Feng Shui  is an ancient art and science which was developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge revealing how to balance the energies of space to assure the health  and good fortune.

“Feng” means wind and “shui” means water. In Chinese culture wind and water are associated with good health, thus good feng shui  means good fortune.

What is the basis of Feng Shui? Feng Shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy . This universal energy is the energy that permeates everything around us, including our bodies. The ancient Chinese believed that the land's energy could either make or break the happiness.

As any science Feng Shui also has some fundamental practical concepts. The concept of Yin and Yang is one of the most fundamental and profound of Feng Shui that supports many other theories including the Five Elements theory and the Environment. It is how Chinese perceived balance and continual change. One force cannot exist without the other. We cannot understand one without the other (light without darkness, joy without sorrow etc). Each force acts on the other force to initiate movement. Nothing in this world is totally yin or totally yang.

Thus to live happily, according to Feng Shui, we need to balance the yin and yang in each part of our home.

All design elements may also be divided into Yin and Yang. Yang elements are bright, aggressive colors, sharp objects, triangular and pyramid forms and geometrical, items made of synthetics and polymers. Yin elements in design are: soft subdued tone, soft furniture, carpets, objects having streamlined shape, patters with wavy fairy lines.

Thus, if a room is painted with dark colors, is cold and has very little sunlight in it is considered to be too yin or have stagnant 'chi'. When one spends too much time in such a room it can lead to illness and depression. In contrast, if a room is painted with light colors, very bright and very warm, it is considered to have too much yang 'chi'. Spending too much time in such a room can make a person lose energy and get ill.

The next basic principle of Feng Shui is the principle of five elements , which are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These Feng Shui elements interact between themselves in certain ways, generally defined as the Productive and Destructive cycles.

Their interactions are as follows:

The above diagram illustrates the productive cycle of elements.

Moreover, five elements are also incorporated to human characteristics and each element symbolizes color, season, direction and body parts. Therefore, the elements can energize depending on one another's characteristics.

Thus, these powerful five elements make up everything on earth: Metal, Earth, Fire, Wood, and Water and therefore influence everything including a human's fortune. We are constantly in contact with them (even without even realizing) similarly as we are always breathing without realizing it.

Note: The above diagram is taken from here.

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