Life can be chaotic, but there are ways to make your personal space a tranquil oasis amid the bedlam of everyday existence.

Feng shui can help. The ancient art form – pronounced “fung schway,” and literally meaning wind and water – puts objects in their proper places or finds the perfect object to fill a space.

The goal is to fashion an area that makes you feel connected and at ease, whether indoors or out.

One of the forces at work behind the feng shui philosophy is chi, a kind of energy or divine force that brings harmony and balance. Raising your level of positive chi increases these qualities in your life. Balance also is vital in a universe that contains complementary opposites. For instance, too much water in a garden may put out the “fire” of the space. An equilibrium of passive and active energy is necessary so visitors don’t feel frantic or sleepy.

By now you may be skeptical. Can the arrangement of “things” really make such a difference?

Indeed it can, says Dana T. Duellman, a certified feng shui practitioner.

“I know it works because I have personally experienced the benefits,” she says. “I have worked with others who have experienced the benefits and heard their success stories. Feng shui becomes a way to live your life with purpose and intention. Once you are in the flow with what resonates within, there is no going back to living without. You see things differently, you experience life differently, and you have an understanding for why some spaces feel better than others.

“You have an understanding and a respect for how positive energy can completely make a difference in a space versus a space that isn’t filled with love and positive intentions.”

Getting grounded

So how do you get started creating a feng shui environment? There are five elements to the art, each representing a different part of the color spectrum. But they must be blended together to produce the desired effect: balance.

The five elements are wood (green/blue), fire (red), earth (yellow/orange), metal (white/silver) and water (blue/black). When all of these elements are present and working in a balanced way, it is referred to as the “nourishing cycle of the elements.”

The best way to get started on a feng shui garden, Duellman says, is to find your “earth.”

“There are so many facets to this art. I feel that it is very important for your readers to understand that they have an earth element that they were born to – either fire, metal, earth, wood or water. Your earth element has a lot to do with how you feel in a space and what kinds of colors are supportive for you, and what kinds of furniture and art will resonate with you.

“It becomes very complicated and detailed, but over the years, I’ve found that the earth element is a great way to start understanding what you need in your space to feel supported.”

It’s elemental

So here’s a look at the five elements in more detail, and ways that you can incorporate them into your garden:

¢ Wood: Often symbolizes the beginning of a new life with a shrub or bushy plant emitting a chi. In this realm, you never want a dead plant because it represents a bad influence. Plants associated with this element are quince and lilac.

¢ Fire: This represents the yang of the elements: hot summers and blasts of heat. Some plants associated with fire are sunflowers and red hot pokers.

¢ Earth: Stability and peace are bedrocks of this element; clematis and honeysuckle are flora associated here. Granite boulders, clay statues and even terra cotta pots can bring this element to your space.

¢ Metal: Can encourage creative ideas, strength and resilience. The edges need to be rounded and pleasing, never sharp. Pampas grass would fall in with the metal elements.

¢ Water: This is life. It needs to be clear and flowing, never still and stagnant. It always should flow toward the home; if it flows away, it drains energy from the home. Water is synonymous with power.

In order for feng shui to work, you must rely on your intuition when choosing plants. Pick the ones that make you feel good.

Art imitating life

Betsy Forcade, a student of the Western School of Feng Shui in San Diego and a Lawrence resident for the past 38 years, believe feng shui has become so popular because it incorporates a lot of common sense principles that have been distilled from centuries of study in China.

“It focuses your inner intentions into the world,” she says. “In other words, you become clear about what you want and manifest it in the world. It’s popular because it is so easy to try different things in your house and yard; and most importantly, it really works.”

She is correct; much of this ancient art is common sense.

For instance, feng shui suggests curved lines for chi to flow freely. They believe that straight lines make chi move too quickly and that clutter can stop its flow altogether. Most gardeners will give the same advice, based on the fact that curves are found in nature and straight lines are not, so when planting, straight lines should be avoided in favor of bunches or random scatters. Art imitates life, and Mother Nature is our muse.

So when creating a feng shui garden, say to yourself, “If I were wind and/or water, which way would I go?” And remember, if the space doesn’t make you feel good and the flowers and shrubs don’t put you in a relaxed state, start over. Adjust, shift and re-shift until you find harmony and balance.