Feng shui basics
Energise your life with feng shui
Literally translated into English, feng shui means ‘wind-water’, and its principles have been used and applied for thousands of years.
Feng shui has been utilised throughout millennia to inform the location and construction not only of individual buildings and structures, but also of entire cities. Even the now-Chinese capital city, Beijing, which is surrounded by mountain ranges, is an essential criterion in feng shui theory.
Elizabeth Wiggins, feng shui expert and founder of Feng Shui Living describes feng shui as “the relationship between a person and their environment” and explains that energies are central to its principles. “It looks at balancing the energies [in a space] to ensure a supportive environment and invite opportunities into the home or business,” she explains.
Central to feng shui’s principles is the exemplification of balance, known as yin and yang. The energies of yin and yang are locked in an eternal cycle, constantly changing and flowing into each other, creating balances like light and dark, positive and negative. Our life energy, qi (pronounced chee), is also a dynamic and constantly changing force and it is this energy that feng shui aims to balance in an environment to invite opportunities for improved health, wealth and relationships.
Feng Shui your life
There are many easy and practical ways to begin to apply feng shui in our daily lives. Wiggins recommends starting by removing any type of excess from your life. “This can include excess ‘stuff’ or what some would refer to as clutter,” she says. It is crucial to get rid of it since clutter can block the flow of energy through the home or workplace environment.
More specifically, there are ways you can utilise the principles of feng shui in particular environments you regularly find yourself in, starting with the home. “Focus on your entrance and bedrooms,” Wiggins advises, “[and] try to look at your home with fresh eyes. Unfortunately we get used to our surroundings and items in disrepair.” So maybe it’s time to do something about the dripping tap in the kitchen and the peeling paint on the bedroom wall, which, by the way, suggest a gradual loss of income and tiredness respectively."
5 tips to feng shui your life
- Get rid of clutter at home and in the workplace
- Treat your home as a sanctuary
- Consider the position of your bed
- Ensure the entrance to your home is beautiful and inviting
- Remember it is up to you to take the opportunities offered so be open to doing so
