For thousands of years people have been aware of energy moving through the universe, connecting everything in it like a huge computer network. What has come to be called Chí (chee) is a subtle flow of electromagnetic energy, which links all things in the universe.

     In the Far East the understanding and control of energy flow underlies traditional healing systems such as acupuncture and Shiatsu, as well as martial arts like Tai Chí, Qí Kong and Aikido. The energy has several names. In China it is called Chí, in Japan it is known as Kí (also spelled Qí) and in India it is referred to as Prana. There are no specific words for it in the West, although expressions such as ’atmosphere’, ’mood’, ’life-force’ or ’spirit’ describe how it is perceived. In this book, it is referred to as Chí energy.
    Chí stays mainly within entities such as human bodies, plants or buildings, but some of it constantly flows in and out and some flows in from other sources. Your own personal chí energy is always mixing with the chí energy around you. In this way you are connected to the immediate environment, and ultimately the entire universe, as ripples of chí energy from far away reach you. Exceptionally sensitive people may be able to pick up advance information from these distant sources in the form of premonitions, visions or telepathy. 
    The flow of energy from one entity to another is the basis of Feng Shui. The chí energy you take in from your environment influences your moods, emotions, physical energy, and over time, your health. Let’s say there is one particular individual who controls the environment. You’ve seen it happen; the boss comes in grumpy, slamming doors, drawers and telephones. He lets everybody know he’s in a bad mood and everyone walks softer, talks quieter and gets busier. But, later that afternoon he lands his big deal and he’s popping the cork of the champagne bottle and patting all his employees on the back. Now there are loud voices, laughter and less work being done. Do you see how you would be influenced by this man’s positive or negative chí energy? We’re always exchanging energy with everyone and everything around us. What are you sending out and what are you taking in? Chí energy is carried throughout the environment by wind, water, the sun’s solar energy, light and sound. It moves in a similar way to these natural phenomena except that, unlike some of them, it is able to flow through solid matter. It flows in and out of buildings mainly through the doors and windows, but some chí can enter and leave through the walls. The name Feng Shui, which literally means “wind-water”, reflects the way chí energy moves. The basic aim of Feng Shui is to enable you to position yourself where this natural flow of chí energy helps you to realize your goals and dreams in life. Buildings alter the flow of chí energy. Their shape, openings and the materials they are made of define the way chí energy flows through them. It moves most easily through doors and windows, so the orientation of a building to the sun and the planets will determine the kind of chí energy that enters it. This energy is constantly changing as the planets move through the sky, so there is a new pattern of chí energy each year, month, day and hour. The biggest changes occur each year.Features of the immediate surroundings such as water or roads, determine the kind of chí energy that flows back and forth through the doors of the building. In an ideal situation chí energy flows harmoniously through the whole of a building. The design and interior decoration should enhance the kind of chí energy that furthers the goals and desires of the occupants and should exclude or minimize features that hinder them.

 UNFAVORABLE CHÍ ENERGIES:
    Some situations produce unhelpful types of chí, causing problems for a building’s occupants, and even physical or mental ill-health.
Negative Chí: Certain buildings or decorating materials have a negative effect on chí energy; synthetic fibers, synthetic building materials, artificial lighting and air conditioning all add their own artificial chí energy, which negatively influences the chí energy of the occupants and could lead to mental and physical exhaustion.
Stagnant Chí: Slow-moving and stagnant chí is produced by dark corners, cluttered rooms and dampness. They can lead to a slowing down of your personal chí energy, which may cause serious health problems and a loss of direction in your life.
Fast-Flowing Chí: Chí energy moving quickly in a straight line can destabilize the flow through an entire building; so long corridors, straight paths or several features in a straight line should be avoided. Fast-moving chí energy directed towards you could push away some of your own chí energy, making you feel insecure and under attack.

 PERSONAL CHÍ: To appreciate how chí energy in the environment influences you, it is necessary to understand how it moves within your own body. It flows through it in much the same way as blood. Along the center of the body are seven concentrations of energy called chakras, which are similar to large organs where blood concentrates. Spreading out from the chakras are 14 paths of chí energy known as meridians.These flow along your arms, legs, torso and head. Like blood vessels and capillaries, they take chí energy to smaller and smaller channels until each cell is nourished by both blood, and chí energy.
    While blood carries oxygen and nutrients, chí energy carries thoughts, ideas, emotions and your dreams in life. It also carries some of the chí energy from the environment. Therefore, what you think and where you think it will have a direct influence on the cells in your body. The influence of the mind on physical health is well established. Many people have experienced the benefits of positive thinking and some claim to have used it to recover from serious illness. Similarly, people have been healed by moving to a new location. Traveling to spa towns or locations with special healing properties has a long tradition.
    Many factors affect the chí energy that comes into your body - among these are food, weather, and the people you are with. In Feng Shui terms, the primary influence is the chí energy of the environment. This includes your home, your place of work, and the surrounding landscape. A building itself also has an influence. Being in a large ornate building such as a museum or cathedral can be inspiring, exciting and stimulating, whereas a small cozy place such as a cottage, café or bar is more relaxing and intimate. A building’s location also helps shape the kind of chí that enters your body. The chí energy in rural areas is different from that in a city, and traveling to other parts of the world also gives you the chance to experience very different kinds of chí energy.

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