Creating a Feng Shui Power Office – 6 Easy Steps to Successful Surroundings

More and more people are looking to gain an edge in their working environments. One method that businesspeople are increasingly turning to is feng shui. Feng shui promises that by arranging your office environment correctly, it is possible to create a better career for yourself, and that it can, in turn, promote further opportunity and advancement.

In feng shui, there are a few very basic, yet potent, guidelines to creating an effective office environment – and that can instantly boost the career quotient of almost any office inhabitant. Although, some offices may require more extensive rearrangement to help promote success, most offices only require a few modest changes. Use these suggestions to help you create your own “Power Office.”

1. Sit in the power position.
This is situated opposite and diagonal from the door or opening to the room. The desk should be here facing the door. Draw more emphasis to this area by creating a focal point with a lamp, artwork, tall plant, etc.

This also helps create a straight line of sight to this area, imbuing even more power and authority. What’s more, this corner is also considered the lucky corner of any room – so you definitely want your desk there!

If possible, try to use personal feng shui by tapping your personal auspicious directions.

2. Sit behind a power desk.
A power desk is one that is substantially-sized and correctly placed. A power desk is never an L-shaped desk (the shape of which is like a cleaver or hatchet, and is thought to cut the person sitting at the desk). It also has specific dimensions.

Here are dimensions for an auspicious desk (in inches):
75Lx43WX33H or 66-70Lx24-27Wx32-33H
Small desks are deemed inauspicious and thwart future growth.

3. Sit in a power chair.
A good chair is one with a high back and arm rests (solid, if possible). Although the chairs that are designed for the back are very popular right now, their open weave does not provide good symbolic support for the person occupying them.

4. Put power behind you.
Power includes symbols of mountains, banking or business photographs, and your boss. Be sure that your desk does not face your boss’ desk, but rather, he or she is behind you — even if he or she is on the other side of the building. This also means you should never sit with a window (no support; unless it is a window with a view to a very prominent business or bank), door (no advancement), or bookshelves (backstabbing) behind you.

5. Get power in front of you.
Keep the path in front of your desk open and clear. If there are obstructions, such as chairs, etc., the path to a rise in your career will also be obstructed.

6. Activate your desk dragon.
Put fresh flowers in the left-hand corner of your desk (as you are sitting at it). Or, place a plant in this corner. This is the ‘dragon side’ of your desk and it benefits tremendously from the special energy of plants and flowers. Never, ever put bonsai plants in your office, or your career will be stunted and short-lived. Nor should you decorate with cactus, or your career will be riddled with problems and difficult working relationships.

© K Weber Communications LLC 2002-2009
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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in classical Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE Ebook “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit http://redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

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Fun Shui — Feng Shui Symbols and Activities Bring Happiness, Success, and Wealth

Some of the best feng shui isn’t all about turtles and fountains, mountains and facing directions. It’s about fun. Good feng shui can change to great feng shui with the addition of fun, enjoyment, festivities and happy times. That’s because the vibrations of laughter and enjoyment permeate our surroundings and if you home is the location for happy gatherings full of festive people, then you’ve done a lot toward making your feng shui better – and that changes your outlook, your happiness, and your bottom line, too!

Most truly wealthy people have lots of fun and enjoyment in life – most likely because they can afford it. But, that’s not the only reason why. Every time we have pleasant and enjoyable times in our house, we build on happiness energy. This kind of energy creates excellent sheng chi that raises our energy level and that attracts prosperity and business and financial opportunities. Try these tips for increasing your “fun” shui.

Have fun at home.
Make your home party central. By inviting guests and enjoying pleasant conversation and good times, you do a lot to lift the energy of your home. Even simple steps like playing games with your family fill your home with laughter. Or, try making a family meal in the formal dining room on Saturday or Sunday nights a weekly treat. All of these things can raise your chi and the chi of your home.

Liven up yourself.
A friend of mine once joked that she had enough black clothes in her closet to outfit eight women for a funeral. Bring extra energy to yourself and lift your personal chi by wearing bright and vivid colors. The colors imbue us with their energy. On days I want to be extra productive and energetic, I wear brown slacks (big wood) with a red shirt (fire) because big wood makes a big fire! Money on your mind? Wear black pants and a green shirt. Want to get along with everyone and inspire happiness? Pair beige or gold pants with a red shirt.

Bring in new energy.
New objects for the home brings new energy to your home. A new object for yourself re-energizes you. Or, try doing something new. Explore a nearby city, go to a new restaurant, do something you’ve always wanted to do or try. New energy is so important. It keeps our homes and us revitalized and energetic. Keeping ourselves surrounded by new energy helps keep our energy level high and looking forward in an expectantly positive outlook – and that draws more love, money, and happiness to us.

Figure out what makes you happy.
If a bouncy new kitten makes you break out in a smile, why not go to your local shelter and adopt a new cat? It’s important that we make choices that make us happy. Sometimes the hard part is figuring out what that is that makes us happy. Make a list of ten things that make you happy – whether that’s hot chocolate in the morning or a cute figurine on your desk. If you see something you really love, and I mean really love, buy it. There is no better feng shui than being surrounded by things you really, truly love and enjoy.

Symbolize happiness.
Once you know what happiness looks like to you, find a symbol for it. Maybe that symbol is a word, a figurine (I just love lucky cats!), or something you have already. One important symbol for happiness in feng shui is Buddha. A fat, happy Buddha often carries a bag in one hand or over his shoulder or sits on  a bag. This symbolizes his carrying your burdens and worries. For this reason, I keep one on my desk to cheer me with his chipper countenance.

Another symbol of happiness is the lucky cat. The darling cats bring happiness energy to the cash registers of many Asian businesses – and money. I have a small collection of them myself. Annual animals are also another harbinger of happiness. Each year, small figures of the animal of the year are made and sold in Asian gifts shops. Many of them are happy and smiling. Last year I bought a smiling rat and this year I have a happy ox! Find one that appeals to you and makes you happy.

© K Weber Communications LLC 2002-2009
——————————————————————————–
Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in classical Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE Ebook “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit www.redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

WANT TO PUBLISH THIS ARTICLE?
You have permission to publish this article as long as the tagline above is included and no changes are made to the article. A courtesy copy of your publication or link would be appreciated.

Common Questions about Feng Shui

Feng Shui FAQs
Common Questions about Feng Shui

1. What is the difference between traditional Chinese feng shui and western, or Black Hat Sect, feng shui?
Black Hat Sect or western feng shui uses the front door to align the bagua, the eight sided octagon that corresponds to the 8 Aspirations, or guas, in life (wealth, health, fame, marriage/love, children, career, wisdom, and benefactors). Black Hat sect aligns the career sector, or gua, with North, the career sector. Traditional Chinese feng shui says that if your front door faces east, you align the east gua with your front door. In other words, you follow the compass directions.

2. Can I use both Black Hat and traditional Chinese feng shui?
You can, but you need to know what you are doing. It’s usually best to use one method or the other. If you’ve had good results with the Black Hat, stick with that. If you’ve done well with traditional feng shui, then use this as your preferred method.

3. Do I use the bagua over the house or over a room?
You can use both. Apply the bagua over the entire house by the facing direction. Apply the bagua in a room according to the compass directions. You can apply the bagua to areas as large as a city or as small as your desk. There’s no limit to how it can be used with regard to size.

4. I have an L-shaped house. Should I apply the bagua to both sides of the L or to the entire home?
I typically recommend that you apply it to the whole footprint of the home, and this usually means that there will be large sectors that are missing. Some recommend applying two separate baguas to each “rectangle” of the L. However, that doesn’t treat the house as a whole, and that is what concerns me about doing it that way. If you prefer to apply it this way, though, you certainly can.

5. Can I use personal feng shui and compass feng shui together?
Yes! They go easily together.

6. What if I am an east person and my spouse is a west person in personal feng shui. How do we decide whose feng shui to focus on?
The Chinese are very old fashioned about this. Basically, you select to enhance the breadwinner’s directions, regardless of who is male or female. The person who brings home the most income should be protected. Therefore, if you’re the breadwinner and you are an east person, then you will want to select a house with an east-facing entrance and position your bed according to your best directions.

7. If I move my bed to suit my personal feng shui, my bed lines up on the same wall as the door. Is that OK?
No, it’s not good. Never forsake good feng shui basics (easily be able to see who enters the room from a chair or bed) in favor of your best directions. Always follow good feng shui first before following personal feng shui.

8. The south is my total loss direction according to personal feng shui. What can I do to enhance my fame sector?
The south is still the fame sector and you should enhance every direction regardless of whether or not that sector is good for you personally. That’s because when you enhance a particular sector, you aren’t magnifying your bad luck…you’re just enhancing that area and that’s still good for you. Personal feng shui just means that you try to avoid sitting and sleeping in those sectors that are not personally beneficial for you, not that you avoid them altogether or that you don’t enhance them.

It’s ideal if you can select houses with beneficial directions, such as entrances in your best directions, and you want to face, sit, and sleep using your personal directions as much as possible. So, even if your dining room is in your loss sector, you can still eat seated facing your health direction, for example.

9. Do I have to change things around every year for feng shui? Can’t I just “feng shui and forget it”?
Of course you can. Even simple, easy feng shui is still very effective. But, there are some who want more and more detail. Feng shui is a complex art that has been developed over the past few thousand years. Anyone who studies anything in detail delves deeper and deeper with each passing year. Feng shui can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Don’t feel obligated to follow flying star or annual feng shui if you don’t want to.

10. I live in Australia. How does that change my feng shui?
It doesn’t. I have no idea why that notion that everyone “Down Under” doesn’t have the same directions ever got started. South is still south in Australia and New Zealand and Argentina, for that matter. You use the directions exactly the same way below the equator that you do above because the compass needle moves to the north in Australia the same way it does in Morocco. Only the toilets go in a different direction when they flush!

11. If I put a fountain on the right side of my door (looking out from the house toward the street), does that mean my husband will have an affair?
This is a common question many people have about water to the right of the front door. What it means is that the water could draw predatory females who are interested in your husband. If you trust your husband, it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve had a fountain to the right of my front door before and mentioned it to my husband just in case. If your husband has a wandering eye, though, you might not want to chance it!
© Kathryn Weber, All rights reserved

Would you like to use this article on your website or publication? You can. Simply include the entire, unchanged article with the blurb below with a link back to this site. A courtesy email would be greatly appreciated!

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in authentic Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE E-book “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit www.redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

The Five Elements – Feng Shui’s Building Blocks

There are five elements at the foundation of feng shui, and understanding them is key in feng shui. This knowledge helps you control the feng shui in your home and office. Understanding the five elements is an essential part of building the good energy in your home and controlling the negative energy — so learning about the five elements is an important investment of your feng shui time.

The elements include metal, wood, water, earth, and fire. They’re collectively called Wu Xing. Each element is related to an energy present in the earth and to a season of the year. For instance, fire is related to the summer months. Each element represents a different type of chi, such as growing chi, ripening chi, or spreading chi.

The way these elements interact with one another can either create harmony or disharmony. That’s because the elements correspond to one another differently. There are three ways in which the elements respond to one another: 1) Generating or productive, 2) exhaustive or reducing, and, 3) destructive. In a generating cycle, the elements enhance one another. For instance, water makes plants grow. Therefore, the water element enhances the wood element.

What does all this mean for you? Well, if you have an east sector that you want to enhance, you would improve it by adding water. The same is true for southeast, because it’s also a wood sector. If your home faces south (the fire direction), then what do you throw on a fire to make it grow? That’s right, wood. So, by painting your home brown, if it faces south, or adding plants in this area, you will be “enhancing” or producing more of your south/fire element.

Likewise, when you have a problem area, you’ll want to exhaust or destroy the energy. A good example of this is the bathroom located in the center, northeast, or southwest sectors of the house. These are all earth sectors. Plants, whose roots dive deep into the soil for nourishment, destroy the earth by using it up. Likewise, metal is also taken out of the earth, exhausting it.

So, in the earth sectors you can either destroy or exhaust the negative energy of the toilets by either adding more metal elements or wood elements. In this case, you could choose to paint your bathroom white, or simply add a plant in the bathroom. Either way, you’ll help to hold down the negative toilet energy.

Let’s go through the elements one by one…

1. Water
Water is the direction of the north. It’s color is black, blue, or deep purple. It’s enhanced by metal and destroyed by earth (dams contain water) and exhausted by wood (plants drink water). This makes having metal in a water location a benefit, and wood or earth a detriment. It’s associated with the number 1.

2. Earth
Earth is associated with the northeast, center, and southwest sectors. It’s enhanced by fire and destroyed by wood and exhausted by metal. It’s color is beige or yellow. It’s associated with the numbers 2, 5, and 8.

3. Wood
Wood is associated with the direction of east (big wood) and southeast (small wood). It’s enhanced by water, destroyed by metal (think of an ax against a tree) and exhausted by fire. It’s color is brown or green. It’s associated with the number 3 (east) and 4 (southeast).

4. Metal
Metal is associated with the west (small metal) and the northwest (big metal). It’s produced by earth and destroyed by fire and exhausted by water. It’s associated with the numbers 6 (northwest) and 7 (west) and the colors of white, gray, and gold (metallic gold, not ochre).

5. Fire
Fire is associated with the south. It’s enhanced by wood, exhausted by earth (think of throwing dirt on a fire), and destroyed by water. It’s associated with the number 9 and red is its color.
This diagram shows graphically how the elements work together

Now that you know how the elements work, you can begin making beneficial changes to the feng shui in your home.
© Kathryn Weber, All rights reserved

Would you like to use this article on your website or publication? You can. Simply include the entire, unchanged article with the blurb below with a link back to this site. A courtesy email would be greatly appreciated!

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in authentic Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE E-book “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit www.redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!