Basic Principles

There are three basic principles of Feng Shui that are universal to all the schools of thought in Feng Shui. These all pertain to Ch'i (energy).

1. Everything is alive with Ch'i. Every person, place, thing is alive with energy. Not only do we know that there are molecules bouncing around in everything, but Feng Shui shows us that everything is alive with our memories and associations. A quick look around your home will demonstrate this. What do you think of when you see that painting, magazine, or dish? You may remember where you bought it, who gave it to you, or have a special memory attached to it.

Thus we can think of everything as being alive. And if it's alive, it's talking to you. It becomes imperative then to make sure that everything is saying good things. Who wants to live and work in a place where the objects aren't saying good things or are reminding you of bad times?

2.The Ch'i in everything is interconnected. We are connected to every person, place, and thing, with stronger connections to things that are closest to us (i.e., family, friends, home, office, etc.), Ultimately though we are connected to everything in the whole world. Because we are affected by these connections, it is advantageous that we have good relationships. Different aspects of our lives are interconnected too. Our work life can affect our home life which can affect our health. We can't separate them.

3. The Ch'i in everything is changing. The one constant in this universe is change. The weather, gardens, bodies, homes, businesses, friends — everything is changing. Feng Shui wants us to embrace change and invite it into our lives. When we embrace Feng Shui and apply its principles, we are inviting change into our lives.