About Feng Shui

With ‘D.I.Y’ and lifestyle shows becoming a common thread in today’s society, so too is Feng Shui becoming increasingly popular in the Western world. Feng Shui encourages us to question whether we can improve the energy in our existing homes and design our property to bring balance, good health and prosperity to our life.

When renovating or building, Feng Shui is an option to consider as early as possible in order to maximise your chances of implementing change. If you have already drawn up the plans, it’s not too late. A Feng Shui analysis can be used to determine how to improve on the plans; or, if you don’t want to make changes, the Feng Shui consultant can work with you on your existing plans to make the best of the positive energy and reduce the impact of the negative energy.

In the case of buying an existing home, the principles of Feng Shui can be implemented at any stage of the process.

Investing in a Feng Shui consultation prior to choosing a home could be likened to obtaining in a building inspection before buying a house. It guarantees peace of mind by identifying problems so that you can do something about them. A Feng Shui analysis will identify the energies so that you can initiate positive transformations.

Can I Feng Shui my own house?

Like ‘DIY’ home renovating, ‘DIY’ Feng Shui takes a certain amount of know-how to get the job done. There are countless books on Feng Shui – all which seem to contradict each other when addressing what seems to be the same issue.

To answer the question ‘Can I do it myself’, there are certainly some things that you could implement to improve the Feng Shui of your home. However, some Feng Shui ‘remedies’ can do more harm than good if used incorrectly. For this and other reasons, a Feng Shui analysis is best left to a professional consultant.

What is Feng Shui?

Traditional Feng Shui was developed 6,000 years ago in China. Its literal translation is ‘wind and water’, and is an ancient Chinese art of living in harmony with your environment. By balancing the heavenly (time) and earthly (space) Qi in our surroundings, it helps to give us the drive to succeed, increasing the likelihood of improving our health and well-being, and bringing positive changes to our lives.

 Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) is an invisible life force or energy that is constantly changing, and underlies every living and non living thing. It provides a link between people and their surroundings. The goal of Feng Shui is to enhance the Sheng (positive) Qi and control the Sha (negative) Qi.

What Feng Shui isn’t

There is quite a bit of confusion surrounding the concept of Feng Shui. Traditional Feng Shui is not a religion, philosophy or superstition, and it can not provide a cure-all for your problems or help you win the lottery. It is not based on principles of interior design or landscaping, and is not the art of furniture placement. These new age assumptions do not form the basis of Traditional Feng Shui.

Schools of Feng Shui

A consultant can exercise various ‘schools’ of Feng Shui; there are many different methods with many different names. However, the majority of them would fall into one of the schools described below:

Form School

analyses the land outside a building, its contours such as mountains and the placement of water. In addition to the outside influence; the shape and inside of the building must also be considered, focusing significantly on the placement of furniture.

Compass School

is a simplified version of Feng Shui developed many centuries ago in China specifically for foreigners. The building and site are divided into eight compass sectors and a central sector. Each sector relates to a specific aspect of your life; such as wealth, family and health, abundance, career, fame and reputation, marriage and partnerships, children, support, and knowledge. Although simplified versions of Compass School are popular in the general media such as magazines and television, it should always be used in conjunction with a more comprehensive school of Feng Shui such as Flying Stars.

Flying Star School is considered to be the most powerful and sophisticated method of Feng Shui. Unlike the other schools of Feng Shui, the Flying Star method factors time into its calculations. This means that the character of a home can change over time, becoming more or less beneficial depending on when the house was constructed. It’s sort of like a person having a “birth sign” in astrology. All Feng Shui recommendations should take into account the Flying Star analysis, as this particular method can override recommendations based on the other schools.

What To Expect After A Consultation

The first few weeks or months after a Feng Shui consultation can sometimes be a little disruptive. This period is like a detox of your life - a letting go of old habits.

After the consultation, your home will be opened up to new channels of energy. Previous hurdles in a daily routine may now seem insignificant and you might begin to experience 'a new lease of life' that will allow you a much freer and balanced perspective upon who you are and where you are going. You may also find that new opportunities and experiences miraculously land on your door step and that suddenly it is much easier to envisage the achievement of goals that had previously been thought to be out of reach.

This change in energy may be instantaneous or may manifest over a period of time. In order for you to attune properly to these new energy patterns, it may be necessary for you to resolve particular issues within yourself. You will be able to draw upon the clarity that is needed for you to resolve any specific problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

 We are currently designing our first home. Would it be a problem if I had a window on the wall that the bed head is against?

Sleeping under a window can drain your energy while you sleep, which causes you to wake up feeling tired. To remedy this you can place a barrier between you and the window such as a tall bed head, or curtains and blinds.

We have just purchased a double storey house which has a garage underneath one of the bedrooms. Is this a problem?

Having the garage under the bedroom may not be an issue - the feng shui analysis of your home will determine how beneficial the chi of the bedroom is in regards to health and relationships. However, ensure that the garage is well ventilated to guard against fumes entering the house, as this could be detrimental to your health.

How can I use Feng Shui to help me choose a new house? I have read a few books but this has only confused me more.

Firstly, using your instincts when purchasing a house is extremely important. Look at the life force of the block… is the grass green, is there water, is there birdlife… all of these things suggest great Feng Shui. Also, make sure you avoid building too close to obstacles that are considered sha chi, or poison arrows, such as high tension power lines. Unfortunately, Traditional Feng Shui is not as easy as people think. I suggest that prior to making your purchase, you seek advice from a consultant who has studied Flying Stars feng shui.  

Ever since moving into our new rental property I've been sleeping poorly and waking up with aching shoulders and back. I noticed that there is an electrical meter box on the same wall that our bed head is against. Is this causing the problem?

There is no quick fix available to absorb this electromagnetic energy. No matter how good the feng shui of your home is you must avoid having your bed against a wall that contains the meter box. The magnetic field surrounding it will weaken your immune system over time and can contribute to immune disorders such as lupus, depression or chronic fatigue syndrome.

I have read in a Feng Shui book that the number 4 means bad luck or death. Our house number is 4 – is this bad feng shui?

The number 4, when spoken in Mandarin Chinese, sounds like the word for death/die, hence the reason the number 4 is regarded as unfavourable. However, this has no affect whatsoever in terms of Feng Shui.

How do I know which Feng Shui consultant is going to give me the best result?

The Feng Shui industry in Australia is currently unregulated. Therefore, the training and experience of Feng Shui consultants varies greatly; from consultants who might have read a few books, to consultants who have studied and trained for years. Ask your consultant about their training and about their experience in the type of job for which you want to engage them.

Trust your own instincts. Not all Feng Shui consultants will operate in the same way, and you should find one that you feel comfortable talking to. The right consultant will come along at the time you need them. However, there are a few important questions that you should keep in mind:

~ How long they have been practising Feng Shui, and what school of Feng Shui do they practise? (Eg, Traditional or Flying Stars, Intuitive, Bagua or Black Hat Feng Shui) This is important to know, because the end result will be very different.

~ Are they are a member of a Feng Shui Association? This will give you the opportunity to further check their qualifications.

~ What is the consultation process?

~ What do I get for my money? Do you provide a written report?

~ Is there any follow up? Can I ask questions about the consultation after you have left?