 Feng Shui
Ancient Solutions for Happiness & Prosperity
"If there is harmony in the house,
there is order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world."
- Old Chinese Proverb
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Looking for a solution to work out the chaos and stress in your life? Feng Shui may be the answer. Based on a Chinese legend dating back 5000 years, Feng Shui is the simple art of placement. That means that where a person places the furniture in their home or office can mean a more dynamic love life, work life or simply a healthier life in general.
Margo Dumelle, a private Feng Shui practitioner in Chicago, says, "Everything is connected. Everything is one. If you change your house, you change your life." Dumelle has gone into several homes and done as little as moving a picture from the wall and gotten results. "It was remarkable," she says, "I could feel the energy begin to flow. I got goose bumps."
Feng Shui doesn't teach the obvious such as not putting your cat's litter box in the kitchen, but it is based on the same general rules that would apply in that situation. Finding answers that may have been bothering you for years is what Feng Shui can and will do when you begin to apply it to your life. "The home is a reflection of who you are," says Dumelle, "It is your personality."
Finding answers is often the reason a person will begin to study and apply Feng Shui, this usually includes problems in relationships, family and wealth. Feng Shui teaches rules that help a person live in harmony with the environment. And, while living in harmony with the environment a person lives in harmony with themselves, which moves into other areas and makes for happier living.
Feng Shui originated in China where it was believed there was an order and balance to everything. It was said that by doing certain things an individual could attract luck into their life.
Let us start briefly with a few basics of applying Feng Shui in your everyday life. The first step in Feng Shui is removing all the clutter in your life. This could mean books, papers, knick knacks or furniture that is not in use and that never will be. Although Feng Shui is a very yin, or feminine, technique it is also important to use the yang as well, which includes moving things around so the flow is opened up in your home.
The Basics of the HomeLet us start with the front door. The front door of the home should open up to a well-lighted entry way and show a piece of the interior inside the home. A small, dark entry way is said to cause illness and money problems. If there is a dreary entry hall, brighten it up with mirrors and lights to allow for well-being.
Dumelle mentions the exterior of the entry way, as well, "The front door is extremely important because it is considered the mouth of chi for the home. It makes a tremendous difference if there is a dirty doorbell and weeds in the yard." Dumelle says that a person should brighten their home by hanging a wreath on the front door, putting out a welcome mat and making the front of the home inviting to visitors.
Also, once inside the house increase good will by assuring that your stove, toilet and fireplace are not visible to the front door. It is said that if the front door faces the kitchen the occupants will eat too much, if it faces the bedroom the occupants will be continually tired and if it faces the toilet the occupants will be poor because their wealth will be flushed away.
The living room should be in proportion to the other rooms in the home and should receive sunlight through the windows. If a room is long place mirrors on the wall to create balance.
The bedroom is another highly important area of the home. It is here that balance is needed because it is where the occupant rests and spend a large portion of time.
The bed should never be faced with the foot pointing directly at the door, in China this represents the way coffins are lined up in a mortuary. The bed should also be placed so the person can see anyone entering the door.
The kitchen is important but Dumelle points out, "Many people do not spend the time they used to in the kitchen. If you don't cook then this is not one of the most important rooms." The stove should never be placed so that the cook's back is to the door. To cure this problem place mirrors around the stove so that what is going on behind can still be seen by the person standing at the stove. And be sure the kitchen is well-lit.
In the bathroom take care that the room is well-lit, well-ventilated and always clean.
At the WorkplaceWork is another place where we spend much of our time. Therefore, respect that area of your life, as well. Dumelle emphasizes the importance of purifying one's workspace daily. "Wipe off your desk with plain water to remove yesterday's energy and start a new day." Cubicles are badly designed, which she believes attributes to much of the stress and unease at work. "Cubicles remind me of a slaughter house" she continues, "At the very least don't have your back facing the opening to the cube, it leaves one wide open and it is bad for personal safety."
If you're lucky enough to have an office don't choose an office at the end of a hallway or across from a bathroom.
Cures and Remedies to improve Feng ShuiCures and remedies come in many different ways such as hanging mirrors to increase size and light. Bright lights will often remove dark, negative spots from a house and flowers are a powerful tool for positive energy, as are crystals.
Chimes are often used to remove bad energy. Dumelle told me about a woman with a staircase that opened up to the front door. "All the chi was leaving out the front door. As a cure, we hung a crystal ball above the stairs." Chimes or a mobile would have done just as well, the idea is to get the energy to flow again.
Don't forget the importance of color in your home. Red represents good fortune, green is a wealth color, yellow creates intuition and blue thoughtfulness. Take all this into account when creating a harmonious home and office space.
The world we live in is a world of vibrations. Feng Shui practitioners are like internal home inspectors, looking for the missing or blocked factors in the home. Although a miracle won't happen within several days a person should be able to feel the energy change immediately. Most often it will take about one month after a cure has been installed and activated in the home or office.
The Chinese believe that Feng Shui is the third level factor in a person's life in relation to success. The first level is a person's personality and skills and the second level is a person's level of luck. So, realistically speaking, the third level is the first level that a person can control and change.
In any dealings with Feng Shui a little work and experimentation will help you go far. Always use your intuition when making decisions and soon you'll see how your fortune will abound.
© Rita Cook
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