Before you start moving around large pieces of furniture to maximize your ch'i, you need to understand the principles lying behind the guidelines. After all, what good is it to rearrange your living space if you don't understand the theory behind it?

Yin and yang

Yin and Yang are not the names of twin pandas. Well, actually, they probably are, but that's not the Yin and Yang we're talking about. Yin (black) and yang (white) are the harmonizing factors of the universe: opposing energies like day and night. Here's a picture:

Oooh… pretty. Yin and yang are totally dependent upon one another and one does not exist without the other. In fact, there is always a little bit of yang within yin (the white spot on the yin side) and vice versa.

Yin and yang are typically portrayed inside a Taichi circle, which symbolizes completeness. Lifeforce energy (that is, ch'i) created the oppositional duality of yin and yang - neither is good or evil - they just exist that way. Below are the characteristics associated with yin and yang.

In feng shui, the goal is to achieve a balance of yin and yang. For example, if a backyard is too hilly (too much Mr. Yang) one would want to introduce a water feature or some plants to break up the landscape (introduce Ms. Yin).

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