What is Feng Shui

Feng Shui 101

Feng Shui Basics

Simply put, Feng Shui is an art and a science. Originating in China, literally translated: feng means wind and shui is water. It is a study and discipline, thousands of years old, focusing on one’s personal space – home, office, landscape – and the flow of energy. Through Feng Shui, we intend to maximize life goals and intentions, balance elemental facets, and look to the feminine and masculine of all things.

In Feng Shui, there is an understanding that energy flows through all things – living and inanimate. Through that energy flow, we can design and arrange our spaces to support and nourish our lives and goals using the Feng Shui tools of the trade. The positive aspects to chi flow bring about positive shifts to our world, relationships, home and work, abundance and health and more. A less than positive, or negative, chi flow can keep us stagnant, from achieving our goals, or from being all that we are intended to be.

There is also the understanding in Feng Shui that all situations are fluid and can change. Change in inevitable; change can be beneficial. Feng Shui uses the physical shifts and updates to our spaces to bring about positive and harmonious shifts in our lives.

“The most important thing to understand is that Feng Shui is really about the energy that’s surrounding you in your personal space.”

Lillian Too

How does Feng Shui work?

  • Through Feng Shui we look at design and flow.
  • We look for safety and comfort.
  • We look at the balance or imbalance of the Five Elements of Feng Shui. While not all of the five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water need be present in exactly equal portions – each element may be represented and present in ways that influence positively the inhabitants of a space.
  • Balancing the feminine and the masculine – the yin and the yang – is also important for enriching the lives, careers, relationships, health, and abundance of those living and working in spaces.
  • The bagua map is a guide to mapping your spaces and finding those areas where more balance or focus is needed, using the above Five Elements or enhancements.
  • Some perspectives use birth charts, compass or luo pan, astrology, numerology, dowsing and space clearing to provide specific adjustments.
  • The diversity of the many schools or perspectives of Feng Shui means that there are just as many different ways of applying the principles and concepts. That flexibility and grace can provide an infinite number of possibilities of how to bring the benefits and energy of Feng Shui into your world. Even with those variances, many of the basic principles remain the same and are what unify us all.

Simply put: Physical and intentional shifts to your space whether home or work or even landscape – embracing the energy of the world – make Feng Shui work. Without those, it is difficult to harness the benefits of Feng Shui. And difficult to create the desires you want in any of the 9 life areas, or guas such as wealth, relationships, career or family to name a few.

The basics are clear: live with what you love – get rid of what you don’t. Remove clutter. That is a great start.

“Always keep in mind that the strongest factor of your Feng Shui is you.” ― Stefan Emunds

Feng Shui is an art, a discipline, and one not taken lightly. There are many D-I-Y books available on the subject – and you can see success.  If you are looking to dig deeper or need additional assistance with the delicate and complex nuances of Feng Shui, find a trained professional on our Feng Shui consultant directory.

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The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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