Office Feng Shui- Wind and Water Yourself to Harmony

RISMEDIA, May 25 -- “Feng Shui” - pronounced “Foong Swee” in Cantonese or “Fong Shwee” in Mandarin literally means “wind” and “water.” Either way you say it, the ancient Chinese system is designed to create a harmonious flow of energy in your home and office. No doubt you’ve heard a lot about it and may have been totally confused by it. This article will focus on your workspace and how to harness the benefits of Feng Shui to enhance your business.

Here are some simple ways to improve the flow of energy. Start with the clutter. Clutter is very bad feng shui. For some helpful ideas on how to remove clutter read the iSucceed article “Give Yourself More Time—Spring Cleaning for Realtors.“

Now let’s start with your desk. Draw yourself an octagon; freehand is fine. (Or, using Microsoft Word, go to Page Setup in the File menu, choose Paper Size and click on Landscape. Go to Auto Shapes at the bottom of your screen, click on the arrow, choose Basic Shapes, select the octagon. Size to desired width and length. Add text by choosing the text box icon at the bottom of your screen or simply write on the diagram.)

Why an octagon? The Chinese believe that space is divided into eight different sections corresponding to our life situations. Each has a color associated with it. They are, starting at the bottom of the octagon and moving clockwise:
Career—color: black
Knowledge/Self-cultivation—color: black/ blue/green
Family/Health—color: green
Wealth—color: blue/purple/red
Fame—color: red
Marriage—color: red/pink/white
Children—color: white
Helpful People/Travel—color: white/gray/black

Ready to use your diagram? Imagine your diagram superimposed over your workspace. If you sit facing the center of your desk, that’s the Career position. If you sit off to the left, you are in the Knowledge position; off to the right, the Helpful People. Your computer is probably in the Wealth or Fame position.

Start simply with color - For instance, if your desk chair is black, that’s great. If not, add a piece of black fabric, a black cushion or hang black sweater on the back of your chair. For red, you could use a red paper clip holder or a small red lacquered box. Purple could be a stapler. For green, a small plant works (plants are excellent in general). A silk plant or flower works just as well and requires no care except the occasional dusting. Use a blue paper holder or a blue box of tissues. Chances are your computer and printer are tones of gray; are they in the correct position? White is easy. Think of all that paper on your desk. (Caution: white is the color of mourning in Chinese culture so use the color wisely.)

Get Daring - The most popular symbol for Wealth is fish. Remember how often you see an aquarium at the front of a Chinese restaurant? Don’t worry, no one is asking you to put an aquarium on your already crowded desk. You can buy a small porcelain fish in any number of places. Or try a picture of a fish or a small dish with a fish on it to hold pushpins or stamps. Add an amethyst to your dish; purple is definitely a Wealth color. If your computer is in the Wealth position, mount the porcelain fish on the top of it or tape a picture to it. Since computers are part of your Wealth cycle in your work, you can treat it as more than a tool. Decorate it with color and fish. Or use a fish screensaver. If you really want to stoke this position, add a small statue of a Happy Buddha or a Prosperity Buddha.

Start Small - You don’t have to rearrange your work area or desk all at once. Just start simply and make the changes you want to make over a period of time. You’ll still start seeing a difference right away. Have fun and use your imagination.

By Emily Bell

This article is brought to you courtesy of the real estate mentoring and online coaching company http://www.iSucceed.com

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: editorial@rismedia.com

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