LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Understanding the Balance of Feng Shui


Note the location of the bed and nightstands, away from the door, in this "commanding position." Photo Bigstock

Our environment influences our health, outlook, personal energy, and all of these influence our ability to be healthy, happy and prosperous. Feng Shui is the arrangement of your physical space with deeply symbolic objects so that they are in alignment with healthy Qi (energy) flow. We are continually influenced by the energy that is around us.

This energetic influence includes the land our home is located on or the street our business resides on and the shape of our buildings, none of which we can necessarily change even if we wanted to. Professional Feng Shui allows for "adjusting" even difficult "Qi" with the addition of specific "cures" so that we can live or work where we do, knowing that we have restored balance. Many people know that Feng Shui applies the five element theory to environments and that we can expertly represent those five elements in our spaces using wood, metal, earth, fire and water, colors and shapes (see diagram on page D11).

Another aspect of Feng Shui you might not be familiar with or associate with the art and science of placement is safety and security. Feng Shui has survived for thousands of years because it offers so much more than energetically sound decorating tips. Feng Shui's greatest strength, which is often overlooked or not acknowledged, is that it helps you to be safe and secure in your space and frees you up to concentrate more on the priorities of your life. Why is this important? If we feel safe and secure we also can relax in our home or workspaces, thus allowing us to think clearly, solve life problems, and lead fuller lives. Here are some Feng Shui examples we can apply to create environments that allow more life to happen:

Floorplan Analysis. The Bagua map ancient topography is laid out for maximization and protection of key areas in our lives and is designed to safeguard our life paths, health and wealth, and relationship intimacy. On the Bagua map diagram, you will notice the three lower areas closest to the front door and the outside world are Self Knowledge/Wisdom, Career, and Helpful People/Travel. We need all three to move forward in our public lives. The center of the Bagua map focuses on health and family and children and these areas are the bridge between the inner/outer, Ying/yang, private/public. The outside world nourishes these areas, which due to their position also offers some protection.

The private areas of your life are located on the top line or back of your home. Your wealth, reputation and relationships are offered the most protection, and help you to take the best care of yourself in these most secure areas of your home.

The "Commanding Position." The commanding position is a recurring theme in Feng Shui and we apply it to master beds, kids beds, desks, and stoves. The idea is that when you take charge of your space, you take charge of your life.

The commanding position in a bedroom is where you sit in the bed and face the door without being in direct line with the door. You are positioned to have the best visual control over the room, respond to whatever comes your way or whoever enters the room and this correlates to better being able to be in control of your life. You know you are in the power spot in any room when you feel most comfortably positioned in the room, in the coziest spot, facing and away from the door.

The most important concept is to try to place your bed, desk, stove in the commanding position and then make room for the other items or furniture in each room. When you cannot place these powerful symbols of personal power in the commanding position due to limitations of the space, the expertise of a professional can help adjust your specific space, even if the commanding position isn't possible.

Sounds can be used as a cure, such as bells on the front door to alert us to the comings and goings in our spaces. Many businesses effectively use a "shop keepers" bell to know when someone has entered their space. Lighting is another way we can introduce safety and utility into our spaces, including outdoor lighting for easy access to our homes and offices at any time of the day and also to discourage theft.

Finally, a headboard and footboard for your bed is paramount to making you feel secure while you sleep. Our personal Qi needs a container for restful sleep and more creativity by day, but a headboard can also give a sense of having a strong, supportive backing, something to lean on - hence you sleep better.

I hope these tips will allow you to take immediate action to improve the Feng Shui in your environments for the start of a happy, healthy and safe new year.