Feng Shui Basic Principles and History [plus front door, bedroom & kitchen at home]by Jon Sandifer, MRSST, RCFSS
There are many approaches, styles and schools of Feng Shui that have developed these past 3000 years. The values, the principles, the approaches and even the formulae are the same, it is only the interpretation that has changed in recent years. Is quite easy and commonsense to apply the basics to your home, but quite a challenge to incorporate the rich and detailed approach that involves Chinese astrology and needs an expert or Master to unveil and match these to your particular needs. At this high level, magic and miracles can happen -by just applying the basics you can still benefit generally but can miss out on specific results.
The earliest recorded style of Feng Shui is known as Form School. This is where the topography is studied to find a sheltered site that has beneficial Chi energy (life force) for the property and the inhabitants. The principles apply today - have support (The Mountain) behind you.
This could be a taller property behind yours or a high backed chair in your office or a strong head board behind you when you sleep. Form School also makes sure that you benefit from Chi - think of it as the energy of wind or water, the literal translation of Feng (wind) Shui (water). The property also needs to be protected from sharp, attacking qualities of Chi such as angular or dominating features that face your front door. This "Cutting Chi" can emanate from telegraph poles, utility poles, a tall tree, a busy road, the angle of roof opposite your home that is aimed at your front door. These forms of "Cutting Chi" can be deflected by a convex mirror or an octagonal shaped Pakua mirror, available in many Chinese stores.
The more modern and sophisticated style of Feng Shui known as the Compass School evolved out of the Form School. In fact it incorporates its practices in the beginning and then goes several layers deeper by matching the horoscopes of the occupants with actual compass directions and locations within the home. The cardinal and inter cardinal directions of north, south, east, west, north east, north west, south east and south west all have a particular Chi charge. All of our charts also have a particular compass direction and it is lining these up that becomes more of a science than an art. We can go further and check the horoscope of the house, the year, the month and the day and line up an individuals chart and compass direction to maximise potential in areas such as health, relationships and luck. This is where you call in an expert!
However, for this brief introduction, here are several useful Feng Shui tips that are modern interpretations of Form School that you can safely and easily apply to your home:
Front Door
This is the "gate" or "mouth" where Chi energy enters your home. Ideally the path to your door is meandering rather than straight. That you walk up to it rather than down. At night, the doorway is lit well. Numbers of houses ideally slope upwards toward the end rather than downwards. The door functions well. Nothing is cracked or broken, the doorbell works! The hallway is clear of clutter. Uplifting paintings or artwork greet your eye rather than a pile of old shoes or bicycles. The hallway is brightly lit. Ideally, there is not a toilet or a kitchen leading directly away from the front door. If there is, keep the door shut to prevent the room's Chi from being drained away by the front door.
Bedroom
Make sure there is space for Chi to circulate under the bed and there is no clutter under there. A strong, solid headboard protects your Chi while you sleep. Do not sleep under a skylight or adjacent to a window as your Chi dissipates and drains you while you sleep. Make sure you can see the door from where you sleep. Avoid being able to see yourself in a mirror when you lie in bed. Oval shaped mirrors are best in the bedroom. Position the bed (if you have a partner) in the center of the wall, giving equidistant space either side of the bed for both of you. This helps bring equality into the relationship. In the south west sector of your bedroom (which is associated with marriage & relatioship) have photographs of you and your partner and a pair of candles -Fire Chi, which energises the south west.
Kitchen
A vital centre for developing your health in traditional Feng Shui. Try to cook with gas (Fire) rather than electricity. Avoid positioning the cooker in the 'draught' of Chi that exists between the door, the back door or a window. Fridges, washing machines, dishwashers and sinks represent the element Water - which in turn attacks or controls Fire - the cooker. Avoid placing these two elements next to each other. Dining chairs are ideally high backed, providing the Mountain for support and tables, which are round with an even number of chairs encourage positive Chi to circulate at the table. Oval and rectangular tables are more authoritative and better, perhaps, in the workplace, director's offices or political offices.
© Copyright Wholistic Research Company 2001