Feng Shui Essentials

Life is like we arrange it.

Feng-Shui (wind + water) is a seventhausend years old taoistic vision and nature-experience, the idea that the land is filled with energy, life and power. A correct way of to live is a life in harmony and to live in harmony with the surrounding and environment, meaning adjusting to the streaming energy of the universe.
Feng-Shui also means that we build buildings which enable this energie to stream. Buildings in which we can live well and in harmony, independent from trendy design. An architect should be a healer so that he can give a space power. In Hong Kong Feng-Shui is an obligatory subject for all learning architects.

The environment is a network of places, wich supports a big complex of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual interaction. Land is lively and filled with energy.
Everything we see is a spectrum of vitality.

Respect the environment and she will nourish you.

All materials attract information, all spaces and places are fully covered with these informations.
On its own there is no material. Everything, also matter, every atom and molecule are just energy, a compilation of movement patterns. All energies expand in frequencies and are in endless movement. Either they blow like wind or flow like water.
Waves are commonly waves of wind, thus aquatic masses, which accumulate wind energy. Such a billow runs through the ocean about thousands of kilometers, fills itself with new wind energy and rotates even in the depth. During a sea disturbance, a billow which is 5 meters high, churns the ocean still in fifty meters deepness.

Yin + Yang

Yin + Yang are arranged in a permanent state of alteration and balance. After the maximum of Yin, Yang  increases and Yin decreases. After the maximum of Yang, Yin increases and Yang decreases.
Yin and Yang appear as a dynamic couples of extremes. Yang and Yin reinforce each other, layer for layer.
Yin is chilly, dark, conserving, adstringend, calm and black.
Yang is hot, light, expansive, energizing, ascending, sprightly and white.

You should reach the balance of these powers in harmony and care for balanced lighting conditions.

Everything is connected to everything.

It is decisive where and how your position is, how you stand, sit, lie or in which way you build a house.

Dragon, Tiger, Phoenix and Turtle stand for the regions, which are surrounding us, respectively. As for left, right, in front and behind. The Snake in the middle displays ourselves.
A good place would be, where either the Dragon (green, left from the initial point or house) is long and the Tiger (white, right from the initial point or house) is high. Or the other way: The Tiger long and the Dragon high. This does apply for shapes of nature and arrangements of buildings (also in the city) as for furnishing of houses, flats and rooms (see picture below).
The Dragon-Building (in front/left from the house or you) should be painted in green. Green trees near the house serve the same propose.
The building on the Tigerside (in front/right from the house or you) should have a white facade made out of stones.
The red Phoenix corresponds for example with the opposite building. It should be lower and not too close.
The black Turtle is the "mountain", alternatively the building behind the house. It should be higher and not too close. The landscape behind you should not decline but being protective. The negative energy "Cha" is found in the deepest point (the valley).

A house on a hill, a crag is too exposed. The same is true for the highest floors in a high rise or the highest building in the neighborhood. Also a declivity without vegetation is because of the fast flowing energy a bad place for a house.

The ideal location: The house by half of a hill's height, with a view over water and a fortunate solar radiation angle.
[This is now proofed from Australian scientists on the basis of models and a wind tunnel dealing with aerodynamic in respect of old Feng-Shui-Texts. Also the assurance economy will react to these results.]

Wherever  you stand, sit or lie, the Turtle should protect you from behind, meanwhile the Phoenix provides you with a free view.

Bagua zones

Check your areas:

	Wealth Fame Partner- ship Family Center (Tai Chi) Crea- tivity Know- ledge Career Mentors Friends
	(Entrance of site / house / room)

The karma of a building depends on what happened on this place before. Even the actions of former inhabitants are important.
Harmonic families, respectable and arty people leave good energies. All associativity with death, violence, crime and illness will leave to negative energies. Avoid those places!
Neutral locations, places and buildings exist, of course.
The deciding question is: Why did the owner leave?
You should forebear from it if:

• The building is on a former cemetery
• The building is on a ground which has connection to crime and murder
• A Slaughterhouse, butcher's shop, funeral company, morgue, prison, hospital etc. former on this ground
• A person was murdered in the house or met with accidental death
• The building is vacant because of bankruptcy or condemnation.
  

The essence of good Feng-Shui is to capture and accumulate the chi-energy of a given location without stagnation of this energy.
(Stephen Skinner)

Sharp objects from metal (especially luminous), stone, wood, branches or quoins should not point to the house or to your self. In the worst, they point to the door or the window of your sleeping-room. This can be also applied to sharp objects on pictures. High objects, higher as the building itself (towers, chimneys) deduct energy for themselves. Big objects in front of the house block the nourishing energy.
Clotheslines could "carve" the house.
Avoid strong wind. Choose a house in or near the forest, on grassland, a farm, in a park or a garden, maybe close to a Tai Chi-center, a communication-center, a kindergarden or a playground (source of life).
Suitable places for spiritual growth are not inevitable appropriate for commercial success and vice versa. This exactly specify both of the possible paths of life, the inner and the outer. But for sure, a combination of these ways.
To combine living, trading and spirituality, a temple or a church near by is salutary.

A house should have solid, smooth and soft forms. Smooth surfaces protect against destructive energy. Houses those are pyramidic-shaped, L-shaped, H-shaped, three-cornered, separated or having roof sticks are count for unbalance. Three-cornered forms crush the residents. Alcoves, small balconies and bay windows are because of their small size insignificant. Rounded and squared forms are stable and balanced. Towers rise negative energy, also high stacks, which are "defending" the sky.
Houses with leaning stonewalls should be avoided because of the impression of instability (leads to loss of money and job).
An even or round, cathedral-like roof is recommendable. Avoid sharp skylights and cascade-roofs (dissection of prosperity). Also roofs those are passing directly down to the ground (the positive chi-energy will be kept outside). Avoid top-heavy houses, if anything built on pales and those house with traffic underneath. Also the ones with a military- or rock-like appearance, for example castles and some palaces (violence and war) and those ones whose appurtenance remind of death, for instance skyrockets and gallows (architecture).
Heavy objects (like set-up-roofs in the 1990th) above the house crush the building as well (the residents will be dominated by others and won't take no risk anymore). Pillars in front or around the house stand for strictness and strength but lock the house behind bars, symbolically.
Because traffic carry destructive energy, the garages should be separated from the house. Garages with their back side abut on living space or found under the living space could implicate the inhabitants in traffic accident.

Avoid the adjacency to powerhouses, powerlines, traffic junctions, crossways and bridgeheads. Windmills in a distance affect genially.

A house is made out of walls, broken through of doors and windows, but the empty space, the anything, does it make habitable.
(Lao tse)

Outside the entrance the occupants are not part of the house; inside the entrance they become part of the house and the house becomes a part of them. Whenever you pass a wall a metamorphosis happens.
The entrance should not open up to a narrowed corridor, but to a bright foyer with several inner doors, functioned as a cushion for external energies. The doorway should not lead to the house in a funnel-formed shape.
Avoid apartment-houses with long corridors, especially the flat at the end of a corridor (concentrated destructive energy).
Direct to an elevator or stairs, prosperity will flow away quickly as well. Particularly cramped corridors (Yin-overplus) need a lot of light (Yang of the sun).

If front- and backdoor are found vis-à-vis, the luck which comes in at the front door will directly pass through the backdoor. In a house with a higher front than the back, children will have a tough time in becoming self-sufficient. With a higher backside prosperity will flow out.
Confused arrangements of living spaces cause confused flow of energy.
All rooms should be well-lit from the outside (Yang-energy). Huge windows provide not enough protection and nourishing energy discharge.
Doors should not be too strait (lack), ceilings not too high; nourishing energy ascend, will be caught and becomes thin. The circulation of energy is smooth with flat ceilings. Rounded ceilings and rooms enhance the energy-circulation. Ceilings (especially in bedrooms) can be a positive eye-catcher if they are arranged in a pleasant way (patterns, mandalas, stucco).
Raw surfaces on doors, floors, etc. disrupt the circulation, on the other hand they could be advantageously for the avoidance of flowing energy.

For the arrangements smooth forms should be prefered: Squares and rectangles are more favorable than triangles and acute-angled forms.
Learn to be aware of hidden "poison arrows" as sharp edges and brinks, pitched roofs, columns, masts, peaks etc.!

Light-colored red bricks cause fire-problems. Avoid sharp stones as well.
The sharpness of angled columns or jutting sharp angles can be alleviated by plants right in front of. Replace this plant regularly to avoid the plant's harm.

Mirrors can disperse the moldy energy of cramped and crowded rooms, especially in small corridors. But do not place a mirror right in front of the entrance, because the bliss would reverse the good energy (reflecting material take off nourishing energy). No mirrors in the bedroom!

Windows should not be across from doors. The proportion from windows to doors should not exceed 3:1 in any room. Too many windows would cause the ebbing of luck quickly.

Water

Water is found in a constant circular flow: it evaporate from land and the ocean and comes back with rain. On a quantity basis water always stays the same, but the quality is affected. Condensation, back to the earth, carries all those contaminants accumulated in the air and the ground. The more contaminants are produced the more will be accumulated in the constantly circulating water.
Water is an extremely narrowed product. Only 2,5 percent of the terrestrial store of water consists of freshwater, therefrom two-thirds are frozen. At the same time, the increasing industrialization compromises the limited supply. Presently, more than a million people die from the consequences of poisoned water annually. A milliard people suffer from water deficiency. Worldwide water supply will become more and more important.

Water is the principle of all things.
The world has joined itself together out of water and psyche.
Thales von Milet (600 before 0)

A fountain with fluent water putted in the entrance-rooms causes prosperity and luck. But the water has to flow towards the interior and must not trickle right away but should be able to gather!
Fountains and garden ponds carry a high yield in the career- and prosperity-zones (see Bagua) or in the southeast of the house.
Fountains and aquariums should (seen from inside the house) be left of the entrance. Water on the right side lets men become disloyal. Too much water drowns; never have water right and left beside the front door.
A house directly to the waterfront is exposed to too much Yin-energy. This also counts for quickly flowing rivers, for quick tidal range and swampland. Good energy can be found at wide beaches with trees and at places, where the water surface has different hues, and at wellsprings where water is connected with the ground or limestone. Most suitable is slowly flowing (Yang-) water with overgrown (Yang-) land.

Flexuous, in turnings smoothly flowing water courses around the house let you come to prosperity quickly and effortless. With straight and fast flowing rivers the luck cannot settle. Avoid Yin-water which flows fast or falls out of high altitude.
A small waterfall (or a fountain for rooms) in front (!) of the house flows right to it, means major wealthiness.
A small fountain or ponds with rounded forms is preferable.
An aquarium with agile guppies in the career-zone of the living room supports career advancement.
Stagnant water is irksome. Fountains and vibrating bowls refresh it.

"Everything is kept alive by water."
(Goethe)

Still, the biggest secret of the water exists in the fact, that it absorbs, stores information and give it back to plants, animals and humans. It has, so to speak, a memory which can be retrieved. This is the main reason, why it can be seen as the source of life, which has been hold sacred all over the globe for thousands of years.

Water has the quality to store once-memorized information at the level of certain frequencies and to transfer this information to other systems, for example to living organisms. It is the most important medium for electromagnetic oscillations, specially for fine-material, very low, coherent, bio-active energies. This counts for the finest oscillations in the microcosm of cells and in the macrocosm of the planet, the universe.

Accordingly, water also plays a central role in the intercellular space and in the connective tissue for regulation of water-, pollutant-, electrolyte- and thermal balance in humans, in the acid-base balance as well. Therefore, disturbances in the structure of water affect the whole body.

If you put quartz crystals into water, it will be changed energetically: Already after few minutes the crystals lower the surface tension of the water from about 73 dyn/cm to 63 dyn/cm, around 14%. Several studies have shown, that vitalized water activates the fine-material events in the body.

Know the source of the water you are drinking !

The quality of our drinking water is alarming. It contains pesticides, industrial waste, heavy metals and chemicals, is clarified several times, prepared with neutral oil, chlorine, chloroform, ammonia etc.. We receive increasingly prepared surface water from partly contaminated rivers and polluted lakes. Thus it can come to an unforeseen incident any time. Experts estimate that approximately one million different substances can be found in the drinking water.
Nevertheless, purification plants of the waterworks filter only few known substances for those limits have been evaluated. In the pipelines water is polluted from phosphates (rust inhibitors, softeners). In addition, it is contaminated by high pressure and missing velocity in the pipelines made from lead and copper. Then it becomes stagnant water, virtually. "It is irrelevant, if you drink boiled or unboiled water. Boiling only kills the germs" said Prof. Holtmeier from the university of Stuttgart-Hohenheim.
Partly, even mineral water is strongly contaminated and should be purified. The reasons are the fertilization of the soil with nitrates and sullage.

Up to now, one of the best solution can be a drinking water filter called "MultiPure", recommended by the NSF International (worldwide agent for drinking water quality from the WHO and largest laboratory for water-analysis in the world).
The water which is used for drinking and cooking will be filtered surely and enhanced in it's energy efficiency. The filter's by-pass can be easily installed.
Lead, copper, cadmium, lime, mercury, arsenic, E.coli, asbestos, chlorine, lindane etc. can be reduced from 80% up to 99% by using a carbon filter which must be replaced once a year. Thereto several certificates about the reduction of contaminants while sustaining valuable minerals exist from the Californian Department of the Environment, the US Department of the Environment and the University of Berlin.
At the same time, water is energized from swirling (like strong shaking in homeopathy). A japanese mineral spinner provides for natural vibration treatment (source information). But even if the pollutants do not exist anymore, the modified structure in the water remains effective. The reason can be found in the fact that once polluted water still transmits the pollutant information over the frequencies.
By using an extra adapter after filtering, water can be rearranged into a biological, dextrorotatory structure. Filter and energizer are not quiet cheap but very useful. I use these advantages now for years and could detoxify myself already.

Luck comes to the one, who is prepared for it.

Straight roads right to the front side of the house, specially to the front door, should be avoided. This negative and hard energy can be blocked by a grove, a rotunda in the pavement, a fountain or a Bagua-symbol (octagon with the eight trigrams plus a round mirror in the center, see below) in front of the house.
Curved and contorted ways should be preferred. This counts for garden- and footpaths which lead to the house.
Doors, those are imperiled, can be protected with a "Bagua-Mirror", which is suspend above these doors. Because of the strong energy there should not be a house vis-à-vis.

Glue a small, rounded mirror (check the pet shop) in the middle of the sign.

Evergreen plants stand for longevity and health. But too much vegetation prevents energy from heaven.
Mountains, hills, trees, huge buildings etc. behind the house ensure heavenly protection. But in front of the house they stand for inflexible barricades. A hilly property with hilly environment accommodates lucky dragons. An even land attracts less luck.
Smooth declivity and wide outlines let Chi flow in a special gentle and complaisant way; it moves more slowly and calm and brings a lot of luck. Avoid gruff and precipitous slopes. Also summit of mountains and hills and the uppermost floors of high rises (too much fire-energy). On middle high positions you are protected against the elements.

The front door should open outwards to an widely opened room (park) and inwards to a large, lucid hall. Beneficial Chi can be accumulated. A crystal lamp welcomes Chi.
The door is the mouth of the house / of the flat. It should not be opposite to a toilet, stairs or a mirror, not opposite to a column or a corner, not under a toilet at the floor above. One can neutralize with plants, lamps, wind chime or partition. Doors should be massive (not glassed) and open inwards. Doors with hinges are favorable to sliding ones.
The back door is important, if it is often used by family members and friends.
At it's best, the entrance should be painted in the color which fits the elements of the direction it points:

Red        points to the south, SW and NE
Blue        points to the north, east and SE
White      points to the west, NW and north
Green     points to the east, SE and south

The five elements

Chinese people believe that the interaction of the five elements (or their alteration) earth, wood, fire, metal and water controls the course of natural phenomenons. Hereby the elements should not be considered as real substances but as symbols and abstract forces for certain and basic characteristics of matter.
They are part of nature, therefore part of us as well. The characteristics of matter should be presented everywhere in a well-balanced way, even in the garden.

Fire:        Yang=7, Yin=2; south; summer; red; sharp and shap-edged; strong extensive energy; lighting

Earth:      Yang=5, Yin=10; center; late summer; yellow, brown, ocher, orange; horizontal, homogenous, flat; accumulating and strongly absorbing energy; terracotta flowerpots, clay, stones, ceramik

Metal:      Yang=9, Yin=4; west; autumn; white, silver, grey; globated and copular-formed; maximal compacting; globes

Water:      Yang=1, Yin=6; north; winter; black, blue; wavily, irregular; closed, inwardly, flowing energy; spring-stones

Wood:      Yang=3, Yin=8; east; spring; green; upcoming; columns

The wood grows out of water and produces fire.
The fire grows out of wood and produces earth (ashes).
The earth grows out of fire and produces metal (minerals, salts).
The metal grows out of earth and produces water.
The water grows out of metal (the mineral soil) and produces wood.

Feng-Shui or rather geomancy depends on the user:
If our element of protection is nourished, we are fine. This element is based on the year of birth.
A huge part of applied Feng-Shui is to interpret the interaction of these elements in their physical environment. Two kinds of cyclic coherence can be distinguished:

Nourishing cycle: ...metal sustains water; water sustains wood; wood feeds fire; fire feeds earth; earth nourishes metal...
With the nourishing cycle an element is weakened by the fact that it nourishes another.

Destructive cycle: ...metal cuts wood; wood dominates earth; earth inhibits water; water erases fire; fire melts metal...
With the destructive cycle the destroyed element is weakened by the act of the destruction.

For example: earth-landscapes are flat and little varied. Earth-buildings are rather massive, flat, mostly with a flat roof. If the house has the same element as the environment, one-sideness can make people clumsy, uninspired and brooding. An earth-house should be surrounded by fire-elements (pyramid, houses with a pitched roof, red brick-lined houses etc.) but even the other elements should be integrated. A big tree (wood) in front of a flat roof house (earth) could be clogging for the residents, because the element wood dominates the element earth (see nourishing and destructive cycle of elements). It is possible to balance this situation with fire because it feeds wood (for example with tiger lily and lamps or with crystals which are hanged up in the tree as well; "nourishing cycle"). However, one can also use metal because it destroys the element wood (for example with a symbolic saw which is hanged up in the tree or points to it; "destructive cycle").
 

The five animals

In the Chinese tradition a turtle appeared in the 3rd millennium before 0 from the legendary river Lo and carried nine figures arranged in a square on her back. This grating found an analogy in eight trigrams which were arranged around a central point.
Nine cardinal numbers are arranged in a way that their sum in any way is always 15 - the number of days it takes from new moon to full moon. The arrangement of the cardinal numbers in a square with nine fields became known as a Lo-Shu-Square. It had considerable influence on the Chinese symbolism, and the figure pattern was soon connected inseparably to the trigrams of the "post-heavenly Bagua". Also the symbolism of the pattern was used to produce relations between figures and the four heavenly animals:

The turtle (north/winter/water) counts for stability and security and is always the backwards zone. It should be always well-protected (mountain or wall in the back).

The dragon (east/spring/wood) counts for wisdom, strength, spirituality and is the left zone beside you (left from the center). It is ideal for big, high and powerful objects (high trees in the garden).

The tiger (west/autumn/metal) counts for natural strength and force and is always ready to attack to the right to defend. Provide this area with small, long but flat objects.

The phoenix (south/summer/fire) counts for everlasting life, distance, vision, visionary abilities, inspiration and beauty. The area in front of you should be absolutely clear to have a good and free view.

The snake (center/earth) counts for the center, for oneself. If it is well-protected by the four outer animals, it is also able to control them. Keep this area free for yourself.

Bagua-zones

The flat (furthermore every room or the garden) can be sectioned in nine equal areas. The nine-piece-energy-pattern of Bagua (8 trigrams + center) corresponds to different life-areas. Each living-area displays a special life-zone. Is one zone missing or is unadvantageously arranged, this could point to a deficit in life or can be even the reason for it. Are any living quarters in relation to the Bagua-principle disadvantageously arranged or designed? For example, the bathroom should not be in the field of wealth. The positive energy for wealthiness will be flushed through the drain.
At what counts for macrocosm of ground and house can be also be applied to microcosm of a single room or even the desk.
After identification the reorganization through acupuncture-arrangements follows. In addition to corresponding plants, colored, joyful and diversified Feng-Shui-Accessories are freshening additives. For instance, well-placed lamps, ceramic figures and jars, terracotta, glass and stones, globes, mobiles, wind chimes, crystals, plants, paravents etc. (colorful windsocks, windmills, a weathercock, birdhouses and rootstocks in the garden).

	Wealth Fame Partner- ship Family Center (Tai Chi) Kreativity Children Knowledge Career Mentors Friends

The "three-door-bagua" intends that the entrance is below. At it's best in the career-zone.
In the case of "direction-bagua", compass and orientation are the best for making a decision.

Knowledge:

Search for individual life-sense; further coherence of own existence; personal and professional orientation; inner cognition.
This zone should emanates stability and calm, comfort and security. Ideal, for example in the garden, would be a secluded and view-sheltered seat for dreaming and meditation. The earth-element and the earth generating fire activates the corner of knowledge. Use earthy and igneous plants and accessories, ceramic pots and lamps as well as the colors yellow, brown, ocher, orange and red. A place for a meditation-figure.
Avoid slim parts of wood and children's game-zone.

Career:

Energy of water; flow of professional and personal life; union of the internal being with the external life; quick overcoming of obstacles; (or stagnation, self-doubt, unhappiness as well).
This zone should be cheerful, bright, rich in energy and living mood and gentle oscillations, round and soft forms without rough edges; objects, which deal with water and width, depth and freshness. Friendly, beaming light is important, also a well-arranged and tidy impression. Remove every blocking element (open, friendly, light, flowing and wide). Beside the water element nourishing metal (wind chimes, bronze statues) can be also used, as well as the colors white, silver and gold.
Avoid the element earth in this zone.

Mentors / friends:

Mentors, support (spiritual and substantial); active helping; received help; lived humanity; useful informations; higher assistance; power; guidance and authority.
Arrange this zone in a homely way, opened upwards (heaven). Use objects from metal, metal wind chimes and presents from friends. Earthy things like crystals, ceramics and terracotta activates this zone, as well as the colors white, silver, gold, yellow, orange and brown.
Avoid elements of fire and red. Not only making activations but the own acts like helpfulness and support for others is an extremely nourishing component. Vis-à-vis to this zone the zone of wealth can be found, which points out to the fact that thought giving energy is released to flow back as a present. The law of couse and effect shows that the more you let flow, the more flows back.

Family:

Respect for parents and ancestors; personal roots; past as a base for present and future; individual potential for growth; not finished things in the past.
This area should be structured as clear as possible and be released from old junk. Let off old and no more longer needed energies (matter has energy as well) to dissolve old conflicts.
Zone of upwards and outwardly striving growth of a tree, thus wood energy. Upwards striving forms and objects fit well. Colors are rich green shades, turquoise and blue. Also water (bird bath, spring stone, well, pond, runnel) and a seat are a good choice.
Avoid metal.

Center (Tai Chi):

Life energy; calmness; balance; health; center of body. The more freely and lighthearted the center is, the easier energy can flow. This area should be clear and unspoiled. A quiet and peaceful lawn or a small Zen-garden with grooved surfaces from gravel.
[Some believe that it can be also formed as energy-collecting as possible, as a highlighted center (maybe in form of a fork in which the different energies come together to a rotunda). Also a focus like a fountain, a big ball, a sun dial, a statue, a circular flower bed or a spiral from herbs can be used.]
All materials assigned to the element earth like ceramic, stone, clay and terracotta are effective activators. Use yellow, brown, ocher and orange.
Avoid the element of wood.

Creativity / Children:

Creativity; inspiration; happiness; enthusiasm; news; ideas; projects; potential for regeneration; pleasure; fun; consumption; playground.
Design the zone in a joyful, colored and diversified way, take care for fresh air and pleasant ambience. Use the element of metal (colorful, dazzling balls; wind chimes from metal; funny objects like a lucky charm; prismatic colored windmills in the garden; wind rotary two-toned garden spirals; flittering ribbons) and use the element of earth (terracotta, clay, ceramic, stone) as well as white, silver, gray, gold and yellow, brown, orange.
Avoid igneous colors and objects which remind of work!

Wealth:

Self-esteem; financial luck; talent in dealing with material values; ability to recognize and benefit from non-material values (inner wealthiness); the profound sense of latent chances.
Arrange this zone in a stimulating way with objects and plants which indicates your personal feeling of plenitude, luck, strength, self-confidence and prosperity like salutary and strong plants and a lot of light.
Use wood- and water energy (spring plants and high trees, foliage plants, round columns; every kind of water like fountains, aquariums etc., with regard to the water quality!)
Avoid metal.
It is about added value which means not only profit but true wealthiness. Remember that the environment is our biggest affluence. Therefore, try to act ecologically as often as possible, even with increasing your money!
For example, you can invest in environmental funds. Thereby, you can improve the Feng-Shui of the whole planet while you increase your money at the same time. This originates double wealth to you.

Fame:

Charisma; prestige; respect; presence; appearance; autonomy; beaming sphere.
With the strength of fire light up the darkness with unusual and inspiring art, bright and beaming like lamps, mirrorlike objects, crystals and igneous objects in red and slim, high aspiring things in the wood-color green. Create a shining, sparkling atmosphere with especially attractive lighting.
If the clear view to the front is obstructed, hang up a proxy figure (maybe an individually significant lucky charm or a painting) for the Phoenix-aspect.
Nothing is too unusual to inspire oneself and others!
Limit water in this zone.

Partnership:

Contacts with people; interpersonal relationships; seed and harvest; giving and conceiving; mutuality; equality; balance.
Remove all broken, incriminating and disturbing objects and clean this area thoroughly. Use blooming and prosper plants to create favorable climate. Especially dahlias and in pairs arranged figures and plants support the partnership. Every sight should provide joy and intercommunity.
Equal vibrations should be in harmony.
To improve the relation to your partner and friends, you should light a lamp for at least 3 hours every evening in this corner of the flat or in the living- or bedroom. Hang several quartz crystals under this light. By using a floor lamp which burns every evening in this zone, earth energy can be used to find a partner. A pair of duck figures or other figure pairs (like butterflies, birds or two heart-shaped symbols; ducks symbolize loyalty and luck) can improve the luck in love and partnership.
Use earth-energy (terracotta, clay, stones, ceramic, crystals) and nourishing fire (good light, rose quartz, a place for barbecues) and the colors yellow, ocher, orange, brown and red, pink, apricot.
Balance is most important in this place. Therefore, all five elements should exist. But be reserved with wood.
With difficulties in partnership and sexuality the book "Tao of sexuality" from Stephen T. Chang is recommended.

Everybody would like to improve the world, and everybody would also be able to do it
if he wanted to start only with himself.

Bedroom

This room should be the most-protected space of the house. It should have only one door, equally formed, without covers-sloping and beams.
The bedroom door should not face a kitchen or bathroom door and stairs directly. In this case a wind chime helps. The door also should not be across from another door or a mirror. In this case keep the door close and hang up a lamp or a wind chime in between. A Bagua-mirror should be used outdoors only if no neighbors are endangered thereby.
Visible cover beams can be neutralized with a wind play with five hollow metal sticks which is hung up under it. Hollow sticks commute Cha (negative energy) into positive flow of Chi.
Avoid mirrors in the bedroom. Reflections of bed indicates the present of others.
Avoid to sleep beneath visible cover beams or a rack (enhances sleeplessness and separation of couples). In case of need, a artificial ceiling helps.
The bed should not stand between window and door. The energy flow would be too fast and this causes worried sleep.
Avoid sleeping with head or feet in direction to the door. This symbolize the inner attitude that you want to leave, in a sense.
Solution: Relocate the bed or put up a space divider or a hallstand.
The bed should be positioned diagonally opposite to the door, with a steady wall at the heading section, but not under a window (active energy flow).
Sleep at least 45 cm above the ground, facing the door. Innerspring mattresses spin energies through the metal spirals into the body, which means uncontrollable exposure during the sleep (no power of resistance). At its best, the bed is made out of wood (insulating material).
Use soft and muted light. No pictures with wild animals, abstract themes or water. Water in the bedroom indicates financial loss.
Cover the window with heavy curtains. Avoid sleeping beneath a ventilator, a bright source of light or between two doors (active energy flow). In case of need, use a space divider.
In general, red tones, pink and apricot are well-suited for bedrooms (red fulfils the wish for children), but also pale blue or green tones (depending on the element of birth of the resident). If necessary, use more dark (Yin-) colors. Pomegranates fit well as fertility symbol, for the reason of oxygen avoid plants and flowers.
Hang up pictures of the children and arrange mascots in pairs.
Hold off television, other electrical appliance and cables (electromagnetic pollution, subtle radiation etc.). Devices and cables should be earthed (what is rare, however).
Use alarm clocks with batteries.
Mobile phones and wireless phones are a big ray reload and do not belong into the bedroom. Better use here an older, analogue telephone.
Big rose-quartz crystals (e.g. under the bed) neutralize electromagnetic pollution. Therefore, they must be regular cleaned under streaming water and be irradiated with sun light afterwards.

Wherever the evil approaches: Gosh, you contract it by yourself!
Wherever the blessing approaches: The one who created it, is you!

Kitchen

Illnesses come through the mouth and prosperity means to have enough to eat at any time. The kitchen counts for living, health, food and harmony. Therefore, it should be protected from the main entrance.
Ideally it is the center of the house and does not have too many apertures. A wide entrance as well as steady, symmetrical forms in the cooking area are preferable. Do not put the cooker directly beside the sink (the collision of fire and water leads to strife between the inhabitants and the positive energy of food is washed away through the drain immediately). A cooker or a fireplace should not stand in the north/west corner (respectively mentors/friends zone) as well (elsewise fire on heaven's door). Cookers should stand in the south corner (fire energy).
Better forget microwave ovens.
A cover beam above the table crushes the inhabitants economically.

For the right posture it makes sense to adapt the height of the countertop to the body height: With a body height of 176 cm, a working height of 99 cm is recommendable. With 181 cm the sink should have 104 cm.

Dining and living room

The Dining and living rooms are the meeting places for the whole family: They should have at least one massive wall without any window. At its best vis-à-vis to the door. Thus Chi can flow circularly in the space without leaving through the opposite window at once.
Paint these walls in bright and luminous colors and array television and stereo in this area to create activity and sounds. Use a mirror to reflect the food on the table and the luck of the family. A family picture with all family members should be hanged up to sustain the family luck. It should hang in the partnership-zone or should point to the south, southwest or northwest (mentors/friends-zone).
A hi-fi-system or tv (metal) at the west-wall (creativity and mentors/friends-zone) of the room is lucky.
Arrange sofa and chairs with comfortable back- and armrests in square and if necessary, place a footstool. The prosperity-zone in the living room can be activated by plants and water.

Facilities

Toilets count for unfavorable energy. Therefore, always close the toilet lid and the door. If this door is found right across the entrance door, a specially bright ceiling light can help to resolve evil Yin-energy. A toilet in the partnership- or center-zone allows to suffer within the family. Attach a light lamp in front of the red (powerful Yang) door and keep it closed!
Keep the toilet rooms clean and do not decorate them with plant, pictures and decoration. Otherwise the Yin-energy causes the opposite of what you wish (transformation of lucky symbols).

Help yourself of whose is; recognize the use therein what is not.
(Lao tse)

Stairs

Stairs should be wreathed softly and illuminated brightly. The luck will fall through open stairs. The flow of energy is strongly inhibited by cramped, steeply, misarranged or dark stairways. Take care for bright light, a big mirror and a massive handrail support favorable energy flow. Light painted stairs and colorful paintings as well. Spiral staircases are confusing especially the middle of the house because of their circular spiral form. These are less unsafe in room corners.

Halls

Long halls and cramped areas let energy stagnate in a unfavorable way. Paint this area with pale colors and light it bright. Long halls come across as poisoned arrows to rooms at the end of the hall. Paint the concerned door: red to the west and northwest, blue to the south, white to the east or southeast, green to the southwest or northeast.
Avoid three doors side by side. If the entrance is one of them the whole house is afflicted. Hang up wind chimes in the case of need. The entrance area should be well-lighted and heated. Decorate it with plants and a fountain. This also counts for the entrance in offices.

Office

Sit kitty-cornered from the door with view to the entrance. Desks should not stand directly opposite to the door (the incoming energy is too strong). Seats should be beyond the direct door-window-line. Do not use open shelves. A lamp above the door cares for beneficial Yang. Plants are counting as the most effective energy source in the office (wood symbolize growth), at best in the east, southeast or in the south of the office (if the door is in the north).

Who knows his aim in life will find the way.
(Lao tse)

Too strong solar irradiation can cause conflicts and irritability. If you have to sit right at the window the part right behind you should be covered.
The area on the desk right in front of you should be clear (Phoenix-aspect). Piles with files should be higher on the left side than on the right (relationship between tiger and dragon). This means that the monitor should be on the left as well and cut flowers which activates financial luck. A paper weight from crystal on the right cares for harmonic relationship, a lamp in the front protects the good reputation.
Do not sit too close in front of the monitor because this blocks your Phoenix-aspect (leads to lack of fantasy and creativity).
A big rose quartz protects against electromagnetic pollution but it has to be cleaned with flowing water and reloaded in the sun.
Activate important documents with three coins (tied up with red binding).
A signature which starts and ends with an energetic and upwardly line emits possession and success.

The tire of a wheel is held by its spokes. But the emptiness therein is meaningful for use.
Hollow-ware is made from wet clay. However, only the emptiness in it makes it possible to fill the jar.
Visibility, the being forms the work. Invisibility, the nonentity energize its spirit and sense.
(Lao tse)

Garden

Provide balance between Yin and Yang in this area as well.
Beside open areas should be areas which are abundantly covered with vegetation, beside water stones, beside coniferous trees deciduous trees; combine big ones with small ones, spiny ones with smooth petalled ones, shrubs with wide cantilevered plants. Animation zones should alternate with resting places, light ones with clouded ones.
Only conifers or grass come across as monotone. Bring in flowers and colors as well as funny accessories. Always arrange a place for useful plants (strawberries as border; carrots, radish and salad in the flowerbed.
Because sharp edges, forms and long narrowed lines produce negative energy, neutralize house edges and paths with saplings or reflecting balls (e.g. rose balls).
Bright light and clean spring water are strong Chi-mediums or activators. Spirals affect centering, stones and statues stabilize and calm.
A hillside situation with a nice clear views and view at water and a lot of green is ideal. Protected from back through a hill (formed as a recliner).
The central area should be clean (e.g. grass). As possible, the highest trees should grow on the dragon side (left), lower bushes and flowers on the tiger side (right). Let the Phoenix-aspect with a clear view (it don't have to become overgrown).
The ways should run at the side in gentle curves. Use big, rounded stones at both sides of the way to ease straight and sharp-edged ways.

In landscape gardening is it beneficial to act in accordance with natural cycles of the moon. The purchase of a lunar calendar is worthwhile because planting during the right days (increasing moon, special days) and weeding (decreasing moon, special days) saves a lot of work and energy. Thus everything has a right time to be done. Whether it is about fertilization, harvest, building a house, house cleaning, removal of mould, a hair cut or other contacts. Quod vide "phases of the moon".

Vegetate acclivities or walls with high-striving plants (bamboo, rhododendron). Bamboo takes care for a pleasant backround noise and neutralizes an overkill of concrete and slabs.
A herbs spiral, a dry stone wall made from natural stones, built in spiral way and planted with flowers and scenting seasoning and medicinal herbs helps to clear poor air.
A lion pair right and left from the doorway protects the property against aggressive energies and brings calmness and stability.

If the right part of land is higher planted than the left area the dragon-side (Yang) should be strengthened by fruit trees (unaltered, old kinds). On the right side the tiger can be tamed by cutting. Is it necessary to protect in the Phoenix-area, hang up highly a substitute figure with a bird's eye view (e.g. the head of a bird).
Too much water in the garden can be neutralized with wood energy (objects from wood, reed, cattails, rushes, water lilies). A wooden footbridge creates distance, a light emitter brings fire energy.

Plants can be assigned to certain elements:

Wood plants are marigold, cut-leaved coneflower, wolfsbane, sunflower, delphinium, sedum, phlox, hyacinth, leek, lily, anemones, wild tulip, fern, rhododendron, arbor vitae, virginia creeper etc.

Fire plants are sunflowers, verbena, snapdragon, marguerite, sedum, elecampane, tiger lily, daylily, chamomile, carnation, crocus, leek, gladiolus, medlar, holly etc.

Earth plants are Turkish poppy seed, gentian, sage, cosmos, cut-leaved coneflower, bellflower, geranium, alyssum, snowdrop, lilac, clematis etc.

Metal plants are forget-me-not, ageratum, peony, saxifrage, Salomon's seal, aster, bellflower, goldenrod, aquilegia, oat, wisteria etc.

Water plants are calendula, pansy, aster, immortelle, lavender, Jacob's ladder, primrose, digitalis, lily of the valley, tulip, iris, cyclamen, daffodil, kiwi.

The front garden is the umbilical cord between residents and the outside world. It should be always well-cultivated. This is the place for fountains and ponds.
The alley should be made from natural materials, lightly rolling. Door and entrance well-lighted. Create a friendly and inviting entrance with plants which must not be thorny. If there is no gate to the front door, use two stones or terracotta balls right and left from the entrance.
Use boulders to balance the border of too straight ways (place right and left) or a material mix in the pavement.
Color garage walls in green and vegetate them with clamberers (wild wine, ivy), maybe light them. Art on the wall opens energy recovery.
Beautify pavingstones in the front garden with flower tubs and tendriled scaffolds, build rolling ways and arrange a bench (for more visitors). Separate access and access road!
Paint manhole covers colorfully, hide garbage cans behind a vegetated shed. A hedge is a good answer to this problem.
If the hedge is too beamy cut it in a swinging waveform (sinus curve). If the front garden is exposed use a half-high hedge (firedorn or hornbeam) as enclosure for the land. Little erratic clocks are protecting as well.

You should cultivate a huge garden as you fry a small fish: less.
(Lao tse)

The main garden mostly is arranged more intimate and individually than the front garden. Avoid or alter unfriendly looks like naked walls, constricting natural cover (which cramps the house), monotone lawns and too many conifers, unprotected seats, too much dryness or wetness. Seats should be protected against noise, wind and glances and allow a nice view. Use metal only sparingly. Also natural slabs, clinker pavement and gravel as subgrade (cares for slow energy flow), rambler, clematis, bamboo or ambrosial vetches as environment. A fountain well nearby is good as well.
In General: Have water in front of the house (entrance).

Rough edges can be smoothed with plant tubs made out of clay, ceramic or stone.
Labyrinths, spirals and rotundas afford a center which accumulates energy (e.g. a heart-formed labyrinth is very harmonizing).

If trees are twisted or grow in asloping position, shrivel, show anomalies, or don't carry any fruits, an invisible energy disturbance coming from the earth is mostly responsible. Carrots, roses and sunflowers set a high value by a radiation-free location. Elder, cherry and tomato are radiation seeker. You can find this areas with birch or pendulum.

If you cut down a tree you tear a huge hole in the energy-structure of the garden. Often the clearing of branches is enough.
Stubs live on as fauns if they won't be unearthed. Remove dead branches and trees (symbol for dying and degeneration) or dig out completely. Only this creates relief. Energize this place with a rock crystal.
Renounce the chemical club. You can use biological appliance like nettle-extract or soft soap against plant louses and a broth from horsetail fights against blight and rust.
Favorable plant-combinations are those which promote themselves mutually and protect against pests: carrots and tomatoes besides onions, tomatoes besides parsley, salad besides radish, peas besides celery, potatoes besides cabbage.

Replenish shades with fire energy and wood energy.
A dry garden can be changed with a runnel, mulches or plants which spend a lot of shades (applicable are all metal- and water plants. In case of too much humidity cultivate water-moving wooden plants and fire plants. In addition, garden lamps and mobile equipment.

A compost heap change rubbish into future Chi. Because of the symbolic of "future prosperity" it should be better out of the wealth zone. It should be protected against wind, rain and sight. Elder and nasturtium care for shadow (half-shadow). Compost can absorb water up to the quadruple of it's own weight (ideal humidity control) and emits nutrients in an ideal bounded form which are decomposed during growth by symbiosis with radix. This prevents pest. In view of the increasing ecological damage, it should be everyone's ambition to close cycles of matter in the own garden and to set aside mineral fertilizer and peat. Considering the fact that thousands of organisms are only waiting for "garden waste", not even a problem.

Gardening tools made from iron dispense finest light adhering rust which accelerate the dehydration of the soil. Tools made out of copper nourish the ground by finest particles of copper, gold, silver and magnesium and so affects beneficially water balance and fertility of the soil.

Because you exist
everything is possible, right here and right now!

Generally favorable color-combinations:

Direction	predominating color	corollary color	inappropriate color
South	red, orange	yellow, green	black, blue
North	black, blue	white, silver, gold	yellow, beige
East	green, brown, turquoise	black, blue	white, silver, gold
West	white, grey	silver, gold, yellow	red
Southeast	light-green	light-blue	white, grey
Southwest	yellow, beige	red, orange	green
Northeast	yellow, beige	red, orange	green
Northwest	white, silver, gold	grey, yellow, orange	red

(It is assumed that the entrance is located in the north.)

Yellow comes across as lightful and bright, it cares for good spirit and exert an opening and calming effect.
Green cares for faith and harmony, for relaxation and stability.
Blue counts for openness and clarity. It creates depth and enlarges a room.
Red is spiriting and stimulating. It activates fantasy and creativity but sometimes it is responsible for aggression.
Nature tones (stone- or beige-color) cares for a smooth, relaxing atmosphere and combine warm colors.

In general

Sensitize your perception of your environment: visit yourself. What would catch the visitor's eye at first? Refuse bins, shoes, drink boxes, unfilled work; does the visit become an obstacle course? Or do you see a color-coordinated, fresh cladding, a wide and clear entrance? What strikes you first in the rooms? Is it tidy, are sharp edges pointing at you?

One badly sits at an edge of a table, at open book shelves, at a door or an elevator, at stairs, at a long, cramped hall, at a toilet door, at the edge of a column. One can easily become a victim of deception and intrigues if one has a door or a window in the back.
You should have the wall in your back (turtle aspect) with view to the door. Hang up a picture of a mountain chain on this wall. A cupboard can be used as a mountain symbol, but no shelves because their shelves are cutting the energy.
Sharp edges in rooms and from furniture affects the energy flow negatively. Here the Chi bundles up itself and is shot in the form of arrows.

The nature of humans is phototrophic. Instinctively, he turns towards the light.
Bright light supports success. Too bright or unnatural light like neon light causes stress! If you don't want to renounce neon light, you can cover it with heat-resistant plastic film. A tube wrapped in yellow foil with a golden reflector foil as a background generates golden brown and a lot of success bringing light.

Try to avoid certain human energies;
"Demon-persons" dispossess energy and do harm to you.
"Heaven-persons" have a positive charisma, are friendly and helpful.
If you point at someone with a finger, knife, cutter or any other sharp objects, the corresponding person receives negative energy and has to suffer from it. This can retroact to yourself!

Broken glasses, jars and cutlery cut the user in the mouth symbolically and addle their articulation.
You should overcome the temptation to take the last piece of food (e.g. a pie slice). This generates energy which harms your property.

In the silence of empty houses the negative energy accumulates which can be chased away by liveliness of domestic animals.
Cats, ants and bees are "irradiance-searchers", they prefer places those are bad for humans. Ants and bees build their nests always above crossways of two water wires. Storks and swallows only nest in areas with minimal radiation. Birds, dogs, horses and cows are avoiding radiation. Where they make their home, it is a good place for us, too.

Besides technical radiation (metal energy) television carries many visual and acoustic signals and effects into a room which become manifest in persons and other matter! Disharmonious pictures, sounds and contents of broadcasting, like news or even horror films can poison the atmosphere seriously, so that negative energy (Cha) can have a lasting effect. Therefore, it is to be advised against a television in the bedroom.

Mobile phones are very questionable; the microwave-technique interfere with biological processes and can cause severe illness!

Already at the age of 7 to 14 you are entitled to have your own room, without any intervention from outside.

A picture which shows a sunrise opens new chances in business and private life, if it is hanging at the phoenix side of the room.

If you want to build a chimney then do it at the south wall (fame-zone) of the room. The northwest (mentors/friends-zone) is not appropriate!

Plants and trees promise luck (the element wood counts for increase and development). Even more if they can grow in the family-, wealth- or partnership-zone. Trees and indoor plants should be trimmed regularly to avoid overgrowing of rooms and houses. No plants with thorns at the entrance! Cacti emit poisonous, cutting "Cha"; maybe protecting in front of the house but harmful indoors.
Avoid bonsai (artificially trimmed).
Freshly cut flowers bring valuable Yang-energy to the apartment. Welted flowers bring depressing Yin-energy. Leave out dry flowers (endanger the chances for success), then better use flowers made from silk or plastic.

Avoid jalousies because of their similarity to sharp knifes.
Drop lights as well if the are low-dangled. Lamps which throw long shades let yin dominate yang.

Too glaring ceiling lighting in the office or the bedroom can cause damage in health. Too bright sunlight as well.

We turn our attention to movement. Therefore, stimuli should be proposed. Wind chimes with 6 sticks in the northwest attract mentors and influential people. Wind chimes made from metal are effective in the mentors-zone at its best.

Always renew light bulbs immediately when they burnt through.

Keep broom, mop and vacuum cleaner in a closed cupboard out of sight.

Hang the washing on the line during the day to use Yang-energy. Use Yang-(day-)water to do one's laundry or bathing as well and notice the moon cycles.
Where dirt and dust are accumulate, energy accumulates (positive and negative).
You should clean your flat once a week during sunny weather and a little wind from staled Yin-rests. Old energies can be dispersed by playing loud and cheerful music for 10 minutes.

In summer (Yang), some water (Yin) should be inside rooms. In winter (Yin), fire (Yang) brings warmth and light (cosmic balance).

Everything what happens outside has its inner analogy. A good many times something must be given up to be able to turn a new leaf.

The things in your personal surrounding want to be blessed. Also immolation in form of a symbol or a foundation stone (sense of laying of the foundation stone).
a) What's my personal symbol?
b) What should happen in a special room?

To configure comes from figure.
a) Which definite form do I assume?
b) In which state is my back?
c) Where are my blockades?
d) How can they be dissolved?

At this point, the Asian martial arts are recommendable. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are appropriate methods. Like Feng-Shui they act slowly but immense.

The finest of the subtle, that is the door to all secrets.
(Lao tse)

Countermeasures

To protect yourself against sharp or cutting stones or parts of buildings, incoming streets and traffic, branches, antennas, conductors, clothesline etc., use something that

reflects (a mirror which absorbs the unwanted object and reverberates, but not to your neighbor)

absorbs (a sandbox, bark mulch)

deflects (gleaming surfaces which carries the energies to a free way)

buffers (an elastic spring or spirals mount to the wall catches and retroact)

destroys (a mounted saw which points to tree and branch; water which soften metal; wood against water; fire arm against arrow and bow etc.)
Don't use spirals or destroyer for opposite mirroring objects and surfaces because they will be reflected back to you.

Chimneys, stoves and ovens can be neutralized by wells, water tanks and humidifiers. A picture with moving water and a faucet serve the same purpose.

If a person is right in his self-fullfilling natural Mandala, all his wishes and dreams come true, including his spiritual enlightenment.

Norbert Drews
Feng-Shui consultant
Hamburg, Germany

Translated by Kerstin M. Luellwitz

Thanks to Eva Wong

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