Feng Shui – the Art of Getting Your Life Back in Order

by Sophie Whitehead

The second week back. It’s when suddenly you start to feel that old familiar tired feeling (that was thankfully lost over the summer break) creeping back in. The early mornings; late nights; multiple caffeine shots - all making that familiar reappearance yet nothing seems to cure the permanently nagging feeling of complete exhaustion.

Say hello to the ancient Chinese ritual of Feng Shui. Branching back over 6000 years, Feng Shui tries to help bring stability, peace and balance back into your life; the words literally meaning ’wind and water’. Feng Shui is the study of how the energy from wind and water affects us and how we can use that energy to great the best life possible for ourselves.

How to work with your room

The basic rule of Feng Shui is to live and work in an environment free of mess and clutter. The best way to achieve this is by having a ‘spring clean’ or just a general throw out of stuff that is old, doesn't fit or you will never use.  

Where to place things

Mirrors

If you use a mirror in your bedroom make sure it is not in-line with your bed. Having your reflection stare at you when you are sleeping creates disruptive energy. It should reflect something positive (a plant or a light) not a negative image like disturbing shapes or mess.

Bed

Your bed should be against a solid wall and diagonal from the door to your bedroom. You should however be able to see your door. Placing a bed under a window can, in some cases, cause disrupted sleep.

Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang are two different types of energy. To create a perfect life you need a little bit of yang (dark) and a little bit of yin (light). This creates balance. If you have too much yin you may feel like you never accomplish anything or follow through with a project, and if you have too much yang you may feel depressed or sleepy. Balance is essential in life. 

Your number

Everyone has a personal number associated to when they are born. This number is called your ‘personal gua number’ and will help determine the directions that are right for you. This could be where you place objects around the house or simply where you sleep and work. ‘Gua’ is the name of the number that corresponds to your birth year and the Chinese lunar calendar is used because it is based on the moon instead of the sun. You calculate your personal Gua number by the year in which you were born.

Below are some examples of the Chinese lunar years:

Year Born          Lunar Yr

1997                  Feb 7th

1998                  Jan 28th

1999                  Feb 16th

2001                  Jan 24th

2002                  Feb 12th 

Yin and Yang

Calculating your Gua Number 

Add the last two numbers of your birth year until you have a single number (e.g 1987—8+7 = 15, then reduce 1+5=6)

For Girls: Add the above number to 5

-If you were born in 2000 add 6 instead of 5

For Boys: Subtract the above number from 10

-If you were born in 2000 subtract from number 9

If your Gua number is 1,3,4 or 9 your best directions are SE,S,N,E

If your Gua number is 2,6,7,8 your best directions are NE,W,NW,SW

  

In truth Feng Shui will probably not work for everyone, but if it helps to even add that one extra boost of energy to your day; surely its worth a shot?