Feng Shui Basics

Teach yourself some feng shui basics and learn how you can use it to improve everything around you. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice used for balancing the yin and yang of a space and improving the flow of ‘qi’ or energy surrounding it. The literal translation is ‘wind-water’, and strong emphasis is placed on the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) being in harmony. If there is a lack of one of the elements in a given room, feng shui can be used to realign the balance to achieve harmony. This is extremely important, because rooms can have an emotional impact on us. They can either create an environment filled with happiness and calm or invoke stress and anxiety.

Professional feng shui consultants are able to apply advanced principles to each individual room within a home based on the entire layout, but you don’t have to be an expert to start using simple feng shui basics to improve your surroundings. Many of the basic principles are easy to understand and do not require too much work. First and foremost, the key to creating a relaxing space is to reduce the clutter. The ‘qi’ or energy will stagnate due to too much clutter instead of flowing freely throughout the room. This stagnation will naturally have a negative effect on whoever spends time in that room.Start by going through every inch of a room and get rid of anything that you do not need, want or use. After a complete overhaul, you will be ready to focus on each individual room.

Keep in mind that each room serves a different purpose so not all of these feng shui basics can be applied universally. Techniques such as changing the color of a room, rearranging the placement of furniture and adding a few specific elements for decoration can create powerful effects not only on your mood, but also different areas of your life such as love, health and money. However each individual room must be analyzed separately and different colors, placement and decorative objects are used specific to that room.

In order to fully understand all the feng shui basics, a good place to start is to look at feng shui history. You will get a better idea of how the art originated and the different schools of thought that have been passed down through the years. Feng shui element guide will teach you about the five elements that are at the core of the feng shui basics. They have a major impact on how feng shui color is used in an environment and also the way the objects in a room have to be placed. If you live in a home with bad ‘qi’, you must learn the feng shui remedies that will help tackle that negative energy and make your home a positive place to be in.

Feng shui basics will also cover how to spot elements of a home that are either good or bad for you. For instance, when you walk into a room, you will immediately be able to feel some kind of emotion as a result of being there. Feng shui home design will help you gauge how the ‘qi’ flows in the home, which is extremely important if you are looking to buy a house. Feng shui interior design is equally as important, but much easier to manipulate using simple feng shui basics. Don’t forget to also check out specific feng shui tips and techniques for each individual room and the myriad of tools you can use to bring harmony to your home.

Feng Shui Basics

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Map Bagua

The map bagua is an eight sided diagram that is used specifically on the layout of individual rooms or an entire home. It is in the shape of an octagon, with sections split up for each of the eight sides with an additional section in the middle. Each of these sections represent a different area of your life and they also have different colors and directions associated them. By using the bagua, you will be able to find the exact locations within a room or within your home which corresponds to the different sections of the bagua.

A map bagua is really simple to use, just stand by the entrance of your home or room and hold the diagram out in front of you with the fame and reputation section facing the wall directly opposite of where you are standing. The career section should be pointed towards you making the entrance area the part of the room or home that represents your career. The wall opposite represents your reputation, and all the other sections can be mapped out in the same manner.

Each feng shui element can be represented by different sections of the map bagua. The career section which faces you is associated with the element water. The fame and reputation section represents fire. The family section is linked to the wood element. The children and creativity section represent the metal element. Finally the center section which is associated with physical health represents the element earth. With this knowledge, you will be able to incorporate more of the elements that support you into the specific area of the home.

The easiest way to use the map bagua is to simply match each of the nine sections of a room or a home with a feng shui color on the diagram. Decide on the areas of your life that you would like to improve, map out the section in your home and add more objects with the associated color. Add more pinks to the love and relationships corner if you are looking to attract love into your life or improve your current relationship. Use a lot of black by the entrance if you are looking for career advancement. Adding more purples to your wealth corner will also help you with your finances.

The map bagua is an excellent tool to use to locate areas of a home that needs to be fixed with feng shui remedies. There are so many ways to cure bad feng shui, all you need to do is find out where. To get an even more accurate map bagua reading, a feng shui compass is needed to measure the precise direction of your home. In doing so, a much more exact bagua can be drafted for your home.

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Feng Shui Home Office

If working from home is your thing, then what you need is a highly effective feng shui home office. The location of your home office is a key factor in determining your success and the success of your business. There are several places where an office should not be located, they include in the basement, in the center of the home, and right by the bathroom. The ‘qi’ or energy can best be optimized for the office if it is located close to the entrance, towards the front of the house. It is also important to do work in a separate room of the house, therefore it is not a good idea to have the office inside of your bedroom or any other room.

The desk is the most important piece of furniture in a feng shui home office. The desk should be in a location that is diagonal from the entrance with the back to the wall. There are many unfavorable positions for the desk to be in, avoid placing it in the center of the room or directly in line with the door. The desk should not face the wall or windows, and having your back towards the door should also be avoided.

The ceiling is another feature of a feng shui home office that should not be overlooked. Low ceilings and slanted ceilings are said to prevent you from reaching the top. If this is the case with your home office, there are feng shui remedies that can be used to help alleviate the problem. If there are no windows in your home office, applying bright lights or putting up pictures of the outdoors is meant to be a good cure. Plants are a great addition to any office so put a lucky bamboo plant or a money plant tree on your desk to attract wealth and prosperity.

The most important areas of a feng shui home office are the wealth and career areas. With a map bagua, locate the exact areas within the room. Then use the appropriate colors and decor to activate the ‘qi’ and help promote productivity. Your office needs to be neat and organized so keep it clutter free and sort through everything on a regular basis.

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Feng Shui Living Room

A feng shui living room is a living room that uses the basic principles of feng shui to better convey its purpose in the home. That purpose is basically to be the part of the home that the entire family can enjoy, it is also the room where you can entertain guests. The living room is meant to be a place where people congregate and spend time with each other. In that respect, the colors, furniture placement and decor should be used in a way that reflects togetherness and family.

The most important piece of furniture in a feng shui living room is the sofa. The position of the sofa is critical in determining the movement of ‘qi’ or energy. If the front door faces the windows of the living room, avoid placing the sofa between the two, because you will be sitting in a position that is in the line of fire as ‘qi’ is said to enter from the front door and leave through the window. Make sure your sofa is not sitting directly under an exposed beam in the ceiling. Other bad positions include having the back of the sofa against either a door or a window. It is recommended that your back is against the wall, which is actually a sign of protection. If you have room for more than one sofa or additional chairs, place them in a semi-circular shape instead of having them face each other. This is not only a comfortable position for friends and family to be sitting in, it also helps promote conversations between people.

There are many other factors that can either make or break a feng shui living room. Beyond the importance of the sofa placement, many other feng shui remedies can be used to alter the flow of ‘qi’. Lights are a wonderful cure for corners of the living room and dark areas. Other great additions include pieces of artwork, live plants, family photographs and feng shui mirrors if used appropriately. If your feng shui living room is equipped with a fireplace, it should be the centerpiece of the room. If not, you can prominently display your television instead, but keep in mind that many believe televisions are actually bad for feng shui. If possible, place it on a stand which has doors that can usually be closed when not in use.

There are a few more techniques to help optimize a feng shui living room. Just like any other room in the house, living rooms should be free of clutter. Get rid of anything that does not belong in the living room and keep it as spacious as possible. Selecting the right feng shui color for the walls can also make a huge difference. Put all the right pieces together and you will be rewarded with a feng shui living room that is both relaxing and inviting.

Feng Shui Living Room

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Feng Shui Kitchen

Having the perfect feng shui kitchen will not only benefit the person who does all the cooking, positive ‘qi’ or energy will be spread to everyone in the family. The kitchen is known as the heart of the home and how it is set up is a general indicator of the amount of success for both you and those close to you. According to feng shui basics, food symbolizes wealth so the place where food is prepared has to have good energy surrounding it in order to attract wealth and prosperity into the home.

The stove is the most important piece of appliance in a feng shui kitchen and has to be in a commanding position of the room. The burners of the stove are thought to be what generates wealth for the family and that is why the stove is regarded so highly. Where the stove is positioned in relation to all the other objects in the feng shui kitchen is extremely important. Avoid placing the stove in line with the kitchen door or stuffed into a corner. Ideally, if the kitchen is big enough, the stove should be part of an island in the center of the room so the person doing the cooking has a good view of the entire kitchen and anyone who comes through the door. Feng shui experts recommend positioning the stove, refrigerator and sink in the shape of a triangle, and they must be at least 6-8 feet apart from each other. A stove should not be placed by a window as the wealth is said to be able to escape easily out of the home. Some kitchens are designed so that a microwave sits above the stove, this is also a sign of bad feng shui, because it oppresses the movement of ‘qi’.

A majority of stoves are designed to be up against the wall in a typical feng shui kitchen. In this case, the person doing the cooking is facing the wall and the rest of the kitchen is not visible at all. A great cure for the problem is to place feng shui mirrors behind the stove. This not only enables you to see everything that is behind you, it also creates the illusion of having double the amount of burners on the stove which equates to more wealth and prosperity. There are many other feng shui remedies for the stove. A stove left untouched will not do anything to help attract wealth, therefore you have to actually use the stove for cooking and make sure that all of the burners are being used so you don’t miss out on any untapped resources. Keeping the stove clean and in good working condition is also essential for a feng shui kitchen. If any part of the stove is not working properly, it implies problems with your finances, so get it fixed immediately. One feng shui element that is not good for the stove is water as water destroys fire. Both the sink and refrigerator represent the water element, and a good way to counter the effects of water in the feng shui kitchen is to have a wood element such as a plant between it and the stove to create balance.

Other good ways to improve the ‘qi’ of your feng shui kitchen is to keep it spotless and remove unnecessary items. Clean the cupboards and refrigerator regularly, throw away any food that is stale or about to expire. Get rid of any broken appliances that is still around. Exposed knives can also be detrimental so keep in stored in a knife rack or a drawer. A feng shui kitchen with bad plumbing is a sure sign of wealth being drained, If you have any leaking pipes, dripping faucets or other problem areas, get them fixed as soon as possible.

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Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

Create an absolute sanctuary for rest and relaxation in your home with the right feng shui bedroom tips. The purpose of a bedroom is to promote sleep and create a setting for romance between a couple. However, many bedrooms fail to bring that message across. The bedroom is one room in the house where less is more, a cramped bedroom is a sure sign of bad feng shui. What you need is a comfortable and soothing space that will not only encourage a good night’s sleep, but also get you to wake up refreshed and energized. Carefully apply the feng shui bedroom tips below to your own bedroom and you will notice the changes in your life.

One of the most important feng shui bedroom tips is to remove all the clutter and rid the room of other objects that produce stagnant ‘qi’ or energy. The first step in freeing up the flow of ‘qi’ is to organize and reduce the clutter. Throw away, give away or simply move unwanted items out of the bedroom, allowing only the objects that will help the bedroom serve its purpose to remain. A desk is not meant to be in a bedroom, neither is anything else related to work. Electronics such as televisions, stereos and computers are also inappropriate for this particular room, because they will distract you from getting the sleep you need. Other feng shui bedroom tips include moving the exercise equipment out, as they too tend to promote restlessness. Finally the water element is one that should be used with caution, it is advised that you not incorporate water into the bedroom especially a feng shui water fountain, unless approved by a professional practitioner.

The bed is the most important piece of furniture and its placement tops the feng shui bedroom tips list. There are a number of guidelines on this topic and good results can be achieved if they are followed correctly. The ideal position for the bed is diagonally across from the bedroom door, where the door is easily visible. The head of the bed must also be against the wall. Avoid aligning the bed in a straight line with the door, positioning the bed at a corner with one side against the wall and also having the headboard directly underneath windows.

There are some other feng shui bedroom tips that will also make a difference. Feng shui color can be used as paint for the entire room or sparingly throughout the room in the form of furniture or other decorative items. Make sure you surround yourself with colors that either represent your own feng shui element or the element that helps produce your own, and don’t forget that the color should be calming. Lighting also plays a key role in the overall mood of the room. In order to create the right atmosphere for sleeping, the lights in the bedroom should not be too bright. Either use lower voltage bulbs,  install a dimmer switch or substitute light bulbs with candles at night. In addition to proper lighting and color, the ‘qi’ of the bedroom can be improved by having good air quality. Keep the windows open to let in fresh air or use an air purifier whenever possible.

Other useful feng shui bedroom tips can be applied to enhance the romance between a couple or help someone who is single attract love. The first thing you should do is locate the relationship corner of the room using a map bagua. Decorate that area with objects that are pink or that will invoke thoughts of love and romance, candles to bring out the fire element and anything that comes in pairs. Other feng shui remedies used to fuel your love life include positioning a pair of identical night stands on either side of the bed, and hanging some kind of artwork directly across the bed related to love. It will be the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you see before you go to sleep and represents something you hope to manifest in your own life. There are many other feng shui bedroom tips that are obvious, simply place objects in the bedroom that conjure up thoughts of love and romance.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

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Feng Shui Compass

The feng shui compass also known as the ‘luo pan’ is a very advanced tool used primarily by professional feng shui practitioners to define the map bagua of a house. The actual date of origin for this particular compass is disputable, but what can’t be disputed is that it has been used for thousands of years to make very accurate feng shui readings. ‘Luo’  means everything and ‘pan’ basically means plate, which is a pretty fitting name since this compass embodies almost all the different aspects of feng shui. The modern day ‘luo pan’ has been modified many times throughout history from its original simple compass design.

Readings with a feng shui compass are typically done a few steps away from the front door of your house. Metal objects will interfere with the compass needle so make sure that you are not near anything that is made out of metal. Remove all jewelry and watches, stay away from cars and walk a few steps away from the front door so that the metal hinges will not affect the needle’s movement.

The feng shui compass will give you an exact reading of your house in terms of the 8 bagua directions, north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Furthermore, the compass will pinpoint with accuracy the precise degree of that direction. This precision enables the bagua reading to be tailor made for your home, which creates better feng shui remedies. There are different variations of the ‘luo pan’, but the common features are the magnetic needle compass in the center and a series of concentric rings surrounding it. These rings have all types of feng shui measurements on them, giving a more in-depth reading.

Understanding the complex details of the feng shui compass is too much for the average person. For an in-depth reading of your home, seek out the services of a professional feng shui practitioner. Advanced knowledge of the subject will guarantee an accurate and fully customized reading. So if you are not pleased with the results based on your limited knowledge of feng shui basics, look into the potential of using the compass.

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Feng Shui Water Fountain

The water element can best be represented by a feng shui water fountain, which is used primarily to both retain as well as activate ‘qi’ or energy. A water fountain should always have a constant stream of flowing water. The cascading of the water activates both sound and movement, which makes it one of the most valuable feng shui remedies. Moving water is said to attract prosperity and good luck and is most often used by people who are looking to acquire more wealth.

A feng shui water fountain will come in a range of shapes and sizes. Choosing the right water fountain for your home will mainly depend of your personal preference. Round is supposed to be the better choice according to feng shui principles, however you should select one that you like and think will go well in your home. Water fountains are often found both indoors and out. People with a garden generally like to have a water fountain as a centerpiece. Indoor fountains are also very popular, especially since they are said to help balance the positive and negative ions. All kinds of materials are used to make water fountains, including metal, ceramic and bamboo. According to the feng shui element productive and destructive cycles however, the ideal feng shui water fountain should be made with metal. Metal will help water activate ‘qi’ since it is the element that produces water. On the other hand, earth is the element that destroys water so avoid using a ceramic water fountain.

If you use a map bagua, you will think to put a feng shui water fountain in areas to enhance the water and wood elements. These areas include the health/family corner, the wealth corner and the career corner. Since water puts out fire, it is not recommended to put a fountain in your fame/reputation corner which represents the fire element. Another part of the home that is not a good place for a water fountain is the bedroom. Having a water fountain in your bedroom will promote restlessness and worry, and is said to result in financial loss and unstable relationships.

The feng shui water fountain is a very powerful tool and many people believe that it is capable of causing serious damage if not used properly. The right placement is critical so it’s best to seek out the advice of a professional feng shui practitioner on this one. People with little feng shui basics understanding should not attempt it. Many who follow the feng shui compass school of thought also believe that the water fountain location should change annually. Only someone who is equipped with the right knowledge should determine the exact spot in your home. A final tip is to keep your feng shui water fountain clean and make sure the flow of water is active and constant so does what it is supposed to do.

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Feng Shui Crystals

Feng shui crystals are one of the most used feng shui remedies to improve the flow of ‘qi’ or energy. The crystals referred to here is not the same kind of crystals that are usually used for jewelry. Although stones such as rose quartz can be used for example in the love corner to attract love, the crystals most commonly used in feng shui is a multifaceted clear sphere. They are effective for both attracting positive energy and deflecting negative energy. The facets capture sunlight and radiates it back out in multiple colors, using light as a very powerful cure in feng shui.

These spherical feng shui crystals come in a range of different sizes, typically 20mm, 30mm, 40mm and 50mm. The size of the crystal used in a given room should reflect the size of that room. For instance, the living room is usually the largest room of the house and therefore a 40mm or 50mm crystal should be used there. Crystals that are 30mm or 40mm in size are a good fit for the bedroom. A 20mm crystal is way too small for an average room, it is most commonly hung inside of a really tiny space such as a car. These feng shui crystals also come in a myriad of colors, each representing a specific feng shui element for different areas of a room or home. However clear is still the favorite as its sole purpose is to activate the ‘qi’ for an entire space.

There are a number of places where feng shui crystals should be hung in order to improve the feng shui. Problem areas include long hallways where there are many doors. Negative ‘qi’ is trapped in that spot and a crystal ball hung right in the center acts as a powerful force  to tackle that energy. If a staircase faces the front door, a crystal should be hung between them. If a distinct entryway is missing an actual door, a crystal should be hung right above. A door is not supposed to be in a straight alignment with a major piece of furniture such as a bed or desk, if it is then a crystal should be hung between the two. Crystals also should be placed in areas with sharp projecting corners.

Feng shui crystals can basically be used anywhere depending on what it is you are looking to attract. Simply use a map bagua to locate the area of a room associated with the part of your life that needs improving and hang a crystal there. Since these crystals come in many different colors, it becomes more effective to place the same colored crystal ball as the associated corner. For instance, if you are looking to attract love, hanging a pink crystal in the relationship corner is ideal.

There are a few other important factors to keep in mind when using feng shui crystals. First, the crystal must be very clean, dust can easily accumulate which will make it lose some of its effectiveness. You must keep it clean in order to have it work as intended. Feng shui crystals come in a variety of shapes, however none is as effective as a completely round crystal ball. Hanging the crystal from the ceiling is ideal and using a red string or ribbon to hang the crystal makes it more auspicious. The length of the string can also make a difference, using a string that is either 9 inches, 18 inches or 27 inches long makes it even more powerful.

Feng Shui Crystals

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Feng Shui Wind Chimes

Feng shui wind chimes are used readily as a cure for problem areas of a home. Sound is one of the most effective feng shui remedies and the beautiful symphony that is produced by wind chimes have a big impact on the movement of ‘qi’ or energy. Wind chimes are very versatile in that they can be used as protection to slow down fast moving ‘qi’ as well as promoting more movement of the ‘qi’ in areas where it appears to be stagnant. It can virtually be placed anywhere in a room or home to help balance the energy of that specific area.

Feng shui wind chimes come in a variety of shapes of sizes. Wind chimes consist of a number of rods and that number has important significance in feng shui. The most commonly used wind chimes in feng shui are made with five rods. Each one of the five  rods represent a different feng shui element. Five rod wind chimes are used primarily for protection and can be placed anywhere to maintain balance in the area and ward off bad luck. Six and eight rod wind chimes are also auspicious. Wind chimes with six rods or eight rods are said to attract good luck so make sure it’s placed in areas that need it.

There are also a myriad of materials that feng shui wind chimes can be made of. Metal wind chimes are used most frequently and they can be made with copper, aluminum, bronze, steel and brass. They represent the metal element and should be placed in areas on the map bagua that are associated with the metal element such as the helpful people/travel corner and the creativity/children corner. Since metal produces water, they are also great in areas representing water such as the career corner. Feng shui wind chimes can also be made out of bamboo which represents the wood element and are effective if placed in the health/family corner and wealth corner. Since wood fuels fire in the productive cycle according to feng shui basics,  it would also be good to place bamboo wind chimes in the fame/reputation corner which is associated with fire. Finally ceramic wind chimes are especially good in places representing the earth element such as the relationship corner, the wisdom corner and right in the center of the room for good fortune.

Feng shui wind chimes are effective tools both inside and outside of the home. Typically metal wind chimes are chosen to be placed inside of the home whereas bamboo ones are placed outside. Size is a good indicator of whether it should be placed inside or out. Smaller wind chimes are generally used indoors while larger ones are better suited for the outdoors.

There are so many great places to use feng shui wind chimes, however some areas are better without them. Avoid using wind chimes above areas where you normally eat, sleep, sit and work. The sound waves given off by wind chimes in those specific areas can prove to be too distracting and will likely impact you in more of a negative way. Follow these simple guidelines for wind chime placement and let it work its magic.

Feng Shui Wind Chimes

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