Feng Shui originated in China over 4000 years ago and is part of Chinese history. The idea that the spirit, energy, and the “atmosphere of the place” has an effect on well-being is widely accepted today, but in feng shui it has developed into a complex system of theory and practice. There are many tools of feng shui, but we will, for now focus on one of them–the bagua, or map which can be applied to your plot of land, your home, specific rooms or even your furniture arrangement.

Everything in your surroundings, from details on furniture and accessories, to the direction of your front door, can either help you become more successful, or work against you. Once you understand the subtle currents of energy that flow through the universe and your body, you can arrange your environment and your life to enhance emotional and financial success.

Download the feng shui bagua and print it or photocopy it onto a piece of clear acetate. On graph paper draw the floor plan of your house to scale, Using a ruler, draw a line vertically and another line horizontally to find the center of your floor plan. Place the bagua on top of your floor plan and push a pin into the center of both to secure them. Turn the bagua so that “north” is aligned with north on your floor plan. Take a compass reading if necessary to be sure. To determine whether the orientation of your house is auspicious for you, it is important to know where the center of your home is.

You have now correctly aligned the eight directions and you can have a look at where each direction is in your home. Your transparency tells you the direction, trigram, and 5 elements, so you know what type of energy is present in that part of your home. Also, included are suggestions for colors and materials for flooring, furniture, and surfaces in that part of your home.

How this all works
A feng shui expert would take into consideration the many different elements affecting your environment. For example, they would look at how the energy or qi (chi) moves around your home; the position of your house; it’s surroundings; the shape of the land; the shape of your house; the directions your rooms face–north, south, east or west; the locations of each room, whether they are at the front, back or center; the shape of your furniture and it’s placement; the decor; the landscaping and if you have a garden, Feng shui experts look at these things in terms of balance of yin or yang and whether they are associated with the element of earth, fire, metal, water or wood.

This may sound overwhelming, but you don’t have to become an expert overnight! We will help you take small steps with basic concepts and general “cures” for your problem areas. The remedies will have different effects–some will be more dramatic than others. Installing a window in a windowless room will have much more of an impact than merely placing a mirror there. A window is considered a physical solution while a mirror is considered a “psychological” cure because if affects your perceptions and therefore your feelings about the space.

Qi or Life Force
Many cultures believe that a universal energy–sometimes called qi (chi) in China, prana (prahna) inIndia, or ki (kee) in Japan– flows constantly through all life forms. This energy or qi flows through the universe and the earth in the same way it flows through the human body, and changes made by nature or humankind will vary its course. Just as acupuncture, chakra balancing or shiatsu massage can adjust the flow of energy in the body, so can feng shui adjust the flow of energy around us.

Feng shui literally means “the flow of wind and water”. The wind disperses the invisible life energy and the water contains it. When you practice feng shui you attract and cultivate the positive energy and dispel or eliminate the negative energy.

The Flow of Qi
Positive qi meanders gently along curved lines while negative qi strikes quickly in straight lines. For the qi to be beneficial and nourishing, you need to make sure it keeps flowing– not to quickly or not too slowly.
Qi should be encouraged to enter a building or a room or it’s garden and flow freely and slowly throughout the space. If it is blocked, it will become stagnant and destructive. Do a simple exercise: Walk through your home from the front door, through the home, out the back door and into the garden to the back fence and try to imagine how the qi flows–paying attention to places where energy feels like it stops, slows down, or gets stuck.

In the upcoming weeks, watch for advice and suggestions on how to create calm in your home, improve your prosperity, your relationships and make your workplace "work" better for you.