Feng Shui: How Your Home Influences Your Well-Being

Feng Shui refers to ancient Chinese practices that analyze the impact of the environment on our peace of mind and emotional well-being.

We all want to live well, in all aspects of our lives. We also build and decorate our homes with that purpose in mind, although sometimes not consciously and sometimes it doesn’t give us the results we expect. But feng shui may have some answers that can help us.

There are places you just don’t want to be and spaces where you just don’t enjoy yourself. Maybe there are homes you’ve never felt comfortable in, and it “happens” to coincide with new problems in your life… So why does this happen?

What is feng shui?

Feng shui is a thousand-year-old discipline originally from China. Its objective is to foster positive energy in our surroundings. For some it is an art and for others a science, but what we all agree on is that it can make our lives better.

Feng shui studies how we are affected by what surrounds us, and the powerful influence that spaces have on our well-being and health. It considers external elements (neighborhood, buildings, rivers, mountains) as well as elements inside the home (furniture, colors, room locations).

Life energy or “chi”

According to Chinese culture, everything in the physical world is endowed with a “life energy” called “chi”. This life energy is also called “Ki” or “Prana”, depending on the language and culture. Feng Shui is concerned with making the most of the energy flow or the chi current.

One essential condition is that energy be ordered and clean spaces flow freely. Chi moves like the air circulating around us. Its flow and direction depend on the objects and shapes it finds in its path.

If the energy that enters the home flows harmoniously, it will positively nourish the spaces and their inhabitants. On the contrary, if the energy is unbalanced, it will also generate an imbalance in the people who inhabit the space. This lack of harmony means nervousness, unease… hurting your health, and stealing your energy.

But it’s comforting to know that with the basic rules of feng shui you can order and structure spaces so that energy flows harmoniously and adds balance to your life.

Some general conditions for a feng shui home:

Here are some general, simple tips for enhancing feng shui in our spaces. 

• Let sunlight into the house. Natural light generates energy. Try to make sure there are no dark or closed-off spaces.
• Have impeccably clean walls. The paint and wallpaper should look perfect, with no marks.
• Home decor must be positive and pleasing.
• Halls should be clear and have good lighting. They must be easy to walk along.
• You don’t have to store things you no longer use or don’t work anymore. Likewise, when you get a gift you don’t really like, it’s better to get rid of it.
• Have healthy plants around to connect with the energy of the earth.
• Purify the house periodically by burning incense. It’s also a good idea to use essential oils like rosemary or lavender, among others.

Things to keep out of our homes

According to Chinese culture and feng shui, all objects have their own energy. All furniture, decorations, appliances, walls, photos, plants … have chi. So we must assess which objects transmit good energy and which do not. Avoid the following:

• Rugs made from the skins of wild animals, stuffed animals, etc.
• Wilted or dried flowers.
• Clothing or footwear no longer used or belonging to people who have died.
• Collections of weapons or ammunition. (They generate aggressive energy.)
• Paintings, posters, or any image of pain, crying, or drama.
• Antique furniture or furniture with unknown origin. Furniture accumulates the energy of people, situations and places from the past.
• Collections of antiques. Objects, like furniture, also contain an energetic record of the places where they have been and their previous owners.
• Objects (pottery, mirror) and furniture that is broken, old or damaged. Our belongings represent what we believe we deserve. A broken or old item may represent, reproduce or attract a lack of self-esteem, a deficiency of love, or low prosperity.
• Antique mirrors. Mirrors keep the “memory” of all the stories they’ve seen.
• Objects and electronic devices that don’t work or don’t work well. They are items without energy.

What should I have in my home?

Next, we’ll list things that will improve the energy your home gives off:

• Natural plants with different flowers and colors. Plants eliminate toxins from the air and balance the chi of the home.
• Pets that are taken care of and loved. Chinese culture, with its animistic roots, has a very close relationship with animals, seeing them as symbolizing qualities such as strength, wisdom, long life, fidelity, etc. According to feng shui, animals are healers and balance our home. We must take care of them with love. After all, a sick animal may be a sign of an imbalance in the house and will detract energy from its inhabitants.
• Posters, pictures and images that inspire positive emotions. Candles with warm, vivid colors.
• Faceted crystal spheres known as “rainbow spheres” or “feng shui balls” activate and regulate the energy of where ever you put them.
• Himalaya salt lamps. Each lamp is a unique work of nature. They purify the air by neutralizing harmful waves emitted by cell phones, appliances, etc.
• Fragrances of all kinds. They make the chi move around the room. However, they must be used sparingly so as not to oppress or bother us.
• Soft music: instrumental, nature sounds, etc.

Taking care of our environment is taking care of ourselves

There is no doubt that our home is our temple. It is where we come after a hard day’s work and recharge our batteries; it’s our “energy headquarters.” It’s the space we share with people who matter to us and experience warm, intimate moments between friends and family.

That’s why it is important for it to be well-balanced and have positive energy. The good news is that feng shui makes it possible for everyone to have a harmonious, nourishing home.