When’s the last time you experienced nature and that sense of connectedness with the world around you?  Isn’t it time you reconnected and felt a soft breeze, smelled the wonderful fragrance of flowers, enjoyed the vibrancy of colors and countless life forms both large and small?  Bring nature indoors or miniaturize it in your own garden!  Bring the peaceful, serene and relaxed feeling of nature into your environment utilizing the principles of Feng Shui! 

The main objective of Feng Shui, a 6,000 year old Chinese science, is to bring balance, harmony to our built environments while harnessing the positive life-force of all forms – living and non-living (so-to-speak).  These ancient sages believed that chi, the vital life-force that is in and around everything, is emitted in varying degrees from that which surrounds us, and the more alive and vibrant a thing, the more a person is affected.  So let’s take a closer look at how we can apply nature’s touch in your home and garden.

Our homes are living and breathing, they are made of the earth and the earth is alive!  By bringing nature into our homes we can recapture the sense of balance found in nature, improving to some degree our life experiences.  How you might ask?  We simply need to look to nature, our teacher, and learn how to mimic what we see and feel. 

Open windows every once in awhile to let a nice breeze come in!  Closed environments become stagnant and stuffy, often causing us to feel the same way making us more irritable.  Allowing in fresh air can help us feel less tired, able to think clearer and physically feel lighter, not so heavy inside.

Bring fresh flowers and plants inside, especially in the foyer.  What better way to be greeted at the beginning and end of each day!  Plant-life brings cheer, color and a fresh exchange of energy – aka, oxygen!  Now, if you don’t have a green thumb, please do not buy real plants…instead, buy silk plants.  Although their vibrancy is lower, it’s still there.

Now look at your walls…are they all white?  Personally, I used to be afraid of painting my walls different colors, I thought, what if I don’t like it, then what?  Well, it’s really not too difficult to paint them again.  So I suggest, pull out the palette of colors and spruce up that hallway or that bedroom.  Don’t be afraid.  And please remember…the Yin/Yang theory.  For example, a bedroom is best in a yin state, that is quiet and peaceful, so don’t paint a bold red here, you may never sleep!  And certainly don’t paint a snoozie-blue in the office, you may be dreaming but the work’s not getting done!

Animals are obviously a very personal choice.  If you love animals, why not have one around?  These little creatures are great at stirring up the chi, moving energy around all the time.  Best of all, they lift your heart and put a smile on your face no matter what your mood!

Now, according to Feng Shui, our garden should possess a balance of all of nature’s elements.  This can be actual or a physical representation.  In Feng Shui, the Chinese work with the five primordial elements, these are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. 

When we look to nature, we find she has a mysterious side to her.  She likes to be discovered and never really reveals herself without much ado.  And so, in your site selection process, I recommend you situate your garden so it is off the beaten path, set back away from all the hustle and bustle so as to create that sense of wonder and awe in the discovery of her location. 

Next, as in any decorating project, one typically identifies a focal point.  Often times, it is a water feature such as a fountain that is the main focus for a garden.  This addresses the Water element from a Feng Shui perspective.  If we are to bring in all the other elements we will find that plants of all types – flowers, trees and shrubs fall into the Wood category.  Decorative ornaments make of Metals such as copper and iron will enhance our garden nicely but let’s not forget a wonderful seating arrangement also of metal (with comfy cushions of course) to invite us to sit and refresh in the midst of this setting.  Our path can be laid with sandstone tiles made of the Earth element itself in a meandering fashion, mirroring nature’s design.  And last but not least, the Fire element can be added in colors of red, pink and orange or even an area for an outdoors fire!

Remember, a customized, traditional consultation is recommended to properly enhance your environment for greater peace, harmony and balance.  Happy Feng Shui-ing!