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Does anyone follow this design theory? It seems interesting, but also confusing since there are a lot of "do's" and "don'ts" to remember. I have a couple of books, but would love to hear advice and experiences from those who incorporate Feng Shui in their homes.
When I first heard about feng shui I was openminded and decided to give it a try. I activated the wealth and prosperity corners of my home and also the love and marriage corners. I found love (after being alone all my life), got married, and had the most money I've ever had freely flowing until I moved. In my new place I didn't activate the different corners as much though I followed all the feng shui basic principles.
I definitely feel there is something to feng shui.
Congratulations, great story! I love happy beginnings & endings! Any suggestions on good books or websites that have helped you?
Hi KM -
I love this subject, thanks for asking the question. I use Feng Shui & have for 20-yrs. I agree with Tao, there is definitely something to it.The problem you'll find is many books are written by those from cultures where FS is common knowledge, therefore the authors don't begin at square 1, necessary for those of us who are true newbies. It's assumed you know certain things, so initially, I didn't find them helpful either. Even though they stated they were using basic techniques, some "basic" info was skipped so my understanding of the info wasn't clear. There are also several different schools of FS, which vary the way the bagua is used in the home (mainly directional as in east, west...). I'd suggest you begin with a book written by someone from a western culture & be patient with yourself. It takes 30-yrs of study to become a true FS Master in China. Don't worry, most of us don't need that in-depth knowledge. I learned enough over a few days to be able to begin utilizing it & within a few months I was fairly comfortable. With each book, my comfort level increased. I've read about 25 over 20-yrs. I still pull out a book for reference when I want to make changes, activate an area or use cures in certain areas, to refresh my memory.
The best of the beginning books I found are "Move your Stuff, Change your Life" by Karen Rauch Carter (on Amazon for less than $5), "Clear your Clutter" by Karen Kingston ($2 on Amazon) & "The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Room by Room" by Tarah Kathryn Collins (currently $.01 on Amazon). If you can, get them at your local library first or skim them at a bookstore to see if they will be useful to you. At first, I had a collection of a dozen books, none of which were very helpful. I'd gleen a few bits of helpful info from each book & have to try to piece them together, which was very difficult for me. I was very confused until I started one step back & found a few books from US/UK/AU authors, as they started at the beginning, assuming the western reader doesn't know even basic principals. That's exactly what I needed before moving onto Lillian Too's books.
One of the most helpful things I found is when you activate an area of the bagua (the layout showing the 9 energy areas which is overlayed like a map onto your house), was to activate the opposing corner. The other is to activate one area at a time (& it's opposing area), as you'd otherwise be shifting too much energy & your life might feel like chaos. Just think if you changed every area of your life tomorrow, even if they are all changes for the better, you'd feel completely overwhelmed.
Another great thing to do once you get used to using this in your home is to FS things in your life, meaning, you can set up the top of your desk & your office so it maximizes energy, you can use the bagua to design a biz card for maximum benefit, etc. In other words, FS can be used in any area of your life & any space you occupy.
Does anyone follow this design theory? It seems interesting, but also confusing since there are a lot of "do's" and "don'ts" to remember. I have a couple of books, but would love to hear advice and experiences from those who incorporate Feng Shui in their homes.
I enjoy my Feng Shui books, but don't consciously follow the principles outlined. It's not what or how your house looks inside, it's how you are inside, and how YOU look on life that will help shape your life.
Thanks for the resposes! KittensPurr, I have the Western Guide to Feng Shui by Tera Kathryn Collins, which I refer to often. My husband and I bought a new house and haven't moved in yet, but I've already created a bagua map to help plan colors and furniture arrangement, and thought about some cures I may have to incorporate. One of the factors that helped choose the new house was that I felt it had good energy. It really lends itself to the Feng Shui philosophy and I'm excited about giving it a try.
southward bound-
From what I understand, Feng Shui is not really about what your house looks like. I think it's more about balancing and being in harmony with your surroundings, which will lead to balance and harmony in other aspects of life. My mother used to say "A cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind."
Please be cautious about how you practice Feng Shui. Most Westerners who grew up in Christian or secular enviornment have a poor grasp of the principles, even if they have studied them. There are a lot of fradulent authors and "interior decorators" who might mean well, but who do not truly understand Feng Shui. Your best bet is to make friends with a 1st-generation immigrant or visitor who grew up in a region where Feng Shui is (almost) universally practiced and ask them to "check your work" if they practice Feng Shui in their life.
You're welcome, KM & congratulations on your new house! That's great. You sound as if you've got a firm grasp on the concept, so I think you'll be fine. By the way, referring to your books is great. There's too much to info to keep it all straight. Bit by bit is the best way.
Hi Southward - FS involves far more than esthetics. You might enjoy reading several books or checking out some websites. It's a very interesting subject as it can be a subtle or powerful way to shift energies, depending on what is done. Placement is only 1 small avenue. Color, shape, material, etc. are equally as important. It's a fun study.
Sponger, good idea on being cautious & yes, when I lived in S. CA., I bumped into plenty of people who had biz cards with FS Expert printed on them. I felt the majorty had only taken a few night classes or read a few books & deemed themselves experts. I agree, the majority of books I purchased were of no use whatsoever, for the same reasons. The few western authors' books I recommended are basic principals & important for the western mind to grasp before moving onto eastern books. Being that there's different sects & the fact that not all easterners agree on concepts, further complicates matters. Subtle shifting, as I'd mentioned, by activating one corner of the bagua at a time (& it's opposite corner), is very important, otherwise one can feel quite out of sorts. Good idea of having a mentor, if one is lucky enough to be able to find someone who will do it for low cost or as a favor.
Thanks for the read. If anyone has any websites they find particularly helpful, I'd love to know. Have fun... VV
I know my opinion will not be welcomed but I think you all are nuts !! Yes I've been in "Feng Shui" homes. What a bunch of foolishness. Energy..your kidding right ??
Save the money you're considering spending on Feng Shui books and instead seek out a good psychiatrist that can steer you away from your self absorbed delusional nonsense and point you toward reality .
Feng Shui is something that Americans created. Real Chinese think it's a joke. Go ask a chinese dude what he thinks of "Feng Shui"
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