Feng shui is the ancient Chinese study of the relationship between people and their environments. As it focuses on you and your natural habitat, it’s a very important aspect of your home design– everything from the layout of your house to the placement of your mirrors and houseplants, can have an influence on the feng shui of your home.

To give a brief overview, feng shui incorporates the five elements, (water, earth, metal, wood and fire), chi and yin and yang. All Greek (or rather, Chinese) to you?  Read on to learn more:

Energy flow

“Chi” is the Chinese term for life force, or energy matter–it’s central to many Chinese disciplines, such as tai chi (it’s even in the name), kung fu and acupuncture.

In feng shui, the flow of chi is very important, therefore, you will want to keep a healthy amount inside your house. For example, a mirror placed opposite your door can prevent the chi from flowing right out the door; a red ribbon on the outward flowing pipes of your house can keep the chi from going down the toilet or drain.

Floor plan

Now, just where does all this chi flow? It depends: a bagua can help you determine the optimal energy flow for your home or office space– it will align your floor plan with specific areas of your life. Different sections of any given room, or your entire house, relate to areas in your life such as prosperity, health, career. With that in mind, a cluttered closet in your romance corner might not be the best thing if you’re currently looking for your “true love.” 

Balance

Yin and yang– which you’re probably familiar with (it’s a popular subject for tattoos)– refers to the balance between the feminine and the masculine. Balance is another important aspect of feng shui–in addition to feminine and masculine energies, you also have to keep the elements in mind. Too much water can be balanced by the earth elements in a small bowl of pebbles, or even a potted plant. 

It’s also important to remember that different elements have different ties and oppositions.  For example, water is tied to prosperity, and who doesn’t like prosperity? That’s what makes fountains such a popular feng shui accessory–a water wall can be especially soothing (and chic!). 

All elements can be represented in your home in different ways. While fountains are great for representing the element of water, a clay statue or salt lamp can represent earth. Wind chimes link to air; candles (as well as anything flame-colored) bring out the element of fire, and anything metal (or metallically-colored) brings out the metal element.

So, the next time you’re starting a new relationship or are up for a promotion (or even if you just want to shake things up), take a look at the feng shui of your house. Remove the clutter in the career corner of your house; place a flourishing plant in the relationship sector–you may be surprised of how feng shui can make a difference in your life.