by Roberta Striga
Feng Shui is an ancient system that was developed some 3000 years ago in China. It’s connected with Taoist principle and based on the premise that nature and land is filled with energy, life force or, as the Chinese call it, Chi (Qi).

The Chinese believe that Chi or energy is always flowing and it represents everything positive in your life. When Chi is not flowing freely or it is blocked in some areas in your home then problems can arise–health problems, money problems, depression, feeling stuck in your career, etc.

So in order to have good health and prosperity and abundance in your life Chi should flow freely and your surroundings should be arranged in such a way that will work in harmony with the nature rather then against it. Feng Shui with its extensive body of knowledge should help you harmonize your surroundings, improve your health and attract abundance, prosperity and peace in your life.

Although Feng Shui is nowhere near as simple as one might think, the basic principles that govern Feng Shui remain constant and are relatively easy to understand. Following is summary of these basic principles:

The principle of yin and yang

Yin and yang are opposing energies that have to be in balance. It does not mean that one is bad while the other is good. In fact, the opposites cannot exist without each other. The principle of yin and yang is founded on the most basic natural laws that everything has its opposite. And Feng Shui tries to bring them into balance so you have healthy life with plenty of prosperity and abundance.

The principle of five elements

Feng Shui’s five elements are Wood, Water, Metal, Fire and Earth. Each of the elements is represented by a color, which is one of the easiest ways to bring more harmony into your home. It is important to remember that the elements relate to each other in both constructive and destructive ways.

• Wood – Green, Brown
• Water – Blue, Black
• Metal – White, Gray
• Fire – Red, Yellow, Purple, Orange
• Earth – Light Yellow, Light Brown, Sandy colors

The Ba-Gua chart

The Ba-Gua chart is an octagonal grid that contains the symbols of the i-Ching. It is divided into nine areas and when you lay out the Ba-Gua chart over the floor plan of your home it should give you an idea which areas of your home correspond to different areas of your life.

Some good reads

• Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life–How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money and Happiness by Karen Rauch Carter
• Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston
• Feng Shui for Dummies by David Daniel Kennedy
• Fast Feng Shui: 9 Simple Principles for Transforming Your Life & Energizing your Home by Stephanie Roberts