The water element in feng shui represents the emotions we feel. If we get stuck in those emotions, they become stagnant and affect our mind, our home and our life. Water out of balance manifests as fear and fear creates blocks in our lives. If you think about nature, water is a powerful force. When in flow, it is tranquil and peaceful. Think of sitting on the beach and hearing the waves hitting the shore rhythmically. This is actually good for our own energy as it keeps it moving and prevents stagnation.
Now, think about stagnant water that doesn’t move. What happens? It creates Red Tide or algae ridden water that makes us sick. In feng shui, this is known as si chi. Water is meant to move, but not too fast. If it moves too fast, we have tsunamis which destroy life. Fast energy is also bad in your home and referred to as sha chi. This type of energy is particularly bad for your bedroom.
Water in nature is persistent and powerful, yet peaceful. It always gets where it needs to go despite the obstacles in its way. A stream gently flows around the rocks to reach its destination. It doesn’t get stuck. It is flexible and keeps moving by finding a new path. This flow is what we want for our water element to be in balance. This element asks us to go deep into our emotional body and acknowledge our fear so that we can continue to flow in life.
In your home, the North bagua requires the water element. This part of your home is related to your purpose and path in life; so, it is very important. The East and Southeast baguas of your home are dominated by wood but nourished by water. Remember the wood element represents plants and trees in nature which require water to live. For good health and financial abundance, you want to work with the water element in these areas.
You can bring the water element into your home by using mirrors, aquariums, fountains, images of water and wavy shapes. The colors blue and black are the primary representations of water. A blue wall will calm you and create a peaceful place to be. You can go with a lighter silver sage color or go bold with a deep rich jewel blue like I did. I even painted my ceiling turquoise to accent it so it would feel like I was looking up at the sky when reading a book in my library. See my Instagram page for my library project.
A word of caution with mirrors, the placement of mirrors is very important in feng shui. You want to be mindful of what image you are reflecting in the mirror as well as the natural element for the bagua you are placing the mirror in. Whatever the mirror reflects will be amplified. A beautiful way to use this for example would be in your southeast bagua reflecting lush growing plants. This will amplify the plant power and bring more abundance into your money area.It is considered inauspicious to see yourself in your bed when sleeping. This creates too much energy and will keep you from resting. Another place you want to avoid is a mirror reflecting the front door as this sends the energy coming into your home right back out. I will be posting an entire blog on mirrors shortly.
If you are drawn to water in nature and it has a calming effect on you, chances are this is your primary element. The key with water is staying grounded and keeping it flowing. Flowing water brings you abundance. We always want qi (chi) to meander around your home and nourish it. This is good feng shui. If you are struggling with fears that hold you back, perhaps less water in your home and more earth. Earth will ground you and weaken the water excess you may have. This will all be covered in my upcoming book Feng Shui Mind: Detox Your Brain and Home for a Peaceful Life.
Until next time,
