How do I perform feng shui?

Feng shui uses shapes, colors, textures, sound, light, symbolic imagery and the arrangement of furniture to adjust the energy of a home. Just as acupuncture works by correcting the flow of chi through the human body, feng shui works by directing the flow of qi through the home. This is why feng shui is sometimes called "acupuncture for the home." Positive influences are encouraged and enhanced, while negative factors are corrected and minimized.

Every space has a ba gua. There is a ba gua for a plot of land, a ba gua for a house or apartment, and a ba gua for each room within home. The ba gua can even be applied to smaller areas, like a desk, bed, or stove. In feng shui, the ba gua is a map of the energetic influences of a space. Some people use the ba gua according to the compass directions. The ba gua divides any space into nine areas. Each area corresponds to a different aspect of an individual's life. It is proposed that the energy in each space, either positive or negative, may affect the related aspect of an individual's life.

To apply the ba gua to home, align the bottom edge with the wall of the front door. Even if one usually enters the home through the garage, a back or a side door, always align the ba gua to the front door. Then, stretch (or shrink) the ba gua to cover entire space. To apply the ba gua to an individual room, the same ideas apply: align the ba gua with the doorway wall, and adjust the size to fit the space. As one stands in the doorway facing into the space, kun gua (relationships) is always to the far right. If there is more than one way to enter a space, orient the ba gua to the most prominent entryway. If the entries are equal, choose the one that is more frequently used.

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