The wisdom that brings Harmony, Prosperity & Wellbeing to the environment and
your life
Feng Shui is more than a philosophy, it is an ancient Chinese technique practiced for over 6,000 years also known as ‘The Art of Placement’: based on the principle of decorating the elements in your home in a certain way will bring about prosperity, good health & overall well-being.
Ancient cultures applying this knowledge believed a person’s destiny is directly linked to its environment, as in our homes are a mirror of what’s happening inside of us. Thus, Feng shui – which literally means wind (feng) and water (shui) – works promoting the flow of positive energies through your home in order to welcome abundance and good fortune into your endeavours and hence, your life.
The main purpose is not to create a Zen vibe, but to have your environment in alignment with who you are and where you want to go. Embellishing your surroundings with uplifting energies supporting the activities and the intent of that space. This concept is strongly reinforced nowadays by rising minimalistic ideas from blogs to literacy, such as ’The Capsule Wardrobe’ online and bestseller book by Marie Kondo ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing’.
There are many laws to adopt feng shui in your home, but integrating some of the basics will help lifting up the energies in the home, resulting in relaxation of the mind and soul of those living in.
• Unclutter
The decoration process with feng shui actually starts before: It is essential to clear the old, stagnant energy in order to welcome the new, positive airs to come in. This includes getting rid of objects that no longer match your likes and goals in life, throwing away old papers, broken utensils and anything that is not in use. “Keep only the things that speak to your heart”, as said by household master Marie Kondo.
• Good air & light
These two elements are essential for good Chi, or good feng shui energy. Lighting activates energy and air promotes the flow thereof. If your house is now clutter-free and you have good quality air and good amount of light coming in – it’s not time to start decorating with feng shui!
The purpose is to have a peaceful environment to feel comfortable at, so you should only stick to objects you love and have a strong connexion to, despite any rules or guidelines seen here; whether is a colour, artwork, pottery…
When you walk into a room and see something that brings you joy, it will send joy back into the space. On the other hand, if you don’t like something… it will not like you back; and therefore feng shui will not work for you.
• Use Colours Wisely
Colour is a powerful way to shift the energy and attract what you want, creating a good atmosphere with vibrant and healthy energy. Imagine what colour would suit better that space and bring you joy, then look at the feng shui guidelines to understand how each room fits a different palette, as an expression of the five elements – wood, earth, fire, water, and metal. And each direction needs a specific element in order to thrive energetically…
North facing rooms relate to the water element and tranquility. Stick to shades of blue and black, white, gray and metallic finishes.
A Northeast facing room loves the Fire and Earth elements, so the colours red, oranges, purple, magenta, as well as golden finishes are excellent here.
South facing rooms should focus on fire and wood colours, which include pink, orange, red, purple, and yellow.
East rooms resonate with the Wood element – green and brown, as well as blue and black are also good. Limit red and purple colours.
South rooms have a lot of Fire and also relates to Wood element colours – red, orange, purple, pink, strong yellow, as well as green and brown.
In Southwest facing rooms the best amosphere is created by the earthy colors – clay, pottery, earthenware, bricks, etc. Fire colours are also excellent, such as warm red, pink or coral as this area is connected to your love and marriage energy.
A West and Northwest facing room needs a strong presence of the Metal element, expressed in gray and white, as well as all metallic finishes. It also loves the warmth of nourishing earthy colours.
Now that you know the basic principles, here are some guidelines for the actual decoration process in each room.
• Good Feng Shui Begins at the Front Door
The front door of a house is a metaphor for the opportunities coming in your life. Take good care of your main entry to attract auspicious energy to those living in there. It’s good luck to add a potted plant to the entryway and make sure the welcome mat is always clean and fresh.
• Kitchen
Just like the dining room, the kitchen is a place where we take in and digest nutrition, essential to a good health, and should not be left out of the feng shui process.
Your kitchen is also related to your ability to attract fortune, so make sure to keep your cupboards and fridge organized and full of fresh food you use. To attract more money, always keep the stove clean and remove all clutter from the kitchen table.
• The Office and Success
The home office needs aspects of activity and success in order to attract so. If you want your business to be taken seriously, you need a space reflecting that. For instance, the amount of space in front of you relates to the amount of opportunities available, so arrange your chair so you have a view. And putting a desk against a wall subconsciously means being subservient, which is not a leading position. You need to have space for people come in and do business with you.
• Arrange the Sitting Room in intimate groupings
The idea is to promote conversation and relationships by organising the furniture accordingly. Grouping furniture in smaller clusters facilitates closer ties. Place the sofa against a solid wall and ideally the furthest away from the entry so that you’ll have a clear view of the door and ensuring safety.
Also, if you’re looking to attract love, avoid single symbolisms: solo photographs, a single chair, one nightstand and so on. Surround yourself with partnership energy and leave space for someone else and opportunities to come in.
• The Bedroom
A good feng shui for the bedroom should evoke comfort and security. An ideal layout is a commanding position of the bed diagonally from the door and behind a solid wall, as vulnerability may arise if your back is to the door.
Make sure to leave space in both sides of the bed, though it’s OK for kids but for adults room you want to encourage the free flow of energy instead of being stuck to the wall. That is why it’s very important not to store things under the bed and try to avoid eletronics such as TV’s in the room as well. The bedroom is a private space, and it’s important to honour and protect that.
Moreover, there should be a balance between the masculine and feminine energies, characterised by angular and linear objects for the male and curved objects which enhance the feminine softness. For example, balancing a wooden bed frame with silk romantic drapes ensure a good contrast between both energies, creating an energized yet restful balance.
As you may have noticed, Feng Shui can be used in your favour as a cure to attract prosperity and wealth; reason why the practice became so famous in the West world. In order to attract more abundance into your life, these are the most powerful feng shui lucky charms…
• Nature is Unlimited Abundance
Replicating the lush energy of nature in your home will help you attract likewise energy. It is important to bring in the vibrant energy of plants and flowers to your environment, and the east, southeast and south areas are the most greenery loving feng shui areas in your home.
There is a thin line which relates water and wealth, symbolizing money and stimulating prosperity. This is why it’s suggested a little altar space to attract this kind of energy in every house. Fountains are the most popular feng shui to attract prosperity, and you can decorate it with meaningful pieces to you related to wealth, such as jewelry as well as energy activators like crystals and plants. Those are powerful feng shui cures as they bring the essence of abundance from deep within the earth. The most common ones are clear quartz, pyrite and amethyst.
• Ultimate Wealth Magnet: Mirrors
All reflective pieces are said to keep the space energised by enhancing its natural light and creating pathways for new and joyful opportunities. So choose a mirror that you adore: golden frames are a great choice for attracting wealth and circle frames symbolize the flow of the universe.
It is said a big mirror reflecting the table doubles the abundance and brings good fortune, and placing a mirror on top of the fireplace is a good idea to bounce back the energy that the fireplace sends out of the home. On the other hand, do not place it opposite a front door as the incoming energies gets pushed away.
As much as mirrors being an excellent feng shui décor item, having too many of them cause the opposite effect: a weak and chaotic vibe, which is not the energy you want in your home. Therein the golden rule applies: balance is everything.
By studying the principles of Feng Shui you can understand the reason behind some misfortunes or even warn you about future problems that may arise. But following the simple recommendations of Feng Shui you can attract positive solutions that will result in not only an harmonious and relaxing environment at home, but in auspicious opportunities in your life and career, and overall well-being. Try adopting these useful tips and harvest the many benefits.
By Alice Lima
Photos: Pinterest
