Feng shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure health and good fortune for the people inhabiting it.
Feng means wind and shui means water. In Chinese culture wind and water are associated with good health, thus good feng shui relates to good fortune.
Feng shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy. The theories of yin and yang, as well as the five feng shui elements are some of the basic aspects of a feng shui analysis that come from Taoism. The ancient Chinese believed that specific land’s energy could either make for a positive or a negative influence on the surrounding elements and inhabitants of the land.
Qi is a Chinese term that literally means breath, air, or gas. Qi is the fundamental life force or energy found in all living things. Qi is formed from the interaction of yin and yang energies. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, it is often referred to as the “energy” present in the meridians and the organs of the body. This is an entire subject matter in itself worth exploring.
There are various means to cleanse the energy in our bodies and open up the flow of energy, Chi, through different techniques such as, acupuncture, chakra cleansing, energy healing, meditation, and meridian point treatments along with many other techniques.
7 Beginning Steps in Feng Shui
An important step in a feng shui analysis is to obtain a compass and the bagua. The feng shui bagua is an octagonal energy map grid containing the symbols of the I Ching, the ancient oracle on which feng shui is based. Translated from Chinese, bagua literally means “8 areas.”
Learning the bagua of your home will help you understand the connection of specific feng shui areas of your home and how those areas relate to specific areas of your life.
1. Clear out the clutter and cleanse old energy. (Very important)
2. Making sure you have good quality air and ample amount of light.
3. Define the bagua
4. Understanding the basics of the 5 principle elements and implement the appropriate applications of elements and color techniques
5. Learn your feng shui birth element.
6. Learn your Kua number and lucky directions.
7. Be aware of the energy of your home and how to help shift and make it flow to your advantage creating positive energy, Chi.
Principle of the Five Elements
One of the basic principles of feng shui is the principle of five elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These feng shui elements interact between themselves in certain ways, generally defined as productive and destructive cycles.
Each feng shui element is represented by a specific color, and color is the easiest way to use the five elements principle to bring more harmony into your home with feng shui.
Elements & Colors
Wood-green, brown
Fire-red, deep yellow, orange, pink and purple
Earth-light brown, sandy earthy color, light yellow
Metal-white, gray
Water-black, blue
Knowing how to use these color to strengthen, balance, and awaken the flow of the Chi energy of your home is a complex feng shui subject, but there are always basics to it. The bagua, or the feng shui energy map of any space defines the proper placement of feng shui colors.
A Few Elemental Tools of Feng Shui
Compass
Bagua
Sage and incense
Mirrors
Chinese coins
Candles of various colors
Ribbons of various colors
Bamboo or wood
Metal elements
Live plants
Water fountains
Aquariums
It is of course important to study and understand how to utilize these tools and the best application of them within any space to create balance and positive Chi.
A Few Feng Shui Application Tips
Sage is used to cleanse homes. Burn sage and cleanse Qi and remove negative energy after arguments, when moving into a place that had previous tenants, after the passing of someone, or whenever you feel there is an energy that needs to be cleared.
Bamboo symbolizes flexibility, resiliency, good health, and wealth in Chinese culture. Place bamboo and jade plants in your home and office as great wealth enhancers.
Fish, particularly koi fish, bring great water energy when placed in the career area of the bagua map.
Crystals are splendid symbols of the earth element. They create and store energy. Hang in windows to bring good energy from the outside into dark or stagnant areas of your home, as well as energizing particular sectors for creating desired positive results. They create rainbows when hung by the window, catching the sunlight and breaking the light into rainbow, which brings precious Yang energy into the home. Colored Crystals are used to activate the energy of specific sectors or elements.
“To live in a sacred space is to live in a symbolic environment where spiritual life is possible, where everything around you speaks of the exaltation of the spirit. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation. At first you might find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place and use it, something will eventually happen. Your sacred space is where you find yourself again and again.” – Joseph Campbell