What Exactly Is Feng Shui? Articles | Interior Design

By: Guy Starbuck

Feng Shui refers to a very old Chinese practice, which uses the position and organization of space and existing possessions to achieve tranquility in the environment and also in you.

Conventionally Feng Shui refers to a kind of architectural arrangement that uses weather, space, geomagnetism, and astronomy as fundamental elements to find out the most appropriate room layout while permitting its user to discover the likely balance within that space. Believers contend that Feng Shui may also be brought into play to influence one’s well being, prosperity, and personal relations.

Feng Shui’s purpose is to discern the perfect place of good “qi” that are a position and also an axis in relation to time. As stated by Feng Shui principles, certain areas are inappropriate for human inhabitation and hence should be allowed to remain in their original condition.

In relation to Feng Shui, the term “qi” refers to the " energy flow". Traditional Feng Shui beliefs state that the heavens impact life on this planet and therefore should be cherished. Yin and Yang refers to a method whereby the living (yang) peacefully coexists with the deceased (yin).

“Schools” is a frequently misconstrued Feng Shui term - it actually signifies a procedure that may incorporate one or perhaps more of the below:

• Bagua (connection with the 5 phases or wuxing)
• 5 phases (wuxing associations)
• Xuan Kong (space and time techniques)
• Xuan Kong Da Gua ("Confidential Decree" or sixty-four gua associations)
• Xuan Kong Shui Fa (space, time and water techniques)
• Xuan Kong Fei Xing (Flying Stars technique of time and direction)
• Zi Bai (White-Purple Flying Stars technique)
• Ba Zhai (8 Mansions or 8 Houses)
• San Yuan Dragon Gate 8 Formation
• Minor and Major Wandering Stars
• Qimen Dunjia (8 Doors and 9 Stars technique)
• San He Luan Dou (Twenty-four Mountains, Mountain-Water associations)
• San He Shui Fa (water techniques)
• Ziwei Dou Shu (24-star astrology, Purple King)

In the past few years, Feng Shui has become increasingly famous in interior design discipline as the West initiates their quest for a clearer harmony in their busy lives. Its minimalism can stir up such serenity within an area that pure design methods are deficient in. Whether you have faith in the Feng Shui concept or not is inapt when designing an area as few can disregard the feelings of tranquility and calm it can induce within a believer’s area.