What is Chinese Feng Shui?

What is Feng Shui? According to ancient Chinese philosophers, our life journey determines by 3 types of “Luck”:

• Heaven Luck (Tien Chi) is determined by your destiny, previous Karma, genetics, and factors pre-determined at birth, that you are unable to change.
• Man Luck (Ren Chi) is the sum of the choices you make that shape your character – your attitude, determination, hard work, education, and kindness towards others.
• Earth Luck (Ti Chi) represents the effect of your surroundings and environmental influences on your life. This is the essence of Feng Shui.

Heaven Luck is practically impossible to change. But since our actual luck is not only the result of our fate at the time of birth but also the result of our actions and the impact of the energy around us. We can definitively modify destiny by manipulating our Mankind Luck (personal behavior) and/or Earth Luck (Feng Shui). Hence, besides working hard and making the right choices, we can improve our lives by incorporating the principles of Feng Shui into our lives.

Feng Shui is an ancient art and science practised in the Far East for over 5,000 years. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space. This is to assure health and good fortune for people inhabiting it. Feng means “Wind” and Shui means “Water”. Feng Shui is the art of living in harmony with the earth. According to Feng Shui, when we live our lives in harmony with the earth, we invite the universe’s natural gifts of peace, happiness, and abundance into our lives.

Feng Shui can be broadly categorized into Classical Feng Shui and Symbolic Feng Shui. Classical Feng Shui achieves harmony and balance by manipulating or managing the existing Qi in a house or a given location while Symbolic Feng Shui uses objects, often of Chinese influence, to remedy or enhance a location. The latter is frequently the approach employed by modern Feng Shui practitioners and is thus sometimes referred to as New Age Feng Shui.

Given the complexities of Classical Feng Shui, many have opted to improve their lives by applying the techniques involved in Symbolic Feng Shui, which has gained immense popularity in recent years due to its ease of implementation and tremendous effectiveness. It’s a simple matter of placing the right objects, colors and shapes in the right locations to achieve harmony with nature and with yourself. Feng Shui enhancers consciously placed in the right feng shui orientation of your home or office can help to harness the Chi which harmonizes the area of its influence, bringing about good fortune, good health, prosperity, and happiness to the practitioner. Conversely, Feng Shui cures work by reducing, neutralizing, or deflecting the negative chi.

What is Feng Shui?

A simple question, but not that easy to answer, as it is a complex body of knowledge that has been practised in the Far East for thousands of years. Feng Shui, literally translated means “Wind and Water”, two essential elements to sustain life on this planet. The simplest and most concise explanation would be to define it as the art of living in harmony with the earth, based on the sensible notion that living with rather than against nature benefits both humans and the environment. It is a collection of practical, time-tested solutions based on the fundamental properties of elements that use to change the negative aspects and introduce the positive aspects of each element to your living environment and change your life for the better.

According to Feng Shui, when we live our lives in harmony with the earth, we invite the universe’s natural gifts of peace, happiness, and abundance into our lives. Although its origins attributed to the Chinese, Feng Shui. By any other name, practise in almost every culture of the world in some ways.

At its most basic level of understanding, Feng Shui is the interplay between the seen (our surroundings) and the unseen (energy and intention) – a method of creating a balance between people and their environments; a system for arranging the surroundings in harmony and balance with the natural world around us. Your surroundings have a powerful effect on what you attract into your life. When the energy around you is blocked or unbalanced, your prosperity, relationships, health, and well-being can be affected. When the energy is balanced, good things naturally flow into your life.

Throughout the centuries, many types of Feng Shui have developed and evolved as new methods and ideas were instituted. However, the underlying foundation and principles remain the same. The knowledge of the importance of living in harmony with nature and having the cosmic energy of life. Known as chi, flow freely around us is the basic principle of feng shui regardless of the type you practice. Feng Shui provides the means of arranging the basic elements of life. And all the things that you surround yourself with on a daily basis. This is to create the optimal and harmonious flow of vital life energy. Just like the flow of water and wind. Hence, the core principle of Feng Shui is to live in harmony with your environment. So, that the energy surrounding you works for you rather than against you. After all, why swim against the tide?

Classical Feng Shui, also known as Authentic or Traditional Feng Shui. It used by Feng Shui Masters for centuries, involves a scientific. Yet practical approach to the enhancement of success and good fortune to the occupants of a building. As a science, it relies heavily on the use of complex formulae, calculations and a specialised feng shui compass known as a Lou Pan to analyse a property. The art of Feng Shui the wisdom acquires from performing a multitude of analysis. Also, knowing the exact degree to which the remedies (which are the results of the scientific analysis) are prescribed. It takes time, patience, practices and an enormous amount of study to master the skills necessary. This is to be a competent Feng Shui practitioner.

Due to the complexities, not all of us cut out to be serious Feng Shui practitioners of Classical Feng Shui. A lot of time and effort and even financial investment may require before one can truly follow and practice this type of Feng Shui. This is probably why Symbolism, one aspect of Feng Shui, is not only in Asian countries. But in the West as well.

The reason why symbolic Feng Shui is so popular is its ease of practice and immense effectiveness– it does not involve complex formulas and calculations nor a hefty investment. Fence-sitters and even sceptics of Feng Shui may find themselves drawn to wearing some eye-catching Feng Shui jewellery or displaying wealth enhancing water features– purchased on a whim or received as gifts. Gradually, as their lives improve, they will find themselves wanting to learn more about this amazing wealth of knowledge called Feng Shui. What a wonderful way to spread the benefits of Feng Shui!

Though touted as part of modern Feng Shui, the origins of symbolic Feng Shui go far back in Chinese history. The use of good fortune symbols, auspicious animals, feng shui plants and objects pervade all the rituals, beliefs and folklore of China. Symbolic Feng Shui uses objects, often of Chinese influence, to remedy or enhance a location. Carefully choose and place in the right Feng Shui orientation. Symbols can help bring good fortune, good health, prosperity and happiness to the practitioner.

Feng Shui Symbols use for centuries in Feng Shui applications because of the power of symbols and associations. As well as because of the energy certain items embody. Symbols impact our subconscious mind and stimulate confidence, effort and good outcomes. Conversely, they can also be used as effective remedies against bad feng shui flying stars and unsuitable directions and locations that are diagnosed under other techniques of Feng Shui.

So, can redecorating and displaying symbols in your home or office really change your life? YES…if done correctly, Feng Shui will always improve your living and work condition. Many people believe strongly in these symbols not only for improving wealth. But also for longevity and healthier life, happy marriage and many children and fertility lucks.

There are hundreds of symbols of good luck. They are found in paintings, pictures, jewelry, statues, figurines, animals, plants and many others. But it’s important to remember that Feng Shui is not a magic “cure-all” for all your problems. So, don’t expect to have everything without you putting in some effort yourself.

You can complain and feel sorry for yourself. You can take steps to create and change your own mankind luck. Feng Shui represents only one-third of the Trinity Luck – Heaven, Earth & Man. Hence if you do not destine to become a billionaire. Feng Shui may not make you the next Bill Gates. That depends on your heaven luck- but it can still make you comfortably wealthy!

In its truest sense, feng shui does not align with any religion. It more correctly calls a technique for aligning the energy of a space. Nevertheless, many enthusiasts nowadays incorporate spirituality into their Feng Shui practice to maximise the benefits. It applies as a path for self-awareness. Also, spiritual wellbeing so that life is a little less hectic and more fulfilling.

Feng Shui is not only about changing one’s physical surroundings. But it is also about changing oneself from within- just moving around furniture. It is incomplete without the support of mental and emotional Feng Shui. The use of deities and goddess, such as thangkas, Buddha images, a Star of David, crosses, crescents, and other icons serves to bring about a mindfulness of heaven’s role in the trinity of luck and reminds us to seek the blessings of Heaven. Whatever your religious or spiritual inclination. Feng Shui must most importantly, practise with a good heart and not intend to harm any being.

In the words of Feng Shui Grandmaster Lillian Too… “Feng Shui is not religious but spiritual, is not logical but magical.”!

Keep an open mind, heart and spirit. Open your doors to Feng Shui. You can have its benefits work for you as it has for hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Let the magic of Feng Shui work wonders in your life!

Happy Feng Shuiing! Let’s Feng Shui for Better Life!