Feng Shui, in a very literal sense, means “wind-water”. The idea behind it is to balance buildings, objects, and space in an environment to achieve harmony and balance. Natural elements often play a crucial role in balancing out all of these elements, hence why this practice is called feng shui. While it is impossible to compile even a fraction of the practice in this article, with different regions of China practicing differently from one another, and feng shui changing from year to year, there are some core foundations and ideas that can be outlined. Here are some core ideas.

The Four Concepts of Feng Shui

Each of these concepts can be an article of its own, with how in-depth and complex each concept can be. But generally speaking, the four concepts are the five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, and metal), the Bagua areas (energy map of your space), color, and a “command location”. The Bagua would tell us what element each part of your space needs, while the color will help supplement the space

5 Elements

The five elements of feng shui are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Utilizing them properly in your space stimulates energy and promotes wellbeing. Each element has its own properties for specific effects.

• Wood: Wood promotes health, vitality, and growth. It is often expressed with green and brown. Decorations like lush plants, green cushions, botanical imagery, etc will promote it.
• Fire: Fire promotes creativity, love, and passion. It is often expressed with different shades of red and yellow.
• Earth: Earth is the element of nourishment, protection, stability, and support. It is often expressed with beige and other sandy colors
• Metal: Metal is the element of structure and discipline, efficiency, and productivity. It is often expressed in white and grey.
• Water: Water is the element of harmony, flow, and renewal. It is often expressed with blue and black.

Bagua Area

Bagua is an energy map of your space. It divides your space into eight areas, defined by the compass direction of your front door. Each of these eight areas corresponds to one of the five elements, which needs to be supplemented in its corresponding area for good feng shui energy. This whole process is a bit complicated and can change depending on who you ask and where you are, so finding an expert in your area will be optimal.

Color

Different colors carry different energy qualities. According to feng shui, it corresponds to the energy of the five elements. This is one of the easiest ways to bring some elements into your home without buying any major decor or making any major changes.

Command Location

The command location is essentially the best place you can be in a room to get the most optimal energy flow. Thus, major furniture pieces like a desk, couch, and bed can be placed with feng shui in mind. The process of deciding where these pieces should be is complicated, but a general rule of thumb is to ensure that you can see the door from where you’re sitting, standing, or lying down.

The next time you move with Olympia, make sure you let your team know if you have anything you want in any particular place. Our team of professionals will be sure to accommodate to the best of their abilities. Contact Olympia for a free quote today!