Just Flow With It

By Kristin Doucet | 2 minute read

What are the basic principles behind Feng Shui?

Feng shui is a practice that was developed in ancient China that involves looking at our environments and how they affect us energetically. The term “feng shui” comes from a poem, and it translates to “wind” and “water” in Chinese. Essentially, feng shui is about creating environments that allow us to live in harmony with nature, to make us feel more comfortable and at ease. Many of the concepts we work with in feng shui, such as the five elements and yin and yang, centre around honouring natural cycles.

One basic feng shui concept is the idea that “qi,” or energy, should flow smoothly through the home. A great place to start using this principle is the front door.

What are the benefits of hiring a consultant and what is the cost?

The best way to get feng shui advice for your unique home and situation is to hire a feng shui consultant. Often people read a lot about feng shui online, which can be confusing at times, or they want to take the feng shui in their home a step further. This is a great time to hire an expert. Qualified feng shui consultants provide clients with customized one-on-one experiences. They can dive deeply into a person’s particular situation and give actionable advice as well as specific feng shui adjustments and enhancements.

How can homeowners apply some of these Feng Shui principles simply and inexpensively to create good feng shui in their homes?

One basic feng shui concept is the idea that “qi,” or energy, should flow smoothly through the home. A great place to start using this principle is the front door. Your front door is called “mouth of qi” in feng shui, meaning that it is the portal through which energy from the outside world finds you. Some easy ways to optimize the flow of qi is to make sure your front door is welcoming and easy to find for visitors. Ideally your front door should be easy to spot from the road or walkway; for example, it is not blocked by trees, is well lit,  and has a visible address number.

What room do you suggest people start with?

When someone is new to feng shui, we almost always suggest starting with the bedroom. Your bedroom is one of the most important areas of your home because it’s the space where you probably spend the most time and it’s where you go to rest and recharge. Making changes in the bedroom can also improve your sleep, which can have a huge impact on your life and enhance your overall well-being. The bedroom is also connected to your intimate relationships, so this is a great place to focus on if you want to strengthen that aspect of your life.

What’s one easy thing someone could do today to improve the feng shui in their home?

Let’s return to the front door: if you want to spark more opportunities or maybe increase visibility in your life one way to activate this intention through feng shui is to add some more fire energy to your front door. To do this, you can add a new, bright lightbulb to the light fixture in your home’s entryway. While you’re up there changing the lightbulb, notice if any dust, insects, or debris have accumulated in this light fixture, and refresh your fire energy by cleaning it out. Another way to bring in the fire element as well as more auspicious qi is adding the color red somewhere just inside your entryway or front door. You can get creative and you only need a little bit of red, like a vase of red flowers or a piece of art.