Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese technique for achieving balance and harmony. Contrary to the popular misconception, it is much more than rearranging the furniture, as Wendy Ellen Hanophy points out in Wind, Water and Wing: Feng Shui and the Nature of Home. It is about orientation and how air, water, and living things flow. It involves understanding relationships. The birds know this, but we humans have lost touch with nature. The author adopts a new approach, teaching readers that Feng Shui is the art of becoming. We should reorganize our space through awareness and intention. We should restore what we have lost to find balance between the inner and outer. Feng Shui aims to align with nature by sensing the currents of energy and staying aware. It is not about decoration, fashion, or good luck. In that regard, abundance occurs naturally when relationships are healthy. The five elements, four celestial animals, Yin and Yang, the directions, and the related symbolism are described in detail. It should be noted that these principles are oriented to the northern hemisphere. The home is a living ecosystem. We sweep, clean, and repair out of respect and gratitude. Respond to your environment, and it will respond to you.

Wendy Ellen Hanophy is a wildlife biologist, author, and teacher, using her wisdom to promote awareness about the ecology and our relationship with it. She reflects that Feng Shui has lost its roots and has become commercialized. Wind, Water and Wing is about consciousness and remembering, rather than prescription. It is a call for readers to make different choices. The lessons provided by birds represent a powerful theme. For example, the way that birds position and build their nests is a lesson in lived space. The author provides advice on how to restore balance and remove clutter and noise, adapting to ever-changing conditions. The writing style has an etheric and harmonious quality that matches the subject matter perfectly. The content extends far beyond the flow of energy, overlapping into our internal state of being. The text is rounded off with a closing blessing, plus lists of recommended reading and sources. The author’s approach to the topic is refreshing, and the book is highly recommended.