Feng Shui might not come to mind when you think of wellness, but at its core, it builds good energy. And positive energy is a pillar of wellness, right?

It’s an ancient Chinese philosophy that focuses on balancing and letting energy flow in a specific space. In Chinese, “feng” means wind and “shui’ means water and that combination of elements represents good health. Bad feng shui in your space would bring the opposite a.k.a. bad fortune.

While I haven’t always styled my home around the rules behind feng shui, it’s something I want to experiment with. I love that it makes you analyze each item you bring in, whether that’s furniture, clothing, books, etc, and carefully consider the energy it contains. It basically promotes a detox of our spaces. I also find the idea of aligning and harmonizing positive energy extremely intriguing. You with me?

Challenge: Focus on feng shui in your spaces

Here are some ideas:

General living spaces

• A balance of all 5 elements in each room: wood, earth, metal, fire, and water.
• Bring in natural light, open your doors, have real plants inside.
• Mirrors should also be reflecting pleasant views since they circulate and bring energy.
• Nickel, crystal, brass, or bronze chandeliers.
• TVs are OK in living rooms since it’s a public place.
• Shed light on everything—dark areas or corners especially.
• Only put up/out what you truly love. A cluttered space means a cluttered mind.

Dining areas:

• Choose a table and chairs where people can easily get in and out of their seat.
• Having people’s back towards walls is better than open areas (windows, hallways, etc.). This promotes safety and peace of mind.

Bedroom

• You don’t want active energy around you when you’re trying to sleep, so turning off your phone or having battery-operated tech items is better than things plugged in behind your bed.
• Take everything out from under your bed. That space should be cleared.
• Best case is head of the bed against the furthest wall when you enter the room, but not so that your feet are facing out the door.
• You should have a clear view of the door from where you lay.
• Symmetrical bed side tables, soft colors, and gentle lighting are key.
• No television, no family photos.

Would love to know if you’ve ever experienced the practices behind feng shui, so let me know! Any other tips for me?