A Feng Shui Primer for Westerners

It can be relatively simple to apply — if we don’t get too bogged down in having to do it perfectly.

Many ancient traditions applied sacred space practices to purify the energy of our homes. In the modern western world, though, Feng Shui is possibly the better-known system.

And it can be relatively simple to apply — if we don’t get too bogged down in having to do it perfectly.

Before getting started, you need to choose whether to follow classical or western Feng Shui. Having experimented with both, I have found my groove with the western version (also known as Black Hat). I like this system because it allows greater flexibility and creativity in applying “cures.”

If I had grown up in a culture immersed in Classical Feng Shui's teachings, they would be woven into my subconscious psyche. But without that context, they don’t have the same meaning for me, and the western version resonates with me more.

But each to their own, I will outline below how to apply the Bagua tool with both methods.

First, a word on manifestation.

Many people approach Feng Shui as a manifestation technique. And while it can certainly be helpful in this regard, I think it’s unhelpful in general to adopt it only for that purpose.

I use it to help me stay focused on allowing my home's energy to flow freely — which requires me to keep the space free of clutter.

And I also use it to help me get clear on where I might be getting stuck in life and explore ways of becoming unstuck.

Some Feng Shui consultants will tell you to put “cures” in place, and then your life will magically improve. Please don’t have these kinds of expectations, as disappointment is likely to follow.

However, when we combine symbolic cures with reflecting on and adapting our own thought, beliefs, and behavior patterns, Feng Shui can support us in manifesting positive changes in our lives.

The Bagua.

The Bagua is the fundamental tool to become acquainted with. It divides your home into nine equal areas (guas), each of which corresponds with a different area of your life:

· Health/Unity · Wealth & Blessings · Career/Life Path · Family & Community · Knowledge & Wisdom · Relationships · Creativity/New Beginnings · Fame & Reputation · Helpful People & Travel

When you view your home in this way and associate particular areas with different aspects of your life, decluttering, cleaning, and re-organizing a specific gua can often result in improvements in the corresponding region of your home.

As already mentioned, for the outer changes you make in your guas to have a mirroring effect in our lives, we also need to reflect on what belief or behavior patterns we have that may be contributing to a less than optimum situation.

It is essential to couple the outer work with inner work.

So, when we are decluttering an area — for example, the wealth area — we could ask ourselves a question before we start, e.g., “What do I need to see or understand about my financial circumstances, or about my approach to finances, that will help me to generate improvements?”

Just ask the question, or set an intention to receive any wisdom or insight needed about this aspect of your life — and let it go and set about decluttering, re-organizing, and applying whatever remedies might be required.

Trust that whatever insights you need will arrive — and be open to listening to any inner wisdom that surfaces. Don’t dismiss what comes up, even if your immediate response is one of resistance.

Allow it time to percolate. You don’t have to go with every idea that pops up, but do make a mental note of them.

Also, be patient with this process. Expecting that a solution will arise during the decluttering or immediately afterward can slow it down or even block it.

Maybe there is nothing for you to do right now. Perhaps the solutions will come later. Just be willing to see whatever you need to see and allow all ideas and suggestions to unfold with ease at the right time.

And in the meanwhile, enjoy the benefits of having a clear, nurturing, and organized space in your home.

Applying the Bagua to your Home.

Classical schools use the compass, and western schools use the front door.

One of my teachers recommended using the compass if you live in a detached house situated in a vast, open space. And to use the front door if you’re living in attached buildings or buildings that are close together.

When it comes to the front door system, some teachers are quite insistent that it needs to be the architecturally assigned front door. Others are more flexible and allow the back door to be the appointed “front door” for the Bagua purpose if that’s the door you use as your main entrance to your home.

And one of my teachers even said we could choose!

So, what’s the right system for you? Whatever resonates best with you — start with that. I have experimented with all three in my current home, and now I have settled into using the back-door-as-main-entry method.

Wherever it sits on your Bagua, your main entry is considered as the primary energy portal for your home, with opportunities coming in through this entrance.

So, the space inside our main entry must be reasonably clear and uncluttered, allowing the energy to flow in freely and begin to circulate throughout our homes.

Whether you choose to use the compass method or the front door method, to apply the Bagua, you’ll need to draw your home's floor plan. Be reasonably accurate in terms of proportions. You can step it out if you don’t have a measuring tape handy.

Then divide it into a grid to identify what part of your home represents what parts of your life. Do this for each level of your home, if it is multi-story.

No matter what method you use, your home's Health/Unity area is always in the center.

If you’re using the front door method, then your front door will be opening into either your helpful people/travel, career/life path, or self-development area. And those guas will be directly above and below one another on different floors.

If you’re applying the compass method, then regardless of where your front door is situated, your guas will be in the following places:

·Wealth & Blessings = South East · Fame & Reputation = South · Relationships = South West · Family & Community = East · Creativity/Children/New Beginnings = West · Self-Development/Knowledge & Wisdom = North East · Career & Life Path = North · Helpful Friends/Travel = North West

It’s worth noting that your kitchen and bedroom are also hotspots for wealth and relationships, respectively. So you have double the opportunity to support these aspects.

So, no matter where your relationship gua sits officially, your bedroom is also a space tied to romantic relationships. And your kitchen is also closely associated with finances.

The main issues tend to be related to the flow of energy and the symbolism placed throughout the home.

Piles of clutter can block the circulation of energy (chi), as can poorly placed furniture. And the remedy is to remove whatever obstacles are in the way — either decluttering or rearranging the furniture.

The result you want to achieve is a clear pathway for people — and the energy — to easily move around your home.

It is just as important to check that the chi (representing opportunities) is not escaping from your home too quickly.

While a clear path for the easy movement of energy is needed, it’s not recommended to have a straight path between the front door and the back door or a window. That moves the chi in and out of the house too quickly, without redirecting it around the home first.

Of course, this can be an architectural issue that we can’t control. But the beauty of Feng Shui is that there is a remedy for every problem. These cures can be overly complicated in classical Feng Shui, which is another reason I prefer western guidelines.

Side note: if you prefer to follow the classical system, it’s best to consult a qualified practitioner who will do a detailed assessment of your home.

If there is a straight path between your main entry and an external door or window, the remedy is to slow down the movement of chi. You can do this by hanging a crystal just inside the entry and exit points. And placing an obstacle in the way (helpful in this instance), for example, a table with a plant on it.

If you have an architectural issue like this and find it difficult to resolve, it would be a good idea to consult a practitioner — either western or classical.

Energy can also escape prematurely down toilets and other drains. So the recommendation is to keep toilet lids down and keep bathroom doors closed.

You also need to check that water isn’t excessively draining out of the house. If you find any leaking taps or pipes, fix them without delay.

Once you’ve sorted out energy blocks or drains, you want to examine the symbolism of the art and décor in each gua.

Ask yourself if it reflects how you want that aspect of your life to be.

For example, does the symbolism in your relationship gua depict happy, loving relationships. Are there images of single people there? Are there images of unhappy people there (or anywhere in your home)?

Is there anything in your wealth area that conveys a sense of prosperity to you? Conversely, is there anything there that makes you feel inadequate when you see it?

Reflect on how the external appearance of each area of your home supports what you want to be feeling about that aspect of your life on the inner level. And swap out anything that doesn’t symbolically help that with something that will.

For example, display (or discretely store) diplomas, certificates, awards, etc. in your Fame & Reputation area. Keep books relevant to your current (or desired) field of work in your Career Path corner. Have something that symbolically speaks to you of inner and outer strength in your Health/Unity sector.

In western Feng Shui, you often don’t need to acquire anything new to activate each gua. You may simply need to move things around your home a little. (For sure, move photos of your kids and friends out of your Romance areas and into Family & Community.

You can also use some elements of nature to support each gua, and I’ll cover that in a follow-up piece.

Feng Shui is about balancing and harmonizing the energy of our homes.

There’s no need to become obsessive or take a perfectionist approach.

The key lies in becoming aware of how well the chi can circulate and how the overall energy supports us in creating the life we want.

We do the best we can, and we do it with deliberate intention. Small tweaks applied mindfully can be more helpful than you think.

Because making these tweaks on the external often prompts internal inquiry around these areas of our lives. And ultimately, that inner reflection can lead to the most helpful changes.

A version of this article was first published on hildacarroll.com