Feng Shui is one of those terms that most people have heard of, but they aren’t really sure exactly what it is.
Maybe you know it has some vague connection to home decor or, you have heard people use it in relation to minimalism, but otherwise, you don’t know the ins and outs.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Feng Shui was extremely popular in the 1990’s but since then it has faded away, with Scandi-minimalism, Hygge and industrial designs taking its place. So, it hasn’t been as popular in recent years and lots of people haven’t heard of it.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is obsolete. In fact, Feng Shui might be more applicable to modern life than ever before…
But First, What Exactly Is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is a term that applies to ancient Chinese art and science that was created over 3,000 years ago with some parts of it being created 6,000 years ago.
Feng stands for wind and Shui stands for water and both things are connected to great wellbeing in Chinese culture. Having good Feng Shui means having excellent health and good fortune.
Feng Shui encompasses all kinds of things including hardened scientific evidence, physics, astronomy, astrology and huge elements of nature and the outdoor world.
Naturally, it connects to the idea of the Chi, which means energy. So, everything around us has an energy and of course, that energy can be good or bad. Feng Shui also connects to yin and yang, or the idea of opposites that cannot survive without one another.
This YouTube video on Feng Shui explains the basics in a really easy way if you’d like to learn more.
Feng Shui And Home Decor
So what does everything explained above have to do with home decor?
Feng Shui relates to home decor, or decor of any kind because it relates heavily to placement. How we place both ourselves and our things in our home, has a direct connection to the energy’environment’ we create.
How we place a pot plant next to our bifolding doors (check out this stunning range from Vufold), how our garden furniture is arranged outdoors, which colours we use in our kitchen and even which direction the bed faces are all considerations that would fall under Feng Shui. Each application is unique to the person using the philosophies.
Overall, information provided by Feng Shui and the knowledge it comes with is fantastic for teaching all of us how to create harmony in our homes and workspaces. The idea is to create energy that helps anybody who interacts with the space to have good health.
Feng Shui can also be applied to all other areas of your life because it relates to harmony, balance and good energy.
Is Feng Shui Relevant In The Modern World?
Feng Shui came about as a design trend in the 90’s but the whole philosophy behind it goes much deeper than a trend. Some people base their entire lives on Feng Shui and it is possibly even more relevant now than it ever was before.
Current statistics show us that:-
- In the last year 74% of people have felt so stressed they felt unable to cope
- 526,000 workers are suffering from work related stress
- Millenials are at a higher risk of mental health issues
- 66% of people feel they do not have a work-life balance
The whole world needs balance, and that is exactly what Feng Shui revolves around. You can apply it to everything from the way you lay out your office, to how you approach time with your loved ones.
Based on shocking statistics directly in relation to the balance many of us lack in our lives, Feng Shui absolutely has a place.
How To Include Feng Shui In Your Life
In order to truly Feng Shui your life, you will need to get stuck into research. Understanding how it works is an excellent way to start introducing it into your work life, personal life, and in your approach to your life.
In the meantime, these five tips are great, simple starting points for letting Feng Shui improve your life:
- Feng Shui your living environment, so you have a sanctuary in which to build everything else from the ground up.
- Utilise Feng Shui for work productivity to enable you to be more successful.
- Clear your slate by decluttering and clearing both your mind and your home, ready to take in more information.
- Don’t be afraid to Feng Shui your garden, outdoor spaces naturally lean towards the philosophies of Feng Shui.
- Don’t try to be perfect with Feng Shui, it is a constant learning process and by its very being, is about balance so you should approach your application of it and your learning with balance too.
Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving
– Albert Einstein
Any source of information that can help you have better energy and better health is something to value and learn about.
In a world where balance seems to be as valuable as gold, and where we are all stressed to the point where, some of us feel we cannot cope, Feng Shui isn’t only applicable, but it might even be necessary.
