Feng Shui And Indoor Water Fountains

Sometimes called “the art of placement,” Feng Shui actually means “Wind-Water” in Mandarin Chinese. Obviously, water and water symbolism are extraordinarily important in Feng Shui. Feng Shui practitioners use the “art of placement” to organize their homes in a more harmonious fashion, according to traditional rules and metaphors. Water fountains are a part of that tradition and by observing some of those guidelines you can add some meditative calm to your own household by placing one in a critical location.
Feng Shui traditions list associate water with prosperity in many forms, from health and energy to financial security. Water is part of a set of elemental symbols and cycles in Feng Shui – the five classical Chinese elements. The others elements are earth, fire, wood and metal. In this system, water cools fire and nourishes wood. Fire is the element of passion and zeal, while wood represents perception and intuition. Accordingly, Feng Shui traditions recommend a water fountain to enhance concentration and productive efforts – by “cooling” fire, it channels it into focus. By “nourishing” wood, it adds intelligence to your efforts. For best effect, Feng Shui masters recommend that the fountain’s water flow toward you so that you receive these positive qualities.

A similar guideline advises you to avoid installing a fountain so that its flow faces a window, door or other portal out of the house or living area. Your concentration and prosperity might flow out of the passage, symbolically speaking. There are occasional exceptions. For example, some practitioners think it’s a good idea to place an indoor fountain face your front door. You’ll be walking toward it and closer to symbolic prosperity when you enter, and you’ll be sharing it with your guests. Earth symbols are said to channel the flow of energy, so as an advanced technique you might “pin” an indoor fountain’s energy to keep it from escaping. Mirrors can redirect Feng Shui energies as well, so you can use them to “reflect” the fountain’s benefits to a work alcove or other out of the way location.

Classic Feng Shui lists water as a Yang symbol – it’s energetic and expansive, so it enlivens a location. If you do office work or sedentary hobbies, a water fountain might be just the thing to prevent drowsiness and promote discipline. Similarly, Feng Shui doesn’t typically recommend keeping a fountain in your bedroom, but here we must bow to modern life, where people are likely to work in their bedrooms. As a compromise, you can keep a small fountain positioned so that its flow moves away from the bed or is block from its sight lines.

Some Chinese communities (and an increasing number of Westerners) take Feng Shui quite seriously. Professional feng shui consultants advise on large scale property renovation and construction. But even if you don’t believe in its metaphysical underpinnings, a great deal of Feng Shui is in tune with common sense. In the end, it tells you to create comfortable spaces that fit their purpose – and that should be your ultimate guide when you pick a fountain for Feng Shui.

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