Feng shui (pronounced fung shway) works on the principle that people feel better in an environment that is in harmony with nature. Literally translated in Mandarin, feng shui means “wind and water.” Wind and water are considered the two essential aspects of nature. Feng shui, known as the ancient Chinese art of placement, originated more than 3,000 years ago. It was first used by emperors to locate the best burial sites. Often referred to as geomancy, feng shui was also used to study the land for agricultural purposes, something that continues today. Over time, feng shui extended to the placement planning for buildings, villages and other spaces. To take this further, bau-biologie (translated in German as building biology), encourages holistic home and work environments by advocating the use of safe/sustainable materials in construction giving particular attention to using solar, improving air quality, and avoiding toxicity. Interest grew in the U.S. in the 1980’s in relationship to homes (selecting building sites, positioning buildings on those sites, positioning interior furniture, selecting colors, lighting, textures, and shapes).
The practice of feng shui utilizes a tool called the bagua. The bagua maps the eight houses of life (Knowledge & Self-Cultivation, Travel & Helpful People, Career, Family, Children and Creativity, Wealth and Prosperity, Fame, and Love, Marriage and Relationships). The bagua offers valuable insight into happier, more fulfilling and balanced lives.
Grounded in the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), feng shui is considered to be both an art and a science connecting one with nature. This connection is enhanced through the placement of objects and balanced with the influences if Yin (female) and Yang (male) to open up the ch’i (energy flow).
Ultimately, the goal of feng shui is to promote positive, healthy ch’i in order to improve the well being of occupants. Feng shui is an important part of any holistic lifestyle. It’s eco-friendly and green. It’s about ridding spaces of clutter, surrounding yourself with those things you love, feeling the comfort of nature’s harmony, impacting all the senses (taste, touch, smell, sound), and artistically aligning spaces to inspire the fulfillment of dreams and goals.
