You may have already heard of feng shui and know it has something to do with the way a house has its furniture placed, but there is more to the practice than just that. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of balancing an environment to provide a sense wellbeing and harmony to those within it. Although not scientifically based, feng shui principles have been in use for thousands of years and helped many people find relief in their homes.
Feng shui cannot help with medical emergencies, but it can help ease the stresses of day to day life and the feelings or emotions associated with busy, modern life. If you’d like to balance the energy in your home and create a peaceful sanctuary in which you can completely relax and be at ease, read on for our guide to applying feng shui in your home.
USE A BAGUA MAP
When building a new home, your feng shui principles can start with the design process. A Bagua map defines the spaces in your home that will represent certain areas of your life. Bagua (which means 8 spaces) will show you what colours and elements will work best in which areas of the home. You can either map out your home yourself or have an experienced feng shui consultant do it for you. If you’re planning the design of your home, this can be a great opportunity to find out which areas of the home will benefit from what elements and colours.
Once you have your home mapped out and a plan showing what areas are where, you can start to decide what furniture and colours you can have featured. Each of the areas will have a specific element, colour, and life area attached to them:
- North
- Feng shui element: Water
- Colours: Blue and black
- Life area: Career and path in life
- North East
- Feng shui element: Earth
- Colours: Beige, light yellow, and sandy/earthy tones
- Life area: Spiritual growth and self cultivation
- East
- Feng shui element: Wood
- Colours: Brown and green
- Life area: Health and family
- South East
- Feng shui element: Wood
- Colours: Brown and green
- Life area: Money and abundance
- South
- Feng shui element: Fire
- Colours: Red, orange, purple, pink, bright yellow
- Life area: Fame and reputation
- South West
- Feng shui element: Earth
- Colours: Beige, light yellow, sandy/earthy tones
- Life area: Love and marriage
- West
- Feng shui element: Metal
- Colours: White and grey
- Life area: Creativity and children
- North West
- Feng shui element: Metal
- Colours: White and grey
- Life area: Helpful people, blessings, and travel
As an example, if you’re looking to boost your career and you have mapped your home to discover that North is the corner of your lounge room, you can boost this aspect of your life by placing a small water feature in the corner, or painting the wall blue. Be creative and find different items that can boost certain areas in your life.
If you want to boost health in the Eastern area of your home, you don’t have to paint the wall brown. You could purchase a beautiful wooden table to sit in the area, or even hang artwork that represents the elements and colours of health to balance the harmony.
FRONT DOOR
If you’re lucky enough to be building your home from scratch, and can play around with the entire concept to help the balance of feng shui, then you can begin with the front door. In feng shui, the front door is called the ‘mouth of chi’. The front door of your home should be the focus and the largest entrance into the home. The front door also shouldn’t face the back door, as any energy that comes through the home will just go straight out the back door.
Painting the front door is a great way to increase good energy in the home. Painting it green is said to bring growth, while a red door can bring wealth, blue relaxation, and brown an increase in stability. Always ensure that the front entrance is clear of any clutter so as to allow the free flow of energy.
BEDROOM
We spend so much of our lives in the bedroom, so it’s very important to keep the energy balanced in this room. The placement of the bed is of great importance. Don’t have the bed in a position where your feet are facing directly towards the door of the room. This symbolises your body energy going straight out of the room.
In bed, you should have a clear view of the whole room and the exit. If the head of the bed could be placed against a solid wall, that would be the most beneficial. If this isn’t possible, having a bed with a sturdy headboard is great. You needed to be grounded in some way while sleeping, and this is how that can be achieved.
Do not have any full length mirrors facing you while you are in bed. If you need a full length mirror, it would be better hung on the outside of the bathroom door, or if it needs to be in the bedroom, it can be hidden away inside a wardrobe door.
KITCHEN
The kitchen shouldn’t be too close to any of the exits or entrances to the home as energy will easily leave the home. Keep elements separated as much as possible. For example, if you have a gas stove it should be kept a clear distance from the sinks and tapware. The best design for a kitchen is to have an open space where the family can cook and have a clear view of the rest of the home.
A kitchen island design is great, as the flow of energy can move freely around the kitchen. If this isn’t possible, having a window facing where one would normally be cooking is great. If this is also not possible, having a small mirror on the wall the cook faces while preparing meals can help them see the rest of the home.
BATHROOM
The bathroom is littered with drains, which can literally drain you of fortune, good luck, and money. The best way to resolve this is by hanging a mirror on the outside of the bathroom door, reflecting any escaping energy back into the home. As well as this, it will also help to ensure that drains are always closed. Keep plugs in sinks and the toilet seat down to stop the flow of energy from escaping.
There are many options when it comes to creating a more harmonious, peaceful space in your home. There’s no need to fear for your wellbeing if your home doesn’t directly fit the principles of feng shui. It is sufficient to make use of what you have and create a space that works and feels right for you. You can always rearrange furniture and declutter your home, which can create a better flow of energy on its own. Use this article as a guide to help you choose colours and the organisation of your home, and you just may feel the difference.
