Putting Feng Shui Into Perspective
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Don't Let the Bamboo Bamboozle You
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese system of balancing spatial energy -- that is, the energy of a space, such as a building or room. It is both a science and an art, and it is practiced to promote health, harmony and good fortune for those who inhabit the space, be they the residents of a home or the tenants of a commercial building.
In the Chinese language, feng means "wind" and shui means "water," and it is these two elements that my ancestors and modern-day Chinese believe contribute to the well-being of a space, as each represents the flowing nature of nature (as opposed to metal and earth, which are static, and fire, which is destructive).
When feng shui started to become popular in the West, many people began using it to balance their spaces and to experience the harmonizing effects it produces. But in the process of growing in popularity, the primary tenets of feng shui seem to have gotten lost in the commercialization of it. This is unfortunate.
My ancestors were skilled in feng shui, and the knowledge and wisdom they passed down through the generations to my family and me focused on the fundamentals -- placement, purpose, and power -- each of which is integral to creating, enhancing, and maintaining an optimal flow of energy or chi in the space and the fluidity of one's movements through the space.
Placement refers to the placement of a building in relation to nature and to other structures in the immediate environment, the placement of rooms within the building, and the placement of things within the rooms. Purpose refers to the purpose of the space and everything in it, as well as the purpose for someone being in the space. And power refers to our personal power, the positive and the negative of it, such as feelings and demonstrations of love, compassion and gratitude, as well as hatred, enmity and disgust.
From what I can tell, much of the feng shui how-to advice on the Web, in books and from (hopefully well meaning) feng shui consultants is misguided. It often focuses on putting "attractive" and "reflective" accoutrements here, there and everywhere to cure the space of what ails it. Meanwhile, the purported energies associated with these items are mostly steeped in fear and superstitions, which have no role in feng shui.
My intention here is to separate the helpful from the hype, so that anyone who is interested in using feng shui to create an energetically optimal space can do so practically as well as economically.
(Photo by bitmask via flickr, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license.)
In the Chinese language, feng means "wind" and shui means "water," and it is these two elements that my ancestors and modern-day Chinese believe contribute to the well-being of a space, as each represents the flowing nature of nature (as opposed to metal and earth, which are static, and fire, which is destructive).
When feng shui started to become popular in the West, many people began using it to balance their spaces and to experience the harmonizing effects it produces. But in the process of growing in popularity, the primary tenets of feng shui seem to have gotten lost in the commercialization of it. This is unfortunate.
My ancestors were skilled in feng shui, and the knowledge and wisdom they passed down through the generations to my family and me focused on the fundamentals -- placement, purpose, and power -- each of which is integral to creating, enhancing, and maintaining an optimal flow of energy or chi in the space and the fluidity of one's movements through the space.
Placement refers to the placement of a building in relation to nature and to other structures in the immediate environment, the placement of rooms within the building, and the placement of things within the rooms. Purpose refers to the purpose of the space and everything in it, as well as the purpose for someone being in the space. And power refers to our personal power, the positive and the negative of it, such as feelings and demonstrations of love, compassion and gratitude, as well as hatred, enmity and disgust.
From what I can tell, much of the feng shui how-to advice on the Web, in books and from (hopefully well meaning) feng shui consultants is misguided. It often focuses on putting "attractive" and "reflective" accoutrements here, there and everywhere to cure the space of what ails it. Meanwhile, the purported energies associated with these items are mostly steeped in fear and superstitions, which have no role in feng shui.
My intention here is to separate the helpful from the hype, so that anyone who is interested in using feng shui to create an energetically optimal space can do so practically as well as economically.
(Photo by bitmask via flickr, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license.)
Feng Shui and You - Part 1
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What's It All About, Alfie?
The Essence of Feng Shui
The essence and overall objective of feng shui is the experience of harmony, peace and well-being in one's environment through the balanced placement and arrangement of one's space and possessions. While this can include having things such as plants, water features and wind chimes, so that the elements of earth, fire, metal, water and wood -- forms of nature and its energy -- can enliven and support the space, it also includes us and our energies.One underlying issue for many individuals is oftentimes not the lack of having enough feng shui items, but having too many items, period. More often than not, simply getting rid of things that no longer serve a purpose and rearranging and organizing the rest are plenty to breathe life into a space with stagnant chi and to elevate the level of flowing chi. In doing so, the occupant can feel wonderful in the space as a result, without having spent a penny on feng shui coins.
Another, deeper issue is a disempowering sense of self. When a person relates to him- or herself as being inadequate, unworthy or any variation of "not good enough," s/he vibrates and exudes that kind of energy, and feng shui objects will not make that person feel more peaceful or comfortable at home or anywhere else. However, when s/he gets the true nature of her or his being and becomes empowered, then intentions can manifest into physical reality, and oftentimes without any conscious application of feng shui.
None of this is magic. It's the combined energies of our selves integrated and balanced with those of our environments and the objects within them that bring about the results we desire.
(Public domain image by Chamaeleon via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.)
Feng Shui and You - Part 2
(Photo by puuikibeach via flickr, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) license.)
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The Context Is Decisive
Where We're Coming From Determines What We Experience
Feng shui and other spatial energy practices such as Hindu-based Vastu are inherently pragmatic, practical and sensible: To promote the flow of energy in one's space, one needs to get rid of clutter, keep pathways open, work in the office instead of the bedroom, etc. It's quite simple, but it may not always be easy, depending on the situation. If one's home is in a flood zone and prone to flooding, then moving to higher ground will do more good than putting a bagua mirror over the front door, because while the mirror can reflect negative energy back to the source, it cannot stop flood water from coming in the house.When it comes to the crystals, mirrors and other feng shui items cited as positive energy enhancers or negative energy neutralizers, they can provide the benefits ascribed to them. However, it is only within the appropriate context and in relation to one's personal energy and intentions, as well as one's resonance with the object, that they can enhance positive chi and counteract negative chi.
When one's context is fear, it is unlikely that any object is going to provide peace, no matter how effective it is credited to being in feng shui. If a person is afraid that work is going to go down the toilet because the bathroom is in the career corner, then putting a mirror on the bathroom door will not deflect any "flushing" energy, but instead reflect that person's energy of fear. In the area of relationships, it is counter-productive and ineffective to introduce a wind chime as a feng shui "cure" to liven up stuck energy in this corner if the person cannot stand the sound of it and the context is "men are jerks," "women are playthings" or some other disempowering statement.
Now compare those examples to one where the context is love.
- I have a friend who loves her work and loves working at home. For a time, though, she found that whenever she sat at her desk, she felt something was "off," but couldn't put her finger on it. The issues were clutter, energetically "heavy" items and not enough "room to breathe." We moved files that she didn't regularly use into a closet, which we also cleared of old stuff (that she eventually organized and kept, donated or discarded). Then we moved a bookcase out of the office and into the foyer of her apartment, which had been a "dead space" next to the entryway to her office. We also moved non-work related items out of the office, added some life-giving plants, and rearranged the rest of the things to support her work and professional accomplishments.
- Not only did this open up the office to give it (and her) some breathing room and energetic focus on work, but it "grounded" the foyer, gave this space life through the placement of plants and keepsakes she loves, and provided uplifting and inspiring energy that supports her whenever she enters her home and home-based work environment. None of this required any special feng shui object or cost a plug nickel, just a bit of time, energy and creativity. Now she feels like she's living and working in a brand new place, is productive as all get-out, and loves it.
Recommended Feng Shui Books
Ones That Don't Focus on All the Thingamajigs
Here are a few books that do a good job of including you, your intentions and energy, as well as practical and useful energy enhancements, in the practice of feng shui. Another of my favorites, Fast Feng Shui by Stephanie Roberts is highlighted in the sidebar on the right side of this page. Enjoy and use them well.
To What Are You Giving Power?
Those Feng Shui Crystals Do Not Have More Power Than You
Both sense and cents can go out the wisdom and wealth corner windows when it comes to feng shui and implementing feng shui "remedies." When a statement such as "you've got bad chi here and need more good chi there" is made, and the recommendation is to use various feng shui items to "cure" them, fear often becomes the unwitting and unspoken companion to the ferns, flutes and other feng shui fix-its. Coming from this context, it's no wonder that the desired results don't happen.When feng shui advice focuses on the objects themselves, the implication is that the powers of effecting positive change in one's space lie in the objects and the objects only. This isn't accurate, and it isn't feng shui or vastu or any other spatial energy discipline that is being practiced, but a lack of recognizing and using one's personal power, intuition and instincts. The objects and their energies can contribute to the achievement of balance and harmony, but a person must realize that s/he is the power source for their contribution.
It comes down to a matter of context. As to what is an appropriate context, the specifics will vary by person, but overall, the answer is: an empowering one. Objects only have the power that we attribute to them. The question is whether we give them power that we believe we lack within ourselves.
(Photo by Takkk via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.)
One thing that many people don't consciously think about when it comes to the energy of their space is odor. When bad odors linger, it can affect everyone in the space, from a general feeling of unpleasantness to having physical symptoms. Get the nasty odors out of your space with SCOE 10X -- this stuff works wonders!
Feng Shui Includes Personal Energy
Enhancing the Energy of One's Space Works from the Inside Out
According to Feng Shui Master Quita Crump,
- "It's really about one's intentions, being clear about what you want from elevating the energy of your space, and being confident... People bring their energies to everything, including the things in their homes and on their properties. And these things, whether or not they are designated for feng shui use, bring their energies to people too, reflecting back to them the vibrations they are sending out."
(Image by Dino Olivieri - Zentao.org via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.)
Feng Shui-Related Lenses
May the Feng Shui Be with You
I Appreciate and Thank You
Thanks for reading this lens. I hope it has shed some light on what feng shui is and isn't about and how you can benefit from its application when you approach it not from a sense of fear or lack but from a context of empowerment.
And if you know someone who might benefit from reading this lens, please share it with them. Thanks!
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Auntie-M
May 16, 2012 @ 1:23 am | delete
- I really like your approach. I have avoided feng shui because it just didn't seem to make sense, it was too voodoo for me. But your views are very different. they feel right.
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imlj May 16, 2012 @ 1:37 am | delete
- Thank you, Auntie-M. I totally get why you'd stayed away from it, and I'm glad that the information in this lens has given you some comfort about it.
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marsha32 May 10, 2012 @ 9:37 pm | delete
- Looks great! I have always wanted to understand more about Feng Shui.
I also chose a lens to update today for the quest.
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- Marsha32, I hope the information in this lens helped. Which lens did you update for the quest? Let me know so I can check it out.
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Intuitive
Oct 18, 2008 @ 10:37 am | delete
- I've become interested in feng shui lately, partly because it seems like a fun "game" to play with my clutter, partly because I felt like I needed someplace to start that felt more creative. In the end it's coming down to just getting to doing the work and seeing what feels right. Thank you for your well written words that confirm my intuition. 5*
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Oct 12, 2008 @ 7:06 pm | delete
- This lens is both interesting and useful. Well done!
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daria369
Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:11 pm | delete
- Thank you for this info, I was wondering about that... Welcome to http://www.squidoo.com/groups/wellbeing-network
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by imlj
For me, the state of my home reflects what's going on with me inside. When it's neat and clean, I'm in good shape. But when it's messy, I know to clean... more »
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One of My Favorite Books on Feng Shui
Including the Power of Intention, Affirmation and Visualization in Feng Shui
Fast Feng Shui: 9 Simple Principles for Transforming Your Life by Energizing Your Home
Amazon Price: $15.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
One of my favorite books on feng shui is Fast Feng Shui by Stephanie Roberts. In it she covers the fundamentals in a simple and accessible way, gives easy-to-understand examples, and offers "Quick Tips" for things to do for each feng shui principle. And if you were ever curious about which "feng shui type" you are (pack rat? whirlwind?), this section helps you to prioritize the princinples to act on first.
For most of the quick tips, the author also gives the reader an intention, affirmation and visualization. "One of the key ingredients to success with feng shui is to use the combined power of your body, speech and mind to activate and reinforce the changes you are making to your home."
Regarding clutter, "Clean Up Your Clutter" is Principle #5. In it Ms. Roberts helps you to determine if what you have is or isn't clutter. For example, what I call "just in case" things, she calls "someday" things: "Stuff that you are keeping because you might need it 'some day' is almost always clutter. It reflects an (often subconscious) assumption of future lack..."
Fast Feng Shui is a great book for anyone who is interested in feng shui and I highly recommend it. It is one of my must-keep resources and I refer to it whenever I re-feng shui my space. It is available for the Kindle and in paperback.
