It may surprise you to know that Chi, is all around us, (and no, it isn’t a blend of coffee bean at your local barista). Did you know that you can incorporate Chi into your life to create a more harmonious home? It’s easier than you think, you just have to understand Feng Shiu and we’re going to give you a crash course lesson.
In traditional Chinese culture, Chi or qi is the name of the “universal life force” or energy that flows and connects us with the universe, humanity and nature. In ancient times, it was important for people to live in harmony with nature and their surroundings in order to survive, however these days we are not as consciously in touch with this type of energy. Feng Shiu, which is the study and art of this energy- particularly in balancing our living spaces to create a positive “inner Chi”. The best place to practice Feng Shiu, to really notice the effects, is in our homes, the place we come to for rest, reflection and relaxation.
Here are some basic, easy to use Feng Shiu guidelines to create Good Chi In Your Home your home this summer:
Declutter – There is very easy rule for this step, if you do not love every item you own, you do not need it. You will need to be ruthless however the process of discarding unnecessary possessions is a form of therapy for many and like a snake shedding its skin, shedding the excess weight you are unknowingly carrying around in your home will give you a sense of rebirth.
The Front Door – Regardless of the season, paying attention to your front door is vital in Feng Shiu. It is the mouth of the house, where all energy enters, good or bad. Just like your body you want to make sure you are feeding it only the best energy that flows throughout it fluidly.
Is there furniture blocking the energy flow as you enter? Perhaps shoes or coats strewn messily on view as you enter the room? Listen to your house. For instance, a squeaky door is a literal cry of help from your home and no one likes the sound of a crying baby. Keep it oiled and while you are at it, why not give it a healthy lick of paint. A healthy door will help you leave bad energy outside where it belongs.
Keep an eye out at your path too. Is good energy encouraged to make it’s way to the front door? Try planting some bright, sweet scented flowers along the edges, cut back any overgrown plants, sweep away any dead leaves or refuse and consider moving your recycling bins out of view if you can. Let the journey be an easily marked out one.
Fuel your Fire – Yin and Yang are an important part of Feng Shiu. These are your polar opposites that cannot exist without each other. Think cold and hot, dark and light, winter and summer etc. Summer happens to be an extremely powerful Yang season, associated very closely with the Fire element – with the long sunny days it’s easy to see why. This time of year, is buzzing with active energy which makes us want to socialize, feeds passion (nothing like a bit of summer love) and the time of year we want to increase our positive recognition. Whether that is going for that promotion, or simply standing out to your friends and family we have we can prove this time of year. if you feel you aren’t getting enough active energy this season you can help improve it by:
Introducing colours that activate fire- reds yellows or oranges are especially good. Include it in your place of work whether that is your office, or desk if you are aiming for positive recognition at work.
Keep a room well with loads of sunlight, candles or a red lamp.
Since Wood is a natural fuel for fire include decorations with hints of the wood. Touches of plants, pieces made of wood or pictures of trees or forest are great for this.
Bring red garnet crystals into the home which are considered to aid in creativity and aid passion
Don’t burn out – As we mentioned before Yin and Yang have a very functional marriage and one cannot exist without the other. So, while we want to make sure we have a good amount of active and fire element energy, too much will leave you feeling tired lacking, irritable or just burnt out. To counteract this, we need to introduce a quieter, yin energy, keeping us cooler and calmer. You can easily do this by:
Counteracting your “hot” colours with cooler and more calming tones such as blues, light greens and light purples. An easy way to do this is with simple accessories to the home such as table clothes, napkins, throws and cushions or a new calmer coloured duvet and bedding.
Calming music with relaxing tones to help you mediate in your space.
Green plants that will increase oxygen and remove toxins to balance the summer heat.
Keep all bathrooms’ doors closed and plugs in any plugholes, the Chinese believe that wealth is in the water so don’t let any money run down the drain, literally.
Your garden is equally as much of your home, don’t neglect it. Gardens should be maintained as much as the interior of the home especially outdoor furniture. Take a look at where your garden is situated. Is it on a busy road, or a sloped terrain, do you back onto a railway? If so, then you will need to take extra good care of your garden, just like the front door you want the energy to flow positively throughout the entire house.
Despite the want for salads and raw foods make sure you don’t neglect your stove this time of the year as this can be a symbol of ignored opportunities that will reflect in other areas of your life.
If you are going on holiday this time of year, remember to treat your house as you would a pet you were leaving behind. Energy that is sat left trapped and passive in the room is also considered to be negative and may attract burglars. See if you can leave your lights on a timer in the evening or get a neighbour to come in once in a while to circulate that energy by opening windows or playing the radio or television for a while.
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Nice post. Thanks for sharing tips for creating a good Chi in the home.