Very recently, a friend of mine moved to a beautiful apartment, with a wonderful view and lots of space. She always does a great job decorating her homes, and this one was no exception. Her bedroom looked like a magazine. She's got elegant lamps, oriental nightstands, expensive Persian rugs, and her bed is covered with a sheer and romantic canopy.

However, since she finished decorating after her move, and was finally settled, she fell into a very deep depression. She couldn't get to sleep till the very late hours of the night, and the next morning, she would wake up with a terrible headache that would last all day.
This is how she described her feelings to me: "It's like there's a dark cloud hanging over my head, and I can't get out from under it".

The first thing I thought to do, was to check the feng shui of the new home, but everything seemed to be in place. No clutter, everything clean, plenty of light, clear spaces for the Chi to flow. Her bedroom was calm, she had a good headboard, nothing under the bed. We just couldn't figure out what was wrong. I decided to search for an answer and took out all my feng shui books. Could her bed be causing her depression? It was in a good position, in the right direction,I searched the Internet, and the first term that came to my mind to start the search was "canopy". I figured that was the only thing really "hanging over her head".

After going over at least 15 different books from all schools of feng shui, and looking at page after page of feng shui

My friend's actual bed

websites, I found that canopies are actually recommended by feng shui practitioners to have the person feel protected, to avoid the harm of having a beam above the bed, or to cure slanted ceilings. This is what I always thought and it's still very true. But this goes to show you that one never stops learning. Buried in a blog written by a Chinese practitioner, I found it. On a list of "problem beds", I found beds with mirrors, waterbeds, round beds, heart shaped beds… canopy beds… There it was. It said: "A canopy over the bed will cause insomnia, depression and illness."

I had not finished telling her about this, when she had already pulled that canopy from the ceiling. Needless to say, and this is what really inspires me about feng shui, the results were immediate. She woke up in a better mood and with no headache. The depression hasn't come back and she's finally enjoying her new place.

What I took away from this, is that not all feng shui cures and practices work for everyone. You have to test different things, read about different ideas, different schools of thought. Not all people with canopy beds are depressed, but I bet many are. So hopefully this story will at least help them to get from under that "dark cloud".

So, you've been hearing about Feng Shui and you are curious, but whenever you go to the bookstore to check books about it you stop on the third page because it all seems so complicated. But you have that nagging doubt that if you try it maybe something will change. I have many friends that think like that. They open the books, take a look at the compass, the Ba Gua map, North, South, all the elements…. mind boggling. Well, it's really not, but if you at least want to get your feet wet, let me give you some easy to follow guidelines that will get you started, then, if you feel a positive change, you might dare to really follow the philosophy and start living your Life With Feng Shui.

I'm not saying that Feng Shui is so easy anybody can do it, it has a certain level of complexity, but it's not unattainable. However, what I'm going to give you here is the very basics, the least you can do to start off feng shuing your life.

Clean out your clutter

This is unavoidable. And you have probably being avoiding it for weeks, months, years, but if you don't get to it, the energy in your life will really keep suffering. I cannot tell you how much your life will improve with just this little change! I'm not going to get into what areas of your house you need to clear of clutter, because the number one rule of Feng Shui is that clutter should not exist anywhere in your environment. No, not even if it's locked away in the attic or the garage.

If you get curious and decide to check out the Ba Gua map and see what area of your life that attic or garage affects, you might be surprised. One example is a friend of mine who had never done Feng Shui in her life, but one day I was talking to her about it and she had mentioned she had been trying to get pregnant for years. So I asked her to draw me a blueprint of her house and as it turned out, her garage, otherwise known as the "space to keep everything we are not using in no particular order", was smack in the middle of her Family Area. After many fights with her husband who was not in the mood to clear the garage, they finally did it… and her son is now 3 years old.

Your Plumbing

Think of water as money. Water is directly related to wealth in Feng Shui. When you say your money is going "down the drain", you might be saying an enormous truth. Every drain in your house is a possible way for you money to escape. If any of your faucets or showers have a leak, that's money going down the drain. Your plumbing is the conduit of wealth in your home. With every leak, you are losing money.
You can keep your shower drains covered when you are not using them, and pull up the drain stopper in your bathroom faucets as much as you can, but, the largest drain of energy in your home is… the toilet.  Men, you might think that this is a woman's invention to get you to keep the lid down, but the truth is that in Feng Shui, one of the most important things you can do is to keep the lid down in every toilet in your house, ALWAYS! Again, if you get curious and check the Bagua map, you might even find that your bathroom is in the Wealth Area, but an open toilet in any area, will drain the energy that corresponds to that area.

Your Bedroom

Make sure your bed does not face the door directly. You have to be able to see the door when you are in bed, but not straight ahead of you. Also try to have a headboard for support, especially if the only way to place your bed is under a window. In this case, a big headboard is advisable. You can make one with a piece of wood, some fabric and a stapler or get a cheap one at a garage sale or  a second hand store.

Mirrors

I never understood what the big deal is when you go to buy or rent a place and they tell you it has mirrored wardrobes in the bedroom! It's the worst Feng Shui! Mirrors are used to enhance energy, so if you have these huge mirrors in your bedroom at night, you will not rest. Do an experiment and for a night, cover your mirrors with a sheet or a blanket. See how you sleep that night. It's alright to have them during the day, but at night, you can install a rod so you can draw curtains and cover the closet's doors.

Broken Stuff

Anything that is not working as it should is bad Feng Shui. Your energy will always be adversely affected whenever you have something in your house that doesn't work. It can be a light bulb in the basement… change it. All those watches that are kept in a drawer and that you've been meaning to buy batteries for… the worse! That old refrigerator that's sitting in the garage… get rid of it. The broken printer that's been sitting in your home office for weeks… fix it or give it away.  This is something you can feel. Whenever you walk past something that "you've been meaning to fix", you heart skips a beat. You spend even a tenth of a second feeling the bad energy that brings to you.  So if for nothing else, fix or get rid of all the broken stuff in your home in the name of Feng Shui.

Things you Hate

This is the perfect excuse you were looking for to get rid of that awful picture your mother in law gave you last year. You have to love everything you see in your home! Everything that you posses has to bring a warm feeling to your life, or it shouldn't be there at all. If you don't love it, get rid of it. This is the best way to get rid of clutter. If you have to keep the picture because your mother in law will have a fit if she doesn't see it… well, keep it neatly in the garage or the attic and bring it out when she visits.

Cacti

Another friend of mine was a total skeptic. I saw him unloading a huge cactus from his truck and asked him what happened. He said he was bringing stuff from his office because a friend at work stabbed him in the back and he lost his job. I asked him where that cactus was placed in his office, he said, "Right behind me". Are you getting the picture? Sharp needles… stabbed in the back… He started to get intrigued by this philosophy, so, I decided to give him a few Feng Shui pointers. I explained to him how having cacti inside the home or office is really bad Feng Shui. These should go outside, by the windows or doors, they are great protection, but never inside.

Your Home Office

This same friend was now going to need a home office to start looking for a new job, so I made sure I explained to him how his back should never be towards the door. He had to make sure he could see the door from where he was sitting. If he couldn't he should place a mirror in front of him so he could see the door in the reflection. He called a few days later to tell me how impressed he was because after doing everything I told him, he started getting phone calls for jobs and he is now a very successful freelancer.

Your Front Door

Take a look at your front door from outside. Does it look inviting? Is it covered with clutter? Is it dark? Positive energy will look at your door in the same way, and if it doesn't look inviting, it won't come in. Clear your entrance of any clutter, if it's dark, add a light. Use a wind chime to create a relaxing sound and call in the good energy. A nice plant. If you can, paint your front door red!

Now take a look at the front door from inside. Does the door open freely? Is it cluttered? I think by now you are getting the idea. See? No compass, no elements, no difficult stuff. Just the basics.

So, if you are not going to do anything else, at least keep these few things in mind. You will notice slight changes in your life that will make you want more, and believe me, this will be just the beginning.

Sound usually summons and enhance chi. Bells, bead curtains, musical instruments, gongs and wind chimes. Any of these sound making objects can be used to enhance the flow of the energy in any space, and wind chimes are generally used because they bring beauty and harmonious sounds into their space. Their sound is relaxing and can help you get rid of stress after a long day. But even though they have been used for this purpose for ages, they are also a highly effective Feng Shui device. Some people call them magical bells because of the soothing sound they produce and the effect a correctly placed chime in a proper position can have on reducing negative energy and turning it into positive. You can use wind chimes to energize the chi in certain areas or calm it down if need be. A dark corner, a big window, these are some of the places you can use wind chimes.

Metal wind chimes are ideal to energize chi because of their penetrating sound. You can use them in areas ruled by the metal or water elements. You can use wood wind chimes in those areas of your home ruled by the wood or fire element, and ceramic wind chimes can slow down chi and disperse it at a slower pace, like at the end of a long hallway, or in front of a large window. The center of the house is ideal for ceramic wind chimes, as well as any other areas that benefit from adding the earth element.

Placing wind chimes outdoors is always satisfying, since the musical sound they make will always attract good chi. I like to use them by my front door, or in front of my windows. Wooden wind chimes placed under the stars concentrate the energy of the fire element, and wood feeds fire, so they can help bring prosperity and wealth to your home. In ancient Chinese tradition it was believed by traders and sea farers that a wooden wind chime, hanging under a starlit sky and attached to a model of a Chinese ship would bring good luck, wealth and prosperity to the owner.

Sound is a popular and powerful Feng Shui cure. Wind chimes and every instrument such as pianos, guitars etc, are effective cures for many issues, but they are also pleasing to your senses. When you use them correctly, you can help break up stagnant chi, energize beneficial chi and improve many areas of your life.

Nowadays, one of the biggest health concerns for people is stress. Stress can be the cause or mimic many other illnesses or disorders and should be avoided as much as possible.  Of course, it's easier said than done. You can't just magically say, "No more stress in my life! I'm going to relax!"

You can help yourself in many ways: meditating, doing yoga, eating better, exercising... but if you are anything like me, you don't always find the time or the energy to do all that. But, there is one thing that you can do that will help you enormously. You can actually get rid of stress using Feng Shui.

Your surroundings have a lot to do with the way you feel, therefore, if your home or office is cluttered and basically a mess, you will be stressed.  Just thinking, "Gee, I need to clean up this place, I can't find anything", drains you of vital energy. Why have that on top of the everyday stress over which we have no control? In other words, no clutter around you means no clutter in your mind. Organizing your surroundings will help you organize your thoughts. That's part of the philosophy of Feng Shui.

Start little by little and room by room. Don't think you have to dedicate a whole weekend to do this. You can start working on the area where you spend most of your time, or the Feng Shui area that interests you the most. Let's say, your home office.

That mountain of papers or books or bills has to be driving you crazy! Let's start with the papers. Go to your favorite store and get a couple of baskets, or decorative boxes. You can buy cheap gift boxes at the drugstore. Use your Feng Shui Principles and get them in the colors that correspond to an important area in your office. Maybe purple. Later, you will put it in the Wealth Area of either your desk or your office or cubicle. Now, sit down on the floor with all the papers in front of you.  Have a trash can handy. Now, sort! Throw away what you don't need. Really force yourself to get rid of everything you have no use for. Then keep what you need in the box or boxes you bought and label them.

That's how you start. You will feel some stress melting away immediately. I would be very surprised if by then, you are not inspired to go a little further and tackle the books, the bills and the rest of the mess. If you need a bookcase or drawers or something to help you, don't think you have to wait until you can buy "the perfect piece". Run to the thrift shop and get something cheap. I will tell you later about another great stress reliever. Just make sure you clean it well.

Think that if you put everything in its place once, it will be so much easier to maintain from then on.

Remember, that once you decide to introduce Feng Shui into your life, you can implement it slowly and at your own pace so you won't get overwhelmed. There is so much to learn and so much to do. But it's worth it, so just start doing it.

That is the way to start getting rid of stress by using Feng Shui.

I'm sure you've heard of it, unless you've been out of touch for the past couple of decades, but I'd like to give you my own description of Feng Shui and then I'll talk about the relationship between Feng Shui and pets..

Feng Shui is the ancient practice utilized by the Chinese to assist in harmonizing everything that surrounds you. The idea is that as long as everything around you is harmonious, your own energy and the cosmic energy, or Ch'i will help you increase your happiness, your health, your wealth, your family life, your relationships etc. Feng Shui teaches us how to place our furniture, our decorations, and how to use our colors and textures to achieve the greatest benefits possible in each area of your life.

Many people see Feng Shui as a superstition, and I tell them they couldn't be more wrong. Although Feng Shui gives you "cures" for the problematic areas of your house, office, apartment, etc., their purpose is mostly to add an element that a certain area might be missing. Feng Shui teaches us the best way to achieve harmony.

Feng Shui uses a lot of common sense. If you walk into your house or apartment and you see clothes lying around, dirty dishes in the kitchen, a burnt out bulb in the entrance, a TV that doesn't work in your den... what do you feel? I'd bet you start feeling stressed thinking how you haven't had time to clean the place, how you have to find the time to change the bulb, how you have to wash the dishes or fix the TV. That's energy that just drained from you. But, if you come in and you are welcomed by a clean and organized place, and you see harmonious colors, and smell nice aromas, your stress level will drop considerably. Don't you feel just great when you've finally get that faucet fixed? Doesn't it take a weight off your shoulders when you finally organize your drawers?

Sometimes all it takes is adding a light to a dark corner, or a splash of color in the room or a plant in front of the window to make the place come alive.

Have you ever been in someone's home and you just feel so comfortable you don't want to leave?
On the flip side, there's places that you just can't wait to get out of!

Well, pets are particularly sensitive to the energies around our home and surrounding environment. Animals have the ability to sense things that humans don't. Observe your pet, they can give you an idea of how Ch'i is working in your home.
Almost all cats and dogs know what room and what area of the room they do best in. Their health and their character reflect the energy of the house and the people living in it. When pets are ill, lethargic, or maybe even overweight, chances are that people in your household have the same symptoms. If your animals are happy, well adjusted and lively, that will be the general feeling in your life.

Pets are good Feng Shui

Simply getting a pet if you don't already have one is a good way to enhance your Ch'i. Animals represent fire energy. Adding fire energy to your life will make you more passionate and will give you motivation to do the things you like. They can help with depression, loneliness or bring a welcome change if you're in a rut. They just make life better.
Now, you also have to think about giving them a harmonious life as well. Get down to their height. Look around. What would you see if you were a small animal. Make sure that there's no mess under the bed, which, by the way, would be bad Feng Shui for you as well. Look at the corners of the floor. Do you see dust bunnies or accumulated dirt? Look under the sofas. Under the coffee table. Notice that whatever you do for them, will also be good for you.

Give them a place of their own. A bed, their water bowl, their toys.... make it nice.

When you don't feed, bathe and nurture your pet properly, your Feng Shui will suffer. Even if you don't realize it, the way you treat people, pets and plants is very important for your own self-image and well being.

Animals are the best way to experience good Feng Shui. Find out the pros and cons of getting a new pet and adopt a friend from your animal shelter. You won't regret it and your life will definitely be better.