“The Ancient Art of Placement” called Feng Shui (pronounced phung schway) literally means �wind’ and �water.’ The Chinese believe this cosmic energy, called Chi or �the green dragon’s cosmic breath,’ is the life force energy that pervades human existence. The basic tenet of Feng Shui is to capture this vital energy creating balance and harmony in our environments. Feng Shui is predicated on the core belief that we, the earth, and every living thing on it are interconnected.

Feng Shui is the oldest form of gardening dating back several millennia to China. It is based on the philosophy that man and nature must live in harmony with one another and that all life is infused with the invisible energy called Chi. This force circulates throughout our environment and is essential to our well-being, health, and happiness. The Chinese sages believed that any man-made feature could affect the flow of Chi so established the rules of placement that are central to this philosophy.

In the Feng Shui garden, balance and harmony are the key factors. Balance and harmony are achieved by careful attention to detail and the balance of Yin and Yang energy. Yin energy includes the earth, rocks, ponds, plants, flowers, and trees. Yang energy includes the home, brick, wood, nails, and other solid construction. The fundamental characteristics of Feng Shui gardening are:

� Curved lines rather than straight allow natural energy to flow more easily.

� Feng Shui gardens are never crowded.

� Feng Shui gardens are designed to look as natural as possible.

� Mixing shapes and sizes is a vital element in Feng Shui gardens.

The Chi, or cosmic energy, needs to flow freely and smoothly through its surroundings in order to create harmony and balance in the garden. Yin and Yang together constitute the two forms of energy central to the concept of Feng Shui principles and define the quality of the energies in any space.

Yin energy constitutes the feminine energy and its elements are shadows, darkness, winter, night-time, wet, soft, receptive, passive, negative, inner, north, creation, earth, and is symbolized by the moon. Yang energy constitutes the masculine energy and its elements are light, openness, vigour, growth, summer, daytime, spirit, dry, hard, active, positive, sky, heaven, south, outer, energetic, and is symbolized by the sun. Yin and Yang energies are complementary to each other.

The Feng Shui of your house influences your life from a personal point of view. The Feng Shui of your garden influences the outer aspect of your house and influences the more public view of your life. The front garden is more Yang while the back garden is more Yin and the private side of your life. The best way to examine the Feng Shui of your garden is to treat your entire property as a single unit.

Plants that exhibit Yang energy include large-leafed plants that create a powerful presence and create good Feng Shui when placed beside water features such as a pond or fountain. These plants contrast nicely with feathery foliage plants such as ferns. Plants that exhibit Yin energy include ferns that help to dissolve any negative energy in the garden. Hanging plants will lift energy or allow energy to flow. It is a good idea to hang baskets around areas where you like to socialize. Window boxes encourage beneficial Chi toward the home.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart � 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.

Spring is finally here, thanks be, and it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sun and the greenery. Whether you live in a tiny apartment or on a sprawling estate, incorporating Feng Shui into your garden can enliven your experience, helping you bring a deeper level of joy and peace into your life.

Feng Shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is the practice of bringing our lives into harmonious relationship with our surroundings. A great way to get started is to create living spaces that reflect back to you the qualities you would like to have in your life. These spaces act as physical, living affirmations of who you want to be and how you want to live.

The garden is a wonderful place to do this, because it represents a deep, instinctive connection to the Earth and all of Nature. No matter how technological our lives have become, a part of us still yearns to be connected to the Source.

Those of you without a green thumb, don’t panic! There are many kinds of gardens. There are Zen gardens of stone and bamboo, water gardens (an aquarium counts), patios with pots of plants, window boxes, vegetable gardens, flower gardens… the list goes on and on. The point is that there’s a garden for everyone, the possibilities confined only by the limits of your imagination.

Whatever kind of garden you choose, here are some basic Feng Shui principles to get you started on the right track this year:

Number one, the Prime Directive: Live with what you love. Make a list of all the things you’d like to have in your garden�not just the things you know you can afford�everything! Now go back and look over the list and see what qualities these things represent. How do they speak to you? How will these things elevate your existence? Perhaps, in real life, you can’t have the fabulous, eight-foot tall, hand carved statue of Kuan Yin you saw the other day, but there’s surely a way to incorporate the energy of the statue. Maybe it’s the large scale, or the smoothness of the stone coupled with the Goddess energy. Now, how can you bring that into your own garden? Do you live in an apartment and long for the ocean? Try gathering some sea stones, sand and shells, and arrange them around a fountain. If you have a sunny window nearby, you can buy a beach rose (rosa rugosa) and put it in a beautiful pot to round out the scene.

In Feng Shui, we use the five elements to represent the different aspects of life. Wherever all five occur simultaneously, there is a sense of completion, unity and power. Try incorporating all the elements into your garden:

Element: Water
 Represents: Reflection, Introspection, Flow, Soul Purpose
 Use: Water itself, glass, crystal, mirrors, dark colors, asymmetrical shapes, northerly direction, the tortoise.

Element: Wood
 Represents:  Creativity, Strength, Growth, Health & Family
 Use: All plants and flowers (including dried and silk), greens and blues, items made of wood, columnar shapes, easterly direction, the dragon.

Element: Fire
 Represents: Inspiration, Joy, Emotion, Fame & Reputation, Abundance
 Use: A fireplace, reds and red tones, lighting, candles, images of animas, things made of animals (bones, feathers, etc.), triangle, pyramid, cone, southerly direction, the phoenix.

Element: Earth
 Represents: Center, Solidity, Receptivity, Nurturing
 Use: Soil, brick, ceramics, tile, stucco, yellows and earthtones, square and rectangular shapes, the center,

Element: Metal
 Represents: Communication, Heaven, Helpful People & Travel
 Use: All metals, rock and stone, natural crystals, white and pastels, arches, circles, ovals, westerly direction, the tiger.

As you can see, you have lots of choices and room for creativity. Again, choose what you find pleasing.

In Feng Shui, we understand that energy flows most harmoniously around smooth and curving shapes. Wherever possible, avoid sharp corners on walls, flower beds, etc. Don’t worry if you’ve just finished building neatly squared-off beds or walls. You can cut the points off of the corners, or place round pots of flowers where the points meet your most frequent path of movement. Soft, flowing greenery can be planted to mitigate pointiness as well.

When do you have the most time to enjoy your garden? Is it early morning or in the evening after work? If you have the most time after dark, why not install some low voltage lighting and make a magical night garden where you can relax with candles and night-scented flowers? Do you enjoy traditional gardening: weeding, pruning, deadheading flowers? If you do, go for it. If not, be sure to use plants that are low maintenance and choose perennials over annuals. Perhaps you should consider ground covers instead of a big lawn. The one big “NO” in the garden is guilt. So create something that’s compatible with your personality. Your garden can and should be a sanctuary, a place to revitalize your body, your mind and your spirit.

One of the basic tenets of Feng Shui is that everything is constantly changing. If you have a garden that you see from inside your home, think about planning it for winter as well as summer beauty. Many plants are just as lovely without leaves as with them. Statuary and sculpture change their look as the backdrop of the garden changes, and evergreens remind us that life still exists, even in deepest February. Another thing to remember is that you are constantly changing as well. What thrilled you in your garden last year may not work at all for you this spring. Go ahead, move things around, trade plants with your friends, shake it up! You’re growing, you’re moving forward. And every year you have a fresh opportunity to see your beauty, your strength and your magnificence reflected back to you in your garden.

Author: Abby Straus
Contact: c/o Gaia Lifeworks
Web:http://www.gaialifeworks.com
Email: abby@gaialifeworks.com
Photo: Click here to download.
Bio: Abby Straus is a teacher, author and consultant dedicated to helping people enhance the quality and function of their lives. She has an extensive background in consciousness studies and meditation and is a Feng Shui and energy work practitioner. She lives in Pleasantville, NY.