| We all know that our environment can affect us | | | | commercial space, you can also micro-manage this |
| positively or negatively. We recognize it on the most | | | | environment to suit your needs and enhance your |
| mundane and obvious levels, such as feeling bad-even | | | | productivity. Some people use their office to |
| frightened-if we're subjected to a dark, damp, | | | | concentrate, while others use their office to hold |
| dilapidated building. We also know how exhilarating it | | | | meetings with business partners, employees, patients |
| can feel to be in a sunny, sweet smelling room with | | | | or clients. In a commercial work space, you should: |
| breathtaking views. But this could be seen as just a | | | | 1. Avoid sitting at your desk with your back to the |
| temporary, emotional reaction. Does our environment | | | | entrance door of the room. Psychologically you will feel |
| influence our lives and well-being, even our financial | | | | very vulnerable and on edge, knowing that people |
| potential or chance for marriage, in a long term and | | | | could come into your office from behind you. |
| predictable way? The answer is yes, according to the | | | | 2. Avoid sitting with your back to any protruding interior |
| ancient Chinese natural earth science, popularly | | | | columns or file cabinets that would be pointing towards |
| referred to as "feng shui." Feng Shui literally means | | | | your back as this can cause back pain. |
| "wind-water," and these words are a catch phrase or | | | | 3. If you have any disturbing views out of your |
| consolidation of a whole concept: energy which | | | | window, mask the bad view with window treatments, |
| dissipates in the wind, gathers at the location of water. | | | | partition screens or tall plants. |
| The basic principles of feng shui maintain that: | | | | 4. For a windowless office, get yourself some |
| We are affected by our immediate interior and | | | | full-spectrum lighting because it will be less tiring than |
| exterior surroundings in predictable ways | | | | working all day under fluorescent lighting. |
| Unseen forces (called ch'i) or air currents can be | | | | 5. Put up pictures of landscapes or large mirrors to |
| manipulated by our choice of furnishings, the color | | | | give the room a feeling of depth or the illusion of more |
| scheme of a room, its architecture, as well as | | | | space. |
| landscaping | | | | 6. Don't go for extreme colors in your carpet, such as |
| Those forces can alter events and circumstances | | | | hunter green or maroon, unless you have had a |
| in our lives | | | | traditional feng shui consultation to find out if your |
| We can even have a unique relationship with a | | | | individual office needs that much of a certain color |
| home or office, distinct from someone else sharing | | | | (which vibrates a certain element.) |
| that same space, based on our birth date. | | | | THE ENTRANCE |
| THE BEDROOM | | | | The main door to your home is referred to as the |
| This is the most important room in any home because | | | | "mouth" or "ch'i-gate" in feng shui terminology. You |
| we spend a majority of our lives in this one spot. The | | | | pass through this area potentially many times per day |
| only other room that can compete with the bedroom is | | | | and this is one of the main ways that the energies of |
| an office that someone might literally sit in for eight | | | | the outside world enter into your private space. |
| hours per day. Here are some basic feng shui | | | | The main door that you use the most should be: |
| guidelines for the bedroom: | | | | 1. Free of clutter or congestion. It should not be hard to |
| 1. The shape of the room should be a stable square or | | | | get through this area. |
| rectangular shape. If the room has an odd shape, then | | | | 2. There should be plenty of light because dark entry |
| try to position furnishings in a way to help square-out | | | | ways can trigger depression and contribute to lethargy. |
| the shape. | | | | Use artificial light if you cannot bring in enough natural |
| 2. The room should not be overly large because that | | | | light through a window or skylight. |
| can undermine feelings of coziness and protection that | | | | 3. Air currents will move in a straight line unless |
| are desirable for sleeping. | | | | diverted. If you have a back door or window aligned |
| 3. The ceilings should be flat for the smoothest flow of | | | | directly with your entrance door, the house will leak its |
| energy in the room. | | | | vital ch'i. The end result is that it is hard for occupants |
| 4. If the ceilings are sloped, then there is a greater | | | | to save their hard earned money. Corrections for this |
| chance for sleep disturbances. | | | | floor plan flaw can vary depending on how much area |
| 5. False ceilings and canopy beds are one way to | | | | there is to work with between the entrance and exit |
| resolve the sloped ceiling dilemma. | | | | points. Pieces of furniture, live plants, water fountains, |
| 6. Sleeping under exposed beams should be avoided | | | | and partition screens can sometimes be used to help |
| at all cost because the beams create a chaotic | | | | slow down this direct path of ch'i. |
| boomerang effect that can undermine health. The | | | | 4. Likewise, if a main door is aligned directly with a set |
| exact health problem can even be predicted based on | | | | of stairs, occupants may also have a hard time saving |
| where the beam hovers over your body. For example, | | | | money or their health will be drained. |
| if you sleep with a large exposed beam hovering over | | | | 5. The most challenging entrances are the ones which |
| your abdominal region, this could affect your digestion | | | | are congestive because there is a wall too close to |
| and even your fertility. | | | | the entrance. People who have this kind of entrance |
| 7. Avoid sleeping with your head too close to a low, | | | | will feel halted and stifled in their lives. Covering this wall |
| drafty window. This will consistently drain you. | | | | with a floor to ceiling mirror will help give the illusion that |
| 8. Arrange the bed to be out of direct alignment with | | | | you have more space. This is also a design trick that is |
| the room's door. Sleeping directly aligned with the door | | | | used al the time in narrow retail spaces, where one |
| can cause health problems eventually. | | | | whole wall is mirrored. Health clubs mirror walls, not just |
| 9. Cover up or remove large mirrors in the bedroom. | | | | so you can see what you look like, but also so they |
| This is a challenging recommendation for many people | | | | can get away with putting exercise equipment very |
| because mirrored closet doors are so very common. | | | | close to walls without their gym members feeling |
| The only way to test out if your mirrors are causing | | | | cramped up in corners. |
| sleeping problems for you is to cover them up for a | | | | Although we have outlined some very important |
| week or two and see if you feel more rested and | | | | basics regarding your bedroom, office, and entrance, |
| calm. Most people do report feeling better. | | | | the vast body of knowledge which comes from this |
| 10. By referring to traditional feng shui books, you can | | | | ancient predictive art can be personalized to your own |
| even find out what your best personal sleeping | | | | specific home and work environment. What may be |
| directions are, based on your birth year. | | | | appropriate for one person or business, will not be for |
| 11. Advanced, traditional feng shui can also determine | | | | another. You can find out more advanced feng shui |
| the best colors for a room. It's unique to your specific | | | | secrets and solutions when an experienced consultant |
| home and floor plan arrangement. | | | | factors in the age of your home and what compass |
| THE OFFICE | | | | direction the structure faces. In a way, it is like |
| Whether this is a home office or an office within a | | | | "astrology for architecture. |