The Role of Creating Place (Feng Shui) in Creating Peace (Part One)
There is an old Chinese proverb which states “If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
In the 16 plus years that I’ve been an avid student of Feng Shui, I’ve become painfully aware of how much we humans almost instinctively choose to live and work in challenging spaces. Then, after moving in, many of us put a great deal of energy into bringing balance to these spaces and to our lives. I kiddingly have told many of my clients things like “complicated people choose complicated spaces,” “our homes are our teachers,” and “we often choose spaces that will challenge us so much that we are pushed into levels of growth we would never otherwise aspire to.”
These statements seem to be true, and leave me with the question: “why do we do this to ourselves.” I don’t really know. My guess is that in order to flourish, we need to keep growing and many of us wouldn’t move forward without a pressing incentive. Since most of you who are receiving this newsletter are already committed to the process of personal growth and are accepting greater challenges in your life, there are some things to be aware of in your living spaces that may expand your freedom to grow; and, they are related to avoiding stress in your environment.
Whether it’s subtle or overt, stress in the environment shows up as stress in our bodies, our relationships, our finances, our creativity and other important areas of our lives. Features in the land and buildings we occupy directly impact our nervous system and our ability to respond to life’s challenges. When we feel peaceful and supported, we radiate that positive energy outward, not only into our own life, but into the lives of others. And, like a pebble tossed into a pond, that peace and support eventually flows into our neighborhoods and communities--and ultimately into the universe. A MAJOR PREMISE OF FENG SHUI IS THAT ALL CHANGE--BOTH IN OUR ENVIRONMENTS AND INSIDE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS--RIPPLES OUT INTO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.
Stressors
in our living & working environments include
(but are not limited to) the following:
FEELING CROWDED Whenever we need to pull our personal energy and boundaries
in closer than normal, we literally feel pressed. “Normal”
is different for each person.
Some people function well in fairly tight spaces while others have an innate need to expand over a large area. Everyone, however, feels constricted when they have to physically squeeze through a narrow hallway or move in an abnormal way to avoid bumping into the sharp corner of a piece of furniture.
POISON ARROWS
These are the sharp edges of furniture or walls that point directly toward
you. This is especially challenging in places where you spend a lot of
your time--like in your bedroom, at your desk, or anywhere that you hang
out for long periods of time. Solutions for these sharp arrows of energy
often require creativity. Experiment with draping fabric, plants (either
live or silk), or other decor over these areas.
PLACEMENT OF STOVES, BEDS, & DESKS From any of these places, you should
be able to see the door. If you can’t, try to place a mirror in
a way that enables you to see someone entering the space. This placement
relates to one of our most primitive needs which is to cover our back.
When this is not possible, our nervous system responds (sometimes subtly)
by going into a fight or flight mode.
Take some time to notice if you have any of the above going on. If so, see what you can do to soften their impact.
Next month I’ll continue with this topic and go into other important features to be aware of.
Peaceful
Blessings!
Suzanne