Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. It influences everything from landscaping, furniture, buildings and rooms. Feng shui incorporates Buddhism, the yin-yang theory, the I-Ching, the five elements and Taoism along with simplicity and common sense. Its focus is to create a more harmonious place to live and work.

Since we are all made of energy (chi) and, therefore, connected to all things, paying attention to how we place our furniture in our surroundings can bring more harmony, peace and prosperity into our lives by making sure the chi moves freely. The chi in our homes definitely affects our personal chi.

There are six basic cures to lower, raise, moderate and balance chi:

Bright and light-refracting objects -- Mirrors are used to reflect good views of water or gardens to draw in good outside chi. Mirros can also help the flow of chi in small rooms. Crystal balls are used as refactors of light and disberse the chi throughout the room. Light is used as disseminators of energy.

Sounds -- Wind chimes and bells help moderate the flow of chi and summon positive chi.

Living things -- Plants and flowers symbolize nature and bring nourishing chi. Fishbowls help bring in nourishing and money-making chi.

Moving objects -- Fountains and mobiles stimulate the circulation of chi and fountains also help activate positive chi.

Heavy objects -- Stones and statues help stablize an unsettling situation.

Bamboo flutes are symbols of peace and lifts the chi of the house.

Colors are used to enhance aspects of your life.

Like anything else, if you don't take it too seriously, using the techniques of feng shui is fun and, surprisingly, do bring about changes you can see and feel. There are lots of how-to books that will help you along the way to creating a home environment that supports your creativity, prosperity and health.

The Chinese saw their fate as inextricably
entwined with the creative and destructive
powers of fast and awesome nature, and their
fortunes bound to the mysterious workings of
the entire universe....Heaven and earth were
perceived as animistic powers...that inhaled
and exhaled ch'i, a life-enhancing energy.
--- Sarah Rossbach
Interior Design with Feng Shui