It is the ancient Chinese practice of re-arranging one’s environment for the purpose of improving the quality of one’s life. "Feng" is wind and "Shui" is water in the Chinese language.

Recently numerous books and articles have been published and yet it has remained a mystery to the majority of the American public. As increasingly more businesses are springing up, Feng Shui seems to be in demand to satisfy business owners. These may include office building locations, real estate purchases, residential locations and the like. The community at-large is beginning to take a more than curious look at this practice, in the purchase or sale of commercial and residential properties.

While there is no deity involved in the study of Feng Shui, there is a definite order in the world, as we know it. By organizing and arranging what we can control, we are able to seek quality in our lives. By proper placement in one’s physical surroundings and proper placement in all aspects of life, one creates perfect balance with nature, thereby bringing great blessings and good luck. (Back to Top)

If Feng Shui can be manipulated to our advantage, then good deeds and diligence follow easily. Feng Shui strives to create perfect harmony between heaven, human beings and earth. If focuses on the forces of Yin (moon, or shadow) and Yang (sun, or light). To achieve harmony, there must be enough light and shadow and no too much of either one. Shadow can mean the earth, female, passivity, quietness, nurturing and germination. Light can mean masculinity, firmness, active, positive action and growth. Too much of either one will not produce the desired growth and development. These two forces play equal importance in our lives. The above can be explained in this "Bagua" octagon diagram:

The Bagua (Octagon) (click to see Bagua diagram enlarged)

The solid line represents the male part and the broken line represents the female part. The various combinations of the eigth portions of the hexagram indicate the change in one’s life. We all have male and female (Yin and Yang) within ourselves. Too much of either one is not a good sign. We have Chi (energy flow) within our body and within our residence. We can control what we eat and do in order to control the flow of energy within ourselves. (Back to Top)

Similarly, we can arrange our furniture and the landscaping in our yards in order to achieve harmony. The balance of Yin and Yang. This is for the purpose of not allowing one to take over the other. Just as acupuncture is a healing method for the body, Feng Shui is a healing method for the house. To achieve the correct balance, it is helpful to know one’s exact date of birth in order to work with the residential location or business location. Using this information, it is possible to discover the balance of Yin and Yang since each birth-date brings a different gua.

The theories of Yin and Yang and the five elements have a long and continuous history in Chinese civilization. The Chinese classic on medicine, Huang di nei jin, says that Yin and Yang is the way of heaven and earth. This means that everything can be divided into the two mutually opposing and independent elements of yin and yang. The five elements are, in order, water, fire, wood, metal/gold (having the same written character, the meanings are inseparable), and earth. The five elements represent the five different kinds of matter with which people constantly come in contact. However, it is the essence of the elements, rather than the elements themselves, which, in combination, cause things to occur. In the wrong combination, they are mutually destructive. Combinations of the elements can cause great happiness or distress in one’s life.

Other examples of occurrences of five, which restate the five elements, are: North, South, East, West and center, Green, Yellow, Red, White and Black. Notes of the musical scale on the Chinese zither Five viscera of the human body Five flavors Five grains Five metals Five atmospheric elements. Wind and water are important considerations in architectural planning. This conforms to the Chinese quasi-science of geomancy. The name of Feng Shui is directly derived from these two forces. Feng Shui can be effectively used for residences, commercial buildings and offices, shopping centers and stores, restaurants, hotels, factories and burial sites. Good Feng Shui enriches prosperity, business relationships, good fortune, opportunities, health, love and harmony.

There are five factors that govern and determine the quality of our lives: Destiny (this is predetermined) Fate (a change occurs every ten years) Feng Shui (environment of the natural world) Good deeds (charity and contribution to fellow mankind) Education (diligence as produced by work) The first two factors are not within our control since these are determined according to when we are born (year, month, day and time). The last three are within our reach for control and improvement.

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