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Feng shui has long been considered a science of understanding the inherent energy propensities of the outer geographical location and the inner building design and construction of a dwelling - your home, or a place of work for that matter. As in most professions, the depth of study or qualifications, combined with the practical experience of the practitioner are highly valued. Feng Shui stands alongside other classical professions such as the Chinese medical practitioners of acupuncture. In many ways one may consider feng shui as attempting to rebalance the house, or outer surroundings and environment of the person, while acupuncture attempts to redress or re-align the inner energy flows to provide a more balanced health. This inner energy in some ways could be likened to the outer magnetic energy, which can sometimes be experienced and its lines of force mapped, though cannot be visibly perceived. Similarly, the acupuncture meridians are considered the basis of specific energy flows and which can be balanced by manipulation through the insertion of acupuncture needles into specific points, or junctions, by trained professionals.

As in all professions, feng shui consultants vary. Some may have the qualifications but lack the ability to assimilate the complexities sufficiently to manifest the most effective balancing procedures. Indeed, many feng shui practitioners consider the ability to grasp the principle factors that are energetically dominating a specific space as an intuitive quality or an art that develops more and more with age and experience. Whether you consider it an art or science, it is still the training, experience and ability that builds the reputation of an expert.

Isn't Feng Shui Another Belief System?

Considering feng shui as a fairly modern fad and non-traditional science, most people dismiss its principles and concepts as little more than superstition. Most branches of Occidental science, at their advent, faced the same criticism. If we consider the rigidity of scientific research, development and innovation that the principles of Newton introduced and right up to Einstein's theory of relativity, most Occidentals consider science as unquestionable when compared to say, religion, which was purely a matter of personal belief. Nowadays with the advent of quantum physics, we find the macrocosm or outer world and universe still appears to embrace the laws of Newton. However, in the microcosm, predictable Newtonian results do not hold up as expected. Furthermore it has been scientifically proved that the observers in any experiment have an effect on the outcome of the experiment and actually influence the results. By mentally anticipating or believing that an experiment will produce a certain result, it is more likely to do so. It seems that science is now proving itself to be uncomfortably similar to a religion! Contrary-wise, most occidentals have an almost fanatical and near bigoted belief in - a blind acceptance of - anything purported to be scientific fact.

Two Essential Principles of Traditional Chinese Science

Just as hospitals classify and segregate patients into different departments and wards, such as geriatric, maternity, surgical, etc; so are there different approaches, methods and categories to feng shui, (which are elaborated upon more fully in the 2nd part). However, whatever practical application one chooses to utilize, they all use two basic underlying principles: “qi”, the innate life-energy, and “yin and yang” the ceaseless - almost tidal - flux of the inner and outer universe.

Qi – The Ever-present and Ever-changing Life Energy

Qi - pronounced “chee” and sometimes spelt as chi - is also occasionally referred to as “ki” - pronounced “key”. We shall spell it Qi and, as an invisible, essential life-force energy, it acts at different levels from the coarser qi related to the motor-neuron action of the body; through to the more refined levels that oversee the more autonomous functions such as breathing, blood flow, digestion and the like; down to the subtle energies that are responsible for mental functioning; and finally the quintessential energy that maintains life within the body. Qi is additionally categorized as having aspects that Western philosophers consider relate to the 4 basic alchemical elements - earth, water, fire and air. These are in turn connected to the 4 humours of our medieval medical system. Now let’s take a short diversion:

Earth Water Fire and Air - Their Inner Meaning We Now Lay Bare

The 4 elements of earth, water, fire and air actually relate, though not exclusively, to the physical body as follows:

• Earth is the solidity aspect of the body, the flesh and bones.
• Water is the cohesive aspect, which may be likened to adding water to flour so that the separate grains of flour are then bound together. Note that too little water makes the dough and workable, whereas too much water makes it equally problematic; thus we can see the need for a balance. Water can also be related to the blood and bodily fluids. Fluidity or circulation flows throughout the earth element, or physical body, is more a function of the air element, which we discussed below.

• Fire relates to temperature - the degree of heat or warmth of the body and closely allied to the digestion.
• Air (or sometimes referred to as wind) relates to motility most easily recognizable at the level of breathing that occurs in the lungs, but also includes coarser substances such as the movement and flow of blood and bodily fluids as well as the more subtle levels of energy movement that are difficult to perceive.

There is some debate as to whether there is a need to include space as a separate fifth element, or whether its function and attributes are sufficiently similar to the fourth, that of wind. In the end, it makes little difference whether you separate them out or not, so long as one is aware of its role and significance.

The Further Classifications of The 4 elements

These 4 elements should not be thought of as wholly distinct from each other. For instance, each element may be sub-classified or sub-divided into the qualities of the other three. So the earth element can be broken down into the earth-earth, water-earth, fire-earth, wind-earth; and likewise for the others. Practical examples of this could be given for the wind element. We breathe out fire-wind with a wide open mouth when we try to increase temperature and warm our hands in cold weather, whilst ‘breathing in’ in that manner cools our throat. We breathe on a hot drink with pursed lips to cool it down. Again that is using the fire aspect of air to control temperature. The earth element is also called into play since our mouth and lips are also needed to facilitate this simple motor neuron action. Now the Western 4 elements explained in these above 2 paragraphs are not specifically related to what is frequently termed the ‘5 Element System’ used in Chinese medicine and feng shui.

Yin and Yang

Perhaps the black and white intertwining Yin and yang circle is one of the most common of Chinese symbols in the West. This white and black interlinking waves represent the fundamental duality, or polarity of life and how situations are in a state of constant flux, continuously flowing from one state to another. A follower of the Buddha asked what would happen to his friend who had become ill, the Buddha replied that there were two eventualities, that he would either get better or he would get worse. Being pressed on what would happen if the friend got worse, the Buddha replied that again there were two eventualities, that he would either get better or get worse and die. The possibility that the situation or illness would stay unchanged is an incorrect assumption that time always disproves!

One of the principles within feng shui is that perfection is not achievable but a balance of the various dynamics and polarities of life may be optimised according to our wishes. For instance, if we want to strive for success in our livelihood, we should make sure that there are no hidden blocks that are preventing us from achieving our aim. Popular psychology similarly encourages people to track down and overcome any traces of a “poverty mentality”. This needs to be achieved by examining and changing one’s regular thought patterns relating to one’s view of the world and any lowly opinions of oneself. This enables one to boost confidence levels, and so perform and interact more skilfully. We must also be aware that our efforts to obtain wealth may produce an imbalance in our health. We should therefore also take measures to ensure we do not get overstressed or ill through our efforts. However these two energies are difficult to keep in balance. At times we will work too hard for our livelihood and possibly become ill at ease as a result. We may then need to work fewer hours to recuperate and regroup for our next drive. The yin and yang logo is symbolic of this constant flux and polarity – the dualistic quality that maintains our very existence. Within this is the need to stay in touch with oneself, keep one’s finger on one’s own pulse; a common buzz word would be to practise mindfulness or maintain presence of mind. We say a picture is worth 1000 words. In this case it is the yin and yang diagram that is so worth.

The Traditional Five Elements of Chinese Medicine

The names of the five Chinese elements are usually translated as wood, fire, earth, metal and water. You may immediately notice that three of them - earth, water and fire - are the same as the Western four elements. Although the names are the same, it is important to see the Chinese terms in relation to their own internal theory and not draw exact parallels from ancient Western concepts of these elements just because we give them the same name label. For example the Chinese five elements have both a forward and reverse hierarchical interaction. First may be termed the ‘generating cycle’ and the second the ‘overpowering cycle’.

The Five Elements Cycle of Generation

The following is an updated version of the older descriptions of this cycle:

Metal is born from Earth - for example iron is found within the iron ore that we excavate from the earth. It is thought that 6% of the Earth is actually made of the element iron, the most abundant metal found on our planet.

Water is contained in metal - we use metal containers to store water.

Wood is nurtured by water - plants and trees need moisture to grow. (If you were to say that an acorn also needs the earth warmth and space to grow into an oak tree, then you are drawing parallels from and reverting to the Western four element system!)

Fire is fed by Wood - you may notice that fire consumes the wood more readily once the water element has departed from it.

Earth is created from fire - this refers to the ash remains after a fire which itself adds nourishment and enriches the Earth.

The Five Elements Cycle of Overpowering

Metal overpowers wood - an iron axe can chop wood.

Wood overpowers earth - the roots of plants and trees grow through the earth.

Earth overpowers water - all water rests on land and not vice versa.
Water overpowers fire - as in putting out a fire.

Fire overpowers metal - since fire is used to melt and extract metals from their ore.

Part 2 of this article series.

Author

Julian Pollock is the publisher of the online lighting review site, Chandelier Mall. This contains a variety of lighting products and articles relating from crystal chandeliers through to environmental and aesthetic home and building design.