By Kartar Diamond

We all understand what "going with the flow" means. One interpretation of the phrase is to not resist the direction that circumstances and events are moving towards. As well, the energy and air currents in your home will be manipulated or buffered by the shapes and dimensions of the furnishings and the rooms themselves. In feng shui theory, shapes can redirect "chi" and they can also change the speed of the "chi" or air currents. Some shapes are considered health engendering and stable, while others can contribute to chaos, aggression, or poor health.

ROUND SHAPES
The circular or oval shape is considered fine on a small scale. A round conference table can help people feel equal and more social. Whereas a round building can swirl the energy to such an extent that the occupants may have a hard time concentrating and it could cause a lot of gossip.

SQUARE SHAPES
The square or moderate rectangle is considered a stable shape and most structures are some variation of squares and rectangles.

SEVERE RECTANGLE
A very narrow rectangle, where the width is only a small fraction of the length, is not a comfortable dwelling. Usually people feel very constricted in this kind of space.

TRIANGULAR SHAPES
It is rare that you see a triangular shaped building; however in Century City there are two triangular shaped buildings with their sharp edges pointing at each other. This can create a lot of aggression and make occupants accident-prone. What is found more frequently is a triangular shaped lot within a building development. While most lots will be square or rectangular, there are inevitably a few properties that get carved out of a smaller area and wind up as a pie-shaped lot.

L-SHAPE
Whether this is a house or a commercial property, the L-shaped structure can present at least one inherent potential problem. The area that joins the two sections of the ‘L’ will take on more stress. If this happened to be a bedroom within a house, then the occupants may have health or relationship problems. The same would be true for an office or group of offices within a building that were cornered into the connecting area of the two wings.

ZIG-ZAG SHAPE
Sometimes called a "lightning bolt" house, the zig-zag shaped house can contribute to unpredictable events. Often it is seen as a house that can be initially lucky for people when they first move in, but can turn unlucky if they live there a long time.

Often, odd shapes on a small scale can be harmless. A triangular shaped chair that is soft and puffy will not have the same impact as a triangular shaped room, which would be almost impossible to be comfortable in. Multi-storied homes can be seen as stable, whereas split-level floors can cause a disruption of smooth flowing energy for the occupants. Our eyes take in both conscious and subconscious views and we can get a definitive feeling or glandular reaction to certain extreme shapes.

Many years ago I had to visit an attorney and I wanted to find someone who was very tough in the area of expertise that I needed help with. I walked into the lawyer's office to be greeted by a reception counter that was pointing right towards the door. It looked like a granite harpoon. While it felt intimidating for a second, I soon realized that this was in fact the office of a tough, no nonsense lawyer who would be perfect for my case.

We have all been enthralled, intimidated, humbled and relaxed by different types of architecture and landscape design. These principles are usually quite consistent with feng shui and yin/yang theory in terms of how we will be affected by all the shapes around us. Some shapes have an immediate result while others are more subtle, but just as enduring.

 

 

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© Melt Magazine 2005