Outdoor Feng Shui For Optimal Living
The way ones house looks, both on the inside and the outside, is a reflection of how a person acts and feels according to an ancient Chinese theory and practice. The ancient art of organizing or placing certain items in a directional area is called outdoor Feng Shui and began over 3,000 years ago in China. This ancient art form began as a way to balance ones energies with their life, a way to balance an individual’s belongings and their spiritual energies.
The Chinese meaning of these words is wind and water and they are linked to good fortune with good things happening to a person and their family. The use of certain colors, mirrors, clocks, crystals and the way things are placed about a room or backyard has a lot to do with the flow of energy. This ancient Chinese practice begins with the belief that the Earth is living and breathing.
There are five basic elements to this ancient Chinese practice: water, metal, earth, fire and wood. When these five elements interact with one another, they create a wonderful energy path for good fortune for the person or people who live in the house that uses this method of decorating and inviting the wind and water into their home or yard around their house. Using wooden lawn furniture combined with a metal and glass table in a clearing in a garden would be a good start to bringing in the good and healing winds.
In addition to the five natural elements, there are corresponding colors, which could also be found in nature. This includes a homeowner’s backyard in which the colors and elements are combined to help with the way of the wind and water ushering in good spirits. The colors are brown and green for wood; yellow, purple, orange, pink and red for fire; white and gray for metal; light yellow, light brown and sandy or earthy browns for Earth and blue and black for water.
These elements must be placed in accordance with the winds in order to bring about the good spirits according to the ancient Chinese. For instance in the northern position, one should place something blue if they want a good career and ample support for their family. The blue placed in the east could also help with health issues in addition to family matters. Placing a piece of wood in a southeast corner of the yard will bring about money and nourishing wealth. Always place something yellow in the south corner when hosting a party to insure a happy gathering and good times for all.
A vegetable or flower garden in the backyard of a person’s home is a great place to usher in the good and scare out the bad. An individual will self-cultivate and have their personal growth be challenged by the northeast corner of the garden or yard. A pond or a fountain, a water feature, should be placed in the southeast part of the yard where money and abundance are centered. If one is having difficulties with their family or health, then center the water near the east and the north is where the path of life and career are most likely to be helped by a water way.
When creating a garden to entice energy, do not use straight lines because they are rarely found in nature, so they should not be in one’s garden. Flowing, relaxing shapes are best for this type of energy gathering gardens. Also, in the fountain, use something like gold balls, large gold Christmas ornaments work well, to help bring in abundance working with the gold and the water.
There are many different books and online websites that could help a homeowner to create an outdoor Feng Shui for optimal living. There are many designs of backyard patio and gardens that one could choose from that would be both functional and beautiful. The key is to follow the maps or patterns as precisely as possible in order to make sure the good flows forth and the bad flows away from the home and family.
Find out more about chinese feng shui and feng shui living at the author’s website www.101fengshuitips.com . Copyright 2010 101FengShuiTips.com . This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.