The balance of Yin and Yang
Literally, “feng shui” means “wind and water”, reflecting its foundation in the flow of the invisible energy chi, which is affected by the five ancient elements earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. Chi’s effect can be positive or negative, and its behavior is influenced by matters such as age, climate, location, and shape. Yang is positive chi energy, while yin is negative chi energy.
The practice of feng shui involves placing objects so as to minimize negative chi and encourage positive chi, while balancing the giving energy of yang with the receiving energy of yin. The feng shui yin and yang are complementary and unified and must be in balance.
The basic principles of yin and yang can be applied to the walls of a room. As yin is the female element of things, in feng shui it refers to passive, serene parts of the room, parts with no doors, windows or other openings. Yang being the vital male element of things, in feng shui it refers to areas of action, the parts of the room with doors, windows, or other openings. A feng shui room design would create harmony in a room. For example, a square room with a door in one side and a window in the opposing wall would have two walls with yang, while if the other two walls have no openings they would be two walls with yin and the room design would be balanced with symmetric yin and yang. In addition to the walls, objects within the room have their own associated energies.
After applying a feng shui method such as a Bagua overlay, and a need for a chi adjustment has been found, there are many methods for making a change.
Yin and yang characteristics are in many things.
| Yang | Yin |
| Fa | Maa |
| Anger | Calm |
| Heaven | Earth |
| Sun | Moon |
| Mountain | Valley |
| Summer | Winter |
| Day | Night |
| Bright day | Cloudy day |
| Spirit | Matter |
| Male | Female |
| Father | Mother |
| Above | Below |
| Outer | Inner |
| Hot | Cold |
| Hard | Soft |
| Dry | Wet |
| Light | Dark |
| Lively | Dull |
| Movement | Stillness |
| Noisy | Silent |
| Functional | Nonfunctional |
| Positive | Negative |
| Electric | Magnetic |
| Sharpness | Roundness |
| Crowded | Lonely |
| Active | Passive |
| Flourishing | Decaying |
Basic yin-yang feng shui attributes
| Type | Yin | Yang |
| Places | Forest, green land, shady trees, quiet mountainsides and serene seasides. | Cities, sunny places, flat landscapes office buildings and uneven mountains used for climbing. |
| Outlook | The shady part of the house or building. | The sunny part of the house or building. |
| Constitution | tall, slim, generous features with thin frame. | Stout, broad, sharp features with broad frame. |
| Mind | Imaginative, intuitive and creative. | Logical, ordered and quick-thinking. |
| Emotion | Kindness, sensitiveness, insecurity and depression. | Ambitious, confidence, irritability and courageous. |
| Colors | Green, blue and pastel shades. | Red, yellow, orange and bright shades. |
| Shape and forms | Round, long, narrow and delicate. | Square, angular, compact and sturdy. |
| Materials | Natural fabrics and wooden objects. | Synthetic fabrics and glass, metal and polished stone objects. |
| Numbers | Odd numbers. | Even numbers (zero is perfection and harmony and both yin and yang). |
