Although many Americans think feng shui is a bunch of hoo-ha, in fact, it’s an ancient Chinese discipline older than our own country. Feng shui was first developed as a way for people to identify the best plots for a living space or burial site. This evolved into the development of palaces and government buildings.

The original practice involved a detailed observation of the natural as well as man-made environment, including how the planet’s energy effected the space.  We now know that all things emit vibrational energy. Everything is made of atoms surrounded by spinning protons and electrons, but how does this affect us and our homes?

We spoke with a local feng shui consultant, Alison Shockner of Feng Shui Works, to find out. Besides consulting on home and office spaces, Alison also teaches feng shui classes periodically and advises architects on the proper feng shui design of a house before construction has even begun.

According to Alison, energy flows through a house the same way water would. If there’s a lot of clutter or other impediments, like a narrow hallway, it can negatively affect not only how you feel in your home but various aspects of your life. Each area of the house corresponds to an element of your life, including wealth, fame, love, family, health, children/creativity, knowledge, career and helpful people. The Ba’ Gua diagram that you see above here shows you the position of these nine aspects.

“If your kid’s bedroom is in the wealth corner they’re going to be running the show,” Alison explained. She tells of one client who, the day after she had him move around the furniture in his office so he was sitting in the power and control position, started seeing the money flowing. “It doesn’t always happen that fast,” she said. “It’s about enhancing the space so it’s more balanced.”

Here are a few other interesting tidbits Alison had to share with us:

1.  Use items of a corresponding color to enhance the energy in the various sections. For example, put a pink vase filled with flowers in the back right corner of your home to enhance relationships and improve self-esteem. It’s important to connect to the intention of the object because it also works on a subconscious level – every time you see the object it will reaffirm your intention.

2.  Because chi, or energy, moves faster through a doorway, make sure to position your bed so it’s not in direct alignment with a doorway. Even setting it at an angle can help.

3.  In your office space, make sure your back is against the wall so that you can easily see the door. If your back is facing the door, Alison suggests putting a small mirror on your monitor, so someone can’t sneak up on you. It’s about feeling safe and comfortable in your space.

4.  If you want to increase your bank account put a piggy bank in your wealth corner, and don’t forget to set the intention. Feng shui or not, give us a call at 210-494-5400 when you’re ready to build a balanced and beautiful custom home! To be added to our private email list and receive our monthly newsletter, please sign up here.