Feng Shui, pronounced as Fung Shway, is the
Chinese art of directing your ‘chi’ into positive channels. Feng
Shui is often called the ‘art of placement’ or the ‘art of flow’.
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice and literally translates
into ‘wind’ and ‘water’. It aims to maximize the benefits generated
from the movement of chi (the universal life force present in all
things) through an environment.
While Feng Shui is commonly thought to be the arrangement of one’s
living and working environments to optimize social and financial
success and wellbeing, it’s not quite so simple. The arrangement of
a wind chime, a crystal ball or an aquarium or mirror in a strategic
location does not guarantee good fortune. Feng Shui is all about
chi. Chi is the living essence of the Universe. It pervades every
aspect of our lives – large or small and creates an opportunity
everywhere it exists. These opportunities – good or bad – ultimately
shape our lives and our destiny. Simply, if something does not have
chi, it cannot exist!
Chi is all about nourishment and freshness. Just as fresh air
cleanses our home, fresh chi is required to cleanse our souls. Chi
is the ‘wind’ which moves freely and gracefully. When chi is blocked
it can become still like ‘water’ and stagnate. Chi likes to meander
through space. Feng Shui is the study which teaches us how to keep
chi moving freely.
The internal energy system or chi within ourselves (nature) can be
called our ‘chakras’ (circles) and the external energies or chi of
our environment (nurture) can be called Feng Shui. Understanding and
working with Feng Shui is all about learning to harness the power of
the chi in a way that will support and benefit all.
Feng Shui is not just a strong support system but it can also act as
a strong and powerful medicine. All illnesses can be cured by
channeling our internal and external energies or chi. This dual
vibration approach often helps by altering the nature of the disease
so we are more receptive to medicines and therapy.
Feng Shui uses several tools to encourage the free movement of chi.
Wind chimes and bamboo shoots are just two of these. Mirrors,
crystals and water fountains are other popular Feng Shui tools.
Wind Chimes & Feng Shui
When chi moves too strongly or fast, you may feel buffeted by
emotions or feelings or tasks. It may become too much for you to
handle. The sound waves created by a wind chime slow down chi that
is moving too fast.
If the path from the street to your front door is long and straight,
the chi will move unobstructed towards your home. It may gain speed
and strength. Hang a wind chime on your front porch to act as a chi
speed breaker. The chi will then enter your home gently and help
resolve your feelings or organize your tasks rather than create
chaos.
Wind chimes are also great for lifting the energy of dead places. If
there is a nook or corner in your house rarely used, chi may settle
there. It often becomes difficult for us to put such a nook into
good use. Try hanging a small wind chime there and make sure it
sounds often for a few days. Then try clearing up the space and
putting it to good use. You will feel lighter and do a faster job of
making new useful space! Let the chime stay there so that it keeps
stirring the chi and keeps the energy levels high.
Smaller wind chimes can be used anywhere in the house where you feel
the chi is too fast or stagnating and silent. Wind chimes come in
many shapes, sizes and designs. Choose one which appeals to you and
is suitable for the place you want to hang it. It is always
advisable to identify the corner where you want the chime and then
buy a suitable chime rather than buying a chime and then finding a
corner for it. Remember, the most important aspect is that the sound
must appeal to you.
Bamboo Shoots and Feng Shui
According to Feng Shui experts, bamboos are one of the hardiest
plants which is not only are they decorative, but are symbols of
good health. In order to bring health and happiness into the home,
the bamboo needs to be placed in the East direction for health, and
in the South-East direction for wealth.
It is also believed that a bamboo with three stalks brings
happiness; five stalks are for wealth, seven get you good health and
twenty one stalks offer a very powerful all-purpose blessing!
Bamboos require very little maintenance and have some great benefits
so what better way to decorate your home?
