What Is Feng Shui and How It Can Positively Impact Your Life

After a busy day and week at the office and going out, you need to relieve stress, refuel, recharge your batteries, relax and spend quality time at home with your family. But does your home really give you the right balance of positive and healthy energy? Feng Shui can positively impact your home experience.

What is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui ("wind-water" in English) is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. Based on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi (energy), Feng Shui teaches us the art of placing objects within a space to harmonize and balance the energies and guide the flow throughout our house. The aim of Feng Shui is to assure good health, a successful career, fulfilling love life to the people living in the house.

Feng Shui For Beginners

Feng Shui combines the theory of yin and yang (the necessary balance of the feminine Yin and the masculine Yang in our lives), with the principles of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each is represented by certain colors, shapes, objects… and you need the right combination of all and interactions between them to bring harmony to space.

The “Bagua Map” (8 areas in English) is used to analyze the Feng Shui of your home/room. The map represents the 8 major areas of your life that are important for your happiness and well being: Money – Reputation - Marriage & Relationships – Family – Health - Children & creativity - Knowledge & spirituality – Career - Travel & Friends. Each of them is in a particular position, at cardinal points, with Health always at the center. This helps to position furniture and objects, decoration… to improve the areas that are important or require specific attention for you.

Improve Your Home's Feng Shui

First, you must imagine the Chi (energy) flow as water flow. The Chi enters your house at the main door. Will the flow circulate smoothly in the house from one room to another? Where will it be blocked, stagnate? Where will it escape the house? 

To start with, you will have to clear your clutter and get rid of everything you do not love in your house, organize your cupboards, drawers…to ease the Chi flow in every part of the house and spread the good energy (including storage places like the garage, utility room, cellar, attic…). A good quality of air (open windows to let fresh air in) and light is also essential. Allow as much natural light as possible into your home.

Then concentrate first on the 3 main areas of your home:

The Front Door and Entry. Where the Chi enters the house, should not be in line with the back door (or window) or the Chi will escape too quickly. Avoid also mirrors or stairs facing the front door. Keep a tidy resting place for coats, shoes, umbrellas… and create a welcoming atmosphere. Entry is a good place to put a fountain (representing the Chi flow).

The Kitchen. Where you create health and wealth for the family. Don’t place the sink and cooker opposite each other as that can lead to arguments (water and fire crash). Keep your fridge, freezer, cupboards, countertops tidy, and arrange the cooking accessories in an attractive and useful way. Leave no space above the kitchen upper cabinets (this attracts dust and stagnant/dead energy). Fresh flowers, a bowl with fruits, or a living plant are recommended to stimulate energy. Feng Shui experts often suggest the color yellow is a good choice for the kitchen, as it is good for your digestion.

Master Bedroom. Where you rest, relax, and refresh your energy. Place your bed in the commanding position, where you can see the door but you are not in line with it and avoid mirrors facing the bed (they return the negative waves removed by the body during sleep). Keep TV, computer, exercise equipment, paperwork, green plants, or aquarium away from your bedroom they stimulate the Chi and are not good for relaxation and sleep.  Do not store anything under the bed, keep the closets tidy and organized, put candles for lighting, and decorate with beautiful positive images.

We also have a few tips for the rest of the house. Create a spa feel in your bathroom (candles, essential oils, soft colors, relaxing music). In the living room, no sofa or lounge chair should turn its back to doors, place a green plant next to the TV to eliminate the negative waves, avoid sharp corners.  Oil your hinges (the squeaking door can affect your mood).

These tips are of course not exhaustive and may vary according to your goals and what you want to improve. If you want to explore further steps, you can seek advice from a certified Feng Shui consultant or work with your Feng Shui birth element, your Kua number, your lucky direction, annual movement of Feng Shui stars…we have so many ways to learn from Feng Shui to positively impact your life.

To decorate, change a few things for a party or get some great candles, explore our gift ideas collection.