Deeply seated in mindfulness, the practice of feng shui can help you live in the present moment, connecting with the space around you and celebrating your outer and inner world. The term has roots in Buddhism and Taoism and it translates as the vital elements of life, “wind” and “water”. Detectable in every culture across time, the elements of feng shui teach us how our surroundings can greatly affect our energy. This practice also teaches us that we are interconnected with everything and everyone alive and that some simple things such as the way we’re making our bed, walk through the door or gaze out the window can affect the various areas of our lives.
So if you’re ready to learn a bit more about the magic of fen shui, check out these design tweaks that can promote a good energy in every house:
- Place your bed and desk in a command position.
The command position- one of the fundamental feng shui principles. According to this rule, the most important object in your home needs to be placed in the command position, which is the furthest spot in your room from the door, usually located diagonally from the entrance.
The main door of the room is called the “mouth of chi,” and it suppose to bring in all the energy into your home and life. So every time you lay in your bad or sit at the desk, you suppose to see the door without facing it. If the space doesn’t allow it, you can always make adjustments like placing a mirror so you can see the door’s reflection.
- Pay special attention to your entryway.
Your main entry to the house represents the way you are facing the outside and how the entire world sees you as a first impression. This is why it’s important to always keep it clutter-free and clean. Nobody says it must be completely empty but it’s best to only keep what you really need in that space. Make sure that your door knob is also clean and easily visible and if possible, choose a rectangular welcome mat if you want to attract good energy. Last, make sure your interior and exterior are both well lit.
- “Activate” your front door.
The front door is considered to be the portal of energy for your home. To activate this energy and let the qi that brings abundance and ease flow into your house, you need to open and walk through it. So if this is not your official door and you use another one on a daily basis, walk through it at least every nine days, to make sure you don’t block out energy and opportunities.
- Balance out your bedroom.
In feng shui philosophy, the bedroom has a great importance because it symbolizes you so invest in a super king size-bed and make sure you have available space on both sides of the bed, for you and for your future partner. If you have nightstands, make sure that they both have similar size and that they are placed at least 2 feet space on the right and left side of your bed. A headboard that secures the bed should create harmony and stability. Finally, make sure you’re making your bed every morning and thank it for welcoming you back at sleep every night.
- Be mindful of color choice.
The way you use colors in your home should relate to the five elements you find in nature: water, fire, wood, earth and metal. They need to create a balance so depending on the elemental energy that you need more, you can always add that specific color to your place with paint accessories or clothing.
For example, if you need more stability in your life, you can add more earth colors like orange, brown or tones of yellow. A brown wood headboard for the bed can help you ground your relationship. Grey and metallic tones, whites and off-whites can help you gain more precision and clarity and may even help you accelerate your goals. If you need more wisdom into your space, you can add accents of black or dark blue in your office. Wood energy is known to help you kick-start something new and bring more life energy to the space. If you need more entertainment you can add some tea pillows on your sofa. Finally, a touch of red can magnetize your space and bring more passion in your life. Pimp your house with fresh red flowers and illuminate those rooms.
In feng shui, there are also things that are best to be avoided:
- Blocked doors.
Since the doors are portals for energy, make sure you don’t have doors that cannot open a minimum 90 degrees because furniture or clutter. If your doors are blocked, positive energy can’t enter your life and you won’t be able to reach your full potential. They can also affect the way you move through your life and the way you make your voice heard in your world. Make sure you are fully heard and expansive.
- Broken objects.
They represent all the obstacles that hold you back so if you keep holding on to things that are old and broken you might not receive the amazing things that future brings you.
- Overstuffed closets.
Throw away all those high-school jeans, let go of the clothing you don’t wear anymore and all the unnecessary things that weight on your life. Don’t send the universe the message that your life is full and you don’t need nothing new. I’m telling you a little space in your closet can invite magic into your life.
- Dusty objects and corners.
All the objects in your home that collect dust symbolize the areas in your life that are ignored or stagnant. So if you don’t need those objects, donate them and make room for things that can stir up some good energy.
- Dirty windows.
If your windows are dirty you won’t be able to see the world around you clearly nor to let light enter your house. So make sure you clean them up regularly so you won’t get caught up in your perceptions and receive joy and illumination.
- Artwork that is crooked or hung too low.
Mirrors or art work that are hung too low on the walls can lead to low energy and depression because they can bring down your chi.
- Under-the-bed storage.
Unfortunately, in feng shui it’s best to keep the air flow under your bed so don’t use that place as a storage for shoes, books or anything else that is associated with active energy. They will hold you back from moving on or evolving. If you really must store something there, put your pillows or something soft.
