Feng Shui

Feng Shui, pronounced “fuhng shwey,” is the Chinese art of creating harmonious surroundings to enhance the balance of yin and yang. It is concerned with helping us understand the relationship between nature and ourselves so we can live in harmony with our environment. The art of practicing Feng Shui takes years of study and practice … we cannot possibly explain the entire concept in one short article. For this purpose, we will focus on basic tips for creating Feng Shui in your home.

The basic philosophy of Feng Shui is focused on energy. Everything we do creates an energy that will affect our lives; “chi,” the natural energy of the universe, or “sha”, the hard, or bad energy. Our homes can be seen as a metaphor of our lives … a cluttered environment is a cluttered mind. To increase the flow of chi to ensure harmony and good health within your home, clutter needs to be cleaned out and obstructions removed. Surround yourself with beauty, gentleness, and kindness to enhance the sweetness of life.

Masters of Feng Shui are available for hire to help you create the perfect flow of chi in your environment. They can tell you where different rooms should be located, which way a door should hang, where to place green plants or colored flowers, where furniture should be located in a room … in short, they will help you determine exactly how everything should be placed to create a perfect channel for chi in your home.

However, to hire someone well-versed in Feng Shui can be a costly undertaking. Listed below are ten quick tips of Feng Shui for you to try on your own …

1.) Your main door should be kept free of clutter. Don’t leave shoes or slippers lying near the door. The fresh chi energy entering your home will collect all the smell of the shoes and spread sickness instead of health.

2.) Place an indoor fountain in your home to attract whatever you consider favorable for your life.

3.) Do not use red furniture. The color red represents the element of fire. Using red furniture will cause heavy pressure and troubles.

4.) Do not place a refrigerator, washing machine or sink opposite the stove in your kitchen. The clash of water and fire will cause family members to have disagreements.

5.) Place the head of your bed to have a direct, clear view of the door, but do not put it under a beam on the ceiling. The beam will cause you to have pressure in your life.

6.) Do not keep a television set in the bedroom. If you insist on this, when the tv is turned off, cover it with a plastic tablecloth. Remember, it must be plastic and not simply cloth.

7.) Do not place a mirror opposite your bed or at the side of the bed as this invites a third party to a relationship. However, if you cannot place your bed so you have a clear view of the door, you can hang a mirror to reflect energy and provide a view of the entry to the room.

8.) To ensure a good night’s rest, a solid wall should be behind the bed. The wall will promote a deeper sleep enabling you to wake up each morning feeling fresh and well rested.

9.) Do not sleep on a mattress laid directly on the floor. This blocks the chi from being able to flow underneath the bed and will cause young children to become sick. The chi needs to be able to circulate completely around the mattress to promote good health.

10.) Do not sleep with stale chi each night. Open your bedroom windows for at least 20 a day to allow fresh chi in to bring more good fortune to you and your family.

Even if you don’t believe wholeheartedly in the actual art of Feng Shui, many of its practices are really just common sense … good lighting for work spaces keeps you motivated and feeling less tired, uncluttered living areas are less distractive, etc. Using some of these simple practices of energy and space can help create harmony and peace in your life.