Feng means “wind” and Shui means “water”, making it the art of living in harmony with earth, inviting the gifts of the universe to bring balance into your life for peace, happiness, and abundance. To represent Feng Shui, symbols are often used and they are said to bring good luck and fortune when places in the home. Some Feng Shui symbols have to be situated in specific positions inside the home to activate the energy that comes with them.
Using these symbols in the home can help to harmonize and balance the elements within the home and improve the quality of life. These symbols are an important tool and placing the proper symbols in the proper places can add a necessary color or element in the home. The symbols come in many different elements such as earth, metal, wood, water, and fire.
Although sometimes a person’s particular interpretation of a symbol is due to a connection or result of a belief system, the symbols are often universal. There are symbols for wealth, protection, longevity and love and relationship that all have a common or similar meaning in Feng Shui. Choosing the right symbols means bringing the right amount of balance into a house.
Many people choose symbols to do with love and relationships. This choice of symbol would always come in pairs as that will represent the lives of both. The mandarin ducks are a special sign of fidelity and carry a strong bond with them. A symbol of a strong and successful union is carried with the dragon and phoenix. Together they show the female and male essence entwined. When looking for luck in romance, a crystal lotus is used as it is a powerful enhancer and can be used in a variety of places in the home.
Coming in second are symbols on wealth and prosperity. The general concept is to always have what is needed and always be moving forward on firm ground in Feng Shui. A popular choice is the three-legged Moon Frog with a coin in the mouth, placing it in front of a door facing in the home invites wealth. Three coins tied with red ribbons are called good luck coins and represent good luck for both the giver and receiver. Indoor plants around the home are another symbol of wealth, most potent when placed in a southeast corner.
Longevity symbols are popular as one of the main concepts is a long and prosperous life. Cranes represent the eternal quality needed for a long life and they also bring happiness, wisdom, and health with them. Turtle symbols also carry the sign of long life as it is thought that they carry the secrets of heaven and earth within their bodies. Sometimes a dragon headed turtle is used for more power, and this is also a symbol of prosperity. Another symbol of longevity are trees, traditionally it is the Pine tree associated with that.
Some people like signs of protection in the home, either because of the neighborhood or because of their spiritual beliefs in entities. That makes the dragon the most popular symbol of protection and a strong one. White tigers are also used and are considered potent symbols because of their rarity in real life. A fu dog symbol is common in vases, ceramics, and statues; at times it is combined with a dragon as an added sign of protection.
Feng Shui symbols don’t only add necessary energy and balance to a home but they also add something to the home itself in decorative pieces. They are available in a variety of mediums, but what they are made from isn’t as important as the meaning behind each one. Always be aware of what a symbol means before placing it so you can utilize its energy to its full potential.
Find out more about chinese feng shui and feng shui living at the author’s website www.101fengshuitips.com . Copyright 2010 101FengShuiTips.com . This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.
English
French