Feng Shui: bringing balance to your home

I am attracted to alternative ways of achieving wellness and have become quite intrigued by the principles of Feng Shui. This ancient Chinese system of balancing the energy patterns of the physical environment is probably more mainstream now than "alternative" because more and more people are looking to nature to help them with their wellness goals.

I found an article called, "Feng Shui for a Healthy Home - How To Create a Happy Space with Feng Shui", by Rodika Tchi, About.com that outlines some really nice ways to create harmonious relationships by applying feng shui energy techniques to your home space. The tips include:

1. FOCUS on bringing fresh energy into your space - fresh flowers, fresh air, fresh fruits on the kitchen table, fresh (recent) photos, etc.


2. MOVE your furniture around, even if just a couple inches. Do not keep your bed in the same position year after year. Just moving your bed an inch or two will shift the flow of energy in the room.


3. KEEP the television out of the bedroom.


4. CLOSE the bathroom and closet doors in your bedrooms. Keep them clean and clutter free.


5. FILL your space with beautiful music according to mood - sounds, just like colors, are strong expressions of energy.


6. DISPLAY photos of you and your partner/family enjoying life.


7. RESPECT each others boundaries and create space and time where each partner/family member can be by him or herself.

This site is full of great feng shui information and tips well-suited for those of us wanting a good primer.

Creating good energy flow, whether through feng shui, yoga or through other means, is a critical component to bringing about harmony and attracting good things - and good people - to us. Try some of these techniques above to get the ball rolling.