Feng shui (traditional Chinese: 風水; simplified Chinese: 风水; pinyin: fēng shuǐ; pronounced /ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ/ foong-shoy in Chinese Mandarin, "fheng-schway" in American English) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive Qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (traditional Chinese: 堪輿; simplified Chinese: 堪舆; pinyin: kānyú; literally: Tao of heaven and earth).

The words feng shui literally translate as "wind-water" in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin Dynasty:

Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.

Traditional Feng Shui practice always requires an extremely accurate Chinese compass, or Luo Pan, in order to determine the directions in finding any auspicious sector in a desired location.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Garden Fountains - Feng Shui For Your Healthy Being

You may be surprised but fountains and Feng Shui are closely associated. With Feng Shui gaining popularity among people the world over, the fountains too have assumed a new importance. Many of you must have heard of 'Feng Shui', but are you aware of what exactly this practice is all about. Let's know here.

Understanding Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a common ancient Chinese practice. Simply explained, it is based on the placement and arrangement of space in a way that brings about harmony in the surroundings. This facilitates the flow of positive energy, called 'Chi'. Presence of Chi is a sign of health,

The practice divides everything in the universe into Yin and Yang. This is similar to the western concept of duality. Yang is dominant and growing while Yin is calm and subtle. It is essential to maintain a balance between the Yin and Yang at home as well as office to achieve health and prosperity. If either of the elements is in excess, it can throw your life out of gear. Excess of Yang will not let you relax while Yin in excess can be extremely boring.

Implementing Feng Shui Principles

Feng Shui believes that outside living spaces are an extension of indoor spaces. Therefore it is important to balance these elements when landscaping a water feature.

Fountains in Feng Shui represent the water element and are said to bring the energy of water which is associated with abundance and prosperity. It is also believed that a working fountain can help diffuse healthy negative ions into the air.

Water fountain can be either Yin or Yang. A waterfall, for example, releases Yang energy, while a garden pool evokes Yin. You can add Yin or Yang to your landscape water features.

The position of your water fountain is another important point of consideration. You can select the area with the help of Feng Shui energy map and the interplay of five elements. East symbolizes health; South-east reflects prosperity; and North denotes career. Placing a fountain in the South direction is not advisable since South represents fire element and introduction of water element will result in conflicting energy.

You should also remember that Yin and Yang are constantly changing with the changing of day or season. You need to therefore rebalance your outdoor landscape as the season changes. You may consult a Feng Shui expert for guidance.

Other basic considerations for buying a fountain such as ease in maintaining and cleaning, material, design, cost and others are also important. So beautify your home and experience health and prosperity with a water fountain.



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Added: January 30, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

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