The Flow of Energy

Understanding the practice of Feng Shui

Words by Natalie Zisa

Feng shui feels like one of those terms that gets used a lot, but most people actually have trouble defining it. It’s often misrepresented as a spiritual belief or a decor modality with strict rules for success. In reality, feng shui is the practice of arranging your home to achieve harmony and balance with your environment. While it did originate in ancient China, and it does come with guidelines, it also requires intention, interpretation, and reflection on yourself and your goals. The Flow Trip spoke with licensed architect Cliff Tan, aka @dearmodern on social media, and certified feng shui consultants Anjie Cho and Laura Cerrano, whose work you might recognize from HGTV, to better understand the most important principles of feng shui.

Step 1: Always start with a list of your top focuses.

A tip from Laura Cerrano, founder and CEO of Feng Shui Manhattan:

“Ask yourself, what are the top three focuses that I want to change in my life? What do I want to add or let go of? Once you have that, you can look at your space and ask how those topics relate to the different areas in your home. If health is a focus, look at what’s going on in your kitchen and dining room. If it’s your career, look at what’s going on in your workspace. Do you even have one? In general, we always advise starting with the kitchen, front entrance, and bedroom. Those are the three major pillars that symbolically represent what happens in your everyday life.”

Step 2:  Place your bed, desk, and stove in a commanding position.

• The bed represents you, reflecting your life, health, and relationships.
• The desk represents your career. 
• The stove represents how you nourish and care for yourself, your wealth, and your resources.

“When you’re lying in bed, sitting at the desk, or standing at your stove cooking, you should be able to see the primary entrance to the space without having to turn your head. When you don’t have the luxury of repositioning things, you can correct it by placing a mirror,” advises Anjie.

“Ultimately, where you sit, sleep, and work should give you a sense of safety, not surveillance,” adds Cliff.

Step 3: Integrate the five elements: earth, water, wood, fire, and metal.

These elements are used in many different modalities, such as Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and can be represented by certain colors or objects. Below, Anjie shares what the different elements represent and how to integrate them into your home. 

• To add stability → a yellow or earth-toned rug
• To bring calm and flow to your space → black accents or an image of water. 
• To welcome new beginnings → green plants or wood furniture. 
• To embrace passion → light a flame in the form of a candle or incorporate pops of red in your decor.
• For clarity and precision → touches of silver or metal picture frames.

“These different textures, colors, and shapes create visual and energetic balance in the home. For example, too much fire makes a space restless, too much earth makes it feel bland and dry. The easiest way to use them is simply to ask what atmosphere you want, then bring in or soften the elements that support that mood,” advises Cliff.

Step 4: Incorporate the bagua map.

Because different schools of thought apply the bagua map differently, most people work with a practitioner when applying it to their space. The map can be placed over a floor plan of your whole home, one room, or even your bed.

The traditional map begins in the center and radiates out in eight directions

Start at the entrance and align the map with the three bottom areas. You’ll notice that each section of the bagua map is associated with a color. Ideally, you would include something of that color or an item that represents what that topic means to you in that area of your room. For example, love and relationships could be represented by a pink perfume bottle or a bouquet of roses located in the southwest area of your room. 

Between competing methods and principles that overlap with each other, practicing feng shui can feel like information overload. Anjie mentions that some people focus on what other people see and tend to ignore more intimate spaces like their bedrooms or they overcomplicate things and struggle to make decisions. While Cliff has worked with clients who often feel embarrassed or ashamed because their homes feel so closely linked to their identity. However, Anjie, Laura, and Cliff all agree that the best way to start is by narrowing your focus, making deliberate choices, and working with smaller spaces.

For optimal energy flow, try these techniques:

1. Keep both sides of the bed open, especially if you’re looking for a partner.
2. Don’t block the main entrance to your home or room. Doorways should be able to open at a clean 90-degree angle. If not, it’s considered to be blocking “the mouth of chi,” or any possibilities of good energies, relationships, and intentions.
3. Keep your stove clear, including pots and pans.
4. Don’t block windows with large objects, like furniture. Blocking windows blocks the ability to connect with the outside world.  
5. Avoid clutter. If you’re bumping into things or things are hanging over you, think of that as blocking the flow of energy.
6. Avoid overhead lighting that feels interrogative rather than calm. Cliff reminds us that beyond furniture arrangement, feng shui is about balancing all elements such as lighting, aroma, and sound.
7. Avoid sharp edges.
8. Avoid super small or fragmented mirrors. Make sure the mirror captures you from at least your chest or shoulders to your head. This becomes a reflection of good reputation, self-respect, and how you’re seen in the world. You also want to be mindful of where you got that mirror. “It is believed that mirrors can take on the energy of where it’s been and project it back into the space you put it in,” says Laura.
9. Similarly, if you are adding secondhand items to the space, Anjie recommends cleansing them in order to invite in new energy.
10. Leave citrus fruits out in the kitchen. They ward off unwanted energy and bring in good harmony. If you want to get really specific, you can keep them out in groups of eight or nine. These numbers specifically equate to abundance and longevity. 
    

Despite what others may think about feng shui, Cliff reminds us, “It’s not superstition, it’s psychological alignment and lets the body feel aligned with the mind.” Laura adds, “Feng shui is basically a subconscious reminder that life is always shifting and changing.”