Creating Joy in the Chaos – Getting started with Feng Shui
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art form used to create greater health, wealth, and joy. To improve wellness and remove chaos through feng shui, you can organize a home environment in a way that enhances the flow of life force, or chi. Chi is life-giving energy that unites our body, mind, and Spirit. Through this art of placement, feng shui allows chi to flow naturally. There are many techniques for enhancing flow in a space; one way is through the five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. In fact, feng shui literally means “wind and water.”
The idea with feng shui is that our living space reflects our life especially with money, love, and health. Use these quick tips below to see how this ancient practice can bring balance and harmony to your home environment. Creating a space that feels safe and comfortable and brings you joy is both empowering and crucial for living a healthy and happy life.
MONEY:
- A first impression sets the tone so make sure the entrance to your home is beautiful especially the front door. Invite joy in through your door. Put out a nice welcome mat or welcome sign adjacent to the door. Your doorbell should work properly and the number on your home should be visible so abundance can find you.
- A red or burgundy colored door indicates good energy and protection. Use your front door every day to bring in good chi. Make sure that it opens easily or else it could signify struggle or frustration in your life. You also want to clearly see the front door from the street so ensure it is not blocked by trees and landscaping. Again, you want abundance to find you.
- Fix any leaks in your home (from faucets, pipes, sinks, showers, the roof) as they represent financial leaks. Keeping your home stable will support your financial security and growth.
- A great practice is to keep your toilet lid closed when not in use. Like leaks, the toilet represents flushing things away; you don’t want money to be one of those things. Keep the lid closed to keep your finances protected and attract more abundance.
- Get creative by incorporating photographs or paintings of flowing water, running horses, or moving boats in your home as these images represent flow and abundance.
- Keep your wallet organized to show that you respect money and spend it wisely. Try buying a brightly colored wallet in red, green, or purple tones as these colors are said to attract financial abundance.
- Your stove represents abundance, so keep it clean and use all the burners equally. Utilizing each burner opens up a variety of opportunities and financial channels.
HEALTH
- Choose wooden bed frames as metal frames attract electromagnetic waves from technology and affect sleep cycles
- Clear out clutter in your living space. See my blog on clearing clutter for clarity here
- Get a great mattress that supports your body and allows for deep rest and restoration
- Keep your space soft with calming, yin colors like beige – don’t use bright or harsh tones
- Pay attention to the airflow in your living space. Put in fans for air and energy movement for air purification. Open your windows on a regular basis to clear out the space.
- Reserve your bedroom for sleeping and sex – no work or papers
- Tune out and unplug electronics. Electromagnetic fields affect your sleep, so keep electronics (including televisions) out of your bedroom.
- Be sure to remove any clutter and vacuum dust from under your bed to promote natural flow of energy around you while you sleep.
LOVE
- Always throw away dead flowers
- Keep candles in your bedroom to create romantic ambiance
- Keep your bed linens clean, fresh, and crisp
- Meditate daily to clear your mind
- Put out two roses next to your bed and visualize what they mean for you in terms of calling in love
- Sleep on one side of your bed and clear out a few dresser drawers to make space for your partner
- Consider painting your bedroom in a pastel/neutral color palette to promote romance or add more color with throw pillows or a new duvet without making a major change.
- Keep photos of your children and family out of your bedroom and move them to other places in your home
BRINGING IN JOY:
- Silence the noise in your home by finding a quiet space or zen den (a separate room, a closet, even a corner of a room). Overwhelming chi comes from too many electronics (TV, videogames, phones, etc.). Add nature or natural items to the space (plants, bamboo trees, water, crystals, shells)
- Minimize and control the chaos by washing windows on a regular basis, adding good lighting, decluttering, minimizing use of big and bulky furniture.
- The center or middle of your home is the joy area where all of the energy comes together. Put something whimsical there (artwork, a candy dish, photos of children or vacations where you were very joyful, paint the room a joyful color)
- Incorporate curves in your space with curved furniture or objects as this cultivates joy. Avoid angles and soften hard surfaces
A wonderful resource and book for additional feng shui principles and tips is “The Western Guide to Feng Shui” by Terah Kathryn Collins.
Enjoy and have fun with your space!
Love and many blessings,
Debbie