Perhaps you’ve heard of Feng Shui before, perhaps you haven’t.  Feng Shui is defined, in the simplest of terms, as the use of aesthetics such as color, design and placement to bring power and fortune to one’s home.   It’s the art form of using interior design principles to harness your chi and direct positive energy to your life.

While it has recently gained momentum and become quite trendy, Fung Shui itself is an ancient and long standing process which has been practiced for over 3500 years!  Roughly translated as “wind-water” the ‘modern’ term and description were first coined in a text during China’s Jin Dynasty (265-420A.D.)  Long before the creation of the modern magnetic compass, Chinese practitioners used Astrology as a method for achieving the balance and connections between the heavens and the earth.

So how does this relate to you and your apartment today all the way here in the 21st century?  Simply put, you yourself can practice some or all of these principles to turn your own little apartment or home into the perfect funnel of chi.  I suppose that a certain amount of belief in the system itself is required for it to work.  Like a great many of the Eastern Philosophies, there is a required amount of faith in the user that the process isn’t just a bunch of phooey, but rather a tried-and-true set of rules and principles that can harness and foster the mystical and mysterious and powerful intangible energies.  If you’re prone to believe in such things, than Fung Shui might be right for you.

So if you’re game, here’s a rundown of some of the descriptions and techniques that you can apply when designing your apartment.

UNDERSTANDING CHI

If the goal of Feng Shui is to harness and empower your Chi, then one must first understand what Chi itself it.  Chi is life-force.  It is the all powerful energy that exists in every single life form and every living being.   It is the energy that flows through us all and that encompasses the very essence of life itself.  Chi is the cornerstone of nearly all prevalent Eastern/Asian philosophies.  While it may have slight variances in description and definition, Chi is present in many world religions such as Shintoism, Taoism, Hinduism and  Buddhism.   An empowered and vibrant life is only achieved when one’s Chi is in balance.  Ultimately, the goal of Feng Shui is to achieve this level of balance.

"...both opposing and supporting, both contradictory and complimentary."

POLARITY (YIN / YANG)

Viewing Feng Shui as a method of achieving balance can be achieved by thinking of it in terms of a real world physical force, such as magnetism.  Feng Shui helps one achieve a balance with the exterior environment by placing the items and choosing the appropriate colors so as to counteract with the different forces and energies both  pushing and pulling  ones’ life force to and from different positions.  A visual representation of this is the standard Yin/Yang symbol.  The black and white portions are both opposing and supporting, both contradictory and complimentary.  They are two opposing halves each meeting together to form the whole.  Feng Shui’s ultimate goal is to help your home or apartment to place you in this perfect form achieving the proper position to allow chi to flow properly.

COLORS

There are so many factors that go into color choice and meaning in regards to Feng Shui, too much to list here.  But here is a very simple explanation as to the broad scope meanings and symbolism of the power and feelings associated with colors.  Colors are broken down into one of the Baqua of Feng Shui (elements);

FIRE – Energetic, Passionate, Living
(Orange, Yellow, Red)

METAL – Precision, High Quality
(White, Gray)

EARTH – Stable, Foundation, Fundamental, Sturdy
(Brown, Light Yellow)

WATER – Flow, Freedom, Abundant
(Blue, Teal, Black)

WOOD – Virility, Health
(Green, Brown)

TECHNIQUES

While not an all encompassing list, these are the most common techniques for applying Feng Shui in your apartment.

FORM METHOD - The form method of Feng Shui uses shapes and symbols in ones home to determine the best placement for objects.  Achieving a positive flow by placing objects in the most efficient way to allow for positive energy flow.  Objects can cause blockage to flow for emotional and spiritual energy.  Using the form method requires the understanding of the directions of chi;

Phoenix – South facing, the front of your apartment, also referred to as the Summer Solstice.
Dragon – East facing, left side of room or apartment, also referred to as Spring Equinox.
White Tiger – West facing, right side of room or apartment, also referred to as Autumn Equinox.
Dark Turtle – North facing, rear, also referred to as the Winter Solstice.

The form method understands the values and importance of the above listed directions and places the objects in ones home or apartment accordingly.

8 DIRECTIONS METHOD - This method utilizes the 8 directions of a standard compass (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW).  Understanding what direction the different items, rooms, furniture and windows in your apartment face is critical to proper placement.  It is important in this method to know what year your home was built.  With this information, depending on whether you are a man or woman, the directions that your apartment faces will have different rewards and consequences.  4 directions will be beneficial to you and 4 will not.  It is also important to note the dates of any renovations or changes to your apartment as this will have an effect as well.

The Compass is a powerful instrument in Feng Shui, capable of providing direction for the positive energy in your life.

COMPASS METHOD - Similar to the 8 Directions Method, the Compass method requires a very precise reading for the ‘facing direction’ of your home.  The precise direction of how your home or apartment faces will have a great deal of influence on the luck and fortune that is brought to you in your various rooms and your overall apartment.  And again like the 8 Directions method, it is important to note all the changes and modifications to your apartment.  A detailed ‘Star Chart’ is formulated based upon the year your home or apartment was built, and the very precise direction your apartment faces (the compass method is not entirely unlike an ‘astrological reading’ for your apartment.)  This method is especially important to note when choosing your apartment as the fundamentals that are critical in guiding the luck or positive nature of the chi are difficult or impossible to change (unless you can get your landlord to move your building.)

BLACK HAT METHOD – A relatively new method of Feng Shui introduced in the U.S. by Master Lin Yun.  Also called “Black Tibetan Buddhist” or “Black Sect” this method focuses on creating a healthy, appealing and positive flow within the confines of one’s apartment.  Using the front door as ‘the mouth of chi’ objects, colors and artwork are chosen and placed to reinforce the flow of the apartment.

FENG SHUI CONSULTANT

If you have the means (lots of extra cash) and are so inclined, there are a vast number of professional consultants (or Geomancers) who are ready to help you Feng Shui the heck out of your apartment.  Ranging from part timers who can help you figure out where to put that hutch that you love so much, to fully credited Master’s who can execute incredible and sweeping recommendations… there is a consultant to meet your needs.  Be sure to do your homework before hand and know what to ask. Some questions to have on hand.

- “What method of Feng Shui to you practice?” (Have an opinion as to what you’d prefer)
- “What are your costs?”
- “Do you have a follow up after the initial consultation?”
- “What are your credentials / Do you have references?”
- “How many consultations have you done previously?”

BOOKS

There are a great number of books that you can purchase to help you achieve the best Feng Shui for your apartment.  I won’t list them all here (as if that were even possible), but here are a number that are both popular choices and quite handy:

- “Feng Shui for Dummies” – David Daniel Kennedy

- “Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui” – Karen Kingston

- “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness” – Karen Rauch Carter

- “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Feng Shui” – Elizabeth Moran and Val Biktashev

WEBSITES

WOFS.org – World Of Feng Shui Online
A nicely designed, user friendly website for all things Feng Shui.  Perfect for an introduction into Feng Shui, and nice for experienced designers as well.

Astro-FengShui.com – Feng Shui Research Center
The authoritative professional Feng Shui site for practitioners and devotees of Feng Shui.  More professional than other sites, designed more for professional designers but still helpful and with good products.

FastFengShui.com – Fast Feng Shui
A nice resource for a condensed and express Feng Shui experience.

10KBlessingsFengShui.TypePad.com – 10.000 Blessings Feng Shui
A modern and fresh blog, updated often, providing tips and thoughts on Feng Shui.

I hope that this article can serve as a starting point for your Feng Shui adventure.  For an art form that has been around (by most accounts) nearly twice as long as the Bible, you’re certainly not going to learn everything you need to know from this one little article.  But hopefully you’ve learned enough to find a great place to begin.  Good luck on harnessing your chi and making the most of the positive energy in your apartment. Namaste.