FAQs Feng Shui
What is Feng Shui?
The literal translation means wind and water. It is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonising everyone and everything with the surrounding environment.
It is known as the practice of arranging furniture and ornaments in living spaces to create balance and harmony, but actually, it goes way beyond that. I also like to call it the psychology of living and it is a combination of interior design, environmental psychology and personal coaching.
There is Feng Shui for inside and for outside of your home. Many different schools of Feng Shui have developed over the last centuries, and some of the ways to practise it seems to conflict, all Feng Shui works. Like the different schools of martial arts, the techniques are all valid but they are hard to combine (you can’t do Kung Fu and Tai Chi at the same time).
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What is Yin and Yang?
The play of domination, which ultimately then creates Chi. The idea that everything that exists in the Universe has a polar opposite and that all opposites are complementary inseparable forces. Yin represents the dark, yielding, soft, feminine energy and Yang represents the light, penetrating, hard, masculine energy, without judging one over the other. All are part of the cosmos.
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What is Chi?
Chi is also known as prana, aether, life force and is synonymous with the word Energy. It means vitality, wellness, prosperity, and good relationships.
In Feng Shui, it is also known as the “Cosmic Breath”. It is the vital energy that moves through all things. It is integral to Feng Shui, acupuncture, and many martial arts. In Feng Shui, we are concerned with the movement, quantity and quality of the Qi (chi), in the neighbourhood, in the house and in the person.
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What are the 5 elements?
There are five elements in the Chinese system. Wood, earth, fire, water, and metal exist in a creative cycle (one element supporting the next) and a destructive cycle (one element depleting the next). Elements reflect the quality of Qi (chi). Elements can be represented by a shape, a material, and/or a colour. Symbols of the elements can be added or removed to adjust the Qi (chi).
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What is Bagua?
Bagua literally translates into Eight Areas and the method of dividing a house into the eight life areas (Pa Kua).
It can be applied to the property, the house, every single room and your desk.
The 8 areas are:
- Career/Life Path
- Mountain/Knowledge
- Family/Creativity
- Money/Abundance
- Success/Fame
- Love/Marriage
- Future/Children
- Helpful People/Travel
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What is the Compass School?
One of the two oldest schools of Feng Shui (the other being Form School), where practitioners use a compass called a Lo-Pan to determine the quality and quantity of the Qi (chi).
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What is the Form School?
One of the oldest schools of Feng Shui, still practised in China today.
The “form” in Form School refers to the shape of the environment, such as mountains, rivers, plateaus, buildings, and general surroundings. It considers the four protector animals (red phoenix, green dragon, white tiger, black tortoise), the yin-yang concept and the traditional five elements (Wu Xing: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water).
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What are the Celestial Animals?
The four animals that guard the four main directions on the compass:
- North is protected by the Black Tortoise
- South is protected by the Red Phoenix
- West is protected by the White Tiger
- East is protected by the Azure Dragon
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What are the Four Pillars of Destiny?
Also called Chinese Astrology, the four pillars are the year of birth, the month of birth, the day of birth, and the time of birth. Each of these has an elemental quality and an animal archetype and from this information about the person and their destiny can be determined.
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What is the Chinese Zodiac?
12 animals make up the signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Each animal’s personality describes the attributes of that energy. The 12 animals are: Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat and Ox.
What are Clashing Doors?
Doors that bang into each other are said to bring disharmony.
What is the Commanding of Power Position?
Considered the best position where the person seated at the desk can see the majority of the room, the door and have a view out the window.
What are Flying Stars?
The Flying Star’s chart is a numerological diagram of auspicious and inauspicious areas of a building. The Flying Star chart changes every 2 decades, every year, month and day. It is used to specify the energies in a space and a person.
Interested in learning more about Feng Shui?
Find out more about How I do Feng Shui here and how Feng Shui can bring the right energy into your life. Contact me for more information or to enrol on a Feng Shui class. I’m here to help and usually answer within 24 hours. Look forward to chatting with you. Thank you.