-History-

• Feng Shui which literally means "wind and water"
• It is based on Chinese myth and history, and is considered the spiritual art of placement. It started over 5000 years ago when the Chinese realized the elements of life, and the way their energies interact.
• From these relationships, skilled artisians labored to create working harmonies inside and outside of the home. Compass School and Form School respectively.

-What's Involved-

• The most important factor in Feng Shui is the Ch'i. Ch'i is the universal life force and is made up of Yin and Yang, the two opposites of the universe. These combine in a balanced way to provide positive Ch'i. If they are unbalanced, then the Ch'i is negative, and can drain you of your energy, motivation, and finances. This is used more in Compass School.
• The second part of Feng Shui is the Chinese elements: earth, fire, wood, water, and wind. These elements need to be in harmony in nature also. Different shapes and colors represent the different elements, and if they are out of proportion, this will create bad Ch'i. This is used in Form School. The following table describes them in detail.

Earth	The earth element is associated with late summer. Earth makes us feel compassionate and keeps our emotions healthy. A square shape denotes earth and expresses a supportive and secure nature.
Metal	This is the element of autumn, the season where we harvest our crops. It allows us to keep what we need and get rid of what we don't. Metal often resembles a round shape concentrating energy inward.
Water	Water is the winter season. It allows us to rest and relax in preparation for later activity. Long curving and horizontal shapes offer the expression of an ever-changing world and its energy.
Wood	Wood is associated with spring. New life and creativity will flourish. It aslo helps us to think and plan sharper. Rectangular shapes express growth and power associated with wood energy.
Fire	Summer is the season of fire. It is associated with our well-being and our self-esteem. Fire takes on a traingle shape imitating the direction of flames and their inspiring upward rush of energy.

• All of Feng Shui depends on the placement of objects to obtain the most positive Ch'i as possible. Positive Ch'i comes from balance, and the diffusion of negative Ch'i. Sources of negative include roadways and their traffic, taller buildings nearby, and either deep valleys, or very high hills. The best way to get familiar with Feng Shui is to learn from example.

-Examples-

For one example, this diagram shows how Ch'i flows through your normal house. Having a window or a door directly opposite the front door will allow Ch'i to past straight through draining your finances, and creating quarrels withing the family. Walls that make the Ch'i weave throughout the house is more favorable. It diffuses bad energy, but allows good energy to stay in the house longer, making the family prosperous.

In this example, negative Ch'i eminating from the road is always slow to change direction, and this sharp turn in the road, just like a 'T' intersection or a bridge, the bad energy continues to flow right into the blue house in the way. However, the yellow house has the energy flowing right around it, nuturing it and protecting it. This is very good, and will create the positive Ch'i desired.