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Paper Abstract: Effects of environment on people. The development of the natural science of Chinese Geomancy (Feng Shui). History of main concepts. How Feng Shui is practiced today. Goal of achieving balance and harmony in one's life and with the environment. Concept of good energy flow and arrangement of physical environment in the home, in public environments such as hospitals. 1 Chart. Paper Introduction: What is Feng Shui In today’s society, people are increasingly aware of the effects that their environment has on them. From air and noise pollution, to the effects of outgassing home products like paint, varnishes, and cleaners, to color, aroma, cleanliness, and clutter, people are becoming more sensitive to their surroundings and the need to detoxify and cleanse their homes and businesses so that they may both preserve the sanctuary of their home, and carry on business in the best manner possible in an inviting and productive atmosphere. Feng Shui, otherwise known as Chinese Geomancy, is a natural science developed over thousands of years that helps to achieve this goal. By using a complex system of mathematics, astronomy, geography, the environment, magnetic fields, physics, and most of all common sense, Feng S Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. For example, Fire produces Earth, which is thesource of Metal, which melts into a Water-like substance, and Waternourishes Wood. Other hospitals that are using these conceptsinclude: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey;Baptist Health Medical Center, North Littlerock, Arkansas; WoodwindsHospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire;and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, England (Pence, 2 1; Purvis,2 1). While many books might tellthe reader that hanging chimes or instruments might be a goodcountermeasure, a Feng Shui expert would know that the theory is that thebeams and the sloped roof bother the subconscious, they are not stableshapes. This somewhat mundane practice, referred tousually as just "housecleaning" or "spring cleaning," is one of the firstand most basic steps in establishing a good energy flow in and around thehome (Fretwell, 2 ). Most people agree that it isimperative to become more aware and sensitive to the surroundingenvironment in order to find some harmony and balance. In the home this isrepresented by, for instance, the stove and the sink or the stove andrefrigerator, which should never be next to one another in the kitchen(Fretwell, 2 ; Sang, 1999). A house in the countryside that sits in thefork of a stream or river has a better chance at having good chi flow, thana house that sits outside of the fork. One very basic example is toremember how good it has felt in the past to enter a clean and unclutteredhome, not sterile, just clean and uncluttered. (2 ). (2 1). Feng Shui, otherwise known as Chinese Geomancy, is a natural sciencedeveloped over thousands of years that helps to achieve this goal. While these studies were not testing the practice of FengShui, per se, they were testing the importance of nature and balance in thelives of patients. In one study for example, gall bladder patients whose windows facedtrees recovered more quickly and used less medication than those patientswhose window faced a brick wall (Purvis, 2 1). Basics and Fundamentals of Feng Shui While Feng Shui is a very complex system, there are some basictheories that the general layman should have a grasp of, should he or shedecide to use Feng Shui in his or her home or office. There is, however, a very exhaustive chapter onthis system in The Principles of Feng Shui, by Master Larry Sang, for thosewho are interested in obtaining further information.Using the Lo Pan As revealed earlier, over the centuries the Lo Pan, or Chinesecompass, has developed into a complex tool that has a total of 36 tierswith 64 hexagrams or sections. One hundred years later scholars from the north of China decided thatthe current method of Feng Shui was too subjective and dependent uponintuition. Usually the mind "stumbles" in cornersor areas that are never cleaned out or where clutter gathers, whereas itfeels more "free" in areas that are clean and more orderly (Fretwell,2 ). (1992). Most importantly, however, are thecommonsense considerations in regards to environment. From air and noise pollution, to theeffects of outgassing home products like paint, varnishes, and cleaners, tocolor, aroma, cleanliness, and clutter, people are becoming more sensitiveto their surroundings and the need to detoxify and cleanse their homes andbusinesses so that they may both preserve the sanctuary of their home, andcarry on business in the best manner possible in an inviting and productiveatmosphere. The laymanshould also develop a general idea of how to use the Chinese compass or LoPan, and the theory behind the use of countermeasures and enhancers. Although this type of exercise is more in line with the intuitivepart of Feng Shui, it helps to set the stage, or provide an estimate, forwhen later calculations are being done with the Lo Pan. The Principles of Feng Shui: Book One. (2 1). These basicprinciples include learning the Yin/Yang Theory, as well as studying therelationship of the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, East/West System, XuanKong System (based on the solar system), and the environment. How Feng Shui is Practiced Today Contrary to popular myth, Feng Shui is not about putting a luckyobject in a wealth or romance area, nor does it mean thousands of dollarsworth of reconstruction. A Master Course in Feng-Shui. These hospitals have used findings from recent environmental studies todesign both inpatient and outpatient areas based on a combination of FengShui and western environmental standards to increase patient well-being andrecovery rate. The EastGroup contains Kan, Chen, Sun, and Li. It wasguarded so closely, in fact, that teaching was done mostly orally, and onlypassed down through generations of the same family as a lifetime devotionto keeping this knowledge secret. Another way of perceiving Feng Shui is by seeing it asthe equivalent of acupuncture for the building. Healthcare Review. For example, certainmedicines, such as digitalis, which comes from foxglove, are poisonous tomost people; yet taken in the correct dosage these poisons becomelifesaving medicines for people with heart conditions. For example, the mostdesirable shape for a building is either square or slightly rectangular.Buildings in the shape of a wedge, however, may be considered undesirable,dependent upon the direction in which they are sitting or facing. The architects for Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital consulted a Feng Shuiexpert from the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture in London whenconceiving the design for the National Health Services (NHS) hospital.While normally such a hospital would consist of orange injection-moldedplastic chairs, institution-green walls, and fluorescent lighting, thefinal design for this NHS hospital has included more furniture in naturalmaterials such as pine, subtle restful colors, more natural ventilation,and rooms that balanced light and energy in their overall design (Purvis,2 1). There cannot be oneextreme without the seeds of the opposite being present, ready to bringabout a swing in the pendulum at a moment's notice. References Fretwell, S. The Feng Shui Kit: The Chinese Way to Health,Wealth and Happiness, at Home and at Work. Boston, MA:Shambhala Publications, Inc. These signs, or trigrams, are then split into two directions. A general Feng Shui book might advisehanging a crystal between a fire and a water element. Additionally, ascorners and drawers are being cleaned out, unwanted objects given away orthrown out, the inhabitant will notice that there is more energy in thatarea; the chi has been freed up to flow more freely and usually the part ofthe person's life represented by that part of the house is freed up as well(Fretwell, 2 ).Public Environments Other, less intuitive and more scientifically documented examplesinclude several hospitals in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Is it a hotel? Because of this, Feng Shui has recently fallen into theunfortunate category of "fad" in the U.S. There are, however, less complex compasses,such as Sang's Lo Pan, or other compasses in Feng Shui kits that only haveone tier and 24 sections, but will still help determine correct directionalreadings. Therefore, in order to create a more scientific and systematicmethod, they created the Luo Pan (sometimes spelled Lo Pan), which wasderived from the Yi Jing, Book of Change. (1999). Yang, however,is seen as the active, male energy and represented by the color white. Lennon, R. Xuan Kong uses the solar system to develop an evenmore detailed and comprehensive analysis. 3, p. For a morecomprehensive understanding of these principles, please refer to thesources at the back of this brochure.Yin/Yang Theory At the core of Feng Shui is the theory of Yin and Yang, which is atheory of finding balance amidst change and extremes. This is referred to as having toomuch Yang (Sang, 1999).Five Elements The Five Elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. Instead of using Eight Trigrams andeight lettered statements to help identify correct directions, Xuan Kongassigns nine numbers to each section of the 9-square grid, as well as toindividuals, which change their position and possible chi level inaccordance to the number of the individual who is having the analysis done. One of the ancient terms for Feng Shui is "Kan Yu", which means "Raisethe head and observe the above. Other Useful Sources Feng Shui @ Geomancy.Net, Center for Applied Feng Shui Resources.(2 2). Since the East/West System uses notonly a combination of trigrams and numbers, but also is used in determiningroom direction, apartment direction, as well as chi flow, it is too complexto cover completely here. Although the original compasswas divided into four sections with eight trigrams, it has evolved into 64hexagrams, Ten Heavenly Stems, Twelve Earthly Branches, Five Elements, andin short, has become so complex that it is extremely difficult for a laymanto use (Lennon & Plunkett-Powell, 1997; Sang, 1999). Forexample, sleeping under exposed beams or a sloped roof has a tendency toimpinge negatively on those who are sleeping. Byusing a complex system of mathematics, astronomy, geography, theenvironment, magnetic fields, physics, and most of all common sense, FengShui practitioners are able to help the client develop an appealing homeambience as well as a productive business atmosphere. Agood Yang house is one where the residence has the correct balance of FengShui (Sang, 1999). These trigrams fit onto a 9-square grid, known as theBa Gua grid, which helps the Feng Shui practitioner determine correctpositions for particular individuals in accordance with their personaltrigram and house trigram (Sang, 1999).East/West System The East/West System is based on the eight types of magnetic fields,or chi, which are determined by the trigrams. The purpose of bothsciences is to regulate and balance energy flow in either the body or abuilding (Pence, 2 1; Wydra, 1992). Is it a trendy bar? (2 1). In general, practitioners will never refer to Feng Shuias a religion or a superstition. When using countermeasures and enhancers,however, it helps to know the theory behind the determination. In fact, the term "Feng Shui" means "Windand Water", a sort of short-hand term to remind those who practice it ofthe importance of the surrounding natural environment (Lennon & Plunkett-Powell, 1997; Sang, 1999). It is a natural science and mostauthentic practitioners will have practical and applicable ways to bring anout of balance home or office back into balance. He noticed how thepersonalities of the people living in the mountains where he was hidingwere different than those who lived on the coast. Moreover, since Feng Shuihas been based in Asia for several centuries, there are many establishedschools that have sent practitioners to the United States and willing tomake referrals. Kwok, M. 4, p. In the practice of Feng Shui, corners and areas wherethe chi has stopped flowing are referred to as having too much Yin.Hallways and walkways that are too long and straight, however, allow thechi to rush through an area too fast. This would notonly separate the elements, but also add functionality, thus balance andharmony, to the kitchen. Above all, the Feng Shui practitioner is there to bringbalance, harmony, and prosperity to their clients' lives. The practitioner normally takes readingswhile standing in the entryway to the home facing into the building, withthe compass held flat and arrow positioned correctly (Sang, 1999).Xuan Kong System The Xuan Kong System is another system of Feng Shui, derived from themathematics of Yi Jing. A more commonsense solution, therefore, would be to move the bed,or install a false ceiling. Wydra, N. This is done by using the theory of Feng Shui to arrange thephysical environment in a harmonious and healthful manner, a practice thatis increasingly being used as more people discover the positive effects ofFeng Shui (Pence, 2 1; Wydra, 1992).In The Home There are several current models in Western Society of a Feng Shuilayout that positively effects inhabitants or employees in a building byincreasing and aiding the flow of chi. As a result, mostFeng Shui kits sold in bookstores today have been simplified somewhat.However, fully certified Feng Shui experts are thoroughly trained in thefull use of the complete compass as well as the more intuitive Form Schoolfor a more comprehensive Feng Shui reading (Kwok, 1995; Sang, 1999). For example, the Li Trigram represents Fire, Second Daughter(middle-aged woman, mother of female trilogy), South, Red, Eyes and Heart,and the number nine. The West Group contains Chien, Kun,Tui, and Ken. 12. Typically, one must go backto childhood when "Mom" cleaned and aired out the home on a regular, if notdaily or weekly, basis. Additionally, many interior design and architectschools have incorporated Feng Shui departments and studies into theircurriculum. It is, however, about finding balance and harmonyin one's life and with the natural environment, whether at work or at home(Fretwell, 2 ). Traditionally in ancient China, only the privileged few, such as theemperors and other nobles, knew about the practice of Feng Shui. Water and Fire, however, arenot a good combination since Water extinguishes Fire. This changed around 9 7A.D., however, when Yang Yun-Song, who was the emperor's astronomer andmeteorologist at the time, fled the palace and ended up hiding in Jiang XiProvince. As a result, overall patient recovery time and medication use hasdecreased, spurring the development of several studies to prove thefinancial benefits for this type of design in hospital and other healthcarebuildings (Purvis, 2 1). Is your bedroom making you ill? Pence, K. East West Natural Health. Thefollowing is a brief description of these principles. One of the main concepts of Feng Shui is creating a house that isconsidered Wang Shan Wang (good for money, good for people) by using theYin/Yang Theory. Feng Shui merelyextends this awareness and sensitivity to a greater degree since there isan understanding that different parts of a person's environment correlateswith different parts of that person's life (Fretwell, 2 ; Wydra, 1992). Unlike Western compasses, however, the pointer of this compassshould be lined up facing South with the tail-end facing North and linedbetween the two dots (Sang, 1999). & Plunkett-Powell, K. as many people have either triedFeng Shui on their own by picking up a book -- attempting to decipher thesystem themselves -- or have tried to hire a Feng Shui practitioner, onlyto fall victim to individuals who know little more themselves and aremerely taking advantage of the situation (Fretwell, 2 ; Sang, 1999).This brochure is to help anyone who is interested in Feng Shui for theirhome or business to decide if this system is for them, as well as to helpthem determine how to hire a valid Feng Shui expert, trained in theintricacies of this complex system. While this systemhas been used for centuries in countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong,and other parts of Asia, however, it is relatively new to the UnitedStates. For instance, a building within a bend inthe road is considered more desirable than a building outside, or on theedge, of a bend in the road. 2). Any literature found in the possessionof commoners was immediately confiscated (Sang, 1999). No one likes livingtoo close to dumps, cemeteries, busy freeways, industrial manufacturingareas, or in polluted areas and outside evidence has even determined thatliving near these areas is indeed bad for one's health, welfare and well-being (Sang, 1999).Countermeasures & Enhancers When a building or home is faced in a direction not desirable for aparticular inhabitant, or rooms and other situations are not in a goodaspect, there are countermeasures and enhancers that may be put into placewithout too much cost or effort. Combininghis knowledge of astronomy with his findings, he became the founder of theForm School of Feng Shui. July-August, Vol.22, no. Sang, L. July 5, p. In the correct combinations, these elements can create aproductive cycle. An unqualified FengShui practitioner might advises thousands of dollars worth of renovation.However, an authentic Feng Shui practitioner, upon assessing the situation,would see that a more sensible and practical countermeasure would be toinstall a butcher block table or a counter, for example. Anotherconsideration in analyzing the environment is noticing how the roadway runsoutside of the building, and where the building is in relation to bodies ofwater, valleys, and mountains. In learning theseprinciples, they will gain a better idea of the type of vision they maywant for their building, as well as have a keener grasp on whether or not arepresentative of Feng Shui is truly an expert in the field. Both of these translations point to theabsolute importance that Feng Shui places on man's ability to be in harmonywith nature. As a means of securing theirpositions, the nobles and emperors therefore kept their knowledge of how toimprove their prosperity from the common people. One exercise to do in one's own home to see howthis works is to mentally approach the entry way of one's home and gothrough each area, noting where the mind feels "clear" and where it"stumbles" as it traverses the home. No, it's ahospital. Of the four most notable ancient scholars of Feng Shui duringthis time -- Lai Ren-Wen, Laio Yu, Yang Yun-Song, and Zeng Wen-Shan -- YangYun-Song is the most celebrated (Sang, 1999). Yin and Yang, thereforeare two extremes of one whole which contains the seeds of the other. History of Feng Shui Although manuals and literature on Feng Shui have been discovereddating from 25 A.D., and the Yin/Yang theory, a major component of FengShui, has been in practice since at least 77 B.C., there is still somedebate as to how long ago Feng Shui began to be practiced. 5 . Personal trigrams are basedon a formula that uses birth year and gender to determine the correct sign. 14, no. Below is a chart of the Five Elements andtheir corresponding colors and factors:|Five Elements |Direction |Color |Season |Objects ||Metal |West & |White & Gold |Autumn |Sculptures/Met|| |Northwest | | |al Chime ||Water |North |Black & Blue |Winter |Fountains/ || | | | |Aquariums ||Wood |East & |Green |Spring |Plants/Wood || |Southeast | | |Chime/Trees ||Fire |South |Red |Summer |Candle/Oven/Fi|| | | | |replace ||Earth |Northeast, |Tan & Yellow |Indian |Rocks/clay/cer|| |Southwest & | |Summer |amic || |Center | | | |(Sang, 1999).Eight Trigrams The Eight Trigrams - Kan, Chen, Sun, Li, Chien, Kun, Tui, and Ken --are symbols that represent a combination of direction, element, color, bodypart, familial relation, possible illness, and number. In the wrong combinations, however, these elements maybe highly destructive. New York:Penguin Arkana. In the extreme ofthe poison is found the promise of medicine, and in the extreme of medicineis found the threat of poison (Fretwell, 2 ). Lower the head and observe the environmentaround us" (Sang, 1999, p. Feng Shui-The Art and Science of Placement andSpace Planning. Although most people wouldassume that the entryway determines the facing the direction and the backof the house determines the sitting direction, this is not always the case,especially in instances where a building might look out over a body ofwater or a valley, yet have an entryway that is on the other side of thehouse (Fretwell, 2 ; Sang, 1999). In addition, there are "Nine Floating Stars", representing the planets,which are used in conjunction with the nine assigned numbers. Charlottesville, VA: Birthwrite Publishing. (1995). MontereyPark, CA: The American Feng Shui Institute. Create healthyinteriors the Chinese way. Theseelements are not only represented by themselves in the practice of FengShui, but are also represented in the colors and functions of householdobjects. The Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture in London, andthe Metropolitan Institute of Interior Design in Plainview, New York, aretwo such schools. Two definitiveschools in the art of geomancy are the American Feng Shui Institute, inMonterey, California and the American School of Geomancy, based out ofSebastopol, California. March, Vol. Yinis usually represented by the color black and is seen as the passive,female energy. He isremembered for introducing this long-held secret to the poor, as well asfor his accomplishments (Lennon & Plunkett-Powell, 1997; Sang, 1999). Depending onthe individual and the environment, certain number combinations, likeelements, are productive, while others are destructive (Sang, 1999).Again, as this is a very complex system, further information may be gleanedfrom sources at the back of the brochure, including a very thoroughexplanation in Master Larry Sang's The Principle's of Feng Shui.The Environment In this case, environment is concerned with the shape of thebuilding, as well as the shape of the landscape. The Guardian. He was convinced thatlandscape formations influenced the residents of a community. What is Feng Shui In today's society, people are increasingly aware of the effects thattheir environment has on them. Purvis, A. Feng Shui: Back to Basics. In combining man and the universe (otherwise known as theTao) with the universal life energy (also known as chi), Feng Shui helpsposition people in such a way as to put them in alignment with good energyflow. These two elements are notcompatible and need to be separated. Home Design from theInside Out: Feng Shui, Color Therapy, and Self-Awareness. Wong, E. If their advicecauses more stress than is already present in the building, then they havenot done their job. Nobles and emperors considered the correct Feng Shuielements in laying out both the Yin house of the deceased and the Yanghouse of the living, because a desirable burial spot could greatlyinfluence the prosperity of one's descendents. This is a productive cycle. Then, changing his name to "Save the Poor", heused his knowledge to help better the lives of the commoner. Other studies have pointedto the need to have a balance of organic shapes, natural lighting, mirrors,good artwork that uses color and composition in a calm and non-stimulatingmanner, and nature. (1997). H. As mentioned earlier, buildings are also assigned atrigram, which is based on the direction that they are "facing" and thedirection that they "sitting" (Sang, 1999). 14(2). Even hanging a canopy of cloth from theceiling would cover the beams enough so that the inhabitants would not bebothered subconsciously by the exposed beams (Fretwell, 2 ; Sang, 1999).Another example is in the situation, as mentioned earlier, where the stoveis next to the sink or the refrigerator. Although most practitioners whoknow the Xuan Kong System know and use it in conjunction with the East/WestSystem, many practitioners who primarily use the East/West System do notnecessarily know the Xuan Kong System. Available online at http://www.geomancy.net. Each trigram, orsymbol, is assigned to an individual or building in a variety ofcombinations according to solar readings and building direction, amongother things. In all these studies, patients exposed to natural,harmonious, and balanced environments healed faster, used less medication,and reported a better overall experience than those patients exposed to themore traditional hospital environment (Pence, 2 1; Purvis, 2 1). Rutland, Vermont: Charles E.Tuttle Co., Inc. Mostpractitioners, however, agree that Feng Shui originated in China at leasttwo thousand years ago and some even claim the practice commenced as earlyas six thousand years ago (Lennon & Plunkett-Powell, 1997; Sang, 1999). Burial sites are referred to as Yin houses. Choosing a Professionally Trained Feng Shui Practitioner Although Feng Shui is a relatively new practice in the West, thereare many good accredited programs where verified practitioners are trainedand referrals made for professional Feng Shui experts. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.