Feng Shui
SHENG CHI
In Feng Shui, Chi is the energy that flows in and around you, there are different types of Chi, the happy, prosperous, healthy, vibrant Chi is Sheng Chi, you are surrounded by Sheng Chi when your environment is uncluttered, clean and you are feeling bright, positive, happy and there is a calm about your space, whether this be the home, office, car, etc. Living in a home filled with Sheng Chi, you will wake each day filled with happiness and you will be awash with creative thoughts and a sense of wellbeing, you will draw to you people who have a similar outlook.
SHA CHI
When you are feeling at odds with everything and nothing is working for you, when you are upset, unhappy, short tempered and low in energy, you have flowing around you, Sha Chi (negative energy). This can happen when you are working in a place where you are not in tune with those around you, or when you allow people into your life that are toxic. Whenever you are associating with toxic energies or going in the wrong direction, you will feel it in your home. When Sha Chi surrounds, you feel tired and unable to think clearly, you may find you are forgetful or chaotic in your home and/or work environment. Sha Chi leaves you feeling listless and with a tendancy towards negative thoughts, you can also feel quite unwell and everything you do becomes an effort.
FRONT DOOR
Your front door is very important as this is where the Chi enters and you want to invite good Chi into your home or office. You can’t always choose where your front door faces but you can take 
some simple steps to create harmony. First make sure your door is clean and there is nothing broken, maybe it needs a coat of paint or a door knob fixed, attend to these matters to begin with and make sure the entrance is uncluttered. If when you open the front door it faces a wall, place a mirror on the wall to give a sense of space and depth. If your front door opens onto the lounge, place something there as a buffer to the Chi flowing in, you may decide to place plants or a screen, this slows the Chi and allows it to meander rather than gush. It is a good idea to place two plant or two statues outside on either side of the front door this gives balance and harmony and looks welcoming.
ENTRANCE
The first thing you see when entering a home is the foyer or entrance, this should be clean and uncluttered, if you do place anything there let it be a beautiful plant, statue or a table with flowers. This can also be the place for art of any sort depending on your taste. Remember the entrance is the first thing someone sees when they enter your home so you want to create ambience. The entrance should be well lit by overhead lights or lamps, again choose carefully as this area should be welcoming. If there is any type of obstruction facing your front door as you look out, whether this is another building or shrubbery, place a mirrored PaKua outside on the door to deflect any negative energy, this can be obtained from any esoteric shop. Chimes can be placed outside they are excellent for deflecting negative energy. A coloured front door is good Chi, although most doors fit in with the colour and style of the house. If however you wish to choose a colour Red, Green, Blue and Black are good choices depending on what appeals, all these colours attract good Chi.
WALKWAY
The ideal walkway leading to your house is curved, this allows the energy to flow gently towards your front door, if your front door leads straight to a back door, the energy can flow out just as fast. This can be remedied by a screen in front of the back door or window to stop the energy flowing out as fast as it flows in. Chimes can be placed at the back door and front door of your home as they create harmony. If you live in an apartment you have no choice of a curved walkway but you can use plants, flowers, art, statues, mirrors and chimes. Place a plant or statue on either side of your front door, if you can’t place anything outside place these inside.
LIVING ROOM
To enjoy your living room, colour that you feel comfortable with is of the utmost importance, the room should be without clutter and you want any furnishings to be easy on the eye, when choosing a colour blend it throughout the room it will give you a sense of calm and harmony. Plants, statues, photographs and flowers can be placed strategically. If you have a fireplace in your home make sure it is covered, as an uncovered fireplace will leak good Chi out and this does not bode well for you financially. If your couch is against a wall pull it out so that the Chi can flow around it, the same for chairs make sure there is space for the Chi to flow around all furniture.
BEDROOM
This is a very important room, you are in it for several hours every night and you want it to feel safe, comfortable and serene, a good night’s sleep is imperative for good health and you want to wake feeling rested and alert. Ideally your bed should have a bedhead and not be placed flat against a wall, it should have space around and under it to allow for good Chi, never place anything under the bed as it blocks the circulation of energy. Soft colours are deemed the most restful although those who prefer bright colours should follow their own palette, feeling at home and at peace is tantamount, your psyche should feel at ease in the bedroom. Where possible a mirror should not be opposite the bed as the Chinese believe that the spirit leaves the body when you sleep and if there is a mirror it becomes frightened when it sees its reflection, this will then disturb your sleep. The Chinese also believe that you should not sleep with your feet facing a door because you will never feel relaxed when you are in your bedroom. If you have exposed beams in the bedroom, which are said to create negative energy, hang a windchime from the beam this will deflect the negative energy. Place a lamp either side of the bed as this provides balance.
DINING ROOM
The dining area should be a place where you can unwind, it should be quiet, calm and somewhere you can eat and feel peaceful, a crystal on the table helps aid digestion, or you can be more flamboyant and have a crystal chandelier placed above the table to create positive Chi. The dining room is the perfect place for a large mirror, this reflects the dining area and creates a sense of abundance, you can also use candles to add to the ambience. Choose a tablecloth/placemat and napkins in a colour to suit you and your environment. Beautiful candle holders add to the atmosphere.
KITCHEN
The kitchen is the hub of the house and the stove is pivotal to the accumulation of wealth, keep the stove top and oven clean and fix anything that isn’t working. It is better if the kitchen door does not face the front or back door as this is where luck can flow out, the stove should not face the back door as luck can flow from here also. It is not always possible to have the stove and the door ideally placed but you can keep the kitchen clean and choose colours that are appealing and give a sense of wellbeing. Because the kitchen is a fire element the colour red should not be used as your home will be prone to fire.
BATHROOM
To keep your wealth make sure you keep the toilet seat down and the bathroom door closed, the Chinese believe that your wealth is flushed away if the seat is up and the door is left open. Cool colours, blue, green and turquoise seem to work well as the bathroom is a water element, as with all the other rooms a pristine bathroom is key to good Chi. Try to stay away from the colour red as this does not work well with the water element. Attend to any leaks or anything that is broken in the bathroom, if you can, use plush nice quality towels and accessories. If you have an ensuite that adjoins your bedroom remember to keep the door closed at all times, if there is no door, use a curtain or screen.
LAUNDRY
Laundries are notorious for gathering clutter and this can affect the rest of the house, the first step when clearing your laundry is to remove and throw out everything that isn’t necessary. Make certain no taps are dripping and everything is clean and tidy, if your must keep things in your laundry place some shelving and neatly arrange items. It is a good idea to light incense and place it in the laundry once a week. Always keep the laundry door closed.
OFFICE/HOME OFFICE
One of the first rules of a work office or home office, is not to have your back facing the door, if your chair faces the wall you can place a mirror on your desk so you do not feel so shut in. If you 
are in a tiny place and your back is facing the door, place a small mirror in front of you to reflect the door, this way you will not be surprised by anyone walking into your space. If your back is facing a window, keep the curtains or blinds closed, if there is no window covering, a plant will suffice, or alternately a screen. If you sit directly in front of your office door try angling your desk so that you have a good view of the door but are not directly opposite it. Keep your desk clear and uncluttered and only have items on it that are strategically placed, such as a plant or a beautiful statue that is pleasing to look at, flowers are also a nice touch as they create positive Chi.
COMFORT LEVEL
Every room in your house should not only look nice but feel nice, do not have too much stuff in any room as no clutter allows the Chi to flow naturally and nothing is blocked, your home should be a place of comfort and serenity. To keep energy flowing it is important to use every room, if a room is never used it can accumulate dead energy that will have an effect on the rest of the house and interfere with the wellbeing of the occupants.
PETS
Well cared for pets are wonderful Feng Shui the movement around the house of the pets helps to circulate the energy, fish, dogs, cats, birds, a tortoise or rabbit all create fantastic Chi. Pets and their area must be kept clean
CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN
The biggest block to the flow of energy is dirt and clutter, physical clutter can affect you emotionally and makes clear thinking difficult, a cluttered home represents a cluttered mind. Clean, vacuum, declutter and mop, the cleaner the home and office the better the flow of Chi. Throwing out what you no longer need will leave you feeling lighter, energised and more positive. After the home has been thoroughly cleaned light scented candles, incense and oil burners, then use a smudge stick throughout the entire home, this will clear away any stagnant energy and allow new energy to flow in, the vibrations in the home will be lifted. You will feel the change in energy as you move through your home with a smudge stick, this can also be done with incense, you can move from room to room with incense. Try to smudge and cleanse your home once a month, this will help maintain positive Chi, by doing this you will tune into the energy of your home and be able to sense any areas that Chi is blocked.
WATER
No one can mention Feng Shui without mentioning water, a water feature is essential for good Chi, although ideally a water feature should be placed in the North or Southeast section of the home, you can also use your intuition and feel where you wish to place it, in fact intuition placement throughout your home can be very powerful. As long as you pay attention to detail, no clutter, no dirt and fix anything that is broken, worn or leaking. You may use a fish tank as your water feature, a bubbling feature or a flowing one. If your front door faces Southeast, North or East it is a good idea to place a water fountain on the right hand side of your entrance, this will create abundance and harmony.
COLOUR
Of all the colours, Red is the most powerful and attracts anything, but I believe colour choice is unique to the individual and no-one wants colours around them that do not appeal, therefore the best way to use colour is to suit your taste and personality. Your intuition will tell you which colours are beneficial to you. It is important to use colours in your home that attract you and that you love to look at.
OBJECTS
The choosing of objects to place around your home is peculiar to the individual, the Chinese believe in animal statutes for longevity, health and happiness. Some of the objects you may use are elephants, horses, frogs, lions, deer, turtles and the three important gods Fuk (god of wealth), Luk (the god of affluence) and Sau (the god of longevity), place the gods in a high position of prominence. To create abundance place a light in any dark spaces of your home. Paintings, photographs, plants, wind chimes, beautiful statues, flowers, fish tanks and bells can be placed around the home, these will create an energy of health, harmony, serenity and abundance, turtle and frog statues are particularly lucky.
To create positive Chi in your home is far simpler than you imagine, it just calls for you to pay attention to detail, whether that is a broken light bulb, a chipped mirror, a cluttered corner or room, a coat of paint, adding plants, fresh flowers, paintings, photographs, water features and statutes. Approach Feng Shui with a sense of humour and intuition, you will be pleasantly surprised at the changes of energy that you have the power to create.
