Chi, variously spelled 'qi' and 'ki' in English, and pronounced both 'key' and 'chee', is a concept in eastern thought for the energy or life force that can be found in all things. It differs from conventional western thought in that inanimate objects - rocks, streams, roadways - also have their own chi; it's not a property of 'living' objects only.

For Westerners, probably the best articulation of this still-rather-foreign concept comes from George Lucas' Star Wars characters describing 'the Force'. It 'surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds the universe together', Obi Wan tells Luke Skywalker. Later Yoda tells him, "Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship."

Chi flows through our bodies along energy meridians. Acupuncturists can effect the free flow of our interior chi, unblocking blocked meridians and restoring our bodies to balance.

Chi flows across and under the surface of the earth; its flow is influenced by natural features, by rushing water, by wind and rain.

In our homes, chi can either be moving too fast, creating a hectic, unrestful environment that leaves you feeling out of control of your life, or, more usually, be moving too slowly, piling up in corners like dust, stagnating and causing stagnation to affect our lives and well-being.

The main focus of Feng Shui is to promote the right amount of movement of chi through your environment, keeping your surroundings and yourself fresh, lively and in balance with yourself and nature.

Balancing the chi in your environment can change your outlook, your feelings of health and even your luck.

One of the biggest blocks to chi in most homes is clutter. Karen Kingston's best-seller Clear Your Cluuter with Feng Shui is a powerful movitating book for helping you get your clutter under control and your home's chi flowing smoothly again.