Feng Shui Transformations

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EmPOWering Your Business with Feng Shui! Whether you conduct business from your home or in a more conventional setting—or both—your work space should be a place that supports you. It should be a place in which you can focus‚ stay centered‚ and be alert. It also should be a place where you can feel like‚ and be perceived as‚ a trusted professional who has a handle on things and really knows your stuff. So here are six feng shui principles that you can apply to support yourself in these goals.

PRINCIPLE 1: Put Yourself in a Commanding Position Your desk is the most essential piece of furniture in your office‚ so it’s important to make sure it’s positioned in the most powerful and beneficial spot. That spot‚ called the commanding position‚ should not only help you work with as few distractions as possible‚ it also should keep you from being startled while working. If you place your desk across the room and as far from the door as possible‚ you’ll be able to see anyone who approaches‚ and you’ll have privacy at the same time. You’ll also be able to prevent things from literally and figuratively going on behind your back.

Empower

Any of these positions is fine for your desk—give or take a few feet. Be sure to leave enough room all the way around it‚ and keep the space underneath it free of clutter.

PRINCIPLE 2: Give Yourself Solid Backing
It’s also important to have solid backing as you sit in your commanding position‚ so choose a chair with a high‚ solid back (no cut-out area) and comfortable armrests. These features will give you protection‚ as well as literal and energetic “support from all sides.”

Why is such a chair important?
• From a physical standpoint‚ a chair with a high‚ solid back and armrests helps you sit up straighter‚ so it provides more support for your back‚ spine‚ arms‚ and legs.
• In the context of nature‚ when the practice of feng shui began centuries ago‚ people used it to position themselves as harmoniously as possible amidst the energetic forces of nature. This position allowed them to reap Mother Nature’s benefits most easily and efficiently while not being exposed to her harshness. The ideal position was one with mountains behind‚ and hills and trees on the sides‚ for protection from the elements. In the front was flowing water for abundant nourishment and good health. Today this auspicious setup is referred to as “the armchair position.” So having an office armchair with a high‚ solid back and sturdy armrests will give you support and protection in business. It also will allow you to get the job done while feeling peaceful‚ supported‚ and secure.

NOTE: Today‚ your desk replaces water as a source of income. So a desk in a commanding position supports your goal of getting things done efficiently and effectively so you can get the cash “flowing” to you easily.

Behind your solid armchair‚ you also need solid walls. The walls serve as your safety net. If they could talk‚ they would say‚ “Don’t worry. If you start to lose your balance‚ we’re right here behind you. We’ve got your back. You’re covered. We won’t let you down.”

If the only place you can position your desk and chair is in front of a window or windows‚ there are some things you can do to “cure” this situation. For example‚ you can put curtains or mini-blinds on the windows to provide that needed support. They will do this by preventing the chi—and the people—in your office from speeding past you and/or over your head. (Again‚ think literally and figuratively here.) This is important in any life area‚ but it’s especially important if your desk and your windows are located in Fame & Reputation because when people are constantly being distracted by “what’s going on over your head‚” they’re less likely to pay attention to you and all the good you’re doing.

If curtains or blinds are an impossibility‚ you can hang faceted crystal spheres in the windows. These will deflect the chi back into the room so it can support you as it should. If you only have one small uncovered window behind you‚ one crystal should suffice. If you have a whole wall of uncovered windows behind you‚ however‚ you will need more than one crystal. The general rule of thumb is to use one crystal for every five linear feet‚ but let your intuition be your guide you as you assess the situation and your goals.

PRINCIPLE 3: Put Yourself in the Best Light
This principle is meant literally and figuratively too. When the lighting in your office or work space is just right‚ it raises your body’s chi by reducing eye strain‚ fatigue‚ and irritability. It also helps people see you in the most flattering light‚ so you and your reputation will shine brightly. Another benefit of good lighting is that by “shedding light” on your business affairs‚ you’ll be able to see them more clearly. Consequently‚ you’ll be able to make well-informed choices about them‚ which will add to your glowing reputation.

Since the best kind of light is natural light‚ let as much sunlight into your work space as possible without creating glare. If your room happens to have fluorescent lighting—which can alter people’s brain waves‚ as well as their moods—decrease its negative effects by leaving the lights off alto¬gether and/or adding extra lamps around the room that have incandescent or full-spectrum bulbs. Although full-spectrum bulbs are more costly‚ they work best because they produce a light spectrum that is closest to natural sunlight‚ so their colors help balance the energy of any area or room. Be sure to replace any bulbs that have burned out as soon as you notice them. Doing so will keep you “firing on all cylinders” and will make your daily tasks go much more smoothly.

Choosing Lighting
Studies have shown that different kinds of lighting have definite and measurable effects on our health‚ moods‚ and performance. The best kind of indoor lighting is full-spectrum lighting. This type of lighting is the closest thing to sunlight because it contains all seven colors of the rainbow spectrum in appropriately balanced amounts.

Incandescent and fluorescent lights do not contain balanced amounts of all the colors of the spectrum. For example‚ both kinds of lights have too many yellow-orange wavelengths and not enough green-blue-violet wavelengths. Since each color of the spectrum causes its own energetic and biological responses‚ an imbalance in one or more colors can have harmful effects on our bodies and minds.

If it’s impossible to install full-spectrum lights throughout your entire work space‚ consider installing them in one room or one area of the space‚ or even in one lamp. Then look for changes and improvements in your (and your employees’) behavior and performance.

Full-spectrum lighting improves/increases . . .
∗ mental alertness
∗ concentration/focus
∗ visual acuity
∗ work performance
∗ physical energy/vitality
∗ productivity
∗ immune function
∗ work attendance
∗ calcium absorption

Full-spectrum lighting decreases . . .
∗ lethargy/fatigue
∗ depression
∗ stress/anxiety
∗ migraine headaches
∗ blood pressure
∗ aggressive/violent behavior
∗ cravings (sugar‚ starch‚ alcohol)
∗ cavities (due to increased calcium absorption)
∗ PMS
∗ SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
∗ ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

PRINCIPLE 4: Get Your Workspace in Order (or: Get it Shipshape)
As any sailor worth his salt will tell you‚ it’s impossible to have smooth sailing with lots of poop on your deck. Translation: It’s impossible to work easily and efficiently with lots of clutter in your work space! Clutter affects not only the energy of your space but your bodily energy as well. So here are some suggestions for clearing it out . . . By the way‚ I suggest clearing your clutter before you move your desk (see Principle 1). Doing so will prevent you from having to move a lot of things twice—the first time to a new position and the second time to the trash. An added bonus is that it’ll make your desk a lot lighter when you finally go to move it.

	Sort through your piles and files.
	Do you have piles of files on your desk and around your office? If you do‚ consider the word paperweight for a moment. We all know the traditional meaning of the word‚ but from a feng shui perspective‚ those piles of files are paper weights themselves. And the more piles you have‚ the more paper weight you have. I don’t know about you‚ but I don’t feel the need to carry any more weight than I have to! So I sort through my piles and files often—especially when I end a project. I find that when I finish one project and start a new one with a clean office‚ I’m much better able to focus my energy and attention on the new work to be done. While sorting through your piles and files‚ discard any information that is no longer useful‚ and that includes books whose information is obsolete. When you hang on to old‚ useless information‚ it begins to hang on to you! It drains your energy‚ weighs on your mind‚ and keeps you stuck in the past. It prevents you from being fully present—and in the present—and makes it difficult to focus on the work at hand. If you’re having trouble parting with your paper-weight clutter‚ here’s an idea to remember: When we get rid of the things we no longer need‚ we create the space for new things to arrive—including new clients and new business opportunities‚ which translate into new income!
	Get things off the floor.
	All forms of clutter cause energy to stagnate‚ and stagnation causes people to get stuck. If your office is literally weighed down by all kinds of things on the floor (especially in the corners)‚ you and your clients will have the feeling of being weighed down too. You’ll feel like you’re “going nowhere fast.” Think of it this way: Have you ever tried to set sail and embark on a journey when your anchor was still firmly planted? That’s what it feels like when you’ve got piles of stuff all over the place and you’re trying to get moving at work. Get yourself unstuck‚ lift your energy anchor‚ and watch your business start sailing along!
	Clear your decks—er‚ desk.
	In keeping with the sailing analogy‚ if your office is a sea‚ your desk is a ship. And you‚ in your chair‚ are the captain at the helm. Take a look at your desk. If you had to give your “ship” a name based on what it looks like right now‚ what would that name be? Although I used to call my desk the Titanic‚ today I call it the Love Boat. That’s because when I sit at it now‚ I work from my heart on the projects I love. Also‚ my desk and everything on it support me in my work. It lovingly keeps me afloat‚ energetically and financially.
	Clear the air!
	Given your particular goals‚ you can adjust or enhance the energy of your space by using different scents. Below are several examples of scents you can diffuse‚ wear‚ or even drink in teas to help you achieve your goals.

Using Scents

You can use different scents in your work space to calm or invigorate‚ to enhance concentration and memory‚ and to aid in your recovery during cold and flu season. Whenever possible‚ use concentrated essential oils derived directly from plants‚ since synthetic oils have little or no medicinal properties.

To use scents in your work space‚ try one or more of these options:

Add 4–5 drops of essential oil to 1 cup cold water. Pour the mixture into a glass spray-bottle‚ and spray into the air.

Diffuse essential oils with a cool-air diffuser or vaporizer‚ using the same oil-to-water ratio as above. (Cool-air diffusers or vaporizers won’t alter the chemical makeup of the oil and lessen its therapeutic qualities.)

Dab a few drops of oil onto a cotton ball or cloth; then attach it to a ceiling fan or place it near a vent. (If you’re on the road a lot for work‚ this also works well in your car.)

During break times‚ drink teas that are made from the herbs and flowers from which essential oils are extracted.

Certain essential oils and oil blends can be worn as perfumes that provide extra support throughout the day. Check the label and product information to make sure a particular oil can be used in this way.

To awaken and energize‚ try . . .
peppermint	spearmint	eucalyptus	jasmine
ginger	lemon	rosemary

To lift sadness and/or depression‚ try . . .
basil	geranium	jasmine	spiced apple (tea)
orange	hyssop	patchouli	spruce

To relieve anxiety‚ try . . .
cedarwood	rosewood	sandalwood	bergamot (found in Earl Gray tea)
pine	juniperberry	lavender	clary sage

For mental clarity‚ focus‚ and memory enhancement(*)‚ try . . .
basil*	peppermint	grapefruit	lily of the valley
rosemary*	clove	lemongrass	ginger

To balance and calm the emotions try . . .
melissa	lavender	sandalwood	chamomile (blue or Roman)
geranium	ylang-ylang	sweet orange	rose/rose hip tea	pine

For coughs and/or colds and flu‚ try . . .
clove	lemon	cinnamon	eucalyptus	rosemary
spruce	pine	tea tree	peppermint	lavender

NOTE: Essential oils are extremely concentrated. Avoid putting them directly on the skin unless indicated‚ and don’t use them without supervision if you are pregnant. Also‚ if you have asthma or allergies‚ begin with smaller amounts of oil until you’re sure there are no adverse reactions.

PRINCIPLE 5: Adjust the Energy of Your Space
In my book Feng Shui Essentials: A How-to Guide for Creating the Life You Desire‚ I give a thorough explanation of the nine life areas‚ or guas‚ that exist in every building‚ room‚ or plot of land. I explain why each gua has its own color or colors‚ and why several guas also have their own shapes and element. The bagua map below gives the locations of the guas‚ as well as their business applications. When you superimpose this bagua map over a scale drawing of your office or work space‚ you can locate its guas and begin adjusting their energy. Once you’ve achieved a harmonious balance and flow among the guas‚ you’ll be well on your way to turning your business intentions into reality!

PRINCIPLE 6: Use Colors to Dress for Success
Achieving balance and meeting your goals doesn’t stop at including colors in your work space. Wearing different colors or carrying them on your body can also give your intentions a boost. Several of the colors on the bagua map are explained below. Feel free to test out their energy according to your specific goals!

Use or wear BLUE when you’d like to . . . • take in new information with a clear and open mind • be perceived as trustworthy and knowledgeable • express yourself confidently and creatively	BLUE helps you feel/be/appear . . . • expressive • intuitive • calm
Use or wear BLACK when you’d like to . . . • be a solid presence in the company of others • have a sense of purpose and direction in life • be clear and decisive when making important choices	BLACK helps you feel/be/appear . . . • grounded • powerful • directed
Use or wear GRAY when you’d like to . . . • be perceived as helpful and reliable • attract helpful clients‚ suppliers‚ and employees • take yourself or your business to new heights	GRAY helps you feel/be/appear . . . • dependable • professional • mature
Use or wear GREEN when you’d like to . . . • get along better with your business associates • promote a more harmonious working environment in which people respect and appreciate each other for their unique gifts and talents	GREEN helps you feel/be/appear . . . • generous • kind • inclusive
Use or wear YELLOW when you’d like to . . . • improve your ability to concentrate and focus • improve your memory and organizational skills • create a healthy and supportive work environment	YELLOW helps you feel/be/ appear . . . • cheerful • stimulating • confident
Use or wear ORANGE when you’d like to . . . • feel more joyful • “lighten up” and see the humor in things • be more friendly and outgoing in social situations	ORANGE helps you feel/be/appear . . . • good-natured • happy • fun-loving
Use or wear BROWN when you’d like to . . . • feel more stable‚ grounded‚ and “down-to-earth” • feel protected‚ secure‚ and supported in life • become less fearful amidst change	BROWN helps you feel/be/appear . . . • solid • stable • secure
Use or wear WHITE when you’d like to . . . • feel more peaceful‚ calm‚ and centered • improve your creativity and problem-solving skills • get along better with your employees	WHITE helps you feel/be/appear . . . • aware • insightful • creative
Use or wear PURPLE when you’d like to . . . • attract more money to yourself and your business • improve your money-management skills • increase your prosperity consciousness	PURPLE helps you feel/be/appear . . . • resourceful • imaginative • prosperous
Use or wear RED when you’d like to . . . • hold people’s attention while you’re speaking • feel more confident in yourself and your abilities • raise your energy when you’re feeling fatigued	RED helps you feel/be/appear . . . • outgoing • energetic • bold
Use or wear PINK when you’d like to . . . • get along better with your business partner/s • promote a sense of optimism among your co-workers and/or business associates	PINK helps you feel/be/appear . . . • understanding • empathetic • optimistic

Juliette Looye, M.Ed.
630.512.0436
juliette.looye@sbcglobal.net

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