Simple Feng Shui: Eight Quick Ways to Redecorate for Your Spirit
by Susie Michelle Cortright
The ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui is making a comeback in the modern world. But is it
really possible to change your attitude just by rearranging your living
space?
Many people say yes. Feng Shui is an Asian philosophy that
dates back some 5,000 years. Practitioners strive to find the
proper arrangement of objects and furniture that will best suit
your personality and lifestyle.
The goal is to arrange a home in
such a way as to maximize feelings of safety and comfort, which will, in
turn, positively affect your health, attitude, even your level of
success.
Traditional Feng Shui revolves around placement and
symbolism. More contemporary Feng Shui also considers a number of
psychological factors, including the use of color, aromatherapy, and air
quality.
A Feng Shui consultant locates the various energy centers of
your home, suggests new arrangements, and may use crystals, mirrors,
and chimes to achieve certain effects.
Like anything that’s been
around for thousands of years, the practice of Feng Shui has a number of
variations. While the ancient art is complex, many of the concepts appeal
to common sense.
Before you call in a consultant, there are a few
tricks you can try on your own.
-->Optimum Feng Shui occurs when
the life force (or ch’i) is permitted to move freely around the house.
Clutter is an obstruction to this life force. Finding a place for
clutter may be first on your agenda.
-->People tend to feel
uncomfortable--even unsafe--when their view is blocked. Does your home have
any seats that don't allow you to see who is entering the room, or that
block you from being part of what is taking place in another part of the
room?
-->Feng Shui is about living in harmony with the earth. You
can do this, in part, by changing your decor to reflect the seasons and by
bringing natural elements inside. Plants, for example, can have a calming
effect.
-->Annoying sounds, such as creaking doors and dripping
faucets, can disrupt the ch'i (life force) of your home.
-->Feng
Shui in the Bedroom Your bed should be positioned so that you have a clear
view of the doorway. Your headboard should touch the wall,
many practitioners say. And don’t place the bed against the window or your
ch’i might escape.
Some Feng Shui experts point the head of the bed north
to induce sound sleeping, but different headboard positions
produce different effects. For example, a headboard pointing west can make
one lazy, while a headboard pointing south is said to worsen family
arguments.
-->Feng Shui in the Kitchen The kitchen is one of the
most important rooms in the home because of the link between food preparation
and the nourishment of the body and spirit. Feng Shui practitioners believe,
for example, that the flavor of food will change if the cook is startled,
so they recommend placing a mirror nearby so you can see who is entering
while you are busy at the stove.
-->Feng Shui in the Family
Room Attract more light in the family sector of your living space with
crystals and mirrors. Position family room furniture so your guests face
either south or east when sitting, and make sure no seats position your
guests to stare at the wall.
-->Feng Shui in the Dining Room Choose
a round, oval, or octagonal dining room table because angles on tables create
shars (negative energy zones). Feng Shui practitioners also say that these
rounded tables create a more welcoming environment.
See Also:
To learn more about Chinese
Medicine, please visit Holisticonline.com Acupuncture
Infocenter.
