What is Feng Shui anyway?
Marketing executives at Bloomingdales in New York consult regularly with a Feng Shui expert (rhymes with foung – pronounced young schway). They know what people in China and Hong Kong have known for a long time: that good Feng Shui produces good business along with success, wealth, good health, loving relationships, and harmonious environments.
Feng Shui literally translated means “wind and water” and is the ancient art and science of placement. Feng Shui is used to analyze built and natural environments and to determine the Chi or vital energy in a place.
Understanding Chi or universal energy is the key to understanding Feng Shui. Chi is the unifying principle of energy and the underlying force that links man to all things in this world and to all realms of existence. This is not a world of inanimate forms but a living vibrant energy that pulsates at different speeds creating this universe. It is the air we breathe, the spirit that inhabits the body, the strength of a river, the cry of a baby, the vibration of fright when we are afraid, a different vibration when we love. Creating a space conducive to the accumulation and flow of good Chi is the ultimate goal of Feng Shui.
When we know that all things are connected, we know that the Chi at home or at work can affect our personal Chi. We may think that our business life is separate from our personal life, but to the universe, energy does not distinguish between one thing and another, it just flows and easily adapts to the current situation. A peaceful and harmonious home environment will be filled with good Chi and that vibration will carry over to all other areas of a person’s life.
Simple solutions like moving the corner of the bed towards the door so it doesn’t catch fire, or placing a plant in front of the pointed corner of a piece of furniture (piercing arrow) to diffuse harsh energy are some of the Feng Shui cures. Sometimes just the sound of strategically placed wind chimes can totally alter the vibe of a room. When we open up to how things feel, we immediately notice the difference.
When I owned a gallery many years ago in Ybor City, Florida, I knew I wanted the Feng Shui space. As a gallery housewarming gift, a family member feels like a Feng Shui consultant for the gallery. After assessing the space for energy flow or good Chi, he suggests various cures to get the energy moving in the right direction.
In traditional Feng Shui, if a building was found to be facing the wrong direction or a door was located in an inauspicious location, the Feng Shui master would instruct the owner to tear down the house and start over. He listened to the Master and did this or he would never get rid of his bad luck.
The Black Hat School of Feng Shui is responsible for a less drastic approach that has evolved over many, many years. In 1980, Professor Lin Yun of Berkeley, California introduced Black Hat Feng Shui to the West. An evolving system of Tibetan, East Indian, and Chinese spiritual methods, along with folkloric, cultural, and shamanic practices and remedies, Black Hat Feng Shui became both practical and spiritual.
At the core of this system were “cures” or methods of repairing bad offensive Chi: instead of bringing down the house, other options were now available. These arrangements or “cures” are Feng Shui in action, the heart of Feng Shui. A Feng Shui master uses these cures to transform bad Chi energy into good Chi. Using LIGHT (mirrors, crystals), SOUND (wind chimes, bells), LIFE FORCE (plants, fish tanks), MOVING OBJECTS (mobile, windmill, water fountain), HEAVY OBJECTS (statue, stones), OBJECTS ELECTRICAL (TV, stereo) ), COLOR, FRAGRANCE, TOUCH, BAMBOO FLUTES and OTHERS (bead curtain), the Feng Shui Master changes the flow of Chi. He knows that these cures are not just about using a mirror or a doorbell, but a conscious choice to shift energy.
Since each cure is designed for a specific purpose, the energy requirements for each space differ. For example, a bedroom would not have the same energy needs as a gallery, and one art gallery would be different from another.
My art gallery was narrower than it was wide, the door was to the side instead of directly in front, there were oblong jewelry counters, square pedestals, and large, heavy pieces of sculpture. The front of the gallery went up three stories in front when you first walked in and halfway up the ceiling dropped to ten feet. There had to be space for an office, but closing it would have cut the space in half.
Without revealing any Feng Shui cures (keeping the secret is part of the ritual), the task at hand was to create a space that was warm, welcoming and encouraged people to move throughout the space without hindrance. An ideal movement is to amble effortlessly in a gently curved shape; remember that straight lines are rarely found in the natural world. When energy moves in this healthy way, people feel relaxed and spend time exploring a new environment. This seems like a simple enough concept, but how many times have we entered a space only to turn around and walk out a second later? It just doesn’t feel right! I’ve learned (over many years!) that business isn’t just about selling things, it’s about how a person feels when they walk into your space. I heard over and over again, “It really feels good in this gallery” from people who have never heard of Feng Shui.
And that, once again, is because Chi is in all of us and without knowing anything intellectually about Feng Shui, we can feel when a place is welcoming, warm and harmonious. It’s a place we like to go: it makes us feel good about ourselves.
Whether for home or business, Feng Shui creates good Chi that is appropriate for that setting. People who love and work in such an environment feel more energetic, creative, loving and balanced; as a result, they increase their potential for social and financial success, as well as personal harmony.