How to Use Bamboo Furniture in Feng Shui
You don't have to know a thing about Chinese culture to be a fan of Feng Shui. This ancient philosophy may be 5,000 years old, but its message, that our personal worlds can be a soothing balance of peace and harmony if our environment is positive, has captured the hearts and imaginations of people around the planet. To achieve this sense of tranquility, Feng Shui experts recommend configuring your home, office and other rooms in which you spend time around the principles of this exotic belief system. If you want to add some bliss to your surroundings, follow sage advice given by those in the know: create positive energy and attract good fortune by filling your environment with bamboo. You'll not only invite good spirits into your living spaces but you will be the proud owner of environmentally sustainable furniture as well. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bamboo furniture Pots of bamboo Waterfalls and fireplaces (optional) Red, yellow and green paint (optional)
Instructions
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Get to the heart of the life force from which Feng Shui originates. Ever heard of karma? Then you will understand ch'i. This sense of getting the life we hope for by living in harmony with the universe underpins this complex belief system. Good ch'i showers one with longevity, happiness, fortune and prosperity. Bad ch'i can undermine everything we do. When you arrange your physical world according to the principles of Feng Shui, you automatically open the space to liberal doses of good ch'i.
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Place furniture in specific ways for maximum effect. Feng Shui principles include stripping rooms of clutter, particularly near the centers of rooms, to promote freedom and expression. Colors and furniture should be appropriate to the space. Of particular importance is size. Large furniture dominates a room and can make you feel small and intimidated. Proportional furniture is said to promote confidence and growth. Even bed placement is purported to determine how much positive ch'i will be allowed to enter a bedroom.
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Understand the role bamboo plays in Feng Shui. You see them everywhere; little pots of bamboo in homes and offices, each promising luck to the plant's owner. This connection is not to be taken lightly. Bamboo figures prominently in all aspects of Chinese culture. Find references to the plant in history, art, literature, especially poetry. Bottom line: bamboo fights bad ch'i so having a room full of bamboo furniture, pots of bamboo and plenty of shoots in the garden to fight off bad ch'i and protect everyone under roof.
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Find bamboo furniture in a growing number of places. Bamboo falls into the category of evergreen plants because it grows all year long. The plant is known for rapid growth and strength, not to mention being the favorite food of adorable panda bears. But not only is it important to own bamboo furniture, according to Feng Shui principles, you must also know how to arrange it to achieve maximum benefits. Bamboo furniture placed to the rear of a business, for instance, is said to help the enterprise become successful.
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Grasp the five elements of feng shui and understand how bamboo furniture and accessories can be influenced by all of them. The Chinese believe these five elements are sacred: wood, earth, water, fire and metal. If a plant or piece of bamboo furniture contains all five, the owner will receive extra good fortune. Wood is found in the plant, earth is represented by the stones in which bamboo grow best, water is essential if the plant is to thrive, fire (usually symbolized by a red ribbon tied to plant or furniture) is essential to life and metal--in the form of hardware, trim, glass or ceramic--is the final element required for a harmonious life. Given this mix, it is easy to see why you can invoke a large helping of Feng Shui into your rooms by mixing bamboo furniture trimmed with metals, stones and plants with fireplaces and waterfalls to maximize the amount of ch'i in a home.
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Understand the language of stalks. Pair two stalks of bamboo in a pot to signify love and marriage. Group three or six together to invoke happiness. Five or seven will resolve health issues, eight promise wealth and prosperity and nine offer good fortune. Place any number of stalks in containers on bamboo furniture and good ch'i will come in abundance.
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Tips & Warnings
Heighten your chance of making your environment a Feng Shui paradise by choosing fortuitous colors to harmonize with your bamboo furniture and arrangements of stalks. Red brings luck and good fortune, so use it for furniture coverings, wall paint and other accents. Yellow is the color of royalty; Feng Shui masters believe it to be more powerful than red. Green encourages life, growth and tranquility.
