Easy Access: Feng Shui

by Laura Lamun

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. Areas of your home are given particular focus, decorated with candles, images, statues, crystals, colors, metaphorical symbols & more, in order to draw the Universe's attention. Benevolent blessings are bestowed upon the home that is free of clutter, well balanced and has powerful, flowing chi (energy). Ideally, a natural flow of energy is enhanced by the many shrines to each quality around the home- leading to increasing amounts of abundance, love, helpful people popping up, etc.

A wonderful thing about practicing feng shui, is the way that it helps you to discover the way you have unconsciously "feng shui-ed" your house. What does your "love " corner look like now, before you endeavor to clear it up? Does this resemble your love life? When I first started studying this fascinating art, I found cobwebs & dead fly carcasses in my love corner, plus a candle with a picture of a monk on it - I was struggling at the time with the shells and leftover garbage of old boyfriends, and a current lover who wanted to try celibacy…I removed the debris and religious figure, and things got a lot better!!!

There are several easy things you can do to learn about feng shui, and experience its power in your own life. Learn the "bagua" -the diagram that enables you to identify the major energy centers, and correct or "cure" negative influences in all these areas. Place the bagua over a sketch of your home, office or room, placing the main entrance where the word "door" is. Determine where each major corner is and everything in between, and check to see what's there. Look for metaphors and symbolism in everything as you clear your own space of the unnecessary and unimportant. Replace with items from the list below, which can "cure" the space and attract energy and influence.

Implement the cures, and you should notice a difference. Be sure to keep track of the things you do - you'll want to remember if they should be successful! You can apply feng shui to each of the individual rooms in your home- to super charge the energy available to you. There are lots of books available on this subject, as well as experts that can help you to follow all the traditional rules. Imagine, in China, a building cannot pass inspections without the proper feng shui cures; it is simply not as reliable, nor will it be as insurable, profitable or secure.

The bagua:

Door

Money corner: add pictures of running water, rivers, waterfalls, the color purple, red, green & gold, round-leaved plants, mobiles and moving objects, wind chimes, statues of elephants with the trunk UP, tabletop waterfalls, & candles. Clear clutter and confusion; make room for your newfound prosperity.

Fame: use pink candles, the color red, pyramids, vertical objects, wood, bookcases, fire (candles), volcanoes, the sun, lights, tall posters, trees, certificates, medals, awards, plants.

Love/Relationships corner: add flowers, mirrors, round objects, red, the bed, love symbols, pictures of loved ones, the colors red, pink, & white, poems, name of your desired, and 2 candles.

Family: the colors green, red & black, rectangles, columnar objects, no dead plants or bugs, produce, pine cones, photos of family and dear friends, water in vases and rectangle dishes, no round or triangular objects.

Health: the center of the room - yellow enhances it, use squares, marble, flat horizontal objects, pyramids, clay objects, globe crystals, funny things (laughter heals) pictures of mountains, earthy objects but no green, fire, candles, stars and suns, religious objects, no wood.

Creativity: add round objects, the color white, chimes, bells, musical instruments, no fire or candles, use candies, toys, magical things, lights, children, CDs, metal, television, no pointy objects.

Skills /New Knowledge corner: books, blue, photos of mentors & inspiring wise figures, thankful altar, pennies, lanterns, lamps, candles, smart things, wood, green, manuals and instructional materials.

Career: black & white, seashells, metal, posters of artists, symbols of life path, dream job description, no pictures depicting anything unwanted, no dirt or earthy stuff, water, current interests, mirrors, glass.

Helpful People corner: bells, silver, nothing broken, rolodex, realtor's cards, travel dreams, pictures of favorite places, a silver box with names of 3 different people you need help from every 3 weeks.