The materials you choose and how you place them in your home can help or hinder your - and the environment’s - well-being.
Design & Decor
Earth, Wind and Fire
Go with the flow and live better through Feng Shui, an ancient and wise practice for going green.
BY
Gloria Gale
PHOTOGRAPHY
iStockphoto/Paul Hill


Photo by iStockphoto/Pattie Calfy

If you knew that just by understanding how the placement of objects in your environment would lead to your well-being, it would make sense to explore the possibilities. The Chinese have known about the interconnectedness of all creation since the ninth century within a philosophical system known as Feng Shui. 

The groundswell of interest in the ancient art of Feng Shui, literally translated as “wind water,” has finally taken hold in Western culture. 

Increasingly, this practice that blends philosophy, science and art seeks to connect people with heaven and earth, which is an auspicious path toward living ‘green.’
Feng Shui practitioner and educator Liz Brown considers this to be her calling. She has chosen to study the art of placement with intention and finds this movement toward conscious living powerfully affirming.

“Living in harmony with the environment is the principle upon which Feng Shui thrives,” she says.

Accordingly, at its most basic, Feng Shui seeks to infuse a life force or energy known as ch’i into everyday life. People who wish to live a more balanced life in concert with their environment are celebrating this holistic approach by bringing harmony between the seen (the environment) and unseen (energy and intention).

As a founding member of the Kansas City chapter of the International Feng Shui Guild (IFSG), Liz asserts, “At the deepest levels, Feng Shui acknowledges all the ways we can sustain a positive impact on the environment, human and economic health.” 

According to the Guild, it’s not necessarily how a space looks but rather how it feels. This is important when designing any space but particularly a ‘green space’ to ensure and restore positive energy.

“With Feng Shui practices rooted in the earth and its energies, when we choose green design, we foster a richer connection to nature, our bodies and our spirits,” says Piper Salogga, Feng Shui practitioner and IFSG member.

The IFSG honors the following ways to integrate green design into one’s environment:
- Recycle, use bio-degradable materials and de-clutter. Supporting renewable or sustainable materials to reduce waste improves the impact on the environment. Use cork, bamboo, reclaimed wood, Marmoleum and rubber flooring. Area rugs or carpeting selections should include natural fibers like jute, woven grasses and wool. Install furnishings with low-chemical content and nontoxic adhesives.
 
- Assess the qualities of each design choice, focusing on the long-term benefits, not short-term aesthetics. Buy local or locally harvested materials to lessen transportation and costs that impact the environment.

- Bring in natural light whenever possible. Use efficient sources of accompanying artificial light: low-watt fluorescent bulbs and/or Smart Strips.

- Save energy by using Energy Star-labeled appliances. Turn thermostats down in winter and up in summer. Go low-flow for bathroom and kitchen water fixtures.

- Promote indoor air quality through optimum ventilation. Use low-VOC paints. Utilize plants throughout interior and   exterior spaces.

Hand-in-hand with green design implies integrating the five elements of wood, fire, water, metal and earth, all designed to achieve essential harmony in the environment. By promoting the five elements, a steady flow of ch’i is maintained. In other words, change your surroundings, change your life.

“There are different colors, shapes, qualities and objects associated with each of the five elements,” Liz says. “When a home or office space contains representations of each, that space is balanced and comfortable, the ch’i is nourishing and harmonious.”

Too much of one or the other can create an unbalanced feeling. Too much white or metal in a room imparts a bleak, sterile attitude. A room devoid of natural light is lifeless and depressing. In contrast, setting positive cures or symbols, utilizing good positioning and thoughtful color choices then assessing flow and clearing clutter can only assist in harmonizing your environment.  

Considering the attention that is paid to placement, Feng Shui employs a template, or bagua, for analyzing each gua, or room. Every room has its own inherent energy. The entryway is the career portal; the living room is the home of wealth and prosperity. The bedroom’s focus is to nourish relationships, while the kitchen is the seat of fame and reputation. All spaces/rooms are infused with individual creativity.

“By utilizing light, sound, plants, water, artwork, aromatherapy, color, moving objects and always inviting in nature…your space is more personal thus more powerful,” Liz says.

For those who follow these guiding principles, the commonality between green, sustainable design and Feng Shui is profound. It’s also a remarkably contemporary way to live, promoting a positive, beneficial life force.

International Feng Shui Guild
705 B SE Melody Lane, Suite 166
Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
www.ifsguild.org