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As we accumulate things in our life, we seem to grow more disenchanted. This has become so true that previously scoffed at Eastern Philopophies are getting another look in the West and no more so than Feng Shui.

Many people think of the mystical when Feng Shui is mentioned, but this traditional Chinese philosophy is more about creating a good living space for each of us. The basic belief is we need a harmonious place to just be and Feng Shui shows us how to make it.

At its outset, Feng Shui was actually known as Kan You, which mean the Laws of Heaven and Earth. As it evolved into the name Feng Shui, pronounced fung shway, it became more about placement of things and harmony with the environment.

Feng Shui proper wasn’t a philosophy, it was a way of life in ancient China. It was considered a form of astronomy and entire cities were laid out based on astronomical forecasts. Politics were also based upon these readings.

Feng Shui was no passing trend in China either. At its most dominant, it was the guiding light of Chinese civilization for between 2,000 and 3,000 years. The fact that entire cities were organized upon it is truly amazing to think about.

In modern times, the influence of the philosophy is a shadow of its former self. One has to wonder if this is a good thing given the urban sprawl we see in many countries and the overall strife and unhappiness in the world.

In truth, modern Feng Shui has gone local. The largest applications are no longer cities, but individual projects where the purchase of land and building upon it are determined using the philosophy.

On a person level, Feng Shui can be implemented in and around your personal spaces at home and work to create harmony with the immediate environment. This, in turn, creates positive energy which attracts harmony in the rest of your life as well.

The truly bizarre thing is the philosophy is current barred in China. The versions we interface with are the Black Sect in the USA and Shen Dao Feng Shui in England. The schools have different views, but not harshly so.

So, is Feng Shui a passing fringe trend or something more? Given the fact it has existed longer than Christianity and makes the Chinese Communist Government nervous enough to ban it, it would seem to be here to stay.