In Feng Shui our homes can become nurturing places for us mentally, physically and spiritually. To accomplish this we have to make sure that our surroundings accurately reflect who we are as individuals and who we aspire to become. Keep the energy in your home vital by treating it as an important aspect of your life. We are all different and therefore we are fortunate that there are numerous ways to enhance the energy flow in your home. Feng Shui is not just about hanging crystals. It’s about finding the personal Ch'i enhancers that match your personality and style.
Ch'i enhancers are the basic Feng Shui tools that are used as remedies for treating, stabilizing, enhancing and balancing the energy in any environment. The ten Ch;i enhancers are: 1) Art – paintings, sculptures, collages, collections and textiles, 2) Colors – find the hues that you love, 3) Crystals – round faceted to circulate Chi, 4) Lighting – electrical, candles, oil, natural light, 5) Living things – plants, flowers, animals, 6) Mirrors – the bigger the better except for bedrooms and dining rooms, 7) Objects of nature – rocks, shells, seeds, potpourri, 8) Sound Makers – wind chimes, bells, musical instruments, 9) Whirligigs - mobiles, flags, 10) Water Features – fountains, ponds, birdbaths, aquariums.
Of all of these I find that enhancing with art and colors, is the easiest because they have the most powerful effect on people and their personal energy. Art is the soul of a room; it gives it energy and life, and it is easy to identify how it enhances the Feng Shui of a space. To enhance the Ch'i in your home choose art that elicits positive feelings and makes your heart sing. Remember that in Feng Shui everything is alive and is constantly talking to you. What you surround yourself with can nourish or drain you, therefore ensure that every art piece in your home is one that you love, and that portrays a serene or inspirational subject matter. Art depicting violence, death, distortion or negativity is not recommended.
To get the most benefit from art and colors match them with the function of each room. Choose romantic and sensual for the bedroom; lively, colorful art for the living room; powerful and motivational for the home office. Use the Bagua map to help you choose the appropriate art and colors that correlate with the goals in your life. The Feng Shui Bagua (Ba-gua) Map, represented as a grid of eight sectors, with the Center being the grounding Force comes from the Chinese philosophy, “The I Ching,” and literally means “eight trigrams.” Each of the nine areas is associated with colors and art representations. If you want romance and your Love and Marriage Area is in the dining room, choose art that’s romantic and appropriate for your dining area. If you wish to improve your health, and your Health and Family area is in the bathroom, display art that evokes radiant health and vitality.
Here is a list of Art and Color recommendations for enhancing each Bagua area of your home or business:
Career Area:
* Art - paintings, photos, collages pertaining to moving water (oceans, rivers etc.), asymmetrical shapes, and black frames
* Colors – Black or shiny dark colors
* Art - paintings, photos, collages representing calm nature scenes (forests, ferns, vineyards etc.), columnar shapes, and wooden frames
* Colors – Blue and green
Friends, Family, Health Area:
* Art - paintings, photos, collages representing fresh, healthy vibrant flowers, family, friends and/or you in a healthy state, columnar shapes, and wooden frames
* Colors – Blue, green and floral
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures representing opulence and wealth, tall round leaf plants, bubbling fountains, triangular, cone shapes, and wooden frames
* Colors – Purples, blues, reds
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures representing fame, animals, birds, stars suns, fire, upward movement, inspirational quotes, triangular, cone shapes, and wooden frames
* Colors – Red
Love and Marriage area:
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures representing romance, pairs of items, pictures of you and your significant other, triangular, cone shapes, and wooden frames
* Colors – Reds and pinks
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures representing creativity and whimsy, pictures of children or child art, triangular, round shapes, and metal frames
* Colors – Whites and pastels
Helpful People and Travel Area:
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures pertaining to spiritual guides, and/or mentors, places you have traveled to or aspire to visit, pictures of mountains or natural stone, circular shapes, metal frames
* Colors – White and grey
Center Area:
* Art - paintings, photos, collages or figures representing earth scenes, deserts, wheat fields, yellow flowers or trees, rectangular shapes, metal frames
* Colors – Yellows and earth tones