Benefits of Feng Shui
When we talk about feng shui, we talk a lot about axioms and tools and it quickly becomes technical because, indeed, it is a discipline that requires a lot of knowledge and calculation. But today I would like to insist more on the benefits brought by the fact of harmonizing the energy in the place. Encouraging the circulation of chi in our interior does not only mean a new layout of the space. It has a real impact on our life, our health, our well-being, our relationships…
Origins of feng shui
Traditional Chinese feng shui is a thousand-year-old practice that originated from a multitude of observations made by the ancients. It emerged during the dynasty of the Yellow Emperor, Huang Di, a period of great cultural advance in China.
At the very beginning, it was mainly a question of finding the best location for burials. Therefore, the characteristics of the landscape were mainly observed, which is why the oldest feng shui is that of form. Later, the observation of the environment also helped farmers and herders, who tried to find the best places to cultivate their land and raise their livestock.
Over time, the practice of feng shui spread to cities, temples and imperial palaces, where it was used to design harmonious buildings and gardens that promoted the well-being and prosperity of the inhabitants.
Thus, the masters added other axes of analysis and integrated the fundamental principles such as the circulation of the life force, the yin and yang balance, the use of the 5 elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) in the design of the house. This practice is based on the idea that the place we live in has an influence on our life and health. This is why it is considered a branch of Chinese medicine.
Feng shui experts study the energy flows in a given space, using tools such as the feng shui compass (the Luopan) and the bagua, an energy map divided into eight sectors. I’m talking about traditional feng shui, not simplified feng shui, which does not require the use of a compass (and is therefore not based on the cardinal orientation of the house).
The main Feng Sui principles
First of all, we cannot talk about energy harmonisation without mentioning Chi. It is difficult to translate this term into French because there is no real equivalent in our Western world. I frequently use the notion of “vital breath” which has more meaning than the word “energy” because it contains the idea that it is at the heart of everything, of all matter, of all living beings. What is important to understand is that the feng shui expert seeks, through his observations and calculations, to qualify this chi: is it positive? vibrant? or on the contrary stagnant? even negative? Depending on the answers, the recommendations will obviously be different.
Another fundamental principle is hidden in the famous Taiji representation, this circle where two drops (one black and one white) intermingle to illustrate the dynamic interactions between the opposing but complementary forces of Yin and Yang. Everything in the universe is connected and interdependent. Harmony will come from the balance between these two forces. This principle of Yin and Yang is much more complex than one might think. In the rooms of the house, objects, colours, materials, everything can be correlated to this principle.
Finally, if we were to mention only 3, the last principle related to traditional Chinese feng shui is the 5 elements theory. Everything contains chi, but everything is also part of one or other of these elements. The way they interact has been standardised into 3 cycles (production, control and destruction), which allows the feng shui master to use them to strengthen or constrain energies.
Benefits of feng shui in detail
Now that we have laid the foundations, what exactly are the benefits of feng shui? Harmonising energy, encouraging the circulation of chi, balancing yin and yang in the rooms, choosing the right materials and colours… but for what?
Improving health: I start with this benefit because it was the one most people were originally looking for. When I was young, I always laughed when I heard the elders wishing each other good health on New Year’s Eve, or saying things like “as long as there is health”, etc. The older I get, the less of a smart-ass I am, because when you start to have health problems, a lot of things that used to seem normal become problems. By creating a healthy and balanced environment, a calm and soothing space, we basically promote relaxation and well-being. But feng shui goes further because, as with acupuncture, feeding the energy with the food it needs (depending on where the room is located in the house) will offer a healing chi. In each area, we also come to identify the sitting flying star to know if it is conducive (and therefore to be activated) or not (and therefore to be controlled).
Stress and anxiety reduction: let’s not forget mental health. By eliminating clutter, promoting a smooth flow of energy, feng shui can help free the mind from distractions and tension. In addition, the addition of plants, water and other natural elements (to respect the cycles of the 5 Chinese elements) can help create a soothing atmosphere that encourages relaxation and meditation. Do you instinctively choose one room over another for relaxation? Do you meditate in the middle of your kitchen when your partner is cooking dinner? Probably not. Now imagine that not only is the chosen room more yin, but that the energy flowing in it is harmonised!
Release of energy blockages: when the energy of a place is harmonised and this is done so that it lasts permanently (as long as you live or work in that place), it can help to release certain energy blockages. You breathe better in a place that has been treated in feng shui, which only has benefits. It also helps to maintain a good energy level in our etheric bodies. If for example you perform an energy treatment such as chakra balancing, clearing of used energy and emotional butterflies, the benefits of the treatment will last longer.
Self-revelation: as you know, we do not choose a place to live by chance. It responds to our current vibrations. The feng shui expert comes, in this context, to decode our environment, to make the link between the interior of oneself and the interior of the habitat. Treating the energies of one’s home is also a way of improving the quality of life. This can even result in improved self-confidence and self-esteem.
Improved relationships: this is also the flying star of sitting, which, in addition to health, manages relationships. By creating a place that promotes communication, collaboration and harmony, feng shui can help strengthen family ties. The benefits can also be felt in friendships and romantic relationships. Finally, professional relationships can also be improved when the work space follows the recommendations of feng shui: relationships with suppliers, with customers, between employees, with the hierarchy… The business world can also benefit from the advantages of this thousand-year-old art. Whether it is through the layout, the colours, the materials, the use of adapted symbols, one can favour a favourable energy.
Increased prosperity: Feng Shui is often linked to money. But the notion of prosperity has a much broader meaning. Feng shui will create a place that promotes growth and abundance in all areas of life. This is particularly the case with the facade flying star, which allows for the necessary adjustments to be made. By using the natural elements strategically, by activating the stars related to prosperity through door and window openings, feng shui can strengthen the energy for financial health. Objects that symbolise wealth can also be used in the right place and for the right purpose.
Improving creativity and productivity: Feng shui can help improve creativity and productivity by creating an environment that stimulates imagination and concentration. One of the goals of the expertise can be to eliminate distractions and promote mental clarity. In addition to. To manage chi, one will choose favourable locations and directions adapted to the person (according to his or her Ming Gua, defined through the date of birth).
New opportunities and circumstances favoured: finally, one of the axes of feng shui allows to reinforce the chance, the fortunate meetings, the synchronicities… What has for consequence to bring in the life new opportunities. The energies that surround us favour particularly pleasant and promising circumstances.
Feng shui in everyday life
The feng shui recommendations can be translated in different ways, depending on the objectives of the expertise and the characteristics of the place studied:
- Different layout of the space: feng shui may recommend rearranging the furniture and objects in a room to create a more harmonious energy flow. For example, feng shui may recommend moving the sofa into the living room to avoid blocking the flow lines.
- De-cluttering: the expert may also ask to reduce the clutter in rooms to encourage a smoother flow of energy. Clutter can create blockages and cause feelings of stress and anxiety. Removing clutter can create a more open and serene space.
- Structural changes: where possible (in the construction or renovation phase), the assessment report can include recommendations for changing openings or positioning partitions (chi can thus be “manipulated” so that the most favourable flying stars are best activated).
- Changing the function of certain rooms: an office can become a bedroom, the children can be distributed differently in the night space, to make the best use of the energies present in each room
- Use of specific colours and materials: the analysis can recommend the use of certain colours and materials to reinforce the natural elements present in a space. For example, adding the element of wood (solid oak table, green plants, beige colour) in an east-facing bathroom.
- Adding water sources: adding a vase, fountain or aquarium can be recommended to reinforce the water element in a space. Similarly, outdoors, the addition of a swimming pool to a property is not without consequence for the harmonization.
- In general, adding objects such as mirrors or wind chimes, paintings with particular symbolism…
To conclude
As you can see, these feng shui recommendations, which help to create a more harmonious and balanced space, do not necessarily mean adding decorations, objects or colours that are not in line with your lifestyle. It is quite possible to integrate feng shui into your interior, without it even being visible, other than through your senses.
Even if you think that you are not sensitive to the subtle, you still enjoy the benefits of feng shui. The resulting harmony of the place is conducive to all who occupy it, it is a question of vibrational frequency. You are the Chi, your home is the Chi, your office and garden too… So when the vibratory rate of the place increases, it helps to raise yours. It is a response that is unconscious, your body knows better than you.
Without having any in-depth knowledge, you can start to integrate feng shui into your daily life: tidy up, aerate, de-clutter, have furniture in number and size proportionate to the room… This is a good start. However, if you want to benefit from all the advantages listed in this article, it is essential to call on an expert. Indeed, the choice of colours and materials, the placement of an aquarium or a mirror, can have consequences in one way or the other and it would be a shame to make choices that would constrain the breath of life.
Feng shui is my profession. I am at your disposal if you wish to install beautiful energies in your home, and this, in a perennial way. Contact me !
