Does Feng Shui Work

Last Updated on August 1, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice believed to harmonize environments for improved well-being and success. Though not scientifically proven, many find it beneficial for creating positive energy, promoting balance, and enhancing life aspects.

Does Feng Shui Work?

Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese philosophy, takes into account the spatial arrangement and surroundings of particular environments to bring harmony and beneficial energy. Many individuals across the globe incorporate Feng Shui into their daily lives, witnessing diverse benefits. But does Feng Shui indeed work? Let’s explore this further.

1. Improved Energy Flow

Feng Shui believers assert that strategic placement of objects, furniture, etc., can balance the energy flow (Chi) in a space. This will increase positivity, reducing negativity and stress. While science hasn’t proved this strictly, many individuals have attested to experiencing a surge in positive emotions and stress reduction.

2. Enhanced Interaction and Relationship

Feng Shui’s principles advocate for clutter-free, open spaces that promote interaction and facilitate communication among family members or coworkers. This might not guarantee perfect relationships, but a conducive environment can certainly improve interpersonal interactions.

3. Better Sleep Quality

Feng Shui principles for bedroom arrangement – like positioning the bed away from the door and avoiding electronics- can provide a serene environment conducive to sleep. While insomnia may have multiple reasons, a peaceful, balanced environment has been known to improve sleep quality.

4. Increased Productivity and Creativity

A well-organized, clutter-free workspace or home supposedly allows free energy flow promoting creativity and productivity. While there’s no scientific evidence linking Feng Shui to enhanced productivity, it’s generally accepted that a tidy environment can boost one’s thinking and working capacity.

5. Health and Well-being

Although there’s no solid science to link Feng Shui directly to improved health, believers argue that a harmonious environment can contribute to the overall well-being of an individual. This includes mental health, where a balanced environment helps reduce anxiety and stress levels.

6. Feng Shui and Business Success

Many business people claim that Feng Shui has brought them prosperity and success. The principles can make businesses more inviting and comfortable to customers, which in turn, might increase patronage. However, it cannot replace good business practices.

What Is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui is a set of ideologies that align your living space with who you are and what you want. Several feng shui consultants offer services to those requiring them. These principles help you to get the most out of your living space by harmonizing the energy flow, and it divides the world into five elements:

• Fire: boldness, and leadership
• Wood: growth and creativity
• Earth: strength and stability
• Water: inspiration and emotion
• Metal: focus and order

If you balance the above five elements correctly in your home, you can get their corresponding traits to succeed in your home.

How to Practice Feng Shui in Real Life

1. Create a Balanced Environment at Home:

The first step in practicing Feng Shui in real life involves creating a balanced environment at home. It involves the careful selection of colors, materials, and positionings of various elements to create a sense of harmony and balance. For example, one might consider placing wooden elements in the east section of their home, which in Feng Shui, is believed to represent growth and vitality.

2. Use of Mirrors for Positive Energy Flow:

In the Feng Shui practice, mirrors have a significant role. By mindfully placing mirrors in the living room or dining area, it’s believed that positive energy or ‘Chi’ can be reflected and dispersed throughout the home. However, it’s important to avoid placing a mirror directly in front of the main door, as it may reflect the positive energy back outside.

3. Placement of Furniture:

The right positioning of furniture can impact the energy flow in a home. In Feng Shui, it is recommended that beds and desks should be positioned facing the door, but not directly in line with it. This allows individuals to benefit from positive energy entering the room without it being disruptive.

	Furniture	Placement	Effect
1	Beds	Not directly facing the door	Enhance Positive Energy
2	Desks	Facing the door but not in line	Avoid Energy Disruption

4. Houseplants for Fresh Energy:

Houseplants are an easy way to promote fresh energy or ‘Yang’. They are a symbol of life and growth. However, placement and species of the plant matter. For instance, according to Feng Shui, good choices for houseplants include bamboo, which symbolizes luck and peace.

5. Declutter Regularly:

Clutter disrupts the free flow of ‘Chi’. Therefore, regular cleaning and decluttering are necessary to practice Feng Shui in real life. It not only promotes positive energy but also brings mental clarity.

6. Use of Feng Shui Crystals:

Crystals in Feng Shui are primarily used to bring protective and purifying energy. Clear Quartz or Amethyst, for example, are often used for clearing the house of any negative energy.

7. Water Elements for Wealth Amplification:

Water is an element believed to attract wealth and prosperity in Feng Shui due to its flow. Placing a water feature like a fountain in the north area of your home or workplace can help amplify wealth.

Why Feng Shui May Not Be Working For You 

It is believed that Feng Shui has several benefits that include; attracting love, improving financial luck, and better health. Anyone who will Feng Shui their home has some intended goals to achieve. Sometimes you may have hired an expert to help with Feng Shui, or you read some articles and practiced some DIY and not see the benefits.

Before you can dismiss the principle as a myth or superstition, you need to look at the following reasons;

Failure To Implement The Suggested Changes

One of the main reasons why Feng Shui does not seem to work is failing to implement the suggested changes at home. You may have spent money consulting an expert but still fail to adhere to the advice given. Only one family member may believe in Feng Shui, and the other members are resisting the changes. 

If this sounds like you, you may try to convince them to agree to the changes without bringing in the topic of Feng Shui. You can suggest the new setup and see to it that it happens and promise to go back to the old arrangement if they don’t like it. Since people are naturally afraid of change, prepare to negotiate with them to agree to come out of their comfort zone. 

Implementing Only A Few Feng Shui Tips

If you do not seek Feng Shui consultants’ expert advice, you will most likely not implement all the recommended changes. For the best outcome, you need to approach Feng Shui holistically and not in bits. You do not have to assume that partial adjustment can work for you, as this will be a misconception. 

Neglecting Details From Other Feng Shui Rules

It is advisable not to implement Feng Shui cures and tips without understanding the concept entirely. For example, you may have read somewhere that your bed needs to be placed in a specific position, and you go ahead and do it. You may do this and disregard other rules like putting the bed head under a window or whether the door of your bedroom should face the bed.

Sometimes adhering to one rule of bed placement may conflict with other regulations. A lack of Feng Shui training and expertise could lead you to miss some details and make you miss some desired outcomes. 

Failure To Apply The Correct Feng Shui Cures

Nowadays, Feng Shui has been commercialized, and you will find people selling different Feng Shui items with huge promises. The following false promises apply;

• A crystal or a Bagua mirror could solve all your Feng Shui issues
• Placing a wind chime can strengthen the Qi of a place. This ideology is not true since its success depends on a specific area in your home
• If you place a three-legged toad in the lobby’s entry, you will get money. This concept is misleading

Contrary to some people’s ideas, Feng Shui is not a one-solution-fits-all approach, and neither is it magic. A three-legged toad, for instance, is a symbol of wealth and not a source of the same. You can only use a mirror outdoors but only with professional consultation. Wind chimes can only be placed in specific areas, and some consultants discourage people from using them since they could bring bad luck.

Feng Shui boosts, reading, and cures need to consider one’s building’s location, construction date, compass direction, and birth chart. If you apply Feng Shui Cures at random, you will not achieve the desired effect. 

Misinterpreting Feng Shui Benefits

While the Feng Shui setup is meant for prosperity, many take it as a source of wealth and money. Although you can include wealth in prosperity, it does not result in more cash in your pocket, so your Feng Shui wealth setup will not increase the money in your account. 

Feng Shui may also be misinterpreted in the topic of love. The setup for improving romance and attracting love is different in that attraction of love is for singles looking for soulmates while improving romance is for individuals who are in a relationship or marriage. You cannot use the setup for love attraction, for example, when you are in a marriage or an existing relationship. Doing this may be counterproductive as it will attract a third party into your relationship. 

Failing To Address The Annual Afflictions

Feng Shui also has a factor of time, for instance, its annual afflictions, which rotate and go in cycles. This information helps in preparation for what will happen. Ignoring this aspect may result in health consequences. 

Neglecting Macro Feng Shui

Feng Shui factors both what is going on inside and outside your house. For example, having a perfect place that matches your family members and where your bedroom, kitchen and front door may be in good locations. But, if your home is surrounded by Feng Shui hazards like trash processing facilities, you may not benefit from living there. 

The neighborhood Feng Shui and external environment dramatically impact your well-being. For example, in West Vancouver, the macro Feng Shui with surrounding mountains and water has made the area among the wealthiest neighborhoods in North America. 

Other environments such as the elevation of the road around your house, its shape, and nearby buildings also impact the outcome of Feng Shui.

Tips For Practicing Feng Shui In Real Life

Every individual has a different living space, and there cannot be a one-size-fits-all method for Feng Shui. It is advisable to hire a consultant or take a class to revamp a crowded apartment. But, if you want to experiment, you can follow these tips;

Declutter Your Space

The first thing you need to do, regardless of your issue, is to kill the clutter in your space, especially the bedroom. Clutter affects your mind and neurons in your brain, thus creating stress. 

Act Like There Are Other People Around

If you are looking for love, you need to act as if there is someone else living there. Prepare the space for the next person; for example, have two towels instead of one. Act like your partner is already there even if they haven’t arrived physically. 

If you want to move past a failed relationship, you need to cut the cord of the last one. You will have to get rid of any stuff from a previous relationship that may be scattered in your home. Such items create a cord (referred to as an energy cord) for the person. When a relationship is over, discard anything that is not benefiting you at your pace. 

Add Plants To Inspire Productivity And Money

Plants (wood elements) help to enhance productivity and boost your flow of money. You can add one or two plants near your home office, work area, or desk. Doing this is believed to connect to expansion, growth, networking, opportunities, and growing wealth. You can also display your business card on the desk. 

Experts advise that you can also get a desk-sized lucky frog or cat figure.

Is Feng Shui Scientifically Proven?

Feng Shui is classified as pseudoscience and not a science since it displays several pseudoscientific features. For example, the claims about the functioning of the world cannot be tested using scientific techniques. 

How Long Does Feng Shui Take To Work?

Some consultants claim that it will take about three months for Feng Shui to show results. But, depending on the nature of your issues, you can perform specific tasks to have noticeable effects immediately. There are various possibilities relating to each person’s health, well-being, wealth, career goals, relationships, and love life. 

Feng Shui concepts related to specific problems have different levels of success and timelines before you can start seeing improvement in your life. If for, example, the issue you are trying to eliminate from your life has been persistent, it may take longer to resolve. If, on the other hand, the challenge is temporary, it can be eradicated faster. 

Since Feng Shui relates to a person’s earth luck, your effort in overcoming the challenges will also affect the duration it will take. According to Chinese culture, there is also heaven and man luck. While you can do little to control your heaven luck, there are some things you can do to change your earth and man luck. You can make some adjustments in your home to quicken results if the problems are temporary. You will, however, require enough knowledge to make appropriate changes in your home to get immediate results. 

Conclusion

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that tries to help individuals harmonize their lives and living spaces. According to environmental psychologists, these principles are not scientifically proven, and there is no evidence to show that they work.

References:

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/does-feng-shui-really-work-i-tried-it-to-find-out-240682
https://www.healthline.com/health/skeptics-guide-to-feng-shui