I remember when my hubby Jeff and I first lived together we would have different preferences as to where we wanted to hang out in our home. When I preferred hanging out in the breakfast nook, he wanted to relax in the living room. He would jokingly say “when you say say east, I say west.” I guess he was right, turns out that he is a West person and I am an East person!
One major principle of Feng Shui is that each individual has lucky and unlucky directions and locations. Certain directions may energize one person but not another person. An individual’s lucky and unlucky directions are determined using a calculation called the Pa Kua Lo Shu Formula or Kua Number Formula.
I have personally used this formula in my own home and office to ensure that my hubby Jeff and I harmonize and personalize the spaces we hang out in as much as possible so that they can benefit both of us.
Here are 4 Easy Steps to Calculate Your Kua Number and Lucky Directions:
1. Convert your birth year
First, take your birth year and convert it to the lunar year using this conversion calculator. If you already know you lunar birth year, you can skip this step.
2. Calculate Your Kua or “Gua” number
The calculation originated from the traditional schools of Feng Shui to determine a Kua or “GUA” number. By determining your Kua number, you can personalize your specific feng shui needs. Below is the formula and example calculation:
Formula
Example
a. Take your lunar birth year.
a. 1977
b. Add the last two digits of the lunar birth year from Step a to get to a single digit number.
b. 7+7 = 14
c. If the number from Step b is greater than 9, add the individual digits to get to a single digit.
c. 1+4 = 5
d. For female: Add 5 to the number calculated in Step c. If the number is greater than 9, add the individual digits to get to a single digit.
d. 5+5 = 10; 1+0 = 1
d. For male: Reduce the number calculated in Step c above from 10.
d. 10-5 = 5
3. Determine Your Lucky Direction Group
According to the traditional principles of Feng Shui, each individual is either a East person or a West person. Knowing this, combined with your Kua number, allows you to determine your four lucky directions to go to and unlucky directions to avoid.
Using the Kua number calculated in Step 2 above, you can easily determine whether you are an east or west person based on the chart below.
KUA #
Lucky Group
1, 3, 4, 9
East
2, 5, 6, 7, 8
West
4. Determine Your Lucky Directions
Below is a summary table of the best directions and worst directions for each Kua number. You can refer to this table to determine which direction you should sit and face and boost your luck!
Auspicious
Inauspicious
Kua
Luckiest Direction
Health Direction
Romance Direction
Personal Growth
ObstaclesDirection
Five Ghosts Direction
Six Killings Direction
Total Loss Direction
1
SE
E
S
N
W
NE
NW
SW
2
NE
W
NW
SW
E
SE
S
N
3
S
N
SE
E
SW
NW
NE
W
4
N
S
E
SE
NW
SW
W
NE
5
NE (Male)SW (Female)
W (Male)NW (Female)
NW (Male)W (Female)
SW (Male)NE (Female)
E (Male)S (Female)
SE (Male)N (Female)
S (Male)E (Female)
N (Male)SE (Male)
6
W
NE
SW
NW
SE
E
N
S
7
NW
SW
NE
W
N
S
SE
E
8
SW
NW
W
NE
S
N
E
SE
9
E
SE
N
S
NE
W
SW
NW
Now you are probably wondering what some of these terms mean e.g. what six killings mean? Here is a brief definition of each of the 8 directions:
Lucky Directions
Luckiest: represents success, prosperity, and advancement.
Health: signifies great mind, body, strength and overall health
Romance: means great personal and working relationships
Personal Growth: represents stability and development
Unlucky Directions
Obstacles: represents failure, mishaps, and obstacles with people and day to day life.
Five Ghosts: brings negativity including disagreements, gossips and rumors, misunderstandings, etc.
Six Killings: causes negativity in personal and work relationships, including legal issues such as divorce or accidents.
Total Loss: this is the worst location which brings sickness, personal and business failures.
By knowing your lucky and lucky directions, as well the bagua (feng shui energy map), you can maximize the chi in your home and work locations and be in more control of your circumstances!
The key is balance! My husband and I make sure that we spend time equally in the directions that are beneficial for each of us. For instance, some days we spend time in the kitchen nook, which happens to be in one of my best directions, Southeast. If we are in the Southeast, I make sure that Jeff sits facing one of his best directions such as West or Southwest. Or in the morning I spend time in Jeff’s best location and in the evening during dinner we spend time in my best location – basically we switch it up.
There you have it: 4 easy steps to calculate your kua number and lucky directions. Having trouble finding your kua number? Leave me a comment below.
Patty is the creator and founder of Hipster Feng Shui. She is a wife, pet mom, vegetarian, tree hugger, world traveler, and Apple fan-girl. Seeing so many stressed and unfulfilled individuals in today’s society inspired Patty to help others by sharing her deep knowledge of Feng Shui and other lifestyle tips. Patty believes everyone can achieve peace and harmony through Feng Shui and lifestyle design while having fun! She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and worked at Apple and KPMG prior to founding Hipster Feng Shui. Subscribe to receive Feng Shui tips and find Hipster Feng Shui on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Hello , Good day , I did calculate my kua number , I follow your sample , I think mine is 9 over the score ? is this correct ? my birth date is may 16, 1981..
Is the lucky direction based on which direction the whole gua is in? Or which direction you are in once inside the room? For eample, our bedroom is in the East gua, but within the room and aligned with the entrance door to that particular room, it puts my head at the west directon. Thanks!
I haven’t heard of changing your solar year to a lunar year. When I had a consultation , my number was calculated using my birth year. Does that mean it was done incorrectly?
My birth date is 01-10-1977. I was born in Hailey, ID, USA
Thanks,
Paula
dear Patty,
i followed the steps to calculate my gua number. i added the last two digits from my lunar birth year (1990) and it came out 9. since i dont have to add any more digits to make it single i.e step c, do i have to follow the step d? i am confused.
We have just built a home which faces NW and my wife Kua number is 4 and mine is 6. My wife is also running a home business but has been looking for a more permanent income and we are finding it hard. Our home we stay in now is E-NE and we are worried about moving to the new home. If we move her home business will be located in the N side of the house currently it is in the SE side of our home. Can you please give me some advice.
I sent a message before and not sure if you got it? I need major help understanding how to use this. One of my children died from an accident 7 years ago and I believe it maybe had been a result of not knowing this.
8 Comments
Hello , Good day , I did calculate my kua number , I follow your sample , I think mine is 9 over the score ? is this correct ? my birth date is may 16, 1981..
Thank you looking forward your reply..
Cheers,
IT’S I’TERESTING, BUT I’M HAVING TROUBLE HOW TO GET MY KUA NUMBERS AND LUCKY DIRWCTIONS.
THANKS
maam, my husband birthday in lunar month is 1979- 9 23
is hes KUA 6, i would like to know.
thank you
Is the lucky direction based on which direction the whole gua is in? Or which direction you are in once inside the room? For eample, our bedroom is in the East gua, but within the room and aligned with the entrance door to that particular room, it puts my head at the west directon. Thanks!
I haven’t heard of changing your solar year to a lunar year. When I had a consultation , my number was calculated using my birth year. Does that mean it was done incorrectly?
My birth date is 01-10-1977. I was born in Hailey, ID, USA
Thanks,
Paula
dear Patty,
i followed the steps to calculate my gua number. i added the last two digits from my lunar birth year (1990) and it came out 9. since i dont have to add any more digits to make it single i.e step c, do i have to follow the step d? i am confused.
Hello,
We have just built a home which faces NW and my wife Kua number is 4 and mine is 6. My wife is also running a home business but has been looking for a more permanent income and we are finding it hard. Our home we stay in now is E-NE and we are worried about moving to the new home. If we move her home business will be located in the N side of the house currently it is in the SE side of our home. Can you please give me some advice.
I sent a message before and not sure if you got it? I need major help understanding how to use this. One of my children died from an accident 7 years ago and I believe it maybe had been a result of not knowing this.