How to Use Feng Shui to Resolve Suffering from Emotional Moles

“To know the causes of past lives, look to the suffering of the present; to know the fruits of future lives, look to the actions of the present.” This well-known line from Buddhist scripture reveals the essence of cause and effect. Since we’re discussing Buddhism, we cannot overlook stories of past and present lives. Among them is the tale of the “sorrowful birthmark,” which we will explore here from a religious perspective.

I. The Religious Significance of the Sorrowful Birthmark

According to tradition, after leaving the mortal world, one sets out on the road to the underworld. At the end of this road lies the River of Forgetfulness. Beside it stands a bridge, and on the bridge is a platform of homesickness where a woman named Meng Po resides. Her duty is to offer each passerby a bowl of Meng Po soup. Drinking it causes one to forget all the love, hate, and grievances of the life just lived. The sorrowful birthmark is said to appear when someone refuses to drink the soup; Meng Po then marks them with a special sign.

II. The Locations of the Sorrowful Birthmark

According to the astrological work “The Teachings of the Star Guolao,” sorrowful birthmarks are typically found in the following places on the body: 1. A black mole on the back of the neck; 2. Dimples; 3. The “guarding lizard” mark, which in ancient times referred to a bright red mole on a woman’s arm symbolizing purity and chastity.

III. The Meaning of the Sorrowful Birthmark

Because it begins with the word “sorrow,” it signifies torment and suffering—physical, emotional, and even across time and space. Those said to bear a sorrowful birthmark often play tragic roles in stories of love and marriage: separated by life and death, kept apart by distance, or meeting as strangers—tales threaded with pain.

In this world, where there is yin, there is yang; where there is offense, there is defense. Everything seeks balance between opposites. The same holds for love and marriage: if unhappy unions exist, there must also be ways to ease marital discord. Today, we will consider how to lessen the influence of the sorrowful birthmark from the perspective of Feng Shui.

1. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

A well-known saying in Feng Shui is “Out of sight, out of mind,” meaning that if the eye does not see it, the negative energy diminishes. However, once a sorrowful birthmark forms, it accompanies a person for life. Therefore, to mitigate its influence, we use the Feng Shui method of “covering,” which aligns with the idea of “out of sight, out of mind.” Those with a guarding lizard mark should avoid wearing short sleeves before marriage so as not to expose it. Women with a sorrowful birthmark on the back of the neck might consider keeping long hair to cover it. According to physiognomy, dimples are linked to midlife fortune, so people with dimples are advised to marry earlier to lessen the sorrow and harm associated with them.

     2. Arrange the Feng Shui Setup

The sorrowful birthmark is tied to grief and tears—ultimately, to unhappy marriage. In Feng Shui, relationship matters are connected to the “peach blossom” aspect. According to positional theory, young people facing relationship troubles can place a vase of fresh flowers in the peach blossom position of their home to attract favorable romance and reduce the impact of harmful relationships. Married individuals can worship the Taoist deities Hehe Erxian, guardians of marital harmony. When couples encounter bottlenecks and difficulties, these deities are believed to help resolve discord.