Plotting a Flying Star chart is not difficult, but it does require practice, and some crucial pieces of information. Obtaining this information in an accurate way can be challenging, and is one of the markers of an accomplished Feng Shui practitioner, as compared to an amateur.
The information you will need to get started plotting a Flying Star chart is the Period of the property and the facing direction of the property. Using this information, you will fly the Stars according to the Luo Shu path and plot the bodies of Qi within the space!
First of all, it is necessary to learn the Luo Shu Path.
Refer to the original Luo Shu diagram:
Now you should be familiar with the Luo Shu Path. If not, repeat the exercise above until you are completely comfortable filling in the numbers on the Luo Shu grid. This is very important.
In the exercise above, you filled the numbers in ascending order. In Flying Star Feng Shui, however, the numbers can move in descending order as well. In either case, the Luo Shu Path remains the same -- it is only the order the numbers move that changes. For instance, if 9 is in the center square, the number that occupies the lower-right square might be 1, but it could also be 8. Practice flying all the numbers again, but this time in descending order. Remember, the Luo Shu Path itself NEVER changes.
Now you should be very well acquainted with the Luo Shu Path, and flying numbers within the Luo Shu grid. Now you will learn which numbers to place where.
A Natal Flying Star Chart (the chart that shows the basic pattern of Qi within a structure, as opposed to yearly or monthly Flying Star influences) consists of three numbers in each Palace of the Luo Shu. These numbers are called the Base Star, the Facing Star and the Sitting Star. The Base Star occupies the lower center of each square, the Facing Star occupies the upper right corner of each square, and the Sitting Star occupies the upper left corner of each square. We will discuss the qualities of each Star later. For now, just remember their positions.
You always begin creating a Flying Star chart with the Base Star. To determine which number occupies the Base Star position of the Central Palace, you will need to determine the Period of your building. There are two schools of thought regarding this calculation. The first school of thought states that the Period of a building is determined by the date the building's construction was completed. The basis for this belief is that when a building's construction is completed, the Qi of Heaven and the Qi of Earth are encapsulated within that building, and this sets the Period. Thus, if a building's construction is completed in the year 2000, for example, that building's Period is 7 (refer to the Period chart in the previous lesson for clarification if needed).
The second school of thought regarding the calculation of a building's Period states that it doesn't matter when the building was constructed, the Period is only set when the first residents occupy the building. The rationale behind this argument is that a Period relies on the Cosmic Trinity of Heaven Qi, Earth Qi and Human Qi. Although Heaven Qi and Earth Qi are set when the building's construction is completed, the Human Qi does not enter until the first residents occupy the building. Thus, if a building is constructed in the year 2003, but the first residents don't move in until March of 2004, the Period of the building is 8, not 7.
Regardless of which school of thought is used, the Period does not change again unless there is major renovation undertaken to the structure. This would include changing the roof, the flooring and the main door, plus painting every part of the building's interior.
It is the second school of thought that we will use in these lessons. For years when the Period changes (1984, 2004, 2024, etc.) you will need to be careful, because the Chinese year doesn't change on January 1. You will need to consult the following chart to see when the year changes, thus when the Period changes:
| Year | Date |
| 1864 | February 8 |
| 1884 | January 28 |
| 1904 | February 16 |
| 1924 | February 5 |
| 1944 | January 25 |
| 1964 | February 13 |
| 1984 | February 2 |
| 2004 | January 22 |
| 2024 | February 10 |
Now that you have determined the building's Period, you can occupy the Base Star of the Central Palace with the Period number. If your building's Period is 7, place a 7 in the lower center position of the Central Palace of the Luo Shu grid, for example.
Base Stars always fly in ascending, or Yang, order, following the Luo Shu Path. If your center Base Star number is 7, the number in the northwest Palace will be 8, and so on. Remember, you ALWAYS follow the Luo Shu Path, and you ALWAYS fly the Base Star in ascending order. This will never change!
Now you will occupy the Facing and Sitting Stars in the Central Palace to conclude this lesson. To do this, you will need the Facing Direction of your building. Refer back to the Taking Directions lesson for a refresher if needed. You will need to determine which of the 24 Mountains your building faces. Be very careful when taking the facing direction, as an error here will cause the entire Flying Star chart to be wrong.
Once you have the building's Facing Direction, indicate the Facing Palace on the Luo Shu grid using an arrow symbol. Now indicate the Sitting Palace with a rectangle. The Sitting Palace is always the exact opposite of the Facing Palace. For example, if you have a Period 8 property that faces Southwest 2, your Luo Shu diagram should look like this:
Now place the Base Star of the Facing Palace in the upper right corner of the Central Palace. This is the Facing Star of the Central Palace. Now place the Base Star of the Sitting Palace in the upper left corner of the Central Palace. This is the Sitting Star of the Central Palace. Remember that the Sitting Palace is always the exact opposite of the Facing Palace.
