Rating
This book is intelligently and caringly written. Its approach is advanced and wholistic. The book is in three sections:
- astrology / numerology (42 pages)
- health --- based on oriental diagnosis and the five elements (48 pages)
- the home and feng shui (58 pages.)
He makes it abundantly clear that he is not trying to explain the entire compass school, but one aspect (or "layer" as he says.) The astrology / numerology section provides the charts and instructions for working out three numbers which (according to this system---nine Ki astrology) provide insights into our personality. It also tells what to expect from particular years. There's a section of Directionology as well. Many books don't include Directionology, and I have to say that the calculations are not easy. A few more words and perhaps more examples would have added greatly to readers' confidence in their correct understanding of Directionology. I did have the feeling (most especially in the health section, which is largely questionnaire format) that I was being given a lot of information but not being told what to do with all of it. It didn't seem to be a problem though, and could spur many people to further investigate how the five elements relate to health.
Sandifer has written two books on oriental healing and one on oriental astrology.
He has excellent explanations of the effects (for anyone) of their front door facing a certain direction. His list on page 136 of essential oils for particular elements is quite handy and concise. He makes an important comment about making offerings to the nature spirits whose land is being taken for new building. He does quite a good and evenhanded job of sketching out the history of feng shui and how it has evolved.
One small complaint is that on page 64 that you are looking for the third digit of a three-digit number in a chart. I felt that a bit more explanation is called for.
Judy Piatkus Pub., London, 1999, 0-7499-1960-4, 214 pages, drawings and charts, paperback, £ 12.99