Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a Mandarin phrase meaning - Force of Wind, Flow of Water. As old as Chinese culture itself, the name originated around 6000 BC. Feng Shui is described in classical texts as ?Auspicious heavenly influence, beneficial topography, and harmonious human actions.? In essence, it?s a means of superimposing divine, archetypal order on the earth, and living in accordance with the Tao, or Way of Heaven. Ultimately, it aims at maximizing the positive environmental forces, or Qi, molding the landscape if necessary to enhance the flow thereof. Its other purpose is to divert, and neutralize the negative Sha Qi forces. Chinese alchemy, especially as outlined in the Secret of the Golden Flower, when applied to Feng Shui, aims to ultimately transcend the inter-death state by building the imperishable diamond body.

More mundanely, Feng Shui considers our residences to be a direct extension of ourselves. It provides the means of living in harmony with nature, and how to benefit from the positive energy, or Qi, in our living environment.

Many Feng Shui Schools have developed over the millennia, reflecting the multi-faceted nature of the discipline, however, most are a combination of the Form, and Compass Schools.

Feng Shui Schools

The Compass School based on the 8 trigrams of the I Ching, known as the Pa Kua, which, in turn, is based on the eight compass directions. Each direction being associated with a season, and a specific energy or ?element?, (more correctly, 5 stages of change).

The Form School, is based on the morphology of the landscape: topographical features, soil quality, and watercourses. The ?Regulating the Qi? school was concerned with finding the ?the Feng Shui spot?, and made detailed studies of the land, and watercourses, and concerned itself with locating the ?dragon pathways?, the ?Dimai? or arteries , and veins of the earth.

Eight Mansion/ House Feng Shui, is based upon an individual?s Kua number. Initially, the male householder?s Kua number is utilized to bring the house into harmonic balance. Each person has auspicious and inauspicious directions, discoverable from the birth-date. The auspicious directions relate to success, health, romance, and development, while the inauspicious directions relate to bad luck, obstacles, illness, and destruction.

Nine Star Key uses the stars to establish lucky, and unlucky days. Astrology dictates when, and whom to marry. Each year, the Nine Star Key reveals what astrological house holds sway, and how best to live in accordance with its principles.

Black Hat Sect, relies on the Ba Gua diagram, which is an orientation device. It allows one to pinpoint the 9 areas of the home: prosperity, fame, relationships, family, health, children, knowledge, career, and patrons.

Flying Star is based on a combination of numerology, and astrology. It allows one to avoid continuing sickness, arguments, bankruptcy, legal problems, loss of wealth, relationship problems, health problems, and accidents.

Four Pillars, based on Chinese astrology, delineates the individual relationship with the zodiacal animals relating to the year, month, day, and hour.

There is much interchange of concept, and methodology between each of these schools. The best way is to experiment personally to find the most temperamentally suitable.

Deck the Halls with Feng Shui

Did you ever wonder what element is missing in people?s homes the most? As I go from home to home and business to business, I almost never see the color red. Red is pure fire, it ignites us (and our passions), stimulates us and gives us energy yet is often left out when decorating.

Some people wonder why houses and offices look so festive at Holiday Time. It?s not just all those blinking lights though I love them as well, it?s that we finally add RED to our environments and it?s a lovely addition that is well needed. For many people this color is only used during holiday season and stored away for the rest of the year and often after giving a talk I remind people to go home and look around their homes and offices. They more often then not report back that sure enough, they are missing even touches of the element of Fire.

We have wonderful options during the holidays and use the color in lots of ways; Red poinsettias, big red bows, red lights and candles are everywhere. And unconsciously or not, we are more invigorated during this time. What about those after holiday ?blues? many of us go through? Nothing to look forward to now but a potentially very long winter, cold weather, rain (if we?re lucky), snow, sleet and ice. We feel let down, some people get sad or depressed and we go into our hibernation mode as much as possible.

This year when you are removing your decorations after the holidays, think of replacing them with other objects with the color of red to help keep that lively feeling in your home or office space. Pretty silk flowers, red candles, even tablecloths or doilies (yes, some people still use them!) can add nice touches. So can artwork with more vibrant colors as well as sun catchers.

As to the still raging controversy over Red in the bedroom, I have read everything from putting it Under your mattress (yes, it?s out of sight but are you really going to sleep well with the color directly under you?) to leaving it out completely (which I don?t understand either if you sleep with the lights off). Traditionally, pink is the color of love and used in the bedroom and I advise that as well but I don?t think we should leave the color red out; when you have a special person in your life, what better place to feel stimulated, enlivened and full of energy?

In the Bagua, we ask you to use the color red in the Fame area. Fame is how we are known to the world (mother, teacher, etc.) but also how we would LIKE to be known. Since getting your name out to the Universe is a big Feng Shui Principle, igniting your Fame could be as easy as putting up your name surrounded by the color Red. Don?t forget to include your Intentions of how you would like the world to see you as well; this is very important to our evolving to the person we want to become.

Where else would we typically add more fire? Mantles are a popular place, especially in Home Staging. In staging a home for sale, each room should have a distinct focal point that the eye goes to. It should be warm and inviting and give off energy, something that is oftentimes lacking in some home staging. Creating a balance on the mantle and putting up simple and inexpensive candle holders with Red Candles can increase the energy of the room as well as the focal point. We want a prospective buyer to feel good energy and imagine themselves living in it.

Also, take a look around the outside of your home. I walk around a home during a consultation to address each area from the outside and I recommend it to you as well. Homeowners become so used to certain things that they ?mean? to get to outside but it often never gets done. Red on the outside of a home is also something used in Feng Shui; instead of regular wind chimes, how about red ones? We also use mobiles in areas we want to get moving and they come in every color. Energy outside the home is every bit as important as energy inside.

So before you dismantle your holiday decorating, look around for other items in red that you can replace many of them with. For my clients on a budget, a trip to the dollar store can find you useful items. Bed, Bath and Beyond is also a good place to try. Your home will feel more invigorating and stimulating all year through.

Certified Feng Shui Practitioner and Founder of Feng Shui Long Island since 1997 providing caring and affordable consultations for all of Long Island and New York City as well as online for those at a distance for homes, offices and Real Estate Agents for Home Staging. Carole is also a published author and keynote speaker for large and small corporations and is available for workshops. Please visit http://www.FengShuiLI.com or email her directly at FengShuiLI@aol.com