One tool that helps you find your place in the world of feng shui is Chinese astrology. By taking a look at a chart of Chinese lunar years and their corresponding animal signs (much like Western astrological signs), you can get a clearer picture of who you are.

When you see which element is attached to your sign's particular birth year, you can easily determine which elements you most need in order to keep yourself in good balance. It's a fun way to incorporate your own characteristics into your feng shui projects throughout your home, work environment, and surroundings.

  • Figure out your Chinese lunar year and animal
  • Use your animal to get a feel for who you are
  • Incorporate these characteristics into projects

Here's a quick look at the yin and yang of each sign in the Chinese zodiac:

  • Rats are charismatic, progressive leaders with quick wits and smooth social skill (yin). On the yang (or negative) side, they can be power-mongers who are prone to letting greed rule their decisions.

  • Oxen are strong, morally aware, and conscientious (yin). They are loyal, dependable, sincere, and hardworking. Stubbornness and narrow-mindedness are their yang qualities.

  • Tigers have yin courage, pride, and bravado. They are the eternal optimists - energetic, enthusiastic, and even lucky. On the yang side, they are sometimes impatient and impulsive.

  • The Cat (sometimes Rabbit) is wise, diplomatic, and good at assessing people and situations (yin). But they can also be snobs who have tantrums when they feel jealous (yang).

  • Dragons are born leaders with lots of the yin pioneering spirit. They can be flamboyant and confident and often do things in a big, grandiose way. Their negative yang qualities are bossiness and a quick-tempered nature. They can pout when they don't get their way.

  • Snakes are private, almost mysterious creatures in the Chinese zodiac. They are full of wisdom, insight, and quiet determination (yin), but can also be possessive, manipulative, or "biting" in their ways (yang).

  • Horses are cheery, extroverted, and often popular people (yin). But they can also have a short attention span that holds them back from achieving all they can in life (yang).

  • On the yin side, Goats (or Sheep) are the gentle, peace-loving home-bodies of Chinese astrology. Yang qualities make them fussy and persnickety, insecure and hermitlike.

  • Monkeys are the most fun-loving of all the animal signs. They are funny, creative, and imaginative (yin). On the yang side, their mischief can wreak havoc on relationships, and they can appear superficial and uncaring.

  • Roosters are reliable, honest, and plain speaking (yin). They can be quite industrious, focused, and sociable, but they can also be blunt to the point of rudeness, ruffling feathers with their yang qualities.

  • Dogs are devoted, loyal, and helpful to family and friends (yin). They are unselfish, trustworthy, and resourceful. On the yang side, though, they can be pessimistic worrywarts.

  • Pigs are the beloved servants, the quintessential "followers" of the Chinese zodiac. On the yin side, they love to bring joy and happiness to others.

But the yang of it is that they are often gullible and naive, misled by others who set out to deliberately deceive them.

Good thing they forgive easily, too.

Using Chinese astrology to incorporate your own personality into the feng shui of your home and work environments can be a positive - and enlightening - thing to do before embarking on a total overhaul of your design or decor.

But don't get too hung up on the specific qualities of each sign - it's the corresponding elements that will mean the most to you in feng shui.