Understanding the Principles of Feng Shui.

For thousands of years people have been aware of energy moving through the universe, connecting everything in it like a huge computer network. What has come to be called Qi (chee) is a subtle flow of energy, which links all things in the universe.

In the Far East the understanding and control of energy flow underlies traditional healing systems such as acupuncture and Shiatsu, as well as martial arts like Tai Qi, Qi Gong and Aikido. The energy has several names. In China it is called Qi (also spelled Chi), in Japan it is known as Kí and in India it is referred to as Prana. There are no specific words for it in the West, although expressions such as atmosphere, mood, life-force, spirit or energy describe how it is perceived (throughout this article we will refer to it as Qi and energy).

Qi stays mainly within entities such as human bodies, plants or buildings, but some of it constantly flows in and out and some flows in from other sources. Your own personal Qi is always mixing with the energy around you. In this way you are connected to the immediate environment, and ultimately the entire universe, as ripples of Qi from far away reach you. Exceptionally sensitive people may be able to pick up advance information from these distant sources in the form of premonitions, visions or telepathy.

The flow of energy from one entity to another is the basis of Feng Shui. The Qi you take in from your environment influences your moods, emotions, physical energy, and over time, your health.

Let's say there is one particular individual who controls the environment. You've seen it happen; the boss comes in grumpy, slamming doors, drawers and telephones. He lets everybody know he's in a bad mood and everyone walks softer, talks quieter and gets busier. But, later that afternoon he lands his big deal and he's popping the cork of the champagne bottle and patting all his employees on the back. Now there are loud voices, laughter and less work being done.

Do you see how you would be influenced by this man's positive or negative Qi? We're always exchanging energy with everyone and everything around us. What are you sending out and what are you taking in?

Qi is carried throughout the environment by wind, water, the sun's solar energy, light and sound. It moves in a similar way to these natural phenomena except that, unlike some of them, it is able to flow through solid matter. It flows in and out of buildings mainly through the doors and windows, but some energy can enter and leave through the walls. The name Feng Shui, which literally means "wind-water", reflects the way Qi moves. The basic aim of Feng Shui is to enable you to position yourself where this natural flow of energy helps you to realize your goals and dreams in life.

Buildings alter the flow of Qi. Their shape, openings and the materials they are made of define the way energy flows through them. It moves most easily through doors and windows, so the orientation of a building to the sun and the planets will determine the kind of Qi that enters it. The energy is constantly changing as the planets move through the sky, so there is a new pattern of Qi each year, month, day and hour. The biggest changes occur each year.

Features of the immediate surroundings such as water or roads, determine the kind of Qi that flows back and forth through the doors of the building. In an ideal situation energy flows harmoniously through the whole of a building. The design and interior decoration should enhance the kind of Qi that furthers the goals and desires of the occupants and should exclude or minimize features that hinder them.