- Feng Shui is often called the "art of placement." It is about understanding your environment and learning to use it to influence your life for the better.
- Feng Shui means "wind and water." It is all about Qi (chi) or energy. Everything living on this earth needs air or "wind" and water. This Qi (chi) is the life force and Feng Shui is a way to change its direction in our favor.
- Yin and Yang. Balance is very important in Feng Shui. Think about a room that is all one color, like pink. It is very uneasy. The pink needs to be balanced with other colors to make it more comfortable to be in the space.
- The Bagua is an essential part of using Feng Shui. It is an octagon and has nine parts or areas. Each side represents an area in you home. These areas (starting at the bottom and going counter clockwise) are career, knowledge, family, wealth, fame, relationships, children, helpful people, and health (in the middle).There are several schools of Feng Shui and each of them has different methods for placing the Bagua in relation to a space. Some have you place it according to your birthday and a compass. I think the easiest way is to use the Black Hat Sect method. Stand inside your front door facing in. The career area is the middle of the front area of your home with the fame area stretching to the back. Knowledge will be to the left and helpful people to the right. If you need more please refer to the links provided.
- Clutter is anything that does not belong. It is the stuff you have been meaning to get rid of, papers or things that you own that do not make you happy. Clutter stops Qi from flowing. Getting rid of clutter is the best way to start in Feng Shui.
- There is no such thing as "bad" Feng Shui and "good" Feng Shui. People often say this but really it is the degree in which the Qi (chi) is working for you. Either the Qi is working for you or it is not. We always want Qi to work for us.
- There are several schools of Feng Shui. You can use advice from all the schools (all of them work well), but especially in the beginning it is important to stick one school. It will be less confusing. The two major schools are the Compass Method and Black Hat Sect, or Western. I like Black Hat Sect; I find that it is simpler.
- Intention plays a huge part in Feng Shui. Think about what you want to accomplish in you life. Do you want more money? More friends? Creativity? Think about it before you start on an area. Also, be specific. Do you want to make money investing or with a raise at work? Think about these things as you practice.
Feng Shui is a fun and easy way to use your stuff to influence your life. It will help make your house organized and gives you a little extra motivation to do it too!
