Feng Shui for Different Home Areas

feng shui kitchen
The Chi, a positive energy that brings in prosperity, should always flow freely through different areas in the home. The following are simple feng shui tips for the different areas in the home.

The kitchen

– The stove must be away from the door, but the cook should be able to see the door. If not possible, install a mirror.

– Never position the stove opposite the sink, refrigerator, or dishwasher. A clash of the elements fire and water is not a good idea.

– Keep your cupboard and refrigerator well stocked with food supplies. It implies wealth and abundance.

– Avoid positioning the stove directly in front of a window. Placing the stove to the side of a window is better.

The bathroom or toilet

– Never place the toilet opposite the kitchen. The feng shui fire and water elements will clash in this situation.

– The toilet must not be placed adjacent to the front door. Place the toilet somewhere far away from the front door.

– Avoid positioning the toilet door directly opposite the front door. This may lead to wasted opportunities.

– Place a huge mirror behind the bathroom sink. But never use the kind that is split in the middle, often seen in bathroom cabinets.

– Make sure that the plumbing fixtures in the bathroom and toilet are not leaking, especially the faucets.

The bedroom

– The bedroom should not be adjacent or opposite to a bathroom or toilet. If this is unavoidable, make sure you keep the bathroom or toilet door closed at all times.

– Position the bed as far away from the door as possible. But make sure you still have a good view of the door from the bed. At the same time, do not place your bed where your feet are pointed towards the door when you are sleeping.

– Mirrors should not be placed where they reflect your image as you sleep. Round and oval shaped mirrors are ideal, but make sure they are larger than your head.

– Sleeping directly on the floor is not suggested as it does not allow the Chi to flow beneath you.

The stairway

– Traditionally, the favorable number of steps in a stairway is an odd number. A spiral staircase is also a blunder because it confuses the Chi.

– The worst mistake that can happen is when the staircase leads directly to the front door. This leads to the loss of opportunities, and the residents tend to be always rushing, seldom settling in.

– A good way to slow down the flow of Chi outside the front door is to hang a wind chime on the ceiling above the base of the staircase. A heavy figurine at the floor level below may also act helpful.

Lobbies and hallways

– Hallways need to be free of impediments and are needed to be well lit. It should also be clear to anyone where they are to go next in the house.

– A nice piece of art may be hung on the wall to the end of a hallway. However, never place a mirror there; it will only reflect back the entering Chi.

– There should be no hallway in the house that leads directly to a toilet. If it is already there, just make sure the door is closed at all times.

These are some tips to overcoming and preventing Chi flow problems, giving you a harmonious feng shui home.

Harmonizing with Feng shui

feng shui
Perhaps one of the oldest forms of geomancy in the world is Feng shui which originated from China more than 3500 years ago. This ancient practice is literally translated as wind and water and is based on the belief that life can be greatly improved with the help of Qi or energy flow. This Qi can be produced by achieving balance or harmony through the use of the laws of heaven, which pertains to the study of astronomy and earth, which is associated with the study of geography.

The purpose of the application of this practice is to locate that Qi or that vital energy in your surroundings by creating balance and harmony around you. Here are some Feng shui theories that can give you a better grasp of this concept of balance and energy.

The Power of Qi

Qi is everywhere and the key is to find it. This energy is a result of interactions in the environment like the yin and yang and the five elements of water, fire, earth, metal and wood. This theory believes that the way you arrange your surroundings and position certain objects around you can affect your energy levels. It also believes that these energy levels can even influence your health, wealth, relationships and even luck. By properly organizing your environment, qi can flow through the space freely and can create a positive effect to those who live in the area.

The Union of the Yin & Yang

The yin and the yang are two opposing forces or energies that work together creating a unity of opposites. The yin is characterized as the passive energy that is associated with the characteristics of water, cold, peace and tenderness while the yang is described as the active energy like those from heat, fire, excitement and speed. In other words if yin is matter, yang is energy and neither of them can exist without the other. The key to understanding this practice is to achieving a proper balance of yin and yang in our environment.

Balance through Bagua

The bagua is a popular Feng shui instrument that is shaped like an octagon and is divided into the eight cardinal directions of North, South, East, West, North East, North West, South East and South West. The theory of the bagua is that each of these directions corresponds to a part of our life. For instance, the North portion of the bagua pertains to one’s career while the south pertains to the fame or reputation of a person. The other categories of the bagua are family, children, prosperity, relationships, wisdom, and travel.

The theory of the bagua also believes that each of the eight directions pertain to a part of our life and in order to activate the energy or improve a certain part of our life is to find the direction it corresponds to and make the qi flow into that space positively.

Finding the Harmony

Understanding and appreciating the art of Feng shui is accepting that there is an existing relationship between you and your environment. The theories of this practice present information on how a person can achieve balance and harmony with the environment which can have a great impact in particular areas of a person’s life.

Although each person has their own potentials in the area of health, wealth, relationships and luck, what this practice really teaches is how to enhance these areas for practitioners to make the most out of their lives.