Taoist Gift

[Ozzmosis]

A friend of mine gave me this as a gift recently, but neither of us know what it is or how to use it.

Here are some pictures of it.

http://uploadpic.org/storage/2011/thumb_8mpotx1WimYo3Bj6e7Dyhbp.jpg (http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=XIr9ReshsP)

http://uploadpic.org/storage/2011/thumb_tyFepG4pVMO6wjRXXQ9zaUW99.jpg (http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=jGYe8jeyLt)

What is it?

[KashakuTatsu]

That is a bagua, it has many uses. Here is some generalized info on it Ba gua - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagua_%28concept%29)

China town sells ones like yours to be placed in your windows and doors, mirrored side out to repel negativity. But if you don't want to send it to your neighbor or at your car, be careful of where you point it.

[Ozzmosis]

I lay it flat on its back and have it point upwards. Will that make it ineffective or does it deflect the negative energy in a generally safe direction?

[Cartoon Character]

As KashakuTatsu said, that's a Bagua mirror. Don't keep it inside, unless you want whatever negative energies are being absorbed to basically accumulate and bounce around your dwelling space. They are used extensively in feng shui, and there are certain kinds that can be used indoors, although it's best to let someone experienced or qualified in that area do that for you. The Bagua (literally, "Eight Trigrams") is a very, very ancient symbol of protection, among other things (I just realized that I have three of them in my avatar.) The basic process at work in the case of Bagua mirrors is that the Bagua essentially absorbs negative qi, and will usually dissipate it back into the Void. In the case of mirrors, however, the qi accumulated by the Bagua is focused and projected OUT by the mirror. So, again, you don't want to keep one in your living space, office, etc., regardless of how you have it pointing. If you live across the street from a graveyard, for example, you'd hang it outside above your front door, pointing towards the graveyard. Or, if you really hate your neighbor, pointing at their dwelling. There are some smaller versions of these that can be used in a vehicle, but the reasoning there is that the windows will give the negative qi a clear path to leave the immediate environment. Taoists have used the Bagua for a great many things (I use it a lot in ritual, as a means of focus, etc.), and it is meant to protect you. However, in this case, you really want to hang it outside.

[zero]

it is composed of the 8 trigrams and aslo the outer ring with dots is in essence this

http://www.confuciusonline.com/wp-content/uploads/auto_save_image/2010/10/065024EUL.gif

called River Map

[Cartoon Character]

Yes. The He Tu corresponds more to the Early Heaven sequence of the Bagua, which Fu Xi noticed on the back of a horse/dragon hybrid (or tortoise, depending on the story.) This is the sequence found on the mirror that Ozzmosis has, and in modern times, the River Map is used more in feng shui circles than I Ching work as most people perceive it.

[Ozzmosis]

Taoists have used the Bagua for a great many things (I use it a lot in ritual, as a means of focus, etc.), and it is meant to protect you. However, in this case, you really want to hang it outside.
What about scrying?

[KashakuTatsu]

I believe scrying would be better done with water in a dark bowl, regular mirror or otherwise plain shiny surface. I haven't heard of people using bagua mirrors for scrying, but I could be wrong.

[Cartoon Character]

I agree with KashakuTatsu in that there are better methods of scrying than using the Bagua. I personally would not use a Bagua mirror for such a purpose, and unless someone wants to look directly into the potentially harmful qi being projected from the mirror, I wouldn't advise anyone else to do it either. A face full of sha qi would probably not be good. Again, while the Bagua itself has a myriad of uses and applications, the Bagua mirror should be used only for its intended purpose, which is to draw and eliminate negative or harmful energetic currents.

That being said, I have used the Bagua for divination outside of a more standardized I Ching scenario, and it has proved to be very accurate. The Bagua forms the basis of the I Ching, and can therefore be utilized for more purposes than one could probably imagine. This is especially true of the I Ching itself (there's an I Ching thread here somewhere, and I think I remember discussing some of this with someone...maybe? Maybe not. I could be wrong), and the method I am speaking of here involves more of an "intuitive" means of divination without any physical tools. I would again go with what KashakuTatsu said about scrying, as it is not the same as what I'm referring to here, but you could use the Bagua as an aid. She mentioned scrying with water, so if you have a connection to the Bagua, or want to experiment, you could involve the trigram (gua) for Water with your scrying session using water as a medium. I suppose you could also paint, inscribe, draw, etc. the trigrams on a mirror or another surface and use that if you so chose. I would not, however, use a "proper" Bagua mirror for such purposes.

Here's a link to that thread if anyone is interested. Out of curiosity, as this thread is titled "Taoist Gift", was this mirror given to you by an actual Taoist? Or, are you referring to the fact that Bagua mirrors are Taoist tools? By the way, Ozzmosis....Zakk Wylde is GOD. Just sayin'....

http://www.occultforums.net/divination/4291-i-ching.html

[Ozzmosis]

Here's a link to that thread if anyone is interested. Out of curiosity, as this thread is titled "Taoist Gift", was this mirror given to you by an actual Taoist?
He was on vacation in New York City, he saw it in a gift shop and thought I would like it.
And no, he isn't a Taoist.
He just likes to buy me stuff time to time and often refers to me "as that guy who reads magic books."

[Cartoon Character]

Thanks for clarifying that. After I had posted with that question, I referred to your original post and noticed you had said that neither of you knew much about it. Guess that's pretty self-explanatory, huh? I asked because if your friend were Taoist, he should have been able to explain the mirror's basic function, or at the very least let you know about not using it inside. Then again, Taoism is known for having more than its share of charlatans and downright nasty magicians/sorcerers, so the attitude of "anything goes" is fairly strong throughout the tradition as a whole.

[Cartoon Character]

Loner makes a good point here, and it's one that is often overlooked. I was discussing this point with someone the other day, and one should use the appropriate tool for each particular job. Don't use a hammer in place of a screwdriver sort of thing. Some tools can overlap in their function (in Chinese magick, the ritual sword generally assumes the role of athame and wand used in Western ceremonial magick), but most tools should be used for their specific purpose. Also, gates are sometimes opened that need to be closed. The use of Bagua mirrors is basically a passive activity, whereas scrying, for example is a more active process which requires more personal investment.