Definition of Feng Shui in the Web

• Feng Shui in WIKIPEDIA   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_shui

• The Chinese art of positioning objects in buildings and other places based on the belief in positive and negative effects of the patterns of yin and yang and the flow of chi, the vital force or energy inherent in all things.
  www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/022103/022103k.htm

• Translates literally to "wind-water". Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal of Feng Shui is to achieve harmony, comfort, and balance, first in ones environment and then in one's life.
  www.reddawn.com/glossary.html  

• Literally wind-water, Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement based upon a philosophy of the movement of chi or natural energy through our environments. By following the patterns of nature, a practitioner will advise on the placement of everything from an individual object in the home or workplace to the positioning of a building upon property. Feng Shui shows us how to support the flow of energy in our lives to augment health and prosperity.
  www.footnotesforhealth.com/definitions.html

• (literally "wind" and "water"): the Taoist practice of harmonious and balanced juxtaposition of objects, furniture, buildings, etc., not in the Western sense of visual symmetry or aesthetics, but as a means of attaining a cosmic equilibrium with the movements and paths of natural rhythms and ancestral spirits. Familial stress or personal anxiety, for example, can be indications that one's physical environment is out of balance with the rhythms of the cosmic whole. See Tao.
  staff.jccc.net/thoare/glossary.htm

• [pronounced: foong shway or fung shway]: Ancient Chinese art of orienting objects and towns to promote a healthy flow of chi. Its postulate is that all areas, large and small, have a distinctive energy that is guidable by rearranging objects (eg, removing an ornament from an apartment, or adding one to a particular corner of a room). To be avoided is: clutter, dark corners, gloomy colors, low ceilings, and sharp, pointed objects. ...
  www.reiki.nu/treatment/healing/dictionary2/dictionary2.html

PRACTICAL FENG SHUI TIPS AT HOME

"This information kindly provided by Anjian Australia".

Feng Shui in Homes


Entrance Ways

It is important that the flow of Chi from the front to the back of your home is not hindered. It is also best to have it flow through in a meandering path and not a direct line. Entrance ways off the street or through your garden to the front door will determine the qualities of Chi that flow into your home. Therefore it is important to use curved pathways or garden beds. Breaking up the direction of pavers to allow curved lines will also help. A birdbath, fountain or a small pond along the way will bring balance and improve the qualities of Chi.

Too large a doorway will allow Chi to escape from your home. If this is a problem for you it can be easily counteracted by placing a wind chime outside the door. This will also discourage Sha (negative energy) from entering your home. Too small a doorway will not allow enough Chi to enter the home, but placing a mirror on either side of the door or on a wall opposite the door will help to fix the problem.

If the back door can be seen from the front door, Chi can flow straight through your home without circulating. Placing a large potted plant or a screen in between the two will break up the straight lines and help to deflect Chi.

The entrance hall is most auspicious in terms of Feng Shui as it is the place where one might pause upon entering or leaving the home, thus being energized by the Chi that flows through it. Entrance halls that have no windows or doors leading from them or are enclosed in some way can cause Chi to stagnate. Again mirrors or a ceiling fan or maybe a small water fountain will solve this problem.

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Goldfish are very important feng shui fish. This fish traditionally symbolizes baby dragons, which makes them creators of good luck and good outcomes in any new enterprise which you may wish to start.

Traditional Feng Shui practice is to place orange fish in your aquarium along with one lone black fish. Avoid using red fish in an aquarium used for Feng Shui. The color red represents fire. Fire clashes with the water element in an aquarium. Silver colored fish are fine.

The movement of fish and water in an aquarium activates and enhances chi energy in your home. An aquarium designed according to Feng Shui basics can bring good luck and wealth to a household. Fish help with positive Feng Shui energy by cleansing a home of negative energy.

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Stairways

Poorly positioned stairways can cause problems in the way they defect Chi. A stairway directly opposite the front door will allow most of the Chi to rush through and up to the next level causing the ground floor to starve. Mirrors, windchimes, potted plants and screens are all effective ways of slowing down the movement of Chi in this case.

If you have an open stairway that uses risers as opposed to filled in steps it will not allow enough Chi to flow to the next floor. Placing plants beneath the stairs will help to deflect Chi upwards, thus allowing the flow to continue. A skylight over the stairs will also help improve the situation.

Stairways that curve along their path are obviously ideal, but what can be done to help if there is too sharp a bend. Again we solve this dilemma with the use of mirrors, plants or windchimes.


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Lucky bamboo improves Feng Shui and creates a space where you feel safe and more energized to meet the demands of today's high-pressured world.

It brings green color into your room, but also bring fortune and prosperity to any household, business or people you care.   Good luck and fortune when placed at front door.

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Lounge Room

The lounge room is the place reserved for relaxation, conversation, interaction and relationships. It is therefore considered in Feng Shui terms to be the heart of the home.

The lounge room should be in the south side of the home or should face south. West is also a good outlook and it should have a pleasant view. If the view from your lounge room has harsh lines or angles such as a neighboring home or a city skyline, try breaking the lines up with large plants.

Your lounge room should be square or rectangular in shape and the furniture should be placed so as to break opposing straight lines. This will allow Chi to flow gently through a room. Alcoves and dead areas can be broken up with the placement of plants, large iems of furniture or fish tanks.

Flat ceilings are best for promoting the flow of Chi. If, however, you have a sloped ceiling or exposed beams you should use windchimes or bamboo flutes as a remedy.

Many lounge rooms are adjacent to dining rooms or kitchens and in these cases it is best to have a visual barrier placed between them such as a screen or large plants. If you have doors in between, try to keep them closed.

Seating in your lounge room should be placed in a way that breaks up direct pathways. Avoid placing the back of a lounge chair or settee directly toward a wall. This will break the lines and secret arrows which produce Sha energy. There should also be an even number of seats in the room. The most comfortable seat in the room should be reserved for a guest and should never have its back facing a door.

The lounge room should have an open and inviting feel to it. Avoid overcrowding the room with furniture. If necessary remove the least used items in the room to achieve this feeling. An area that has stagnant Chi is best remedied with an aquarium or a television. The placement of flowers or potted plants are also effective cures for these areas.

Colour your room wisely. Don't use harsh colours or colours that oppose the furniture or artwork. Where possible derive the colours from your artwork to help create a harmony between the two. Soft pastels are always good. Before making a final decision on colour, check the symbolic definition for them. e.g. Yellow = authority, White = purity, Green = longevity, Blue = heavenly blessings, Red = happiness.


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Plants can be used anywhere you have excessive water chi, especially in the bathroom or laundry room. Tall plants with a strong vertical shape are especially good for this purpose, as they help to counteract the draining effect of plumbing. Ivies and other trailing plants are not a good choice for the bathroom because they grow in a downward direction. Plants and shrubbery can also be used outdoors around a swimming pool in the Fame or Relationships position, to help balance the effect of water chi in those areas.

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Dining Room

The seating arrangements for the family dining table are based on the order of the trigrams in the Bagwa. The ideal shape for your table is the octagon of the eight sided Bagwa. However tables of this shape are difficult to come by and not always practical. A round table is said by some experts to be "as good" symbolizing earth and stability. If your table is rectangular or square, the placing of an octagonal centre piece or place mats is good Feng Shui.

When arranging furniture in the dining room ensure that chairs do not restrict doorways. There should be ample space for guests to walk around the table without having to maneuver around chairs or other furniture.

There should be an even number of dining chairs and remember to seat an honored guest facing the doorway. Dining chairs with a horseshoe shaped back are ideal Feng Shui as this shape represents the "Dragon embracing the Tiger".

If your dining room has no windows a chandelier or a ceiling fan will assist the flow of Chi. Always use soft even lighting in the dining room as well as soft colours such as shades of green or yellow.


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Kitchen

The Chinese believe malevolent spirits come from the North and so Good Feng Shui dictates that your Kitchen should NOT face this direction as it may increase the chance of mishaps. The use of crystals or wind chimes hanging from windows or doorways facing this direction is an effective cure.

The kitchen sink represents water and your stove represents fire. Ideally these two elements should not be side-by-side. The stove should be positioned so as to avoid the cook standing with their back to a doorway. A mirror or any highly reflective kitchen appliance placed above the stove will counteract this problem by providing reflection so that the cook can not be taken by surprise. Good lighting and ventilation by the stove will reduce the influence of Sha.

White is the preferred colour for kitchens. It symbolizes purity and therefore promotes good health from well prepared (pure) food. Cutlery should not be stored in a stagnant area as the negative influence on sharp object will serve to cut your health. Place them in a drawer nearest to the doorway or window.

A toilet next to a kitchen produces Sha (negative energy). Keeping the door closed and the toilet lid down will help as will the placement of a Bagwa on the toilet door.


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Bedroom

Adults will benefit more from a bedroom facing west into gentle rays of the setting sun, where as children will reap the rewards of the bedroom facing east toward the invigorating morning rays. Those with no children should decide which is best for themselves, be it a deeper more relaxing sleep (west) or the vitality and motivation of morning (east).

The bed should not be placed so that the occupants feet face a doorway. This is the way the deceased are carried from a room. Neither should your bed directly face a window as the glare attracts Sha energy. A wind chime or Bagwa will remedy this situation.

No more than two mirrors should be placed in a bedroom as this will excite Chi and avoid placing a mirror at the foot of the bed or opposite a window. A bedroom beside the living room is good Feng Shui and in the case of a two-storey home directly above a lounge room.

Remember this is a room for relaxation the colours you choose should be peaceful and tranquil. Too vibrant a colour will excite Chi making it difficult to rest. This also applies to the lighting in your bedroom. Try lowering the wattage of the globes used in this room.


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Bathroom

The bathroom facing north is ideal as this direction is associated with water. The colours Blue and Black are favored here for their significance to water also. North is also associated with malevolent spirits and therefore subject to mishap. Great care should be taken to ensure the safety of children and the elderly for this reason. Sharp objects and non-slip surfaces are things to consider as are the proximity of water to electrical outlets.

Bathrooms and toilets are used for hygiene. These rooms can actually pollute Chi and so we encourage the speedy flow of Chi here. The aim is to wash away the pollution and replace the Chi as quickly as possible. Breezy windows, mirrors and Feng Shui crystals will assist the flow of Chi. Keep the toilet door closed and the lid down also place a Bagwa on the door.

Since we are encouraging the flow of Chi in this area we need to be careful not to drain Chi from a wealth area such as a home office or study nearby.

Ensure that from the bath or shower the door can be seen, a carefully placed mirror can help prevent the bather from being taken by surprise.


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Study

It is important to keep this room tidy and uncluttered as failing to do so will produce Sha. As this is a room where we require creativity and contemplation we must do all we can to produce Chi. It is helpful to have an area with no shelving where a comfortable high-backed chair can be placed for quite contemplation. The Chinese refer to this area as the Ming T'ang. Placing a picture symbolizing water behind the chair will help encourage the flow of creative energy.

Place the desk so that the window is to the left of the seating position and so that the door can be seen from the desk. Do not allow the occupants back to face the door. If there is no window available put a mirror in its place.

Take care to remedy the view of threatening elements from the window with wind chimes or plants. Cactus and Bamboo are plants grown in very harsh conditions and symbolize good fortune, thus making them ideal for placement in the home office, study or wealth area. Any sharp leaved plants are good Feng Shui in this area as they are believed to deter harmful influences.

"This information is kindly provided by Anjian Australia with their written consent and permission"

Feng Shui Fixes for the Ten Most Common Interior Design Mistakes
By Carol M. Olmstead, FSII, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, Feng Shui For Real Life, LLC

 LINK TO WEBSITE  

Allison was in the middle of a major decorating meltdown when she called me to set up a Feng Shui consultation.  She had purchased her first home in Santa Fe six months before.  The first time she walked into the home she fell in love with everything about it:  the view of the Sangre de Cristo mountains out the back windows, the meandering layout, the separate master bedroom wing.  And unlike the previous places she had lived, she was now in a financial position to decorate with some flair.

Allison hung all her art and placed all of her collectibles.  She ordered window treatments.  She spent hours sorting through dozens of paint chips, experimenting with little of cans of paint samples, and hanging swatches of fabric all over the house.  But for all her work, something was still not right. 

“I know I have done something wrong,” Allison said when she called me, “but short of repainting, redecorating, and buying everything new, I don’t know what can help me feel more comfortable in the house.”

I gave her a simple two-word answer: Feng Shui.

Feng Shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is the art and science of arranging your interior surroundings in harmony and balance with the natural world around you.  Our surroundings have a powerful effect on what we attract into our lives.  When the energy around us—called chi in Feng Shui—is blocked or unbalanced, our relationships, prosperity, and family harmony can be profoundly affected.  Feng Shui changes work like acupuncture for your home, unblocking the flow of energy and allowing you to truly live in your dreams in your dream home.

Based on an ancient Chinese practice, modern Feng Shui offers common sense and real-world guidance for placing furniture and objects and for using color.  And that is exactly the guidance that Allison needed.  When I came to look at her home, I found that she had fallen victim to some of the most common decorating mistakes.  Fortunately, all she needed was a few low-cost Feng Shui “adjustments” to make the house feel like her home.

Design Mistake #1:  Ignoring the Foyer

Feng Shui Fix:  The first thing I noticed was the mess in Allison’s foyer.  It was littered with shoes, backpacks and tote bags, and a stained area rug.  In Feng Shui, we consider the front door to be the “mouth of chi” where wealth and positive energy enter your home. Allison’s foyer symbolized the opposite message, one of disregard for her wealth.  I recommend she hang a piece of art in the foyer that showed an image that depicted flowing water, add a small fountain, and store her shoes and other items out of sight in the hall closet.

Design Mistake #2:  Fake Plants and Dried Flowers

Feng Shui Fix: Allison’s house was “overgrown” with plastic plants and dried flowers. In Feng Shui, these dust-catchers represent dead, stale energy and they have to go.  I recommended she throw out everything that was plastic or dead and replace it with healthy, live plants or vases of fresh cut flowers.  In areas where she did not have enough light to grow plants, she could use silk plants and flowers, since these are created out of fabric.

 
Photo by Ozpix

Design Mistake #3: Knickknack Overload

Feng Shui Fix:  Whether you call them knickknacks, tschotkes, objet d’art, or just plain “stuff,” Allison had too many.  Southwestern decor was appropriate for her pueblo design home, but her tabletops were covered with collection of pueblo pots and Navajo baskets, her kitchen counters were cluttered with kachinas, and her shelves were stuffed with books on Southwest style.  In Feng Shui, nothing new flows into your life until you make room for it, so I recommended Allison reduce her knickknack collection by 25 percent—either by donate items, selling them, or putting them in the trash—and then stand back and watch positive things flow into her life to fill the empty spaces.

 
Photo by Vladimir Tatarevic

Design Mistake #4: Keeping Something You Hate

Feng Shui Fix: One of the biggest decorating mistakes is displaying something you do not like or no longer want, especially if it was a gift.  Allison’s walls were covered with Georgia O’Keefe art prints and Western art she had collected over the years.  And while she appreciated the artists’ talents, she did not actually like the images anymore, especially the O’Keefe skulls.  In Feng Shui, items that you do not like attract negative energy and make you feel unsettled in your home. I recommended that Allison remove any artwork and objects that she did not like and replace them with new ones that fit her current tastes.

Design Mistake #5:  Choosing the Wrong Color for Your Bedroom

Feng Shui Fix:  Most people love color but just do not know where, or how, to use it. Allison was no exception.  She picked a lot of sunny, hot colors, especially in the bedroom to go with her Southwestern style home.  But Allison had not had a restful night’s sleep since she moved into the house.  I recommended painting her bedroom walls a natural “skin tone” color—that is, colors ranging from ivory to mahogany—to help her sleep better and to promote harmony in her relationships.  Allison can still have hot desert colors in her home, but they belong in the family room and dining room where they encourage conversation.

 
Photo by Agita Leimane

Design Mistake #6: Too Many Old Photos

Feng Shui Fix:  Allison had plenty of family photos displayed throughout her home, but most of them were old and faded.  It is always a great idea to display family photos to connect to your family history, but if you do not have current photos, it symbolizes living in the past.  For example, if your children’s school photos are still hanging in on the family room walls—but they graduated from college and moved out years ago—what does that say about their accomplishments today?  I recommended that Allison add current family photos to her collection to symbolize growth of her family and harmony in her household.

Design Mistake #7: Unruly Cables

Feng Shui Fix:  Allison was fortunate that she often telecommuted from her home office, which was a room off the foyer of the house.  She had purchased an inexpensive but attractive desk and comfortable leather chair for the space, and the room sent the message of success—with one exception:  she was surrounded by an unsightly and distracting mess of cables and wires.  I recommended some easy solutions to corral wires and cables:

• Contain wires with cord covers, cord containers, and similar products.

• Use a staple gun to attach wires and cables to the back of furniture or along baseboards.

• Place the surge protector and all of its cables in a wicker basket or attractive container to camouflage it.

• Since her furniture was not a valuable antique, Allison could drill a hole to wires through the back of the desk and hide them.

Design Mistake #8: Art Hung in a Straight Line

Feng Shui Fix:  Allison had hung several art pieces in the hallway off her foyer, but they were all the same shape and they were all hung at the same level.  This creates a “poison arrow” that pulled the energy rapidly down the hallway and away from the bedrooms rooms.  I recommended she hang art of varying sizes and shapes in the hallway, and locate it at different heights, similar to how art is hung in a gallery.  This would give the illusion of slow, fluid movement down the hall and direct the good energy to every room.

Design Mistake #9: Furniture That Does Not Fit

Feng Shui Fix:  Most of Allison’s furniture had come from her previous home and her sofa and love seat were much too small for her current large living room.  When you have the wrong size furniture in a room, you can never settle in and get comfortable.  I recommended she move those pieces to her smaller family room.  We measured the living room, drew a floor plan, and took pictures that Allison can take with her to the store when she makes future purchases.  This will assure that her furniture choices are in proportion.

 
Photo by Kaleena Katt

Design Mistake #10:  Too Many Pillows on Your Bed

Feng Shui Fix:  Allison had covered her bed with beautiful pillows in an array of Southwestern colors. They were certainly attractive, but there were too many of them.  I explained that in Feng Shui if your bed is covered with too many pillows, it symbolizes keeping a lover out of the space.  I recommended she remove most of the pillows and keeping one pair—in a “passionate” color like red, orange or pink—to make room and encourage a relationship to enter her life.

After implementing most of these recommendations, Allison is finally happy and comfortable in her home.  A few simple adjustments for some of the most common design mistakes made all the difference.♥

Common Feng Shui

* Avoid any streets pointing directly at the house. If you're in a cul-de-sac, you want a home in the center because if people drive in they'll be pointed at you. You also don't want a house at the end of a street. The energy is bad.

* A home that is square or rectangular lot, this is the best. If it is another shape, a triangle, for example, with the point in the back, it is an indication that you will make very good money but you will not be able to keep it. If the point is in the front, you will have a hard time making money but you will be able to keep it. The shape of the lot could also give you problems selling it later.


*If you're close to water, it is perfect because the water takes care of your money. Likewise, mountains take care of the people.


*Seek a feeling of spaciousness near the front door so that opportunities are not cramped and choked away.

*A wall directly in front of the front door stops the chi from moving through. Hang a mirror so the energy can go through.  Use statues, chimes, crystals, lights, fabric hanging or small plants to create a curve from the front door to the back door. Try to have the front door as close to the living room as possible so that visitors will come and support you in life.

DISCLAIMER:  All Feng Shui information presented and expressed opinions given on this site does not constitute advise and should not be relied upon in making any decision. We do not take responsibility for any actions or decisions made based on the contents of this site. 

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