Balance Your Life with Feng Shui

Balancing Your Life with Feng Shui: "Balancing Your Life with Feng Shui
by Mary Capone courtesy of Gaiam

Have you ever noticed how some homes make you feel relaxed, ready to lounge, while others make you want to run for the hills? Do you wonder why some businesses are financially prosperous while others of equal merit fail? It's a well known fact that environment affects our health. But did you know that relationships, even financial success could greatly depend on the arrangement of your furniture?

Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway) is a 5000-year-old Chinese art form designed to enhance the harmony between people and their environments. Originally used by Chinese emperors to maintain power and increase wealth, Feng Shui blends philosophy, astrology, and design.

Literally translated as wind and water, Feng Shui is based on the Taoist belief that our bodies and everything around us are comprised of a constant flowing energy called ch'i. We not only exchange this ch'i with the people around us, but the buildings we live in, the furniture we sit on, even our front doors.

Feng Shui is designed to improved the flow of ch'i, creating harmony unique to our own personal energy by working with these five elements:

* fire
* earth
* metal
* water
* wood

Through the proper placement of art, furniture, mirrors and other simple cures, this art form can increase business, enliven your health and even change your luck.
How Do You Use Feng Shui?

Since its recent popularity, Feng Shui consultants are readily available to help arrange your home or office. When building or remodeling, choose an architect or designer that includes Feng Shui principles in their plans. However, you need not hire someone to start today. Improve your Feng Shui by using some of the simple techniques listed below.
Front Door

The main door to your house or business is a key point for traffic and flow of ch'i. Your door should be proportionate to the building and well maintained. A clean unobstructed entrance way is essential to invite people and their energies inside. Placing a wind chime at the entrance allows people to transition from the outside world into the tranquil world within.
Hallways

Hallways are the roads by which ch'i enters your home or business. Spacious conditions will encourage life-giving energy to enter. If your front door opens into a hallway, make sure the hallway is well lit and uncluttered. Dark, cramped hallways impede ch'i circulation. In very dark hallways, keep a light burning at all times. You can enliven the ch'i with leafy green plants, mirrors, and brightly colored walls.
Living Room

The layout of your living room should invite relaxation. Place your sofa with the back to a wall, thereby offering people support and protection. Use soft lighting to encourage repose. Choose furnishings suitable to the room size and arrange it sparsely; cramped pathways funnel negative forces. In smaller living rooms, create more space by hanging a mirror which magnifies ch'i. Use window coverings over large windows to prevent too much ch'i from escaping. If your kitchen is attached to the living room, add a screen or divider to separate the room from busy kitchen activities.
Kitchen

The kitchen is the center of health and prosperity in the home. Stoves represent wealth and should be kept clean and in good working order to allow money to enter. Natural or bright lighting, clean windows, and fans can help encourage healthy ch'i movement. Kitchens that open to the front door can funnel negative energy and cause overindulgence. Use a screen or piece of furniture to form a barrier. If a bathroom opens directly into your kitchen, make sure the door remains closed to avoid germs and odors spreading into food preparation areas. Keep the kitchen clean and uncluttered. Eliminate garbage build-up that inhibits healthy flow. Avoid hanging knives or sharp utensils from kitchen cabinets; they can slice through the ch'i.
Bedroom

The bedroom greatly affects our health, marriage, and prosperity. Make sure the head of your bed is against the wall to provide support. Place your bed within sight but not directly aligned with the door. This allows you to see who is entering and provides security. Never place your bed under exposed beams. They carry the weight of the house and can cause headaches and loss of creative energy. If the beam can't be avoided, hang a small mirror or crystal from it to disperse energy. Keep the space under your bed clear, allowing ch'i to flow unobstructed. Remove large fans or lights directly overhead since they create the feeling that something is about to fall. Instead, use night stands with lamps on the side of the bed for lighting.
General Tips

* Healthy plants and flowers encourage ch'i
* Lights fill empty or asymmetrical areas with energy
* Mirrors can expand small areas, reflect nature, or correct protrusions or unwanted beams
* Aquariums and fountains can bring good fortune

Remember, Feng Shui's applications are limitless but with these simple ideas you can begin to explore the interrelationship between you and your environment and watch your energy soar."

Sam, Feng Shui Tips