Have you ever sensed that a place has “good vibes”? Perhaps you’ve been in a room that seems bright and welcoming. You can’t quite put your finger on why, but you feel good when you’re there. Feng shui is the art of arranging interior spaces to promote positive qi. But what is feng shui and qi, and why does it matter? This short guide can help you understand how qi works in feng shui practice.
Origins in Taoist Belief
Qi is energy, but it’s a special type of energy. The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine says that it’s “the fundamental building block for all existence.” It’s an important concept in the Tao, a belief system that informed much of Chinese culture before the twentieth century.
The Ancient History Encyclopedia sums up its core principles: doing what is natural and going with the flow. But it’s not about doing whatever we want. Taoism involves several vital concepts. These include humility, nonviolence, and wisdom. Another important idea in the Tao is yin and yang: opposites must coexist in the universe.
Qi flows through everything and everyone. You can think of it as the “breath” or vital force that’s part of all existence. Qi flows through you, but it’s also in the air, the stars, and your cat. It’s in the food you eat and the water you drink.
Elemental Aspects of Qi
Feng shui’s goal is to promote qi’s natural flow throughout your home. Writing for The Spruce, Rodika Tchi explains that feng shui and qi expresses itself in several forms: colors, shapes, and elements. It’s also present in yin-yang opposites – light and dark, wet and dry, and so forth. The Tao recognizes five elemental phases – fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each elemental phase has unique sets of colors and shapes that represent it.
Taoism mentions the bagua, a group of eight three-line symbols representing aspects of our universe. Shaped like an octagon, the bagua serves as an energy map in feng shui. Each area in the map corresponds to one of the five elements. When you place that map over a floor plan, it shows you what types of energy exist in those eight spaces.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
External characteristics, events, and people can influence qi. Feng shui recognizes three types of this vital energy:
- Sheng qi: healthy, uplifting, and beneficial
- Sha qi: attacking, angular, and sharp
- Si chi: low, repressing, and stuck
In another piece for The Spruce, Rodika Tchi mentions that sha qi comes from sharp angles, corners, or pointed shapes and objects. An example of this can be a large bare tree branch pointing at your bed. Si qi tends to stick and collect in places, but it can also come from trauma. If domestic violence occurred within a home, for instance, that place may hold a lot of si qi.
Guiding the Flow of Qi
So now that you know what qi is, how do you get it to flow? Feng shui does this by using specific elements, colors, and shapes. Feng shui expert Anjie Cho describes how this works. For example, the middle left area of the bagua represents family or new beginnings. If your home office is in this region, you’d want to place objects here that attract that sort of energy. Green, wood, and tall shapes are ideal for this – think green plants or wooden objects. Freedom of movement is also key to the flow of sheng qi. Clutter gets in the way of that movement, which can result in more si qi. By clearing clutter, you offer more room for good qi to flow.
Drawing from Taoist ideas, modern feng shui focuses on harmony with nature. Accomplishing this involves attracting and guiding the flow of qi. Through intentional design, feng shui can help bring “good vibes” into your spaces.