Feng shui is the science of the interaction between human beings and their surroundings; it’s also the art of living harmoniously with the environment.

As with any science, feng shui’s principles have been developed through trial and error. Few sciences enjoy the wealth of data that feng shui has collected over the centuries since its inception.

Yet there is also an aesthetic, creative, and intuitive aspect to feng shui. Feng shui seeks to beautify, because beauty is necessary for the proper nurturing of the human spirit. And although it operates by strictly defined principles, there is usually room within those principles for self-expression and creativity. In situations where the rules are ambiguous, or where a number of solutions present themselves, some of the best decisions may be made on intuition alone.

Feng shui is not magic: Although it has ties to astrology and ancient mystical traditions, it is not in itself magical or superstitious. Feng shui deals with genuine, observable phenomena, like electromagnetic energy and the connection between mind and body, which modern science and Western culture have seldom explored. It also works on our subconscious minds, helping us condition our intentions.