by Marta Barreras
Feng Shui: Creating Optimal Health and More
Through Your Environment
Feng Shui, literally translated as “wind and water,” is the ancient art and science of space alignment. Though its roots in China span four thousand years of our history, other paralleling environmental sciences date back as far as seven thousand years. For as long as human beings have been on the earth (or for all those years) wise practitioners of this timeless art have successfully created greater health, harmony, and prosperity for themselves and others by working with the hidden forces in their environments.
Feng Shui works with the basic underlying principles that comprise the fabric of the manifest universe and is accessible to everyone. Simply by learning to recognize, harness, and create with these principles, you will be able to gain greater ease in your physical existence. Your level of vitality and prosperity will increase, and you will experience greater expansion and harmony in both the mental and spiritual aspects of your life. Feng Shui outlines one of the most direct and efficient methods known to restore natural balance and wellness in your life.
The Power of Ch’i Revealed
The fundamental principle of Feng Shui is that everything in the physical universe is made up of Ch’i, or life force energy. According to the laws of physics, matter equals energy, and although Einstein proved this decades ago, modern science now proclaims that our universe began as energy and that the forms we perceive as solid are simply patterns of energy vibrating at different frequencies.
In other words, Ch’i is the invisible breath of the universe and is constantly flowing through our bodies and our spaces. It surrounds and embraces us as it moves through our homes and workplaces, and we can literally say that we are marinating in the Ch’i in our environments. This Ch’i has a powerful impact on how we feel, how we think, and what we attract into our lives. Hence, just as it is crucial to drink clean water and breathe clean air, it is vitally important that the Ch’i in our space be of optimal quality and that it flow harmoniously throughout. This is the primary purpose of Feng Shui.
Six Important Things to Know About Your Home’s Health and Wellness Potential
Here are a few basic things that are important and useful in applying the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui in order to improve the health and wellness potential of your space:
1) Clear out clutter
Through the power of resonance, our bodies and minds reflect the quality of energy flowing throughout our homes and workspaces. An example of this resonance is illustrated in a newborn child, who is deeply affected and impressed by the thoughts and emotions of its mother.
If your home or office is filled with too many things, this creates a blockage in the healthy flow of Ch’i. According to Feng Shui principles, this blockage has a negative impact on physical health and can cause a sense of depression or a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Let go of items that are no longer current in your life. They may be unconsciously holding you in the past and keeping you from attracting and embracing new opportunities.
2) Bring in the Wood element
The Five Elements of nature used in Feng Shui are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. In general, the power of these natural?elements should not be underestimated and are best applied with knowledge, balance, and skill.
In most cases, it is safe to say that the application of healthy, live plants, representing the Wood element, can significantly increase health-supporting Ch’i in an environment. Try using a standing plant to liven up a lifeless corner. Place one or two at the front entrance to symbolically attract healthy life force into the space. Add a nice tabletop plant to a newly cleared bookshelf or table to replace the old items and give a sense of renewed vitality and life.
3) Enhance the entryway
The entry of a building is called “ch’i kou” or the mouth of ch’i. This is one of the most important areas of the structure in Feng Shui because it is where a powerful force of ch’i enters into the building. The ch’i kou location determines the quantity and quality of life force energy flowing into the space, and thus has a primary impact on the health, harmony, and prosperity of the occupants.
Be sure that your entrance is clear. Keep it uncluttered and welcoming. Try adding bright colored flowers and/or welcoming statuary to your front walkway. Placing a water fountain at the entrance is a powerful way to invite a greater flow of health and prosperity into the building.
4) Create a kitchen sanctuary
The thoughts and feelings of the cook are absorbed into the food that is being prepared and eaten, and so it is vitally important that the kitchen be a clear and uplifting place. Keep the counters and surfaces clutter free. Add beautiful flowers and plants. Light a candle before cooking to honor the sacredness of nourishing body, mind and soul with your meal.
The first room seen upon entering your home creates a deep and lasting impression on your unconscious mind. This room and the state of this room can have an impact on your thoughts and feelings and can affect the experiences created in your home.
If your kitchen is the first room seen upon entering the house, this can create an unconscious preoccupation with food preparation, eating, and over-snacking. This eventually leads to digestive disturbances and contributes to weight gain and eating disorders.
If you enter the house directly into your kitchen, try placing a wind chime or a screen there to act as a divider between the entrance way and the kitchen.
5) Make your bedroom a peaceful retreat
The bedroom is the place where we spend our most vulnerable hours. In today’s busy world we are constantly subjected to an overload of information and sensory stimulation. Even at home, with computers and televisions, as well as books, we are exposed to a constant stream of thought force. Applying Feng Shui in the bedroom can be an effective way to offset the chaos of the outside world and restore inner balance, harmony, and wellness.
The bed should have a solid wall and a solid headboard behind it to create a sense of support and energetic “backing” for the occupants. Be sure that there is airflow underneath the bed. A bed that is placed on the ground or has storage underneath will contribute low energy and disturbed sleep patterns. Place the bed away from the direct line of Ch’i coming in the door. This will create a greater sense of calmness and security from the uncertainties of the outside world.
Everything in your space conveys a message to your unconscious mind. Tone down the messages in your bedroom by using the “less is more” concept. Decorate with soothing colors. Use soft shapes and peaceful images. Avoid leaving unread books, unfinished work, or anything else that suggests the activity of the outside world in this sacred retreat space.
6) Be open to uncovering your blind spots.
Your space is a metaphor for your personal energy and unconscious beliefs. The most important thing that needs to shift in your home is most likely going to be a blind spot to you in the beginning. Consider learning more about Feng Shui, or have a professional consultation. Your life is waiting!
Real Life Experience
Before I practiced Feng Shui on a professional basis, I co-founded and ran a Natural Health Clinic specializing in Naturopathic Functional Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine. My comprehensive holistic health background naturally led me to a practice of Feng Shui. I worked with patients who struggled for years with chronic health issues and was astounded to see how Feng Shui and the clearing of old energy patterns from one’s environment could play an important role in accelerating the process of healing. One real life example is described below.
I received the phone message on Friday afternoon. “Our business is a snowballing success,” said Deborah with excitement and vitality ringing in her voice. You see, just three months before, Deborah was in excruciating pain. Suffering from a lifetime of immune system disorders, she was living her life from one disability check to another with just enough energy to care for her daily survival needs. She was unable to work and had many concerns about the quality of her family life and personal relationships.
Deborah wanted a powerful change in her life. She and her partner, Greg, decided to explore Feng Shui, the ancient art and science of space energy alignment. It was on a beautiful September morning that they invited me into their home for a consultation. After an in-depth assessment of their home’s structural and energetic challenges, we made a list of all the changes, or “remedies,” needed to restore balance in their environment. With newly found knowledge and enthusiasm, Deborah and Greg took immediate action.
Now, just three months later, Deborah’s energy and outlook on life are on the rise. Not only has her health improved, but she has also been able to start her own business, which has become impressively successful in a short period of time. In our last conversation, she happily reported that both her family relationships and her romantic partnership have been harmoniously revitalized.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, to be honest, Deborah’s life-changing experience is the typical result of a day’s work in my world of Feng Shui transformation. By the time you’ve finished applying some of the recommendations listed above, you will have acquired a real and personal first-hand knowledge of this transformational “magic”.
Marta Barreras is an internationally recognized Feng Shui Master. Her clients range from large corporations, such as Wells Fargo Bank, to small business, health centers and private residences. She has helped people from all around the world and all walks of life to achieve the balance of personal, material, and spiritual prosperity in their lives. For more information, as well as e-books and courses, please visit http://www.crystalclearfengshui.com.
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