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Feng Shui is an ancient art of finding balance and harmony in the home or in design

Perhaps people aren’t meant to be living in a concrete jungle. Doing that for a long time might lead people to finding retreats –not in nature– but in other unhealthy methods. Maybe we need to take a closer look at natural elements that we don’t often see in big cities and rethink what cities should look like.

Feng Shui, is an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on harmonizing individuals with their surrounding environment. It translates to "wind" (feng) and "water" (shui) and is deeply rooted in the belief that the energy, or "qi," flows through spaces and affects the well-being of the people living or working there.

Feng Shui relies on the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), which are believed to represent all aspects of nature. And many have heard about those elements often, but what do they mean?

Metals are strong, but they are often masked and overwhelmed by something seemingly more abundant: earth. Earth can overwhelm metal by covering or encasing it. Over time, soil can accumulate and cover metal objects, or mining can expose metal from the Earth, diminishing the visibility or prominence of Metal.

An old goldmine

Earth denotes stability, nourishment, and grounding, but it can be overwhelmed by a sly element: water. Water embodies flow, flexibility, and abundance. It can erode or penetrate (percolate) the Earth, symbolizing how the flow of water can shape and change the landscape. In Feng Shui, this means that Water can weaken or erode the stability and groundedness of Earth.

Water embodies flow, flexibility, and abundance. It can erode or penetrate (percolate) the Earth, symbolizing how the flow of water can shape and change the landscape.

Fire represents energy, passion, and transformation. It can penetrate water by evaporating it, symbolizing how intense heat or energy can change the state of water. This indicates that Fire can diminish the qualities of Water, such as its flow and flexibility. For instance, intense heat can cause water to evaporate, reducing its presence and influence.

Fire represents energy, passion, and transformation. It can penetrate water by evaporating it, symbolizing how intense heat or energy can change the state of water.

Water can also control fire, though wood can feed it. Water erodes metal.

In the philosophy of the Five Elements, it is not the supremacy of one over the others that is celebrated, but rather the delicate balance and pleasant chemistry between them. Each element, in its quiet dignity, holds a distinct relationship with the others, engaging in a dance of creation and control. This elegant choreography ensures that no single element rises to unchecked dominance. Instead, a serene equilibrium is maintained, a testament to the wisdom of nature's design.

Designers should aim to balance the elements. Wood is primarily represented in furniture. Fire appears in candles, fireplaces, and red or orange colors. Earth is found in ceramics, crystals, and yellow or beige colors. Metal is present in metallic objects and white or gray colors. Water is reflected in features like fountains or aquariums, and blue or black colors.

"Feng Shui is an ancient art of finding balance and harmony in the home or in design. It supports positive architecture by increasing the flow of energy, making it a wonderful addition to modern design. I work with architects worldwide to ensure their house designs create a positive flow in the surrounding space," said Marie Diamond, a Feng Shui specialist and bestselling author with 106,000 followers on Instagram alone.

Sitting areas and beds should be positioned along solid walls away from windows to create a calm, grounded energy inside the room. This will increase feelings of being safe and grounded and dispel the feeling of being exposed that may interfere with taking a peaceful night's sleep. A bed placed too close or directly in line with a window can, unbeknownst to you, be draining your energy and not creating the peaceful sanctuary you're reaching for. Also, mirrors should never face the bed, since their reflection is considered to be very disruptive to the calm energy, creating mental restlessness. It is also believed that the stove and sink should not sit directly opposite each other in the kitchen, since it would situate the energies of fire and water elements in disharmony. This creates a harmonious, balanced space.

The fundamental idea of Feng Shui philosophy is its use of the concept of yin and yang as deep metaphor for the delicate balance that can run our lives. In essence, Yin and Yang are not opposites but complementary energies whose perfect balance is realized through their harmonious union. By putting our environment into harmony with the principles of Yin and Yang, we build in a way that echoes the natural order of the universe. This brings not only harmony to our well-being but also invites a deeper connection with the quieter and energetic rhythms underlying our daily lives. This symphony of contraries—two extremes—thus reflects man's searching for harmony and acts as an eternal reminder of beauty in balance.

Feng Shui brings a powerful reminder in the midst of all our busy urban landscapes: our human needs for balance and harmony. Embracing its ancient wisdom can lead us toward turning around our environments into oases of serenity. The very principles of Feng Shui—balancing the five elements—show the way to constructing spaces that nurture wellness and tranquility.