The Art of Feng Shui

Based on the clockwise movements around the Pa kua (the Pa kua is used to find eight influences), the elements interact with each other in cycles, once you familiarise yourself with these cycles, you can then selectively plan the placements of furniture and items in your home.

Symbol Fire Element

Symbol Metal Element

Symbol Water Element

Symbol Earth Element

Symbol Wood Element

The energies contained within the five elements:

Fire – This is an excitable energy, it offers growth and movement, it is fast moving although the high intensity fire energy can deplete your energy and cause stress.

Earth – Being receptive, feeling settled, commitment, grounded, too much earth causes depression, lethargy, sluggishness, feeling restricted, weighed down, held back.

Metal – Drawing in, contraction, clarity, focus, the energy of metal can be too strong and make you hyper critical, acid tongued, insensitive.

Wood – Growth, movement, beginnings, action, an overabundance of wood energy causes aggression, irritation, short temper, impatience, lacking compassion and empathy.

Water – Water connects and conducts, it helps meeting and joining elements together, it is flowing, too much water can make you uncertain and indecisive.

Each of the five elements has an effect on your life every day, your energy can be lifted or depleted depending on what surrounds you.

Water – If you feel you are in a rut in your life in general, the fluidity of water helps shift things, this can be in your business, work, family relationships, friendships and in the area of personal relationships.

Metal – If you are studying and need to concentrate the energy of metal will help this, it works like the amethyst crystal by calming and clearing the mind. Metal works especially well when you are feeling overwhelmed and want to be more organised.

Wood – For new beginnings wood helps to bring elements together, it can smooth the way especially when there are important projects on the boil. It is especially useful when a number of matters need attention.

Fire – For passion, energy, action, warmth and intensity in all areas of your life. Fire is a powerful element to work with, handle with care, recognising the potency of the element.

Earth – When you want to feel more grounded earth energy is essential, especially if there are any disruptive or unsettling energies around you or your home. It helps with commitment and brings stability and balance

The Productive Cycle

Increase prosperity by enhancing the southwestern corner of your room with (fire) a candle flame, (wood) a jade plant, (metal) a bowl of coins, (water) a water feature or goldfish in a bowl.

Enhance your love life by paying attention to the southwest which is the love corner, (fire)  place a red lamp, a candle, (wood) a red rose or bunch of roses, (metal) a metal clock, (water) a picture, a fish figurine, a statue or painting of a fish.

To become well known or famous, enhance the Southwestern wall in your home, using (fire) a red painting, a red wall, a red light, (wood) a bamboo plant, (metal) a small metal statue, (water) a water feature.

For your health and wellbeing the center of your home is the hub. In the center of your dining table (fire) place a candle holder with one or more candles, (wood) have a wooden bowl with nuts in it or fruit, (metal) silver salt and pepper shakers, or silver condiment holder, (water) vase with flowers or a container of water with floating candles.

The productive elements, fire produces earth (ash), earth creates metal, metal liquefies, water nurtures flowers and plants, burning wood creates fire.

The Destructive Cycle

The placement of objects affecting your love life, would be the following items grouped together (fire) such as fireplace or candle, (metal) a dishwasher, (wood) a bamboo plant or palm (wood), (earth) placed beside a globe of the world, (water) placed next to a kettle or water heated.

Worries regarding your reputation will require you to pay attention to your Southern wall. A destructive placement would be (fire)  broken lamp or light bulb, next to a (metal) statue or wind chimes, (wood) near a bookshelf next to (water) water feature or fish tank nearby.

Health concerns could be created by the destructive cycle of a group of objects (metal) fridge next to (fire) oven, next to a (wood) table near (earth) plants, (water) near a sink, water feature or fish tank.

Chinese Symbol Harmony

Balancing the Elements

Fire rebalances Wood, Wood rebalances Water, Water rebalances Metal, Metal rebalances Earth, Earth rebalances Fire, Fire rebalances water.

Auspicious home location (good feng shui):

Vegetation green and lush

Gentle occasional winds

Land formation which is higher at the back of the property and has land lower at the front is known as the “frog” formation.

Waterfall naturally flowing

Lake

Streaming with gently moving water

Pristine drainage

Rolling hills

Inauspicious home location (bad feng shui):

Anywhere near stagnant water

Swamp

Near a highway

Fast moving water

Flat plot of land exposed to the elements

Opposite a street with oncoming traffic

Barren land with no vegetation

Opposite a public institution – library – church – school

Bringing Harmony and Balance to an existing piece of land

Feng Shui cures;

Some Feng Shui cures are tall trees where land is exposed, this offers protection from the elements and stops good chi being carried away from your home. An area that is dry and not near water can be helped with a small pond being built, or the placement of a pond with fish in it, a water feature can be put in the garden. It is necessary to incorporate a water feature into your property this will bring good luck, prosperity, health, love and a sense of well-being.

Living near a highway can cause unsettling energy, just as living near fast moving water. Your chi is being rapidly carried away, a high fence or a bush that is dense, will protect the chi and harmonises the energy. A water feature, fish tank, pond or fountain is the symbol of abundance, wealth, prosperity, good luck, it is a luck element of the Dragon

When choosing a place to live, your own feelings are just as important as the balance maintained through correct placement, using the concepts of feng shui. You ask yourself the question as to whether the property pleases you visually and whether you feel good when looking at it or when you are inside, gut instincts must be considered. Apart from the location, a strong foundation is imperative, if the house is something you desire and it requires work you can apply feng shui techniques to bring harmony and balance. Fix any broken windows, lights, scrape off peeling wallpaper or paint, pay particular attention to the entrances and exits of your home. Bright colours are suitable for front and back doors, such as red, blue, black.

Negative Elements in a home;

Dark or narrow hallways, chaotic design and steep stairs.

Windows that are too big leak positive energy from the home.

Stairs that face an entrance cause good chi to flow from the entrance, down the stairs and out the front door.

Triangle spaces are referred to as (shar chi), poison arrows harbouring aggressive energy.

Beams that are exposed inhibit the movement of chi, creating a heavy energy within the home, the remedies are the hanging of small flutes and a small Pa-Kua in the middle of the beam, also tassels can be hung on the flutes. Bamboo stalks can be used instead of flutes, they represent the element of air.

A house facing oncoming traffic and with the front door facing the road, especially if it is a T intersection, is to be avoided where possible.

Positive Bedroom Energy

Your bedroom is the area of love, sensuality, romance and your emotional interaction with others.

If you can, make sure the main bedroom is as far away from the front door as possible, this is to ensure a secure and sacred environment where you can relax completely and regenerate. Your bedroom must be a place of stillness, safety, calm and serenity, with the headboard placed facing west, or east. If the bedroom is near the front door you can compensate with screens and plants. It is also a good idea to have the bed placed so that you can see who is entering the bedroom, although not with the bed directly opposite the door, as this is considered the coffin position, it is how the Chinese lay coffins before burial, it is considered the death position. Where possible the bed should not face a mirror, but if you are unable to achieve this, compensate by using feng shui balancing techniques. Have a stable headboard with part of it touching the wall to create stability in your life. Where possible you are better off without mirrored wardrobes or mirrored ceilings, a screen, plant or fabric can be used to correct this.

Positive Kitchen Energy

Your kitchen is the heart of the home and symbolises wellbeing, prosperity, wealth, abundance and goodwill.

Most kitchens are badly layed out when considering the dynamics of feng shui, and it is usually a matter of using particular placement to remedy the negatives. The stove should be in a position that allows the cook to see who is entering the kitchen, if not by direct sight then with the use of a mirror. This is to make sure the cook isn’t surprised when someone walks into the kitchen. Do not place an oven opposite the front door, the bathroom door, master bedroom or staircase. The oven must not be placed under a bed that is in a room above the kitchen, nor under a beam or in a corner. Most people, unless their home has been specifically built with feng shui in mind, would have to remedy at least one of these placements. The oven should be away from water and metal elements, such as the sink. There should be room around the stove, and above all it must be kept clean, with all parts working, this is to encourage and enhance finances and business ventures.

Positive Lounge Energy

This is the room where everyone gathers, and where guests are invited, it should be warm, welcoming, inviting, calm, well lit and with attention paid to reflect the personalities of the inhabitants of the home. Pictures of happy family members and loving moments can be placed in the room, along with favourite paintings, and items that have meaning to the individual.

The most inauspicious shapes for a living room are square and oblong. Furniture that is round helps the flow of chi, such as coffee tables, dining tables and rugs. In feng shui round is considered wealth inducing and represents money and prosperity. Natural sunlight is favoured, however if you are unable to have sunlight use lamps placed strategically so that there are no dark corners, you can also use candles. Rooms that you step down into, or rooms that are sunken tend to hold energy rather than let it flow, therefore fans, wind chimes and water features would be necessary to help the feng shui.

Positive Dining Room Energy

The dining room is where everyone comes together to talk and share a meal, the closer it is to the kitchen the better and if it is in a corner this helps the energy to gather, and creates an ambient setting.

Try to keep dining rooms far away from the front door, otherwise you may find the eat and run syndrome with family and guests. Round dining tables create balance and harmony and are ideal for family gatherings, everyone can face each other and talk. Wood or metal are the preferred dining tables, if you can, stay away from marble and glass as they seem to gather negative chi, this can be diffused with a table cloth if you are unable to change the table. Try to keep a table cloth on a glass or marble table at all times, or at least flowers and, or candles. A large mirror next to the dining table creates good chi as there is a reflection of food and people, this also creates love, harmony and balance encouraging good things into your life and attracts abundance.

Positive Bathroom Energy

This is a very important room because leaky taps and broken items in the bathroom can affect your finances. You want plumbing that works and water pressure, taps that trickle means finances that trickle, taps that give good water flow mean money flowing in.

Always put the toilet seat down after use, make sure the toilet is spotless, fix anything that is broken, such as a cracked seat or any leakages, again this is symbolic of money leaking away. Whichever feng shui position the toilet is in, that area of your life will be affected. Bathrooms should not be in the wealth, career or fame section of the home. Placing chimes above the toilet helps, as do candles, lamps, music, paintings, statues and fragrant oils. The bathroom must not be seen from the front door, if it is placed in front of the front door, be sure you keep the door closed at all times, painting the door a bold colour is also a good idea. Mirrors should not reflect the toilet, however it is good chi for them to reflect the sink and shower, these are areas that water flows into. Bathrooms are to be kept clean with adequate ventilation, the more mirrors the better, ambient lighting also adds good chi. The toilet should be in a separate room or area, even screened off if that can be managed. The toilet is a place where money, opportunity even love can be flushed away if it is wrongly placed, so it is important to pay attention to the feng shui in a bathroom and to correct any negative elements. Mobiles, chimes, crystals and a Bagua Mirror are complementary additions.

Bagua

The bagua is your feng shui map, it has nine sections with the eight directions, each corresponding to a different area of your life. The center of the Bagua represents the center of your home, and is the health area. In order to use the Bagua you will need a reliable compass which enables you to locate the northern most part of your home, from this point you are able to look at your template and gauge where the areas representing the various aspects of your life are.

Using the Bagua Template

Once you have marked the northern most point of your home you can look at it as a whole and work in this way. Or you can feng shui one room at a time, this is a more straightforward way of working with the chi in your home, each room has a complete set of sectors. The alignment of your front door is most important, it gives you an idea of what type of house you are living in and how to apply the feng shui techniques.

The Bagua Template

Feng Shui Cures

There are some very easy feng shui cures that you can apply to your home, they will make all the difference and create positive shifts in energy, maintaining good chi throughout your home.

Clutter

Clutter causes energy to accumulate, the remedy for this is to rid yourself of anything that is old and unnecessary, broken, never used, or has no aesthetic value. All areas must be clean, tidy and organised, too many items in the home cause clutter, by moving things, throwing items out or giving unnecessary and useless things away creates space for chi to flow unhindered. Keep hallway, laundry, front and back entrance of your home clear and clean. Wardrobes also need to be clean, tidy and organized, as do bathrooms, bedrooms, living and dining areas. If the task of uncluttering seems overwhelming, do it one room at a time, even one area of a room, one drawer at a time. Clutter can be approached little by little, create a place for everything and put everything in its place. The tidier and more organized you are the more comfortable your home will feel. The bedroom especially should be clean, tidy, organized and always have flowers, plants, or candles, also wind chimes and mobiles.

When you are attending to clutter, take in your life as a whole, this means the car, the glove box and boot of the car. The garden and garden tools, the garage and items kept in the garage. The laundry and placement of items such as pegs, laundry liquid, cloths and any other necessary items, they all need to be clean, neat and tidy and have a specific place. Within the home wardrobes must be maintained and drawers, handbags kept tidy and organised, clothes that need buttons must be repaired, shoes that need to be heeled attended to, makeup bags kept clean and tidy. Brief cases organised, shoes cleaned, desks kept clutter free, computers cleaned etc.

Make a plan to clean everything and throw away all that is unnecessary or not appealing to you. Put photographs together, pens together, fix anything broken, attend to plants, keep your oven and fridge clean. Attend to lighting, make sure every area of your home is well lit and there are no dark corners, remedy this with lamps, and/or candles.

Wind Chimes

Because wind chimes move they are an ideal cure to blow away stagnant chi, they give a sense of flow and harmony. The sound they make creates a positive vibration in your home, place wind chimes in your home and garden. Also place them in the garage or workshop.

Health – For your health sector choose something that is the colour of fruit, or resembles fruit.

Love Relationships – For your love – relationship sector, brass and copper chimes are ideal, choose long ones with plenty of movement.

Fame and reputation – For your fame and reputation sector, use stars, crystals, and anything metal.

Prosperity – For your prosperity sector use the colour of silver and gold, also green crystals.

Family and ancestors – For your family and ancestors sector, lots of tiny tinkling silver bells are perfect as the bells act as a talisman.

Creative – Your creative sector will benefit from anything that is quirky and colourful, frogs are especially lucky, as are kites and birds.

Wisdom – In your wisdom sector a bell, such as the bell used for meditation. For your career sector, try a clear quartz crystal chime, or chimes made of glass, or any crystals that are white, also anything that depicts flight, flying, birds, airplanes.

Travel and mentor – In your travel and mentor sector require, planes, birds, bells and round chimes, especially round crystals.

Feng Shui with Mirrors

Mirrors can be used to fix a multitude of feng shui problems, a mirror in a small room can give the illusion of size. Mirrors can be hung or placed in an area that is missing within your home, thus rectifying the problem. A mirror can be used to reflect an area that a desk, chair, of oven should be facing. To stop good chi leaking from your home such as an area located at the top of the stairs, a mirror can be strategically placed. If your stairs are in front of the front door, a mirror may be placed inside the front door, by doing this the chi will not flow from your home through the front door.

A mirror reflecting the food on a dining table enhances your prosperity, as the food, fruit, deserts etc. are reflected. A mirror behind your oven, reflecting the four burners adds up to a number eight which is the number of money in Chinese astrology. Place a mirror to reflect running water, the sink in the kitchen, the bathroom, the shower, a water feature. If mirrors are placed on either side of the front door the energy of your guests will be cleansed as they enter your home.

Pa Kua Mirror

A wonderful feng shui remedy is the Pa Kua mirror, this is an eight sided mirror that is bordered with eight trigrams from the I Ching. A Pa Kua mirror can be placed on or above a front door, or in a window, when placed in a window negative energy coming from outside structures can be remedied, by being deflected.

There are three Pa Kua mirrors, the convex mirror bulges slightly and has a large curved surface, this offers protection from the “poison arrows” of shar chi, emanating from a landscape. The concave Pa Kua mirror focuses on a single “poison arrow”, pointing at your house, or the energy of an industrial building. The most basic Pa Kua mirror is used to correct anything from a bus stop, nosy or argumentative neighbours, or sharp pointed objects pointed at your house. Also tree branches that protrude, or television antennas.

Enhance your Love Life

One of the most important steps to enhance your love life is to clear any clutter from the southwest corner of your home, apply this to every room. For Venusian energies to enter your home freely, a clean, clear environment is imperative. Bedrooms especially must always be kept spotless and smell beautiful.

Attract love into your life by behaving as though your soul partner is already in your life. Place small tables or drawers either side of your bed, place a lamp on each surface. Keep a space available in your wardrobe, or the area where your clothes are hung. Keep one drawer empty, this is symbolic for the drawer your future partner is to use. Keep the bathroom you use clean, with towels for two, keep an extra toothbrush at the ready, and place two statues, symbolising male and female, on either side of your bathroom sink.

All objects in your bedroom and bathroom should be in pairs, especially in the southwest area of your home. Paintings or pictures with two people, two fish, two birds, statues of two doves or love birds, mandarin ducks are especially lucky. Chinese decorations also create good chi, you can hang or place pictures of couples in love, vintage photographs, or historical portraits are especially beautiful. Use pictures, paintings or statues of gods and goddesses.

In the love sector of your home, place items associated with romance, think of what you would use on Valentines Day to inspire yourself. Light scented candles, use fragrant oils, have beautiful cushions that are visually inspiring, covers that feel sensuous, appeal to all the senses. Strawberries, cream, chocolates, massage oils, perfume, foods associated with sensuality and romance, books about love and lovers.

Pink and red are the perfect colours to use in your love sector, use pink and red candles, lamps with a pink glow, pink flowers, red roses. Use pictures or paintings of gods and goddesses, and have two statues representing yin and yang, male and female. Abstract statues of lovers intertwined are perfect as they add to the energy of love and partnership. Any item of furniture that is round and curvy, again vintage pieces add to the positive chi in this area. Art deco perfume bottles, pictures or paintings of nude bodies, anything that is the colour of love, red or pink. Statues of the love gods and goddesses are an especially nice touch in the bedroom, choose your favourite love god and goddess.

Water Features

A water feature enhances the chi in any sector of the bagua, except the southern sector (fire element). Anything that has flowing water, small or large, adds to the good chi in your environment. The most auspicious fountains are wood, they attract the most chi as wood and water support each other, another very lucky water fountain is made from bamboo. There are water features for each sector of the bagua.

Water Features for each bagua sector

Health – A flat fountain that is broad and square with steps.

Love – Choose something that shows a man and woman embracing, a feature shaped like a heart or an abstract sculpture of lovers intertwined.

Fame and Reputation – No water features in this area.

Prosperity – A stone fountain with a semi precious stone, or a crystal inset or placed on the water feature. An aquarium with nine goldfish, having exotic fish is especially lucky. A wood fountain would attract the most luck and abundance, or a bamboo fountain.

Family and ancestors – Stay away from metal in this sector, opt instead for a wood fountain, the best fountain to use in this area is bamboo.

Creative – A water feature inset with crystals, or a specific crystal feature is ideal, star and heart shaped crystals may also be used. Especially pink, such as rose quartz, this is an especially nice water feature for children.

Wisdom – For this sector you can’t go past a bamboo fountain, other than a bamboo fountain you may use a clay fountain, anything that gives the impression undulating hills is also suitable. Stay with a wood water feature in this sector if you can as it is ruled by wood.

Career – Anything that looks opulent especially if the feature has statues of gods and goddesses. Another very good choice for this sector is a feature in the shape of a fish, or one that has images or engravings of fish. A glass or bamboo water feature may be used in this sector.

Travel and Mentor – Choose a water feature that has the appearance of a landscape or something that resembles a globe, anything that depicts the world works in this area. There are some beautiful water features available that resemble planets.

Crystals and Feng Shui

Crystals are the cure for all things, place a crystal in the nine Feng Shui areas of your home.

Health – Yellow crystals.

Love – Pink crystals.

Fame and Reputation  – Red, orange crystals.

Prosperity – Green, purple, red crystals.

Family Ancestors – White, black crystals.

Creative – White, clear quartz crystals.

Wisdom – Purple, purple/white, blue crystals.

Career – Green, yellow crystals.

Travel Mentor – White, black (especially globe shaped).

There are certain items that are considered particularly lucky in the Chinese culture and they are easy to find with many shops stocking these items. To add to the good chi in your home place objects of beauty and significance, creating a harmonious, loving and balanced environment for you and your loved ones.

Lucky Cats – This is a most auspicious statue, as the cat holds up its left paw to attract good fortune into your home or business, feed the cat one coin a day. Each Chinese New Year take your lucky cat to a Buddhist temple for it to be blessed.

The Black Cat of Protection – This cat statue with its broom and waving paw is your amulet, protecting you and your loved ones from harm, the cats right paw is raised to ward off evil energy. This cat placed in the center of your home protects the health of you and your loved ones.

The Eight Horses Statue – This statue features eight racing horses, it is more often than not in red lacquer, but there are jade, crystal, silver, copper, brass and gold ones available, place one of these statues near your front door for good luck, prosperity, love, opportunity, recognition and success.

Elephant with Raised Trunk – This is an especially lucky statue in Feng Shui, this is depicting the family head, or the CEO of a company or anyone who has a position of power over others. Many business people have one of these statues in their office, it is considered an especially lucky omen for success in business.

Six Good Fortune Elephants – These are delightful additions to any home or office as they depict the many energies of life, such as wisdom, longevity, carefulness, high standards, power.

Mandarin Ducks – These are seen as a symbol of fertility, place these in the relationship sector of your home.

Chinese zodiac animals – Often sold as red lacquered statues, there is one for each of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, choose the animal that corresponds to the birthdate of you and your loved ones, give the statues a place of honour in your home.

Chinese statues

The Chinese Unicorn (Ki-Lin) – This statue is said to bring luck to any home and just looking at it is considered lucky. The male version of this statue has a horn and the female version is without a horn. It depicts, longevity, goodness, grandeur, compassion and wisdom. It is also a symbol of fertility, partnership and love.

The Three Legged Money Toad – This statue is found in various forms, it is made of jade, brass, gold, it is red lacquered, silver and on occasion wood, the toad has a coin in its mouth. The toad is to be placed near the front door of your home, if you wish to follow tradition, you may turn him towards the inside of the home in the evening. This statue is a lucky omen and no home should be without one.

The Dragon – There are beautiful dragons to be found in many shops, they are brass, gold, crystal, copper, pewter, jade, red lacquered. This divine creature is a symbol of strength, courage, power, it offers security and protection.

Dragon and Phoenix – These creatures embracing represent balance in all things, ultimate harmony. Place them in any area that is a little off kilter and they will do their job. They exude power, energy, strength and security, just looking at these beautiful creatures creates a feeling of serenity.

Dragon Headed Turtle – This statue comes in many varieties, such as red lacquer, crystal, glass. The symbolism of this statue is luck and long life, the turtle is the symbol of longevity and the dragon is the symbol of luck.

Coins

Lucky coins are made from I Ching coins and attached with red ribbon, the ribbon is tied in knots. The ancient Chinese coins form a circle, this represents heaven, and the inside square represents earth. This talisman is used for prosperity, keep it in your business sector, place it on your desk at work. Some prosperity coins have tiny bells attached, this is to represent chi. They can also be placed in the doorway of the home as a protection against negative energies. They can be placed in the car to protect you when you are travelling or be carried when you are flying.

Buddhas

Buddhas are the most recognizable of all the talismans, many homes feature one or more buddhas and there are many statues to choose from. You have the, Weeping Buddha, there to absorb your sorrows, the, Laughing Buddha, creating health and vitality. The, Buddha of Contentment for career and health. The, Buddha of Plenty, for prosperity and abundance. For your business venture, place the, Buddha with Gold Ingot, this is the perfect buddha for any business venture, offering luck and abundance.

Anything that is beautiful, creates an energy of serenity, vitality, protection, love, harmony, can be used in your home when you are applying feng shui techniques. Your home is your haven, it is the one place where you can relax and be yourself.  By practicing feng shui, and paying attention the chi in your home you can enrich all areas of your life. Place the feng shui symbols for love and light around your home to attract more love and light into your life.

Feng Shui Symbol Love

Feng Shui Symbol Light