How about a little Feng Shui in Your Bedroom?
The ancient Chinese system of Feng Shui is governed by a series of rules designed to optimize the flow of Chi energy in your home. Good Chi is said to promote happiness, enhance your romantic life, and improve your quality of sleep.
‘Feng’ is the Chinese word for wind, and ‘shui’ means water. These two elements together symbolize the flow of life that we should aspire to have in our homes. The placement of furniture and the type of furniture that you choose are all important to maximise the flow of positive energy in your bedroom and promote good Chi. Good Chi makes for a good night’s sleep and helps you take on what life has to throw at you. Good Chi is created through balance, harmony and symmetry. It helps give you confidence, purpose and direction which in turn influences your health, wealth and happiness.
Feng Shui divides the world into five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each element is considered to have either Yin or Yang qualities. Yin, means “female” or “moon,” and represents darkness, femininity and passivity. Yang means “male” or “sun” and represents light, masculinity and activity. Wood and fire are Yang. Earth possesses a balance of Yin and Yang qualities. Water is Yin. Metal can be both Yin or Yang depending on its malleability. Complicated huh? Well no worries, the work has already been done for you… just follow these Feng Shui tips to ensure your energy flows in the right direction and you will be on your way good night’s rest!
Position of the bed: Doorways are considered to have a strong flow of unwanted inward energy which can be too active and unsettling when you are trying to rest. Avoid placing the bed close to or directly in line with a doorway. The head of the bed should be North facing if possible, which will allow for a quieting of the mind, self-introspection and restorative deep sleep.
Windows: Good Feng Shui design would never place the head of the bed directly under, parallel to, or across the room from a window. There is way too much energy flow going on which will decrease vitality and potentially lead to health issues. If you cannot avoid this then layer the windows with curtains and blinds and always keep window dressings closed at night. Good curtains drawn while sleeping can form a ‘wall’ and calm the room. The best place for a widow is at the side of the bed.
Bedside Tables: Place a nightstand at either side of your bed to create balance. Declutter your nightstand. Your aura field is about an arm’s-length all around you and whatever is in your energy field will affect your sleep. If you have phones or paperwork on your bedside table you will wake up and immediately start thinking about them. Keep these items away from the bed to create calmness. Only a book that you are reading, a lamp and perhaps a glass of water should be there.
Under the Bed: The energy field beneath your heart and your head should remain clear. If you store things under your bed move them all to the foot end so the space where you are thinking and feeling is open. When you wake up in the morning your brain needs to be totally clear to have a successful day ahead.
Avoid White Walls: White walls can create a depressing space to sleep in but bright colours too can be problematic. Red, which represents fire is too much energy to try to go to sleep in. Blue is a water colour and puts you in survival mode as if you were drowning and green is both a day colour and is not conducive to for romance! Avoid these colours in large amounts, although they can make very nice accent colours in smaller doses. Instead plump for earth and metal tones or soothing muted tones… silver, gold, grey, browns with a little dusty pink and pale yellow would be really Zen and help you catch those ZZZZZ’s.
Wall Art: Avoid water images above your headboard… pictures of rain, lakes or sea can create feelings of vulnerability. Wild animals are also a Feng Shui no-no. Pick landscapes, beautiful quotes or abstracts in soft tonal hues which are more calming and restful. The image across from your bed is important too. It should be something inspiring or something that makes you happy as it will affect the rest of your day.
Mirrors: Be careful with your placement of mirrors, they reflect way too much energy when you should be sleeping. Do not place mirrors above the headboard. If you need a mirror in the room just make sure that it doesn’t reflect any portion of the bed and you will be fine.
Flooring: Every object has a Yin (female) or Yang (male) energy, and one of the most important aspects of Feng Shui is balancing these two. Hardwood floors have a very “Yang” energy, so balance that out with softer elements, like curtains and rugs which have Yin energy.
Lighting: Avoid lighting directly above your head but instead try to place wall lights above the nightstands. Make sure the central lighting is dimmable to induce quiet thoughts.
Furniture: You should also aim for rounded edges when you choose your bedroom furniture. Furniture with a live edge or with organic shapes would be fantastic. Aim for wood or wood and metal but do not choose mirrored furniture, melamine or PU plastic.
The Bed: Feng Shui the very heart of your bedroom with the right beds and bedding. Choose natural materials over synthetic and muted colours over bold. There are plenty of beds made by good manufacturers today that fit this bill. Many of whom ‘grow’ their own fibres to be used in their mattresses, so there are ecological and personal wellbeing benefits to choosing these brands too. You can ask a good bed specialist to point you in the right direction. Headboards are also important, as they represent stability and support in your life, and this is especially significant for your romantic relationships. The best headboards are solid wood which is an element that promotes good Chi, just make sure it does not have any perforations of any kind. Upholstered and padded headboards are great for a Feng Shui bedroom especially if they have rounded corners. Anything pointed in the room should be removed.
The bedroom is not just a place to sleep but a place to get re-energized. You need to connect with your bedroom and feel that it is sacred space where you can feel safe. If your bedroom doesn’t feel quite right just follow the suggestions above, make sure you have a good balance of elements in the room and you will be off to a great start. Why not enjoy a little Feng Shui in your bedroom?
Sweet Dreams!
- 27th April 2021