Your home is your haven and ought to be the most soothing place in the world. Feng Shui is an ancient tool used to create harmonious, peaceful and joy-filled environments. Its origins date back thousands of years ago to ancient China where people used the guidance of nature to live well and create harmony and wellbeing into their homes. According to Feng Shui, the three most important areas in a home are the front entryway, the kitchen, and the master bedroom.
Here are a couple of ways to invite more peace into your home with the help of Feng Shui:.
A welcome entry. The front entryway is important because this is where the Chi energy (invisible life force) enters your home. To create a welcome entry to your home
- Avoid straight or jagged walkways.
- Place colourful plants along those pathways and/or outside the main door to offset any imbalances.
- Is your view limited or blocked by a wall when you look out of the front door? If that’s the case, place artworks that feel expansive on the wall. You could also plant flowers, which will make a walk to or out of the door a calming and delightful walk.
- If your front door is hidden in view from the street, lead the Chi to your door by small (even portable) water fountains or wind chimes, to bring positive Chi into your life to keep you calm and stress-free.
- Keep your front door attractive and conspicuous. It should be free from any deformity, chipping or breaking. It should not make a creaking sound.
Wellbeing in the kitchen. In the kitchen you create wellbeing for your family by cooking nourishing meals, enabling you to go out in the world and make a good living. This idea originated in ancient China where the head of the household had to stay strong and stress-free for the family to have a good life.
- Check for leaks and contamination. Clean out all the drawers, surfaces and light fixtures.
- Clean the stove and all the pots and pans and keep the kitchen area dry and clear at all times.
- De-clutter the refrigerator. Get rid of all that’s stale, old or smelly.
- Let go of all harsh chemical cleaners from the kitchen and go for natural ones.
- Nurture the bedroom. The bedroom is where you nurture and refresh your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health.
- Keep the headboard against the wall, which gives you a clear view of the door. Make sure that your head does not point towards the bedroom door or toilet. When sleeping, avoid placing your head directly under a window and below a beam. This will save you from stress.
- Assess your art and accessories. A bedroom needs soothing and uplifting images, so surround yourself with art that makes you feel great. Mirrors create stress in the bedroom so, if possible, move them to another spot in your home.
- A TV in the bedroom disturbs the peace, bringing unwelcome electromagnetic energy into your sanctuary. The best option is to remove it altogether, but if this is impossible cover it up whenever it’s off.
Clear the clutter. Chi, the invisible life force or energy, flows through all things. Your Chi connections with cherished items are beautiful but with physical clutter, they also create emotional clutter and stress. Blockages of Chi in the home reflect the blockages in your own body and in your life, which will significantly affect your wellbeing. De-clutter your home to bring in more peace, make you feel lighter and less burdened.
- Understand why you collect clutter in order to let go of it. Only you can decide if something is genuinely useful or loved. It is how you perceive it. If something is broken, either fix it or throw it out. There is no ‘Just in case’ excuse for collecting clutter.
- Start when you are ready and take it slow. Just by clearing out one drawer you will feel your energy lift.
- Clear the clutter under the beds and sofas.
- Clutter also lurks in corridors and behind doors. Be thorough.
Give yourself space. An overstuffed room can actually make you feel tense, so be sure to leave about two and a half feet of walking space around the furniture.
Balance the lighting. Fluorescent lights are usually too bright and flickering and don’t let your relax. On the other hand, a dark room is also considered energetically unbalanced. Find the right balance in order to create warm, soothing and reassuring lighting indoors.
Get in some green. Small potted plants inside the house at strategic places bring in a feeling of calm, rejuvenation and growth. Avoid cactus. Don’t plant plants with sharp or pointed leaves or thorns because spiky plants trap harsher energies. Avoid keeping withered, diseased or dying plants as they symbolise mental or physical exhaustion.
Use crystals, stones and natural materials. These create a feeling of grounding and purify the atmosphere in your home. Crystals are known to promote relaxation and can create and irradiate a healthy energy field around them. Use natural materials like marble, bamboo, or cork instead of plastic decorations.