According to Kwan Lau, author of the book Feng Shui For Today, published by Tengu Books, "Feng Shui theory is cosmological, and based on abstract Daoist concepts of Man and the Universe. Its goal is the unification of Heaven, Earth, Man and Matter through the force known as the Supreme Ultimate (taiji)." Sound too new age to you? You aren't alone. The "Ugly American" will scoff at these Feng Shui concepts, claiming it's just a bunch of "hippie hogwash." Actually, Feng Shui isn't quite as complex as it may seem. You might even want to consider Feng Shui when purchasing a new home.

So What Is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese study of natural and built environments. Typically, a Feng Shui professional will perform an analysis based on the location of the property and time factors (i.e. your birth date, the year the home was built, etc.). Based on these things, recommendations can be made to improve your relationship with the environment around you. When performed accurately, Feng Shui can improve the lives of the people occupying the property.

Want a professional opinion?

Michael Schnippering , trained by Master Sang, is one of the educated professionals who offers Feng Shui readings. Based in Dallas, Texas, his company Feng Shui @ Work offers readings on any type of building. Michael has twenty years of experience including the design and construction of his own home. He explains that:

"Feng shui has about a 20-30% impact on your life. It is all about yin and yang. It is all about balancing energy. If you have it done right, your kids will learn better, you will feel happier, your home will look better.

"Many Feng Shui people are charlatans. They go into your house and for some reason they go in and say 'Oh you mix this yellow and you mix this green and you mix this red and you have Feng Shui!' I don't know where they get this from. You have to see how each individual fits into their environment. Everyone has different energy, so you have to take this into consideration."

Michael says you should always perform a background check on people claiming to be educated in Feng Shui. Ask them to give you contacts to past clients. Call up the clients and see if they're satisfied with the results.

What should you look for or avoid when purchasing a new home and why?

Although Michael urges that it's always best to have a professional do an evaluation, there are some things he says you can look for when purchasing a new home:

FENG SHUI TIP #1: "See if it is lit well. Not too dark, not too light." If the home is too dark, you'll be depressed. If it is too bright, you have a chance of getting headaches. "Avoid (large) windows facing west."

TRANSLATED FOR THE UGLY AMERICAN HOMEBUYER: You don't want to spend too much money on lighting a dark home, likewise, you don't want to have to buy incredibly thick curtains to cover windows in a home that's too bright.

FENG SHUI TIP #2: "Use your senses. Does the house have a good smell? Is it dirty?" If it has a bad odor, chances are something is wrong. "Maybe there are rats living under the home." A bad smell invites bad energy.

TRANSLATED: This is just common "sense". Bad odors don't just come out of nowhere. Maybe you're smelling rotting wood or mildewed leaks. Bad smells can mean costly repairs.

FENG SHUI TIP #3: "Avoid any streets pointing directly at the house. If you're in a cul-de-sac, you want a home in the center because if people drive in they'll be pointed at you. You also don't want a house at the end of a street. The energy is bad."

TRANSLATED: If you do live in the center of a cul-de-sac or at the dead end of a street, you'll always have headlights shining in your living room at night. People are more likely to be nosy if your windows are open, and they're at a stop sign in front of your open windows than if they're just driving by.

FENG SHUI TIP #4: "Look at the land shape. A home that is square or rectangular lot, this is the best. If it is another shape, a triangle, for example, with the point in the back, it is an indication that you will make very good money but you will not be able to keep it. If the point is in the front, you will have a hard time making money but you will be able to keep it. The shape of the lot could also give you problems selling it later."

TRANSLATED: If you have an irregular lot, it's going to be harder to balance the landscaping.

FENG SHUI TIP #5: "The environment is important. We can calculate where the best place for you to live is from the city to the street even to the apartment building (based on your energy) if you want, but not everyone is able to move."

TRANSLATED: If you don't really have any ties where you're living now, why not just see where a Feng Shui professional recommends you move to. They might offer some place you haven't even considered before.

FENG SHUI TIP #6: "If you're close to water, it is perfect because the water takes care of your money. Likewise, mountains take care of the people. Look in Hong Kong. There is plenty of money, but people are corrupt. Look in Denver, there are plenty of mountains so there are plenty of very kind people but little money. So try to find some place like Vancouver that has an equal mix of both."

TRANSLATED: You want a variety of things to look at. If you live where there's nothing but water, you might get sick of it, but if you have mountains as well, there's a certain amount of aesthetically pleasing energy.

FENG SHUI TIP #7: "Look to see if the front door frame is set in the home. The front door should just be flat. It could be inlaid a little bit but not at an angle. It is not good feng shui because it blocks new energy from coming into your home. You sometimes see these duplexes built and the right duplex has a door in the front and the left door is in the side. First of all it is depressing because you have to walk around the side to get in, and it is also very tight and close. It is uncomfortable. You want a door that is in the front, and that is also in proportion to the house: not too big and not too small."

TRANSLATED: A door that's elaborately set and angled simply looks odd and presents an unwelcoming aura to visitors. Keep it simple. Anything too elaborate is unneccesary.

So if Feng Shui can make such a difference, why not have a master build your home for you?

That's exactly how Michael became involved with Feng Shui. "It all started a couple of years ago when I was building my own house," he explains, "One of (the builders) mentioned the words Feng Shui. I had no idea what this meant. I started researching it and reading books and I decided I wanted someone to build my home in a Feng Shui way." However, even with experienced contractors and Feng Shui masters, there is no way to build a completely perfect home. There are always city regulations. "Maybe for you it is the best Feng Shui to have a bedroom on the second floor in the back on the left side, but the city says 'No! There's no way for the fire man to get to it if there's an emergency.' So, we can't."

What a Feng Shui professional can do, however, is make the best of what they have to work with. If you are looking into the purchase of a new home, consider contacting a professional for a reading before you sign the contract.

Catch Michael today on the TXCN network (Texas Cable Network). They will be running an interview with him at around 6:30 AM, and on the hour every hour until noon.

Published: August 11, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Kate Kemp only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.