Water, the Shui (水) in Feng Shui, is one of the two essential factors in external environment analysis. Water governs the wealth and career aspects of the house, and while many people are aware of its importance, few know how to utilize it in a way that is beneficial and helpful. Because it is all too easy to place a water feature inside or outside a house, people tend to do so without knowing its full effects, and so end up disrupting the flow of Qi instead of directing it in a positive manner or gathering it.

Water is the Yang counterpart to Feng Shui’s other essential elements: mountains. While mountains generate Qi, water collects it, so for any environment to be prosperous, the Yin and Yang in a location should be balanced in order to maximize the prosperity of the Qi generated. Many people think that just having a property facing a water feature will bring them wealth and success. This is a gross oversimplification of the effect that water can have on a location and is a poor interpretation of it significance in landform Feng Shui.

The first thing people tend to think of is locating a body of water near their house. While the waters of lakes and ponds are regarded as peaceful and sentimental, take note of exactly where it is located. Water flowing or located on the left side of the property, known as the Green Dragon Swimming in Water formation, is considered a desirable formation for the wealth and prosperity of the house in general. However, many people do not do their complete research, and are easily carried away with “get rich quick” schemes, such as digging a Millionaire Water Dragon formation around their property. Such a man-made feature is dangerous, for it can result in Cutting Feet Water, which does not only cause negative Qi, but can even be dangerous to its residents.

If you have any kind of water feature or formation near your home you will want to ensure that it is clean, since that denotes vibrancy and vitality. Clean water denotes that the Qi is vibrant and that the owners of the property are wealthy and the wealth Qi is vibrant. Dirty water is equivalent to poison in the environment, and areas with dirty water usually have a lot of problem with vermin, vector illnesses and insects. Dirty water means that the Qi cannot be properly harnessed and the results can be bad health, poor performance and a loss of wealth for the occupants in the area.

There is also a common misconception that water at the back of the house is bad Feng Shui. This is because the back is supposed to be Yin while the front is Yang. Having the Yang water in the Yin section is out of place, and this arrangement is said to be disharmonious and can cause fights over money. That said, the situation is not that dire. If there is sufficient distance between the water formation and the house, or it is a located in a suitable location based on the San Yuan Xuan Kong principle with a mountain nearby, you do not have to worry.

For those who wish to ensure a measure of prosperity and financial security through wealth Feng Shui, keep a lookout for regions with Sentimental Water. Sentimental Water is water that embraces your property without crossing directly in front of it, or through it. In Luan Tou, gently curved, meandering water is considered to be benevolent and gentle, ushering in good, smoothly flowing Qi that brings about health and good financial prospects to its occupants. Gently cascading water that flows towards the house another auspicious water formation that denotes great prosperity and fortune, depending on which sector of the house in flows towards. Another highly auspicious water formation is the Nine Curve Water, which meanders for nine curves as it leads towards your home. It denotes wealth Qi that compounds and collects over the years.

In Landform Feng Shui, water formations are required to be natural, not man made, in order to be effective. However, with today’s highly developed urban areas, it’s very hard to find naturally occurring water forms, and even then they may have been changed and shifted to accommodate developments. Therefore an alternative is roads, which are considered to be virtual water. Though virtual water is not as efficient at generating wealth Qi, there are certain principles that remain the same. A fast highway past your house is considered Merciless Water, and a T-junction pointing directly towards your Main Door generates Sha Qi.

That said, just having an auspicious water formation near your house does not automatically guarantee wealth and good fortune. After all, Feng Shui isn’t magic or a miracle that will make your bank account grow overnight. Instead, positive Qi generates a healthy mindset that allows you to better see opportunities and chances that can lead to a growth in your wealth and fortune. Seize those opportunities and make the right choices and money will start to flow.