Spring Break
Ancient arts can provide relief to modern stress
Five schools of feng shui focus on different ways the environment affects people's lives
Alexa Blatz
Issue date: 10/24/05 Section: Health
Earth, metal, water, wood and fire are the five basic elements of nature. They are also what the ancient art of feng shui revolves around.
Connie Spruill of the Feng Shui Institute of America said that in Chinese, feng shui stands for wind-water.
Feng shui is the science of person, place and connection, she said. It is how people connect with physical space and how it communicates with them.
"You can change any type of living space and make it feng shui; however, it doesn't work with cluttered space," Spruill said. "It can be used with any age group."
Freshman Aislinn Thompson said her mom got into feng shui about one year ago because her 60-year-old friend introduced her to it.
"She's kind of a worldly person who travels a lot," she said.
Thompson said she thinks feng shui is more prevalent among people in their 30s and 40s.
"I don't think many college students know about it," she said.
Bonnie Feltz, a registered interior designer at Department of Interiors Ltd., 4118 Birch Crest Lane, said feng shui is not a new trend. It has been around for a long time.
About 2,000 years ago, feng shui originated in China, she said.
"In the last 10 years, it's become more popular around here," Feltz said, and it's used worldwide."
There are four different types, or schools, Spruill said, including Pyramid, Compass, Forn and Black Sect.
Pyramid feng shui tests to see what type of elements are inside and outside the person in order to see what kinds of items would fit into his or her life, Feltz said. This type of feng shui is designed to help the person more than other types because of the testing system, she said.
Connie Spruill of the Feng Shui Institute of America said that in Chinese, feng shui stands for wind-water.
| "I know that (feng shui) works. There is some kind of magic to it. The magic is the mindset of the person." -Connie Spruill Feng Shui Institute of America |
Feng shui is the science of person, place and connection, she said. It is how people connect with physical space and how it communicates with them.
"You can change any type of living space and make it feng shui; however, it doesn't work with cluttered space," Spruill said. "It can be used with any age group."
Freshman Aislinn Thompson said her mom got into feng shui about one year ago because her 60-year-old friend introduced her to it.
"She's kind of a worldly person who travels a lot," she said.
Thompson said she thinks feng shui is more prevalent among people in their 30s and 40s.
"I don't think many college students know about it," she said.
Bonnie Feltz, a registered interior designer at Department of Interiors Ltd., 4118 Birch Crest Lane, said feng shui is not a new trend. It has been around for a long time.
About 2,000 years ago, feng shui originated in China, she said.
"In the last 10 years, it's become more popular around here," Feltz said, and it's used worldwide."
There are four different types, or schools, Spruill said, including Pyramid, Compass, Forn and Black Sect.
Pyramid feng shui tests to see what type of elements are inside and outside the person in order to see what kinds of items would fit into his or her life, Feltz said. This type of feng shui is designed to help the person more than other types because of the testing system, she said.