Feng Shui in Keswick The balance between peace and chaos in Keswick, England. How the hills of England’s Lake District remind one girl of the Guilin in China; and how Feng Shui runs throughout the Cumbrian landscape.
Ontop of a hilltop at Castlerigg Stone Cirle looking at 3,000 year old rocks.
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Keswick is located in the north-east of England in the northern heart of the Lake District. Dominated by towering hills and deep valley’s it’s home to some of the most wonderful experiences. My first impression of Keswick was the extreme weather conditions that I was faced with. I instantly compared the weather that I was experiencing with the forces between peace and chaos, the harmony between man and nature. Having grown up in Hong Kong, I thought of Feng Shui having an influence on Keswick’s natural landscape.
“You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.” Annonymous I feel as if this quote best represents my feelings towards Keswick, there is so much contrast in the atmosphere that you’re never bored. 3
“Feng Shui focuses on harmonizing individuals with their surrounding environment” Howling wind and pelting rain greeted me and I instantly thought of how miserable the weather was and how I would have to go out into it and survuve the long day before me. Coming from Hong Kong meant that being placed atop a hillside in the middle of a gale makes one feel as if they’ve lost a bet with their mother. It doesn’t end well. However, once the nausea from the coach ride wore off I was able to clearly see the beauty before me. Rolling hills as far as the eye can see, clouds washing past at the rate of knots and blades of grass whistling as the wind passes by.
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All was peaceful, yet chaotic. The vally between the two mountains clearly
showed me the balance of Yin and Yang. Harmony in nature. Standing atop that hill looking at the natural feng shui around although the weather was chaotic, visually it was harmonizing.
Here is a very good example of Feng Shui in Keswick.
the trees which are in line with the two mountaints fading into a valley, this shows harmony through symmetry.
I took this photo as I was walking onto a headland to take photos. The division between Peace and balance is evident throughout the natural landscape. 5
Above is a panoramic photo I took while in Keswick. Immediately the view across the river remined me of the Guilin in China. Home of Feng Shui. While standing on the dock looking out towards the mountains I got the sense of peace and harmony between earth and water. On the far right is an image of the Guilin river in China, although not entirely similar, the atmosphere and balance within nature is evident 6
through the shape of the hills in comparison to the water. At this point during the trip, I was tired, run down, cold and wet. But I couldn’t help but enjoy myself. The scenry before me is very different to that of Hong Kong and China, but I was able to see clearly the comparison of the balance of the earth and how nature, no matter where in the world offers balance and harmony - even on really miserable day’s.
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On the top left, I have highlighted natural symettry between three swans and the manmade boats on the shore. Feng Shui is the relationship between manmade and natural forces. The timing of this photo shows Feng Shui. Below and on the right are photos of the water - on this particular day, the wind was feirce and made the water rough. In the distance in the photo on the right, the mist is water that has been picked up by the wind, to me this shows the chaos within the natural landscape. All in all, Keswick is a place to experience and I recommend everyone to look beyond the obvious and experience the harmony that Keswick has to offer. 8
Derwent Water
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Keswick is a place I would love to go again, just to experience a new sense and atmosphere. Blog: https://tashbull.tumblr.com/