Bring Feng Shui Into Your Bedroom

In this frenetic world we think of our bedroom as a place to retreat from stress and worry. What better way to wind down from your day than with a bedroom created with the ancient Chinese secrets of Feng Shui (pronounced "Fong Shway") in mind? Feng Shui brings a pleasing balance in our home décor but more than that it helps us live successful, happy lives.

Restore Energy

Feng Shui can work well in any room, and for best effect, should be used throughout the home. But in the wintertime when the days get shorter and the nights long and cold, bring Feng Shui into your bedroom to help you restore your energy and refresh your soul.

Here's how to map out your bedroom to reflect Feng Shui principles for greater harmony:

1) Draw a rough square outline representing your bedroom on a piece of plain paper. The wall containing the main entrance to your bedroom should be drawn at the lowest line of your square.

2) Divide your drawing into nine squares, three rows containing three squares each.

3) Begin with the bottom row of squares—the entrance of the room—and mark the lower left hand corner square "knowledge." The center square is "career" while the square in the lower right hand corner is "helpful people/travel."

4) Continuing with the middle row of squares which represents the midsection of the room, mark the far left square "family/health," the middle square as "Tao" which means "center" and the square at center-right is for "creativity/children."

5) For the top final row, starting once again at the left-hand side of the square, mark the far left square "wealth," the middle square "fame/reputation," and the far right square "relationships/romance."

Your bedroom map should look like this:

Wealth—Fame/Reputation—Relationships/Romance

Family/Health—Tao—Creativity/Children

Knowledge—Career—Helpful People/Travel

Attracting Principles

6) Now that you know how the room is divided, choose objects that illustrate these principles to make them tangible within the room. This will attract these qualities to proliferate within the space you've created.

*Knowledge—books, bookcase, tools that help actualize your development

*Career—items with a connection to water, mirrors, photos or images that lend support to your goals.

*Helpful People/Travel—photos of people who help you.

*Family/Health—heirloom items, plants, family photos.

*Creativity/Children—artwork and art supplies, personal computer.

*Wealth—fountains, fish, jewelry, money, items colored gold, purple, or red.

*Fame/Reputation—awards or certificates, plants, candles, items colored orange, purple, or red.