Each edition of ‘Feng Shui Tips’ will bring you a helpful tip or piece of advice to guide, educate and enlighten you. The very first of these tips focuses on a problem that many of us struggle with in our own homes and that is the accumulation of personal and household items, commonly known as ‘clutter’.
Whilst I must emphasize that ‘clutter clearing’ does not belong to the formal practice of traditional Feng Shui, it is nevertheless an important area that we all need to address on a regular basis, in order to ensure that the flow of Qi (energy) in our home or business remains vibrant and dynamic. After all a person’s fortune and well being can most definitely be affected by where and how he chooses to live and work.
In his book ‘Feng Shui -The Living Earth Manual’, Stephen Skinner notes that, “like the body, every house has orifices, doors and windows that need to take in the flow of Qi that must then circulate without stagnating to enable the house to breathe”. To achieve this, the inflowing Qi must be able to move around smoothly from room to room without encountering an excessive amount of furniture, decorative objects or unnecessary items. No area of your home or business should be obstructed or blocked off, as this will result in the Qi becoming stagnant and losing its beneficial qualities.
Well known author and expert in the fields of sacred space and clutter clearing is Karen Kingston. The following quotation is taken from one of her books and really seems to sum up not only the Feng Shui benefits of clearing clutter from your living and work environment, but also the potential that this simple act has to affect positive change in your life.
“Every aspect of your life is anchored energetically in your living space, so clearing your clutter can completely transform your entire existence. You will be delighted at the energy upsurge clearing your clutter will bring about and the tremendous renewal of your life force energy. It is one of the most powerful, transformative aspects of Feng Shui there is, and in most cases, Feng Shui cures and enhancements are at best only minimally effective until this has been done. It is important to realize how fundamentally intrinsic clutter clearing is to the whole practice of Feng Shui.”
Karen Kingston
In fact during a ‘Sacred Space’ workshop I did many years ago with Karen I remember her saying that in order to invite new opportunities to enter your life; you must first make room for them by clearing out all those useless and unwanted personal and household items.
There is no doubt that we are energetically tied to our homes, so get focused and empower yourself by making clutter clearing an annual event! You’ll be surprised and delighted at the difference it will make in your home and your life. In fact to help get you started some general guidelines for ‘good Feng Shui’ are listed below, which come to us compliments of Nicole Bijlsma at the Australian College of Environmental Studies. So good luck and remember that if you have not worn that fabulous outfit in the last 2 years then you are not likely to, so donate it to a worthy charity or your local opportunity shop!
Guidelines for Good Feng Shui
Before the principles of Feng Shui are implemented it is essential that you do the following:
- Ensure that the interior and exterior of the home or business is free from rubbish, clutter and unpleasant odors. This should be regularly done as otherwise it could lead to a blockage in your life force in that sector.
- Keep up to date with your housework. This includes cleaning the floor, washing the dishes, removing cobwebs and washing the windows. Have your curtains and carpets steam cleaned at least once a year.
- Clear out any unwanted clothes and goods as this suggests that you are holding on to the past.
- Ensure that a good supply of fresh air is able to circulate through your home on fine days by opening windows and doors. This clears out any stagnant odors that may be lingering.
- Keep your house or business well maintained by checking for any structural problems. This includes painting the walls, fixing damaged spouting and repairing cracked roof tiles. If your home is run down and poorly maintained it suggests that you are tired and may be experiencing a gradual decline in your health.
- Keep your kitchen cupboards and pantry clean and well stocked. Discard any expired items of food and any crockery that is broken or badly chipped.
- Replace washes in taps that are leaking as this suggests a gradual loss of income.
- Ensure that you do not sleep next to electrical equipment such as a television set, cordless telephone, computer, electric blanket, digital clock radio or meter box. The electromagnetic fields that they emit can pose serious risks to your health.
- Store all of your household cleaning products in a well ventilated area. Ensure that they are kept well away from children and also from your food.
- When purchasing new home furnishings select items that are made from natural materials, such as wood, wool and cotton. These are much healthier for your home environment as they do not pollute your air like synthetic and plastic ones do.
- Attract good energy, known as Sheng Qi, into your home and lift your spirits with things such as healthy plants, fresh flowers, aromatherapy, incense and nice music.
- Ensure that the exterior of your home and front garden are well kept and beautiful as this encourages opportunities to enter your life. If it is cluttered and untidy it signifies worry and prevents you from being able to focus.
