For the adventures living abroad, I have some feng shui tips to help create better energy flow in your living space. The purpose is for you to feel more at ease and comfortable while spending time in your living space, no matter how small! This way, you can work better towards your goals and ultimately live with more harmony while overseas. Here are some tips you can start implementing today.
Let’s get started.
Photo by KAROLINA GRABOWSKA
The bed
The bed is a sacred place where you sleep. Its position in the bedroom and its relation to its surroundings can affect the quality of your sleep. Here are some things to keep in mind about your bed.
Stability. Having a proper headboard will provide you a sense of stability, whether you a consciously aware of it or not. If your bed doesn’t come with a headboard, you can either buy one or place the end of the bed where you lay your head against a wall.
Accessibility. Most feng shui, experts, books, and bloggers will tell you never put your bed’s side up against a wall. If possible, try to have both sides of your bed free so you can access it from either side. Implementing this will result in better energy flow and harmony.
According to Spruce, you can try to have the bed at least 18 inches from the wall side. Of course, in small spaces (like mine), this may not be possible. In this case, there are other things you can do.
Placement. When you are asleep in your bed, you at your most vulnerable. For this reason, it’s best to place your bead in the command position. What does this mean?
1. Your bed is the farthest it can be from your door 2. Your bed is not directly in front of the door. 3. You are able to see your door from your bed (and who may be entering)
Tip: Never place your bed up against/below a window. Once again, this is about stability. Unconsciously you may not be able to rest peacefully with all of the noise and other inconvenient possibilities that come from having a window.
Declutter. I remember hearing this from my dad, back when I still lived with my parents. He told me not to keep junk underneath my bed. Keeping items there, as a result, can disturb your subconscious mind during sleep. Try your best not to store things here. I understand, however, you might be lacking storage space. For this, my advice would be:
1. Remove items that don’t “spark joy.” 2. Only store bed-related items there.
Photo by KAROLINA GRABOWSKA
The desk
If you’re like me and live in a room in a shared apartment, you likely have a desk in the same room you sleep in. What can we do with our desks? Well, to start, please don’t do what the man is doing in the picture above. I am cringing as I type.
Stability. If you have a desk in your room, you likely have it facing a wall, and you sit at your desk with your back facing the door. Stop. Sitting in such a way leaves your back exposed to people sneaking up on you. When you sit at your desk, you always want a stable wall behind you. Avoid working with a window behind you. If, for some reason, you cannot find a stable wall for your desk, consider buying a wall divider and placing that behind you.
Placement. Once again, you will want to put your desk in the command position. Imagine you are the boss of your own company, a government official, or royal even! You are in command. From your desk, you will want to see who is entering your space. As well as keep eyes on the rest of your surroundings. This way, you will be the most powerful person in the room. No one can sneak up on you or stab you in the back! And you can effortlessly show whomever the door, which is always in your line of sight.
Also, many believe that positioning your desk so you can see the door will help you to see success and opportunities come into your life. Don’t work facing the wall. There is nothing to see! Turn your desk around. Start winning!
1. Have your desk the farthest it can be from your door 2. Don’t have your desk directly in front of the door 3. Make sure you can see your door from where you sit
De-clutter. Limit the number of items on your desk. Have only items relating to your line of work. Can you picture working at a desk crowded with items that don’t belong? A clear space is more approachable than a messy one, so de-clutter regularly. Your books, kitchenware, clothing, and other items that don’t belong, should be kept in separate places. The desk is where one is meant to do work, and if you regularly avoid your desk, there is likely bad feng shui.
Photo by KAROLINA GRABOWSKA
Mirrors
According to feng shui, mirrors magnify and circulate energy. And so, one must be intentional about their placement. If you live in a room in a shared apartment, I would suggest keeping a mirror out of your room and only rely on a bathroom mirror or a pocket one. There are many ways to go wrong with a mirror in the bedroom. Regardless, whether you are in a shared or studio apartment and want to use a mirror here is what you should keep in mind.
Do
1. Use your mirror to reflect light into the room or reflect beautiful imagery
2. Use a relatively full mirror if possible. Unlike a small mirror, a full mirror, where you can see at least your head and shoulders at once, will provide a sense of completeness.
Don’t
1. Place a mirror on your desk. Particularly if it reflects you or your work. This will magnify the energy of your work creating stress.
2. Place a mirror in front of your bed, above your bed, or in any place that reflects the bed. This will only disturb your sleep and bring stress.
3. Place a mirror too high or too low. You want an easy, clear view of yourself. Not a distorted reflection that brings you discomfort.
Photo by KAROLINA GRABOWSKA
De-clutter
My feng shui tips would not be complete if I didn’t mention de-cluttering. Having fewer things crowd our space, puts our minds at ease. Get rid of what you don’t need. I wrote an article here explaining how to do this if you are living in Spain. I hope to write about other countries soon.
Conceal. Keep items you can’t part with just yet neatly concealed. You can keep them in boxes (nice ones) and behind closed spaces, such as a closet door or the drawers of a dresser. Implementing this will help you achieve that minimalist look and keep your subconscious mind from registering clutter.
Additionally, make it a goal to leave your room organized and clean when you go out. Having a tidy room will help you attract opportunities. Harmony in your living space helps to put your mind at ease and can better help you see opportunities as they come. And subconsciously you may feel more ready and worthy of these opportunities.
And somewhere on this same topic, I think it should be said how you may not want to bring guests home to a messy, disorganized room. You just may deter them away from you, thus preventing opportunities.
Photo by KAROLINA GRABOWSKA
Cleansing
Feng shui is all about the placement of items within a space to manipulate the energy flow to achieve harmony. Something you can do beyond moving your furniture is to be mindful of the airflow of a space. Here are some additional tips to function better.
Plants. Plants can be a great way to provide oxygen and purify energy within a space. Some quick tips for choosing a plant are to choose ones with rounded leaves. You don’t want a plant that’s sharp, such as a cactus. Cactus, are generally considered bad luck. The Jade plant, however, is considered good luck, particularity for attracting money.
Incense. Another way to cleanse your space is to burn sage or palo santo. Do this weekly to release old and or negative energy. Especially, if you often have guests. You never know what energy someone else may be bringing into your living space. Palo santo is said to rid negative energy from a space and add good energy. Sage, however, will clear the energy entirely, negative or not. You will need to add back good energy, perhaps by burning another incense of your choice. There are many to choose from. Pick up some incense from your local shop and carefully burn these clarifying incenses with an open window so that the old energy can escape.
Windows. One of the easiest things you can do to increase vitality and energy within a space is open your window. If your someone who always keeps their window shut, try to keep it open for a period of the day to release stagnant energy and allow for air circulation.
Photo by bongkarn thanyakij
Start today
There you have it! I have given you some tips on how you can use basic feng shui principles today. I hope that they serve you in bringing you more harmony and opportunities. I really love this topic and hope to write more articles like this soon.
What did you think about this post? Do you already use feng shui in your life? Leave a comment down below! Try incorporating some feng shui principles today, and may you continue adventuring towards a life that fulfills you!
Featured Photo by Dmitry Zvolskiy
