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In the 1980s, many people's lives were filled with things-cars, home, vacations, stressful jobs. Then in the 1990s, something wonderful happened to many of those same people. By middle of the decade, the insatiable desire for more and more stuff began to subside. People signed up for yoga classes, books on spirituality became best-sellers, and many former yuppies realized they needed more meaning in their lives. People began to analyze everything and try to improve their lifestyles by adding a better balance.

Not surprisingly, feng shui became extremely popular around the same time. Feng shui addresses the relationship between a person and his or her environment, emphasizing harmony. This ancient Chinese philosophy is said to have been around for three thousand years. Now, the masses are more than ready for it, and it has become a commonly used term.

Crucial to feng shui is the concept of ch'i. Ch'i., in Chinese culture, is an energy that's in everything you find in an environment. If you have good feng shui, your environment is kind of like a spring breeze'everything flows nicely. But sometimes ch'i gets stuck or depleted. Ch'i also enters and leaves through doors and windows (opened or closed). So in a room with awkward corners or furniture blocking your path, the ch'i is not good because there's no flow.

If you want to dabble in feng shui on a budget, here are a few low-cost ideas to get you started:

' Add mirrors. Mirrors are used widely in feng shui, and if used properly, they can help your environment immensely. Mirrors should be usable by the tallest member of the family and reflect at least six inches of clear space around your head.

' Clear it out. Is there a chair that people always seem to trip over? Are there corners that are so blocked off that they are rarely vacuumed and have layers of dust weighing them down? Move things around so the air (and people) can circulate effortlessly.

' Remove clutter. Clutter makes ch'i stagnate, so haul off your piles of junk by recycling or donating items, and your reward will be even greater.

' Get even. Don't use one candlestick or three'two or any other even number will feel better and more balanced.

' Pitch it. If it makes you sad, get rid of it. (You know, like that vase your cheating ex-boyfriend gave you or that bedspread you hate but bought because it was on sale.)

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