About
Feng Shui
About
Us
Affiliations
Contact
Free
Reading
Products
In the
News |
|
About Feng Shui
Feng Shui - the
Chinese art of placement which has been dubbed acupuncture for houses. Over the
last few years Feng Shui has become increasingly popular in the West, with
features in virtually every newspaper and a growing stack of self-help tomes on
the bookstore shelves. At first the idea sounds a bit strange: how can shifting
your furniture change your luck? How can re-positioning a mirror bring in more
money? Why on earth does it matter if there is a beam over your bed? It all
sounds confusing. However, if you can believe that our homes are full of subtle
energy, constantly moving, then it makes more sense that the lay-out of our
homes, the positioning of our furniture and other features, can affect how that
energy flows.
How Feng Shui Works
Feng Shui evolved around five thousand years ago in China. The
ancient Chinese believed that invisible life energy (called chi) flowed through
everything in life. I like to say it's the energy that moves molecules. We
learned in high school that everything on the earth is made out of molecules
and the job of molecules is to stay in constant motion, bouncing against each
other. In things like rocks or wood, the molecules are tightly packed and
moving too slowly for the naked eye to see. When the molecules are father
apart, like in wind or water, we can see them movement. "Chi" is the energy
that keeps everything moving. I find it amazing that Ancient Ones realized this
without the discovery of the microscope! It's the same philosophy that
underlies acupuncture. If the energy in your body is flowing freely and easily,
you will stay fit and healthy. If, however, the energy becomes stagnant or
blocked, or erratic and undisciplined (through bad diet and lifestyle or
weakness in an organ) you will most likely fall ill. The needles of acupuncture
simply act by removing the blockages or calming the energy flow - they regulate
the chi. The principle is exactly the same in houses. The Chinese believed that
the buildings we live in require quite as much attention as our bodies and so
developed this highly complex science for "healing" the environment. Centuries
of observation showed that different areas of the house and different parts of
each room attracted specific energies.
Furthermore they discovered
that certain configurations (the layout of rooms or even the position of
furniture or features) could either help or hinder the free, smooth flowing of
energy. If the energy was blocked or allowed to flow swiftly it would cause
corresponding blockages and problems in life. Clutter can "catch" energy,
stopping its free circulation and turning it dull and stagnant. Sharp corners
can send energy shooting out, in too harsh a concentration. A series of open
doors send energy racing through, too fast and too frenzied. A blank wall will
stop the energy dead in its tracks. However, fortunately, they also realized
that very small but specific changes (known as "cures") such as hanging wind
chimes or crystals in certain places or using certain colors would correct such
disharmony and put your life back on track. Boosting particular areas with
auspicious colors and objects could even create better energy and better
opportunities in life. At its core, Feng Shui teaches that by making small
shifts to your home you can affect everything in your life, from your finances
to your health, from your relationships to your spirituality.
Feng Shui in
Business
Although Feng Shui sounds
so mystical, it is taken very seriously, not just in its native China but all
over the world. Madonna is a fan; so is Pierce Brosnan. There have been rumours
in the press that members of the British Royal Family have sought the help of
Feng Shui experts. And, surprisingly, it is not necessarily Hollywood
celebrities or troubled royals who are seeking the help of Feng Shui
consultants. Most of their clients are high-powered businesspeople and large
corporations who use Feng Shui to keep ahead of the game and to maintain their
profits high. Today, those in powerful positions do not take chances where Feng
Shui is concerned. Hard-nosed businessmen are anxious to try Feng Shui as an
added tool to clinch deals, enhance corporate clout, or expand their
businesses. Western and Oriental banks, restaurants and corporations throughout
Asia and also in the USA consult Feng Shui experts. Chase Manhattan, Citibank,
Chase Asia, Paine Webber, Morgan Guaranty Trust, the American Chamber of
Commerce and the offices of the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern
Economic Review (all sane, sage businesses) have used Feng Shui. Body Shop
founder Anita Roddick freely stated that her headquarters and shops around the
world had been designed using the principles. Richard Branson of the Virgin
empire has used Feng Shui to huge advantage. And telecommunications company
Telus have used it to rapidly expand their business.
Feng Shui
Results
People use Feng Shui
because, quite simply, it works. A hotel in Australia was virtually empty until
an Oriental company bought it and called in a Feng Shui consultant. He said the
problem lay with the staircase: it faced the front doors and so the hotel's
energy was shooting outwards and being lost. The staircase was moved and the
hotel's luck changed almost overnight. One personal story is: that there was a
couple who were on the verge of divorce. They could hardly bear to talk to one
another. A Feng Shui consultant checked their house and found the problem in
their bedroom. There was a large beam in the ceiling above their bed which
effectively divided their bed in half. In Feng Shui, beams are considered to
cause quarrels and even ill-health in the people who sleep under them. The
consultant advised the couple to move their bed. "Now they are newly in love
again," she reports, "the beam was cutting them in half, separating them".
Feng Shui Can Enhance Several Areas of Your Life
So let's see how Feng Shui could help
your home. I have to say that Feng Shui is a complex science and that a website
this size cannot explain every facet. If you have a house with an unusual
layout or, particularly, an apartment which has been created out of an older
building and so has a very odd shape, you may find it tricky to apply the rules
to your own space. You should employ a professional Feng Shui consultant. They
don't come cheap but, if you find someone experienced and good, your investment
should be well worth while.
The modern practice of Feng
Shui is based on the premise that certain areas of your home impact specific
aspects of your life. When the spaces in your home that govern your finances
are cluttered, stagnant or missing from your floor plan, it can be difficult to
attract and hold on to money. Poor Feng Shui can also lead to increased
arguments and miscommunication, affect your reputation at work, and hinder your
personal growth-all of which may contribute to financial difficulties.
8 Areas of energy in your home and how they affect your life
WEALTH: Wealth governs your finances, money and the material
side of life. If you have problems with the wealth area of your home - if it is
missing, cluttered or blocked off, you will undoubtedly find money is tight.
This area can also correspond to your feelings of abundance in general: you
might feel "rich" with blessings, full of joie de vivre, with a sense of happy
well-being if this area is working well.
FAME: Yes, this area
can apply to true fame but equally it shows how you are viewed by the outside
world: your social standing, your place in the world. It also takes care of
your self-esteem and confidence. If all is right with your fame area, you will
feel good about yourself and who you are.
MARRIAGE: Not just
marriage, but all relationships are governed by this area. If you have unlucky
relationships or would just like a relationship in the first place, this is one
of the main areas on which you will need to concentrate. On a more esoteric
level, this also represents your relationship with the wider world and, on a
more intimate level, with yourself. We can't have good relationships with
others unless we have a good relationship with ourselves.
CHILDREN: If you have
children this is an area you will want to ensure runs smoothly. If you don't
have children but would like them, this is an area to boost. If you don't have
(or want) children and think this area is one to avoid, think again. Another
name for this area is Creativity and it can boost your imagination and artistic
endeavors or simply help you find creative answers to problems.
HELPFUL PEOPLE: Everyone can benefit from having helpful
people in their life. Nurturing this area makes sure the people you need greet
you with a smiling face and a willingness to help. You could find help from
unexpected places and people when this corner functions well - or simply that
the plumber is swift, efficient and doesn't charge the earth.
CAREER:
How do you earn your living? With ease or great difficulty? Are you happy in
the work you do or would you love a change? This is the area that needs to be
kept smooth-running for ease in your employment; boosted if you want a higher
profile; shifted if you want a change.
KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge
covers a wide variety of ideas: this is the area which can generate wisdom,
ideas, learning and scholarship. If you, or anyone in the family, is studying
this area will need attention. But equally it offers inner knowledge, spiritual
wisdom, fresh ideas and inspiration.
THE FAMILY: Not just
our immediate family are represented here, but our lineage, our ancestors too.
This may sound a strange idea in the West but to the Chinese (and other ancient
cultures) it is quite obvious. Keeping your ancestors happy results in good
luck and prosperity. However, on a more practical level, this area ensures that
families get on together - not just the immediate family but your extended
family, relatives and friends. It signifies your role as part of a wider clan.
Get our "Feng Shui
Tip of the Month" Email:
Email: 
Phone:
905-271-0020
|
|
