Feng Shui means “Wind and Water”. It is
the ancient Chinese art of placement. Feng Shui has been practiced
for over 3000 years. In ancient times, practitioners would locate
favorable building sites for homes and villages, where the vital
energy, or Ch’i, flowed harmoniously and supported human life.
I first learned about Feng Shui several years ago in Malaysia. While
living there I noticed some odd things in many homes. I was
consistently tripping on stairways because the steps were varying
heights. I would see chimes hung in the strangest places. I also
found a disproportionate number of frog statues, and in businesses I
would often see Chinese coins strung on red ribbons. I learned these
were Feng Shui “fixes” to improve the Ch’i. The uneven steps were
intentionally built to trip up evil spirits. The chimes were hung to
circulate energy, and Chinese coins and frog statues were considered
“very lucky”. Truthfully, these enhancements felt somewhat
superstitious and strange to my Western way of thinking.
Though appropriate in Asia, I wondered how I might “fix” things when
I returned to the U.S. Would there be a Chinese coin shop nearby?
Would any frog statue work or would I have to import one? Where
would I find a builder who would intentionally build uneven steps? I
began to read every Feng Shui book I could get my hands on.
Eventually, I learned about Essential Feng Shui™, which uses a blend
of ancient principles and modern applications to enhance the Ch’i.
This made sense to me.
In the United States flowing streams and mountain embraces are not
readily available to the average home buyer. In fact, more often
than not, chosen locations are the result of economic factors rather
than the ideal. Modern buildings, which often break every Feng Shui
rule, are constructed on sites that would never have been chosen by
ancient practitioners.
There is hope, though, even if we cannot control the location,
direction or placement of our dwellings. Ch’i-depleting environments
that drain resources can be corrected. Essential Feng Shui provides
a complete set of tools. You can enhance the Ch’i and create harmony
in any less-than-perfect setting and turn it into your own personal
paradise. The Ch’i that moves through your environment — whether it
is your home, office, or your backyard — is vitally important to
your health, prosperity and happiness. When you balance and enhance
your environment, you will energize and manifest your goals, hopes
and dreams for the future.
All things have living energy, or Ch’i. This includes material
possessions, too: cars, furniture, electronics, plants, rocks and
buildings. Every single thing is “alive” and possesses its own Ch’i
qualities, as well as the Ch’i we bring to it with our own
reactions, experiences and memories. You feel a sense of comfort and
safety when surrounded by things you love. Likewise, when surrounded
by things you dislike, you experience discomfort, even if only in
subtle ways. Discomfort can consume your energy. You may find
yourself sluggish, unable to complete tasks, or even unwell.
If you work to enhance your environment, you’ll see and feel
improvement in your life. When you remove dangers, such as sharp
corners, prickly plants, tripping hazards or precariously hung
pictures, you improve the Ch’i. Arrange your furniture to be
welcoming and inviting, rather than crowded, inaccessible and
cluttered. When you enter a room that is harmonious and balanced,
you will feel it is a place you want to be.
You will achieve an additional layer of comfort when you find a
balance between yin and yang. Yin is feminine, soft, detailed,
textured, and dark. Yang is masculine, hard, bold, smooth, and
light. So, how to achieve balance? You might soften slick yang
surfaces with nubby yin fabric. Or lighten up dark yin rooms with
strong yang lighting. Opposites complement each other to create a
pleasing effect. When the finished effect is comfortable and you
love it, you have enhanced the Ch’i.
It is also helpful to use the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth,
Metal and Water) in each room. The elements can be represented in
many ways: through color, shape, or with the element itself. For
example, Wood is represented by blue and green, columnar shapes, and
by actual wood, plants or flowers. You’ll find Fire in shades of red
and via candles, lighting and triangular shapes. Earth tones and
yellow represent Earth, along with square shapes, earthenware,
ceramics and clay. Pastels or white, round shapes and metal objects
denote Metal. The Water element is found in very dark colors, glass,
mirrors or in water itself. Regardless of how you play with these
elements in your environment, the end result should be comfortable
and pleasing to you.
There is no room for clutter, even if it is hidden from view. You
know it’s there and it will drain your energy. Do you have a junk
room? Is there a closet or spare bedroom that you keep closed so no
one else can see it? Typically it contains broken furniture,
obsolete computer equipment, piles of ironing, and paperwork you’ve
been meaning to toss. No good energy is generated by junk rooms! Why
not find a new home for the things you don’t like, don’t use and/or
don’t need? Quit procrastinating. By clearing things out or
finishing what needs to be done, you’ll find new energy for the
things you want to do. Give away or sell unwanted objects and you’ll
make room for better things to come into your life.
Remember that everything has Ch’i, everything is connected, and the
Ch’i is ever changing. The one constant in our physical world is
change. Seasons change; you age; your tastes change; your emotions
change; and so your surroundings must change to provide you the
comfort and support you need to feel happy, successful and healthy
throughout your life.
Have you ever taken a vacation or attended a conference or retreat
and returned home energized? Perhaps you felt the need to clear out
the clutter or rearrange furniture as a result of the new energy you
experienced. If so, you have practiced Essential Feng Shui
intuitively. You trusted your new perspective and made changes you
could clearly see needed to be made. You invited fresh Ch’i into
your surroundings and anchored positive energy so you could support
and nourish the “new you”.
I encourage you to do that now. Change your environment to fit who
you are or who you want to become. Let your environment grow, move,
and dance with the moment. Be whimsical, witty, quirky or freaky.
You don’t have to live with it forever; it’s all going to change
anyway. Just keep your surroundings fresh and alive, and you’ll have
a delightful place to be. Creating an environment that nurtures,
protects and supports you as you progress through life is the
essential key to good Feng Shui.
Sue Todd is an Essential
Feng Shui™ practitioner in Anchorage, AK. Go to
www.suetoddessentialfengshui.com to learn more about Essential
Feng Shui or to book a speaking engagement or private consulatation.
(Essential Feng Shui™ is a registered trademark of the Western
School of Feng Shui.)
