| Architecture and Fengshui |
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Close and Open (Full and Empty) are related to design of buildings and other structures. Most visible implementation is on façade of a building. Close (Full) is the architectural element without openings, for instance large walls and Open (Empty) result from location of windows and doors. The purpose in design or project of buildings is achievement of balance and harmony, a beautiful composition. From a wide point of view balance and harmony can be also related to use of colors, constructive materials, shape and position of furniture and objects inside a house, etc.
Building with constructive material that “closes” façade.
Source: http://www.arcoweb.com.br/arquitetura/arquitetura532.asp
Areas and rooms where we can feel balance and harmony attract our eyes and we want get inside it. Our brain looks for symmetry, ratio, order and clarity. This is not only related to what we see but also what we hear, touch, smell and taste. Through five senses we recognize the world and we “nourish” ourselves with these feelings. Ancient Greeks named “beauty” to this group of topics (symmetry, ratio, order). According to them enjoy beauty would induce the feeling of “rise of spirit”.
Psychologist Nancy Etcoff, author of book “Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty” affirms “gives to say that has a central reality in beauty. After all, in many cultures similar elements have constituted a powerful aesthetic force”. But, to contemporary world which would be the meaning to appreciate beauty and its consequences in Architecture?
House with large windows (empty) that allows sunlight.
Source: http://www.arcoweb.com.br/arquitetura/arquitetura542.asp
Architect György Doczi launches some tracks in his book “The Power of Limits” coining new word “Dinergy” formed from Greeks words “di” meaning “through, among, the opposite” and “energy” as “force, vigor, property of a system to produces work (in a machine)”. Thus, Dinergy is the primordial force that comes from joining opposites, is a force that origins from symmetry, from balance between antagonistic things: full and empty, straight and curved lines, hot and cold colors, among others. A daily example is cycle of day and night ruling aspects as grow of plants and activities of human beings. The balance betwenn number of hours with solar light and darkness rules chemical processes into human body establishing biologically a correct time to eat, to work, to sleep. Follow in inverse direction of this flow means to attack our own body.
Eastern knowledge
This symbol above called “Taiji” more than represent a simply idea as “good and evil”, graphically displays the Theory of Yin Yang, or Theory of the Complementary Opposites, and explains that balance between opposites forces produces Sheng qi (vibrant, active vital force). These two specific and essential aspects that complement each other and keep itself in dynamic balance constitute - according to Chinese view - everything that exists in Nature. They are harmonized in such way that each one is a reference point to other.
There is not Yang without Yin nor Yin without Yang. Inside a house there are yin rooms and yang rooms. In common sense we can consider that bedrooms, bathrooms, pantries are yin places – rooms to brief permanence or with little/slow movement. On the other hand, living room and kitchen are places to last a long period of time or with many activities, so these are yang places.
Decide if a room is yin or yang is not a simply task because this aspects are relative, it must establish a reference point. For example, comparing a bedroom with a visit room, we can say that first one is yin and second, yang. However, if the family receives few visits and in bedroom live two young boys that play in a rock and roll band, so situation could be different. Analyzing step by step will show that each environment will have different amounts of yin and yang depending on localization, natural light, windows, furniture, occupants etc.
Considering that Dinergy comes from balance of opposites, is force, vigor, the potential then Sheng qi is this force that energise dwellers of a house. A saying of Fengshui teaches: “beauty is Sheng qi”. In Architecture to be in presence of beauty is to be inside a room balanced, symmetrical, harmonious. An environment with Dinergy spread Sheng qi. The balance and harmony that comes from environment penetrate our body through five senses: the rhythm of heart beat is calm, breath is slow, level of certain kind of hormones stabilizes, etc. So, enjoy beauty is good to health.
Some time ago a Brazilian TV series features a young boy with depression (yin) because he was taken blame by death of his brother. He locked herself in bedroom (yin attitude), put black curtains on the windows diminishing natural light (yin) and painted walls in black color (yin). If he continues in this way consequence could be death (yin). This is an extreme situation only to demonstrate exchange of vibrations that happen between people and environments that they live.
The purpose of Fengshui is to establish balance between opposite forces of yin and yang and create harmonious and healthy environments. A place very yin (example above) or very yang is unbalanced and this disequilibrium will affect occupants in a harmful way causing bad consequences.
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Riceles Araújo Costa
Riceles is Architect and Classical Fengshui practitioner living in Brazil. He has studied this Chinese art since 1997 and in 2001 became student of Feng Shui Research Center. With Master Joseph Yu he has attended correspondence and personal courses in Brazil and Argentina. His interests also include Yijing and Four Pilllars.
You can visit Riceles's web site at: http://riceles.vilabol.uol.com.br (in Portuguese).
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