Peace, Love and Feng Shui

The home is a symbol of balance and tranquility. Let's help bring out the inner chi and peace that it represents. Our guide will help bring balance to your home.

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Home is where the heart is — and the Feng Shui. If you’re seeking more balance and harmony in your life, try taking some tips from this ancient and intriguing Chinese practice. Learn more about Feng Shui and how you can apply it to create a more positive flow of energy in your home.

You’ve probably heard of Feng Shui, but what is it really? In Chinese, Feng Shui translates literally as “wind and water,” the two natural elements that flow, move and circulate everywhere on Earth, and the most basic elements required for human survival. The essence of these life-giving elements is “chi,” or life force. Thus, Feng Shui is the art of designing environments in harmony with the flow of chi through one’s living space. This flow then enhances one’s personal chi and can be directed to bring positive things like happiness, health, prosperity and freedom into your life.

Now that you have a little background on Feng Shui, let’s look at how you can apply some of its principles to your home.
 

Front Door

In Feng Shui speak, your front door is called the “mouth of chi.” It’s important to use your front door as often as possible as it represents how chi enters your home and life. Keep it clean and well lit, and remove all clutter from inside your front door so you don't block good energy. Also, if your front door squeaks, make sure to oil it to create more positive energy when you enter.

You could also consider painting your front door a different color to attract certain things into your life. Green is said to bring growth; red can bring wealth; blue promotes relaxation; and brown invites stability.
 

 

Windows

If you have a big window opposite the front door, the energy can fly right out. To remedy that, you can cover it with drapes or blinds. Or put something in front of the window, like a plant, to bounce energy back into the room. Also, be sure to clean all of your windows regularly. According to Feng Shui, your home’s windows symbolize your eyes to the world, and keeping them clean will allow you to see and experience everything the universe has to offer you.
 

Clutter

Ever heard the saying, “a cluttered house is a cluttered mind”? As you might expect, clutter is the arch nemesis of Feng Shui. Air and energy should always be moving and clutter blocks it, keeping you stuck in the past. So take some time to de-clutter each room in your home. Throw out any trash or broken objects, replace blown light bulbs and remove items you haven’t used or worn in the last 12 months. When you’ve finished cleaning, wash your hands for at least three minutes under running water to cleanse away the bad energy.
 

 

Living Room

One of the main things to consider regarding furniture placement is your seating in your living room. Ideally, your couch should be along a solid wall farthest from the entry with a clear view of the door. You should also leave a few inches of breathing room between the couch and the wall.

The biggest Feng Shui mistake is an awkward seating arrangement not conducive to conversation. It should be intimate without the furniture being jammed together, and there should be a clear walkway into the next room.
 

Bedroom

In Feng Shui, the “commanding position” is used to locate important furniture such as your bed. The bed is probably the most important piece of furniture to put in the commanding position because you spend many passive hours sleeping. To place your bed in the commanding position, you want to be facing the door while not in line with the door while lying in bed. Ideally you can be diagonally across the room from your bedroom door. If this is not possible, place a mirror so that you can see the door while lying in bed. Freestanding mirrors are great because they’re easier to move around and get just right.

If you have a television in your bedroom, it’s a good idea to keep it covered when you’re not using it. The active energy of the television is disruptive to the type of calming, quiet energy that is conducive to sleep and bedrooms in general. Painting the walls a blue color is a great way to encourage relaxation as well.
 

 

Plants

Plants bring vibrant chi into your home. At the top of the list for good energy are large plants like lily, bamboo and jade varieties. Place them in various rooms throughout your home. Even if you’re short on space, one small houseplant is better than none at all.
 

Bathroom

As discussed, water is one of the basic elements of Feng Shui and represents wealth. One of the concerns is the bathroom where water goes out of your home. Obviously, we don’t want our money being flushed away. To reduce this effect, it is recommended to keep toilet seats down and bathroom doors closed.
 

 

Music

Music is a positive and soothing element in Feng Shui. If your home is too quiet, you may have an abundance of yin, or passive energy, which could make everyone in your home unwell. To get the yang, or good energy, flowing, play gentle music for at least 10 minutes once a week for a few months. By doing this, you should see a permanent improvement in your energy levels.
 

Fountain

Adding a water element like a fountain to your home is a great way to keep the energy flowing positively. The best place to install a water element is near the entry of your home, either just inside or just outside. The most important rule is to make sure that the water is flowing toward the center of your home giving wealth the opportunity to pour into your life.

It's not too late to get the New Year off to a positive start. With a little help from Feng Shui, you can turn your home into the haven you always wanted and enjoy a clearer mind and a calmer outlook.Thinking of selling your home? We've got you covered there, too. Check out our infographic that shows five easy steps to selling your home using this popular practice. Either way, good luck and good chi in 2016.

Sources:
Houzz
For Dummies
Real Simple
Inhabitat

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