Let’s begin with a description of Feng Shui:
“Feng Shui” translated from Chinese to English is “Wind Water” Wind is the energy you feel, water is the energy you see.
The Principles of Feng Shui create a harmonious relationship between the energy you see & the energy you feel. How did it begin? Feng Shui began in China thousands of years ago & has transcended cultures & time.
Early Feng Shui began with “form”, to site homes and graves. The principles of form are the foundation we use today. We also incorporate directions, colors, shapes, elements, objects, timing and YOU.
Feng Shui has basic principles that are followed, however; the most important piece of the puzzle is YOU, your relationship to your space, what is happening in your life now & where you want to go. Your personal feng shui will vary at different times in your life, the best Feng Shui is to be open to change.
Imagine your home as your living vision board: do you make “1 Vision Board” & keep it forever? I think not!
Many of you have read books, searched online, listened to podcasts, maybe taken a class. How much of what you heard/learned is based on fact or fantasy? I think some of what we hear is translated like playing telephone: it starts out as one thing and ends up something else, forgetting the reason for the statement in the first place. Everything in feng shui has a reason and a purpose.
Let’s explore some of my favorite feng shui facts and fantasies.
Don’t use the # 4!
I was shopping at IKEA, holding 4 bamboo stalks & a man came up to me emphatically stating:
“NO! That is bad luck Feng Shui!” He did not appear to be of Chinese descent. I am not either.
The Chinese word for death sounds like “4”, therefore someone whose native language is Chinese or is of Chinese culture, I understand the connection & I respect that.
The truth is, the Feng Shui significance for the number 4 is southeast, a “tree element” which is the area of our life connected with “Fortunate Blessings, Prosperity.” I chose to place 4 bamboo stalks in the southeast to nourish my fortunate blessings adding healthy tree element which in turn nourishes the “fire of the south, the life connection to “Reputation, Recognition & Passion.”
Keep the toilet lid closed or your money will go down the drain!
First & foremost, Feng Shui promotes safe & healthy living. I choose to close the lid when I flush to keep whatever is in there from flying up into the air! However: if you believe you are flushing your money down the drain, you will look for ways to prove it.
The truth is, bathrooms have a lot of water, water relates to wealth. So, when your pipes are leaking, it’s a metaphor for money going down the drain – pay attention to what you’ve neglected creating a bigger expense. Dripping faucets: money is slowly dripping away – do you still have outdated subscriptions on autopay? Clogged drains? What is it you haven’t completed that’s stopping money from coming in.
My best advice is to keep your bathrooms neat, clean; pipes maintained & close the lid when you flush!
Adding fresh flowers or bamboo stalks in clear water promotes healthy chi.
Mirrors at the front door: good or bad?
Mirrors are great ways to enhance energy, Feng Shui principles use mirrors to reflect beauty, “double blessings” and expand spaces.
A mirror placed on a wall directly opposite the front door is not recommended. The reason is when you open the front door, the mirror reflects the energy and pushes it back out of the house.
The truth is, in Feng Shui the front door is know as the “Mouth of Chi.” (Chi = Energy) This indicates the front door is important for bringing in good health, wealth & opportunity.
Why would you want to send the “Chi” back out the door before it comes in!
A great use of a mirror at the front door is to create an expanse of space. If your front door opens into a foyer which has an open space on one side and a wall on the other side, place a mirror on the wall to balance the energy, creating a sense opening the space.
*I have so many other mirror conversations & recommendations: check out this fun class on demand: https://bit.ly/OnDemandFengShuiwLois
Sitting with your back to the door is bad Feng Shui.
Here is the truth behind this statement. Feng Shui principles recommend sitting with your back to a wall having a view of the door. We refer to this as the “Command Position.”
One reason not to sit with your back to the door is your central nervous system is on alert when your back is to a door or an opening, feeling unprotected. You may not realize how distracting this can be. It is more comfortable & productive to sit in the “Command Position.” In the “Command Position” you are available & can see all the opportunities coming your way. Experiment for yourself.
Is Feng Shui a religion?
Feng Shui is not a religion, it does have roots in Taoism, based on the belief in energy: everything has energy, creating the environment that supports your energy is the best Feng Shui of all!
Going back to the beginning thousands of years ago in China is where “Form Feng Shui” was created for siting homes to be in the ideal environment for safety & practicality.
There is a reason behind every Feng Shui principle. There are varied ways Feng Shui is practiced, there are some spiritual aspects for those of a spiritual nature. The beauty working with a certified Feng Shui Practitioner, they will recommend the best Feng Shui principles specifically for you.
Place a 3-legged frog at your front door to bring in the money.
This is a good example of using “icons” in Feng Shui. Everything you put in your space relates to your subconscious, this is how Feng Shui connects the meaning of the things we see to the things we feel. The story I like best about the 3-legged frog is something like this:
“A farmer was passing a well on his walk & heard a voice from the well saying “help me, help me.” He peered into the well & saw a frog at the bottom. He sent the pail down the well & brought the frog to safety, then he went on his way. This frog only had 3 legs which is why he couldn’t jump high enough to get out. The next morning the farmer woke up to find gold coins under his pillow. Every day for the rest of his life the gift of gratitude from the frog was a pile of gold coins.” My interpretation of this folk tale: give without expectation & you are rewarded more than you can imagine. This is the concept for Fortunate Blessings.
So – if every time you see your 3-legged frog you are reminded to be kind & generous without expectation & live in gratitude – go for it! However, if you think you can randomly place an object somewhere just because someone said so, don’t expect miracles!
The truth is: objects are only as powerful as your actions & behaviors inspired from them. Remember, everything we do in Feng Shui has a reason & a purpose.
Feng Shui offers wonderful opportunities to reflect on yourself, who you are, where you are, & where you want to go. Feng Shui recommendations geared towards you will help you create the life you love and deserve.
The most important part of this equation is you! Only you know how you feel, trust your inner knowing & be open to change. Ask questions, if it doesn’t make sense to you, ask more questions, still not making sense, do something different.
More Fun Feng Shui get Lois’ FREE E-Book https://bit.ly/LoisFreeEBook
Lois Kramer-Perez, CHt. Certified Feng Shui, NLP, Past Life Regression & Energy Clearing Practitioner. Master Teacher at https://www.consciousdesigninstitute.com/
A Catalyst to Inspire You To Seek and Create New Possibilities in YOUR Life. Feng Shui Your Space and Your Soul, schedule your free discover your shui call www.callwithlois.com