PRACTISED for more than 3,000 years in China, the art of feng shui helps build up the most appropriate environment for a harmonious life.
As both an art and science that aims to ensure all things are in harmony with their surroundings, the application of feng shui ranges from planning an entire city (or even empire) to where to place a guest at the dinner table, and from the orientation of high-rise office buildings to the interior decoration and furnishing of a house or room.
Based on influencing the flow of qi or energy through a space and other aspects of the environment, feng shui principles align energy patterns with the healing forces of nature.
It’s about balancing energies, of the animate with the inanimate, and that of the soul with the universe, so that you get the positive energies of the universe flowing through the entire spaces in your house.
The result is a harmonious home that lays the foundation for good emotional, spiritual, and physical health.
It is also not just a design element to know where to place a bed, mirror and stove; it’s an art of orienting, aligning and tapping into good quality energy.
This calls for skill, intuition and knowledge of compass directions and mathematics to interpret the floor plan and layout of the house (also known as the natal chart of the house).
A feng shui house is a house where all the objects are in perfect harmony with each other, whether we talk about the feng shui elements contained in them or the particular colours that have been used to enhance the space and, in turn, create a serene feeling of spirituality.
To achieve prosperity for the occupants, here are some suggestions to follow:
-> Lights bring a vital source of energy and is the key element to setting the mood of any space.
Depending on what you are trying to achieve, lights can help highlight or tone down certain areas of the room.
Fluorescent lighting helps flood the room with an ambient feel.
-> Hanging a painting of a lotus in the living area of the home (not the bedroom!) is considered a potent energiser.
It supports and brings resilience to the each member of the family, and despite hard times, the family is said to thrive with the presence of the lotus.
-> Get rid of ‘dead’ alcoves, niches, corridors and corners by highlighting them through the effective use of lighting, or artifacts and décor.
-> Clutter tends to visually accentuate the potentially cramped look of small spaces. Work out your storage needs by incorporating built-in storage designed to fit.
-> Counter bad energies by placing crystals in the four major corners of the home, as it would help to conquer bad luck, and bring wealth luck to the family
-> Keep doors and windows clean, and avoid blocking them to allow light and air to flow in.
S.BS. Surendran is an accredited master feng shui consultant, bioenergetician and traditional vaastu practitioner. Readers can contact him at lifestyle.fengshui@thesundaily.com.
It is also not just a design element to know where to place a bed, mirror and stove; it’s an art of orienting, aligning and tapping into good quality energy.