Form Methods in Feng Shui

FENG SHUI FUNDAMENTALS with T. Raphael Simons

Feng Shui has three interconnected approaches: Chinese astrological and compass methods, form methods, and secret methods. The rules for form methods are simple, even though many popular books on Feng Shui have made them seem very complicated. The name Feng Shui can be understood several ways. One of these ways epitomizes the form method, as Feng stands for natural flow, and Shui means wealth or well-being. Simply put, when your environment lets you move about with ease and welcomes in fresh, positive energy, your health and fortunes flourish.

The following are some basic rules from which all form methods are derived. It says in the I Ching that simplicity is the highest form of elegance. This is our most important key. The single rule for all placements is to keep the flow simple, smooth and balanced. Smooth lines allow for ease of movement. Balanced, uncluttered order is conducive to peace.

Appoint your rooms and areas and arrange your furniture to allow for unobstructed movement around and through your entire home. To arrange your home so that the chi flows smoothly throughout, first view the entire space from the perspective of its various angles. See and sense how every area in your home relates visually and kinesthetically to every other area. Walk through its different rooms, and then choose your favorite spots for favorite pieces of furniture. Aim for harmonious sequences of colors, furniture and art placements. Be mindful of the overall lines and patterns you are creating. Working with form method requires the eye of an artist.

Furniture can be arranged in the round or in a square or rectangular fashion. In large areas, such as large living rooms, round placements are very effective. Round is more relaxed than square.

Rest on the mountain and travel on the river. As a general rule, this means sit with your back to the wall and sleep with your head to the wall-not to the doorway or window. There is one exception to this rule: a couch placed with its back to a window works when there is another couch and / or chairs placed around it with their backs to the walls. Do not sleep with your feet pointing out the door. Never block passageways or windows with furniture. Sitting in front of a doorway, either facing toward it or away from it, obstructs the flow. Except for bedrooms and dining rooms, try to keep the centers of rooms open. The open center is a metaphor for the Tao, the wellspring of chi, or vital force. Rooms in which vitality is generated encourage prosperity.

Pay attention to yang and yin spaces, which every home has. The entry, living room, dining room, and kitchen are yang. The bedrooms and baths are yin. A home office, or study, is balanced yin and yang. When using colors, keep yin and yang functions in mind. Yang colors are more intense; yin colors are more subdued.

The first thing you see when looking into your home affects its first impression. It should be welcoming. The best entry is to a well-lit foyer, living room, front room, or home office. Less desirable entries are to a dining room or kitchen, if small. An entrance to a large, comfortable country kitchen is good. It is undesirable for an entrance to look into a bedroom, and worst to look into a bathroom. Screen off such a bedroom, if possible, and place a full-length mirror on the outside of such a bathroom door.

Many rules obstruct the flow of the mind. Many cures make a lot of craziness. The way is fundamentally simple.

Articles by T. Raphael Simons:

Harmony of House & Doorway

Indoor Shars

Secret Arrows

Underground Shars

Positioning Yourself for POWER

The Balance of Your Relationship: Who Goes on Which Side of the Bed?

Spiritual House Cleansing

The Year of the Firedog

The Number 10 in Feng Shui

Peace in Your Home

Finding a New Home

Money Point

2005 in Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui

Feng Shui and Healing

Equilibrium

Mirrors in Feng Shui

Form Methods in Feng Shui

Feng Shui and Recreating Oneself

Interview with a Feng Shui Expert