and Feng Shui
Where do Wind Chimes Fit Into the Feng Shui Philosophy?
Feng Shui, which is pronounced "Fung Shway", is not some mystical, magical, religious superstition. Feng Shui reveals a wonderful, logical way in which we can organize our living and working space, in such a manner, that we may fit into it harmoniously.
The philosophy of Feng Shui, is based on the invisible, yet tangible presence of Qi (sometimes spelled, Chi), pronounced "Chee", a universal energy that forever flows throughout our entire environment.
Qi is also symbolized by the Chinese Yin Yang (female/male) symbol. One side representing the positive energy flow, and the other, the negative. Which is which? Hey, I'm not choosing sides here!
Traditional Feng Shui uses the five elements of Earth - Fire - Metal -
Water, and Wood to create that necessary harmonious balance in our day to day lives.
Wind and Water, is the literal translation of Feng Shui, which symbolizes the movement of energy. As Qi has both positive and negative qualities, the philosophy of Feng Shui helps us to create a perfect balance.
Where do wind chimes fit into this picture?
We are constantly surrounded by good and bad sound, positive and negative. Natures sounds, such as: the birds chattering - the wind in the trees - the sound of rain, each connect us with our environment.
Perfectly tuned wind chimes, and the emphasis is on perfectly tuned, can counteract the negativity of unnatural sounds, such as traffic noise - skate boards - fighting cats etc. Well tuned chimes can help create a positive energy flow.
The clanging of out of tune wind chimes only add to the negative energy flow - especially if the wind is quite strong, and all you can hear is the clang-clang of metal pipes crashing together. If this upsets you, then what do the neighbors think?
Even on a fairly windy day, a well tuned set of wind chimes can sound great, especially if they are tuned in the Pentatonic scale. During a storm, it may pay to tie a piece of rag around the chimes to stop them from making too much noise. Or, take them down altogether.
Where do we hang the chimes?
This is where common sense comes into play. Near a neighbor's bedroom window, is not a good spot.
According to early folklore, chimes were hung in doorways to keep out evil spirits, and other negative energies. But, the way they build doorways these days, we would be forever banging into them.
Feng Shui tells us that the North Western part of an area is the best place - near the statues, archways, and circles. This does make sense, as the accompanying items don't make any noise at all, the chimes would make an interesting complement.
If you wanted to hang them near a fountain or waterfall, it would need to be assessed whether the sounds of the chimes would clash with the water sounds. Maybe a set of chimes made from small diameter pipe, which had a fairly high tone, would complement the tinkles and splashes of the water, and be OK. This would be a personal preference.
Cluttering up a corner with several sound producing items wouldn't be conducive to Feng Shui.
The porch way, verandah, patio, gazebo, carport, or under the eaves near the back or front entrances, are all compatible places to hang wind chimes. Provided they don't intrude walkways, or, clash with other natural sounds and musical items.
If you think that your chimes are going to interfere with another piece of aesthetic artwork, don't hang them there. It's pretty simple, really.
Note: This is from one of the chapters in Al's e-book
"How to Make and Tune Wind Chimes".
Which includes the easy step by step tuning formula.
Check it out - Here
Free News Letter "The Casual Chimes"
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