Basic Feng Shui -
The Chinese Art of Placement
by Terah Kathryn
Collins
Feng
Shui, a Chinese term meaning “Wind and Water”, predates Confucianism and Taoism,
and has been practiced for over three thousand years in China. Early
practitioners of Feng Shui located building sites for homes and villages. An
auspicious site was one where the vital energy called Ch’i flowed
in a manner that was harmonious and supportive of human life.
Feng Shui practitioners relied on
their highly tuned senses, their intuition, and the knowledge passed down from
their teachers to assess the land. They were interpreters of sorts, translating
the dialect of a mountain, valley, or meadow into the language that local
villagers could understand and benefit from. In this way they were responsible
for strategically placing habitats above flood plains, below strong winds, and
in the safe embrace of land that was blessed with harmonious Ch’i.
Often called the “belly of the
dragon”, a classically harmonious configuration of land was much like the shape
of an armchair. The preferred plot for building sat on even ground, and was
embraced and protected in back and around both sides by mountains, hills, or a
forest, similar to the back and armrests of a chair. The land then descended to
a lower level in front of the plot, where a river, stream, pond, or lake
completed the ideal location.
Feng Shui practitioners paid close
attention to the intuitive impressions that they received as they “joined” with
the land and felt its Ch’i qualities. They listened to every sound, tasted the
soil, scouted the surrounding area, observed the contours of the land, looked
for the telltale patterns made by wind and water, and watched for omens. Every
physical feature and condition communicated the quality of the surrounding Ch’i.
Animal bones, dead trees, and sharp protruding or waterworn rocks were often
considered bad omens, while vibrant foliage, meandering streams, and living game
animals symbolized good fortune, health, and happiness for the people who would
live there.
Once a suitable plot of land was
located, the Feng Shui practitioner guided the building process so that the
benevolent qualities of the Ch’i were not damaged in any way. They chose the
building materials and monitored every step of construction to assure that the
Ch’i continued to flow in a friendly, nourishing manner. The building was like a
jewel being placed in its perfect setting. One wrong move could harm or destroy
the delicate Ch’i balance between the manmade structure and its natural
surroundings.
Western Feng
Shui
To practice Feng Shui today, we
need to blend traditional Feng Shui wisdom with our own keen intuitive,
investigative, diagnostic, and communicative skills. Our Western habitats
present us with a very different scenario than that of the original Feng Shui
practitioners. Many structures are located on land that the ancient
practitioners would never have chosen, and often the structure’s shape and
detailing break every classic Feng Shui rule.
Instead of finding the perfect
plot of land to develop gently, we usually start with a structure that already
exists. If the builders were not careful, they disturbed the natural Ch’i that circulated
around the property. We find that in most cases, we are unable to control the
location, the direction, or the configuration of other buildings and streets in
the area. This presents the Western Feng Shui practitioner with a new set of
challenges. We are rarely dealt a perfect hand. However, when we apply Feng Shui
principles, we find that we have quite a deck of powerful, results-producing
ways to enhance the Ch’i and establish harmony in our environments. Whether the
direction is north, south, east, or west, whether the location is inner city or
rural mountaintop, whether the intent is business success or residential
harmony, the healthy flow of Ch’i is always crucial. Just like human beings, no
two buildings are alike in form or function. The challenge and the joy in Feng
Shui is to balance the meridians or pathways of Ch’i in our individual homes and
offices to achieve the desired result — health, prosperity, and
happiness.
You can be your own Feng Shui
practitioner. The art and science of Feng Shui gives you a big bag of tools to
help you produce positive results in your environments. Practice working with
them, and instead of wondering what you can do to improve your surroundings, you
will see with your Feng Shui eyes exactly what to do. You will know pre- cisely
where to “tap.”
Feng Shui, Here and
Now
Experience has taught me to apply
Feng Shui principles wherever I am. This means that a rental apartment, leased
office, hotel room, or any "temporary” quarters still needs to be balanced. I
find it tremendously helpful to enhance the Ch’i in even the most temporary
accommodations, such as in the places where I hold workshops or spend a few
nights when traveling.
Many people look forward to
applying Feng Shui to their new homes — as soon as they buy them. But, they feel
it’s a waste of time and money to fix up rentals they’ll be in for just a year
or two. This is like saying, “I’m going to wait a year or two to take good care
of myself.” Lodging or office space that has Ch’i-depleting qualities can drain
the resources of those who live or work there, whether temporary
or not. On the other hand, a Ch’i-enhanced
environment attracts all kinds of benefits and positive
opportunities.
If your goal is to buy a house, or
simply to live a good life, it is wise to do everything in your power to create
a personal paradise, right here, right now. The Ch’i that moves through the
spaces where you live and work NOW is of vital importance to your health,
prosperity, and happiness. So, begin where you are. Balancing and enhancing the
environment where you find yourself today is one of the best ways to energize
and manifest your goals, hopes, and dreams for the future.
This article was excerpted from
 The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Creating Balance, Harmony, and Prosperity in Your Environment
by Terah Kathryn Collins.
This article was excerpted with permission of the publisher. Published by Hay House, www.hayhouse.com.
Info/Order this book
More books by this author.
About The Author
Terah Kathryn Collins is an internationally recognized Feng Shui
consultant, speaker, teacher, and the bestselling author of The Western
Guide to Feng Shui and Home Design with Feng Shui A-Z. She is the
founder of the Western School of Feng Shui, which offers Essential Feng
Shui Practitioner Training programs, as well as one-day workshops,
consultations services, a speakers' bureau, and related products. For
more information on this author visit the Hay House website at www.hayhouse.com or the author's own website at www.wsfs.com.
| Comments () >> |
 |
 |
