Our environment needs attention for our well-being and some helpful hacks to do this is through feng shui. This discipline originated some 4,000 years ago in China and the idea behind it is to harmonise the energy of individuals with the energy forces of their surroundings and environments. 

The literal translation of feng shui is ‘wind-water’, elements which are associated with good health in Chinese culture. Thus, feng shui came to mean ‘good fortune’. The goal of feng shui is to invite a positive chi (Chinese name for energy) into our home so that our life feels both energised and balanced. Utilising some tweaks in our home can have a profound impact on our life.

In 1972, the then president of the US, Richard Nixon, visited China and many Chinese disciplines like the I-Ching and acupuncture became popular with the Westerners. Feng shui is now followed by many worldwide and it is considered a wise move to adopt feng shui to any new buildings, whether these are domestic houses or business premises, to design the right orientation to the respective environment. It can also be useful with the furniture placements and accessories in a home.

It should be mentioned, however, that there are various interpretations of feng shui, and the Westerners did their tweaking too in adapting it to the mainstream population. Some even find feng shui somewhat esoteric and not to be taken up too seriously. On the other hand, many do find aspects of it to be quite sensible and practical.

The philosophy behind it is based on simple common-sense practices in keeping our homes healthier and more organised which, in turn, affects our mood and well-being. 

It is a fact that we are ourselves energy fields and everything all around us consists of invisible energies.  In feng shui, the energies of the five elements, which are wood, fire, earth, metal and water, are utilised in our spaces in such a way as to stimulate and initiate our balance. The best placement of these five elements is according to the energy map of our house or room which in feng shui is called bagua.

The basic tools to get results through feng shui is to use a compass and the bagua map. This map is superimposed on the floor plan of one room at its entrance, or at the doorway of a whole house, and it consists of nine different areas. These relate to our life circumstances such as family, wealth or career.

The centre square of the bagua is considered to be the heart of the home, where the energy is distributed to all the different sectors. Our home is a manifestation of our interior disposition which influences our exterior life. The compass is used to check which areas are facing what and work accordingly.

The study of this discipline is quite vast and is not a matter of explaining it in these few words. The aim here is to attract enough awareness to what feng shui as a hack can do for us.  However, a few practical ideas to give a taste of what it entails could be of interest for anyone who wishes to delve deeper into the practice through research and courses which are easily available online nowadays.

The philosophy behind it is based on simple common sense practices

The first consideration to be given to a home is the entrance.  This area should be inviting and clutter-free, and possibly have a living plant if space permits. Plants embody life energy and vitality to the home. The brighter, decluttered and simple the entrance is, the better the flow of energy. 

According to feng shui, if the front door is just right opposite to the back door, the flow of energy will shoot right out of the back door. To slow down this situation, placing a bright carpet, or a bright artwork on the wall, or even a round entry table helps the energy to circulate around the home. A mirror will give a sense of expansioness to the area. Such tactics work on a subtle level on our psyche.

One of the most important factors in feng shui is the commanding position of a piece of furniture which should be facing the door of its room − but not right opposite it and neither should the piece of furniture have its back to it. So, the bed (which represents us), the desk (representing our career) and the stove (representing our wealth) should have a commanding position in our home i.e. their position should be ideally placed in front of a door where they can receive better positive energy. Having the door behind these items will put us at a disadvantage and depletes our energy.

Clutter in the home should be kept in check as this blocks energy.

“It’s an energetic anchor that impedes the best things from unfolding in our lives. An excessive amount of clutter stops us from having clarity of thought and can weigh us down emotionally. Feng shui is less about having a perfectly-styled home, and more about creating a happy and healthy environment,” says Laura Benko, a New York-based professor, feng shui expert and author of The Holistic Home.

Our windows, considered to be the eyes of our house, will maximise our sunlight if the glass is kept shimmering. 

Symbolism plays a significant role in our homes. Where there are self-esteem issues, check if the mirrors are hung too high, so you can never measure up! Anyone wishing to be in a relationship should not have single imagery in the home such as a single chair, single person in a picture and the like. Such symbols need to be replaced with items one wants to attract and, in this case, paired-up items like two chairs or statues of couples will help to create the right vibes and conditions to attract a relationship.

Mirrors are like a tonic − they ‘expand’ a space and increase the light. Hopefully, they will not reflect a stack of bills or more clutter, but possibly a nice view. However, a reflection of oneself when sleeping causes restlessness in the body and can disturb our sleep. So, hanging a mirror in a bedroom should not reflect ourselves in bed.

And in the case of hoping to bring more financial abundance into your life, you can add some plants to your wealth and prosperity area in the bagua map.

In the love and marriage area on the map, accessories and small furniture should be in pairs.

In the career and life path area, mirrors, asymmetrical shapes, paintings of water or a water feature all aid in setting up an energy flow for being open to opportunities.

Traditional feng shui relies on the compass to give accurate readings and making use of the five feng shui elements namely fire, wood, water, earth and metal. Placing these in the right places will create balance in our homes. One can bring into the home any of the five elements either physically or symbolically. 

According to feng shui, the earth element helps to generate nourishment, knowledge and stability in our life. Here one can decorate with crystals or gorgeous stones or even terracotta planters.

The metal element helps cultivate strength, focus and independence, and to reflect this aspect, one can use metal picture frames, metal candlestick holders, metal sculptures or wind chimes.

The wood element relates to natural growth and vibrant health and is encouraged by using wooden bowls, branches or plants in a room.

The fire element brings about high energy levels, fuels passion and fosters the expression of creativity.  So, warm tones like reds and oranges in a painting or an actual fireplace or burning candle can be used to boost up people lacking in motivation. On the other hand, this is not recommended where aggression is present!

And finally, the water element is all about wealth, abundance and fluidity. This can be expressed through a small fountain, a bowl of water with floating flowers or even images of the sea.

These elements are best placed according to the compass reading in the bagua map, wherever this might be − such as the southeast, north or whatever…. of a particular room.

These feng shui hacks can affect our energy fields in our homes and help us become more serene and balanced beings.

Mary Attard, Freelance writer and photographer