Authentic Feng Shui can reveal the underlying (or unseen) energetic influences at play in a home and how they impact those who live there. It’s based on the premise that the energy of a building contributes to our everyday experiences, both good and bad. It is in this context that Feng Shui can help one take advantage of positive aspects whilst simultaneously reducing negative aspects. The result is a home that ‘feels’ more like home, is calmer, more harmonious and with that little spark that makes you feel safe, connected and balanced.

Feng Shui is not superstition or a ‘new age’ fad. On the contrary it’s an ancient Chinese wisdom at the heart of which is the belief that everything, at its core, consists of energy, or as the Chinese call it, Qi (Chee). Its principles are based on at least 6,000* years of observation and experience relating to how the surrounding environment affects human beings.

Feng Shui works on two main levels - tangible and intangible. The tangible level relates to features of the natural landscape, the physical structure of buildings, furniture arrangement, furnishings, object placement, colours, etc. This is known as Form School Feng Shui.

The intangible aspect of Feng Shui relates to the analysis of unseen energies and natural forces at play in the environment and this is where the real magic and power of Feng Shui comes to life. This is known as Flying Star Feng Shui and it is the most powerful and accurate form of Feng Shui. Flying Star Feng Shui is a precise science based on accurate measurements of compass directions (also known as Compass School Feng Shui) combined with the analysis of time on a building. Flying Star Feng Shui acknowledges that everything in the universe is in constant motion; life changes, energy changes, nothing remains fixed over time. This system reveals how energy changes in your home, how it affects you and what you can do about it.

As opposed to a simple one-size-fits-all approach, Fifth Element Feng Shui harnesses all levels of Feng Shui, such that every building is considered as different and individual as each human being.

* Lo, Raymond, Feng Shui Essentials, Feng Shui Lo, 2005

 

Heaven and Earth, Light and Dark, Sun and Moon, Man and Woman. Yin and Yang is the theory of universal opposites that states there are ALWAYS two sides to everything; a cause and an effect. It is said that yin and yang can never exist without one another and that all things in the universe are a composite of both. It’s what stimulates and encourages constant change on earth.

‘Yin-Yang theory is not abstract; it is born of practical observation of our natural world and is a philosophy used to describe and seek balance.’
David. M. Bell, Spirit of Nature, Lothian Books, 2004

In houses, yin and yang manifests on a tangible level in the way you use each room either actively (lounge, entrance) or passively (bedroom, dining room). On an intangible level, the unseen energetic influences of our home also have yin and yang qualities that can be used to bring about balance in your home.

 

The Five Elements are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

 

The Five Element system is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a potent weapon against disease and is a core principle of all Chinese philosophy including Feng Shui, Chinese Astrology, the I Ching and more.

In Feng Shui, the Five Elements are used as tools to create balance and harmony. The energies active in a home can be identified as belonging to one of the Five Elements. If an area has good energy, then we strengthen it using elements that will support and activate. Likewise, an area with negative energy can be drained and released using elements that weaken and neutralise.

Every colour, shape and object in a home can be classified as belonging to one of the five elements. Placed correctly, they can be used to remedy or enhance energy in different areas of your home. The interior aesthetics of your home subsequently play an important role in implementing Feng Shui remedies.

 

It’s important to view Feng Shui from the perspective of how it can help you in the greater scheme of your life. The Chinese think about Feng Shui as an important part of a person’s success in life as summarised in the following proverb.

First is a man’s Destiny,
Second is his Luck,
Third is his Feng Shui,
Fourth is his Virtue,
And fifth is his Knowledge.
Old Chinese Proverb
Taken from Feng Shui. The Perfect Arrangement by Gahle Atherton, 2000.

Destiny relates to the forces from Heaven that we cannot change, such as our astrological makeup, past life karma and genetics. It relates to a set path or life purpose that unravels as we make our way through life. Luck describes the energy that flows with us through life and explains why we have periods of good luck, bad luck and luck that’s somewhere in the middle. Our level of compassion and generosity towards others (Virtue) and how we develop ourselves intellectually (Knowledge) are part of the picture, but both fall behind the importance of our Feng Shui.

Feng Shui therefore is an important part of a greater picture that often provides a powerful advantage for human beings in search of their greatest potential. It can be likened to swimming with the current, rather than against it. Swimming with the current makes for a smoother journey with less hardship and helps us reach our destination quicker. Translated, Feng Shui helps to place us in the right space at the right time to receive opportunities in our life.

At Fifth Element Feng Shui, no house is looked at in isolation of the destiny or luck of its occupants. 4-pillars of Destiny Chinese Astrology is used to determine, from a destiny point of view, the challenges or advantages a client is currently facing. Feng Shui recommendations are then devised to provide the greatest advantage and support for all individuals involved.