Feng shui home decorating 2009

Feng Shui, when translated directly "the wind and the water" is the art and science of arrangement. This ancient Chinese art, Feng Shui (pronounced 'fung shway") is the instruction of creating harmony and balance so that waves of 'Chi' - the good healthy energy will undulate over us and open the doors of luck and prosperity. The Chinese believe that luck and prosperity and everything good in the world travels on waves of healthy energy. Most of us have the predicament of living in a home that has been arranged to block some or most of this energy from reaching us and our loved ones. By using feng shui decorating for your home, you will make it into a tuning fork that grabs this Chi and transforms it into harmony and good health for all living under the roof of that place.

The devil is really in the details. From how a potted plant is placed to the position in which you sleep in all affects how much or how little of this Chi you will experience. A house with bad feng shui, the Chinese believe, is a recipe for disaster - and this is why alot of Chinese people and other races who believe strongly in this, hire a feng shui master before they do anything to their household decor or furniture arrangement. Now get the image of an old rickety man with beads and an unearthly beard out of your head. He doesn't spring into kung fu at the tip of the hat. He does that just on Tuesdays. I'm just kidding. Professional geomancers are as modern as you and me and you would be surprised to find that some of them are not even Chinese in the first place. They have an understanding of Mother Nature and her compass and can sense about whether a household is aligned with her enough for prosperity and luck to be a permanent fixture.

Do you notice an area of the house where people just seem to gravitate to? Ever held a party and people tell you that a certain room seems 'uncomfortable' for no obvious reason? This is probably bad feng shui at work. Anything from the colour of your walls to how your bed is situated in your room can determine a restful night or a fitful one. The Chinese believe that the colour red and its various shades bring about luck and warmth to a house - this is evident when you notice that most Chinese brides like to don the bright maroons on their happy occasion. It is also all about spaces. The Chinese believe that facing a door or entryway in whatever you do bring about luck and exposes you to greater Chi. Also having highly visible exits means the not only guests can find their way out easily, but money and energy as well.