Feng-Shui is a Chinese philosophy involving the practice of arranging the pieces in living spaces in an order which creates balance with the natural world, with the goal being to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment.
The concept is derived from an ancient poem that talks about human life being connected and flowing with the environment around it. The words “Feng” and “Shui” are Chinese and translate to mean “wind” and “water”.
It can be quite overwhelming attempting to generate a good level of Feng Shui in your home, so here are some tips to help.
Brighten up your entryway
According to the philosophy of Feng Shui, your entryway represents how energy enters your home and life. Typically, removing clutter tends to be the best place to start, followed by a good clean of the area. You can then decide what you want to remove or add to the area to make it more inviting, creating a place for the energy entering your home to collect and gather. It is important that your entryway is well lit and bright so ensure you have good bulbs!
Clean your windows and attend to your doors.
In Feng Shui practice, windows symbolize the eyes of the adults in the home, and the voice of the children in the home. Cleaning your windows regularly to allow more sunlight to get in is very important in creating good Feng Shui. Sunlight is important as it naturally wakes us up and energises us, while also vibrantly rendering the colours and objects we see, meaning our homes become brighter, more vibrant, and energetic with more light.
Doors represent your voice and communication in Feng Shui, and act as portals in which opportunities enter your life. There are two important things to look out for in relation to your doors:
-Ensure your doors open to at least 90 degrees (which means clear the clutter that is hidden behind your door!), as when it doesn’t open that far it is a representation of you blocking out opportunities, meaning you only receive a portion of the opportunities life has to offer.
-Ensure the hinges do not squeak! If your door opens and closes easily it represents a good and smooth flow of energy.
The Commanding Position
The commanding position is possibly the most well-known element of Feng Shui, and it is one of the most important principles. This governs how you position yourself in life and is important to apply this principle to your bed, desk, and stove. The commanding position should be where you want to spend the most time when you are in that room.
The bed represents you; your desk represents your career, and the stove represents your wealth.
The commanding position means that when you are in these spaces, you can see the door without being directly in line with it, in a spot that is furthest from the door. When you are in a commanding position, you are in command of your life and are able to receive positive energy and the best opportunities.
Remove obstacles in your path
Ensure that the path you regularly take through your house is free of obstacles. Over time, we come oblivious to the physical obstacles we have in our daily path, which can accumulate and create problems for us as time goes on. This could be anything, from a broken light switch to the piles of clothes in your wardrobe that do not fit you or bring you joy anymore. The first step is noticing the obstacles, then adjusting.
Create more space and declutter
This is a very important element of Feng Shui, and involves getting rid of items that are no longer necessary – the action of letting something go creates open space to invite a new and fresh opportunity in. Always be open to a fresh start. Clearing a space is often referred to as “space blessing” in feng shui.
Along with the physical space, the energetic space can also be cleared simultaneously. Some techniques that are well known include smudging with Palo Santo or diffusing sweet orange essential oil.
Whenever you clear space in your home, try to associate it with a positive intention – an intention of what you want to cultivate and create in your life.
Plants, Plants, Plants!
In Feng Shui, plants embody life energy. Living green house plants connect us to nature, bringing vibrancy into our homes, providing freshness, health, and vitality.
Offer gratitude
Feng Shui is a shamanic tradition that believes everything is alive – including our spaces, meaning the same life energy (qi) that animates you, also flows through your home.
Your home gives you a place to rest and acts as your shelter while also providing so much more. Offering thanks to your home is simple and just involves speaking to your home with a humble heart and saying thank you.