[ Tao ] [ Yin and Yang ] [ Chi ] [ The Five Elements ] [ The Bagua ]

When evaluating an environment, we must look for not only what is present, but also for what is absent. The essence of Tao pulls us toward the center. In feng shui the central purpose of a place must be established. This is true of a room, or of a person. What are we trying to achieve? Without this information all of our best efforts might go unnoticed or be ineffective.

In feng shui, Tao adjustments are made: we influence the course of events without apparent exertion of force, we step into the natural flow, and move toward our established goal.

Yin and yang represent the natural cycles of heaven and earth. These energies are so finely balanced and interdependent that their movement resembles two fish gliding together through water. Yin forces are those that have the feeling of darkness and shade. Yang forces are perceived as brightness and light. But nature is not static and what was in shadow just moments ago can suddenly be brilliantly lit as the sun moves through the sky. This is a good representation of how energies play off each other over time and how energy changes in an environment.

Achieving an appropriate balance of yin and yang goes a long way towards bringing balance and harmony to an environment.

Chi is the current of energy that forms and undulates in space. It is the vital force that expresses individuality and can manifest itself as personality, the course of a river, the force of gravity or how energy moves across the nerves in our body. In feng shui, accumulated chi or energy produces beneficial results; therefore much of feng shui is focused on harnassing chi to work for us.

Depending on their positions, elements in an environment can block the flow of chi or help move it beneficially through a space. Many things affect the flow of chi: gravity, weather, colors and shapes, geopathic veins, a culture’s thrust toward certain behavior, the position of furniture, etc. The adjustment of elements to promote the beneificial flow of chi is one of feng shui’s highest goals.

Fire, earth, metal, water and wood are the five elements in feng shui that symbolically represent everything in the visible and invisible universe. Each element has its own affiliated color, shape, intrinisic nature, and other characteristics that enable us to use them to describe the nature of a thing and its relationship to other elements in the environment.

The five elements have predictable effects on each other which are described in three different cycles: the constructive cycle, the reductive cycle and destructive cycle. These predictable reactions of the elements help the practitioner balance energy in a space.

The Ba Gua is a kind of map in the shape of an octagon used in feng shui to evaluate different sectors of an environment. Much information is contained on this map such as the compass directions of each sector, their affiliated life aspects (such as career, relationships, wealth, etc.); associated numbers, colors, and natural elements (see five elements below).