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What Is Feng Shui?
by Lorraine Simpson
Feng Shui means “Wind and Water” - literally it refers
to the topography of our planet and the way these forces of nature
have shaped our landscape. It is a mystical practice blending
ancient Chinese wisdom dating back at least 4000 years with cultural superstitions.
This wisdom lays down guidelines for identifying and establishing
favourable and unfavourable land sites and provides instructions
on designing home layouts to dramatically enhance quality of
life.
In the home Feng Shui features create
harmonious relationships between partners, between parents and
children, promotes good health and prosperity. In the workplace
good Feng Shui creates opportunities for growth, attracts customers,
increases profits and elevates prestige. An aura of goodwill
pervades promoting good working relationships.
Good Feng Shui exists when the winds and water surrounding your
home or workplace are well-balanced. Bad Feng Shui brings disasters,
accidents, illness, lost opportunities and damaged reputations.
Most of all bad Feng Shui causes unhappiness.
Feng Shui promotes living in harmony with the earth and it’s
energies. It contends that the environment is full of powerful
invisible energy lines, usually referred to as Sheng Chi –
the Dragon’s Cosmic Breath. Some of these lines are auspicious
while others are hostile. Feng Shui dictates ways of arranging
you living or work space so that these energy lines create harmony
rather than discord. The energy lines are harnessed to ensure
they travel gently through the home and then gather and settle
to bring good fortune. Inauspicious energy lines, Shar Chi, represent
the killing breath. Feng Shui strongly warns against living or
working in places hit by these hostile energy lines. |
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While the theory of Feng Shui
is based on the Chinese view of the Universe the fundamentals
are easily understood and applied. It’s laws relate to basic
concepts of harmony and balance in the environment. There are
two major schools of thought in Feng Shui; the Form School which
diagnoses balance in terms of the shape and form of the terrain
and the Compass School which takes a more precise view and uses
the Luo Pan Compass extensively. Both schools of thought are
equally important and both should be used to get the best from
Feng Shui.
At it’s most basic Feng Shui is about the balance of opposites
described as the Yin and the Yang – terms that most of us
are now familiar with. According to Chinese wisdom all things
are either the female Yin or the male Yang. Together these opposites
make up the Universe and give each other meaning. One cannot
exist without the other, for example without the Yin of darkness
there cannot be the light of Yang. Feng Shui always includes
an analysis of surroundings. Rooms that are too Yin lack sufficient
energies to bring prosperity. Rooms that are too Yang have too
much energy causing accidents and misfortune. A home must have
balanced Yin and Yang to be auspicious and will be even more
so if there is balanced Yin and Yang outside the home as well.
Buildings built too near hospitals, abattoirs, graveyards or
prisons are too Yin because of the associations with death these
places have. Also places of worship (churches, mosques, temples)
give out too much Yin because of the mourning rituals associated
with them. Rooms that have little sunlight or that are decorated
in blue or grey, narrow or cramped rooms or rooms which have
been occupied by a long time by a sick person have too much Yin.
Buildings constantly exposed to bright sunlight or heat, too
near an electrical transmitter or large factory chimneys are
too Yang. Rooms which have constant noise and that are painted
in bright red, orange or yellow are too Yang.
A room should have elements of both Yin and Yang but never too
much of one or the other. Black and white colour schemes are
an example of Yin and Yang harmony but sounds and activity are
also important. A silent room is too Yin, a noisy one too Yang.
Remember that Feng Shui is a subtle blend of complimentary opposite
energies and that is what you should strive to create. |
