Photo by Ricardo Carreon

Phew, that was a mouth full! Okay now let’s get down to business; What is Feng Shui (pronounced “fung-shway“) and how can we incorporate it into our lives?

To most of us, the powers of Feng Shui are rather mystical but if you read into some of its guidelines, you’ll see it’s generally based on common sense and practicality; well placed furniture and beautiful surroundings will have an immediate effect on the state of your conscious and well-being.

Feng Shui is based on the belief that the earth is a living thing and has life and energy. The energy or Qi (”chi“) of a site depends on its topography and its physical surrounding. (This is a good time to read up on the Findhorn garden). A site with revitalizing energy is healthy and a site with bad energy is damaging to those who live on it. Buildings and objects are placed in particular positions according to the Taoist ideas of Yin and Yang, void and solid, water and hill. We can control the Qi or “life force” in our own surroundings by arranging furniture, objects and colours in appropriate positions.

Every part of your house is said to affect some aspect of your life that can be categorised into nine zones or “gua”, which consist of eight directions of the house and the center of the home. There is a wealth of Feng Shui tips out there, but here are some of them according to certain rooms in your home;

Bathroom

Bathrooms should face north (the direction of water)
Blue and black (the colours denoting water) are ideal for bathrooms, shower rooms, vanities and toilets
Bathrooms should be devoid of any sharp objects and should have non-slip surfaces
Keep the lid of the toilet seat down when not in use and keep the toilet door closed (ahh the age old debate of leaving the toilet seat up and down is solved by good ol’ Feng Shui!)
Sinks and bathtub drains should be kept covered to stop your money from going down the drain
Avoid clutter and never ever bring things from the kitchen into the bathroom

Dining Room

An octagonal or Bagwa-shaped dining table is best, though a round table also symbolises stability (if you have a rectangular or square dining table place an octagonal centerpiece or place mats on it)
Dining chairs should be even in number
Avoid old, dark and heavy furniture in a small dining room because it will block Qi and cause strain in family relationships, and may even cause indigestion
Make sure there’s enough room for a person to get in and move out of the chair
If your family seems to linger on to past memories for meal conversations, clear away all the old objects, especially the old papers and photographs, from the room (and put them in the family room)

Lounge Room

The lounge room should be in the southern part of the house or south facing. A west facing room is also considered good
Avoid placing a settee or a lounge chair directly towards a wall
The number of seats in the room should be even
The guests should use the most comfortable seats in the room and their backs should not face a door
If there is any area in the lounge room that has stagnant energy, place an aquarium or television there to correct it. Placing flowers or potted plants in these areas can energise them as well

Study

The room should be kept neat and clean and should be clutter free
The study chair should be comfortable and have a high back
Place a picture that is symbolic of water behind the chair - this will increase the flow of creative energy
The desk should be positioned in such a way that the window is on the left of the person sitting at the desk (if there’s no window place a mirror on the left of the person)
Place a bamboo or a cactus plant in this room. Both plants grow in harsh conditions and are resilient and symbolise good fortune. Place sharp leaved plants in this room too, as they’ll ward off harmful influences (I have Aloe Vera)

Kitchen

The kitchen should not be north facing
Sharp objects have negative energy and they will affect your health. Put cutlery in a drawer closest to the door or a window
The kitchen sink signifies water and the kitchen stove represents fire. It would be best if both of these were not placed next to each other
White is the best color for your kitchen; it signifies purity and promotes good health and will ensure that the food is pure

Bedroom

Adults crave for deep relaxing sleep while children need vitality and invigorating energy to keep them active. Thus, a bedroom facing west that receives the relaxing rays of the setting sun is better for adults, while a bedroom facing east that receives motivating and bright rays of a rising sun is suitable for kids
If your bedroom door and window are directly opposite to each other, you need to hang a multifaceted crystal from the ceiling midway between them to aid the energy to stay for sometime in the room
Never place a mirror at the foot of the bed or facing a window in the bedroom
The bed facing the door is a strict no-no as it’s said to be the “death position” in which the deceased are carried out of the room
An uncluttered and organised bedroom provides more serenity, efficiency and functionalism. It symbolizes progress

General Tips

Place furniture away from inward opening doors
Clean windows to allow a free passage of Qi into a room
Allow more natural light into your home
A water feature in the garden will sooth the senses
Pet fish signify richness and abundance, and bring “wealth luck” into the home
Display art and ornaments to improve ambiance in the home
Bare light bulbs are a no-no
Have the centre of your bedroom clear from furniture – this is your “tai chi” area
There should be no visible sharp corners - including furniture and corners of the room
Arrange furniture so that you can see anyone who is entering the room. If it’s not possible in a particular room then place a mirror opposite the door

I just have to mention I’ve been listening to “Feng Shui” by Gnarles Barkley on my computer for the last hour. I’m channelling Gnarles.

So do you have a Feng Shui compatible home? Were you thinking about your layout when you read the dot points? I know I have to change quite a lot in mine, but oddly enough, I already have quite a lot of the suggestions applied to my home!

Happy re-decorating, everyone! Have fun with it!

Big love,