Feng Shui Your Life 

Your home reflects your life. Every section of it represents a part of your life. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophical system that helps us to increase the flow of energy, or chi, to our homes and our lives for our good fortune and wellbeing. Developed over 3,000 years ago, feng shui teaches us how to balance that energy through colours, shapes, forms, symbols, and furniture arrangement and orientation. The same philosophy can be applied internally by using food energetics to heal and harmonise body energy.

In terms of space, the first step to creating a harmonious home, a clear mind, and a prosperous new year of our life is to de-clutter. 

 If you can’t see the room for the objects in it because of clutter, chances are this is reflected in your life. If the clutter is in the north sector of your house, for example, then your career suffers. If it is in the southeast sector, then your money dwindles. If is in the southwest sector, then your love and harmony are disrupted. And, if the clutter is in the east sector of your home and your room, then your health is vulnerable.

Now that 2021 is on us and we are still thinking about our New Year’s resolutions, perhaps it is practical to start by de-cluttering our homes. Doing this will bring much clarity of mind so we can focus on and attract what our hearts desire in 2021.

In the course of our life, we gather things that satisfy our needs, give us comfort, and reinforce our connections with others and with the world around us. These things come and go similarly to how life flows fluidly. But when these things come and don’t go, problems arise. We see our rooms filling up with unnecessary things, taking over our space and our life. Eventually, they drain our energy and make us lose focus.  

The clutter of the room is linked to the clutter of the soul. It represents trapped fear or pain in our lives. Such feelings immobilise us and make us resist change. When we clean up our closets and corners of the room, on the other hand, we are free to embrace new opportunities. We can do this in three simple steps.

Example for a clutter-free living room where energy flows smoothly all around it and a couple of soothing paintings set as a good focal point for the eyes

The first step is to make sure nothing is physically blocking the entranceway or stopping the door from opening completely. This includes removing things that hang from the back of the door or are stored behind it. From that door the energy flows into your home and feeds your life. You don’t want it to trickle but to flow smoothly. 

Think of the chi flowing into the room as a stream of water. If the flow is reduced to a trickle by all the clutter, then you are very limited in what you can do, and some areas of your house that need the chi will dry out and be starved of energy. Other areas of your house may have stagnant energy due to this limited flow, and in turn, this causes anxiety and limited opportunities in life.

Moreover, avoid having any chair-backs facing the door since this suggests the unwelcoming of people, energy, and opportunities that come through the door. You want to welcome all this by placing a chair that faces the door. This is also important for businesses. 

The second step after you de-clutter is to create a strong focus for the eye. Once we enter the room, our aura, or energy field, springs out and starts to read the room and program us. The message it receives creates a unique reaction in our mind, psyche, and body.

Too busy shelves and too many colors on wall exhaust the eyes and cluttered table and surroundings create uneasiness and anxiety

If there is no strong focus for the eyes, they will stay in motion—scanning and looking for a reference point in a fight or flight type reflex that stays active and fuels anxiety. This is why a chaotic room makes us feel uneasy and wanting to flee. We can never spend time relaxed in it to infuse with our nurturing energy or put it in order. It infuses our life with unfocused energy and procrastination. 

The third step is to place that eye focus in the correct spot. Placing more things to the left side of the room so the eyes can focus more on that suggests you will hold onto the past. Many people who have clutter issues also tend to store stuff more to the left side of rooms. On the other hand, businesses that place their entrances left of centre are prepared to receive energy or profits in the midst of chaos. However, you don’t want that at home or to feel too stuck in the past. 

What many of us seek usually is transformation and new opportunities or a movement into the future. In that case, you want your eyes to focus on the right side of the room. 

Here, it is important to consider where to place significant things in relation to the height of the body parts. At the head level, the mind is concerned with the future. At the heart and stomach level, the mind is concerned with the present, and at the knees and feet level, the mind is attached to the past. As a result, the height at which you place the focus for the eyes determines which part of your life you concentrate on. 

Shelves that have some empty space, neatly stacked books that look alike and some artful storage and decorative items that are similar in color are easy on the eyes and allow room for new stuff and opportunities.

If you leave things on the floor or leaning against the wall, you will feel stuck in the past. But if you clear such clutter off the floor and focus the eyes on something positive at the head level, such as framed art or photos, that will increase the energetic flow towards the future. Placing things at the heart level, on the other hand, will make you live comfortably in the present and move towards the future. Placing sentimental stuff and family memorabilia at the heart level also helps keep love active in your life.  

In future columns, you will learn how to apply more feng shui tips to energise your love, money, relationships, health, reputation, creativity, knowledge, and family. You will also learn to apply inner feng shui to harmonise your body energy and health so you stay positive, focused, and energetic in 2021 and beyond.