A lot of feng shui beginners or practitioners are also interested in the history and real story of how feng shui was developed. It is a very good idea to find out more about this because when feng shui was introduced to the western culture and began to gain popularity, a lot of untruths and misconceptions became mixed in with the real practice.

Real Feng Shui History in Ancient China

Asian cultures have always seemed to place a lot of importance on peace, harmony and balance. In Japan, for example, Zen masters taught that hard work and simplicity were keys to peaceful success. In China, it has been believed that you need to respect your surroundings if you want to be at peace.

Chinese experts, according to the true feng shui history, believed that the earth resonated a strong energy. They believed hat this energy should be attracted to, and welcomed into, one’s home. They also believed that certain practices fought this energy, bringing chaos and disruption.

By arranging their buildings and even their furniture and other accessories in the best possible way to respect this energy, the Chinese believed that there could be balance in ones life.

Feng Shui Arrives in the West

Stories about feng shui history become a bit muddled when the practice was introduced to western cultures; no doubt because there were many unscrupulous persons who realized that they could make a fast buck on the unsuspecting westerners who were unfamiliar with this art.

In addition, many New Age elements had begun to be introduced and were confused as being part of feng shui history. In reality, though, these New Age elements have nothing to do with what is true feng shui. For example, crystals, star shaped mirrors, red front doors and other elements are all among these New Age non-feng shui elements.

Some people claim that feng shui can attract vast wealth, cure any physical ailment and several other similar claims but in reality these things are nothing to do with real feng shui. Feng shui history does not include any of these claims and feng shui practitioners do not claim such statements as being true.

However, these experts did firmly believe that using feng shui in the right way can bring positive energy to life. Use of feng shui energy can mean good things as long as you also work to accomplish them yourself. However, feng shui is in no way a “magic pill” that will heal, cure or otherwise influence outside factors positively by itself.

Understanding Real Feng Shui History

If you have a true interest in the art and science of feng shui, its important to really know its history, otherwise you too could fall prey to one of these so-called experts that is not telling you the truth about its real application and use.

Feng shui history is all about order, harmony, positive energy and balance. Stories you might hear which don’t include these elements are probably just folklore and you should ignore them. When you know and understand the truth behind this fascinating science, you will be better equipped to appreciate and use feng shui in your life and in your home.

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When attempting to learn more about and apply the principles of feng shui in their life, many people are drawn to the use of mirrors, believing that this is one of the most basic necessities of this art. However, is this really the case? Do real experts use mirrors in feng shui applications today? How exactly to they work to encourage positive energy in your home, if at all? Lets take a look at some of these thoughts before you run out and purchase a whole set of mirrors for your own home.

The Ancient Use of Mirrors in Feng Shui

Many people understand that feng shui is a harmonious balance of what it refers to as the five elements ” wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. These elements either feed one another or destroy one another; for example, wood feeds fire, but water destroys it. Water feeds wood, but metal destroys wood, and so on. There needs to be a balance between these elements for true feng shui.

In the early times, the mirrors were commonly used in Feng Shui to bring in the metal element. For example a room which had more of earth (like the earthy hues or live plants) could be balanced by introducing the metal in a convenient way.

The use of a mirror in feng shui makes sense in these kinds of spaces, making a dark room seem more sunny and bright and opening up the space since earth tones can make a room claustrophobic feeling.

Todays Use of Mirrors in Feng Shui

However, there is a big difference between this ancient practice and the modern-day use of mirrors in feng shui, and that big difference is that there is typically no real metal used in todays mirrors. Most are a form of modified plastic and other chemicals. You could rightly call them a type of placebo, just faking the introduction of the metal element.

So in this age, how should one use mirrors in feng shui? Simply put, the same way as they are used in any design or decoration scheme: to make rooms seem larger and brighter and spread light around a room, offsetting any closed in, claustrophobia inducing decor.

Mirrors in feng shui are also introduced simply for their decorative value. Feng shui holds that art should be enjoyed for its own sake rather than ascribing spiritual benefit to it. Mirrors are, in feng shui, decoration and should be enjoyed as such. They are not usually made of the metal element in our age and should not be considered as such for the purposes of feng shui.

Finally, in case you are using mirrors for Feng Shui, then please understand that you will need to include a separate metal element; however you can still use them in a dimly lit room where some light is needed or dark corners which need some light.

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Have you ever considered that you might be able to use the ancient art of feng shui to help you attain wealth? You can, but first you have to consider some important factors that you want to keep in mind before you begin. First of all, consider what you want to accomplish when you think that feng shui will work to make you wealthy in your particular case.

Do you have some financial problems at present and think that feng shui can magically cure these problems?

Also, when considering using feng shui for wealth, do you really understand what is required of you, the user and the person applying this principle? There is no ancient practice, ritual, art or science that can be applied that will somehow instantly provide you with money and wealth without expecting you to do your part, so to speak. Assuming that you can just somehow petition feng shui for wealth and it will magically arrive on your doorstep is not how things work.

How are these things tied in with each other, then? Many believe that you can use feng shui to attain wealth, and some have said that their own experiences of this were actually successful. What did they do to bring about these results? What things did they avoid in their pursuits of wealth?

You need to remember that feng shui at its essence is all about balance, harmony and calm. You need to bring these elements into your everyday life when you consider your avenues for wealth, including work and employment.

Do you see any ways that you are bringing disharmony or a lack of balance to your career? Many offices these days stress teamwork and expect their employees to understand its importance; those who dont are often the first in line for dismissal. If you are not bringing this attitude to the office, you can soon find yourself unemployed ” and thats no way to build wealth!

In addition, when you consider using feng shui to acquire wealth, remember that feng shui encourages positive energy for accomplishment. Therefore, if you are attempting to pull together a sense of “family togetherness” or fun, think bright colors and upbeat elements for your family room. These things can make everyone in the room feel energized and alive. In turn, this can encourage closeness and energy among members of your family.

What this means in regard to wealth and feng shui, then, is that you need to apply personal and positive energy toward pursuing wealth. This means that you have to work hard, not be wasteful with money, and apply proper ambition to what you do as well. You cannot have wealth without these things.

Unfortunately for many, there is no magic cure when trying to use feng shui for wealth. Painting your front door red or hanging a crystal over a mirror is not going to be enough to fix your finances or to make you wealthy. You will still need to do the work thats necessary. But by applying the real principles of feng shui including harmony, balance, and positive energy, you may find that your circumstances vastly improve and in turn, your wealth will increase.

Were you upset or highly disappointed when you learned there was no tooth fairy or Santa Claus? Children are let down when this becomes known because they have been taught that this is real. When we grow up, believing in these things seems silly.

When speaking about things such as feng shui crystals, many people may be upset to learn that there really is no such thing in the true application and science of feng shui.

The true art of fang shun was corrupted when it made its debut in the western world. Mixed with myth, fang shui was seen as a way to make money by people who did not care about the true practice. Their sights were set on money instead of helping people to learn how to use this art correctly. Crystals were one of the ways of cashing in on feng shui.

But before you start to feel hurt or betrayed the way you did when you heard about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, lets talk a bit about the true use and history of feng shui crystals and see if perhaps some logic and reasoning might help you out a bit.

The Original Feng Shui Art

Feng shui is not a hard art to follow. Since many people do not totally understand it, they assume it is harder than it is. An expert is not needed to explain in detail how to use feng shui. Due to so many people believing that you do need a reader, wrong information has been added to this ancient art. Among these is the use of crystals.

Feng shui is all about peace, balance, positive energy and harmony. There is no talisman or magic bullet that can bring these things into your life. For example, if your spouse won’t talk to you or if you are having a secret affair, all the crystals in the world won’t magically bring your marriage back to its former health. You might hang a hundred feng shui crystals all over your bedroom mirror but your relationship will still contain much chaos and disharmony as before.

De-cluttering your life is an important part of feng shui, as its true that sometimes the negative elements in our lives have more of an effect than the positive. Removing old and useless things that bring nothing positive to us, and that just simply drain us and make us feel guilty or depressed, can do much to usher in that positive uplifting energy that were looking for ” more so than any feng shui crystal could do.

When Can You Use Feng Shui Crystals

Many people like crystals for the wonderful look they give their home. There is no Feng shui rule that says you cannot have crystals in your home. If they are appealing to you, use them as decorations. They are great for dark corners, especially when they reflect light.

A lot of people come across the ancient art and science of feng shui and thing it might be a good way of adding vitality and energy to their lives in as natural a way as possible. Other people want the opposite. They want to create a relaxing, calm environment instead. Whatever your reasons are for finding out more about feng shui, there are a few easy tricks you can use to create a true feng shui bedroom in your home.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tip #1

The most important thing to do when adding feng shui elements to your bedroom is to ask yourself which kind of atmosphere you are trying to create. For instance, do you want to add spice and sexual energy to your bedroom? Or are you trying to make it a relaxing, warm place to encourage restful sleep.

When deciding on the changes that one is going to make to create a feng shui bedroom, its important to have this thought in mind first, as these two types of atmospheres are obviously diametrically opposed to one another! You dont want to create a relaxing atmosphere in room thats already lacking energy, and you dont want to bring in any more energy and tension to a room where you simply want to sleep.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tip 2

The next step you want to take when creating a feng shui bedroom is to de-clutter the room completely. The bedroom is not an exercise room, its not a laundry room, its not an office. Whether you want the room to be peaceful and relaxing or you want some energy in this room, clutter is going to keep you from achieving either one.

Take a look at any picture of any decorating magazine, and notice their rooms. How many are cluttered with all these excessive things? Obviously the answer is none of them.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tip 3

Color is very important in all aspects of feng shui and the same applies to the bedroom. Dark, warm colors will be relaxing and bold, bright colors will attract energy.

Depending on the decision you made above about the atmosphere you want to create in your feng shui bedroom, you can choose a bold and energetic color such as red or purple to create energy and tension, or warm and soothing colors such as brown and dark green to relax and calm you. However, with either decision, dont go overboard and make either choice overwhelming. Nothing drains or depresses you faster than feeling overwhelmed by the color of a room the moment you walk in.

If you can apply these three easy tips, you will be able to create a true feng shui bedroom which will either introduce some energy and spice into your life or soothe and calm you, promoting a good night’s sleep.

There is a lot of current interest in the Eastern art and science of feng shui. The problem is that many people would like to learn what feng shui is and how it can be applied, but they are receiving conflicting advice. There are many online stores selling feng shui wind chimes, feng shui jade, feng shui crystals and feng shui trees.

Do feng shui trees actually exist and if so, what are they? How do you use them? Are there fake feng shui trees for sale and if so, how do you know? Let’s have a closer look at the answers to these questions and then you can decide whether or not you still want a feng shui tree.

The Five Elements of Feng Shui

If you know anything about feng shui at all, you know about its five elements: metal, earth, fire, water and wood. These are natural elements that exist in harmony with nature, and they are meant to bring harmony to your indoor environment as well. This is where feng shui trees are typically used.

For example, let’s say you have a room that’s very strong one element and needs to be balanced with another. One example of this is a very white bathroom; white bathrooms can be very pristine and clean looking. In feng shui, white is a “water color,” and water is associated with cleanliness.

However, if you use too much white, the room itself can feel sterile and cold, even surgical. Therefore, using a wood element in your bathroom will help balance that white. One solution to this is to use a small feng shui tree that introduces the colors of gold and brown to the room. You can also do this in the kitchen, since white is also often favored there. When used in the kitchen, white also imparts a feeling of cleanliness, but it also makes the room feel larger and more open than it may actually be in physical dimensions.

A lot of people living in small apartments and homes are encouraged to use white to make the rooms look bigger. This leads to the danger of having too much white, which makes the rooms seem unwelcoming and sterile. This obviously is not a good feeling for the hearth of the home!

The Fire Element and the Money Tree

Many are told that if you have a feng shui tree in your home and you tie old coins to it, wealth will come to you. However, this is superstitious and not rooted in logic. Therefore, many modern feng shui enthusiasts have actually rejected this as a practice.

There is some use for this type of object. Again going back to the idea of the five elements, many money trees are seen tied with bright red ribbons that offset the golden brown of their branches. These ribbons can add a wonderful fire element to any room or area that needs such. For instance, if your living room has a strong earth element, being painted in warmer browns or more neutral tans and creams, this fire element can help accent and harmonize this room.

Now you can see how and where feng shui trees can be useful. They might not bring the wealth and good luck you were led to believe but they can definitely add an important accent to your feng shui home.

If you are someone that is interested in the ancient art and science that is feng shui, there is no need to feel overwhelmed. Many people can tell you that you need to hire a so-called feng shui expert to come to your home and give you a reading as to where the positive energy is and what should be done in each room of the house, but this is usually unnecessary.

Anybody can encourage the positive energy to flow and discourage negative energy with a few easy feng shui tips that you can use today.

Feng Shui Tip #1

Perhaps the most important feng shui tip is to start decluttering. Excessive clutter, simply put, is an energy drainer by feng shui standards. This can be old clothes that you know you won’t wear again, broken appliances that will never be fixed, or anything else that you’re not going to use. Everything is just a reminder of an unfinished project or unmet goal, which can drain you both emotionally and mentally.

This feng shui tip about de-cluttering is also applicable to larger items, such as furniture, car parts, and so on. If you have more than two main seating pieces in your living room, ask yourself why that is. If you have a garage thats strewn with car parts that you have no use for, again, ask yourself why that is.

If the answer to any of those questions is, Just in case, then you know that these things are clutter. Get rid of them.

Feng Shui Tip #2

You should have a look at the colors used in your home and working environment. Color affects our emotional state and can be a factor in our moods. A good feng shui tip to use when you want to increase your vitality and energy is to use bold, bright colors in rooms you spend time in before heading out for the day. This might be the breakfast nook or kitchen. Warm, dark colors are good to settle your mood down. This would apply to the bedroom or living room. Warm browns and greens are good for such areas but there is no set color that you have to use. We all have different preferences and tastes.

However, take care. This is not a case where “more is better.” If you use too much of any bright color, this can overpower you and make you tense instead of relaxed or uplifted. If you use too much of a dark color, your mood can be brought down, or this can even make you depressed.

Sometimes its good to take a step back from your room, stand at the entrance to it, and be honest about the color. Is it a bit too much? Consider toning down the shade, or using something neutral throughout with your other colors as an accent.

If you apply these quick and easy feng shui tips in your home, you will start to feel the positive energy flowing in and you will feel a lot better in yourself.

You know how common wind chimes are in Asia – if you are at all acquainted with Asian culture in general and Chinese culture in particular, you’re aware that nearly every home has wind chimes somewhere, whether in the window, on the porch or in the doorway itself. Wind chimes have been in America for a while, but the growing popularity of feng shui has brought them into more American homes than ever before. Why is this?

How do you use wind chimes as a part of Feng Shui in your home? Where should they be used? And if there are locations in your house were wind chimes should not be used?

Remembering the Five Elements of Feng Shui

Feng shui is the science of the five natural elements of fire, water, earth, wood and metal. These balance each other and avoid destructive dominance of any one. Feng shui wind chimes can be of wood or metal and are usually used to balance out these five elements in your home or a room.

A room that is colored in earth tones, such as warm browns or tans, will need a metal element to balance it. If your living room is such a color, this is where the metal element needs to be. Having feng shui wind chimes that are made of metal outside your living room where they are visible to those inside, such as from a porch rafter, is helpful.

If you have feng shui wind chimes in vibrant colors like oranges and yellows, they will work well to offset the muted colors of the earth tones in your den and provide balance to the room.

If your bathroom is white in color, which resembles peace and purity or the water element, it can become cold and sterile. You could hang a wooden wind chime in the balcony or form a window to bring in the warmth of the wood element. A nice brown wooden wind chime or one with darker artwork will offset the white of the kitchen brining warmth and harmony.

Where Not to Use Your Feng Shui Wind Chimes

Feng shui is just as much about what to leave out as it is what to include. For this reason, there are situations where feng shui wind chimes may be unwarranted. For example, if your home tends to be noisy and chaotic, wind chimes may not be such a good idea for your particular case. They should also be left out if you live in close quarters with neighbors who will be annoyed by them or where you live prohibits them.

Getting into trouble over wind chimes is not good feng shui after all. Feng shui aims to create peace and positive energy, hardly what having and angry neighbor or landlord will gain you.

Have you heard about the wonderful benefits of using feng shui in your life but are at a loss where to begin? Are you worried about paying so-called feng shui experts a lot of money to give you a reading about what you should do in your home? Are you wondering whether it is real or just baloney?

Don’t worry because we have some great pointers and tips for all feng shui beginners to think about before they go further. Before spending anything on an adviser or dismissing this ancient science and art as a bunch of bunk, check out the following explanations.

Feng Shui is About Calm and Order

This is one of the most important principles in feng shui and one which the beginner needs to be aware of first. Feng shui is not about painting your front door red to attract wealth, nor is it about having to place your sofa exactly here or your bed exactly there. It is about attracting calm, order, peace, balance and harmony into your life. One of the first things that beginners to feng shui are advised to do is to de-clutter their home as much as they can.

Why is this? Because clutter has been scientifically proven to cause stress and chaos in a home. When your environment is cluttered, you feel constant guilt and disappointment over unfinished chores and projects. You are also frustrated and angry when you cant put your hands on an important document or other such item.

Some feng shui beginners might immediately dismiss this element but think about it. If your home is messy and cluttered, how does that make you feel? Do you feel positive about your home and good about yourself? Probably not.

Feng Shui Helps to Create Specific Moods

One of the most important factors of feng shui is the use of color. This is not because certain colors bring you more luck than others do, but because color affects moods. Bright vibrant colors are used to make a room have more energy. These are considered strong colors. Examples are reds, purples, and bright pinks and greens and yellows. These should not overwhelm a room; rather they should be used in conjunction with other colors.

There is scientific data available to back these claims up. Biologists understand the way in which we relate to colors around us. This can apply to a variety of situations. Brake lights, fire engines and stop signs are red to draw immediate attention to their importance. Taxi cabs are yellow to make them stand out amongst other cars.

So if youre a feng shui beginner, dont get overwhelmed with the concept, and dont dismiss it that easily either. You need not believe in the superstitious, hocus pocus bunk that some people have mistakenly attributed to feng shui, but you can appreciate the aspects of this art that are effective as well.

If you are still having a hard time believing that any of this is true, test it out. Clean your bedroom, closets included and paint it a different color. See if this seems to affect you in a positive way.

Many people are extremely interested in the ancient science and art of Chinese feng shui. They wonder if it’s really possible to use it to add positive energy and feelings of vitality to their lives. This art is also said to assist in gaining wealth, being healthier, and attaining real happiness.

Of course, Chinese feng shui isn’t like waving a magic wand. It won’t cure all your ills or instantly make you rich. However, applying its principles to your life in general can offer a number of benefits. Here are just a few.

Using Chinese feng shui encourages harmony and peace in your household. By encouraging people to remove clutter from their environment and to take distracting influences out of their lives, it can help them be a lot happier. These principles must be applied based on the individual person, of course, since one person’s clutter might be another person’s treasure. Remember that applying Chinese feng shui is intended to encourage flows of positive energy. To decide what’s clutter, remove anything that brings negative feelings or energy, or makes you feel drained of positive energy.

Of course, this doesn’t just apply to material possessions. You can also declutter in regards to spiritual and metaphorical possessions, too. Some people have friends who only get in contact when they need something, and tend to leave them feeling empty and drained after a short visit. These are the sort of people who might be cluttering up your life. If they take more than they add, you should revisit your relationship with them, using an objective eye.

Since feng shui is based on traditional Chinese values, it tends to focus on ideals of working hard and applying yourself to career and family. These are positive ways to use your energy, and will help encourage positive energy to expand in your life. However, the way to apply these principles to your own life will be different for you than for other people. Think about the way to apply these values to your family and career.

Do you use your energy, resources and time to encourage strong family bonds? Do you see your family as deserving of your time and energy? Do you feel rewarded and happy when your family are in harmony and happy with one another? If you can understand and apply this Chinese feng shui principle that positive energy attracts more positive energy, you should work hard at strengthening your family bonds as much as you can.

It is true too that Chinese feng shui puts a great deal of emphasis on the use of color in ones home and environment, however, be careful that you dont fall for folklore and myth when it comes to this aspect of the art. There is no real basis for thinking that a red front door is lucky or special in any way, or that certain colors will bring prosperity and wealth when used abundantly.

However, when you used certain colors in particular areas of the home, you can create a desired mood. If you use a bright color, you’ll feel more energized. Soft or dark colors are more likely to soothe you and make you more calm.

In these few ways, you can see how Chinese feng shui can add positive energy and vitality in your own life.