Yang energies – life force and wealth
Yang energy is also referred to as ‘wealth energy’ in Feng Shui – hence a popular focus. It:
- Enters a building through doors and windows.
- Is carried into and around your home through your movements.
- Is enhanced by activity, roads and pathways, as well as water.
- A home with lots of YANG is open and ‘out there’!
- It might have great views, lots of light, many (French) doors and windows.
Yin energies – support for your family
Yin energies support your health, wellbeing and harmonious relationships. It is the comfy cosy corner. Good Yin energy is important in bedrooms and relaxing areas. It:
- Sits in walls and heavy furniture
- Supports you when you sit in front of, or sleep with your head towards it.
- Needs walls and solid furniture to flourish.
YIN spaces are protected, semi-enclosed, quiet spaces – cosy corners .
How can a place be too Yang?
Traditionally, houses built before the 1980s were quite YIN. They had defined rooms and lots of separate enclosed spaces. They were quite cosy – but really often dark and lacked the radiance of modern homes.
Today many homes are very YANG. Especially, if there is a great view to take advantage off. Many open plan living areas don’t have any wall to put a sofa against. There are windows, doors, opennesses to the adjoining areas. A view can even become imposing, with all your focus outside and nothing to settle at inside.
Such places are often light and radiant, but you can’t quite find a cosy spot in them. If a home is out of balance with too much YANG you may feel easily irritated and unsettled. It lacks the support of good Yin energy, a cosy corner.
A HARMONIOUS HOME NEEDS A BALANCE OF YIN AND YANG ENERGIES – openness and light as well as some solid walls and cosy corners where you can recharge.
The story of the Chinese monks
The story of some Chinese Monks can illustrate this point. The monks had a monastery built on a mountain ridge with the most breathtaking views.
However, they did not have a huge window towards the view. Instead they had a wall, alongside which they used to walk. In this wall were periodic gaps, small windows. As a monk would come past these, he’d be taking in the stunning view and open his external vision like in a snapshot. He’d then continue along the wall, able to look in again.
That way, he was actually able to appreciate the environmental beauty more than if it constantly bombarded him – and he could cultivate his inner life.
I am not advocating that we build this way, but I think the story makes the point: We do best within a balanced environment where we can look in and out. Homes with a balance of YIN and YANG features are much pleasanter to live in than places that are too closed in or too much out there.
Please note, that additionally to the presence of YIN and YANG energies, their qualities are just as important. The quality of YIN and YANG is unique for each home. It – and how to make the most of its positive potential – can be determined by a Feng Shui analysis.
Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash