Like Green, Blue can be used to represent the Wood element, as in the beautiful clematis in this photo.  For instance Blues that shade very close to Purple may be perfect for activating your Wealth corner, which is associated with the Wood element on the Bagua.

Dark blue also stands in for the Knowledge & Self-Cultivation sector of the Bagua, whose image is that of  monk meditating at the foot of a mountain.

I love this strong image of a snow-covered mountain and can easily imagine the peace and quiet one might find at its foot. Mountains, of course, are made of Earth, so here Blue is associated with a second of Feng Shui’s Five Elements.

Very dark blue-black evokes the Water element that belongs to the Life Journey sector of the Bagua, yet a third element that Blue can be used to represent.

Finally, palest baby blue can stand in for Metal, the element of planning and organization. 

So if you love Blue — and who doesn’t? – when should you use it for good Feng Shui, and when stay away from it?

The key to Blue is its coolness — obviously the only element it cannot be associated with is the sensual, emotional element of Fire.

So use a dose of Blue when you wish to bring a sense of calmness and peace into your environment. Be judicious in its application, using your Intention and awareness of Feng Shui principles to place accessories and furniture or paint your walls.

Blue adds depth to any space.  Enjoy its power in your life.

(Photo credits: Hamed Saber & Jeremy Gilbrech on Creative Commons)

A major design magazine recently featured this dead white tree as “animating” art for the front yard of a formal home. But I’m not sure what, exactly, they see that could possibly be uplifting or positive.

The tree sculpture interferes with both the view of the front of the house, and the view from the house to the beautiful greenery beyond.

From a Feng Shui perspective this white tree art is a particularly inauspicious image. 

The tree, representing the Wood element, is symbolically being severed by the white color of the Metal element, an image of manipulation and control that would never be ideal as the dominant piece of art in front of a home.

(Learn more here about the Five Elements Cycles of Feng Shui.)

Sadly, some of the most prominent design magazines in the world appear completely oblivious to how it would actually feel to be confronted with imagery like this every day.

Attract the most positive Chi energy to your front yard with energizing images like living plants and objects you truly love to look at.

(Photos from Architectural Digest, November 2012)

Dining rooms are important in Feng Shui because they mean so much to our health and well-being. 

Here’s an example of a dining room that I just love.  It’s serene and inviting, while also expressing abundance and good health.

It has good Feng Shui! Here’s why:

• The dining chairs are sturdy and have been carefully chosen for their curved edges that invite family and friends to sit down and share a meal.
• The chairs serve another important function, shielding diners from “sha chi” (poison arrows) of the sharp edges of the glass table. The table would be less threatening with a cloth that drapes over the edges.
• Big glass patio doors invite the abundance and healthful aspects of nature into the room.  It looks as though these are screen doors, so in nice weather the room would have a lovely indoor/outdoor feel.
• The artwork is nicely balanced and unique, adding an important personal feeling to the room.
• Most importantly, the large mirror plays a big part in creating good Feng Shui. It reflects the abundance of the meals that are served, while in between meals – as when this photo was taken – it acts as a window, reflecting the greenery outside and bringing nature into the room.

The Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) can all be found here as well: Wood in the plantings; Fire in the lamp; Earth in the calming colors; Metal in the table legs and white accents; and Water in the mirror and glass table. (Find out more about the Five Elements here.)

What else about this dining room says “abundance” to you?

If you haven’t already, take a moment now to set up your dining room to have good Feng Shui for your holiday celebrations.

You’ll give the gift of positive Chi to all your visitors, whether they know what “Chi” is or not!

(Photo credit: chesapeakebaydiary)

Let’s look at a few examples of rugs that enhance your decor while also enhancing your Chi!

First up, a gorgeous Fire Element rug by the Swedish Designer Ann-Mari Forsberg:

This cheery rug has a playful take on bright summer flowers reaching to the sky in a way that looks almost like small licks of flame.

Stylized raindrops in the background offer nourishment to the thirsty plants.

A rug like this would be perfect in the Fame & Reputation area of your home, lifting the Chi and bringing the energy of the sunny south into your space no matter which direction it faces.

Next let’s look at an example of Wood & Metal energy together:

A subtle rug like this actually brings Big energy into a space because of the way the pure pastels of Metal interact with the active, growing nature of Wood.

Metal “controls” Wood in the Five Elements cycle by symbolically cutting it, like an axe chops a tree.

So a rug like this one adds elemental balance. For example, if a room is already very Wood-y or Fire-y, this rug brings cool sophistication into an overheated environment.

Here’s a rug that’s almost pure Water, with just a bit of horizontal Earth:

Place a rug like this one in your entryway to introduce the appropriate Water element right away, knowing that is nicely steered by the Earth-y lines that criss-cross it.

Rug design is so varied and fascinating that with a bit of careful sleuthing you’re sure to find exactly the right one to fulfill your Feng Shui needs.

I discovered  these particular examples on Pinterest, a wonderful resource that I’m using more and more to communicate good Feng Shui principles visually to clients and readers alike.

If you’re on Pinterest I hope you’ll join me there!

(Credits: Water rug by Warp&Weft, Fire rug by Ann-Mari Forsberg, Metal & Wood rug by LeeJofa)

We get to enjoy time off with family and friends being as active, or not, as we choose.

And even better, they give us a leisurely opportunity to contemplate the natural harmonies of Feng Shui.

 For example,

• To compare the Yin of quiet streets and a slower pace to the Yang of hot sunny days and bursting fireworks after dark.
• To come into friendly contact with the Five Elements — shady trees for Wood; Fire in the bright sun and friendly campfires and — of course — fireworks (!); time for playing close to the Earth (volleyball anyone?); Metal in the pots, pans and implements we wield to cook hot dogs and and corn on the cob; and of course the refreshment of Water, especially if you’re lucky enough to get in a swim!
• To consider the Feng Shui of our own American flag!  It seems that our country lives under a banner with amazingly well-balanced Feng Shui, something the founding fathers probably didn’t have in mind (exactly) as they wrote the constitution but which nevertheless expresses our values quite beautifully.

I hope you enjoy your holiday and send all good Chi your way for a relaxing weekend.

(photo courtesy Provincetowntourism.com)

The Elements Mall is divided into five zones, loosely associated with Feng Shui’s Five Elements.

So,

• The Metal Zone includes super-luxury shops and gorgeous metallic sculptures,
• The Water Zone contains great restaurants (not sure why?) and water features,
• The Wood Zone features wood decor and brands that focus on health, beauty and lifestyle,
• The Fire Zone lives up to its name with a huge movie complex — and an ice skating rink (!),
• and the Earth Zone features world fashion in a lush garden environment.

Here’s what the Metal Zone looks like:

Shiny!

I would LOVE to go to Hong Kong to explore the city and check out this mall. this mall.  It would be such fun to experience all the ways they’ve brought the Five Elements to life.

Want to come with me?

(photos from Elements mall)

The South Korean flag is a great example of a “philosophical” flag — its symbolism is overt and sends a clear message about how the country would like to be seen.

In fact this flag has a name, Taegukki, which means “Great Extremes.”

The South Korean flag illustrates its theme with symbols of opposites that are also found in the I Ching and on the Feng Shui Bagua Map. 

Specifically,

• Clockwise from bottom left the four black & white trigrams around the central circle symbolize Fire, Heaven, Water and Earth.  Opposites are situated diagonally from each other: Fire opposite Water, Heaven (the father) oppposite Earth (the mother).

• The central circle itself contains a modified Yin-Yang symbol, showing an awareness that all things are connected, interdependent, and ever-changing.
• And the white background is associated with the Metal element — considered the “purest” of the Five Elements and here symbolizing the “cleanliness of the people.”
• The Wood element appears in the dark blue of the Yin-Yang symbol.

To me this flag feels mysterious, strong and thought-provoking. It sends a message that this small country embraces tradition and positive energy, while remaining steadfast and withstanding the pressure of external forces.

But if you knew nothing about Eastern philosophy it might look like secret codes or a giant satellite in outer space!

What do you think of when you see it?

(Factual info in this article drawn from Wikipedia and other sources.)

Your clothes influence the way you feel all day long, so it’s worth knowing how to make the most of these daily opportunities!

Check out these great ways to use Feng Shui to pick the perfect outfit for every occasion.

Situation #1: Today you need to be super-organized so you can stay focused and creative.

Choose the Metal element when you get dressed today.

• White or pale pastels empower you with the colors of Heaven and Creativity. 
• Cool Metal accessories also activate your planning and creative abilities.

Situation #2: Today you’re networking, shining brightly before an audience, or going for an extra-special look.

The Fire element supports you best today.

• Shades of red and animal prints bring out your passionate, enthusiastic side and make the point that you’re here to be noticed.  
• Your underthings count too.  It’s amazing how powerful an animal-print bra can make you feel

Situation #3: Today you’re taking care of the everyday tasks that keep life running smoothly.

Use the Earth element to keep things stable and comfortable today.

• Earth represents the physical world — yellow and earth tones like warm brown and taupe help you stay grounded and focused.
• Clothes with a square or checked pattern also bring out the Earth element.

Situation #4: You’re in the mood to meander: a long walk, perhaps, to restore and refresh yourself.

Today is a Water element day.

• It’s time for the color so many “deep thinkers” seem to like: black.  Black and dark colors evoke the spirit-restoring Water element, so revel in it as you meditate and seek your inner truth.
• Flowing patterns and fabrics also activate Water — so bring out your gypsy skirts and paisleys!

Situation #5: It’s a day for powering through, achieving big growth, and bringing people together to achieve great things.

This is a day for the Wood element.

• This is a Wood element day — greens, vertical stripes, flowery prints.  Go for it — you’re on a growth curve!
• Wooden or green accessories like jade are also perfect for days like this.

Use the power of Feng Shui to choose your daily wardrobe wisely!  

What’s your best “success outfit”?

(Paper doll cutout clothes courtesy of lowry updates)

The Five Feng Shui Elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – are each associated with specific colors, with varying effects on your worklife.

• Wood, the element of new beginnings, growth and teamwork, is connected with medium or light blues and greens.

Wood colors are most useful when you are working on new projects, trying to create a sense of teamwork and growth, when your business is connected with investment growth, or when you are concerned about the general health of your career.

• Fire is the “showiest” element, indicating high energy and the visibility – Fame & Reputation — of your business.  Reds and dark pinks represent Fire in your environment.

Use Fire colors to add a spark of vitality and passion to your business.  These colors are especially important when you’re making a marketing push to increase your company’s visibility.  If you don’t want to “shout” your enthusiastic intentions, use Fire colors in more imaginative ways with red file folders, for instance.

• Earth’s colors – yellows, golds and tans — represent stability and nourishment.  As the center of the Bagua map it’s considered the color of centralized authority, power and control.

Use Earth colors when stability is a fundamental business value; businesses that benefit from Earth colors include accounting and law firms, where a steady, authoritative approach is the key to success.

Earth is also appropriate when the going gets rough and you need to steady your business nerves!

• Metal represents calmness, creativity, organization and good planning; its color is white. You’ve probably noticed how common white is in business décor; this is because every business benefits from good preparation and execution!  

If you find yourself in an environment that’s overly white, use the other elements to bring it into balance.  The coolness of Metal is controlled by the warmth of Fire, so bring some red accents into your office to add passion and enthusiasm to your well-planned workday.

• Water represents insight, creative perception and mystery.  Its color is black and very dark shades of blue.  

Water is a wonderful color to use if you’re in a creative field where ideas need to flow freely.   So it’s a great element to utilize when you need to get your creative juices flowing, and think “out of the box” about your business.  

Learn more about how to use the Five Elements in your space by consulting my articles about the Five Elements cycles.

And please let me know if you have any questions about this key aspect of Feng Shui, and how I can help you enhance your life with its power and beauty.

Like many aspects of Feng Shui, Mindful Eating essentially means slowing down.

A beautifully-set dinner table.

According to the article,

“For many people, eating fast means eating more.  Mindful eating is meant to nudge us beyond what we’re craving so that we wake up to why we’re craving it, and what factors might be stoking the habit of belly-stuffing.”

The article goes on to describe a Buddhist congregation in upstate NY, mindfully eating lunch:

The group “spent the lunch hour contemplating the enjoyment of spice, crunch, saltiness, warmth, tenderness and like-minded company.”

This is where Feng Shui — specifically Five Elements theory — comes in. 

Each element is associated with one of our five senses:

• Wood with your sense of sight,
• Fire with your sense of touch,
• Earth with your sense of taste,
• Metal with your sense of smell,
• and Water with your sense of hearing.

(For more on this aspect of Feng Shui’s Five Elements, check out my article, The Garden of the Five Senses.)

When you bring all of your senses into the act of eating, you slow yourself down, enjoy your food more, and stop eating when you feel yourself becoming full.

I have no doubt that using the Five Elements helped me successfully take off those stubborn pounds a few years ago.

Here’s how Feng Shui can help you become a more mindful eater:

•  Look attentively at whatever you’re eating, enjoying its colors and shapes.
• Feel the texture of your food as you hold it in your hands, and as it comes into your mouth.
• Breathe in through your nose, enjoying the wonderful smells of good food.
• As you enjoy your meal, listen for the sounds of eating: your fork on the plate, the crunch of a salad…
• And of course, appreciate the flavors as you taste your food!

For best results, turn off the TV and your computer while you eat

P.S., here’s another article about losing weight with Feng Shui.

(Photo courtesy of Freshome.com)