Ceiling Fans for Good Feng Shui? (Part 1)

July 5, 2011

Ceiling fans get a bad rap in some Feng Shui circles.

Can it be true that their circular motion and blades create “killing chi,” harming us with their downward spiraling energy?

No — in fact, quiet, unobtrusive ceiling fans keep healthy Chi circulating and create good Feng Shui in homes and offices around the world, with the additional benefit of helping reduce the need to over-cool or -heat your space.

But you do need to be aware of two issues when comes to the Feng Shui of ceiling fans.

Issue #1: Feng Shui & Ceiling Fan Height

This fan hangs too low in the room:
A low-hung ceiling fan.

From a Feng Shui perspective, when a fan hangs too low it creates unseen pressures, similar to those of beams or a slanted ceiling overhead.

Just looking at the above picture you feel that your head might be cut off if you walked underneath the fan!

By contrast, this large fan is mounted nice and high in the space: the occupants will never feel threatened by its twirling blades.

Ceiling fan at correct height.

I heartily recommend the installation of ceiling fans in your home or office, asking you first of all to make sure it can be hung high enough to be unobtrusive.

Next up, Feng Shui & Ceiling Fans, Part 2: Built-In Lighting

(top photo courtesy of ehow.com)

Filed Under: Feng Shui Basics|8 comments
keywords: , ,
  • Sarah R

    Well, there is a saying in Chinese medicine that Wind carries with it a thousand diseases, so I suspect that’s where the prohibition comes in. Now whether you can separate out a cultural fear of drafts from feng shui… dunno.

  • Nancy Rose

    Thanks for the clarification. I’ve seen other comments that ceiling fans are not good, but I agree that circulation is good and now I know I need to keep the fan high. Great post.

    • Ann

      Thanks for your comments, Nancy & Sarah. There’s been a lot of discussion among Feng Shui experts about this recently and the conclusion is that ceiling fans are good for Chi circulation and good health. You make a good point about the possible origin of the negative impression of ceiling fans, Sarah. Thank you.

      • Sarah R

        WWell I know feng shui has journeyed since leaving China so there’s not necessarily a one to one correspondence with medical thought. It’s the back of the neck that’s most vulnerable to wind, so ceiling fans are probably not the best choice for a tummy sleeper ;)

        • Ann

          Yes, thanks for that insight. Keeping the fan going in the right direction every season is important, and all the more reason to keep it up as high as possible in the room

  • http://fengshuimirror.com/feng-shui-garden/ Rbarancowskijanette

    Thanks for sharing this. Feng Shui do exists in Asia and the mother of my mother believe in feng shui. It  was totally passed it on to the next generations, it is a big help in designing your houses, properties and gardens.

  • http://www.sossimpleorganizedsolutions.com Sally

    My understanding is that the blades of a ceiling fan over a bed can send out negative chi and can cause back issues.  I was told the enhancement is to hang a faceted crystal ball, minimum size 30 mm from it.  I actually did this and had no more back aches. 

    • Ann

      Hi Sally, thanks for your insight. If folks are having trouble sleeping under a ceiling fan, your Feng Shui crystal adjustment is a great way to go. I recommend making transcendental adjustments like this only when there is a problem, because when it comes to Feng Shui, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” !