I have read at least ten commercially produced books on Feng Shui over the last five years, and NONE of them measure up to this book in sheer quality of content. Whether you are just starting out, or have been practicing for quite a while, if you have been relying on bookstores for the bulk of your Feng Shui study, then you CANNOT afford to miss reading this book!

The authors give a good overview of the fundamentals of classical Feng Shui (elemental and form-school analysis). That is as far as most of the other books on this subject seem to go, but the authors of this guide go even further by giving the reader a pretty in-depth treatment of both East/West and Flying-Star methods. The Flying-Star method is one rarely seen in western books on Feng Shui (Eva Wong's book "Feng Shui" is the only other one that comes to mind), and yet is held to be one of the most powerful traditional methods.

Joseph Yu's chapters on Four-Pillar Astrology are a "must read". You will not find a better teacher, and these chapters are clear, easy to read, and (best of all) complete!

All in all, if you are interested in classical/traditional Feng Shui, you will NOT be disappointed in this book.

I give this book Five Stars, with an additional thumbs-up for emphasis. Good job Elizabeth, Val, and Joseph!

For the novice who knows nothing about Feng Shui, read this book first, before any other material. The book is designed, as the title implies, as a guide for beginners. It will provide the basics of Traditional Forms of Chinese Feng Shui.

For the intermediate and advanced student of Feng Shui, read this book. The book will benefit everyone, possibly with some new perspective that defines or clarifies obscure aspects of their knowledge, further refining and enhancing their skills.

This book represents a great stride in publishing, a step in the right direction for introducing correct form to an otherwise gullible public.

Buy this book, it is excellent.

A big "thank you" to Elizabeth Moran and Val Biktashev and the others associated with its production.

Glyn

Because Feng Shui is so closely related to several other traditional Chinese sciences, the authors have wisely chosen to provide very strong sections on the I Ching, the Five Elements, and Chinese Astrology. The information in these sections is worthwhile in its own right; taken in context of the rest of the book, it leads the reader to a fuller understanding of the philosophy and practice of Feng Shui.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui is a comprehensive and entertaining book to which I will turn often over the coming years. I cannot recommend its good-natured approach to traditional wisdom enough.

Keep in mind that this book is not intended to serve as a complete manual for becoming a professional practitioner, but it is an excellent guide and introduction to the beginner or aspiring professional. It will teach you that there is a whole lot more to Feng Shui than arranging furniture and hanging crystal balls. If you have been thinking about "getting into feng shui", this may the best place to start.

1. Chinese Whispers by Rosalyn Dexter 2. Feng Shui by Ernest Eitel 3. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui by Elizabeth Moran and Val Biktashev 4. Feng Shui by Stephen Skinner 5. The Living Earth Manual of Feng Shui by Stephen Skinner 6. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui by Lillian Too 7. The Illustrated Encyclopedia by Lillian Too 8. Feng Shui Handbook: A Practical Guide by Derek Walters 9. Feng Shui: Perfect Placing For Your Happiness and Prosperity by Derek Walters 10. Feng Shui by Eva Wong

If you want to learn about feng shui, begin your study here. Skinner's books deal mostly with terrestrial or Form School feng shui and are truly worthwhile. Derek Walters is a renowned astrologer. His books are accurate and thorough. Although I believe Lillian Too is too commercial and superficial, her books are good for those not wanting to spend the time to understand more sophisticated methods of feng shui. By far my most favorite book is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui by Moran and Biktashev. This book has it all: feng shui's origins; feng shui's scientific value; two classical methods of determining your home's auspiciousness; Chinese zodiac astrology, and the Four Pillars of Destiny (written by the world-respected Master Joseph Yu), a method of determining your luck. What's great about this book is that it is a no-nonsense, humorous guide to understanding exactly what feng shui is and isn't and how this 6,000 year old Chinese art and science can help you increase your health, wealth, and relationship. You won't be disappointed!

The authors have performed a great service to those seeking to undertake the study of the complexities of Feng Shui by providing an organized format that builds layers of understanding while keeping the information personally relevant and often entertaining.

The fundamental principles of Feng Shui are covered - the nature of qi, yin/yang, the elements (phases), trigrams and form school - as well as two compass school methodologies, the East/West system and beginning Flying Stars. Easy reference charts, tables and diagrams are useful tools for beginning and advanced students alike. Many chapters contain workbook pages so that the information can be readily applied to the reader's own environment.

Learning traditional Feng Shui is initially more complex than following the generic fixes/advice offered in some books. All houses, buildings, environments and people are not the same, and do not remain static over time. CIG teaches, in the simplest possible way, Feng Shui that is authentic and effective. Superstitious and superficial practices are debunked through logical reasoning.

The highly respected Master Joseph Yu wrote the chapters on the basics of the Four Pillars of Destiny (one form of Chinese astrology) - worth the price of the book alone, as other reviewers have noted.

CIG is a must for anyone wanting to learn true Feng Shui.

I already own several books on this great traditional science and stumbled upon "The Principles of Feng Shui" by Master Larry Sang, the founder of the American Feng Shui Institute. I enjoyed the book and it opened my eyes toward learning more aspects of feng shui orientation using the East/West method. However, still hungry for something much more comprehensive on this topic, I scour my local Borders bookstore and discovered that they have "An Idiot's Guide" on Feng Shui. From my personal experience, the "Idiot's Guide" series or franchise, or whatever you choose to call it, is often a respectable and good buy for the topics published.They don't normally stake their branding on writer/s who don't pack the punch between the covers. Needless to say, I was more than impressed.

This Guide really educates the reader on Feng Shui history, its process, influences and application of this science to full advantage. The language and writing style are clear, simple and concise-a real art, considering you are dealing with a topic like Feng Shui! Most Feng Shui books tell you how to move or block this and that-you know the drill; but this guide has all these and more. It makes you understand why you need to effect certain wisdom and imbues you with a discerning eye to make the right decision year after year. I felt I made an error in one reading on my own and emailed one of the authors, Ms Elizabeth Moran. She not only responded immediately twice but offered friendly and warm advice on rectifying a possible costly renovation mistake for my home. This is what I call a true professional Master and a wonderful interactive experience! My compliments to the publisher for allowing a contact to the authors via email-something that has always been lacking for published works in the market.

I understood much more having read this wonderful book than most other on feng shui and I believe that Ms Moran must have made his teacher,Master Larry Sang, very proud. In this case, I believe Ms Moran and her co-author, Mr Biktashev took great efforts to ensure that their material is first rate and this outstanding contribution scores well in all areas. This comprehensive Guide is enough to strip any self respecting idiot of his/her CROWN-->it's that powerful! However, if after having read this incredibly insightful guide and you still don't know where your East meets your West, then we usher you into a new era of unparalled majesty! All bow and say, " Hail, your Majesty!"

The book begins with a very rational and demystified look at the history and theories of Feng Shui. The next sections continue with information about two major classical schools of Feng Shui, the "Eight Mansions" and the "Flying Stars." All the information is well presented with interesting and scholarly tidbits included in addition to the main text.

The last section is an introduction the the Four Pillars of Destiny (Ba Zi) school of astrology, written by noted Feng Shui and Chinese astrology master Joseph Yu.

Most of the Feng Shui texts on the market tend to over mystify Feng Shui turning it into a quaint practice that westerners easily exotify. Many other texts play to the McFengshui market where a wonderfully complex science is simplified to the extent where it barely resembles the original. The "idiots Guide" avoids this and does an excellent job of presenting authentic Feng Shui, at least at an introductory level.

1. east/west system - most books I read before this one suggest you sit "facing" your lucky direction, but this book suggest you should have your lucky direction "behind" you, which one is correct? I don't know.

2. the section on flying star is really not flying star, but "Nine Star Ki", a variation of the authentic flying star system. people who really want to learn chinese flying star should purchase David Twicken's "Flying Star made easy"

3. The best section of the entire book is the four pillars of destiny by Joesph Yu, it's got everything for you to get start on, although if your chart is too balanced - you may have a hard time figuring out if your day-master is weak or strong without factoring in clashes,combination, and hidden elements of the earthly branch. I would highly recommend David Twicken's Chinese Astrology book if you want to have a complete understanding of four pillars.

curtis f

The authors have with great respect taken a complex subject and managed to make it easy to understand and even fun! The new graphics are beautiful. The explanations are clear and concise.
If you could only choose one book on the subject, this would have to be the one.

Elizabeth, Val, and Joseph have formed an exquisitely powerful team to bring this incredibly complex system into an easy to follow and understandable format. This book comes complete with charts and the instructions on how to develop the charts and how to read them and apply the information to their homes and offices. The information in this book is worth $1000's. Although no book can take the place of personalized instruction, this book takes us further than any other in the marketplace.

Thanks to the authors for bringing this powerful, heretofore mysterious technique to all of us.

Many Blessings.

Normally you will not see me go out to get `second editions' of anything, be that books, cd's or whatever else.
As I proceed through the latest edition of Complete Idiot's Guide To Feng Shui, it becomes evident however, how authors Moran and Biktashev went through great lengths to offer even more material than was already available through the previous publication and it is safe to say that they now have an entirely new book out, rather than just an edited version.

The second edition provides a whole new spectrum and it will guide students up to advanced level.

The last decade or so, students' and clients' feedback tells me how people increasingly feel endlessly-lost-in-space by the stream of conflicting formulae and how they often don't know how to aim their ship's compass needle anymore. Look at the sheer vomit of book after book after lecture after course. Because of this confusion, I saw many people got lost for the trade.

I have always felt confident that the hype around Feng Shui and other Qi studies would be temporary, for it is simple deduction how people - clients, students, practitioners - will not accept emptiness and superficiality any longer.

There are two titles that have been very recently published that strengthen me in this view, and those are the latest Feng Shui title by master Eva Wong and the Second Edition of Complete Idiot's Guide To Feng Shui. Finally, I would say, two books that will not take advantage of reader's ignorance, that will not have a hidden message: `buy me, and then later buy a better edition of me, but for the time being let's keep you uninitiated'.

Anyway, this book - as it can be taken as a step by step guide - introduces cohesion back into the process of studying and applying authentic Traditional Chinese Feng Shui, this time not just for the beginning student - who will feel already supported in building his or her own house's Flying Star chart - and the advanced student, but for the practitioner and the teacher who will feel endorsed by its content in how it deals with many of the misconceptions that have been out there. Teachers who choose to follow a down to earth and academic approach can add the material to their curriculum.

To me, the book vibrates a refreshing responsibility and sincerity towards the society of students in Oriental metaphysics, the more so where Moran and Biktashev for the second edition cared to add reknowned Chinese master Joseph Yu to the board of authors. Yu has been one of the world's leading authorities on Classical Chinese Feng Shui, the Chinese astrologies of Four Pillars of Destiny and Zi Wei Dou Shu and is known for his indepth teachings in Yi Jing (Book of Changes).

In doing so, the second edition definitely moves away from the first one, as Yu offers many advanced Flying Star techniques, adding special charts and advanced techniques, some of which would be generally still regarded `secret' and withheld and not be given out at all by other teachers.

Yu further addresses formulae that may even out some of the controversies that we have seen emerge lately. The book's collection of Star charts are clear and easy to understand, also to the beginning student. To my knowledge there isn't a book around that has this kind of information.

He has added accurate step-by-step instruction about performing an advanced Feng Shui audit.

On top of this, and not to be found in the first edition also, Yu then devotes a section entirely on Four Pillars of Destiny, thereby complementing much of the Time aspects already available in Feng Shui theories and aspects of destiny.

Over recent years, the Four Pillars of Destiny has successfully taken over the position once taken in by what I would call 'Popular Chinese astrology', where we only found our year animal described in magazines, newspapers and books.

Instead, the reader will be able to build his complete Chinese horoscope according to the traditional rules and find the Elements and animal signs for his or her year, month, day and hour of birth.

To round up this review, and only meant to express my personal views, I believe a powerful red thread of the book already lies in its explanation of the difference between faux and authentic Feng Shui. Furthermore, the reader will find no rituals, affirmations, visualizations or superstition, for simple reason that Classical Chinese Feng Shui never needed this and authentic teachers never needed to rely on them.
That, to me, is a relief already and why I must recommend the book as a `must have'.

The book does right to the ancient Chinese masters who were far from hippies or alternative new age thinkers, but who were instead astronomers, mathematicians, physicists and who had in the first place built Feng Shui from their sound observation of astronomical realities. Hence the title of my review.

What I particularly like is how the authors keep themselves approachable to readers of both the Complete Idiot's Guide To Feng Shui as well as the Complete Idiot's Guide To The I Ching (same authors), who can subscribe to the authors' Yahoo! Group mailinglists for further exchange and studies.

Readers of Complete Idiot's Guide of Feng Shui:

Readers of Complete Idiot's Guide To The I Ching:

Website Joseph Yu:

Elizabeth and Masters Joseph and Val show us a side of Feng Shui that is not frightened to open the portholes of our intelligent nature. Most of the rubbish that is readily available shows the public the easy way for Faux analysis. Purchase this cure and immediately feel the difference. I don't think so.

This excellent book is choc full of helpful words and masterful class notes to guide one through life's tortuous path.

Speaking of which, I have always thought that Wang Shan Wang Shui was a sexual manoeuvre, now I've learned otherwise and it's this instruction that takes this book into excellence.

My partner, a Feng Shui practitioner, asked me to review this wonderful book while she was on a job so I sat in the car and used this book as my advisor and worked out with my limited knowledge, the house that is to be built is a Dui house for period 8 and should be angled, etc...

Well I was right - I deserved the money my partner was paid, or at least half!

After reading this book and having met Master Joseph and sat through parts of his wonderful Master classes I felt honoured to review this comprehensive, well laid out and most thought provoking compendium.

Volume Two of the "Idiot's Guide" is much improved over Volume One. The chapter on science is expanded to show a stronger link with modern physics. Feng shui's historical roots and evolution are presented in a very clear and concise manner. But what is really exciting are the numerous charts and tables scattered throughout the book. They are presented with a logical and detailed understanding of the calculations of their development, and how to use them to analyze the energy in a building. The book is written in a style that empowers feng shui students to feel confident and to understand the reasons "why" feng shui works rather than just "how." The Flying Stars section has been improved with the presentation of the more accurate three-star, versus two-star version. It also includes the analysis of Flying Stars charts, with the logic behind it. While the book does not take the place of classical master class training, it can be a great complement. I am extremely happy to have this book as a reference for my feng shui practice.

This book has a lot of background information that will not appeal to time starved dabblers. But then again, I do not think that this is the target audience that the authors had in mind. This is a serious textbook despite the "Idiot's" title. But as an "Idiot's" book, it implies that this is a (serious) amateur's (apprentice's) book.

Think of this book as a fundamental Feng Shui 101 text.

The Four Pillars, Eight Trigrams and Flying Stars sections are excellent and the most readable that I have come across. Although there are some differences regarding the Eight Houses, it is only to be expected.

Also, there's quite a bit of overlap with this book and the other Idiot's book on I Ching which some of you may wish to acquire.

It will give the reader a darned good foundation and crystallises previous ideas into working knowledge. As a 101 book, it goes deep but not enough to graduate.

Overall, very well laid out and logically presented. It lays very solid foundations and builds on them progressively.

Well done Elizabeth, Messrs Joseph and Val! Now please bring out a second level journeyman book with lots of in-depth flying stars and case studies. :-)

And any other book you may care to release in between.

This book is not one that you read once, put aside and forget about. It is a serious textbook on learning real and authentive feng shui. It is a reference book as well filled with wisdom and practical advice for those who are serious students of feng shui.

I have on my shelf about a dozen books on feng shui ranging from simplistic explanations to almost superstitious treatment of "cures" to complicated study books. There are two books that I keep pulling out of the shelf as I continue studying this ancient art (and science).

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui (2nd ed.) is one of them. (The other one I find referring to constantly is Eva Wong's Master Course on Feng Shui, Shambhala Press, 2001). The authors, Moran, Yu and Biktashev, lay down an understandable and solid foundation on feng shui in the first part of the book. Understanding this foundation is essential if one is to seriously study feng shui.

The second part of the book lays down the practical principles of classical or traditional, and thereby authentic, feng shui. Considerable material is presented in the second part. Since I am particularly interested in Flying Star feng shui, this second part is what is most useful to me. I have folded, dog eared, paper clipped, underlined, marked and remarked, these pages on flying stars. For me, flying star IS feng shui. And I've learned tremendously from this section.

My interest so peaked that I wanted to know more. Luckily, Joseph Yu has an online course on the subject and I am now enrolled in his class. I know that I've barely scratched the surface and my serious study of feng shui continues to develop.

The authors have done more than a yeoman's job in presenting to the world true and authentic classical feng shui. We are endebted to their courage to write this book and share with us the secrets of Feng Shui.

All IMHO.