Glossary of feng shui terms
Confused by all the terminology? That makes sense. The concepts in feng shui are dense and it takes practice to get fluent. Below is a list of words and ideas you'll encounter frequently in my weekly posts.
Core Concepts
Feng Shui (風水)
Literally "wind-water" in Chinese. An ancient practice of arranging spaces to harmonize with the natural flow of energy. Think of it as acupuncture for your home - directing energy flow to support your wellbeing.
Chi (Qi) (氣)
Life force energy that flows through all living things and spaces. Good chi feels like a gentle breeze; bad chi feels like a traffic jam. When chi flows well in your home, life tends to flow more smoothly too.
Bagua Map (八卦)
The feng shui "blueprint" that divides any space into nine areas, each connected to different aspects of life. Like a tic-tac-toe board overlaid on your home, it helps you understand which areas support wealth, relationships, career, and more.
Gua (卦)
One of the nine sections of the bagua map. Each gua corresponds to specific life themes - for example, the Wealth Gua supports abundance and prosperity.
BTB School (Black Hat Sect Tantric Buddhist)
A modern, Westernized approach to feng shui that aligns the bagua map with your front door rather than compass directions. More intuitive and accessible than traditional compass-based methods.
The Nine Guas
Gua 1: Career & Life Journey (坎 Kan - Water)
Located at the center-bottom of the bagua. Governs your professional path, life direction, and how opportunities flow to you. Associated with the water element and winter energy.
Gua 2: Love & Relationships (坤 Kun - Earth)
Located at the bottom-right of the bagua. Rules romantic partnerships, marriage, and how you relate to others. Connected to earth element and late summer energy.
Gua 3: Family & New Beginnings (震 Zhen - Wood)
Located at the center-left of the bagua. Influences family relationships, health, and new projects. Associated with wood element and spring energy.
Gua 4: Wealth & Prosperity (巽 Xun - Wood)
Located at the top-left of the bagua. Governs financial abundance, self-worth, and material prosperity. Connected to wood element and late spring energy.
Gua 5: Health, Gratitude & Unity (Center - Earth)
The central area that connects all other guas. Represents physical health, emotional balance, and overall life harmony. Associated with earth element and transitional seasons.
Gua 6: Helpful People & Travel (乾 Qian - Metal)
Located at the bottom-left of the bagua. Rules mentors, support systems, and beneficial connections. Connected to metal element and late autumn energy.
Gua 7: Children & Creativity (兌 Dui - Metal)
Located at the center-right of the bagua. Governs creativity, children, and future projects. Associated with metal element and autumn energy.
Gua 8: Wisdom, Knowledge & Spirituality (艮 Gen - Earth)
Located at the bottom-center of the bagua. Rules learning, personal growth, and spiritual development. Connected to earth element and late winter energy.
Gua 9: Fame & Reputation (離 Li - Fire)
Located at the top-center of the bagua. Influences how others see you, recognition, and social standing. Associated with fire element and summer energy.
How to Align Your Home with the Bagua Map
Think of the bagua map as a tic tac toe board and align your front door with bottom edge. Your door will align with either gua 8, (left) , gua 1 (center) or gua 6 (right).
If your home is not perfectly square (as is often the case), just elongate the shape of the square into equal portions or a rectangle.
Your home may have 'missing' or 'bonus' sections, for example if it is shaped like an L or a boot. Bonus sections means more opportunities to work with the energy of that gua Missing sections can be 'squared off' or completed through the use of chi enhancers.
The Five Elements
Water Element (水)
Represents flow, adaptability, and wisdom. Colors: black, blue, dark tones. Shapes: wavy, flowing, asymmetrical. Supports the Career gua.
Wood Element (木)
Represents growth, vitality, and new beginnings. Colors: green, teal. Shapes: rectangular, vertical. Supports the Family and Wealth guas.
Fire Element (火)
Represents transformation, passion, and recognition. Colors: red, purple, bright tones. Shapes: triangular, pointed. Supports the Fame gua.
Earth Element (土)
Represents stability, nurturing, and grounding. Colors: yellow, beige, brown, earth tones. Shapes: square, flat, horizontal. Supports the Love, Knowledge, and Center guas.
Metal Element (金)
Represents precision, clarity, and refinement. Colors: white, silver, metallic. Shapes: round, oval, circular. Supports the Children and Helpful People guas.
Elemental Cycles
The relationships between the five elements:
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Creative Cycle: Water nourishes Wood → Wood feeds Fire → Fire creates Earth → Earth forms Metal → Metal fortifies Water
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Controlling Cycle: Water drains Metal → Metal depletes Earth → Earth exhausts Fire → Fire consumes Wood → Wood draws from Water (the creative cycle in reverse - a gentler way to moderate excessive elemental energy)
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Destructive Cycle: Water extinguishes Fire → Fire melts Metal → Metal cuts Wood → Wood breaks through Earth → Earth dams Water (more extreme - use only when strong correction is needed)
Energy Patterns
Sheng Chi
"Living energy" - vibrant, life-supporting chi that makes spaces feel alive and welcoming. Signs include thriving plants, natural gathering spots, and an overall sense of vitality.
Si Chi
"Dead energy" - stagnant, lifeless chi often found in unused spaces. Indicates areas where energy has become stuck or depleted.
Sha Chi
"Cutting energy" - harsh, aggressive chi created by sharp angles, pointed objects, or rushing energy patterns that can create tension or conflict.
Rushing Chi
Energy that moves too quickly through a space, often through long hallways or direct door-to-door alignments. Can create feelings of restlessness or anxiety.
Stagnant Chi
Energy that has become stuck or slow-moving, often in cluttered or unused areas. Can lead to feelings of depression or lack of progress.
Compressing Chi
Energy that feels squeezed or pressured, often under low ceilings or in cramped spaces. Can create feelings of being overwhelmed or restricted.
Yin and Yang
Yin Energy (陰)
Receptive, quiet, dark, soft qualities. Supports rest, reflection, and inner work. Too much yin can create stagnation; too little can cause restlessness.
Yang Energy (陽)
Active, bright, hard, dynamic qualities. Supports action, social interaction, and productivity. Too much yang can create agitation; too little can cause lethargy.
Trigrams (Ba Gua Symbols)
Kan (坎)
The Abysmal Water Represents career, life journey, and flowing wisdom. Associated with the second-born son energy.
Kun (坤)
The Receptive Earth Represents relationships, nurturing, and receptivity. Associated with the mother/head female energy.
Zhen (震)
The Arousing Thunder Represents family, new beginnings, and dynamic growth. Associated with the first-born son energy.
Xun (巽)
The Gentle Wind Represents wealth, prosperity, and gentle persistence. Associated with the first-born daughter energy.
Li (離)
The Clinging Fire Represents fame, reputation, and transformation. Associated with the second-born daughter energy.
Gen (艮)
The Keeping Still Mountain Represents knowledge, spirituality, and inner stillness. Associated with the third-born son energy.
Dui (兌)
The Joyous Lake Represents children, creativity, and joyful expression. Associated with the third-born daughter energy.
Qian (乾)
The Creative Heaven Represents helpful people, travel, and divine support. Associated with the father/head male energy.
Practical Terms
Clutter:
Stagnant energy made manifest. Broken items, unused objects, or excessive accumulation that blocks chi flow and creates energetic heaviness.
Commanding Position
The optimal placement for key furniture (especially beds and desks) where you can see the door without being directly in line with it. Provides a sense of security and control.
Mouth of Chi The main entrance to your home - the primary channel through which energy (and opportunities) enter your space.
Family Member Energies
Traditional associations between each gua and family archetypes, representing different types of energy and life themes rather than literal family roles.
Remember: Feng shui is about creating harmony between you and your environment. Trust your intuition - if something feels right in your space, it probably is, regardless of traditional "rules." The goal is a home that supports who you're becoming, not a perfect adherence to ancient formulas.