Feng shui is an eastern philosophy which states that every object has energy. It is not just living creatures that have this energy, but also thing that we think of as inanimate. Properly placed feng shui elements help to balance the energy.
This theory makes perfect sense as everything in life consists of atoms which are all continually moving. It may be difficult to believe this as they cannot be seen by the naked eye. All this movement means that they are all giving out energy.
Feng shui uses the energy produced by elements that are placed in a home to create balance and order. All the elements have to be put into certain places to create positive energy. The positive energy is created by chi being able to move freely around a space. Chi is the life force so it is very important that it can move around without encountering any obstructions.
There are several different components of chi. These are yin and yang, which are opposing forces which have to be balanced, and also the five elements. The five different elements are fire, earth, wood, water and metal. Some of these elements do not get on well with each other, and so need to be placed where they will not interfere with each other.
The properties of each element are different. If someone has a water fountain in their home then it can symbolize prosperity and wealth, but if they have a leaky toilet then it can mean that they are losing money. Wood is said to help creativity, so it can be used around a home or work place to promote these thoughts and actions.
Metal is said to attract energy, so someone could try placing metal objects in an area where they wanted to feel more energy. This is why some people chose to wear a copper bracelet. It can be destructive if too much metal is used in an area as it could create too much energy.
The element of fire promotes passion as well as energy. The earth as you might expect is solid and trustworthy. A room should not be dominated by just one element as they all need to work together. Feng shui elements are meant to balance each other. A room or space where all the elements are correctly balanced will feel like a nice place to be in as it will feel harmonious.