Fen Shui

Fen Shui meaning “Wind” and “Water” in Chinese, is an ancient art of placing buildings or others sites auspiciously to create harmony and good luck. Practitioners believe that this art creates physical and psychological comfort because the arrangement of the elements in our spaces can affect many aspects of our lives such as happiness, health, and fortune.

The principle of Fen Shui is that there is an invisible life energy called Ch’i, that circulates through all things: rooms, buildings, people, power lines, etc.  If Ch’i flows freely, then things will go well for people. However if Ch’i is blocked, then the people in that space may feel discomfort or unhappiness.

The practice of Fen Shui began 3,000 years ago in China. The farmers realized that those who built their shelters facing north were battered by the wind and dust from the Gobi desert in Mongolia, but those who built their huts facing south enjoyed the warmth of the sun and protection from the wind. So, south became the favored direction and it is associated with fame, summer, number nine, fortune and the color red.

Nowadays, Fen Shui is widespread. Dozens of books about this technique are published each year. On top of that, if doesn’t matter if Fen Shui is an art and a science or superstition, people are more interested on this practice everyday. Finally, the influence and popularity of Fen Shui is the result of an increasing number of Asian immigrants as well. For me, Fen Shui is only a good technique of decoration and I like it, because it feels great when things are organized and neat.

summary from: NORTHSTAR, SHERRY PREISS, PAGE 91.
By Rosa Batista.