Is Feng Shui Still A Thing?
So does it really work? Professional feng shui consultant Priya Sher certainly thinks so. Having followed what she described as “rigorous and extensive” training with Grand Master Chan Kun Wah (one of the world's most skilled feng shui master), she now works full-time transforming the homes of her clients – which span professional Londoners to global businesses and jet-setting celebrities wanting to improve their energy on their superyachts.
Sher believes feng shui – which she explains translates literally as 'wind water' (“Wind scatters energy and water holds energy”) – can seriously boost people’s lives, including making them more successful. “Put simply, feng shui is the flow and movement of energy within a space and purposefully guiding it to offer the greatest benefit,” she explains. "Homes are a reflection of their occupants; if any part is missing, neglected or has negative energy then this is reflected in the life of its occupant.”
Want to try your hand at feng shui? Try out Sher’s top tips for beginners, that don’t require a major home overhaul…
1. Keep Your Front Door Clean
“The front door should be in perfect condition as it represents wealth,” says Sher. She advises putting plants and lanterns either side of your door, or adding a stylish doormat either side, to draw energy into your house.
2. Give Your Hallway Some Love
One of the most overlooked ways to lift your home’s energy? The hallway. Sher says it’s just as important as the rest of the house, and represents “opportunities” – so keeping clutter to a minimum is a must, letting the energy circulate. Extra points for brightening up the space with a “beautiful mirror and fresh flowers”.
3. Create Calm In Your Kitchen
“The kitchen is a vital space as its energy represents nourishment and relationship harmony for the occupants,” explains Sher. She recommends sticking to calming shades – staying away from too much black and red – and, if you can, avoiding having your sink and cooker opposite each other, as these can both “lead to arguments between couples” (apparently due to the “water and fire crash” they create).
4. Boost Digestion In Your Dining Area
Want to be more mindful about food? Feng shui could help. “We consider the dining space to relate with the spleen which relates to the element earth, which in traditional Chinese medicine is concerned with digestion,” Sher says. To optimise the positive energy, she recommends having candles and flowers on the table at all times, and hanging a mirror on the wall to reflect the display.
5. Activate ‘Wealth Energy’ In Your Lounge
Not only is having furniture in proportion with the size of your room important, sofa placement in particular is key – and Sheen thinks having it against a wall is the best possible option, as “it provides the occupants with support”. She also says it’s worth putting a lamp in the corner of the room, diagonally opposite the door, “to activate wealth energy”.
6. And Your Bathroom, Too
Sher also warns that the toilet is an area “where wealth may get drained", according to feng shui principals. To avoid this, the bathroom should always be kept clean with the door closed and the toilet lid down. Adding plants may help too – as they soak in water and “slow the flow of wealth draining away”.
7. Be Romantic In The Bedroom
For the best sleep possible, Sher says to keep your walls light and neutral. She also suggests placing your headboard against a solid wall – and ideally, not having it in line with the door – and having bedside tables either side of the bed to provide “support”. As for improving your love life, she says “curvy” lamps and scented candles can introduce romantic energy.
8. Get Gardening To Look After Your Future
“In feng shui, the front garden represents your future, and the back garden both health and health, so they should always be kept in tip-top condition,” explains Sher. She adds that even if your outdoor space is small, it’s still well worth giving a bit of TLC.
For more advice on how to feng shui your home, or to book a consultation, visit PriyaSher.com
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