When I first heard of feng shui (pronounced foong shway) I was convinced that it was a bunch of mambo-jumbo that interior designers and soulful people dabbled in, but the more I engaged, in an attempt to understand its intent and purpose, the more I was sold on the idea. And with New Year’s resolutions cast in stone, it might be a good idea, to find a system for channelling our positive energy.
Five elements of feng shui
According to Webster-Merriam Dictionary, feng shui is a Chinese geomantic practice in which a structure or site is chosen or configured, so as to harmonize with the spiritual forces that inhabit it; also: orientation, placement, or arrangement according to the precepts of feng shui. Essentially, it’s applying the correct use of colours and elements, to positively balance ones energy. Here’s an example why: If you enter your home through the backdoor after a long day at work, and the backdoor leads to your kitchen, you’re immediately reminded that this room holds an additional workload for the day. It is therefore important to have the correct use of colour and a simple arrangement of furniture and appliances that brings a sense of peace to one of your home’s most frequently used rooms. The same notion applies to bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways and the like.
A decorated using the five elements of feng shui to channel positive energy.
Feng shui is based on five elements: wood (green), fire (red), earth (brown or yellow), metal (white, gold or silver) and water (black or blue). These elements are applied through the use of colour and the eight directions (i.e. north, north-west and etc.). By correctly using colours, shapes and textures based on these five elements one creates a mood for every room, which will ultimately help you to balance your chi – the universal energy, or the energy that permeates everything around you. These elements can be applied in many forms, such as pot plants, artwork, metal picture frames, water fountains or fish tanks, and so much more. And the benefits of applying these simple changes to rewire the energy in your home does a world difference to your should-be sanctuary – and it needn’t be an expensive feat. Sure you can use a feng shui consultant, but you can also buy books or do online research, to learn the art of feng shui yourself. There’s also no need to invest in new household items, as one can simply rearrange furniture, declutter your home, add colour through painting your walls or opening your curtains more often, to allow natural light to flow into your home. However, if your current style is totally off-key and offering you no comfort it might be a good idea to gradually change the style by applying feng shui to one room at a time
