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Feng Shui For Beginners: Successful Living by Design
When you live in harmony with the universe, good things naturally flow your way. Feng Shui for Beginners offers simple techniques for attracting the powerful energy known as ch’i into your home and workplace. By simply rearranging your furniture, hanging wind chimes outside your door, or placing a vase filled with flowers in your bedroom, you can improve your life in a variety of create a more peaceful home, enhance your creativity, even find true love. You’ll learn how to use feng shui to get rid of shars in your environment―straight lines and sharp angles that produce bad luck. And you can even predict the future with the “Flying Star” technique.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
7 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Richard Webster
385 books87 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Richard Webster is an author, ghostwriter, mentalist, hypnotist and magician.
Richard Webster is an author, ghostwriter, mentalist, hypnotist and magician.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 27, 2008
Please note the following review in part or in entirety is a copy of other reviews I have written on similar Feng Shui books.
Ok this is the longest Review I have written as I am very passionate about it due to my personal experience with it - so please bare with me. If you are interested in Feng Shui it may be worth the read.
I bought this book along with many others; (which I will lump together here and probably post this same review on each) when I knew nothing about Feng Shui except for the concept - put your things in the right place and create harmony and flow in your life.
In theory this like the other 'western style' Feng Shui books are great. By western I mean anything that does not hold up to the Classical/Authentic Feng Shui concepts. Easy to read, easy to apply for the most part and fairly easy to incorporate into most homes.
There are a few 'universal' concepts 'these' books shared that are logical, useful and truly helpful. Such as decluttering your life/home and using plants to bring in good energy. For the sake of being fair I am quite certain there are a few more that I am neglecting to mention here.
If anyone has read different books on Feng Shui they will notice how each one seems to contradict the next. So even if you think you are 'playing by the rules for one' the next one tells you, you are way off course.
First let me say I tried so many different techniques found in these books that I thought my head would spin. Not just for a day or two but for well over two years. Some of the things seemed to have an effect but as I have realized this has more to do with the power of positive intention which most of these books work from.
When we bought our first home I used a good majority of the techniques to sway my decision as to which home to buy & where. Not to mention the placement of my furniture etc. Western Feng Shui is sort of a set it and forget it concept but they often use Asian influence chatskies as well to keep bringing the mind back to the intension. With such limiting results I had pretty much chalked it up to 'not worth too much of my effort'.
So when a Classical Feng Shui speaker was presenting at a fair I had no intention of going but since the other speaker who was to present during that time did not show I thought I would go ahead and check it out. I was pleasingly surprised but skeptical as she explained why these techniques worked a little but nothing seemed to 'stick'. She shared her experience with it and how in learning Classical (Authentic) Feng Shui vs. what we find on our book shelves, it made all the difference in the world. Also explaining how every person has to find out what their best and worst directions and that it is NOT universal. Along with the importance of understanding your 'Destiny Chart' which plays just as big of a role in the 'outcome' of how effective Feng Shui can be.
I noticed everything she was working with was in Chinese characters and she talked about how her teachers were Masters that were from China.
Everything she shared made since so for the better part of the next day her, my friend & I spent time talking more about it.
I asked her if she had any books she could recommend on the subject - then came the bomb...
She said 'there are no English books on the subject in print right now'.
That pretty much discouraged me but after I got home I started researching and found one resource that seemed legitimate. I did as much research as possible and found him to be highly reputable. Joey Yap seems very sincere in his agenda to bring Classical/Authentic Feng Shui and other Chinese arts to the western culture.
After reading his website, hundreds of his articles, watching some of his videos I applied some of his techniques and was AMAZED and the results. Then I compared my 'favorable and unfavorable' directions with the places I have lived using Google Earth to pinpoint the direction of my bed placement and found the One time in my life I was the healthiest was the ONLY time my bed had ever been in one of my favorable positions. After moving our bed within ONE DAY both my husband & my energy had increased (thankfully we both share the same favorable directions). That along with many other things has made me a believer in something that I didn't hold much weigh to before.
Needless to say I have since been slowly learning more and more about Classical Feng Shui, Bazi (Destiny) Charts, and Mian Xiang (face reading) and continue to be impressed with it's accuracy.
The most disheartening thing about 'Western' Feng Shui concepts is that most of the authors feel they what they are doing is good and helpful and for the most part the power of positive intention allows them to have some results. But unknowingly some of these Consultants don't realize that what they are teaching/sharing can actually be doing more harm than good. Since many of them use a Universal Bagua for everyone and give everyone the same positions for everything.
In closing I would like to suggest that you skip all the hype and the books suggesting that they have an 'easier way'. If you Truly want to experience what Feng Shui can offer don't mess with techniques that can sometimes do more harm than good. Check out Yap's books and/or DVD trainings and learn what Feng Shui truly is about.
Ok this is the longest Review I have written as I am very passionate about it due to my personal experience with it - so please bare with me. If you are interested in Feng Shui it may be worth the read.
I bought this book along with many others; (which I will lump together here and probably post this same review on each) when I knew nothing about Feng Shui except for the concept - put your things in the right place and create harmony and flow in your life.
In theory this like the other 'western style' Feng Shui books are great. By western I mean anything that does not hold up to the Classical/Authentic Feng Shui concepts. Easy to read, easy to apply for the most part and fairly easy to incorporate into most homes.
There are a few 'universal' concepts 'these' books shared that are logical, useful and truly helpful. Such as decluttering your life/home and using plants to bring in good energy. For the sake of being fair I am quite certain there are a few more that I am neglecting to mention here.
If anyone has read different books on Feng Shui they will notice how each one seems to contradict the next. So even if you think you are 'playing by the rules for one' the next one tells you, you are way off course.
First let me say I tried so many different techniques found in these books that I thought my head would spin. Not just for a day or two but for well over two years. Some of the things seemed to have an effect but as I have realized this has more to do with the power of positive intention which most of these books work from.
When we bought our first home I used a good majority of the techniques to sway my decision as to which home to buy & where. Not to mention the placement of my furniture etc. Western Feng Shui is sort of a set it and forget it concept but they often use Asian influence chatskies as well to keep bringing the mind back to the intension. With such limiting results I had pretty much chalked it up to 'not worth too much of my effort'.
So when a Classical Feng Shui speaker was presenting at a fair I had no intention of going but since the other speaker who was to present during that time did not show I thought I would go ahead and check it out. I was pleasingly surprised but skeptical as she explained why these techniques worked a little but nothing seemed to 'stick'. She shared her experience with it and how in learning Classical (Authentic) Feng Shui vs. what we find on our book shelves, it made all the difference in the world. Also explaining how every person has to find out what their best and worst directions and that it is NOT universal. Along with the importance of understanding your 'Destiny Chart' which plays just as big of a role in the 'outcome' of how effective Feng Shui can be.
I noticed everything she was working with was in Chinese characters and she talked about how her teachers were Masters that were from China.
Everything she shared made since so for the better part of the next day her, my friend & I spent time talking more about it.
I asked her if she had any books she could recommend on the subject - then came the bomb...
She said 'there are no English books on the subject in print right now'.
That pretty much discouraged me but after I got home I started researching and found one resource that seemed legitimate. I did as much research as possible and found him to be highly reputable. Joey Yap seems very sincere in his agenda to bring Classical/Authentic Feng Shui and other Chinese arts to the western culture.
After reading his website, hundreds of his articles, watching some of his videos I applied some of his techniques and was AMAZED and the results. Then I compared my 'favorable and unfavorable' directions with the places I have lived using Google Earth to pinpoint the direction of my bed placement and found the One time in my life I was the healthiest was the ONLY time my bed had ever been in one of my favorable positions. After moving our bed within ONE DAY both my husband & my energy had increased (thankfully we both share the same favorable directions). That along with many other things has made me a believer in something that I didn't hold much weigh to before.
Needless to say I have since been slowly learning more and more about Classical Feng Shui, Bazi (Destiny) Charts, and Mian Xiang (face reading) and continue to be impressed with it's accuracy.
The most disheartening thing about 'Western' Feng Shui concepts is that most of the authors feel they what they are doing is good and helpful and for the most part the power of positive intention allows them to have some results. But unknowingly some of these Consultants don't realize that what they are teaching/sharing can actually be doing more harm than good. Since many of them use a Universal Bagua for everyone and give everyone the same positions for everything.
In closing I would like to suggest that you skip all the hype and the books suggesting that they have an 'easier way'. If you Truly want to experience what Feng Shui can offer don't mess with techniques that can sometimes do more harm than good. Check out Yap's books and/or DVD trainings and learn what Feng Shui truly is about.
October 18, 2012
Not so much 'for Beginners' as an exhaustive 101 class. Certainly not everything, considering much of the 'truth' of Feng Shui remains untranslated, bad English books merely copy one another and are receycled again and again...
Richard Webster has written us an introduction to all the ways in which you can create balance in your life, the Chinese way. Filled with anecdotes from history and legend, this book from Llewellyn is also interesting, but works best as a book which you read in bits and pieces, scribbling notes and highlight passages, dog-earing the pages, and generally sucking the dear life out, until you learn how to read Chinese and move on to the source material.
To be fair, this book wasn't enough for me, I purchased a book on the authors suggestion, to more exactly understand the signs and charts which would correspond to my family members and myself. It's called Ming Shu The Art and Practice of Chinese Astrology and is surprisingly colorful, and spread out. At least my edition is. You can buy it cheap from a online used-book seller, which is what I did.
My conclusion: If you are looking to get into Feng Shui this is an excellent, and from what I can tell, factual book for enthusiasts and karma-seekers alike. Just remember to not be overwhelmed by all the things you can do to get yourself good ch'i, take it in steps, starting with the universal Shars. Okay? :)
Richard Webster has written us an introduction to all the ways in which you can create balance in your life, the Chinese way. Filled with anecdotes from history and legend, this book from Llewellyn is also interesting, but works best as a book which you read in bits and pieces, scribbling notes and highlight passages, dog-earing the pages, and generally sucking the dear life out, until you learn how to read Chinese and move on to the source material.
To be fair, this book wasn't enough for me, I purchased a book on the authors suggestion, to more exactly understand the signs and charts which would correspond to my family members and myself. It's called Ming Shu The Art and Practice of Chinese Astrology and is surprisingly colorful, and spread out. At least my edition is. You can buy it cheap from a online used-book seller, which is what I did.
My conclusion: If you are looking to get into Feng Shui this is an excellent, and from what I can tell, factual book for enthusiasts and karma-seekers alike. Just remember to not be overwhelmed by all the things you can do to get yourself good ch'i, take it in steps, starting with the universal Shars. Okay? :)
December 1, 2015
Este livro é aquilo que o meu professor de Feng Shui denomina um exemplo de "Feng Shui de capa de revista". São inúmeros os artigos que nos anos mais recentes povoam as páginas de revistas femininas, fazendo do Feng Shui pouco mais do que uma curiosidade de decoração. É um assunto bem mais profundo do que isso, com origens milenares e uma relação com a espiritualidade muito grande.
A obra constitui uma boa experiência para quem não tem conhecimentos nenhuns de Feng Shui e apenas quer ter algumas "luzes" sobre o tema e conceitos. No entanto, contém algumas incorrecções que só quem estuda Feng Shui poderá perceber.
Para quem quer começar a abordar a temática poderá eventualmente ser adequado, ainda assim com algumas reservas. Caso a pessoa tenha interesse em aprofundar os conhecimentos e/ou aplicar Feng Shui à sua vida e casa, será aconselhável estudar Feng Shui (ou ler outros autores mais próximos do que é o Feng Shui clássico) ou ter uma consulta com um consultor de Feng Shui.
A obra constitui uma boa experiência para quem não tem conhecimentos nenhuns de Feng Shui e apenas quer ter algumas "luzes" sobre o tema e conceitos. No entanto, contém algumas incorrecções que só quem estuda Feng Shui poderá perceber.
Para quem quer começar a abordar a temática poderá eventualmente ser adequado, ainda assim com algumas reservas. Caso a pessoa tenha interesse em aprofundar os conhecimentos e/ou aplicar Feng Shui à sua vida e casa, será aconselhável estudar Feng Shui (ou ler outros autores mais próximos do que é o Feng Shui clássico) ou ter uma consulta com um consultor de Feng Shui.
November 25, 2025
A decent introduction to feng shui.
I'm sure it's challenging to strike the right balance between feng shui history and a straightforward how-to guide on implementing the philosophy. This book tries to find that balance. A little more depth in either category may have sat better with me.
I may reference this work again when rearranging a room. Some basic tenets will stick with me - water, rounded edges, shars. I hope to observe the world with a feng shui perspective more deeply now, but I will need further education on the practice.
I'm sure it's challenging to strike the right balance between feng shui history and a straightforward how-to guide on implementing the philosophy. This book tries to find that balance. A little more depth in either category may have sat better with me.
I may reference this work again when rearranging a room. Some basic tenets will stick with me - water, rounded edges, shars. I hope to observe the world with a feng shui perspective more deeply now, but I will need further education on the practice.
October 4, 2018
Great book but way more detail to call "for beginners."
May 13, 2020
An interesting and rather detailed overview which left me wanting to go back to understand some parts more clearly.
February 14, 2022
meh :/ At least it's good to keep your eyes moving. Call it 3-.
February 23, 2017
This is my second book from Richard Webster. I very much enjoy his unique angles on the multitude of topics he has covered in his works. I appreciate that he tries to give one a broad overview that introduces several different approaches, while giving examples to try them and explore further. Also, his knowledge base appears strongly rooted in Eastern/ Chinese practices- as suits the subjects I have read. I consider that helpful making constant reference to how certain methods are used in the native country.
In many cases, Westerners are given severely watered down material for quick absorption. The texts hints at much deeper wells of information available. Offering a list of books for further reading sets one on that path.
This brief tome covers home, garden, and business; what is beneficial, and what are the common cures for the inauspicious aspects of these situations. Offering several cures gives one many options, and that is always a good thing to have on hand.
In many cases, Westerners are given severely watered down material for quick absorption. The texts hints at much deeper wells of information available. Offering a list of books for further reading sets one on that path.
This brief tome covers home, garden, and business; what is beneficial, and what are the common cures for the inauspicious aspects of these situations. Offering several cures gives one many options, and that is always a good thing to have on hand.
October 7, 2011
Not as practical as the intro made it out to be. I was expecting a more western approach to feng shui but ended up with a very eastern, superstitious feng shui. Interesting to see all the different aspects, but not very practical, unless you're extremely superstitious.
March 28, 2013
Just starting this today. Looking to remove clutter in my home and my mind.
March 14, 2014
This book was fairly well written, but sort of oddly organized. Some points got repetitive. This book is best suited for somebody looking to buy or build a home. Good resources in the appendix.
February 3, 2016
Pretty good, not complicated, surface introduction to Feng Shui. It piqued my interest to learn more and begin incorporating some of the principles into my home and work life.
July 19, 2016
Niet wat ik zocht. Teveel input over oude gekke chinees geloofjes en te weinig praktische, overtuigende tips. Ook niet uitgelezen dus misschien heb ik die laatste daardoor gemist.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews