Poor George.  The home he loved so dearly played a large part of his early demise.  Within 2 years his wife, Martha, died and Mount Vernon began its spiral into neglect.  Mount Vernon was never successful as a private home after his death.  After falling into near ruin the estate was bought in 1858 by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.  They have painstakingly restored it to its former beauty.  Mount Vernon is second only to the White House in the number of visitors it welcomes; a fit and beautiful tribute to the father of our country.

Mount Vernon Palladian Window

When we look at the years following Washington’s death we see that the 7th period and 8th period water stars were not supported.  This explains why the mansion had deteriorated so badly in those years.   With no support, there would be no money. 

In 1853 the Mount Vernon Ladies Association was formed to purchase Mount Vernon for $200,000.  Period 9 was ruling and the water star had its water.  The water was headed down the river, so wasn’t strong, but it still was enough to help bring the mansion to the attention of patriots who would contribute what they could to bring Washington’s house back to its previous glory.  Wealth had returned to Mount Vernon, but it would be another 40 years before it would get comfortable.  In 1904 the 3 water star was back in the Potomac, bringing home vibrant energy once more.

Cattle at Mount Vernon

The President and Mrs. Washington returned from Philadelphia in 1797 when he completed his second term as President.  The period changed in 1784 to period 6.  Because President Washington would spend six to eight hours a night in bed, and another three hours or more each day in his study, the office side of the house is the most influential on his life in these last two years. 

At Mount Vernon, the 6th period mountain star and the 2 water star are in the Potomac River.   In 1799 the 2 annual is in the river at the rear of the house, and the 5 annual is being carried in with each meal from the kitchen.  Both of these stars are capable of bringing sickness.

President Washington had retired to Mount Vernon, content and determined to live out the rest of his days at home and at peace, away from politics and power, enjoying his family and his beautiful home.  His happy retirement wouldn’t last nearly long enough.

President Washington became ill on the 12th of December 1799 and died two days later on the 14th, at home in his bed of a throat infection, most likely brought on by a chill from exposure to snow and ice.  Perhaps the most interesting part of the chart is the 7 water star.  The 7 represents head and lungs. The 7 defines the sickness that killed President Washington.  With the 5 and 2 combining to cause sickness, the 7 comes into the mix from the window at the front of the house, and President Washington dies from an infection in his throat, the connector of head and lungs. He was 67 years old.

Mount Vernon was perfectly suited to be the home of the young soldier who was appointed as Commander of the Virginia Militia and later promoted to Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.  It supported him in his campaign to develop a strong federal government, break from British rule, and even his eventual election as the first President of the United States. There is a time and a season for everything.  That the house supported General Washington’s bravery and determination was appropriate when he was a younger man.  As an elderly statesman this same bravery and determination kept him out in foul weather when he should have headed for home. His resistance was down, and he contracted a fatal throat infection after working outside in the snow and becoming chilled.

So, the moral to the story, you ask?   A house that supports a military man, a leader and a president may not be a good house for a retired statesman.

It’s my belief that the house was intended to support the country, through the man. 

The Feng Shui of Mount Vernon – Bottom Line

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