Feng shui, pronounced "fung shway," means "wind and water." It is an art and science that has been practiced in China for 7,000 years. Years of experience and study are required to master the principles of feng shui. However, for a novice, what is essential for experimenting with feng shui is having an open mind and a willingness to listen to your intuition.
Understand the patterns and cycles of change, which affect everything. When a piece of furniture is moved to another location, it will not only change the appearance of the rooms, but it will also cause a shift in the flow of energy.
Stay alert when experimenting with feng shui - listen to your intuition, notice changes in your behavior, and keep an eye out for experiences that are disturbing or pleasing.
Be aware of the flow of energy throughout a room. Windows and doors are portals for this energy, as are beams in the ceiling and objects placed overhead.
Observe the placement of furniture in an office or home, as it can affect the flow of energy throughout the building. Energy can be influenced to flow in different directions and at different speeds. Objects placed in its path can either block the flow or allow it to ease gently into the room.
Learn about the movement of energies and the five types of energies. Fire, earth, metal, water and wood are the five different energies. Each type depicts a movement of energy and is associated with colors, smells and tastes.
Pay attention to the effects of color on your mood.
Notice the significance of shapes and the energetic qualities they impart. For instance, buildings with red pointed towers may represent fire. Fire has an energy pattern that points upward and conveys an enormous amount of power.
Take into consideration the effects the Five Animals have on your attitude, your dwelling and its location. The Five Animals are the dragon, the phoenix, the tortoise, the snake and the tiger. Each animal comprises a set of characteristics and qualities that have great influence on the harmonies in your life.
Learn and understand the philosophy behind yin and yang. Yin and yang are based on the philosophy of balance and change. Everything is a part of something else, and the relative associations are depicted as either the yin or the yang.
Adopt an open mind and listen to your intuition as you experiment with feng shui.
Part of the feng shui theory suggests that each color has a distinct impact on the energy of its surroundings. The color you choose for your east-facing front door will influence the types of people and events you'll draw to you and your home. There are several feng shui principles you can use to decide on the right color for your door.
Don't Just Paint it Red
Some feng shui schools say the only appropriate color for any front door is red. The website Asian Lifestyle Design notes that because red symbolizes happy occasions and was associated in ancient China with the upper classes, Chinese culture considers a red door fashionable. While a red door is eye-catching and might suit your home, it isn't the only color choice appropriate for doors.
Harmonize With the Door's Direction
The compass school of feng shui dictates that each of the eight compass directions has an associated element that you should incorporate using color. If your door faces due east, its element is wood. Choose colors that represent wood or water, the element that gives rise to wood. Green for wood or blue for water would work well as colors for an east-facing door, says the website Easy Feng Shui. Turquoise--a mixture of green and blue--would be ideal.
Attune to Your Goals
Another way to maximize the good energy flow into your home is to paint the front door according to your personal or career goals. This can be done regardless of the door's direction. According to Fast Feng Shui's article on cleaning and decorating, black or dark blue will bring you opportunities in your social life and career. Use light green for new beginnings. White enhances creativity, but be sure to keep it clean. A dirty door won't enhance anything.
Attune to Your Kua Number
Harmonize your door with your innate personal energy by determining your kua number, the number that helps determine the best directions for you. You can find kua number calculators and charts on many different feng shui and Chinese astrology websites. A good one can be found at the website Art of Feng Shui.
According to the website Access Feng Shui, kua numbers of 1, 3, 4 and 9 fall into the east group. People with kua numbers 2, 5, 6, 7 or 8 are in the west group.
West group people benefit from metal or earth elements. Paint your door white, grey, or yellow for earth. East group people benefit from water, fire and wood elements. Blue, black, red and green are good color choices for them.
Balance the Rest of the House
Sharon Stasney, author of "Feng Shui Chic: Stylish Designs for Harmonious Living," recommends that you use your door color to balance the overall energy of your house. If your house is made of wood, it's already attracting upward mobility. Mellow it out with a blue water color. Use neutral colors on the door to balance vibrant siding, or a dramatic bright color to pep up a plain house.
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese method of placing objects--in your home or office--in a certain way, to achieve harmony and enlightenment. In feng shui there are also certain colors that bring positive energy to you. When decorating your business or office, you may want to select certain feng shui colors that will encourage positive energy, creativity and business growth.
Blue
To yin energy, as well as a calming feeling, paint your business or office blue. The color blue, often seen in spas, is said in feng shui to have relaxing and healing powers. The color has exhibits feelings of trust, which may help client/business relationships. To reflect intelligence, paint your wall navy blue. The color blue is a good choice for an office or conference room.
Purple
In feng shui, purple is said to produce physical and mental healing powers. The color can also bring spiritual awareness to those who view it. To induce clarity and feeling of well-being, paint your office or business a light purple color. You may also want to consider painting a waiting room or sitting room purple for your clients to "feel" clarity before they step into your office.
Black and White
The color black will be very important to your business as is represents money and income. Combine black with metal--like frames, and vases to boost your career quickly. White, like in many different cultures, represents poise and purity. To create a calming feeling, combine white with gold or silver. The combination can be used in a reception area or waiting room, while black--or black and white--should be used in your personal office.
Yellow and Orange
Yellow orange colors represent the yang colors in feng shui (blue, purple, black and white being the yin colors). These colors represent motivation and enthusiasm. Yellow is said to make you and your clients feel happy and warm. To avoid too much yellow--which, according to feng shui, can cause anxiety--paint the walls a soft butter color. Orange, on the other hand, is said to make you concentrate better and induce creativity. Use orange where you and your employees work or in a conference room.
Need a little more wealth and prosperity to come your way? Who doesn’t? You can use feng shui (pronounced fung shway) elements and symbols to increase the positive energy in your home. By arranging your furniture and incorporating important Chinese symbols for wealth and prosperity, you can invite money and abundance into your home quickly and easily.
Get rid of the clutter. Clutter is one of the biggest no-no’s in feng shui. Clutter bogs you down and disrupts the flow of energy. Clear everything out that you don't need. Clean out your closets, make room under your bed. Let the chi flow through your home.
Add water elements to your home. Water is the main element that brings wealth to your home. Water should always be clear, moving and free flowing. Never let your water get stagnant. Think peaceful, pure and relaxing. A fish tank is one way to stimulate your wealth areas. Make sure fish are healthy and strong and always keep the tank clean. You can display pictures of water scenes, especially ones showing abundance such as a fisherman bringing in a big haul of fish. Another great water feature to display in your home is a fountain. A fountain is a great way to keep your abundance flowing. A picture of flowing water will work if you cannot place a fountain in that area. Make sure you do not have vases of stagnant water and do not display photos or paintings of violent storms or other disturbing water scenes. Do not use water elements in bedrooms, this will have a negative impact on your finances.
Enhance your wealth corners by hanging wind chimes, a mobile, or by hanging Chinese coins tied together with a red ribbon (if you do this make sure you use coins in the increments of 3, 6, or 8 with 8 being the most powerful money manifesting number).
Add some plants with round leaves to your home. This is another good way to enhance your wealth area, according to feng shui guidelines. If the plants have red or purple flowers that is even better.
Include photos or representations of things you want, goals, or representations of abundance and prosperity in your wealth and prosperity areas (you can find these baguas on a feng shui chart). Harvest scenes indicate abundance. You can also put photos up of the new car or house you are working towards.
Add representations of richness in your wealth corner. Anything that represents richness to you, such as a jewelry box, a piggy bank, or even your purse, should be placed in your wealth areas. Other general enhancements for wealth are seashells or fish sculptures, healthy plants and Austrian crystals.
Paint for prosperity. The best colors for the wealth area are green, red, purple, black and gold, with the most effective colors being red and green.
Open your doors and invite the wealth in. Make sure all doors open fully and easily, you don’t want a door that will not open all the way. This could affect your ability to make a comfortable living.
Give your kitchen a feng shui overhaul. You should focus on using positive feng shui elements in the wealth corner of the room and throughout the entire kitchen. First of all make sure your plumbing is in good working order. A dripping faucet is symbolically and literally money going down the drain. You should also keep your drains plugged when not in use. This keeps money in your possession. You do not want to accumulate wealth then have it go down the drain. Place a small bowl overflowing with fruit on a kitchen table or island to make it look as though you have an excess of produce. The Chinese believe the stove has a direct connection to wealth so make sure to keep your stove and burners in good working condition and keep them very clean. You can also hang or place a mirror on your stove to double the number of burners seen and therefore increasing your prosperity. Keep a copper, silver, or brass teapot in your kitchen. Have many jars of spices and jars filled with pasta, both of these symbolize wealth.
Close toilet lids. You don’t want to flush your money down the toilet. Remember to keep your drains plugged in your bathroom sinks and tubs as well and keep your plumbing in good working order.
Add feng shui elements throughout your home. Place a mirror in your dining room to make your table appear larger. Put a wind chime on the ceiling in your work area to attract wisdom and good chi Place all your valuables such as your jewelry boxes, safes, or piggy bank in the far left corner of the bedroom. In your living room hang a round clear crystal on an 18 inch red cord in the far left corner to give your wealth a boost.
Incorporate feng shui elements outside your home, in your yard, to attract wealth and prosperity. A fountain can be placed in front of your home; the water should flow inward towards your home. Make sure you turn it off at night to let the energies rest. If the southeast corner of your backyard slopes down and away from the house, put a light there to shine uphill. This sends wealth up to you. Place a windmill, weathervane, or any moving, spinning object in the far left corner of your backyard to stimulate energy and attract wealth.
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of using space and matter to create harmony within the environment. The Chinese believe that the environment consists of five elements--wood or tree, earth, fire, metal and water--and that each element carries a specific type of energy, which can be enhanced to improve luck. One of the most popular ways to improve luck is to enhance an element's energy with color, and when elemental colors are combined, the results may be more powerful. Does this Spark an idea?
Red and Gold
Red and gold are the colors of the fire element--which symbolizes expansion and transformation--because of their brightness and ability to reflect light. The color red symbolizes passion, luck and good fortune in the Chinese culture. The combination of red with the color gold, which represents wealth, produces double wealth and prosperity luck. The Chinese often use the combination of red and gold in celebrations, especially the Chinese New Year, to bring good fortune and joy in the coming year.
Purple and Silver
Purple is one of the colors of the water element, which symbolizes renewal, wisdom, spirituality and healing. The Chinese also consider purple to be the color of royalty. The color silver is a metal element color, which symbolizes mental power, healing and creativity. In the cycle of elements, metal enhances water energy, and therefore the addition of silver to purple, especially dark purple, will create greater professional or career luck and luck with money.
Black and White
The color black represents the water element and is symbolic of career prosperity, income and power. The color white represents the metal element and symbolizes goodness, confidence, poise and creativity. When added to black, white increases positive water energy and is especially helpful in enhancing professional or career luck. Black and white are also used together in the yin-yang symbol, which represents balance among all the elements and harmony in the environment.
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui aims to bring harmony, balance and positive energy flow to a home through the specific placement of objects. Feng shui's principles apply to everything from choosing a building lot to where to place furniture. You can even use feng shui in hanging pictures in your home or office. By deciding what aspects of life are important to you and choosing artwork appropriate for those concerns, you can enhance your comfort and chances for success.
Map Your Space
Think of the room you want to decorate as having eight sectors: the four compass points and the four corners, the latter representing northeast, northwest, southeast and southeast. In feng shui, this is the principle of BaGua (eight areas). Stand in the center of the room and use a compass to determine where each sector lies. You might want to draw a small map as reference. Each sector relates to a different aspect of your life, and by picking the correct pictures for your room, you can increase the positive energy flowing toward that aspect, whether it is wealth, relationships, career or fame.
The Four Points
The northern side of a room relates to career. Hang pictures of fish, the ocean or other water-related scenes, as well as your own mementos of success, here. The east side governs family and health, so good choices include images of healthy plants or paintings and photos of family members. Fame dominates a room's southern end, making that wall a great spot for placing any award certificates or plaques you have received. If you are decorating a west wall, choose pictures of children or a special piece of art, since this area governs children and creativity.
The Four Corners
The northeast corner, which governs education, is a good spot for hanging your degrees and other educational awards. The northwest corner is all about mentors and bringing helpful people into your life. You can hang photos or pictures of people who have inspired or aided you. The southeast corner deals with wealth and prosperity. You can enhance your positive energy here with pictures of goldfish, which are a Chinese symbol of prosperity, or another symbol of wealth, such as coins. In the southwest corner, marriage is the key, so pictures of happy couples would find a good home here.
Other Considerations
When choosing which pictures to hang and where to place them, think of the areas of your life that are most important to you. In other words, don't try to decorate every spare inch of wall space on the theory that you will maximize your qi, or positive energy. The result can be chaos, confusion and conflict as too many elements compete with one another. Instead, decide on a few judiciously placed pictures and consider adding them one at a time to allow you to test each one's effect on your life.
Many people believe that the way you paint your home, can actually bring you good luck, especially those who follow the principles of Feng Shui. The Feng Shui discipline focuses on using certain colors and furniture arrangements to bring peace, harmony and even good luck to the home. It's also believed that using certain materials in the right place in the home can change the flow or energy of the space. Lucky house painting ideas rely on the fundamental basics of Feng Shui.
Red
A red door is often associated with Feng Shui. It's believed that the color red symbolizes vitality and increases passion. A red front door is considered lucky, especially when selling a home. Red exudes a warm and inviting feeling. People who look at the color, may automatically feel welcome in your home. The color red also relates to enthusiasm and energy. It's one of the primary colors, which promotes harmony. Red is a fortuitous color for those who want to feel happy in their home and passionate about life. It's a good color choice for those who work from home or work in a creative field.
Green
In medieval times, green was sometimes viewed as a negative color, as it was associated with fairies and other mythical creatures. However, green is the color most often associated with luck. It's often said to bring good health and positive changes. It's also connected to money and may bring good fortune into your finances. Different shades of green have different connotations. Lighter shades tend to have a calming and soothing feel. A darker shade of green may remind you of nature, while a brighter shade like kelly green tends to give a more energetic feeling. Use the color sparingly around the house for good luck.
Orange
Painting a room in shades of orange may increase your luck in life. The color denotes intelligence, but also relates to a number of other ideas. Orange has warm and soothing qualities that aren't too harsh or bright, like other shades. When surrounded by orange, you may feel more energetic, young and friendly. Try using various shades of orange in the space, using darker shades to highlight the lighter colors. Alternatively, use orange to brighten up an otherwise dull, white room and bring yourself some luck when it comes to making new friends and feeling more confident.
