Bring Harmony Into Your Life With Feng Shui Living

Feng shui has been around for centuries.  The ancient Chinese practiced feng shui living to bring about a balance of the life energy, or chi, into their lives, therefore creating a more peaceful existence.  “Feng” translates into air and “shui” means water.  Both elements flow naturally and together are major components in balancing chi.

Feng shui living is achieved by the arrangement of furniture and other elements in your home décor.  A map, called a bagua, is used to divide your home into nine segments, each representing a different area of life.  Each area is then subject to certain colors and elements that enhance that area of life.  Feng shui living entails many details beyond what we have space for here; however, let’s wander through your home and cover some basic design tips. 

Our first stop is the living room.  For ideal feng shui living, any seating in the living room should allow the person sitting in it to see the door.  If this is not completely possible, placing a mirror so that it reflects the door and is visible to the person will work.  The seating should form a circle to create harmony.  Any corners with shadows should have lighting added as dark areas block the flow of chi. The main table in the living room represents health and should be kept clear of clutter.

In order to prepare your kitchen for feng shui living, it is important to find out what area of the bagua it lies in.  When this is done, decorate in the colors necessary to enhance this life area.  The kitchen represents the basic health of a family and should be kept as clean as possible to ensure positive health. 

Let’s check out the main bedrooms of the home and how feng shui living can be achieved in them.  The first thing to consider in the bedroom is the placement of the bed.  The bed should not be placed across a doorway, but should enable its occupants to see the door.  To help protect the sleeper, it is suggested that one side of the bed be placed against a wall.  A bowl of pastel colored water will help bring harmony to the bedroom as will any live plant.  Avoid having any mirrors reflect the door or window as this will reflect the chi away from the room.

There are some special considerations for children’s rooms.  Feng shui living suggests a child’s room be painted in earth colors.  These include light orange and yellow.  A child’s bed should be placed in a corner, with one side against a wall and in a position where the door is clearly visible.  All these things will enable a child to feel more secure.

Ideal feng shui living would find the bathroom positioned on either the north side of the house or near the rear.  These areas can use the strong water element present in bathrooms.  The bathroom should not share a wall with the living room or bedrooms as this can cause bad energy flow.  Toilet seats and the bathroom door should be kept closed and a wind chime placed in the window to help aid positive flow.  
Feng shui living can greatly enhance the serenity and good feelings within a home if carried out correctly.  Taking the time to thoroughly explore this ancient art can be greatly beneficial to you and your home.

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