Feng Shui in the Office

Have you recently found yoruself to be entirely unproductive, unfulfilled, and unhappy whenever you sit down at your office desk? And no matter what you try - be it a new planner or time management technique - you can't seem to shake those negative feelings? Feeling this way can severely hamper your ability to excel in the office space; but not to worry - the ancient art of feng shui may have the solutions that will put you back on top of your game in the office!

What is feng shui?

Feng shui - menaing wind (feng) and water (shui) - is an ancient art and science that seeks to bring about harmony and balance within any environment by carefully considering the placement of objects within space. The practice spand thousands of years, with some histories claiming that feng shui began in China almost 6,000 years ago. Its origins root themselves within the philosophical tradition of Taoism, which has given birth to other anicent practices, like Tai Chi and acupuncture. In fact, feng shui expert Rodika Tchi describes it as "acupuncture of the space." This is because a primary goal of feng shui is to open up the "powerful energy channels" of any space in order to "help it get stronger, more harmonious and powerful."

To understand this goal, here's a quote from Tchi diving deeper into the relationship between feng shui and energy:

"Ancient feng shui knew what quantum physics is telling us today - that everything around is us composed of endless energy fields connecting everything you see, feel and touch (as well as millions of things we do not see with our physical eyes). There is really no separation between you and everything that surrounds you, and this, of course, includes your home."

Feng shui acknowledges that we are intimately connected with our natural and built environments, a relationship that is made up of Qi, or the term feng shui masters use to describe energy. Feng shui seeks to stimulate optimal flow of Qi through a combination of architecture, interior design, garden design, and urban planning. Specifically, it emphasizes that balance and harmony can be brought into space - and your life - by putting intention and focus on the layout of a given space, as well as the materials and colors utilized in a space.

the basics of feng shui

With that brief introduction to feng shui out of the way, how does it actually work? Answering that question gets complicated, given the extensive history of feng shui. As a matter of fact, there are a multitude of schools within feng shui that advocate for different ways of approaching the ancient science. Regardless of school, here are some of the foundational theories behind feng shui:

Elements

Within the feng shui tradition, there are five elements that serve as archetypes for all of the energy in the world: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.

Water: Water represents renewal and replenishment, and is crucial to initiating all life.
Wood: Wood is the element of expansiveness, and is related to feelings of growth and creativity.
Fire: The most volatile of the elements, fire represents transformation and passion.
Earth: The earth element has a grounding, stabilizing effect, and helps bring about feelings of peace.
Metal: Metal is related to mental sharpness and clarity; it is also related to intelligence.

Yin and Yang

Yin and yang are two forces central to feng shui. According to feng shui masters, yin and yang are the very "essence of nature, where everything is in a perpetual state of change, moving from one extreme to the other to create equilibrium or universal balance."

Yin: Yin is characterized by feminine energy, and contains the elements of earth and metal. Yin energy is contracting, receptive, and inward. And in the traditional yin and yang symbol, it is the black half.
Yang: Yang is characterized by male energy, and holds the elements of wood and fire. Yang energy is expansive, energetic, and outward; it is the white half of the traditional symbol.

These different types of energies lay at the core of feng shui teachings, and are key to understanding how to introduce concepts of feng shui into the office space.

Feng shui practices for the office

Now that we've outlined some of the basic ideas held within feng shui, we can start exploring how to apply these principles into the office space! To reiterate, feng shui is all about creating an optimal flow of Qi, or energy, between yourself and the environment around you. Here are some ways to create a balanced flow of energy into your office space:

Clear office clutter: An organized office that is free of clutter allows energy to move freely throughout the office, promoting mental clarity and productivity, and even reducing stress. After all, the sight of a desk stacked with papers, binders, and folders is sure to demotivate someone from tackling the tasks ahead of them; but a tidy and organized desk quite literally frees up the space for a worker to be focused and productive.
Place your desk in an optimal position: Feng shui teaching describes that there is an optimal place for a desk to be placed in a private office. Called the power position, this is when the desk is placed so that you can see the door when seated. Ideally, you can also see as much of the room as possible.
Balance the elements: Maintaining a balance between all of the elemental energies is vital to promoting good feng shui. For example, if your office has a lot of cold, metallic surfaces, then there will be an overabundance of metal energy present.
Balance the yin and yang energy: Similarly, it is important to balance the yin and yang energy of any space. Thinking about angles and textures are a good way to balance yin and yang. For example, an office with plenty of sharp edges and hard surfaces will be full of yang energy; introducing furniture made of softer material with curves would balance this space with yin energy.

In the end, there is no specific way to cultivate feng shui in your office space. Because the ultimate goal of feng shui is to optimize your relationship with the environment around you, the specific steps will be dependent on your office, the way its organized, and, of course, you! And here at Facility Solutions Plus, we have both the expertise and the range of products to help you make the most out of your office space, and ensure that you feel motivated, productive, and happy every time you step in to begin your work day.

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