"Feng Shui" means Wind and Water

The term "Feng Shui means literally "Wind and Water" the forces that shape the landscape. It is pronounced "Fung Schway" and it refers to a set of rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns related to the Universal Laws, as expressed in the Natural World.

It is said that the term Feng Shui is actually a short way to refer to an ancient poem, which described the ideal conditions of a place where human life could thrive, in harmony with Heaven and Earth.

The winds are mild,
The sun is bright,
The water is clear,
The trees are lush.

Feng Shui is at least 5,000 years old. The Feng Shui masters of Ancient China had the responsibility of finding sites where palaces, farms, and villages could be built with a certain guarantee that people could not only survive, but prosper there. They also were to find burial sites where the memory of ancestors could be honored for generations. At a time when there were no weather reports and history had just started to be recorded, Feng Shui practitioners had to rely on their powers of observation of the natural world. They would take note of things like:

• the abundance and availabilty of drinking water
• the quality and fertility of the soil
• the shapes of mountains, hills, rivers, lakes and valleys
• the condition of vegetable and animal life
• the presence of enough fish and game
• the strength and direction of the winds
• sun exposure

In modern times Feng Shui also deals with the surroundings of a building [including streets and other buildings], its shape and landscaping, as well as with the colors and materials of the outside and inside of a space. Feng Shui rules can help find a site where family life is more likely to be harmonious, or a locale where a business is more likely to succeed.

While Architecture is based mainly on rules of functionality and Interior Design concentrates on beauty, Feng Shui adds the dimension of feelings. How people react emotionally to a place is as important as proper architectural or interior design. It is essential that people feel comfortable and safe in their home or workplace in order to create environments where we can be happier, healthier, more prosperous and free.

For example, furniture arrangement in Feng Shui always tries to give desk chairs and beds what is called "the power position," allowing a person to see the door, while not being directly in the path of the door. This gives the person command of the room, as a result of this, he or she will feel more in control, and this will often lead to greater concentration and productivity in the one case, and greater relaxation and better rest in the other.