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.
