DAN'S PAPERS, March 26, 2010 Page 36 www.danshamptons.com
House Home guide
Improving the “Chi” of Your Home By David Lion Rattiner As Jerry Seinfeld would say, “What is the deal with Feng Shui?” Well I’m glad you asked. Just the words Feng Shui themselves are a major accomplishment. The phrase has stood the test of time for over 3,000 years to keep a healthy and happy home environment. Translated into English, the two words mean Wind Water. In Chinese cultures, wind and water are associated with good health, good fortune and happiness. Why wouldn’t you want to bring this into your home? We get the philosophy of turning your home into a happy place, but what are the details? What does
Feng Shui preach in terms of action? The Chinese believe that the world is made up of "Chi" or energy. Depending upon how that energy flows, the outcome could be good or bad, particularly inside a home. This philosophy is applied in acupuncture healing, where needles are used to guide your energy in a healthier way. A Feng Shui consultant will use something called a "lo-pan" and the "Ba-Gua," to do an analysis of a home. The Ba-Gua is an octagonal grid containing the symbols of the I Ching, the ancient oracle on which Feng Shui is based. In a nutshell, the Feng Shui consultant will start turning the “Chi” in your home from a negative to a positive, thus curing
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your home and bringing health and happiness into your life. One of the first things that Feng Shui addresses is the amount of natural light a home gets and the air quality of the home. The more natural light the better, and of course, air quality is viewed as extremely important, thus the addition of plants into a Feng Shui home. A home that does not have a lot of natural light can be fitted with full-spectrum light bulbs that will enhance the lighting quality. A Feng Shui consultant will also check how your front and backdoors line up. If your front door is directly in line with the backdoor of your house, this is viewed as a big negative because the Chi in your home goes in through the front and gets sent out the back. A way of solving this problem is by adding a large plant or obstacle in between the two doors to help block the Chi. This is a big principle in Feng Shui and one should always look to make sure that your front and back doors do not align. A consultant will also make a huge effort to create a joyous and happy space within your home. This is done through the use of many easy-to-find items that many people simply forget to add to their homes. Such things as light music, running waterfalls, wind chimes, bright colors, flowers and plants are all a big part of activating happiness in your life and brining in positive Chi. A simple way to Feng Shui up your house is to purchase indoor plants or an electronic waterfall that can be purchased at just about any home goods store. The colors of your home are also important with Feng Shui and it is based on your birth elements, which can be calculated by visiting any Feng Shui website or by purchasing a Feng Shui book. Your birth element can determine what colors you should make your home according to Feng Shui. For example, if you are an earth element, then the colors of your home should be painted with light yellow, beige and other various earthy/sand colors. If you are a metal element, then Feng Shui recommends you use gray and white colors in your home.