Feng Shui Tips: The Nine Sections of Your Residence

Feng Shui is the art of decorating based upon proper alignment and harmony within one's home. This art hails from ancient China, and it's been held that the usage of Feng Shui in the home ensures a better life. Nowadays, Feng Shui is trendy and chic; it's utilized by many interior designers. I recall when my parents were first building their house, that we were advised to never have the stairwell to the second floor start right in front of the second floor. When I asked why, I never got a straight answer, but I was later to learn that it disrupts the harmony of the house, either by distracting incoming guests from the main floor, leading their attention to what could be on the second, or by allowing spirits and other foul play to easily scoot upstairs from the main entrance.

Nevertheless, my parents did not heed their advice, and to be honest, I've never felt quite right with the arrangement. When I first come into the house, the stairwell would spook me. However, my mother did listen to one woman, who advised her to decorate the stairwell with bright colors, to take one's mind off of wandering upwards which, believe it or not, is a common complaint of my mother's whenever we'd throw parties; we'd all furiously clean the downstairs, but leave the upstairs a mess since we figured everyone would stay downstairs where the food was. Somehow, to her dismay, she'd later find out that several of the guests had wandered upstairs and she was mortified that they had "witnessed" the mess. At any rate, isn't that funny how placement in the home has an effect upon human behavior?

At any rate, according to Feng Shui, there are nine sections of the house, three squares by three squares. If one were to enter the main entrance, the first section they enter is the career section. This section is characterized by the water element, and it is recommended that one decorate this part with black and other dark colors to maximize their career success. To the left of this block is the skills and knowledge place. This should be decorated with blues and greens and earthy decorations as it's related to the earth element, and it's best to have one's office in this part of the home to optimize productivity. Just above this section is the family section. This is linked to the wood element. Often, the kitchen is placed here, and serves as the food and health central. Above in the far left corner is the prosperity section, which should be decorated by tons and tons of purples and reds. I myself put red and purple candles everywhere.

Unfortunately, it just so happens that this is where my bathroom is, which is a Feng Shui no-no, but I can counter the ill effects of having a toilet here (it's like having money flushed down the drain) by having purple towels, and gold soap dish containers, and I have gold costume jewelry hanging everywhere, making it look like a harem. And you know what? I think I've saved my finances from going down the drain. (Another tip: always keep the toilet cover down when it's not in use).

The section to the right of the prosperity section is the part designated for fame and reputation. Fire this part up with reds, reds, and more reds. Anything you can think of that's linked to the fire element you should put here. I have lights in my closet, and tons of red shirts hanging up. The block in the far right corner is reserved for love and relationships. The colors used here are pinks and reds. This is linked to the earth element, so patchouli or sandalwood-scented massage oils are great. I also have tons of pink candles here, a pink lamp, and red sheets.

Below this is the creativity and children section, and is marked by the metal element. I use lots of whites and pale colors here, and have this as my inspiration center. Also metal is the section below it, the helpful people and travel section. I have a map of the world here, and the best colors here are silver and grey. I made little cups and holders made out of aluminum here. Then finally, the block in the very center is called the "health and other" section, and is characterized by yellow and the earth element. I put a big earthen vase here to center the entire apartment. Whatever you decide to use in your home, always remember one thing: getting rid of clutter is the best and first way to get good energy flowing through your home.