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.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

About the Feng Shui Way of Interior Design

What we see is actually transmitted right up to the brain, which in turn provides us with how we feel of the place and helps create a perception of the visual. The same applies to the designs and arrangement of things that make up the interior of the room, which is why they must be emphasized in the right manner so that we are able to derive the feeling that we want from them.

Every aspect of a room is decorated so that a feeling of a particular type grows in us. For instance, a bedroom is the place to rest and relax. So a nice warm bed is what we are likely to expect the most in a bedroom, and the bed helps imbibe a feeling of relaxation in us. The same thing applies to the kitchen or study room as well.

Feng Shui is a Chinese system of aesthetics that has been in use from times immemorial. It involves all the elements that surround us like, geographical, religious, astrological and mathematical and aims to strike the perfect harmony between these so that we get to have relaxation, a sense of well-being and prosperity. It is an art form the sole purpose of which is to provide us with a lifestyle that is expressed through interior decoration.

A few basic rules define the Feng Shui way of interior design, the prominent among them being creating the perfect balance between nature and us. So it entails having a plant or flower in every room that we live in so that it provides a visual relief to the eye. This is the easiest way of developing a positive feeling in us while it also acts to clean the air inside the room, so we have clean air to breathe.

Another important rule is the use of the right colors for the furniture and everything else so that the environment within the room is soothing to the mind. This rule is easy to implement and is also known as Yin and Yang. There are many other such beliefs that make up the Feng Shui way of interior design. These have proved to be highly effective in bringing about a positive change in the lifestyle of those who have adopted them and is being used by many throughout the world.

There are numerous books available on Feng Shui, going by the immense popularity of this system of interior design around the world. These are easy to comprehend the subject and help you achieve it in your home or office with the minimum of fuss. Then there are specialized websites that can prove invaluable in incorporating possibly the best interior design that might be applicable to you.

One benefit of studying the approach to interior design is that you'll have a better idea of the many facts that contribute to the collective well-being of our homes right from the beginning, such as why our homes are built in a specific direction or where the television or bed needs to be placed since each of these aspects has a meaning and are done for a precise reason.



Autor: Sarah Winter

To learn more about Feng Shui interior design and Feng Shui chimes check out also bamboowindchimestips.com, where you can find this and a lot more information about how bamboo wind chimes can help to improve the well-being of our home.


Added: November 12, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Analyzing Part of a House Versus the Whole House

In order to enter the State of Colorado or Montana, first you have to get inside the United States. And in order to understand what is going on in a single room in a person's house, or a single office within a suite, I have to first assess the entire floor plan. Clients sometimes request that only a PART of their house or business be looked at-- and usually this is based on financial concerns. What most people do not know until they are informed is the following:

A single room is usually a smaller version of the whole space, so calculations must first be performed on the whole structure.

A single room could also be assessed according to where it is located in the bigger picture. As an example, there could be a work station area within a building where many of the secretaries tend to get married or pregnant shortly after working there. Or there may be a section of a commercial space that is always hard to lease because of where it is within the building.

Sometimes it is determined that the most effective remedies need to take place OUTSIDE the structure, once the building has been analyzed as a whole.

Sometimes the most important remedies need to be in areas of the house that are not even heavily used spaces, because the remedy can influence the whole house.

A client may want a feng shui assessment done on a room that has been deemed negative, but the best alternative may be to use another room entirely (when available).

People still confuse feng shui with some kind of mystical interior decorating so they need to be educated about the effects that a whole house, lot, or building can have on the occupants.

There are certain circumstances, when a room has been completely sealed off or separated from other rooms, then it should be viewed as its own unique space. But the interior feng shui will still be affected by the immediate exterior surroundings as well.

It is true that there are priorities. The bedroom is the most important room in the house because most people sleep a third of their lives in that one spot. The commonly used entrance is really important, called the "ch'i gate" and a home office where people spend at least an hour or more per day also ranks higher than what we do with dining rooms, kitchens or bathroom.



Autor: Kartar Diamond

Kartar Diamond is a classically trained Feng Shui practitioner who helps individuals and businesses world wide. For more information regarding Kartar's products, books and services, go to http://www.FengShuiSolutions.net


Added: November 11, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How Feng Shui Can Bring About Harmony in Your Home

Most people think of Feng Shui in terms of a system of religious rituals to safeguard their property. It is that, of course, but it is also considered more than that. Basically, Feng Shui is based on the ancient Chinese belief that the power of natural forces, called 'chi', can be harnessed to act favorably on any kind of property. Proper use of its prescribed techniques, it is believed, can foster physical and spiritual wellbeing, success, happiness and other positive aspects of life amongst the property's occupants. The actual name, loosely translated, means 'Wind' and 'Water' - the two elements most influential in the presence or absence of harmony.

Feng Shui practitioners undergo an intensive learning process before being able to advise others on the correct use of its techniques. However, the baseline precept is that every room of one's home has a special significance, and therefore special guidelines.

The bedroom is considered very important. Correct layout and internal specifications can, it is believed, ensure domestic bliss and harmony within the family. Modern practitioners of Feng Shui warn strictly against the presence of a television set within the bedroom; having a mirror directly facing the bed is also considered extremely harmful. Both of these can cause serious disruptions in conjugal harmony. Having a solid wall at the bed's head-side is considered to be beneficial in many respects.

Children's bedrooms also have special requirements. For instance, it is thought of as highly inauspicious to allow children to sleep on the floor, and double-bunk beds should not be used. In either of these, the free flow of spiritual energy is allegedly compromised - thereby affecting children's performance at school and peace of mind at home.

The entrance to a domestic household should be free of any obstruction, and the storing of any kind of footwear here should be strictly avoided. Great attention should be paid to keeping this part of the home clean and hygienic. Also, there should ideally be a visible source of flowing water in this area - this is why small indoor fountains are evident in many Feng Shui-compliant homes.

Since Feng Shui places particular importance on the proper confluence of the basic elements of water and fire, there is great potential for clash in the kitchen. For this reason, locating sources of the two within proximity of each other is considered inauspicious. This means that water cisterns, the kitchen sink and refrigerator should not be placed directly opposite or near to the kitchen range or stove.



Autor: Arun G. Chitnis

Arun Chitnis is a professional writer with interest in a wide swath of genres. His fields of interest include real estate, self improvement, short fiction and parenting issues. He is based in Mumbai, India and writes whenever he can.


Added: November 10, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/