# Feng Shui for Old Farts



## SifuPhil (Jan 18, 2013)

Lo Pan - Feng Shui Compass​
Feng Shui ("foong shway") is the ancient Chinese art / science of "auspicious placement". Starting as a way of properly laying out farms and the ritual placement of burial sites, upon the movement of the population to urban centers feng shui became more of an indoor pursuit and began to make allowances for energy flow due to what we would now call interior decorating concerns.

Now whether you believe in the energy flow aspect or not feng shui certainly makes sense here in the West if you look at it as being a way of ensuring good flow patterns, not necessarily of energy but of people (and critters, I suppose). Such rules as never having the head of your bed under a window makes sense if you think of the drafts you might catch; not having a mirror placed where you will see it upon first waking? Well, what do YOU look like when you first get up? Wouldn't that be enough to give ANYONE a heart attack?

Translating feng shui into common-sense home design makes a lot of sense for older adults who might be experiencing some mobility problems. A simple re-arrangement of living-room furniture might reduce the number of bruised shins; that it would be seen by a feng shui expert as "enhancing the flow of _Qi_" is just coincidental. Having fresh flowers and plants in the home is a no-brainer, and although we probably can't re-orient our houses we CAN take advantage of such energy-savers as thermal gain (opening the curtains to let the sunshine in) and thermal mass (close them when the sun goes down). 

If you're interested in some of the more traditional aspects of feng shui you might check out Traditional Feng Shui or join Yahoo's Traditional Feng Shui Discussion Group.  For a modern Western take on feng shui check out Lillian Too's site and HGTV's take on home design.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Jan 18, 2013)

*Feng Shui*

Thanks SifuPhil, we have talked a little bit about Feng Shui here in the past https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/378-Thanksgiving-and-cooking.  I'm slowly working on decluttering and organizing things in the home for postive energy flow and overall good feelings.  I open the curtains early, as we get very little sunshine through our windows, and every bit counts. :sunshine: Helps to keep our few plants alive, just bought a new one and hoping it does well, I was born with a 'black thumb'.


----------



## SifuPhil (Jan 19, 2013)

SeaBreeze said:


> Thanks SifuPhil, we have talked a little bit about Feng Shui here in the past https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/378-Thanksgiving-and-cooking.  I'm slowly working on decluttering and organizing things in the home for postive energy flow and overall good feelings.  I open the curtains early, as we get very little sunshine through our windows, and every bit counts. :sunshine: Helps to keep our few plants alive, just bought a new one and hoping it does well, I was born with a 'black thumb'.



Ah - my apologies for raising a dead topic.

Now see, decluttering is one of those dividing lines between traditional and modern feng shui. The old-timers didn't OWN enough stuff to have to declutter; it's only we First-Worlders that have a problem like that, and I'm not quite sure how well it translates into "original principles", but I _will_ say this - it's made a fortune for a LOT of "feng shui consultants". 

As for horticulture? I've been known to kill plastic plants.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Jan 19, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> As for horticulture? I've been known to kill plastic plants.



I've had many Snake Plants, otherwise known as "Mother in Laws' Tongue", that were low light, low water needs, extremely hearty, and somehow they all have passed.  Making a fortune for a lot of garden centers in my area.


----------



## pchinvegas (Jan 22, 2013)

WE have many plants, mostly live. Our Front door opens to the stairway so, mirrors over the door to keep the money from flowing out. Our Buddha faces East on the porch.


----------



## R. Zimm (Jan 30, 2013)

"Snake Plants, otherwise known as "Mother in Laws' Tongue"

Ha Ha! That sounds like a great way to start a loud discussion in the home. "Hey Honey, look at these plants I got at the store. They're called "Mother in Laws' Tongue" or Snake Plants."

At that point you had better duck or run!


----------



## SifuPhil (Jan 30, 2013)

pchinvegas said:


> WE have many plants, mostly live. Our Front door opens to the stairway so, mirrors over the door to keep the money from flowing out. Our Buddha faces East on the porch.



Which brings to mind the question: do Buddhas sitting on porches in the Orient face West? I guess not, since the West to them is a euphemism for "death". 

Maybe they just stare at the ground ...


----------



## pchinvegas (Jan 30, 2013)

Hell, No East,  SifuPhil we Feng Shui  up in here ! LOL


----------

