What Colors to Use in Feng Shui

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese science that teaches the art of living in harmony with our surroundings. It is based on the philosophy that every object in our environment has an effect on our life force, or "Chi," and affects the balance between the harmonizing energies "Yin" and "Yang." For a happy and fulfilling life, Feng Shui advocates surrounding ourselves with an environment that provides ample Chi and balances Yin and Yang.

Accordingly Feng Shui recommends several rules on constructing your living space and placing objects within it. The rules take into account the size of the space, its orientation, shape, etc. It also recommends beneficial colors, or objects like chimes and mirrors, specific plants, etc.

In our daily lives, it is practically impossible to change our living space. But we can enhance our existing space by choosing the colors that surround us with little effort.

Feng Shui delineates 9 spheres of actions in a human being's life and provides guidelines to apply these rules to each sphere. Such a rule-map called Bagua recommends the right choice of colors to achieve success in each of these spheres.

Below, we look at the recommended Feng Shui colors for each sphere of life.

• Health center - It denotes your physical and emotional energies and corresponds to the center of your home or living space. Brown and shades of yellow are the best colors for this space. Certain shades of green are not advised for this area.

• Fame - Red color and red light are recommended for this area which corresponds to the southern corner of your home. Black and shades of dark blue are considered to dampen the energy in this region.

• Relationships - Shades of pink and rose color in the south-west area of your home are great enhancers of your energies to have fulfilling relationships.

• Creativity - White is believed to enhance your fertility and artistic creativity. The western corner of your living space influences your creative energies.

• Opportunities - The north-west region in your home supports your abilities to find better opportunities in all walks of life. Silver and shades of grey are best enhancers for this area.

• Career - The north side sustains the energy that enables you to grow in your career. Black and dark colors are well suited for the walls here. Shades of yellow are not advised.

• Knowledge - The north-east of your home denotes talent and knowledge and is most enhanced by blue color and bright light.

• Family honor - Use black and green colors on the eastern walls to maintain honor and reputation.

• Prosperity - The south-eastern corner of your home sustains the power to acquire wealth. Shades of red, purple and gold are recommended to enhance this sphere of your life.

In addition to using wallpapers and paints of the recommended Feng Shui colors, you can use rugs, carpets, curtains, furniture upholstery and decorative articles of the suitable color to further increase the life force in your life.