Wood energy is constantly in motion, driven to grow and expand like the green shoots bursting forth in spring. A person with a predominantly wood personality seeks new challenges and adventures. Wood personalities tend to be competitive, bold, direct and ambitious. If you desire to strengthen the qualities of wood in your personality, the most appropriate feng shui artwork would include landscapes, florals, and gardens or abstract art utilizing the colors of wood and mimicking the patterns of bark, growth rings or other aspects of wood.

The wood element represents intuition, luck, confidence, and trust. Wood is associated with the colors green and brown. The wood element is also associated with the tiger and rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. In the constructive/destructive cycles of nature, metal cuts wood and wood moves earth. Understanding the creative and destructive cycles of nature also help to balance the elements by increasing or decreasing one or more elements. For example, if an environment has too much wood, you can decrease the wood element by adding feng shui artwork featuring the metal element.

Pictured: Modern Feng Shui Wall Art (Water Element)

The feng shui symbols associated with the water element reflect the ideas of clarity and reflection. The feng shui symbols in the natural materials category are glass and crystals. Placing crystals or glass objects in a room will help to increase the water energy. The gems and minerals associated with the water element are quartz, aquamarine and sapphire. The connection is the clear of blue colors in these gems. The feng shui symbols for the water element in the shape category include all free flowing shapes such as irregular circles. Think of the shapes that a lake or a body of water night take. Likewise, design motifs for the water element would be smooth, flowing patterns without angles or straight edges.

Artwork exhibiting feng shui symbols for water are fairly self-explanatory: pictures of rivers, rain, waterfalls, oceans or streams. Structures that can serve as feng shui symbols for water include mirrors, birdbaths, fountains and aquariums. Be careful with mirrors that the object being reflected are objects that you want to increase in your life. For example, you might want to have a mirror in your kitchen that reflects that stove or dining table so that an abundance of food will be emphasized. You would not want a mirror placed where it would reflect an alley, a bathroom or a place for garbage disposal.

The quality of the water element is very yin, meaning that it is very light, feminine and expansive. The feng shui symbols in the animal kingdom are tortoises. To multiply this effect, statues often include multiple tortoises, such as smaller tortoises riding on the back of larger tortoises. The colors associated with the water element are black, blue and grey.

Balancing all of the five elements in your home or office can lead to a more enjoyable, prosperous life. Achieving balance through five element feng shui is a matter of emphasizing one or more elements for an intended purpose. Each of the five elements support or nourish each other in some way and can also limit or control each other in other ways. Creating your own personal paradise in your surroundings with an appropriate balance of the five elements will result in a strong foundation for increased happiness and success in all areas of your life.

Kathleen Karlsen, MA, is a professional artist and the author of Flower Symbols: The Language of Love. See Kathleen’s feng shui art at http://kathleenkarlsenart.com/gallery-abstract-art.html and learn more about her book at http://kathleenkarlsenart.com/books-symbols.html.

Feng means wind and shui means water. In Chinese culture wind and water are associated with good health, thus good feng shui came to mean good fortune, while bad feng shui means misfortune.

The art of placement is a good way to describe feng shui. Placement of your furniture, belongings and even yourself within your home or surroundings largely determines your experience. It provides a way of bringing balance, comfort, and harmony into your environment.

We are approaching the topic from a fun standpoint. In other words, we are keeping it light-hearted by sharing three basic principles to get you started. However, we will provide a glimpse of the basis of feng shui.

The Ba Gua and The Compass

The Bagua map, sometimes referred to as a “treasure map”, is used as a guide to help you map the energies of your home along with a compass. The Ba-Gua is an octagonal grid containing the symbols of the I Ching, the ancient oracle on which Feng Shui is based. Knowing the Bagua of your home will help you understand the connection of specific areas of your home to specific areas of your life.

The Lo-Pan is the name of the compass. It is used to define the Bagua of a home in order to access deeper information about a site or a building.

Mastering Feng Shui could take years. It certainly can not be done by simply reading a book or visiting a website. Still, its principles are grounded in common sense and practicality. Thus, following a few simple rules may improve the surroundings in which you live.

Now, let’s get on to the fun part.

Principle #1
Clear clutter to harness positive energy and allow it to flow freely. Remove all obstacles, especially when you enter a room to create more open space and not obstruct the flow of energy.

Principle #2
The fish tank is considered an energy attractor because it has all the five elements with it; that is, water that fills the tank, sand, gravel and small stones, plants and other wooden structures in the aquarium (element wood), the metallic frame of the tank and the stand (element metal) and finally the yellow and orange colors of gold fish (used to bring prosperity) and other fish and the aquarium lighting (element fire). Never place an aquarium in your bedroom, or in your kitchen, as this brings unwanted energies to these two areas. In other words, an aquarium is bad Feng Shui for your bedroom and your kitchen.

Principle #3
Last, but certainly not least I want to share bedroom tips with you because most people spend a great deal of time there. The door should open at last 90 degrees to prevent restriction. Avoid stimulating wall colors; i.e., red or gold, opt for pastels. Do not have a sharp corner facing your bed. Mirrors should not be placed at the foot of the bed, rather to the side of the bed or at an angle. Bed placement under an exposed beam – this is considered a symbol of oppression and will subconsciously offset any feelings of peace or harmony your bedroom gives you.

Never place an aquarium in your bedroom, or in your kitchen, as this brings unwanted Feng Shui energies to these two areas. In other words, an aquarium is bad Feng Shui for your bedroom and your kitchen. Coupling Feng Shui with ethnic home decor is easy. You will have a blast as you incorporate these principles and benefit from the positive changes they bring to your life.

Now that the Feng Shui bug has bitten you perhaps you would like to know more about the subject. Click here for FREE design ideas for Feng Shui ethnic inspired home decor.

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• Furniture Creations Bowl Water Fountain – Perfect for use in one’s bedroom or home office, this small water fountain is a modern art arrangement of four dishes. Each of the dishes are fashioned from faux granite. Gentle, soothing sounds are produced as the water flows from one bowl to another, and the fountain is powered by 120V UL approved pump.

Water Bell Fountain @ Target.com

• Kenroy Home Waterdrop Natural Slate Tabletop Fountain – The natural elements, copper and slate, used in the construction of this tabletop fountain will allow you to bring the elements of nature indoors. The fountain measures nineteen inches in height and approximately ten inches wide. Polished river stones are included to complete the overall ambiance of the fountain.

3-tier Asian Inspired Garden Water Feature

• Kenroy Home Falling Water Indoor Wall Fountain With Oil Rubbed Bronze Finish – Individuals who are looking for a large scale water feature will enjoy this wall mounted indoor fountain, which can be used in almost any room in the home. Its bronze elements will match most style decors seamlessly, and the fountain features interior LED lights to enhance the water feature’s appearance in the evenings.
• Rock Stone With Glass Top Waterfall Indoor Water Fountain – This realistic rock waterfall features a glass tabletop, which allows it to be used as a table in a living room, bedroom, or home office. Three layers of LED lights beautifully enhance its appearance at night. The water pump is included, and you are guaranteed to receive many hours of peaceful relaxation with this beautiful addition to your home.

Stylish Asian Inspired Indoor Water Fountain

• Roger Enterprises Zen Tabletop Water Fountain – The water of this small fountain flows gracefully and gently over attractive amber glass. Each element of this tabletop water fountain has been beautifully carved from alabastrite. The light and pump are included.

Colors

The main colors to focus on in the Asian decor are red, gold, and beige. These colors have been used for many years to create a soft look that everyone can feel comfortable in. Green is also a popular color to use in the Asian decor. Use a yellow and green combination so you are sure to find the right look for your room. With so many different colors to choose from you are sure to create the right look for your bedroom. Take a look online to find pictures of the most popular Asian style decor.

Bedding

When it comes to the bedding in your bedroom decor, you want to create a simple Asian look. Your bed becomes the focal point of the room and that is why you want to make sure that it highlights the main colors you wish to add to your decor. You can add prints and paisley patterns to your bed comforter. You can also use cream colors as well as brown, red, green, and black to your bed. Materials such as brocade, satin, and silk is the most popular materials used to make your bedding complete.

Complete the look with some throw pillows that is made with silky material and in the color that you choose for your comforter. You can use small throw pillows, round, rectangle and square shaped pillows.

Asian Furniture

You want to create an Asian look by finding furniture that has black and or brown tones. Another popular Asian style furniture material is bamboo. This adds a light color yellow tint to your decor and gives your room a new look. Bamboo can grow fast so be prepared for the growth in size when sitting on bedside tables.

You can accent your room by adding paper lanterns or bamboo plants on the tables to incorporate the Asian look in every part of your room. The Asian look is very sophisticated and stylish but at the same time, it is comfortable and warm. This room decor will be relaxing to you for a very long time.

Flooring

The floors in an Asian decor look best with carpeting. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting add Asian style area rugs in front of your furniture and on each side of the bed. The Oriental rugs also look great in the Asian style bedroom. If you want to place carpeting down, use cream color or beige color that is complimented with solid color rugs. You can use your rugs to incorporate the color in your decor. This will give you the freedom to put color in your room.

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Creating a Feng Shui Home

Is your house a “Home SWEET Home?” If it‘s not, you can use the principles of feng shui to create a strong center in your home. Start with one room and work your way around the entire house.

Ditch the Clutter Once & For All

The first thing to do when remodeling your home is to remove all the clutter. And, everyone has clutter. What about that closet you have given up to the dust bunnies? Where do old lawn tools go to die? It’s probably somewhere in your garage.

Hold a yard sale or a swap meet to get rid of stuff you don’t need any more. Donate clothing in good condition to the local charity. Much of the extra stuff contributes to your energy not flowing throughout the house as it should.

Map it Out

Next, create a bagua or energy map of your home. There are four cardinal points (North, South, East and West) and each one can be further divided (NE, NW, SE and SW). You now have eight distinct areas in your home. Each area has a governing element and colors recommended for your use.

Feng shui is applied not only to building harmony and releasing energy in your home but also to cures. Even a home needs to be cured now and then. Have you ever walked into a place and felt depressed or sad? Something is wrong with the energy in that place, according to feng shui theory. Feng shui cures extend to using crystals, essential oils and representations of the five elements to cleanse and bring your home back to a stable energy level.

Know Thy Neighbors (Family Members)

Learn everyone’s governing element. Using the Chinese New Year, determine what element works best for each member of your household. This element can be used more in your bedroom and that of your children. The décor will speak harmony in everyone’s private space.

Each feng shui color has an element associated with it. In the common areas, bring all of the elements together in balance through furniture, artwork, flowers and other features. Using miniature fountains is a great way to bring water into the picture.

Everything In It’s Place

Where everything in your room is placed is also important. You want the energy to flow unhindered. Resist blocking natural doorways with furniture. Avoid re-cluttering your home with a lot of furniture or accents. Less is more. Simple changes make a big difference in a feng shui home.

A feng shui expert can give you direction as to how much of one color to use in any given space. It is your job to be open to the changes suggested to create positive energy in your home.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

If there was any area in the home that needed a boost it’s the bedroom. Ask any couple after a hard day at work and they’ll most likely agree. The principles of element and energy are used in feng shui to bring positive energy to your home and your life. One way this energy flows through your home is dependent on the position of your furniture.

Here are tips to turn your most private area into a sanctuary or a love nest if you choose.

1. Remove everything from your room that doesn’t inspire what you want from your bedroom. We clutter our bedroom space with treadmills (they double as clothes hangers), televisions, radios and the like. All of these things dampen the energy that should flow freely. You have televisions in other rooms so let that be where you watch it.

2. Choose a color that brings balance to your bedroom. According to feng shui, flesh tones are good for adding sensuality to your bedroom. Deep browns are significant with the wood element which brings life and vitality. As you sleep, your body is repairing itself and renewing your energy for the next day.

3. Leave space below your bed for energy to flow all around it. Beds with drawers underneath block the energy in your bedroom from surrounding you. If your sexual energy is running a little low, it is important to have the most positive energy possible in the bedroom.

4. Add artwork. We place artwork in the living room for family and friends to see but in the bedroom, it’s for you. If you want your bedroom to be a sanctuary use photos of tropical places, flowers, and other soothing images that reflect how you want to feel there. To “get in the mood” choose images that bring out the sensual side of you.

5. Adjust the lighting. Different levels of light change the look of the colors in your room. Use candles, soft lighting or dimmer switches to let more light in or keep light out. Natural light nourishes your body and it is no different in your home.

6. Choose a good quality bed and bedding. We’ve talked about the look of the bedroom but not the main item in the room. A bed with a comfortable, well made mattress is essential for adequate rest. A bed with a headboard and a footboard that’s sturdy can be expensive but it’s worth it in the long run. Don’t forget the sheets either. High thread count bedding is soft to the touch and welcoming after a long, hard day.

So, how does your bedroom stack up? If the energy in your room is waning a little, use the above advice to get it moving strong again.

Learn the Colors of Feng Shui

We all have our favorite colors. With the art of feng shui, the use of color takes on an importance beyond whether we like it or not. Learn how color plays a role in your home’s tranquility.

There are five elements that are essential to feng shui: fire, wood, metal, earth and wind. Each element is associated with a color or a group of similar colors that represent its energy. You’ll be surprised to see where you favorite color turns up.

Earth – In feng shui theory, the earth represents stability in your life. It helps you to stay rooted and grounded in your relationships. The colors associated with the earth element are beige and a light shade of yellow. Light colors like these on walls will lighten up a space and make you feel as if anything is possible.

Fire – What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this element? Maybe it’s the heat or a passionate feeling. Both words are used to describe the feng shui fire element. As you might imagine, colors associated with the fire element are red, orange, bright yellow, pink and purple. If you think that pink doesn’t seem to fit, you haven’t seen the “hot” variation. All of these colors will make your heart race and feed your energetic attitude.

Wood – In feng shui, the wood element is an ancient symbol of prosperity. Trees are made of wood and they contain lush green leaves and provide an abundance of oxygen for the people of the world. In keeping with these “life givers” the colors for this element are green and brown. So, it’s not a coincidence that money is green!

Metal – If you’ve ever looked at metal you see how it has definite lines and shapes. In feng shui, metal brings clarity to your life. The colors gray and white represent these qualities.

Water – Water is an element that represents abundance and a refreshing spirit. When you bathe in water it makes you feel clean. Using the colors of blue and black in your home promotes that purity.

Don’t be afraid to add color in your home or office. How and where you use each color is governed by the feng shui energy map of your living area. You may have never thought that red could be an energizing force in your home but according to feng shui principles, it can. Color isn’t just for the walls but also the artwork, furniture and accents. It inspires your dreams, opens your hearts and brings new life into your home.

Feng Shui Your Bedroom

1. Direction of your bed: Before you begin incorporating any other elements, it is important to literally put your bed in the most harmonious position as possible. It is suggested that you either place your bed at a diagonal from the door, or in the view of the door. However, you never want to place your bed directly IN FRONT of the entry of your bedroom. The flow of chi from one area of your home to the next is (and should be) intentionally different, so you may not want the vibrant energy of your entertaining room to flow into
your bedroom – where you rest, relax and go for peace.

2. Don’t place your bed against a wall: You never want to have one side of your bed placed against a wall. This encourages several types of negative energy. For starters – whoever sleeps on that side of the bed will feel disempowered and trap. The wall will also act as a blockade to the chi flow, and like the stagnant waters of a pond, it may begin to “stink”. Not literally of course – but emotionally and spiritually.

3. Clear the stuff from under your bed: No matter how neat and organize you may (or may not) be, storing things under your bed is a huge no-no! Much like positioning your bed against a wall, clutter underneath your bed severely hinders the chi flow of your space.

4. Be cautious of your wall art: This one detail is often overlooked during our decorating process. The wall art you select for your bedroom should be either a reflection of what you want or bring positive energy to what you have. For example, if you are single and want to attract love and romance into your life – avoid images of yourself standing alone, or artist portraits of a woman in a solitude. Pictures of pets and animals may be nice, but you aren’t looking for a dog as a life partner. Find images of healthy love, couples and things like that. On the flip side, if you are already in a relationship, avoid imagery of single people, unhappy looking people or paintings that denote an intense negative emotion.

5. The bedroom is for relaxing: Get rid of the TV, office furniture, work out equipment and things along those lines. Your bedroom suite should be your sanctuary – not your home gym.

These five tips are useful to get you on your way to creating the perfect feng shui inspired bedroom!

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy for creating positive energy in any space. The system is dominated by eight areas of each space and five elements. Here, you will learn about the five elements that define feng shui and give rise to the colors and organization of your space to create an atmosphere of prosperity and health.

The Five Elements

There are five main elements in feng shui theory. They are wood, fire, water, earth and metal. Each element plays a crucial role within the space that you occupy, whether it is your home or your office. After you have used a compass and your home’s floor plan to create the bagua (energy map) the next step is to look at the elements that control each of the eight areas.

Each element has a particular life area that it influences. Knowing what areas those are helps with creating the design of your home and the use of furniture and accents that demonstrate that specific element.

Fire – As you can imagine, anything that has to do with fire inspires a passion that burns deep within. The fire element also adds a high amount of energy to anything that you do. This includes your work (career), your leisure activities and for couples, your sex life.

Water - Water is a refreshing element. Water flows freely bring with it an abundance of good fortune. In ancient rituals of many cultures, water was used as a purifying agent. Using the water element in your home adds purity, abundance of energy and a fresh feeling.

Earth – Have you ever heard of someone who is “down to Earth?” The Earth element brings a feeling of stability and security to your home. Mother Earth nurtures all who live on it and within it. The same goes for the earth element in your home – it nourishes each family member.

Metal – You may be wondering why metal is an element. It seems so hard and impersonal. Actually, metal is used to represent efficiency and clarity of mind and purpose. Your work will have both a well-defined purpose and good qualities when the metal element is present.

Wood – Think of trees. They provide oxygen for all living creatures that need it. The wood element equals health to the body. Healing cures using feng shui include the wood element in their composition. Prosperity in your home is also governed by the wood element.

Each feng shui element serves a different purpose in the home. The associated colors and areas that work best with each element help you to build positive energy throughout your home. Each area will be strong in a particular element and give you a certain feeling when you enter that room.

It sounds like the latest Oriental dish, but feng shui is actually a method of organization and design that brings harmony and peace to your home or office. Read on to learn exactly what these two words mean and how you can benefit from them.

Feng Shui is a spiritual system that began in ancient China about 3,000 years ago. There are many complex notions that go into feng shui but a simple paring down of the philosophy has become popular in the Western hemisphere today. Basically, feng shui revolves around the “chi” or energy that surrounds all life.

The words feng shui literally mean “wind water.” Both concepts are associated with prosperity and good health in the Chinese lifestyle. To have good energy flowing through your home, use the basics of feng shui.

Basics of Feng Shui

In a given living space, each room has its own energy. The energy has to be allowed to flow freely throughout the items within the room to create a total atmosphere of positive things. Who knew that a bathroom had energy? It certainly has a lot of other things, but feng shui teaches us that even a bathroom can bring calm feelings to each family member.

Getting Started – Lopan and Bagua

Practitioners of feng shui use a couple of basic tools to get started. The first tool is the compass. A compass in the woods lets you know which way is up and guides you in the right direction. The same goes for the feng shui compass also called lopan. The compass gives the practitioner a deeper sense of the energy in the home and what needs to be where in order to allow the energy to flow without restraint.

Each of the areas of your home has a different feng shui need. The compass helps to define what colors and feng shui elements need to be represented within each room. It also takes into account which element governs the lives of each person in the house.

The compass looks similar to a compass you would use while hiking. There is a compass needle in the center. The compass itself consists of several concentric circles that guide the practitioner to give you a layout of what your home needs in order to be whole again.

The other tool is the bagua. It is the energy map of the house. Using a blueprint drawing of your home, you can map out the eight areas of the energy map: South, Southeast, North, Northwest, East, Northeast, West and Southwest. Each section of the home has a governing element, color and purpose in your life.

Use the compass to properly divide your home into the eight sections creating your energy map. Knowing what portion of the home is in what area dictates the way you will organize it.

Feng shui theory says that you can affect the energy around you simply by creating a space that is favorable to your life. This involves knowing the five feng shui elements, feng shui colors and how the energy moves throughout each room in your home.