Feng Shui - Use the Art of Placement to Improve Your Quality of Life

Article by: Karen Havenor

Feng Shui. Is it a buzz-word, or is there something in this ancient body of knowledge that can inform and enhance modern living? A definition of feng shui , Shakin' Things Up is a helpful place to begin answering that question.

Feng shui is a philosophy and a practice that originated in China, but all societies have the knowledge feng shui contains. It is basically an environmental , Kitchen Lighting Can Be Both Useful and Attractive science that when applied contributes to the well-being of an individual or community.

Feng Shui is essentially about creating a proper and balanced flow of energy , Home Decorating: Where Are My Surfaces? through the art of placement.

As practiced today in the West, feng shui , Curio Cabinets can guide us in creating environments , Selecting Indian Sari Beaded Tapestries or Wall Hangings in which we feel comfortable and supported - at home, , Kitchen cookware and accessories at work, and in our communities. Some of the practices of feng shui , Antique Door Knobs are common sense. For example, fresh air, , Room by Room Makeovers: Great Rooms for Great Living natural , Display Cases light, and a clean environment contribute to the well being of our minds and bodies.

Other environmental , An In-Depth Look at Air Filter Manufacturers considerations might not occur to us so obviously as potentially beneficial or harmful until we recognize problem areas in our lives and take positive steps to improve them. When we arrange our surroundings properly, we are able to connect to the energy , Making Your Home Your Home of the space around us, bringing about desired changes , Teak Furniture and improvements. , Residential Interior Design Times: They Are Re-Arranging

Some spaces instinctively feel right, whether by intentional design , Residential Interior Times: They Are Re-Arranging or by someone with a knack for placement and flow. What are some of the feng shui , Cork Tile Flooring principles at work in places , Home Offices for Success and Achievement that give the feeling of peaceful welcome?

First, there is yin and yang. According to feng shui , The Benefits of Adjustable Air Beds there are always two forces acting together in order to create energy. , Decorating a Bedroom for the Subconscious Mind - Psychology of Colors The positive and negative forces are called yin and yang. When they are balanced, all is well, but when one achieves dominance, the imbalanced influence can be harmful.

Yin and yang are opposing but interdependent. For example, without the idea of softness, we wouldn't be able to really understand hardness. High and low, still and moving, heat , Home Decorating: Where Are My Surfaces? and cold , Kitchen Pot Racks are further examples of yin and yang forces.

At their extremes these opposites can change , Discount Rugs - Buying a Discount Area Rug into the other: ice can burn, and sunstroke victims shiver. The object is to balance the opposites.

A second principle of spaces that feel right is the idea of Chi. Chi doesn't have a western equivalent, but loosely can be translated as the life force of animate things, the power , The Ultimate Strategy for Decorating a Child's Room! of the sun , Kitchen Pot Racks and weather, , Room by Room Makeovers: Great Rooms for Great Living the quality of the inanimate or of the environment. , Kitchen Lighting Can Be Both Useful and Attractive In short, the energy. , Hardwood Floor Installation Guide

When Chi is blocked in our bodies, acupuncture is used to help it flow and restore health. Where Chi is blocked in our homes , French Country Kitchen Design or other surroundings, proper re-arrangement will get it flowing smoothly and gently once again, restoring peace and harmony for the occupants.

At the library or using online , Room by Room Makeovers: Great Rooms for Great Living sources, you can find very specific instructions and suggestions for
1) improving the balance of yin and yang in your environment, , A "Wild" Idea To Make a Bold Decorating Statement and
2)enhancing the flow of Chi.

These two principles are a good place , Residential Interior Design Times: They Are Re-Arranging to begin applying feng shui. But without referring to another source at all, the single most powerful thing you can do to improve your surroundings and thereby your quality of life is to clear clutter.

Clearing clutter is immediately beneficial to your well- being.

Start somewhere you can succeed immediately, which generally means start small: clear the clutter in a closet, from a table-top, throughout a room, , Discount Rugs - Buying a Discount Area Rug the car, the yard , Selecting Indian Sari Beaded Tapestries or Wall Hangings or garden, , Remaking An Empty Nest Into A Dream Room the garage, , The Ultimate Strategy for Decorating a Child's Room! anywhere.

When you've cleared a specific space, you will feel renewed, and if you like the feeling, then get the books and resources, delving further into the philosophy and practice of feng shui, , Shakin' Things Up the art of placement for well-being.

Karen Havenor contributes to FQ House, , Making Your Home Your Home offering valuable free information , A "Wild" Idea To Make a Bold Decorating Statement to help you enhance your home. , The Ultimate Strategy for Decorating a Child's Room! Karen's articles can also be found at FL Lamps and FT Office.

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