Feng wind
Shui water is the ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years in China revealing how to balance the energies of any given space to assure health and good fortune for people in it.
Feng shui is based on Taoist vision and understanding of nature that
land is alive and filled with Chi or energy. Ancient Chinese believed land's energy could make or break a kingdom. The theories of
yin and yang and
five feng shui elements are the basic aspects of a feng shui analysis from Taoism.
The main tools used for the analysis is the
Compass and Ba-Gua, an octagonal grid containing symbols of I Ching, the ancient oracle on which feng shui is based. Knowing the Bagua of your home helps you understand the connection of specific feng shui areas of your home to specific areas of your life.
The
Compass, called Lo-Pan, is used to
define the Bagua of a home in order to access deeper information about a site or building such as the favorable and unfavorable areas; specific feng shui areas of a site connected to specific areas of people's lives; the main feng shui element needed in a specific feng shui area. The feng shui compass consists of bands of concentric rings arranged around the magnetic needle.
Lo means
everything and
Pan means
a Bowl, this can be interpreted as the feng shui compass being a container or tool to access the mysteries of the universe. The square base of the compass is
red and is a strong protective color that helps keep the energies clear. In ancient times, the compass was made from tiger bones and was hand painted. An example is
limit the element of Metal at your main door because the presence of this element weakens the energies needed for good health and harmonious family life.The
Bagua is the feng shui energy map of your home where you will find out which areas of your home are connected to specific areas of your life by defining your Bagua. An example is the
southeast area of your home is connected to the flow of wealth and money energy in your life. Some basics for bringing good feng shui into your home are to
clear out your clutter by getting rid of everything you do not love in your home. Clutter clearing is a time and energy consuming process that will feel like therapy but it will help you "lighten up the load". It is essential in creating harmonious feng shui energy in your home. Having
good quality air and light are two elements essential for good Chi. Open the windows often or use an air-purifier. allow as much natural light as possible into your home.
Study the five elements of feng shui theory to help balance the five elements in your home and strengthen specific areas . For example, if you are working on attracting more
prosperity, introduce the element of
wood as well as
water into the
southeast area of your home.
Find out your
feng shui birth element and create a home to support your personal feng shui element. For example, if your own element is
fire, you need to introduce the expressions of fire colors such as
red, orange, purple, yellow and
triangular shapes. You will also need a strong
wood element in your home as
wood feeds the fire in the relationship of five feng shui elements.
Find your
Kua number and position yourself so that you benefit throughout the day from your best, lucky directions. Adjust the position of your bed, home office, dining area. For example, if your kua number is 1, you could face one of the following directions: southeast, east, south and north.
Always be mindful of the state of your home and how the energy in your home influences your well-being. Make a habit of paying close attantion to the
triangle that is deeply connected to your health - your bedroom, your bathroom and your kitchen.
The easiest way to get your life moving by using feng shui is to bring the energy of specific feng shui colors in order to achieve the desired results.
Color is very powerful, as it is light, and many spaces are starved for light. A
basic principle of feng shui is the five elements, which are
wood, fire, earth, metal and water. They interact between themselves in certain ways in productive and destructive cycles.
Color corresponds with each of the five elements:
Wood: green, brown
Fire: red, strong yellow, orange, purple, pink
Earth: light yellow, sandy/earthy, light brown
Metal: white, gray
Water: blue, black
The right placement of colors is defined by the Bagua. For example, the energy of the south area is connected to your
fame and recognition. It is the light or the fire and the energy of this feng shui area is connected to the image you project to other people, your identity in the eyes of others, as well as how good/strong you are at spreading and maintaining your own light/identity/values. The feng shui element of south is fire and the colors related to it are red, purple, pink, yellow and orange. Obviously, you would not want to put down your own fire, which means you should not bring blue or black colors to the south area of your space (water puts down the fire.) You can pain a feature wall in your choice of a fire color or bring the fire elements with decor accessories such as a red painting, a vase or red piece of furniture.
Green is excellent for
improving health and balancing family life when used in the east feng shui area of your home. Use wood colors (brown and green) in east, southeast and south. A light green wall color can be an excellent choice for a home office or family room.
Blue is very good in the north area to support and help you with your
career plans or in the east (
health/family) and southeast
(prosperity/abundance) to water/nourish the wood element. A balanced water energy will bring a refreshing energy of calm , purity, trust and renewal. Water energy is needed in the north, east and southeast areas. A gentle light blue wall color can considerably refresh and uplift your space. Choose an art depicting colors or representing water elements.
Have some yellow in the south for happy gatherings and good times. Earth elements in your home will help
create stability and harmony in all your relationships. Earth colors are recommended for the center of your home and the northeast and southwest. You can bring the earth energy with the wall color or upholstery fabric or art.
Pure white in the west supports you in your
creative endeavors. Metal element brings the energy of clarity, preciseness and focus. Metal is recommended in the west, northwest and north area of your space. Paint your wall with a coat of fresh white paint or go for predominantly white furniture.
Important tips to practice rejuvenating the Chi, energy, in your home or office space is to get rid of
clutter - to our subconscious mind clutter triggers images of stagnation, decay and vital energy is stuck. Clutter represents things we resist and places we don't want to put our attention. Welcome good changes into your life by getting rid of piles of laundry, old magazines or junk you hide in drawers and focus on releasing the chaotic energy of the clutter from your home and create a clear feng shui foundation.Corners are places in your home where vital energy comes to a stop like a traffic at a four way stop sign. Use feng shui to discover how plants, artwork or small pieces of furniture in your corners can move the energy. The running water of a fountain, the flow or air represented by a wind chime, or the life sustaining energy of a plant keep the energy moving and flowing. Allow your intuition to guide you towards the best feng shui solutions to revive and redirect the dead end energies from your corners.Closets are the bowels of our homes and offices, the feng shui energy storage binis for old, dead energy. If you don't use it, lose it! Keep your closets clean, neat and free of unwanted, old or unused items. Do not allow your closets to become chaotic and heavy holes or they will spread this quality of energy throughout your home.Ceremony honor life, seasons and aspects of living beyond the physical plane. Ceremonies bring us in touch with the vast worlds beyond our everyday experience. Make time for ceremony in your life; use candles, scents, music, symbols and let your home receive a fresh flow of healing and inspriation. Burning a candle each night and let the problems and worries of the day burn in the fire is a simple feng shui ceremony that keeps the energies of your home clean and clear of the burdens of the day.Consciousness - the power of consciousness cannot be overstated. Areas you pretend not to see can be transformed by using their energy to flow where attention goes creating good energy for seasons and inspiring images and a relaxing, comfortable feeling.Cycles - there is a rhythm for everything in life - a time for growth and death. Cycles are important to observe - the moon cycles are often used for planting, cutting hair or beginning new projects (full moon this evening.) Pay attention to the seasons and transitions and the energy of your home and use feng shui to strengthen and balance it.When we consciously align ourselves and our homes with the cycles of nature, we find more harmony and balance in our lives. We can use feng shui in making our homes a sanctuary to reflect our highest intentions and dreams, as well as comfort us through the cold and long nights of winter.
Some tips for good
feng shui in the bedroom are to let go of the tv, computer or exercise equipment and no clocks. Open the windows often and plants are not good unless your bedroom is fairly large and they are located far from the bed. Have several levels of lighting in your bedroom or use a dimmer switch to adjust the energy as light is our #1 nutrient and one of the strongest manifestations of energy. Candles are the best bedroom lighting but be sure to buy candles with no toxins. Use soothing colors to achieve a good feng shui balance in your bedroom as this promotes the best flow of energy for restorative sleep and sexual healing. best colors are considered the "skin colors" which vary from pale white to rich chocolate brown. Refrain from peach as it promotes infidelity. Never store items under your bed and have your bed face the door. Choose artwork images that you want to see happening in your life - do not use sad and lonely images in your bedroom unless you wish to be same. Have your bed approachable from both sides, have two bedside tables (one on each side) and avoid having the bed in a direct line with the door. Good mattresses and solid headboard combined with high quality sheets from natural fibers create harmonious energy. Keep all bedroom doors closed at night, including the closet as this allows for the best and most nourishing flow of energy to strengthen your health and your relationship. The idea of a perfect feng shui bedroom may bring different images to different people but they all have one thing in commin - pleasure and dreaming as the keywords. In a good feng shui bedroom, every item will reflect the clear intent for love, healing and relaxation.
Mirrors come in all shapes, sizes and framing materials and can help improve the energy flow in your space. Mirrors are also called the aspiration of feng shui because they can literally relieve your headache of having to deal with bad energy in your home. Let's say in your floor plan the energy comes through the main door to nourish your home. If you place a mirror right in front of the main door, you are pushing the energy right back. Remove the mirro and let the energy come into your home and circulate among all the areas. Do not have mirrors reflecting your bed or behind your bed. Mirrors bring the energy of war into the bedroom as well as discourse between partners. Mirrors also weaken the energy when you sleep if they reflect in your bed. Cover the mirror with nice fabric. Do no place mirrors in the south area of your space. Mirrors represent water and the south area of your space needs fire, as water puts down fire. The south of your space needs red, bright, firey colors to support the light you bring into the world. Mirrors expand the narrow hallyway in bringing more light in from adjacent windows. Mirrors hide closets and since closets have a low, static energy, it is nice to make them disappear with mirrors. Mirrors bring the energy in the east, southeast and north areas of your space. Amplify the water energy with a light blue color.
If you wish to lose weight, keep your kitchen clutter free and bring freshness and lightness throughout by cleaning and let go of foods you want to avoid.
When I opened my business 10 years ago the first thing I did was hire feng shui professionals to survey my space and offer suggestions to increase the energy, especially for prosperity. I followed suit with my home and little things like moving the furniture and placing colors and wind chimes and fountains helps maintain balance with our chi. Notice how uplifted and refreshed you feel when you perform a spring cleaning or even just clear the dust bunnies under the bed. For awhile I developed insomnia and kept waking up at 3:00 and could not understand why. I looked under our bed and lo and behold my hubby placed his guitars underneath. Upon removal, a great night's sleep.
Many thanks to Chrian Hummel a space clearing expert and author of "Do-It-Yourself Space Clearing Kit" at www.earthtransitions.com. Happy Chi. xo
