Feng Shui, which means ‘wind and water’ in Chinese is also known as the Ancient Art of Placement. It started in China over 3,000 years ago and was first used in palaces. Towards the end of the 20th century it became popular in the United States and in other western countries.Feng Shui is now a well-known subject. It is based on the knowledge that everything has an invisible energy and an effect on us, whether it be the position of furniture, the color on a wall or the shape and texture of objects.

Q. What does a Feng Shui consultant do?
A. Feng Shui consultants arrange a space with a special emphasis on energy.

Q. What is energy?
A. Everything on the planet is energy and having balanced energy in living spaces can benefit the lives of the occupants.

Q. Can a Feng Shui consultant be a color guide?
A. Yes, Feng Shui colors include red, white, green, purple, blue, yellow, brown and pink.

Q. What color should a hall be?
A. The hall is much less important in terms of color than the lounge and bedroom which are the major living spaces in a home.

Q. Can colors create a feeling of harmony?
A. Yes. For example, blue can calm down a nervous person and help him/her to “go with the flow.” Red, for instance, is the opposite, and makes people excitable.

Q. In terms of health, does it matter if there are too many electrical appliances in a room?
A. Yes, these send out electro-magnetic energy which is not healthy. For example, a computer should ideally be used for the minimum amount of time, not left on all day and night.

Q. Where should mirrors be placed?
A. As a Feng Shui cure they are placed in what we call a ‘missing space’ in a room to bring energy to that area.

Q. Is it o.k. to have a mirror in my bedroom?
A. If you do not have trouble sleeping when a mirror is in your bedroom then it is o.k. as this can cause sleeplessness.

Q. I heard that clutter is not good Feng Shui. So where should I put all my stuff?
A. Try and get rid of things that you don’t need or love. Put the rest in pieces of furniture and boxes etc that cleverly store your belongings and don’t give you the feeling of chaos, overcrowding or general havoc!

Q. How do I emphasize affluence and prosperity?
A. In the lounge and bedrooms there is a corner which is connected to the issue of abundance. A Feng Shui consultant can finely tune it so that you are not blocking off this side of your life. This means that a consultant will remove any obstacles that could interfere with the energy of abundance flowing there.

Q. What about health?
A. The simplest thing you can do for your health is to keep the center of your living spaces empty, since all of the energies meet in the center of the room.

Q. Is there something I can do on a weekly basis to keep the right kind of energy in my home?
A. After you or someone else has cleaned it, you can burn some incense to augment the new energy.

Q. Is it good Feng Shui to put shoes under the bed?
A. This area is best kept entirely free of storage so that energy can flow freely under and over it.

Q. Why is a cactus bad feng shui?
A. If you are in direct and close proximity to things that are spiky or pointed it can cause subliminal discomfort.

Q. Is Feng Shui all about chimes and bells?
A. No. I have never left a place looking like a Chinese restaurant and there are many different objects that one can use to get the effect one is looking for. °