Eye on Feng Shui

Did you know that Bruce Lee used a Feng Shui master? Yes, he did. In fact, Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway), is a respected art worldwide. In China, Feng Shui masters are brought in to survey a given site even before architects and contractors are brought into the picture.

Feng Shui is based on the forces of life and their continual change. At the heart of Feng Shui is the desire to acknowledge the power of the natural world and to live in harmony with it.

You may recognize this as the concept of Li (order and harmony of life) and Ch'i (life breath or energy, form.)

When Ch'i moves through a room or house, it creates a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. It gives you a sense of well-being. This particular art seems simple enough at first, and can remain so with the help of simplified instruction.

For those who really want to get into it as a WAY, there is certainly more than enough information, seminars, books, workshops, pamphlets, papers, and information on the web, to keep you occupied.

There are many books and kits on the market. Where do you go first? I recommend a great beginner kit in a red and black box called FENG SHUI KIT: The Chinese Way to Health, Wealth and Happiness, At Home and At Work by Man-Ho-Kwok. This kit contains a Feng Shui compass with ruler markings and a Pa Kua Mirror, plus instruction book.

•  Do you arrange your furniture feeling that despite all your efforts it never seems just right?
• Do you have a hard time sleeping, or wake up sweaty? 
• Does your life feel a little off kilter?
• Do you want simplicity and balance?

If you answered yes to any of these things, Feng Shui can guide you in the right direction.

• Add plants inside your home for vitality and good health.
• Running water in your home brings wealth and good fortune (so buy a little fountain).
• If the first thing you see when you walk in your door stresses you out, get rid of it or put it somewhere else!

While ch'i breathes life into a certain area, it can also disperse and decay, allowing sha to enter. Sha is the breath that takes life away, and is negative force. Its influence can be held back by a fence, screen, or row of trees.

 Based on the premise that people are affected by their environment, Feng Shui unites ancient beliefs with modern space planning, interior design, ecology, psychology, and common sense.  The words Feng Shui mean wind and water, two elements of incredible energy.  They are a symbolic shorthand for the power of nature and the importance of living in harmony with it.

To begin the physical process of changing and improving energy in your space, take stock of what you have in your home or office.

Discard items that you no longer value, with the clear intention of releasing the old thought, beliefs and emotions attached to them. This opens the path for new energy to enter your life. It can be very liberating and powerful.

One of the easiest ways to determine which of your possessions to eliminate is to pitch EVERYTHING you have not seen or used in the last year. Eliminating needless things will clear out your subconscious and provide a clean slate for new opportunities to come into your life. You will also benefit charitable groups.

 Clean everything!  Really do a thorough job.  Only then are you ready to make a complete assessment of your surroundings.  Ask yourself :

• Does each piece of furniture or artwork is enhancing your home's enjoyment. 
• Are you keeping things you've outgrown?
• Do you look at things everyday that were gifts from someone whose taste is different from yours?
• Are you tripping over boxes that you haven't had time to unpack?

Spring is here!  Time to let go and renew... no more procrastination.  Go for it!