Today: Mar 28, 2024

Feng shui: Balance the good from bad

Photo Courtesy | fungshway.com A bagua map is for understanding the art of feng shui.

Mackenzie HurlbertCopy Editor

Our dorm room is a combination of both office and sleep space. There’s a desk and a bed; a desk lamp and an alarm clock. It’s a work place and bedroom melded into one space, and this clash of two very different worlds can cause some stress and tension to lurk beneath the surface of your dorm life. How to fix this?

My first tip is to not do homework in bed; that will make your body associate your bed with work rather than sleep.

My second tip is to consider the elements of Feng Shui, which translates to “wind-water” and is a Chinese art of balancing energy (Chi) within one’s life and space in order to maintain health and fortune. Does it work? The only way to answer this question is to try it out and see for yourself.

To start, you need a compass (there’s one on the iPhone) and basic knowledge of the bagua, an eight-sectioned energy map of a space. By using the compass, you can determine the bagua for your space. Information on exact degrees and divisions needed to determine your bagua are online, just google “Feng Shui Bagua.”

Photo Courtesy  |  fungshway.comA bagua map is for understanding the art of feng shui.
Photo Courtesy | fungshway.com
A bagua map is for understanding the art of feng shui.

Once you have divided your space, whether it is your dorm room or bedroom at home, you can start rearranging and balancing out the Chi of this space in comparison to the bagua’s orientation. Along with this, no matter the specific orientation of your bagua, there are a few things you can do to promote healthy Chi within your dorm room. For example, clutter is a huge stumbling block for balancing out energy and maintaining good Chi. I know this is a hard thing to avoid because dorm rooms are pretty cramped to begin with, but do your best to avoid clutter and stay organized. Stick with the essentials.

The colors you choose for desk supplies and bedding can also affect your mindset and Chi. Warm colors like reds and oranges are stimulating, so it is best to use those on your desk or word area. Cool colors such as blues and greens are calming, so they would be the best choice for your sheets and comforter.

Get a pet or plant! Having another life force in the room other than your equally stressed roommate will help Chi flow. Plants and animals are constantly emitting energy which could help benefit your Chi. If you think you’d be an irresponsible plant or animal keeper, stick to pictures of nature and these will stimulate similar responses. Natural light is beneficial to both your Chi and mindset. Draw back the shades on that gloomy dorm room and let some light in! This light will promote creativity and increase productivity. Also, natural light is much less harsh than the fluorescent ceiling light we have.

One last tip is the placement of your furniture. I know dorm rooms are small and have few options for furniture arrangement, but one key factor to achieving good Chi within your dorm is to have your bed facing the door but not directly in front of it. So if this semester is stressful–when isn’t it?!–and if you feel some tension–when don’t I?!–try out these small Feng Shui tips. You don’t need to determine your bagua immediately, but if you notice a difference after following these tips, it may help you even more to do further research to find out how to better balance your life by using the bagua concept. And remember, sometimes you just need moments of space and relaxation. As one of my favorite quotations says, “Give yourself a break. When you are alone with your thoughts, you shouldn’t be arguing.”

2 Comments

  1. This will give improvements in your soul, body, and mind.
    Since most people spend as many or more hours at their office as at
    home, it is very important to apply Feng Shui to improve the work environment
    and enhance life. ” Many people tout the virtues of Feng Shui including Donald Trump and Mayor Bloomberg and a client I had just last week; not as well known, perhaps, but every bit as happy with her results.

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