Feng shui basics
Feng shui is the Chinese art of arranging a home so energy, or qi, flows.
Read any room in three steps
Start at the door
The door is the mouth of the house, where qi comes in. Keep it clear, well lit and easy to open.
Look for the armchair
A classic site sits like a person in an armchair: hills behind, low arms at the sides, open ground ahead. Indoors, a solid wall does the job.
Slow down straight lines
Long halls, or a door lined up with a window, let qi rush through. A rug, a screen or a plant slows it.
Qi scatters on the wind and stops at water.
Feng shui is a tradition for thinking about your home. It is no basis for medical, legal or money decisions.
Good to know
What does feng shui mean?
Feng shui means wind and water. It is a Chinese tradition of siting homes and tombs, then arranging rooms, so that qi gathers instead of scattering.
Does feng shui actually work?
There is no scientific proof that it brings money or health. Many people still use it because they feel its rules make a room calmer and easier to live in.
What is Black Hat feng shui?
Black Hat, or BTB, is a modern Western school that Lin Yun brought to America from the 1970s. It lines the bagua map up with your front door. Classical schools use compass directions.
