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Feng Shui Water And The Cycle Of Life
The spiritual connection to the physical
world is about harnessing the positive energy that surrounds us
through the ancient Chinese art of placement, arrangement and
connectivity known as Feng shui (pronounced “fung schway”). Feng
shui literally means “wind and water” in Chinese. The connective
flux or the constant state of change between all five elements—fire,
earth, water, wood, and metal—urges us to be in balance and in
harmony with nature. There is no greater pathway of least resistance
to this invisible energy that is constantly circulating, or ch’i
(pronounced chee) than through flowing water. To begin by
incorporating water into your environment in a harmonious way, it
can bring balance into your life.
The placement of water and other elemental materials attracts ch’i.
While ch’i does tend to gather in certain places, the proper
circulation of ch’i may become obstructed or unbalanced in the
places where we live, or the areas of a home or office. Then we may
experience the adverse effects in many ways. For instance,
relationships with other people may be unfulfilling, health may
become impaired, or our finances may suffer. There are many
different ways to improve ch’i, and one of the best and easiest ways
to introduce the principles of Feng shui into your life is with the
addition of water.
Generally speaking, water features are used to stimulate or create
wealth or prosperity. Beyond the financial representation itself,
richness in the value of life itself is also considered prosperous.
Water is represented by several elements in the home such as the
colors of black (in the West, black symbolizes seriousness,
formality, and wisdom; is also used to increase mental activity and
communication) and dark blue (reminds us of nature and conveys a
sense of serenity; symbolizes seriousness and dignity). Also
representative of water are glass materials, wavy and irregular
shapes (symbolizes flexibility, interaction, and adaptability), as
well as some household objects: sinks, tubs, toilets, faucets,
aquariums, pools, glass items, and plumbing. These colors,
materials, and shapes all can be linked with one element or another.
It’s important to stress that one element should not dominate over
the others. For example, too much fire in a room can cause tension
and instability.
In order to understand how water may create prosperity, it’s
important to understand the cycles of how the five elements interact
to bring balance and harmony. The first cycle is the productive
cycle, which is the nurturing cycle where one element produces the
next one. The help of this cycle is taken to enhance the positive
areas of your home. For instance, fire burns and produces ash
(earth) then earth produces metal in its bowels. Metal when heated
flows like water and water nourishes wood then wood is the fuel for
fire. In the next cycle, the controlling cycle, one element controls
the next element. For instance, fire melts metal and metal (axe)
cuts wood. Wood then controls earth with its roots and earth
restricts the flow of water then water extinguishes fire. Finally,
in the weakening cycle, it is exactly the reverse of the productive
cycle. If an element produces another element, the former gets
weakened in the process. For instance, fire burns wood and wood
soaks up all the water. Then water takes strength from metal and
metal is extracted from the earth in which earth (ash) is produced
from fire.
Since water is both the literal and symbolic source of life, it
improves the ch’i more than most other elements. Slow moving water
allows ch’i to accumulate, or even be formed. This is where water
fountains become essential to balance life’s energies. Depending on
the placement of water fountains, they can enhance different aspects
of your life and improve mental health.
Water fountains bring the soothing sounds of water into your life
and are a good way to bring positive energy into the home. For
indoors, place a wall fountain in your office or work area. The
soothing effect of running water helps reduce tension, while
providing symbolic nourishment to increase your income. The stones
in the fountain help stabilize your finances so you don’t spend more
as you earn more. For outdoors, garden fountains can be used. Like
wall fountains, garden fountains are available in materials that are
also appropriate for Feng shui such as glass—(again, symbolizes
water), stone, ceramic, wood, and metal. These Feng shui material
elements go hand-in-hand with the balance you wish to create in your
home.
Birdbaths are also a great addition to your front- or back-yard.
Feng shui connects water, which nurtures all life, with money. Birds
are also considered lucky, so this cure combines both symbols to
increase prosperity.
Here are some additional Feng shui tips to include more water and
the cycle of life into your home or office:
* Position a mirror to reflect a body of water. This cure is for
people who live near a body of water—a lake, the ocean, a river, or
a stream. Water, which nourishes all life, can also symbolically
nourish your finances and help increase your income. Hang a mirror
so that it reflects the view of water and “draws” its
wealth-producing energy to you.
* Install an aquarium in your living room. Aquariums grace many
Chinese restaurants and are considered good luck. Because fish are
living creatures, they are apt symbols of life, health, and growth,
and water nourishes all living things. An aquarium also makes a
colorful, calming addition to your interior environment.
* Replace a washer in a leaky kitchen faucet. A dripping faucet in
the kitchen, where wealth is generated, can cause money to slowly
leak away.
* Close toilet lids. Ch’i flows away from your home via drains,
especially the toilet. Closing the toilet lid keeps money from
“going down the drain.”
* Close the bathroom door and the shower curtain. By keeping these
closed, you prevent ch’i—and prosperity–from slipping away down the
drain.
* Hang a glass wind chime in the window of your office or work
space. Glass facilitates mental activity and communication, so this
is good for people who work in communication fields, computers, or
sales.
Feng shui reminds us that we’re living with rather than against
nature and it benefits both human beings and our environment. Our
lives are affected by our physical and emotional environments.
Instead of surrounding ourselves with destruction and obstruction,
we surround ourselves with openness, cleanliness, and the
understanding of life’s essential elements; we are harmonizing
ourselves and balancing our lives.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
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