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Feng Shui – The Basic Principles

Editor — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:00:03 +0000

Feng Shui works on the basic principle of creating a balance between the natural environment and the man-made environment around us. If you want to get cracking on what Feng Shui is all about and learn how to manipulate the art to your advantage, then you must begin with a basic knowledge of the various schools that Feng Shui comprises of. Before you begin to inform yourself about the various schools of Feng Shui you ought to know something about the five elements based on which the Feng Shui principles work. No matter which school of Feng Shui best suits your requirements it is imperative to know about the elements of Feng Shui.

The Five Elements of Feng Shui

The principles, rules, and laws of Feng Shui are based on five elements. Each of these elements is associated with a direction. Manipulating the knowledge about these elements and the directions associated with these elements can bring you assured peace and prosperity. The elements and the directions associated with these elements are as follows:

* Wood: East
* Water: North
* Earth: Southwest
* Fire: South
* Metal: West

The proper balance of all these elements in each room that needs to be affected by the art of Feng Shui will create the required harmony. The matter in the room made of these elements ought to be placed in the direction associated with it. The more accurate is your balance, the more effective role the art of Feng Shui will play.

The Various Schools of Feng Shui
A list of the various Feng Shui Schools along with a brief description of each is given as follows. There are seven schools of Feng Shui in all.

* The Compass School
This school is based on the science of directions. Each direction is associated with a particular kind of Chi, or energy.

* The Form School
This one is based on shapes just like the previous one mentioned is dependent on directions. It is based on four basic shapes.

* The Black Hat Sect
This school includes theories on psychology and Buddhism.

* Eight Mansion School
Each individual can be associated with a particular set of numbers and unlucky numbers. The Eight Mansion School works on the knowledge of these numbers.

* The Nine Star Key School
A numbers of complicated mathematical formulae are used in this school. It is a lot like astrology.

* Flying Star Philosophy
This school relies upon numerology and astrology. The future can be predicted using this branch of Feng Shui.

* Four Pillar
This school has faith on the time of a person's birth. This school of Feng Shui is not commonly practiced today.

Introducing You To Feng Shui

Editor — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 01:15:06 +0000

You may think that Feng Shui is an absurd art based on false notions, which can in no way affect, or change, or for that matter do anything about the quality of the life that you are living. If you think on these lines then you can be no farther from the truth. Feng Shui as an art is based largely on common sense. Living in an age when technology is progressing by leaps and bounds you might have certain reservations about this 3,000 years old Chinese art, which has recently gained a lot of popularity. Such reservations are understandable. However, forming a prejudice against Feng Shui without completely knowing it would be completely uncalled for.

Feng Shui Common Sense

There are a number of Feng Shui principles and rules, which, are based either partially or completely on common sense. Feng Shui advises you to get rid of all broken pieces of furniture, decoration pieces, burnt cloth, etc. To ensure that you have complete peace of mind it is important that you are not surrounded by junk and waste. Surrounding yourself with things that you do not need and can become the cause of numerous accidents is bound to bring disharmony in the house in one way or the other. Feng Shui also advises you to ensure that your surroundings are absolutely clean. This again is only common sense. An unclean house or office area is a breeding ground of different kinds of germs. This can lead to numerous illnesses.

Feng Shui and Colors

The effect of colors on a person's mind has been acknowledged by numerous experts. It has even been scientifically proven. The fact that we believe that wearing white clothes in the summer and black in the winter can have cooling or warming effect on the body and that red arouses passion proves the point. Feng Shui plays around a lot with the effect that colors have on people. Walls that have lighter shades are bound to be more soothing than one, which has bright shades.

Your bedroom being the space where you want to soothe your worked-up nerves should never have bright colors on its walls. Your workplace on the other hand should have a lot of bright colors to liven it up with a lot of energy. Soothing colors in your workplace may have a negative effect on your work as you may land up feeling so calm that you are unable to work. This way, by manipulating colors through Feng Shui you can actually affect the way you live, adjust and relate to your surroundings.

Apply Feng Shui To Your Home Theater For Comfortable, Relaxing Space

Editor — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:45:03 +0000

Let's face it, not everyone buys into the Asian concept of feng shui. But in its simplest form, this ancient art makes a lot of sense for rooms in the home where families will gather or relaxation is key.

When applied to a home, feng shui basically means carefully arranging furniture for a flow, setting lighting and colors for the mood desired and getting rid of the clutter. A cluttered room is not relaxing, ask any mother.
In the case of home theaters, the principles are great to apply. The simple fact is most people who create home theaters want a room to escape to.

If this is the goal with your home theater, feng shui is a great idea to consider. Basic principles of this ancient art will help you plan a home theater that not only serves its purpose and does it well, but also one that exudes an inviting and relaxing atmosphere, just right for suspending disbelief while watching a great movie.

Here are a few things to consider to make your home theater feng shui friendly:

Layout – Don't put seating with the backs to the doors. Try to set the room up with a nice flow and workable space for walking. Don't try to cram things into the room that won't fit properly.

Lighting – Since a home theater doesn't require a lot of light, make sure what you do have is functional. Don't make the room so dark you can read the titles or so bright the screen on the television is washed out. Shoot for good drapes to block natural light during viewing and perhaps a light on a dimmer switch for atmosphere. That way the room can be bright when you need it to be and dark for movie watching. After all, lights can really get in the way of a good movie.

Colors – Once again a room for movies should be darker in coloring and lighting, but that doesn't mean it has to be drab. Colors are said to help create moods. Very dark colors such as deep blues, browns and blacks tend to create a somber mood while very bright ones can create agitation. Go for something in between and you should be set. Light is okay, blinding bright or depressing dark is not.

Organization – A home theater that's loaded with piles of junk and a mess will not create a relaxing atmosphere. Instead, it will serve to remind viewers who live in the home of any and all work and projects they need to do. Keep the room decorated and nice, but don't over pack it with junk. Organize movies and electronic components well and take care to hide any wires.

When it comes to home theaters, the feng shui principles for decorating can add a lot to them. Since a fun, relaxing environment is ideal for movie watching the colors, lighting and layouts recommended by this ancient philosophy are ideal.

Get Set For Harmony, Peace, And Well Being With Feng Shui

Editor — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:00:03 +0000

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art, which works for the peace and prosperity of people by manipulating the energies in their physical space and creating balance. This almost 3,000-year-old art has worldwide popularity today. Art dealers and even the local corner-shop keepers will be able to supply you with Feng Shui pieces for strategically placing in your house in order to introduce balance within the space.

How Does Feng Shui Work?

A few things, which Feng Shui believes can be manipulated to create balance within the house, are as follows.

* Color scheme
* Furniture positions
* The positions of doors, and windows
* The way you position yourself while studying, sleeping, or eating

Learning the intricacies of this art can take ages. You will find numerous resource guides and online resource material if you want to get started with Feng Shui.

The basic principle of Feng Shui is perhaps an attempt to keep your materialistic physical settings and matter in harmony and balance with nature. 'Feng Shui' literally means 'wind and water'. The art, which arises probably from the Chinese Book of Burial, somehow has the entire world interested in it now.

Feng Shui – Then and now

In the days when Feng Shui had started being seen as an art in China, the Feng Shui masters would 'feel' the positive energy and through this feeling build palaces, houses, tombs, offices, and even gardens. Today a number of architects are Feng Shui sensitive. This primarily due to the awareness regarding Feng Shui that has been created in the market and the demand for Feng Shui sensitive structures rising in the market. Today's architectures and engineers though do not 'feel' the positive energy but instead work according to the thousands of intricate rules and laws of the art. The focus is on guaranteeing the client a feeling of positivity. Most of the Feng Shui rules if examined closely actually turn out to be based on mere common sense. For example, not having the door of the kitchen bang opposite to where the stove is, as that would make you susceptible to sudden surprises coming from behind you!

A Word of Caution

If you are thinking about using Feng Shui to bring you prosperity then there is one thing that you ought to keep in mind. The principles behind Feng Shui are extremely complex. Getting something wrong while trying to follow the art can have negative effects on your hearth and home instead of incurring anything positive. Inform yourself well and from a reliable source before you get cracking on it.

Feng Shui And Colors Can Work Wonders

Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:30:02 +0000

It is common knowledge that Feng Shui works a lot through colors. Feng Shui as you might have realized, is based a lot on the effect that the most usual practices have on our lives, such that we do not give a second thought to them in our day-to-day lives too. All of us are aware of the fact that the combination of colors around us can make a lot of difference to the way we feel. It can affect the efficiency of our work and soothe our minds when required. Feng Shui works at the depth of all kinds of effect that colors have on people and their environment. This ancient Chinese art uses colors to create balance and harmony thus affecting a certain amount of positivity.

Colors and the Powers of Yin and Yang

Feng Shui believes that Yin and Yang are the two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. If the two are balanced then the presence of harmony is inevitable. Yin is associated with matter while Yang is associated with energy. All colors can be seen as falling into either of these two categories. They are either grounding colors or colors that induce spirit and energy. Educating yourself about these colors and using them for your benefit can be greatly advantageous for you. To get a start you ought to begin by knowing which color falls under which category. The following list could prove to be of some help:

* Colors That Fall Under The Yin Category
According to Feng Shui, the colors that come under Yin category have an extremely soothing effect. If you are choosing the colors for a room where you want to forget about everything that is going wrong with your life, a suitable combination of the following colors will certainly help:

Blue
Black
Purple
White

* Colors That Fall Under The Yang Category
The colors that fall under the Yang category, according to Feng Shui are auspicious and induce a lot of energy and warmth. These colors must be used in abundance in your workplace and your study. These colors are sure to help you focus better.

Yellow
Orange
Red
Brown
Tan
Beige
Mauve
Maroon
Lavender
Gold

So now that you have some sort of an idea about how Feng Shui manipulates colors to channelize energy you must get set to find out more about Feng Shui and colors. Improve you life by changing the colors around you according to Feng Shui principles and experience the difference.

Feng Shui And Your Home

Editor — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 17:00:03 +0000

Observing things from the perspective of Feng Shui, you would realize that everything around you has either a negative energy or a positive energy. Under such circumstances, it is just better to channelize all the energy towards the positive so that you benefit. You might not be aware but Feng Shui also has an extremely scientific basis to it. It works on the principles of opposites – Yin (female) and Yang (male)

Every little decorative item that you have in your house or even the color you decide to paint your wall in can affect the way energies around you may work. Since your environment manipulates you and your luck, it would be intelligent to learn the art of Feng Shui to bring about a certain sense of balance and harmony in your life.

Feng Shui Is An Intricate Art
Feng Shui expects you to give importance to everything that in your house and each element that makes your home. Be it the furniture, the doors, the upholstery, electronic gadgets, every object in your surrounding plays an important role in the way your life is turning out. Nothing in your physical environment ought to be considered as insignificant. Everything around you is important and is bound to affect you in some way or the other and this is exactly what the art of Feng Shui latches on to.

Take One Step At A Time
If you want to make your home Feng Shui sensitive then you must give yourself some time to understand the art of Feng Shui. This ancient Chinese art hinges on to extremely intricate laws and principles. Trying to make all the possible changes according to Feng Shui rules all in one go might not be such a great idea. You ought to make the changes step by step. Without having expert knowledge of Feng Shui, making all the changes at the same time can in fact prove to be extremely disastrous. You may not know the intricacies of the art and make changes, which are actually contradictory to each other! That way you will be attracting negative energy instead of the ideal positive energy (chi) into your house.

If you want to start making certain basic changes to your house, pick up some resource material from the nearest bookshop or even search online. You will get plenty of help from these. However, be careful about what you are consulting because a number of times the information given may not be accurate. Playing around with Feng Shui is not a great idea. You must always be very sure about the changes that you make.

Feng Shui Is A Natural For Sunroom Decorating

Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:45:03 +0000

If turning your backyard into a relaxing paradise that can be enjoyed year-round is an appealing concept, the addition of a sunroom to the landscape is a good start. But once the gardening is complete and the structure is built, there's one step left – decorating!

When it comes to creating an atmosphere that truly brings the outdoors in, the principles of feng shui are great to incorporate into a sunroom's design. An ancient Chinese art that's meant to optimize surroundings for a peaceful existence, feng shui has some great practical applications when it comes to creating a designer scheme for a sunroom.

The basic tenants of feng shui when it comes to decorating involve peaceful, flowing layouts that are welcoming, relaxing and non-threatening. In a sunroom, these are perfect tenants to follow. The idea is to create a room that's in harmony with its surroundings and the people that live use it.

To achieve a modest feng shui scheme in a sunroom, here are a few ideas:

Colors are extremely important in creating a setting that's relaxing and invigorating without being agitating or too boring. Colors speak to the heart, soul and mind with bold, darker colors sometimes being too somber, and bright, stark colors too eye-piercing. Instead, go with warm, natural tones, or cooler off whites or lights.

Arrangement of furniture. This is particularly important in a design since furniture arrangement can have an impact on the ease people feel when they're in a room. Ever notice that you feel uncomfortable when your back is to a door? That's a common reaction and one that's avoided with feng shui. For layout of furniture, go with a placement that offers optimum views and allows sunroom users to take it all in. Make sure the layout isn't cluttered as this, too, can interfere with relaxation. Clutter simply reminds people of work that needs to be done, and if relaxation is key in a sunroom, work is the last thing you want on your mind.

Use of natural setting. Since sunrooms generally are in backyard areas, bring the outdoors in. If the sunroom overlooks a garden or pond, create the illusion of bringing that in through the glass. Carry the outdoor look inside with plants, a fountain or similar design to the garden itself.

Airy, natural, light and welcoming, those are the key elements in creating a functional sunroom that incorporates feng shui ideas to complete a look that eases the mind and relaxes the soul.

Feng Shui Can Keep Your Relationship Stable And Fulfilling

Editor — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:45:02 +0000

Feng Shui can be greatly beneficial for developing and sustaining harmony in interpersonal relationships especially if the concerned people are living under the same roof. Being in a relationship with someone and actually deciding to live in the same house with them are two entirely different things. It is a huge challenge to continue liking a person and living with him or her even when they do not quite turn out to be what you expected them to be. And that is something that is bound to happen once you begin living together. Feng Shui can make this difficult task much simpler. If you follow certain basic Feng Shui principles, you can save your breaking relationship from a number of complications.

Feng Shui And Protecting Your Relationship

Moving into any new place can cause a lot of changes in your temperament; the way you react to stimuli is bound to change once you are in a new environment. Feng Shui balances and cancels out this change to ensure that none of the negative energies enter your new household. There are various ways of blocking this negative energy and channelizing positive energy for the welfare of a relationship.

A Few Things That May Help

Red being the color of fire might be a good choice to keep the passion in your relationship alive and kicking. You must also keep in mind that it is fire that produces earth. The direction of the element earth is southwest. Keeping red in this direction will keep the relationship grounded and stable. Any decoration piece, cushion, etc. if kept in pairs will also have a positive effect. Traditional symbols of love like roses and heart also help. Like Feng Shui common sense would also suggest that nothing that can remind either of you of a troublesome past relationship should be kept in the room.

A Few Things That Should Not Be Kept In The Room

Feng Shui, as you might have realized by now is largely based on common sense. According to its rules, the area under the bed ought to be kept clean. Unhygienic conditions can lead the under-bed area to become a breeding ground for germs, insects, and even rodents, which is certainly not desirable. Another thing that Feng Shui would ask you to avoid would be keeping a mirror that reflects the bed. An image of your relationship can give rise to negative energy. Green is the color of the element wood. According to Feng Shui, wood and earth are antagonistic. Keeping plants or anything green in the southwest direction can thus cause disharmony.

The Yin And Yang Of Feng Shui

Editor — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:45:02 +0000

Feng Shui believes that everything is dependent on the co-existence of opposites. It believes that opposites need to co-exist and stay in balance to retain harmony. Yin and Yang symbolize these opposites. They are the universal symbols for all that stands opposite and contradictory but are actually inherently dependent on each other.

What Are Yin And Yang?

According to Feng Shui, Yin stands for matter while Yang stands for energy. To take a few examples into consideration in order to understand the concept of Yin and Yang we can look at pairs such as earth and sky, man and woman, action and thought. In each case, the other is completely dependent on the other. If either attempts to proclaim its superiority over the other then there can only be a lack of balance and thus disharmony and lack of stability.

The Theory Of Yin And Yang Is Quite Scientific

Mathematics and for that matter even Chemistry, Physics, and Biology are based on the principle of the opposites. The entire computer language is based on the system of binary coding which makes use of merely two numbers – zero and one. The fact that any computer code can be reduced to these two numbers does not however mean that there are only a limited number of codes possible – in fact it is the contrary. Feng Shui works on the same principle.

The same thing is true for Yin and Yang. Everything can be reduced to these two categories and these two categories give rise to every other category. It is the same theory that works with the seven musical notes and the limited number of elements of which all matter comprises of. The absence of a single musical note, a single chemical element, or either of the two digits of the binary code can be disastrous and even endanger the existence of the others in their category. Feng Shui realizes that this balance is necessary. None of these elements can survive without the others. Feng Shui works on the principle of striking this balance between the Yin and the Yang.

Every human being has both Yin and Yang in his or her thoughts. If there is love, there is bound to be hate; if there is aggression there is bound to be pity and sympathy; if there is satisfaction there is bound to be some envy. None of these emotions is seen as negative by Feng Shui. This ancient Chinese art believes that each and every emotion, feeling, and action should exist in the right balance with its opposite.

Feng Shui Helps Mend All That Which Needs Repair

Editor — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:45:03 +0000

Feng Shui does not literally mend everything that needs repair but it does so at a metaphorical level. You will find a distinct difference in the quality of your life if you follow the intricate rules of Feng Shui properly in your life. That in itself is a challenge as making Feng Shui work perfectly will require a lot of knowledge as there are thousands of different rules to be followed.

If you are not properly informed you may arrange things in a conflicting manner attracting negative energy rather than the positive source of energy that Feng Shui is otherwise supposed to attract. It is therefore important that all that you learn about the art be done through reliable sources. With Feng Shui having become an industry in itself, everybody is trying to reap profits from it. Even those who hardly know anything about Feng Shui can be seen publishing guidebooks on the art. Such resource material can be extremely misleading so all those who are interested in Feng Shui ought to be cautious.

Feng Shui Can Sort Out Your Personal Life

As Feng Shui works on the basic principle of establishing a positive relationship between objects and people, the art can actually be manipulated to mend your interpersonal relationships. The concept becomes very useful as it basically works towards providing harmony, balance, and positivism around you. The moment you have these in your physical space the way you react to people in general within that space and later even outside changes drastically. This concept can bring about a massive change in your business relationships with your clients. Using Feng Shui in the workspace is perhaps more in vogue for that very reason.

Feng Shui – Your Portable Remedy To The Problems That Are An Eye Sore

Feng Shui is just a set of principles and rules. You can use Feng Shui anywhere to bring you prosperity. You can use it in your workspace, your home, your holiday retreat, your garden, and even your car. It will work everywhere. Happiness, peace of mind, and a definite change for the better cannot be too far away if you are adhering to all the Feng Shui laws and principles with utmost care.

Feng Shui An Elixir Of Life

You might be a person who feels extremely shy while standing in a large gathering, or you might find it tremendously difficult to control your anger no matter how harmful it might be to you, Feng Shui is bound to sort it all out for you. With all the positive energy around you there is no way that, you will not find the confidence that you always desired or the serenity that you have craved for, all these years.

Feng Shui – Change Your Life For The Better Everyday

Editor — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:30:03 +0000

Feng Shui is actually all around you. It might have already affected your life without your getting to know of it. You may have felt comfortable in a particular environment as soon as you step into that place. The reason is probably the positive Chi due to the use of the right Feng Shui principles. If you look at the world through the perception of Feng Shui then there are actually only two types of spaces; those that are making use of Feng Shui principles to generate positive energy, and those that are not making use of Feng Shui thus giving rise to negative energy.

Since you know now that Feng Shui will affect you whether or not you are trying to follow it, it would be a good idea to understand the rules and laws of Feng Shui so that you can actually use it to divert the positive energies to work in your favor. A few common ways in which you can make Feng Shui work in your favor are discussed below. By following these simple rules, you will be able to feel a major difference in your everyday life. So read them, follow them, and make a difference to your life. It actually works!

A Few Basic Feng Shui Laws

Feng Shui, to be pronounced as Fung Shway brings positive energy to make your life better. The following simple rules can make a major difference to your life:

* Shoes must be taken off before you enter your house. According to Feng Shui principles, taking your shoes in with you is equivalent to taking your problems within the house with you. This must be avoided.
* Eating outside might be extremely appealing to you. However, Feng Shui would advice you to cook at least one meal at home and eat it with the entire family.
* Sleeping with you feet towards the door of your bedroom is a complete no-no according to Feng Shui.
* Sleeping under a white blanket or sheet can also attract negative energies.
* You must make sure that none of the walls beside your bed have any meter boxes on them.
* Whenever you are sitting or standing try to make sure that you are doing that while facing either the door or at least its reflection.
* Feng Shui advices you against keeping knives as decoration pieces, or presenting knives to other people.

These are a few absolutely basic Feng Shui laws, which can bring you a lot of prosperity. See the change in your lives for yourself by following these principles.

Feng Shui – It's Almost Magical

Editor — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:14:05 +0000

Feng Shui, which literally means 'wind-water', has moved way beyond being considered as a mere superstition. Today, it has become one of the supporting pillars of Interior Decoration industry. Typing the keywords online or trying to find out more about it at your local bookstore or library will give you a fair idea of the amount of popularity that Feng Shui has gained. Though Feng Shui as an art has become extremely real and acceptable, its effects still seem magical and ethereal. Even the greatest believers in Feng Shui at some time or the other would have questioned the viability of changing the order of furniture and a few colors here and there to bring about such a tremendous change in a person's life.

How Feng Shui Works Its Magic

Feng Shui, as you must be aware by now, mainly works its magic through the manipulation of energies; by getting rid of all negative energies and diverting the positive energies (or Chi as it is called in Feng Shui) for the welfare of the people concerned. By striking a balance between the five elements of water, earth, fire, metal, and wood, in accordance with the directions associated with these elements you can attracted positive Chi to your household or workspace. This balance brings in harmony for all those living, working, or even visiting these places affected with Feng Shui frequently.

The Principles Of Feng Shui

To begin manipulating the art of Feng Shui for prosperity in your personal life, your public relations, and your career, you ought to start teaching yourself a little by little about the rudiments of this three thousand year old Chinese art.

There are seven Feng Shui schools. You need to have some sort of an idea about each of them to know which one would best suit your need and purpose. There are Feng Shui schools dealing with directions, color, symbols, astrology, numerology, and mathematical calculations among others. You need to figure out which school you are most comfortable with and then accordingly study in great depth about that school.

Casual Knowledge of Feng Shui Can be Harmful

Finding out stray pieces of information about Feng Shui from undependable sources and then applying them to your home and workspace could backfire. As the popularity of this art has grown so has the number of people who are trying to make a living off it without actually having much expert knowledge about it. This can be extremely dangerous. A Feng Shui rule not known or used properly could begin attracting negative energy instead of the positive Chi and prove to be quite disastrous.