The story of Feng Shui begins approximately 6,000 years ago, according to structures built during that time. In Ancient China, people used astronomy to properly orient themselves with north, south, east and west. The easiest way to do this was to observe the constellations, along with the path of the sun throughout the year – noting areas that experience excess sun or shade, and how they change with the seasons. Ancient structures in China were built in such a way so they get maximum sun exposure. Historians believe this was planned for warmth and survival – the earliest example of feng shui. So what is Feng Shui and what is its’ purpose?
What Does Feng Shui Mean?
Feng shui literally translates to wind (“feng”) and water (“shui”). In Chinese culture, both wind and water are associated with energy. The power of these elements can be harnessed to our benefit, or work as a force against us. Much like wind and water, the energies of life are the same for humans – we can harness it to maximize our gain and benefit, or we can be constricted by them. The difference largely comes down to our beliefs, practices and energies in our lives.
What Are The Principles Of Feng Shui?
We noted above that feng shui is oriented around energy. More specifically, feng shui is all about balancing out energies to achieve perfect harmony.
This balance within feng shui involves five key components:
- Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Metal and Wood
- Chi (Qi): Pronounced ‘Chee’, Chi Is The Natural Flow Of The Universe’s Energy
- Yin and Yang Polarity: The Concept Of Two Opposing Energies Completely Balancing Out The Other To Find Harmony. Similar To The Physics Concept “For Every Action, There Is An Equal And Opposite Reaction“
- North, South, East & West Orientation: In Traditional Feng Shui, This Orientation Was Determined Through Astronomical Constellations (‘Four Celestial Animals‘).
- Considering The Orientation Above: The Pathways Of The Sun, And Therefore The Seasons, Are Another Component Of Feng Shui
It’s through the balance of these elements, energies and environmental factors that we find feng shui.
What Are Some Examples Of Feng Shui?
Let’s take a look a each of the components outlined above, and a couple examples of each in practice:
The Five Elements Of Feng Shui
The five elements of feng shui are earth, water, fire, metal and wood. These are represented in feng shui in their naturals forms, but also in colors:
Earth is represented by tans, light browns, beiges, pale yellows and other earth-tones.
Water is represented by blues, as well as blacks.
Fire is embodied by reds, yellows, oranges, purples and pinks.
Metal is represented by whites and greys.
Wood, lastly, is shown using greens and other wood tones.
While these five elements in their pure form are encouraged in any space, the energy of these elements is carried through color, too.
The Role Of Chi In Feng Shui
Chi translates to ‘air’ in English. Chi is believed to be life-force energy which is always present in the universe around us. It’s up to us to know where ‘good’ and ‘bad’ chi is present, and to manage our energy and environment accordingly.
Here are a few examples chi in feng shui:
- Homes near trash dumps or cemeteries are considered to have bad chi surrounding them.
- Desks and beds should not directly face the door, but rather sit diagonally across from them.
- The entrance to your home is a major factor in the overall chi that can enter your home. A large, attractive, high quality door in the center of the home is considered to invite good chi into your home, whereas plants or other obstacles blocking the front door are believed to block good chi from entering.
- Stressful activities, such as work or tough conversations, should not happen in the bedroom or any other areas of rest – this is believed to disturb the good chi surrounding them.
We must consider the chi in our environments, for chi is believed to directly influence our overall health, luck and fortune!
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How Do You Balance Yin And Yang In Feng Shui?
As stated above, yin and yang are two forms of energy. ‘Yin’ is believed to be feminine energy, and ‘yang’ to be masculine energy.
Yin energy is calm, soothing and soft and is associated with comfort, warmth and relaxation. Yang energy is vibrant and strong, and brings with it an uplifting, powerful spirit.
Yin is represented with dark, cool colors, whereas yang energy is represented by white and light colors.
The soft, relaxing nature of yin energy is best suited to areas like the bedroom and bathrooms. Empty rooms and open spaces are seen as yin, since they lack any vibrancy or life to balance them.
Areas that family gather like kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms are yang environments, thanks to the energy emitted from the people and activities who congregate there.
Balanced homes will not have equal amounts of yin and yang in every room, since some spaces need one more than the other. However, all balanced homes must have a balance of both yin and yang energies in the space as a whole.
Orientation And Direction In Feng Shui
The orientation of a living space is determined by its’ position relative to true north, south, east and west. These four orientations, along with those that fall perfectly between them (i.e. north-east) form the eight primary feng shui directions.
Each of these directions is associated with certain characteristics and principals. While each have their significance, they are overridden by a more-specific kind of direction in-situ…
For example, the front of a house or building is often wherever the location of the front door is – this is typical, but not always the case. If one side of the house receives significant amounts of natural light via windows, or is facing a road or busy location, this is considered the front. The front of the house is where the most activity and energy is – this just happens to be where the front door usually is, too.The back, in turn, is directly opposite of this (180 degrees).
Orientation can become more specific than this in terms of feng shui. Here are a few orientation examples:
- Sleep habits should coincide with your bedroom positioning. If you like getting up early, choose a bedroom with a clear east-facing window. If you stay up late, choose a west-facing room.
- Living below the level of your street is believed to bring bad chi.
- Living at the end of a road should be offset by orientating the front of the house perpendicular to the road, so as not to have the energy of that road facing your home directly.
- Front doors should not open into tight, cramped spaces but rather open foyers. The stairs, bathrooms and kitchens should ideally not be visible upon entering.
While the longitudinal and latitudinal orientation of homes and buildings is important, so is the orientation of entrances, rooms and arrangements in order to maximize feng shui in an environment.
The Seasons And Feng Shui
Every season brings with it unique environmental circumstances.
Spring brings blossoms to trees and bushes, along with moisture, warmer temperatures and life.
Summer features high suns, long days and hot temperatures.
Autumn brings about the falling of leaves, long shadows, cooler temperatures and darker weather patterns.
Winter features low suns, shorter days, cold weather and barren plants.
The Chinese believe there are five seasons, and thus, there is a fifth season when considering feng shui: late summer or early autumn. In western culture, this is akin to Indian summer.
Each of these five seasons are associated with one of the major elements in feng shui:
- Spring is associated with the wood element.
- Summer is represented by the fire element.
- Late Summer is associated with earth.
- Autumn is represented by the metal elements.
- Winter is associated with water.
These elements can be introduced in a home, either in their pure form or via color, during each season to complement the natural weather and environmental patterns as they happen.
Here are a few other ways to balance a space with the seasons:
- The long-side of a home should be oriented east-to-west. This allows the south-facing side of a home to get more exposure to the low winter sun. This also helps reduce loss of heat on the east- and west-facing sides.
- In line with the above, the south and east sides of a yard should feature trees that lose their leaves in the cooler months (deciduous). This allows for greater sun exposure in the cool months, and shade in the warm months.
- In turn, the west and north sides of a yard will benefit from hedges and trees that do not lose their leaves (evergreen). Trees like pine and spruce will provide shade in the warm months, and form barriers from the wind during the cold.
- Glass does not have the same insulating capacity as walls do. As such, they allow for more heat transfer, meaning they’ll let heat in during warm months, and let it out during cool months. Much like feng shui, it’s all about balancing your home with these energies! This is why windows should mostly face south – to maximize the sun exposure throughout the year, including during the winter months.
In Conclusion
If you came to this article wondering “What Is Feng Shui, And What Is Its Purpose?“, I hope we’ve answered this question fully and to your satisfaction!
Energy is ever-present in our environment. Whether it be through the Earth’s elements, human activity, vibes, geography or the weather, a feng shui space will maximize the benefits and minimize the negatives of each. But most importantly…
Feng shui is all about balance!