the house loses the benefits.  When the doors are closed there is still room for the qi to pool, but opening both doors at the same time would have caused problems.

When we look to see what’s supported, we immediately see that the 9 mountain star has a large section of the West Parlor closet and fireplace (978).  The 1 water star has two windows in the front of the house, and would also have been carried in the front door by anyone passing through. The 9-1 and 9-8 form combinations called, “Happy Events”.

In the Dining Room we find that the 1 mountain star has interior support at the closet, while the 7 water star comes in through the window.  The 7 and 1 join in this room to create a combination known to cause exile when the ground slopes away.  Since Mount Vernon is situated on the top of a hill, the ground does indeed slope away from the house.  This feature will be even more important when annual stars are brought in to play.

Starting at the front of the house we find that the 1 and the 6 water stars are at the door.  People coming from the west would bring the 1 and those coming in from the north would bring the 6. The 6 water star brings fame to military officers.  When combined with the 1 mountain star it can bring wealth as well.  The 6 would be a well used star at Mount Vernon.

The 2 water star is well supported in the Potomac, and the 2 mountain star is somewhat supported at the staircase.  The 2′s will cause sickness when supported by the proper forms. When the 7 water star came into the Small Dining Room it would go to the front wall where the 2 mountain star resided. The 7 represents the head and lungs, with the 2 causing illnesses.  George Washington suffered for years with mouth problems.  Although this was by all accounts a happy home it would not have been a healthy one.

Mount Vernon via Google Satelite

Now… we need to figure out when the mansion was built.  Then we will have to decide if and when renovations were sufficient to change that date and effectively treat it as if it were being built as a new house. For the purpose of flying star Feng Shui, time is measured in 20 year ruling periods. We will concern ourselves in this study, with the periods of George Washington’s time.

Period 3: 1724-1744

Period 4: 1744-1764

Period 5: 1764-1784

Period 6: 1784-1804

To determine the period of the chart, we have to know what period Mount Vernon was built or extensively remodeled. 

When the mansion was first built it was much smaller and the house was known as Hunting Creek Plantation.  It would be considered a period 3 structure.  George Washington’s father, Augustine Washington lived there with his family for 4 years before moving to the Fredericksburg area and deeding the Mount Vernon house to his eldest son, Lawrence.  Lawrence Washington renamed the plantation after the British Navy Officer, Admiral Edward Vernon.  He had served under Admiral Vernon in the Caribbean.

Mount Vernon was renovated by Lawrence between 1743 and 1752, raising the roof and creating a second floor.  The house would have become a period 4 structure after these major renovations. Lawrence Washington died in 1752, leaving Mount Vernon to his wife. 

George Washington bought the rights to Mount Vernon from the widow of Lawrence.  When she died, he inherited Mount Vernon outright.  From that moment it would forever be known as, “George Washington’s Mount Vernon”.

At this time George was a busy young man.  In 1753 he joined the Virginia Regiment, fought in the French and Indian War, and in 1755, became an aide to General Braddock.  In 1758 he left the military and began extensive work on Mount Vernon, raising the roof again and creating a third floor.  Work on the mansion continued when he married Martha Dandridge Custis in 1759.  By then he was all of 27 years old. Mount Vernon retained its period 4 chart.

After finding the period of the house we must decide what direction it faces.  This house has no distinct facing or sitting and has confused many as to which is the front and which is the rear.  We will use logic to determine which is yin (quiet) and which is yang (energetic). 

Like a good comfortable armchair, a house should have a mountain in the back and some smaller supporting features on each side.  Mount Vernon sits on the highest point of the area.  However, there are outbuildings, and these serve as mountains for the stars in their areas (arms for the armchair). 

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon Walkway View

The large expanse of lawn, with its circular drive, brings visitors to the mansion today as it did in George Washington’s day.  It is a very yang feature.  General Washington himself laid out the plans for the driveway, ordered trees planted along it, and arranged for the symmetrical placement of outbuildings.  Many of those trees are still standing, and have grown large and strong along with the country he worked so hard to build.  Everything at Mount Vernon is there for a reason, and was intended to be beautiful as well as functional.

Potomac River From The Lawn at Mount Vernon

A spectacular view of the Potomac River greets visitors as they step out onto the portico, just like it did in Washington’s day and last year, when this photo was made.

The Potomac side of the house also contains the only consistent downstairs bedroom. The quiet and personal Little Parlor is also on the Potomac side.  The larger West Parlor was used for entertaining guests.  At one time the Little Parlor was also used for a bedroom, providing further confirmation that the quiet (or yin) side was the Potomac side at the rear of the mansion.  Mount Vernon has some support from buildings in the northeast and southwest, but no support at either the Potomac side or the facing northwest side.  After comparing survey maps done by George Washington, and doing my own on-site reading, I’ve determined that Mount Vernon has a facing direction of 329° northwest.

The Potomac River flows at the rear at the house, violating the basic Feng Shui principle of support at the back.  There is no mountain to emit the qi essential for the health of the people, nor was there a mountain to protect the building from winds and weather. 

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon sits on a hill like a beacon, both beautiful and vulnerable.

When studying the Feng Shui of Mount Vernon our emphasis at first is on the way the house is built and the place it sits.  Then we consider the elemental forces at work, and finally we add the flying stars into the mix.  The elements represent the basic character of each star.  The stars either help or hurt the inhabitants of the house…sometimes they manage to do both. 

The bottom line is that when the stars combine and interact with each other the effects influence those living in the home.

Mount Vernon

Nature of the Stars

•1.   White Star:  The Angel of Sheng Qi (water) loves wisdom.

•2.   Black Star:  The Monarch of Sickness (earth) can bring sickness.

•3.   Green Star:  The Phantom of Misfortune (wood) can be aggressive.

•4.   Dark Green Star:  The Clever and Indecent Imp (wood) is flirtatious and artistic.

•5.   Yellow Star:  The Devil of Ferocity (earth) is a dangerous star.

•6.   White Star:  The Angel of Gallantry (metal) is good for men and the military.

•7.   Red Star:  The Spirit of Solemnity (metal) talks a lot!

•8.   White Star:  The Angel of Wealth and Happiness (earth) is peaceful and calm.

•9.   Purple Star:  The Angel of Vigor (fire) is helpful, but not careful of the company he keeps.

When we develop a flying star chart we divide the house into 9 sectors…one of those in the center.

Each sector contains a star for resting and health, a star for activity and wealth, and a star that serves as the environment for the others.  Each year an annual star arrives in each sector, adding its own “personality” to the mix. 

Every twenty years a different star group becomes the ruling energy.  Right now we are in the period of 8. So, the 8′s are ruling and all current readings depend on where the 8′s are and how well they are supported.  In George Washington’s time things were a bit different.

For the purpose of Flying Star Feng Shui, time is measured in 20 year ruling periods. We will concern ourselves in this study, with the periods of George Washington’s time.

Period 3: 1724-1744

Period 4: 1744-1764

Period 5: 1764-1784

Period 6: 1784-1804

Mount Vernon Bowling Green

The Five Element theory is another way to explain the qi in our homes and businesses. It is a way to describe the relationship between the different stars, showing how one will help or hurt the other if given a chance. To read the diagram, start at metal and go clockwise.  Metal produces water, water produces wood, wood produces fire, fire produces earth, and earth produces metal.  Next, look clockwise, again starting with metal, and go across an arm of the star.  Metal controls wood, wood controls earth, earth controls water, water controls fire, and fire controls metal.  If you go counterclockwise you have the reduction cycle.  Metal reduces earth, earth reduces fire, fire reduces wood, wood reduces water and water reduces metal.Makes sense, doesn’t it?  All we have to do now is figure out how to use this information to make our homes and businesses more prosperous.Next, we’ll add the Flying Stars to the mix.  Before long, it will start making sense.

Do you know the difference between “Real” Feng Shui and “Psuedo” Feng Shui?  Lots of folks out there haven’t a clue.  I’ve decided to post exerpts of my book “The Feng Shui of George Washington’s Mount Vernon“  In it I explain what Feng Shui really is, and how we can use it. 

What is Feng Shui?

The art we call Feng Shui has developed from an ancient Chinese environmental study, Feng meaning wind…and Shui meaning water.  What once was the fairly simple study of the influence wind and water have on a home site has developed into a detailed examination and manipulation of the life force energy known as “qi” (chee). 

Different types of qi come from different directions in accordance with the year, month, day and hour.  It is attracted to and carried by people, gathered and moved by water, and collected and emitted by mountains.  It is affected by the shape and position of those mountain and water features, as well as by the climate and seasons.  Qi is useful according to its purpose and its timeliness.

Brigham Young, had probably never heard of qi yet he gave a profound description of it when he said, “The elements with which we are surrounded are as eternal as we are, and are loaded with supplies of every kind for the comfort and happiness of the human race.” Those “supplies” he spoke of consisted of qi. 

He went deeper when he stated, “There is an eternity of matter.  Astronomers estimate that there is between us and the nearest fixed star matter enough to organize millions of earths like this. There is an eternity of matter, and it is all acted upon and filled with a portion of divinity.  Matter is to exist; it cannot be annihilated.  Eternity is without bounds, and is filled with matter; and there is no such place as empty space.  And matter is capacitated to receive intelligence.”

That statement on matter, “filled with a portion of divinity” and “capacitated to receive intelligence”, is to date the best, most precise description of qi I have ever come across.

Feng Shui can tell us many things about our homes and the homes of our ancestors.  We know our environments have a lot to do with our lives.  What we learn from Feng Shui is just how much influence our environment really has on us.

God sends our blessings to us, by wind and water, through the earth beneath our feet and the heaven above our heads. Whether we call it Feng Shui or wind and water, it is up to us what we do with those blessings.

The Feng Shui of Mount Vernon – Part 1 – QI