Feng shui – What is it? Is it okay for Christians to practice feng shui?

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TL;DR:

Feng shui seeks harmony through aligning with energy flows but its foundations conflict with biblical principles. Christians find true order and peace by building their lives and homes on God—the ultimate source of harmony.

from the old testament

  • God is sovereign over all aspects of creation, including light and darkness. It is not an energy force on its own (Isaiah 45:7).
  • While feng shui itself is not divination, its association with energies or forces can conflict with the biblical directive to avoid practices rooted in spiritism (Deuteronomy 18:10–12; cf. Galatians 5:19–21).
  • Psalm 127:1 reminds believers to depend on God for harmony and blessing in their homes.

from the new testament

  • For Christians, the Bible says our peace and harmony are supplied only by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:4–7). If we rely on feng shui to provide harmony in our lives or homes, we create an idol.
  • The Bible teaches us that our true Home is not of this world (John 18:36; 1 Corinthians 7:31). Our interests and energies should be spent on glorifying God in all aspects of our lives, including in our homes, not trying to connect with some cosmic force.

implications for today

As Christians, we are called to trust in God's sovereignty and provision rather than seeking harmony or success through practices rooted in pseudo-religious systems like feng shui. While it is good to organize and steward our living spaces thoughtfully, our motivation should be to glorify God and cultivate an environment that reflects His peace and order, not to manipulate unseen forces for personal gain. The Bible reminds us that all blessing and well-being come from the Lord (Psalm 127:1) and that He alone is our source of security. We should focus our hearts and homes with God’s character and design instead of relying on practices that attribute power to anything other than Him. In this way, we live with confidence in Christ, knowing that He is the foundation of all we build.

understand

  • Feng shui is built on a dualistic worldview based on Taoist principles and should be avoided.
  • Feng shui seeks harmony and balance, including in people’s homes, but there is no need to use this system to organize or decorate one’s home.
  • We are to depend on God, not on feng shui, for harmony and blessing.

reflect

  • How do you currently seek harmony and peace in your home? Are those methods rooted in God's principles?
  • Are there any influences or habits in your life that might subtly replace your trust in God's sovereignty?
  • How can you better align your home and lifestyle with the peace and order that comes from relying on Christ?

engage

  • In the culture of the West and in the United States, most people associate feng shui with a pseudo-science that relates to interior design—deciding how to arrange furniture and such. However, we must remember that it is connected to a pseudo-religion upon which many people base their lives. Many of the principles in feng shui are based on Taoist philosophy. There are multiple forms and methods of feng shui. Those who adhere to New Age thinking have adopted feng shui philosophy and use it to order their lives to differing degrees. Those who use feng shui for home décor use the idea of the "I Ching" to determine which parts of the home are positive/negative and how to arrange furniture and décor. How can we encourage others to depend on God's sovereignty rather than cultural practices like feng shui?
  • What does Psalm 127:1 teach us about the foundation of a blessed and harmonious home?
  • How can we differentiate between thoughtful stewardship of our homes and adopting practices rooted in unbiblical philosophies?