Feng Shui & The Redesigned Oval Office

Today’s news includes an entertaining article about President Obama’s redesign of the Oval Office, in which designers and celebrities weigh in on the new design.

How is the new Oval Office from a Feng Shui perspective?

Very brown. Very heavy. Very Earth.

Everything in the center of this office looks heavy.

In Feng Shui it can be a good thing to anchor the energy, but here it looks like it would be very tough to get new ideas off the ground: there’s no lightness to it at all.

So much Earth energy throws it out of balance in terms of the Five Elements. The dark blue lamps (Water energy) can hardly compete with all that Earth, and the apples on the table don’t provide the uplifting Wood energy that might lighten things up.

To me it now feels like the energy is stuck (and of course I have a few ideas for what Obama and his designer could do about that )

What do you think?

photo courtesy of the New York Times.

Feng Shui’s Growing Influence In Real Estate

Here’s a quickie for you: a fascinating article from yesterday’s NY Times, “When Feng Shui Helps Determine A Deal’s Fate.”

There are many ways to evaluate a space using Feng Shui and this article touches on just a few of them.  I’m not surprised to learn about Feng Shui’s growing influence as Asian businesses become more prominent in the US.

And one of my favorite types of jobs is evaluating a space before a business moves in so that egregiously bad Feng Shui can be avoided.

What do you think?  Is it wise for businesses to assess the Feng Shui before setting up shop in a new location?

Before & After: Office Feng Shui Part 2

We’ve looked at how moving the CEO’s desk transformed the Feng Shui of this office; this post takes a look at a few of the other high-impact Feng Shui adjustments.

Here’s the Before photo of the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)’s desk:

The desk was crammed into a corner and far from the window, a wonderful source of natural light in the office.

From a Feng Shui perspective this location was also a problem because the CMO was sitting directly in the “line of Chi energy” entering the office.

Here’s the After photo:

Great, isn’t it? Once the two desks were moved, the office even had room for a small meeting table to accommodate visitors.

The bookshelves were cleared of unnecessary items and have become a nice design element for the room.

Finally, here’s a shot of the entry into the office (you can see where the CMO’s desk used to be). The office is missing one Bagua area, Travel & Helpful People, so to adjust for that I recommended hanging the large mirror you see in the entry hall here:

All in all the office feels and functions much better now for all concerned.

What do you think?

Before & After: Office Feng Shui Part 1

Creating offices with great Feng Shui is a key part of my work, and I recently had the good fortune to work on one where Before & After pictures tell a lot of the story.

The office belongs to a small tech firm that consists of two principles — a CEO and CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) — who hire freelance specialists on an as-needed basis.

They wanted an office that felt, looked and functioned better, where they’d be proud to meet with clients and vendors, and that inspired them to do great work every day.

The CEO’s desk was our first priority. Here’s the Before photo:

The desk faced away from the door, distracting the CEO and putting him at a disadvantage when people came into the office.

He sat facing a window, which may be good for daydreaming, but isn’t so great for focusing on the task at hand and the huge desk was a clutter magnet, too.

Here is the “After” photo:

After we moved the desk across the room and into the Command Position, or Power Spot, he felt more focused, visually engaged, and “in charge” of his business. He decided that a smaller desk worked better for him, too.

The CEO told me he felt more inspired after this key re-positioning. The office layout makes more sense — the Chi energy flow is better, and it’s more obvious that business gets done here.

Stay tuned: in the next installment we re-position the CMO’s desk and deal with the entryway and an important “missing” Bagua area.

ps: They’re so busy that they’re getting ready to hire an assistant. Do you think it’s the improved Feng Shui?

Nine Feng Shui Tips For Tough Times

When times are tough, Feng Shui provides a unique and powerful kind of support that isn’t offered in any other place. 

It helps you set up an environment where you feel safe and secure, and guides you to create a positive and comfortable place to live or work when you’re feeling challenged or anxious. 

Feng Shui’s Bagua Energy Map identifies and addresses nine of the most important parts of your life: Wealth, Family, Career and so on.

After you map your space using the Bagua, use this information to give yourself support and energy where you need it. 

This is one of the ways that Feng Shui enhances your life by enhancing your space.

Download the Bagua map here, and discover nine ways to boost your serenity, confidence and sense of abundance. 

Start Here
To begin, align the map so the entry to the space lines up with the bottom of the map where it says “Entry Quadrant.”  You always enter your space through the  “Travel & Helpful People,” “Career,” or “Knowledge & Self-Cultivation” area.

Starting with “New Beginnings” on the left side of the map, here are nine ways to enhance your space with Feng Shui when times are tough.  Give each one careful consideration and use those that apply best to your personal situation.

1. New Beginnings:  If you feel stuck and want a fresh start, the perfect symbol to place in this part of the Bagua is a healthy, vigorous plant with an upright growth habit.  (If you’re not a “plant person,” see my recent post about plant alternatives) No spiky (ouch!) plants, please!

2. Wealth & Abundance:  In Feng Shui the source of Wealth is Gratitude.  Place something here that symbolizes prosperity to you and for which you feel truly grateful. 

This may be something with monetary value, something personally meaningful (such as a photo of your family), or anything that reminds you of how much you have to be grateful for.

3. Fame & Reputation: How do you wish to “shine your light” in the world?  Place something here that symbolizes that idea: it could be as simple as a bright light or beautiful candle.  Whatever it is, be sure to invest it with positive energy.

4. Love & Marriage: This area is about loving your partner (if you have one) as well as loving yourself.   It’s associated with the Earth element, which represents the nurturing, physical side of life. 

Make yourself comfortable, create a cozy spot for yourself, and set yourself up to feel nourished in every way.

5. Children & Projects: This area is about having confidence in the future. It’s the ideal place for representing your hopes with a vision board or other symbol of optimism.

6. Travel & Helpful People: This area of the Bagua also means “synchronicity,” the amazing and wonderful coincidences that change your life for the better.   Place a photo or piece of art here that honors the people who have made a difference in your life.

7. Career:  The element of Water corresponds to the Career area, representing your life’s journey.  Water also symbolizes cash flow in Feng Shui, so watery artwork or water feature is ideal for this area.

8. Knowledge & Self-Cultivation:  Make time to keep learning and growing so you’re ready for the changes ahead.  Symbols of calmness and inner growth — books, a serene piece of artwork, something to meditate on — are perfect here.

9. Center: The Center of the Bagua, representing vitality and health, brings everything together.  A clear and open Center helps keep all the other areas connected and in balance.  

The Center is where Yin & Yang come together, bringing your entire space into harmony.

Given the special challenges in today’s world, it’s important to consider how every area of the Bagua may be influencing your life, for better or worse. 

So take a deep breath, use your imagination, and put Feng Shui to work to enhance your life in nine different ways.