The 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs and Five Elements, and What They Mean

What Is Feng Shui And How Does It Work?

By Amanda LutzJanuary 17, 2024

More than half of Americans are stressed during the day, and a whopping 94% of people report feeling stressed at work. Such numbers make it more important than ever to turn your home into a happy and healthy environment, where you can relieve daily tensions. Many people believe creating a relaxing space begins with arranging objects in the environment in a specific way. The practice of feng shui offers a blueprint for putting such beliefs into action.

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice for arranging living and working spaces to promote health, harmony, and balance. It centers around energy flow and the ways items in your environment affect how you feel about your surroundings. There's evidence that people in China have been designing their homes and towns using the principles of feng shui for more than 4,000 years. The practice continues to influence interior design around the world today.

What Is Feng Shui?

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art that involves strategically arranging spaces to allow for proper energy flow that aligns with natural forces. Translated literally, the words feng and shui mean wind and water. More commonly, the practice is referred to as the way of wind and water. It's based on the idea that all objects harness energy. Therefore, the way you arrange furniture and other elements in your living space can impact how you feel in your home.

Feng shui practitioners believe that balancing opposing but complementary energies increases the flow of good energy to generate good health, improved relationships, luck, and prosperity. The practice dictates where objects should be placed in relation to windows and doors and the use of the five natural elements in decorating.

History and Origins

While the exact beginnings of feng shui aren't recorded, it's widely accepted that the practice emerged during the Zhou dynasty, more than 4,000 years ago, and is rooted in Taoist beliefs surrounding the flow of the life force (chi). Some of the earliest uses of feng shui determined grave placement in China. Practitioners believed that the right location could bring blessings for future generations and that poor placement would bring misfortune.

Feng shui was used to determine the ideal location of buildings and outdoor features such as gardens. The location of the land and surrounding elements dictated the direction that structures and windows faced. The layout of The Forbidden City, built during the Ming dynasty, follows feng shui principles. Its north-south alignment is meant to achieve a superior position and increase positive energy flow.

The use of feng shui predates most of the design styles used in Western countries, and elements of the practice are used in many of the most popular interior design trends today.

Basic Principles

Feng shui is based on the Taoist belief that everything (including inanimate objects) contains chi, or the life force made up of yin and yang elements. To encourage optimal chi flow and negative energy blocking, several basic principles and concepts are often combined. The basic principles of feng shui used in interior decoration include bagua maps, chi energy, the five elements, and yin and yang.

Bagua Maps

A bagua map is an octagonal energy map featuring eight areas around a center. The maps are placed over the floor plan of a home or each room, with the bottom of the map aligned along the same axis as the front door. Bagua maps are divided into eight areas corresponding to life experiences, such as prosperity, relationships, knowledge, and fame. These sections are also assigned specific colors and elements that align with each attribute. 

Chi Energy

Taoism is based on living in harmony with the universe by balancing the forces of yin and yang that make up chi, or the energy of life. By balancing elements that contain yin and yang energy, Taoists believe that people can improve the flow of positive chi and block negative chi. The practice of feng shui improves the flow of chi through a specific arrangement of furniture, decorations, and even buildings.

The Five Elements

The five natural elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) are said to affect how you feel in a space. The elements are represented by materials in decor and the use of colors in specific areas. 

Yin and Yang

The philosophy of yin and yang is founded on the belief that everything is composed of contradictory energies that can't be separated. Examples of yang energy include masculine energy, light, fire, sun, and south. Yin energy represents feminine energy, dark, water, moon, and north. Feng shui is used to balance yin and yang to improve the flow of chi.

How Feng Shui Analyzes Spaces

Feng shui can be used to influence architectural layouts and interior design in homes, workplaces, and public spaces. The practice can be used in construction to determine the best location and position for a building. It can also dictate the placement of doors, windows, and rooms.

Many people prefer to incorporate feng shui into interior home design. It's used to decide furniture placements, wall colors, decor materials, furniture shapes, and other items. For example, placing furniture in commanding positions and locations that won't disrupt energy flow improves feelings of safety and well-being. Decor choices such as color or decorative items can change the energy in a room.

Tips for Using Feng Shui at Home

Some people work with a feng shui expert to design their home, but you can use what you've learned about the practice to make changes on your own. Here are some easy feng shui tips you can apply to various rooms within your home.

Declutter to Improve Energy Flow

A home waste audit can help you eliminate objects that block positive energy and reduce the amount of waste you routinely produce. By removing items that don't contribute to the purpose of a room, you can open spaces and make better use of valuable space.

Optimize Work Places for Success

Various colors and materials correspond with specific objectives. For example, purple corresponds with wealth, and wood elements are associated with vitality and upward movement. By combining these principles with ideal furniture placement, you can decorate your home office to improve focus and build success.

Place Major Furniture Pieces in a Commanding Position

Ideal furniture placement can enhance feelings of confidence and safety within each room. According to feng shui experts, furniture is in a commanding position when it's facing a door or entryway and places your back against a solid wall. This allows you to see who is entering the room and know what is behind you.

Put Decor to Work

Home decor that is both beautiful and functional can do double duty in any room. For example, mirrors can be placed to improve visibility and reflect energy, while plants nourish energy and support sustainable decoration efforts.

Suggested Benefits

There is no scientific evidence to directly support the effects of feng shui, but those who use it experience varied benefits, such as improved feelings of security and increased energy flow. Reducing unnecessary clutter and optimizing furniture placement can naturally improve energy and create harmony throughout your home.

Feng shui is said to offer these varied benefits:

Better relationships from balancing contradicting energies to create a harmonious environment.

Higher quality sleep from applying feng shui to your bedroom

Improved mental and physical health due to stress reduction

Improved well-being from having a home designed for comfort and relaxation

Increased wealth from optimizing your workplace to improve focus

Our Recommendation

While feng shui isn't a magic wand to erase life's stressors, it can enhance the flow of energy and increase positive feelings in your home. Explore your home to determine where energy flow is constricted and how you can make impactful changes. Consider beginning with small changes, such as introducing natural elements to a room or rearranging furniture. As you become more comfortable with the process, implement additional updates, such as color changes and a complete home waste audit, that will have a larger impact.

Feng Shui FAQ How do you pronounce feng shui? There are two ways to pronounce feng shui. "Fuhng-shwey" is the most common pronunciation, but "feng-shwee" is also considered correct. What does a feng shui master do?

Feng shui masters (sometimes called feng shui consultants) provide various services While there can be many interpretations of feng shui principles, you can typically expect to receive advice about energy flow and using the five elements. A consultation begins with an analysis of your home. The consultant will then make suggestions about how to improve your home's energy flow. You may receive advice about where to place furniture and how to use color effectively. Tools such as bagua maps may be used to assist the process.

Is feng shui real or pseudoscience?

While feng shui is considered real by some people, it is technically classified as a pseudoscience because there is no scientific research to support its benefits. However, the results of feng shui vary from person to person and often yield the expected outcome.

How much does a feng shui consultation cost?

The cost of a feng shui consultation can vary from one professional to the next. Costs typically range between $500 and $1,500. Some consultants charge by the hour, while others charge a flat fee for the entire service.*Cost data was sourced from HomeAdvisor, Angi, and Fixr.

Can feng shui attract love?

Feng shui cannot be guaranteed to attract love. However, feng shui experts offer various tips surrounding bedroom decoration and the use of color, lighting, and imagery to attract love.

A Peek Into Feng Shui's Influence On Modern Well-being

When discussing Feng Shui, many view it as a mere decorative element, but it is, in fact, a holistic approach to living in harmony with the environment. This philosophy aims to create balanced and positive energy flow within spaces, influencing various aspects of our lives. As we navigate the complexities of the modern world, the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui serves as a timeless guide for our well-being and prosperity. The essence of Feng Shui lies in recognizing that our environments play a crucial role in shaping our lives.Feng Shui, a Chinese term meaning 'wind' and 'water' simultaneously, pertains to the surroundings in which human beings live. It is an ancient Chinese practice focused on balancing the positive energy of the physical space we inhabit by arranging natural elements in a synchronized way. Rooted in China, Feng Shui is influenced by Taoist and Confucian thoughts, based on the principles of Qi (life force), Yin and Yang, the Bagua map, and the balanced interaction of natural elements.Yin and Yang The concept of Yin and Yang represents the two opposite yet complementary forces that make up everything in the universe. Yin symbolizes feminine, passive, dark, and cold energy, while Yang embodies masculine, active, bright, and hot energy. Feng Shui emphasizes the importance of balancing these energies in a living space for overall harmony. Congratulations!

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Login to view result The five elementsAll human beings and elements of nature are composed of the five prime elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each element possesses unique characteristics, values, qualities, and associations with human beings. In Feng Shui, these elements are incorporated to enhance energy and harmony in a space, supporting personal goals and aspirations. The Bagua mapThe Bagua Map serves as the floor plan for a house, with "Bagua" translating to "eight areas" in Chinese. Each area corresponds to a different aspect of life and has a specific element, color, shape, and direction associated with it. By aligning the Bagua map with the layout of a house, individuals can identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities, fostering harmony and peace in their living spaces. Feng Shui and its impact on living environments

This article discusses the philosophy of Feng Shui, a holistic approach to living in harmony with the environment. It focuses on creating balanced and positive energy flow within spaces to influence various aspects of our lives. Feng Shui is rooted in ancient Chinese practices influenced by Taoist and Confucian thoughts, based on principles like Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the Bagua Map. These concepts emphasize balancing energies, incorporating natural elements, and aligning the layout of the house to maintain harmony and peace.

From proper Placement of reading table to choosing the right colour; Vastu tips for an ideal study environment

This article discusses tips for creating an effective study environment. It emphasizes the importance of Vastu and suggests placing the study room in the northeast or east directions for positive energy flow. It advises organizing books and materials, maintaining a clutter-free zone, and choosing calming colors. Additionally, it recommends bringing in positive symbols, ensuring natural light and fresh air, balancing the elements, prioritizing comfort, and minimizing electronics.

The inherent connection of Vedic astrology and chakra energies

Vedic astrology and Ayurveda share a long-lost relationship, as they are interconnected with logic and meaning. Vedic astrology is based on the position of celestial bodies and utilizes 12 houses or zodiac signs and nine planets. Chakras, on the other hand, are energy centers in the human body mentioned in Ayurveda and Yoga. There are seven main chakras, each representing specific aspects of human lives. Vedic astrology links planets to chakras, with each planet influencing certain energies. Astrological houses are connected to specific chakras, and transits impact the flow of energy within the chakra system.

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How To Feng Shui Your Fridge — And Why It Might Help To Curb Climate Change

Small actions like applying feng shui principles to your fridge can help to reduce your food waste and improve your overall well-being, says Jiaying Zhao, an associate professor of psychology and sustainability at UBC. (Shutterstock)

The Current19:25How to feng shui your fridge

Read Transcribed Audio

Have you ever dug through your fridge for a snack, only to find a Tupperware of old food that's starting to look like a petri dish? Or a mound of green slime that started out life as a salad?

If so, Jiaying Zhao says you need to feng shui your fridge — an organization approach that will improve your well-being, she says, but can also help in the fight against climate change. 

"We're taught to keep the perishables in the drawers and put the containers [on] the door," said Zhao, an associate professor of psychology and sustainability at the University of British Columbia. 

"That traditional wisdom, unfortunately, no longer works. Actually, it has never worked," she told The Current's Matt Galloway.

Zhao said people usually grab things they can see, and food tucked away at the back or in drawers tends to get forgotten. Her advice is to put perishables — like vegetables, yogurt, milk — on the door or in the front. More durable items, like bottles of soda or hot sauce, can go right to the back.

"That way, whenever we open the fridge, we see the perishables right away. And that's a visual reminder that we need to use them or eat them quickly before they go bad." 

WATCHJiaying Zhao shares her 'happy climate hacks':

Zhao pitched her idea of feng shui — or "reorganizing the fridge" — in a TED Talk last year, which has racked up more than 1.2 million views. Since she started using the approach at home, Zhao said she's eating more vegetables and hasn't had to throw much fresh produce away. Because the produce is being eaten sooner, it doesn't matter that it's not being kept in the crisper drawer, which is meant to preserve freshness longer, she added. 

Carbon footprint of food waste

While food waste can be a personal pain, it's also a big contributor to climate change.

Speaking to CBC News last month, Doug O'Brien of the Global FoodBanking Network said that a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost to waste. 

"It contributes eight to 10 per cent of climate-impacting greenhouse gases," said O'Brien, vice-president of programs at non-profit, which supports community-driven solutions to hunger.

"That's four times the entire aviation industry of the entire planet," he said.

More than a third of food produced is wasted globally, contributing to eight to 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The feng shui idea is part of Zhao's work on Happy Climate Action, an approach she developed about five years ago with UBC colleague and happiness expert Elizabeth Dunn.

Zhao said they wanted to challenge the idea that climate change discussions are "always doom and gloom," and highlight actions that could reduce emissions while also increasing happiness.

Food waste, and the direct link between your fridge and global emissions, turned out to be in just that "sweet spot," she said.

LISTENJiaying Zhao feng shuis a CBC fridge:

The Current2:48'Brutal': What Jiaying Zhao found in a CBC fridge

Individual action pushing systemic change

Zhao says many Canadians want to do something about climate change, but "they just don't know what to do, what changes they need to make in their lives."

The Happy Climate Action approach aims to fill that knowledge gap.

One example Zhao gives is commuting. If you're in the position to work from home sometimes, that can reduce transport emissions — and save you the misery of the commute, she said.

She added it might help to reframe the idea of "personal sacrifice" around things like eating less meat, or taking fewer flights.

Instead, thinking of these things as "treats" might make it easier to have less of them, she said. 

"That's the human condition here. We appreciate things that we don't have as often."

LISTENTips for reducing car time in enjoyable ways:

10 Minutes to Save the Planet11:03Dude, where's my alternative to cars?

Those changes might seem small in the face of the climate crisis, but Zhao said individual action does matter — and can "start a ripple effect" that leads to systemic changes.

"We need both, not one or the other," she said. 

She suggested joining climate protests or collective action, which allows you to build community while also voicing your concerns to governments shaping climate policies.

"Happy climate action doesn't have to stay at your house or only at your work, but you can exercise your … civil rights to instigate broader change — while feeling happier."

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