Workplace Feng Shui

Do you feel stuck in a rut? Perhaps it is time to shift the scene of your workplace and pay attention to an ancient, 4,000-year-old art called Feng Shui (wind and water) to inspire you to be successful, creative, and productive.

Feng Shui is the ancient art of being romanced and supported by the space surrounding us. It asks us questions: Who and what surround us? Where and when are we most comfortable and happy? What aspects of our life need to be nourished? Is it our career, knowledge, family, wealth, fame, relationship, creativity, friends, or our health? We can begin to nourish these aspects by paying attention to different areas of our space and by using an endless variety of cures such as beloved possessions and images, illumination, sound, living things, movement, and color. The practice of Feng Shui begins with recognizing that we are sustained by an invisible, yet tangible, energy called "chi" (pronounced chee). Can you call to mind the feeling of a soft breeze? This will help you get in touch with the movement of chi through space. Chi delights in meandering, flowing, and exploring your space. However, it can become trapped and stagnant. It can become rushed and too fast flowing. A Feng Shui practitioner's work is to help you cultivate your awareness of this universal energy called chi.

Feng Shui practitioners use a tool called a Pa-kua to analyze an environment. (Pa-kua is pronounced as "baguar.") Pa-kua is often times transliterated as "bagua." The bagua is a compass showing the cycle of rising and declining chi, the four cardinal directions of North, East, South, and West, and four inter-cardinal directions of Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest. The bagua gets us in touch with the energy of these directions and represents five natural elements in their cycle - those of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.

By standing at the entrance of your space, you will be at the beginning of the journey of chi. The chi accumulates here before continuing onward. It represents your journey in life, your career. When your clients or business associates walk through your entrance, they bring opportunity for you in the form of ideas, money to spend, and knowledge. They receive impressions of you. Your entrance should be well lit, inviting, clean, well swept, and clutter-free so the chi lingers. Your entrance represents the direction of north and has a corresponding element of water. The quality of water, when active, can be invigorating. The placement of a water fountain, an image of water, or color associated with water will activate the chi in your entranceway.

Chi travels clockwise and sweeps off to the left, passing through the left center of your space; it represents the direction of east. East is associated with family/ancestry. Design this area by "thinking springtime." By placing a blossoming or a sky-reaching plant here you will be connecting to the wood element. Wood represents growth. Wood will help motivate you to new opportunities, new beginnings. Do not overdo the wood element or you'll find yourself always reaching for the future and not enjoying the right-here-right-now moment.

The chi then ascends to the far back center area of your space. This area represents the South, the point of culmination. Your fame and reputation! Take advantage of this high point by illuminating your current certificates, diplomas, current press releases, completed goals, or business icon. Use the color red to associate with the fire element when framing these items.

Then the chi begins its decline and heads back toward the entrance, passing through the center right side of your space. This area represents the direction West. As the chi winds down, so should you into "late afternoon attitude." By lingering on a metal-framed picture of your child, your significant other, a pet, or an image representing recreation or a creative past time, you will be activating the metal phase. You will be inspired to complete your daily projects, clear of your desk, close your door, and say goodbye to your productive workday. You are headed home!

A well-balanced day has become yours simply by connecting to the rhythmic cycle of chi, the elemental cycles of the five elements, the cardinal directions and the use of traditional cures for romancing with your space. You now have a basic plan for calling the chi into your home, office, life, and spirit. Do you want to scene shift some more? E-mails are welcomed at sceneshifters@yahoo.com.