Feng Shui is the ancient traditional Chinese art of using orientation and design to encourage flow, good fortune, and positive energy in your day to day life.
Our homes are truly where the art of Feng Shui can come to life. Jane Langof, internationally accredited Feng Shui master and interior designer, is a firm believer in optimising your home’s energy flow.
“Feng Shui is about your relationship with your environment and your surroundings, and how this can impact your mood, mindset and overall motivation.” Ms Langof says. Ms Langofs company, Feng Shui Concepts, aims to bring this holistic approach to interior design into your home.
A home that is not optimised for Feng Shui can sometimes feel like walking through mud. When you already have so many things to do in your day, this can be an unnecessary hindrance.
So we have put together a list of some handy fixes you can do to make sure your home has optimal energy flow.
Declutter
A tidy room will always feel better than a messy room – Feng Shui is very aware of this. Feng Shui is all about making sure that positive energy is flowing through your house and going where you need it to.
Ms Langof notes that clutter can act a bit like a dam. “Clutter presents obstacles to the energy in your home and can restrict you from feeling the full effects of that positive energy”.
So by making sure you have spots for everything and are regularly tidying, you are ensuring that there are minimal restrictions on the energy flow of the home.
Keeping the Entryway Clear
Your entryway, front porch, stoop or landing should always be kept clear if in the pursuit of positive Feng Shui.
“In Feng Shui, the front entrance is really important because it signifies wealth. Your front entrance should be free of clutter and obstacles. You want to make sure your front entrance is a focal point so that it helps to draw the positive energy inside.”
Large trees, overgrown front gardens, piles of shoes, are all things that will hinder the amount of energy entering your home. It is also important to make sure your front entrance looks attractive – clean and visually pleasing entryways are far more attractive for positive energy.
The additional benefit to this of course is great street appeal – your home will look good to passers by.
The Yin And Yang
Feng Shui is largely about balancing the five elements – earth, metal, water, air, and fire. Too much or too little of anything is what you want to avoid in this practice.
“So it’s about the balance of complementary opposites found in nature. If a space is too dark you should lighten it and vice versa.”
Plants, windows, diffusers, candles, and metal decorations are all small ways to play with this balance. But just be mindful that everything is in moderation.
Similarly, in Feng Shui it is always worthwhile to balance your senses. When at a loss of how to improve the Feng Shui of your home, consider whether it looks good, smells good, feels good.
Feng Shui: Optimising Your Home
Feng Shui is not complicated at the end of the day. The core principles are to remove obstacles that will hinder energy flow, and to maintain sensory and elemental balance.
There are so many ways to optimise this, but the best way if you’re confused is to get a consultation from an expert. It is a small investment that will have lasting impacts on your health, wealth, and happiness.