Feng Shui is an ancient philosophy of how we arrange and manage the spaces in which we dwell. It has spiritual roots in Chinese culture, but its core concepts are accessible to people from any time or culture. The goal of Feng Shui is to make the places where we live and work healthier, happier environments that are easy to control and encourage us to cultivate as much inner balance as outer structure. Here’s what you need to know about Feng Shui and how to apply it to your own life.
The Basics of Feng Shui
The term “Feng Shui” literally translates to “wind and water.” These ideas come from Taoist understandings of nature, choosing two elements that exemplify lightness and the flow of life. Designs with good Feng Shui emphasize the flow of energy through the space, whether literal or metaphorical. Though Feng Shui certainly has a strong spiritual element, its main idea is to get us to think about the spaces we occupy and to design them to promote good health of every sort.
Color in Feng Shui
Feng Shui encourages us to think more deeply about the colors we select for our spaces. The philosophy goes deeper than simply choosing hues for your walls and furniture that you like, encouraging you to think about why certain colors appeal to you and how different colors affect your mood. Feng Shui divides colors into five elemental categories.
- Fire colors like red, orange and purple connect to energy and passion.
- Earth colors like yellow and beige stand for stability and safety.
- Metal colors like silver, gray and white focus on precision and excellence.
- Water colors, mostly blue and black, relate to calmness and purity.
- Wood colors like brown and green promote health and growth.
Light and Air
Feng Shui encourages the use of plentiful light and regular air flow through your spaces. It’s good Feng Shui to let as much natural light into a room as possible and to make sure the room is properly lit at night. Full spectrum light bulbs mimic the light of the sun, so they’re a good investment for Feng Shui light fixtures. You should also pay attention to air quality in your spaces. Use those windows to get a natural breeze, use clean heating like Quarles Propane during the cold season that won’t dry out your air. Keeping plants around will purify the air in your home, just as they do in the forest.
Feng Shui and Clutter
In order to have real control over your space, you need to eliminate clutter whenever possible. Remove anything from your space that is neither pleasant nor useful. Make sure everything has its right place. Consider every purchase that may make your space look or feel more busy or crowded. This is especially important in smaller spaces where every element takes up a significant amount of vital real estate.
Achieving good Feng Shui can improve the look and feel of any space, allowing you to concentrate on what’s important. With the right balance of light, color, air and cleanliness, you can make your space truly transcendent.