Home truly is where the heart is. That’s why it’s so important that your home is nurturing, supportive, safe, and makes you feel like you’re getting a big hug when you walk through the door. No matter what’s going on in the outside world, once you step inside, you should be completely relaxed and able to connect to body, mind and spirit. When you implement changes in your home, you will notice that your life is also transformed – instantly, dramatically and permanently. This is Feng Shui.

Feng Shui is an ancient art and science dating back 4000 years to Chinese philosophy and culture. The many different schools of Feng Shui practiced around the world today have adapted to the geographical locations and times of our modern world. One school of practice called “Classical” has the same roots as acupuncture. Whereas needles are used to improve the energy patterns of the body, Classical Feng Shui uses both decorative and non-seen items made of the five elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal (and their representative colors) to remedy any negative influences caused by the invisible energies in our environments. Bringing the elements into our spaces also helps us reconnect with nature by balancing the natural order of things.

‘Feng’ literally means wind and ‘Shui’ (pronounced shway) means water. Water and wind carry Chi (the energy of life) and 60% of our bodies are comprised of water and air. The three principles of chi are: (1) everything is alive; (2) everything is connected or related; and (3) everything is always changing (weather, seasons, bodies, emotions, etc.).

How a space feels will deeply affect people’s responses on both conscious and subconscious levels. While some places seem to feel naturally inviting, warm and inspiring, others do not feel right and people usually do not thrive there, or worse, they want to leave quickly. Bringing Feng Shui into the internal and external design of a building can have immediate, noticeable, and positive effects upon the way that people react and function there. One could say that Feng Shui is a practical technique for manipulating energy (chi) to improve wealth and prosperity, relationships, career, family, children, creativity, education, community respect, and health among other things.

Feng Shui practices can also include a deeper understanding in using crystals, essential oils and even astrology. For example, the New Solar Year begins February 4, 2014 and with it, the transition from the Water Snake to the Green Wood Horse. The Wood Horse represents growth, fast victories, unexpected adventure, and surprising romance. It is an excellent year for travel, and the further away (and off the beaten path) the better. Energy is high and production is rewarded. Decisive action, not procrastination, brings victory. But you have to act fast in a Horse year. If you are not 100% secure about a decision, then don’t do it. Events move so fast in the year of the Horse that you don’t want to gallop off in the wrong direction!

In Chinese astrology, Horse year is considered a fortunate year that brings luck and good things. Understanding the chi of your work and living spaces can maximize the balance and prosperity being universally offered.

Susan Fefferman is an internationally educated and certified Classical Feng Shui Consultant. She is an instructor with the International Feng Shui School which will be offering certification courses in Palm Springs March 2-7, 2014. For more information contact Susan at (619) 361.1846 or [email protected].

Reference: http://www.crystalwind.ca/astrology/chinese-zodiac/6769-the-year-of-the-wood-horse-2014.html