How a Feng Shui Home Helps with Being Present
You can increase your level of being present by making yours a feng shui home. Feng shui (pronounced "fuhng SHWAY"), a Chinese tradition that involves arranging a physical environment for the best energy, seems mystical and even scary to those who haven’t learned about its principles, but feng shui boils down to essentially a healthy dose of common sense as well as a set of mindfulness practices to choose from.
When I moved into a new house, someone bought me Feng Shui for Dummies1 as a housewarming gift. Reading through the book, I noticed right away how many of the feng shui recommendations for the home were actually practices to increase being present.
My Feng Shui Home Makes Me More Present Through Reflection
For example, one feng shui home recommendation includes hanging wind chimes by your exterior doors; the related claim is that a wind chime awakens the soul. I couldn’t help but laugh at this concept, but its ability to increase my level of mindfulness and being present soon made itself known.
While a wind chime itself had never awakened my soul, I started noticing when the one at the front door would move, and I’d jokingly ask someone nearby, “Hey, is your soul awake?”
Gradually, I started to ask myself that question on a more serious level. I saw the wind chime as a trigger to actually think about my soul: am I awake right now? Am I experiencing life in the present, feeling that cool windchime-stirring breeze on my skin and hearing the rustling leaves, or am I just walking out the door thinking about where I’m headed to next?
Learn more about my experiences being present in my feng shui home, and my practical applications of a few of its practices, in this video.
Sources
1. Kennedy, David Daniel, "Feng Shui for Dummies". 2010.
APA Reference
Meredith, M.
(2019, January 31). How a Feng Shui Home Helps with Being Present, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, December 21 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/livingablissfullife/2019/1/how-a-feng-shui-home-helps-with-being-present
Author: Morgan Meredith
Thanks for explaining that feng shui includes hanging wind chimes by the exterior doors to help awaken the soul. My husband and I are interested in becoming more in tune with the energy of the world, and we think learning more about feng shui would be a good place to start. I'm glad I read your article because I didn't previously know about the positive relationship between feng shui and wind chimes.
Thanks Daphne - yes, some unexpected things (unexpected for me at least) were part of the feng shui practice. I hope your journey of learning about feng shui is rewarding!
Love the video with post. This is such a helpful post, on so many levels. It's amazing how our space can have a drastic impact on our overall state of being and mindfulness. When we live in clutter and chaos we are perpetuating that all around us. There is a lot to be said for a space that is organized and artfully flowing.
Thank you! "Artfully flowing" - I love that description. It's a whole new level past organized!