Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging your room to create harmony with nature. The name is derived from a poem that talks about human life and how it’s connected to nature around it.
The basics of how to Feng Shui your home
The basic principles of Feng Shui include the commanding position, the bagua and the five elements.
The commanding position
To decorate your home in this style, you first need to identify the commanding position. In Feng Shui, the commanding position is the corner of the room that is furthest from the entrance. This is where you spend most of your time in the room. It has a straight line of sight to the door.
Place your bed, desk, and gas cooker in the commanding position. In your office, the desk is where you spend the most time. In your bedroom, this is the bed. Keep the head of your bed in the commanding position.
The bagua
This is the energy map that is imposed on your floor plan. Bagua translates to eight areas. These areas refer to different factors of life such as career, or family. They correspond to different shapes, colours, and numbers. In the middle of the bagua is the ninth area which represents your wellness.
The integrate the bagua into your home, you can look up the different areas and use the corresponding elements to decorate. One bagua area is Family which represents new beginnings. The shapes used for this are rectangular or columnar. The colours recommended are greens and blues such as teal. You can use this to decorate a living room. Another bagua is Wealth. This represents wealth, abundance and prosperity. The colours recommended are purple. You can use this to decorate a home office. Another bagua is Knowledge, which represents self-cultivation and skill. The shapes recommended are flat and square and the colour is blue. This can be used to decorate bookshelves or a study area.
The elements
The five elements are earth, metal, fire, wood and metal. They come from Taoist tradition and represent phases of life that work together to create a complete system. To add these elements to your home decoratively, you have to define where you want to focus your energy, just like the Bagua system.
Earth elements like rocks, crystals or slabs represent being grounded, self-care, and stability. Metallics represent efficiency, precision and beauty. Water elements show flow and shifting. Wood shows vitality and upward movement and fire elements represent passion, illumination and brilliance.
How to Feng Shui your home and become happier
1. Identify the flow of energy in the room
First look for areas that feel overflowing or cluttered. Home spaces need to be comfortable and healthier. When there’s a space full of clutter, energy gets clogged there or stagnates. Ensure the items are organised in a way where energy would flow freely, like well-ventilated air. As mentioned earlier, the commanding position of the room is the furthest from the door. And this is where you spend the most time in the room. It shouldn’t be directly facing the door.
2. Focus on your bedroom
When choosing where to place your bed, don’t make it face the door. If your feet directly face the door, this is considered the death position, which disrupts sleep. The bed should face the door but not be directly in line with it. You can place the bed parallel to the wall with the door and ensure the doorway isn’t directly in line with the bed. If your bedroom is too small, you can use a mirror to “reverse” the doorway and shift the energy flow from the door.
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3. Put metals in the kitchen
Incorporate metal elements in the kitchen. Choose white and grey colours for decoration and use chrome handles, devices, and appliances. You can also get metallic dish racks. Metal is associated with clarity and precision.
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4. Home office
Make sure your desk isn’t directly in line with the door but place it in the area furthest from the door. You should also declutter. Add knickknacks and decorations from all elements to balance the energy and create flow.
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5. The bathroom
This is where you cleanse your body physically. In Feng Shui, you add water elements to your bathroom. You can also add plants suitable for a bathroom. In addition, keep your bathroom as clean as possible at all times. Putting a suitable plant behind your toilet lets energy flow up rather than down. Keep all mirrors clean so they can reflect with clarity.
6. When you first walk into a house
Many houses may not have entryways. However, when you walk into a room and everything is cluttered and dirty, it can feel draining. Clutter does have a direct effect on mental health. When you use Feng Shui to determine how a room feels when you walk in, ensure that everything has its place. Using a bowl or organiser for loose change, keys, a hook for jackets and a rack for shoes can direct the flow of energy better. Place a plant near the doorway and also in strategic parts of the room. Choose a visual anchor that makes you happy when you step into your home. This can be a flower vase in the middle of the coffee table or a gallery portrait wall.
Another way to ensure Feng Shui is to let as much light and air into your rooms as possible. Use lampshades on your bulbs to diffuse harsh lights.
Check out:
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