Originating in China almost 6,000 years ago, Feng Shui is the ancient art or method of building and decorating spaces so as to bring happiness, energy, abundance and more importantly, harmony. Spaces can include residences and businesses. It includes architecture, urban planning, interior design, and garden design. There are various branches of feng shui that have evolved throughout the centuries.

The word feng means ‘wind’ and the word shui means ‘water.’ In Chinese culture, wind and water are symbols of good health, and thus, good fortune. When you incorporate the methods of feng shui into a space, you are essentially setting goals for what you want to bring into your life. Conversely, when we have bad luck or misfortune in life, we may be living in a space with bad feng shui.

Feng Shui is concerned with the placement of objects in relation to the flow of natural energy also known as ‘Qi’ in Chinese culture. When you incorporate the methods of feng shui into a space, you are essentially setting goals for what you want to bring into your life.

Feng Shui is also rooted in the Chinese philosophy of yin & yang energies. The theory of yin & yang is that everything in life and existence is composed of two opposing forces and these forces balance each other. Neither can live without the other. These forces include light and dark, feminine and masculine, and hard and soft. In feng shui, this concept is displayed in how we must balance the chaos around us to create peace in our lives. Feng shui is often described as a practice of connecting your mind, body, and spirit with your space. By feeling one with and aligned with the space we live in or work in, we can tap into our internal energy to be the best we can be.

Feng Shui can even go beyond organizing and decorating, and reach a deeper physical and emotional place. Stuck energy in the home often relates to stuck energy in the body, which can lead to health issues. Decluttering helps create a feeling of open and new space and this helps energy flow in so many different ways from access to new ideas, to renewed motivation to make changes, to simply feeling better, lighter, and breathing easier.If you want to get started with Chinese Feng Shui to create a more intentional living environment, here are some steps to get started.

#1 Evaluate your internal and external needs

To begin achieving Feng Shui in your home, understand what areas in your life and your space are out of balance. Think about balance in terms of health, success, love, money or other aspects that you wish you had in more abundance. Then identifying what parts of your home may feel unbalanced and tackle these one at a time. The last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed with the amount of balance that you may need to bring forth.

#2 Create an energy map a.k.a Bagua

Once you have considered what areas in your home and life need focus, you want to create something called an energy map, or a bagua, translated from Chinese as eight areas. These eight areas in your home symbolize eight major areas in your life that are essential for happiness and contentment. The eight areas are defined as Health/Family, Money/Abundance, Fame/Reputation, Love/Marriage, Children/Creativity, Blessings/Fortune, Career/Life Path, and Spirit/Growth.

#3 Add elements for balance

Feng Shui identifies with colors and earth elements that when incorporated into spaces create different outcomes. Ideally, each area of your home will have all of the elements to create balance. Areas that you have identified for growth may have some prominent colors, depending on how you want to grow.  If you need to feel more energized, you may want to add more fire element into a space which includes the color red and orange along with decorative elements like candles. If you need more stability in your life, you can incorporate earth into a space by using ceramics, pottery, and the colors yellow and brown. Incorporating earth energy into a room brings nourishment, stability, and support.

Adding water to a room to help increase the flow of opportunities and to find life’s purpose. You can do this by using decorative elements such as glass, mirrors, and crystal, and incorporating the colors black and dark blue. While Feng Shui is a framework to help with elements of your life that are out of balance, it cannot be the be all and end all to achieving balance. You cannot ‘Feng Shui’ all your problems. Start with an open mind but do what feels right internally. Your home or your space need not be be completely stripped down to fit within feng shui rules. Instead, use the Feng Shui narrative as an added layer of self-care and a guide for greater expansion of health and wellness in our lives.