Feng shui is yang and the yin, the placement of buildings and the flow of chi within.
There’s stuff under my bed. It’s prettily organised in storage boxes and baskets. But somehow bedtime has never felt quite right: fitful sleeps, weird dreams, insomnia. Perhaps that’s because, according to feng shui, it still constitutes clutter or “bad energy”.
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of living in harmony with the environment – especially in terms of spatial arrangement and orientation – to produce good “chi” or energy flow.
“Spaces need to feel right, not just look good,” says Brigitte Seum, a feng shui consultant with Soulspace. “I create spaces with positive chi so it can be retained and made available to people.”
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of living in harmony with the environment. Photo: Stocksy
Much of feng shui today has been simplified to the use of exotic trinkets such as carrying around a “double happiness” keychain “for love luck”. But historically feng shui is grounded in sound physical and energetic principles that take into account orientation, chi flow and the quality of the energy.
Which direction your house, sofa or work desk is facing is key, as is what it is facing. A mountain or tree behind your home protects it, according to feng shui. A sharp-angled road facing your home is like an arrow about to attack.
If chi is negative in any space, harmony can be restored by balancing the yin (well-being and support) and yang (aggressive life) forces, says Brigitte, for example, by placing soft cushions on hard timber chairs.
Two of the most important areas in the home are the main entrance and the bedroom.
It is thought that chi cannot enter a narrow entrance, so design a transition zone to welcome the energy. Photo: Stocksy
“The entrance relates to opportunities to improve your wealth; the bedroom represents health and relationships,” says Elizabeth Wiggins of Feng Shui Living.
“Clear your clutter from both areas, says Elizabeth. “If your front entrance falls in the east or south-east, you may find good opportunities to make money. If your bedroom also falls in these sectors, you may find opportunities to improve health and relationships.”
How the bed is positioned is also critical, says Brigitte. “It should not face the doorway. This is the coffin position. Your head should be against a solid wall, not a window.”
Make sure your head is against a solid wall and not a window. Photo: Stocksy
Brigitte Seum’s top five tips for using feng shui at home:
MEANDERING PATHS
The biggest mistake in modern homes is the long hallway. Energy tends to shoot right through and not be collected. Create a meandering pathway by alternating side tables on opposite walls.
TRANSITION ZONES
The ming tang, or transition zone, is a respite space to transit your “external” persona into the private space e.g. a lobby or front garden. It is thought that chi cannot enter a narrow entrance, so design a transition zone to welcome the energy.
OPEN CENTRE
The centre of a house is like its heart or soul, where energies connect. Ideally it should be open or have welcoming energy. It’s not good if the centre space is a toilet or closet or taken up by a wall.
BALANCED SHAPES
In an elongated space, chi energy flows through rather than staying, so people feel lost. The solution is to create balanced shapes. Have a piece of furniture so that it defines a distinct space e.g. the TV for entertainment.
JUDICIOUS USE OF MIRRORS
Mirrors double everything. Use mirrors in constricted hallway situations to bring in the energy of the front door to bounce it back into the rest of the space. But be careful with mirrors in bedrooms, which are meant to be nurturing. Do not have a mirror reflecting your bed or feet, or behind you.