How to Use Feng Shui in Your Home

Do you avoid feng shui because you think you'll have to use crystals, wind chimes and little trinkets from the souvenir shop in Chinatown? Well, fear not! You can add feng shui to any home and receive all the wonderful benefits that it brings (more money, love, health and well-being). Since your intention is the most important ingredient, you can use your personal style to create your feng shui 'cures.'

Instructions

1. Sketch your floor plan.

2. Superimpose the Bagua Map, the essential tool of feng shui, over the sketch of your floor plan by aligning the bottom of the map with the front door.

3. Place the item that represents your goal in the area where your goal resides.
   Lower left: knowledge. Knowledge is the sector of your room involving wisdom. Naturally, one should place objects pertaining to wisdom; ie, books.
   Lower-middle: career. If you're not doing well in work, try improving this area by adding some trophies, certificates, or anything that reminds you of prior accomplishments in the work force.
   Lower-right: helpful people. Ok, helpful people means everyone you interact with on a daily basis: it's the driver to your right that let you in their lane, your barista, banker, everyone. When considering how many people one deals with every day, this sector is very important. Keep objects that promote good energy towards others in this area, like travel souvenirs. Helpful people is also a good area to have reminders of heroes and people of influence.
   Middle-left: family. Harness this area for better relationships, since this also extends to coworkers.
   Center: health. All other squares influence the overall concept of health and your personal well-being.
   Middle-right: child. Child basically means "creativity" as well. If you do any sort of art, play a musical instrument, write poetry... place it here to enhance it.
   Upper-left: wealth. If your finances are down the drain, look to your finance corner. Keep things neat and clutter-free. There are many tokens of luck and good fortune to place here-- your piggy bank, receipts (if they're in good order since if they're not it will lead to spiraling finances) or ledgers.
   Upper-center: reputation/fame. Your fame and reputation is pretty crucial in the role it plays towards all other sectors. A good reputation leads to promotions, better relationship with the family, trust from others, etc. Brightness and lighting are important here.
   Upper-right: relationships/marriage. Place tokens of love here.

4. Assess your room based on the five elements: water, earth, fire, wood, and metal.

   Water: water resides in the career area (bottom center). Its shape is wavy. So, goldfish and fountains can be used to give this area a good boost. Although it is bad feng shui to have a water feature in located in the bedroom, as it brings energy of worry to the bedroom.
   Earth: earth resides in the center of the room. Plants or flowers are great to place in this part of room. Never use fake flowers. In fact, don't even use dried flowers since as beautiful as they can be, they're still dead and bring bad energy.
   Fire: fire is in the career and fame area of the room (top center). Candles, anything red, and anything triangular or in a pyramid shape is good for this area.
   Wood: wood is in the family sect (left center). If you have a nice wood bureau or shelf, place it here.
   Metal: metal is in the child/creativity area (right center). Its shape is circular, so any metal design that's circular is great. Wrought iron designs can really help circulate chi and creativity. Metal picture frames are another suggestion.

5. Mix and match the elements accordingly.

   Based on the powers harnessed by the elements, some elements compliment each other while some elements counteract or detroy the power of other elements. Fire burns wood. Wood absorbs water. Water erodes metal. Metal destroys earth. Earth dampers fire.
   The elements can also compliment, or enhance the other. Water helps wood grow. Wood helps flames burn. Fire helps earth anew. Earth wields metal, and metal gives life to water.
   Elements each have their own color and shape. Fire is red and pointy. Water is black and wavy. Wood is blue/green and tall/slender. Metal is rounded and white. Earth is square, boxed, and yellow.
   Use at least some of these shapes, colors, and elements when designing your room.

Tips & Warnings

• If the elements do not correspond with some areas of your house (ie, your sink is placed in the fire area of your home), you can use the other elements to counteract it. Place red candles on the sink, or use elements of earth to weaken the water element. Similarly, if you have a fireplace in the water area, place a wooden shelf over the fireplace or add a small goldfish on the wooden table next to the fireplace. One can also use all 5 elements in one area since they will all act harmoniously with each other.

• In feng shui, the home is thought to be equivalent to the body. If you maintain your home in an orderly, clean fashion it is said that your body will express the same appearance as your home