Feng Shui (fung shway), the art of placement, is a Chinese term meaning wind and water. Practiced in Asia for over 3000 years, it has now crossed the oceans to the west. While there are numerous forms or schools of feng shui, they all have one thing in common – intention.
Decorating with intention means making conscious design choices. By being conscious with your design intentions, you create spaces of harmony and balance. Decorating with feng shui brings balance and harmony, comfort and ease to your environment. It goes a step beyond good interior design and decorating, using the symbols and tools of ancient China to balance the energy in your surroundings. Balancing and enhancing your environment where you live and work is one of the best ways to energize and manifest your goals, hopes and dreams for the present and future.
In decorating with feng shui, we apply the principles of the Black Hat Sect, also known as intuitive feng shui. As you learn the language and basic elements of feng shui, you'll rely more and more on your intuition to guide you in your choices.
Applying feng shui principles is an ongoing process. Acknowledge that things that once held value for you may now be outdated. It may be time to let go of some items that no longer serve you to make room for things that represent who you are now. This is a journey and it begins with the first step – understanding the energy that flows through all things.
Chi, Universal Life Force
Every thing has energy. Energy flows through all objects, living and inanimate. It flows at different vibratory rates that have effects on us. What feels good to you may not feel good to someone else. The key is to know how chi flows, which is really the entire philosophy of feng shui.
Imagine a gentle stream of water rippling through your home. This stream carries everything you need or want and carries away anything you want to release. It is a steady stream of lifeforce energy.
Now look at the front entrance to your home – the mouth of chi. Does the stream flow gently and easily into the structure? Or, is there an incline of stairs? Is the door set back where the flow would have to go around a garage first? This is how we begin to notice the path of chi.
Chi flows in and out through doors and windows. It stagnates in receding corners. And corners that jut out push “poison arrows” of chi into the room. So do exposed ceiling beams. Becoming aware of all the architectural effects on chi is the first step to "opening your feng shui eyes."
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