The Truth in ‘chi’

I’m reminded of the Feng Shui thing again when our office receptionist asked everyone in the workplace for any feng shui books or resources. I lent her a book of mine on the subject and I wondered why I have the book in the first place. HAHA I believe it was during my college days when I had a creative writing class and we had to come up with a fictional story and I happened to base mine on the elements. I got the book as a resource of sorts.

Browsing the book before I handed it over I can’t help but deduce again that feng shui isn’t really of magic or energy related as what it is commonly known for. For me, most of its principles are most of the time ‘commonsense’.

Take for instance, a dead tree or electrical pole must not be found in front of a doorway or path or it will bring bad luck. Well, for me it is a matter of logic because a dead tree or electrical pole could pose as danger when it falls due to circumstances like a storm. If anyone happens to pass by, that person could get hurt. So its just logical to have it removed from its place.

Or, about how two doors must not face each other. Well, if two people have bedroom rooms that are in front of each other and the occupants happened to be in a rush out of it at the same time, they may end up colliding and getting hurt. So to have the doors to not open directly in front of each other is perfectly logical.

But of course, Feng Shui is more known of its energy related functions and principles. How the correct flow of ‘chi’ could aid one’s success in life. Some are true, some are false, or rather, I don’t really know if they work. I researched around different resources to find out which are the commonly known myths and mistakes on feng shui. With this, I hope everyone gets a better understanding on the subject and not rely too much on the concept of Luck.

Myth No. 1 As long as you have feng shui, its okay not to have a specific goal.

Feng shui works best when you focus your activities on a specific goal or on improving a specific aspect of your life, such as finding a new romantic partner, increasing your cash flow, or locating the perfect new job or employee.

When you define a specific goal, you can then target your personal power spots, the areas of your home where feng shui changes will have the most impact for you.
The location of your power spots depends on the nature of your goals and the unique layout and arrangement of your home.

Defining specific goals enables you to empower your feng shui changes with personalized affirmations and visualizations. Empowerment is key to your success with feng shui.

Myth No. 2. Inflexibility

While you should have a specific goal in mind as you feng shui your home, it’s a good idea to remain flexible about the outcome. After all, there might be an even better possibility that you haven’t thought of yet.

Know what you want, hold it clearly in your mind and heart while you empower your feng shui changes, then release it. Trust that the Universe will bring you exactly what you need, with perfect timing, so you can progress to the next stage in your life.

Sometimes what we think we want won’t bring us the greatest success and happiness in the long run. Have a receptive attitude and be open to the surprise outcome that turns out to be exactly what you needed.

Myth No. 3. Overdoing It

Feng shui is fun and that means it’s easy to get carried away. If you’ve hung wind chimes and crystals in every room, have more than one water fountain, and just spent a weeks salary on home accessories it’s time to slow down.

One of the magical things about feng shui is that little changes can be very powerful if they are in the right spot. One faceted crystal ball in your most important power spot placed with strong intention will do more to shift the energy of your home than making several casual changes in less important areas.

When you make a lot of changes at once the effect can be overwhelming.

Do a few things at a time, and be attentive to shifts in the energy of your home before proceeding with more adjustments.

Myth No. 4. Doing For Others

As soon as you start to experience the empowering and transforming effects of feng shui, you’ll want your friends and family to get into it, too. Be aware though that feng shui is best reserved for those who are ready for it. As much as your loved ones might need it, they may not be at a place right now where they can really benefit from or appreciate it.

It’s fine to share your enthusiasm with others, and to let them know what feng shui is about. Let them see how much fun you are having and tell them about the benefits you receive, then let them decide to try it for themselves in their own time.

It’s never a good idea to make feng shui changes for someone else without their knowledge and consent.

Please be respectful if others aren’t willing to explore feng shui for themselves at this time.

Myth No. 5. Feng Shui-ing your Clutter

Clutter is one of the most common feng shui problems. Almost everyone got some and most of us dread having to deal with it no matter how much we’d like it to go away.

It’s very tempting to skip to the fun part of feng shui without removing clutter from your power spots first.

This can actually make the situation worse. You want to activate the good chi in your home rather than the negative energy.

Clearing out your clutter is one of the most powerful ways to shift the energy of your home. Instead of looking at clutter, clearing as a dreaded task, recognize it as an effective agent for change. Go to a power spot and spend half an hour removing anything that looks like clutter. Youll be amazed at the shift that this simple change can trigger.

Myth No. 6. Miracle Expectations

Sometimes the effects of feng shui really can seem magical or miraculous. When we hear about the incredible results other people have gained from feng shui, we start thinking about all the wonderful things well accomplish as well.

Recognize that feng shui is different for everyone and that the speed and impact with which transformation occurs is different as well. Sometimes a shift happens literally overnight. Other times it can take weeks or even months for the effects of feng shui to manifest.

When the energy in a space has been stuck for a long time or if your own behavior patterns are deeply ingrained, it can take a while for momentum to pick up. Be patient, pay attention, and celebrate the little changes that signal greater shifts to come.

Myth No. 7. Miracle Expectations

Feng shui originated in ancient China, and many traditional feng shui objects are new to western culture. Bamboo flutes, red tassels, and ‘ba gua’ mirrors are effective feng shui cures, but you may not like how they look in your home.

One of the reasons the contemporary Western approach to feng shui is so popular is that it allows for a wide range of solutions. It recognizes the power of personal imagery and symbols, and encourages the use of unconventional cures that have great personal significance to you.

A traditional feng shui object that you don’t find attractive will not be as effective for you, so choose objects and colors that you love instead, so you can shift the energy of your home in a way that suits your own style, taste, and decor.

Myth No. 8. Delegating your Feng Shui

Doing feng shui effectively requires your time and attention, which can be scarce. It’s tempting to just do the easy things, or to make changes without being focused and attentive.

If you hire someone else to move your furniture, paint the living room, hang wind chimes, and shop for a water fountain, make an effort to find small ways to add your own energy to the feng shui tasks that others are performing for you.

It is important not to skip the empowerment stage. You can hire someone to repave the front path and plant a new hedge, but that person can’t empower those improvements with your desire for change.

If your time and attention are in great demand, save it for empowering your changes, and let others do the preliminary work.

Myth No. 9. Not Following Through

Even when we focus on our power spots rather than trying to do everything at once, most of us still have a sizeable list of feng shui changes we’d like to make.

Some will be quick and easy, but others require preparation and follow-through.

It’s important to keep the momentum going. Try to complete each feng shui task within three days, so the energy you put into it will stay concentrated and strong. If you can’t focus on feng shui during the week, make a commitment to doing something each weekend until you’ve completed your list.

Part of following through on feng shui is taking the time to evaluate your results. Write your plans in your feng shui notebook, and record what actions you take, so you can look over them later and see how much progress you’ve made.