The Connection Between Feng Shui & Fitness

Albert Einstein once said, “ Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Of course, I am taking Einstein’s quote out of context for this article, but it fits with everything I know about both fitness and good Feng Shui.

A main tenet of Feng Shui is to keep things moving. Many of you know the Feng Shui cure of moving 9 or 27 things in your home to release stagnant energy. This teaching isn’t just about clutter-busting.

Feng Shui gets its name from Wind and Water, which are usually moving to various degrees. Harsh winds and rains are not nourishing, but we welcome soft winds, flowing waterways, and gentle rains. It’s the same with the spaces we occupy. It’s ideal to move your possessions around regularly as long as you maintain a good flow. (I don’t mean rearrange your furniture or your entire space—unless you want to.)

It may also be time to move or remove certain Feng Shui remedies. Periodically cures and enhancements need to be replaced. After all, you’re always changing–and, as you do, your goals, circumstances, and focus in life will also change—so certain Feng Shui remedies may not be appropriate.

When Feng Shui cures are no longer be relevant, they may actually be causing stuck or stagnant energy. At the very least remove them periodically for a good cleaning. Also, re-energize any Feng Shui cures that you’ve placed over a year ago either though your intention or the ritual you’ve been taught, if you’ve had a professional Feng Shui consultation.

Now, On To Fitness & Exercise:

Obviously, exercise requires movement. Many types of exercise require not only physical movement, but mental processing. Barre, certain kinds of Dance, and Martial Arts come to mind; but there are other many other forms of exercise that require brain-power.

Even certain breathing exercises require concentration and focus. Breath is related to the Metal element—and, of course, all exercise and life itself rely on good breathing habits.      

 

Exercise & The Five Elements:

Wood is energetic and encourages active movement. It also requires discipline, which is related to to the Metal Element. If fitness is a goal and you are personally balanced in Metal, you will not only have a workout schedule, but you will have firm, but not overly rigid, boundaries around your schedule. I associate Wood primarily with the outdoors, aerobic activities, and competitive sports that require focus—an attribute of a serious athlete.

Yoga can be aerobic, although I mostly associate it with the flow of Water and the comfort of Earth. 

When Dance is expressive, I associate it with Fire. Many kinds of Dance are quite Earthy and Watery. Like Wood, Fire is energetic, but usually more playful than Wood and not as concerned with winning as Wood. 

Weight Lifting is definitely inspired by Wood, but its precision also has a strong Metal component.

Various Martial Arts use all of the elements. For example, Martial artists always ground and connect to the Earth before they begin. Punches and kicks incorporate Fire and Wood. Its precise moves are Metal. When we think of Tai Chi, most of us think of Water flowing. 

Of course this is general information and there’s much overlap between various forms of exercise.

Also, we each personally express the elements differently and the way that we choose to move will depend on our personal Five Element constitution and our primary element.

We are usually drawn to movement related to our primary element. However, we each have a bit of all the other elements and we may be drawn to work with the element that we are most deficient in.

Finally, movement is essential for both our homes and bodies, if we are to grow and expand.

So, Let’s Move It!

Suzanne

© 4/29/16 • Suzanne Metzger • Feng Shui Consulting Services

Questions & Answers

Q: A friend mentioned that I have poison arrows in my home. Could you explain what they are?

A: Great question! Most of us have at least a few in the spaces where we live and work.

Poison Arrows are the sharp edges of furniture or walls that point directly toward you. This is especially challenging in areas where you spend a lot of time—such as your bedroom, at your desk, or really anywhere that you hang out for long periods of time. They are especially detrimental to health and can negatively affect any body parts, which are in direct alignment with sharp edges of furniture or the wall pointed at you.

The solution often requires creativity. Experiment with draping fabric, plants (either life or silk) or other décor over the area pointing toward you.

Also, if you have a poison arrow pointing directly at your home from another building, this is a poison arrow. To stop this energy, place a convex mirror on the outside of your home to reflect the energy away.