“We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” —Winston Churchill
Whether we realize it or not, we’re surrounded by energy or “chi” 24 hours a day. And there are a lot of people out there who believe that energy has a profound role in the way we feel and act.
If you feel the need to change your life or your house, it could be that the energy of your home is stale and needs changing or rearranging. When we transform certain areas of our environment, things around us — including our mood and our luck — can be noticeably modified.
It’s called feng shui.
More Top Picks Hp Omen 17 Review
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement to redirect good energy — or chi — for balance and harmony, said Lexi Nielsen, owner of Alexis Nielsen Interiors in Oak Park.
Nielsen has been practicing feng shui for 20 years, so when she started her design company in 2009, she knew that it would combine the basic tenets of interior design with an overlay of feng shui principles.
“Feng shui is about balance and harmony,” Nielsen said. “Since design is about balance, feng shui lends itself well to decorating one’s home.”
Practitioners of feng shui often talk about “the flow of energy” or the “quality of chi” in a property. Feng shui’s goal is to increase and improve the energy flow in our homes and where we work. Along with other improvements in their lives, people might feel calmer and more tranquil when their home is in balance.
“Most of my clients say they experience an energized feeling as soon as the chi is redirected in their home, because most of the time we get energy moving in an area that had become stagnant,” Nielsen said. “Removing clutter, clearing out unused and unwanted things, and rearranging items so that they enhance rather than constrict energy can give one a feeling of calm.”
Some easy ways she suggests bringing feng shui into your home: Get rid of clutter, remove dead flowers and plants, and fix things that are broken and leaky.
Also, I found it really interesting that Nielsen said to try to use everything in your home equally: Rotate your kitchen burners, use both your front and back doors, and sit in all your chairs, not just your favorite one.
“If you have a particular focus, such as improving your health or trying to figure out why your kids can’t focus on their homework, you may want to hire a feng shui expert to look at the balance in your home,” Nielsen said. “A feng shui expert will make sure the creative cycle is working properly in your home.”
Our environment affects our thoughts, feelings and behavior. Feng shui could help you sell your property, and also help buyers choose a property that will help bring balance and prosperity into their lives.
Feng shui is very attainable and its effects can be immediate, Nielsen said.
“It’s not complicated. Anyone can use feng shui principles to enhance any aspect of one’s life,” she said.
Felicia Dechter is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Got a real estate-related story idea? Email her at [email protected].