There is a good chance that you have walking into a building or room that was influenced by Feng Shui, a philosophy that has influenced millions of people in how they build and furnish their homes. An art form that was first hinted at over 6,000 years ago in China, it has developed through the years to become a philosophy that drives many architects from around the world.

The History of Feng Shui

Feng Shui goes back over 6,000 years to its earliest origins in Chinese culture. In 4000 BC, Banpo dwelling in ancient China had doors that aligned with astronomical observations in order to be at balance with the universe. The doors had aligned with the time of the winter solstice which became the first significant sign of a belief being shown en mass by a culture at least in terms of alignment.

From this simple beginning, Feng Shui began to develop accordingly in Chinese architecture and alignment of proper buildings as well as palaces and homes. Thousands of years later during the Zhou era, the capital city was built in accordance to Feng Shui with a palace-type structure whose entrance faced the south. Further archeology has shown that smaller communities followed this path towards building their towns and villages.

The best evidence of Feng Shui from that time period was found in the arrangements of tombs and burial structures. Perhaps because such places were less likely to be destroyed or fade away over time, the tombs have shown the evolution of this philosophy over time and archeologists have discovered several ancient cities that have also patterned their development.

By the 1960s, the art of Feng Shui was actively discouraged by the Chinese government during the infamous Cultural Revolution. However, since that time it has come back into vogue.

What is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui is a philosophy that creates harmony with the surrounding environment. Feng Shui translates to “wind-water” in English, but that is shorthand to explain the overall direction of this philosophical movement. The practice involves orienting the internal furnishings of buildings so that the invisible forces of the universe bind together in a proper manner.

The artistry of Feng Shui has been used to orient dwellings, tombs and other belonging so as to be in alignment with the stars, a body of water or perhaps compass direction. The philosophy today applies to the design of the building, rooms and how they are furnished in order to have completeness and being one with the world.

The Five Elements of Feng Shui

Feng Shui is the art and practice of bringing in the energy of the universe to flow naturally through your living or working space. In order to achieve this in your home, you must incorporate the five elements so that balance may be obtained.

• Wood
• Fire
• Earth
• Metal
• Water

The elements can be used either productively or destructively in your home depending on the cycle that you choose. The productive cycle uses the elements to nurture and help flourish the energy in your home. Basically, this means bringing an element inside such as something made from wood into your living area in order to boost the overall energy.

The destructive use of Feng Shui is when you want to downplay a particular element that may be too strong in your living space. For example, if you have a large mirror in the room that represents water which must be counterbalanced with more earth that can absorb the water, such as with plants or the like. In any case, the use of the elements must be balanced if at all possible in order to get the right flow of energy into the work or living areas.

How can Feng Shui Help You?

In Chinese culture, the wind and the water are associated with being in good health, so the philosophy of design carries through to today as well. In addition, there is Feng Shui that carries with it good fortune and bad fortune or perhaps bad luck. Understanding the Taoist vision of nature and how the land, sky and people are all one helps to bring this philosophy home to the millions who live in home or work in businesses that follow this particular path.

The ancient belief that the energy of the land might create the rise or fall of a kingdom has been translated into various theories over the years such as yin and yang and the five elements of Feng Shui which are all rooted in Taoism.

However, the Compass and Bagual are central to the current usage of Feng Shui when it come to its focus. The Bagual is an energy map that works when you have aligned specific areas of your home to create a better connection between you and the universe. The Compass is used to get a deeper impression about a particular building or the site in which it is constructed. The bands of concentric rings are arranged around a magnetic needed and the energy as a result can be interpreted to contain all the mysteries that float around in the universe.

In addition to the architectural aspects, there is also the philosophy of Feng Shui that can help improve your life. From the use of aquarium that are designed to attract prosperity to the use of fountains, crystals and colors that will help improve your overall energy at work or at home. It is the proper arrangement of these items that are designed to bring about all types of positive energy that when mastered may have powerful results.

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