Warning: Feng Shui 101 -- Learn About Valuable Solutions Now

Ancient Oriental way of life is an inspiration to a lot of people and plain superstition to others. Both East and West practice Feng Shui with a lot of interest these days. The guidelines influence each part of life for individuals who believe in it. In the last years, the New Age society has been influenced by elements such as wind chimes and crystals.

The core of the philosophy is the energy flow or lack of it. The flow is dictated by how objects are placed in relation to each others and has a negative or positive impact on the environment. The quality of the energy affects relationships, finance and health. Many people arrange the contents of their homes, following the rules and recommendations of FengShui. (Some call it Fen Shui or FenShui but its an error)

Different places in the residence have different needs and they have to be treated in a different way. The bedroom should have just one door and the bed should not be placed in between the door and the window as this could result in troubled sleep. The bed should be made of wood and inhabitants should sleep at least 45cm above the floor and be facing the door. Pictures of wild animals or water as well as mirrors should be avoided. Thick curtains should drape the window and the walls should be painted in green,red or blue shades.

In the kitchen, the cooker and sink should not be adjacent as the proximity of water and fire can lead to conflict. Cookers should be located in the south corner, the room must have a wide entrance and microwaves are not suggested. Feng Shui is also applied to dining rooms and living rooms. There should be at least one wall without a window and the walls should be painted in bright colors. Elements that bring luck include mirrors to reflect food on the table, the hanging of family pictures and television sets or hi-fi systems that stand at the west wall.

Even the smallest room in the house, containing the toilet, has guidelines. To keep out negative energy, the toilet lid and door should be kept shut. The room should always be clean and it's bad luck to have plants or pictures. A dark stairway can bring negative energy, so keep the stairs brightly lit. Good luck will fall through open stairs and a spiral staircase will bring confusion. Entrance halls should also be brightly lit but be painted in soft colors. They should be warm and can be decorated with water features or plants. It's amusing to experiment with Feng Shui and observe its affects, if any.