It’s that time of the year again – the lead-up to exam season. You’ve binge-watched the latest season of House of Cards and have eaten enough chips to turn into a potato. Now the only thing left to do to be fully prepared for the upcoming nerdy hermit lifestyle is to check your bedroom for feng shui taboos.
The basic gist of feng shui starts with the ancient Chinese belief that everyone and everything (eg. Laptop, you, phone) has energy, chi, and depending on how we arrange our things, we can basically change aspects of our lives for the better or worse1. Some important aspects include health, mental wellness, wealth, happiness, and scholarly success.
The thing with feng shui is that it is highly specific to personal information such as your birth year, the current year,etc. So rather than compiling a comprehensive but effectively useless guide, here are 5 feng shui taboos instead. Think of them as feng shui don’ts, which apply to every collegiette. Whether you’re simply looking to better your chances at the 4.0GPA or looking for the next acceptable procrastination idea: you’re welcome.
- Cluttered Mess
You know how everything has chi right? Well, mess (such as the piles of clothes and notes) affects the energy of your room, trapping stale energy and making it difficult for new energy to circulate2. So get cleaning! Also, if you’re getting over a past relationship, clearing out old mementos (and really anything) stored under your bed can help you move on. This allows the chance for new people to come into your life3!
- Positioning your bed
There are several ‘don’ts’ when it comes to placing your bed. First, never place your bed directly facing the door. This stems from the cultural Chinese tradition of carrying the deceased “feet first out of the bedroom” 4. Try sleeping peacefully with that knowledge in mind.
Second, the headboard needs to lie against a sturdy surface (usually a wall) to provide the stability you need to get a goodnight rest5.
- Mirror, Mirror
According to feng shui, mirrors should be avoided in the bedroom. If you live in a dorm and a mirror is unavoidable, try placing it in a spot where it won’t reflect any party of your body when you’re sleeping on the bed. The reason? Mirrors, when placed in a position that reflect your body, can mess with the quality of your rest and your ability to concentrate— not exactly conductive to your midnight cram session6.
- Phones, TV, Laptop…Oh my!
This one is not just a feng shui taboo, it’s also proven by science: electronics in the bedroom disturbs the quality of your sleep7. Whenever possible, move the TVs, laptops, and other electronics outside of the bedroom, or turn it off and keep it as far away from the bed as you can.
- It’s a Balancing Act
As a general feng shui rule, the best rooms are ones with balance and symmetry. If you have a bedside table, get another for the other side. Although it is tempting to save space by placing a bed in a corner of the room, the resulting lopsidedness may result in that only half your brain is stimulated8. Yikes.
So now that you’ve checked through the list, how many feng shui taboos have you committed?
References:
1-5: http://greatist.com/happiness/ultimate-beginners-guide-feng-shui
6: http://fengshuibeginner.com/14-must-see-bedroom-feng-shui-taboos/
8: http://www.fengshuidana.com/2012/01/14/the-biggest-feng-shui-bedroom-no-nos/
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