Feng Shui (pronounced "phung schway") is an ancient Chinese philosophy, science, and art. Feng Shui is a form of Geomancy, divination by geographic features, The words Feng Shui are translated as "wind and water," which describe the two forces that shape the environment. One vivible and the other invisible, they both impact our lives constantly.

Feng Shui mainly focuses on the relationship between man and nature with the goal of achieving harmony and balance within ones environment. Feng Shui is a system, or way of pruposefully arranging an environment so that it positively affects those who live or work there. Although many cultures have used vairious methods of purposeful placement to achieve harmony, Feng Shui was first documented by the Chinese culture- thus the popularity fo their name for it.

Throughout ancient China, classical Feng Shui was a closely guarded discipline used as a tool to ensure the good health, wealth, and power of the imperial dynasties. The keepers of this secret knowledge were the Feng Shui masters, the highly respected scientists and astronomers who were charged with sustaining the good fortune and prosperity of the royal court.

 

At the core of Feng Shui is the understanding of the interconnectedness of all creation; the interaction between the seen (our environment) and the unseen (energy and intention). It is related to the notion that living with nature, rather than living against it benefits both humans and their environment. Feng Shui is also related to the idea that our lives are deeply affected by our physical environments. For example, if we surround ourselves with negative images, chaotic noises, and various forms of ugliness, we will corrupt ourselves in the process. If we surround ourselves with beauty, gentleness, kindness, and various expressions of the sweetness of life, than we will absorb that energy and become a living expression of our surroundings.

Feng Shui uses the basic principles of the five elements, chi, and yin and yang.

ELEMENTS: The five Feng Shui elements are wood, earth, metal, fire, and water. When they are balanced in your environment, your life is better balanced, and you are more likely to have what you want in life. Feng Shui elements are used by placing them in the appropiate area of the dwelling with the intention that they will work for you. There are two more ways to utilize them: the Creative Cycle and the Destructive Cycle.

CHI: Chi is the word used most often to describe the invisible forces that are being changed or minpulated when using Feng Shui. The American description most closely aligned with this concept is "life force".

Creative Cycle: The creative cycle describes how the five elements help to promote each other. Water feeds wood, wood fules fire, fire makes earth, earth creates metal, and metal holds water.

Destructive Cycle: The destructive cycle describes how the five elements diminish each other. Water douses fire, fire melts metal, metal chops wood, wood uproots earth, and earth dams water. This cycle can be used to temper or eliminate a particular elements in a space in which it is not wanted.

Yin and Yang: The yin and yang represents all the oppisites that can be found in the universe. Under yang are the principles of masculinity, the sun, creation, heat, light, ethral forms dominance, etc... Yin represents feminine principles, the moon, completion, cold, darkness, material forms, submission, etc.. Each of these opposites procuces the other. This production of yin from yang and yang from yin occurs cyclically and constantly, so that no one principle dominates the other. All opposites that you experience- health and sickness, wealth and poverty, power and submission- can be explained in reference to the temporary dominance of one principle over the other. Since no one principle dominates forever, all conditions are subject to change into their opposites.

Feng Shui is not related to any religion or beliefe system. It is a scientific discipline based on the analysis of energy. The number one goal of Feng Shui is to help people to live and work in comfortable and supportive environments. In doing so, Feng Shui can assist in improving health, relationships, and finances.

This is just an introduction to Feng Shui. There is more interesting and improtant information about Feng Shui to be discovered.

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