Feng shui literally translates to “connecting people to their environment,” or “living in harmony with one’s surroundings.”
It is the ancient Chinese art of placement that means WIND and WATER. Everything is surrounded by water and wind (breath). This energy flow is known as ch’i.
Ch’i is the life force that animates all living things and circulates throughout the spaces we inhabit.
There would be no life without ch’i (without breath).
There are five simple things you can do in your own home for a less stressful home and to keep the energy flowing :
1. Clean em clutter!
When you have too many things around you, your house acts like a sponge, soaking up negative energy. Clutter can have a physical and emotional impact on you. It lowers your gaze, scatters your thoughts, and evokes negative emotions. When it comes time to edit everything around you, you must be certain of your decision. If your furniture and items can hold negative energy, it’s time to begin a major decluttering project in your home or office. Kitchen benches must be free of clutter. So do your work environments. Negative energy requires things to cling to, so keeping your home clutter-free prevents it from doing so!
2. Welcome that Chi in!
For a less stressful home, make a strong front door and invite the Ch’i to enter through it. Our front door is what helps our home get nourishment by creating good chi (the universal word for good energy). For those who live in the house, a strong front entry provides a higher quality of energy. This means it’s clutter-free, welcoming, with no shoes outside the front door, easy to enter and exit, and the colour can even make a difference.
3. Use Chi enhancers
To activate the chi in your home, use these basic Feng Shui tools:
- Mirrors – By assisting in the movement of chi around a room, you can enlighten and expand it.
- Music – Warmth and happiness conveyed by soothing sounds or music.
- Crystals – Each of these gemstones and their meanings, from large geodes to small tumbled stones, has a balancing, positive effect on your body and mind.
- Greenery – Color, life, oxygen, and positive energy are all added to your home by plants.
4. Stay positive!
You can focus on a goal or desire you want to achieve by setting an intention or making an affirmation. Make a list of things you want to achieve or see happen. For instance, if you want to manifest more money or a better job, write down your wishes, fold the paper cup, and place it in your home’s money corner. You can read more about Feng Shui and money over here.
5. Try out space clearing!
Smudging your sacred space, home or office, or even your body with sage is similar to taking an energetic shower or performing a deep metaphysical cleansing. The ionic composition of the air is changed by the smoke from dried sage, and this can have a direct effect on reducing our stress response. For a less stressful home, burn out all the bad areas with white sage. Don’t forget to check the corners and mirrors for any lingering negative energy.