You have to have been underground for the past two decades if you haven’t heard the term feng shui being thrown around. Just in case you think it may be a new type of fried pork meal, let us clarify!
Feng shui, which literally translates to “wind and water” is the ancient art of placement.
The Chinese believe that the goal of one’s life is to enhance the flow of chi (spiritual energy) and create balanced and harmonious environments that promote health, increase wealth, and bring happiness.
One of the ways this can be achieved is through the proper placement of items, including furniture, in your house.
The art has become so widely accepted and en vogue that if a decorator doesn’t use it—or at least isn’t slightly familiar with it—it could be grounds for termination.
An entire house can be designed according to feng shui principles, but since rest is the foundation of a healthy life and the bedroom is the oasis of the home, experts agree that it’s the most important area to start with. In the bedroom, the way that furniture is positioned in the bedroom affects your health by affecting the flow of energy.
The correct placement can make one feel more calm and tranquil, more positive, and generally in more in control.
Start by taking a look around your room. The top mistake people make in arranging their bedroom is not leaving equal room on both sides of the bed. This is one of the most vital elements in designing this room.
Is your bed pushed up against the wall? Is there more room on one side than the other? Does the room feel a little off kilter when you step back and study it?
The uneven placement of items to the sides of the bed doesn’t allow for the equal flow of chi throughout the room and can result in relationship issues, and physical and mental health issues, as well.
When designing the room, make sure there’s equal space on both sides of the bed but also be sure that there’s a grounding energy there as well. Two nightstands do the trick with some added lamps (both the same) for soft lighting.
This balance will be keep your energy centered and will also maintain equality in your relationship. If you have a choice, experts recommend the use of round tables instead of square ones. The points on the square of the tables may cut off the chi energy that will be directed toward you.
Feeling rejuvenated by the thought of revitalizing your life through your bedroom? Read on about the other things you can do to boost your mojo!
Don’t align your bed with doors.
Doors are a big deal in the art of feng shui and are symbolic of so many things. As a rule of thumb it’s important to keep the bed positioned as far from any door as possible.
It’s also important that the bed not be in alignment with any door (bedroom, bathroom, or closet), or too much chi will flow toward the bed.
Even if it’s misaligned, a door should be visible at all times—this allows you to energetically and literally see and feel who and what opportunities are approaching. Additionally, a direct line of vision to the door is believed to start your day with a sense of control.
Avoid accumulating clutter.
Too much clutter means that chi can’t circulate in your bedroom which can cause intimacy and health issues. Be sure that the area surrounding your bed is clean and free of debris.
Extra books can be a particularly overwhelming source of clutter. Too many books lying around can disturb the peace in your bedroom by making the room look and feel like it’s a place of work. A few books are fine, but more than that should be placed in a different area of the house. One book in particular that would be good to have on hand to help with avoiding clutter accumulation in your space is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
Take the television out of the bedroom.
Televisions are considered an unhealthy addition to most bedrooms; they not only create unhealthy magnetic fields which disrupt sleep, they also keep you distracted and keep the bedroom from being a place of relaxation.
This holds true for desks as well. If you can’t move either, experts suggest that you cover them with a scarf or sheet when they’re not in use.
Keep plants and flowers outside of your room.
Yang is the very active principle of the universe that’s characterized as male and is associated with heaven, heat, and light. Plants are thought to possess a lot of it—making them inappropriate for a bedroom.
Their high energy and internal activity can rob you of the peaceful rest that is needed so it’s recommended to keep all plants and flowers out of the room. If you must keep them in your bedroom, try to keep them out of line of vision when you’re in bed.
Have a supportive wall behind your head.
At nighttime, your body needs good backing, protection, and support to rest and repair from the day’s work and stress. Feng shui advises the use of headboards that are solid and made of wood. A good upholstered one is helpful because you get the best of both worlds: gentle and supportive.
Experts caution that it’s not advisable to position your bed under a window. Doing so may gradual rob you of your personal energy, as the window offers neither support nor protection.
Get a supportive mattress.
The quality of the mattress that you choose is super important in feng shui because the better you rest at night, the better prepared you are for your day. Pick your mattress wisely and be sure that it provides firm support, hopefully, support similar to these mattresses below.
Never, ever buy a used mattress. Not only is that potentially highly unsanitary, it’s believed that energy is accumulated from previous owners and you have no idea what kind of energy it may be.
Avoid beds and mattresses that fold into walls, as they are typically uncomfortable and not healthy for your body.
Make sure the bed is high enough.
The height of your mattress is important because it allows for smooth energy flow under the bed so be sure that your bed is high enough off of the ground for it to circulate.
Platform beds or ones with storage under the mattress are considered bad feng shui choices as there is no space under the bed for chi to flow which can result in a myriad of problems. Try these bed lifters to improve the height of your bed.
Avoid mirrors.
Feng shui experts caution that mirrors in a bedroom can cause disturbed sleep and may invite space for infidelity. Mirrors are also considered too energetic for such a restful space.
If mirrors are necessary, experts suggest that you put them behind closet doors, or drape fabric over them when they’re not in use.
Don’t put your bed under a beam.
As a general rule of thumb it’s suggested to not position your bed directly under a beam as it may create feelings of pressure that can disrupt sleep and harm your health.
If you must do so, cover the beam with fabric or hang two bamboo flutes from the beam with the mouthpieces pointing downward.
Skip water fountains and fish tanks.
Remove all items that contain water or that picture water from your bedroom. This may include aquariums, water fountains, and pictures of lakes or rivers.
Feng shui warns that these are considered negative items and may invite possible financial loss or robbery.