Feng Shui for Today While Enhancing Tomorrow
by Bridget Saraka

As time and space continue to evolve, so have the practical approaches to feng shui. Zen Solutions by Bridget’s Integrated Western Approach to Feng Shui recognizes the vast cultural influences in today’s society and honours the traditional role of feng shui in creating unique, personalized tranquil spaces that inspire life’s passions.

From our macro to our micro, before and after mega cities and mass consumption, feng shui seeks the most auspicious atmospheres in which to build lives. Based on the I Ching: the Chinese Book of Changes and the eight aspirations of life, feng shui recognizes the relationships we have with the environment in which we live. Our homes are viewed as living breathing expressions of our inner and outer bodies that amazingly mirror our current state of affairs. It embraces and supports dreams, desires, and even despair. It resonates to the energetic imprint of our thoughts, words, and actions. We work on our bodies, our minds; we recycle, re-use, reduce, we de-clutter, and wonder why we feel good for a little while when the things we truly yearn for continue to slip through our grasp.

In the movement of conscious awareness and personal growth, we understand that dis-ease of chi within our bodies and minds creates disease within our cells. We apply meditation, yoga, tai chi, and numerous other complimentary modalities to balance our chakras, meridians, and etherical bodies. Feng shui applies a comprehensive examination of a space in order to locate the dis-ease of environmental chi while providing appropriate remedies to enhance our quality of life. 

Bagua

The proper application of the Bagua, (eight trigrams) a vital tool rich in the principles of the I Ching: the Chinese Book of Changes, is applied to a property, building, room, and/or desk. Each trigram/gua is associated with the eight aspects of life. In order to achieve an accurate reading of the Bagua, the front door or Mouth of Chi will align with one of the bottom three guas.

The bagua is likened to the meridians used in many Eastern holistic modalities. Each meridian is related to a complex system that supports the entire body. When there is a block or dis-ease of chi, there is a potential for physical and emotional discomfort. A missing gua resembles phantom pain experienced with the loss of a limb. The energy of such guas continues to be present outside the perimeters of the structure. Feng shui aids in stabilizing the dis-ease of chi to promote a healthy flow that enhances a balanced and harmonious life. 

During this examination, close attention is placed on structural features such as missing guas, in some cases it may not be that specific trigram or gua creating the dis-ease of chi that mirrors life’s existing situations, but the path in which the chi has to travel to get to the specific gua that may be the cause. 

Many individuals living in these types of homes may feel a void in a very specific aspect of their lives. For example, if their garage is situated in the Knowledge and Self-Cultivation gua, they could be having difficulty finding time for themselves. If the Career, Helpful People, and Travel guas are missing, there is a very good chance they are frustrated and unhappy at work. They have no sense of direction and feel they are a one-person circus act, juggling the world on their shoulders. Often individuals sleeping in master bedrooms situated behind or above the garage have difficulty falling and staying asleep.

A missing gua may be anchored to promote a healthy flow of chi to the affected area while aligning the correlating life experiences. There are various feng shui remedies for such situations; each depends on the specific gua affected, this is due to the element and relationship of the gua. There are many factors that influence the health of a gua, such as the balance of the five elements—fire, earth, metal, water, wood—each in their yin and yang expressions, as well as the dominate element of a specific gua. Each element is associated with particular colours, forms, textures, and images that resonate and align with the conscious and subconscious minds. 

In feng shui, there are many hidden variables to consider during a consultation, which is why meticulous attention is focused on the relationship of the garage, electrical panels, fireplace, kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry rooms with bedrooms. The concern here is how the grey water, high voltage electric appliances, ventilation systems, and heavy traffic have on the entire energetic systems of the individuals attempting to rest and rejuvenate in adjacent rooms. Overhead beams and sharply angled walls have their own challenges as does the placement of windows, doors, stairs, and vaulted ceilings. Sha Chi, otherwise known as fast or sharp chi, effects can be identified as causing physical structural misalignment, organ congestion, headaches, unexplained exhaustion, mood swings, and difficulty with focusing one’s attention. 

What is your space whispering to your subconscious mind?

Whether you rent or own, your home should embrace you with serenity and joy. 

Bridget Saraka, of Saskatoon, is a Certified International Feng Shui Guild Red Ribbon Professional and Canadian Certified Staging Professional who practices an Integrated Western Approach to Feng Shui and Real Estate Staging. Zen Solutions by Bridget will help you create your very own tranquil spaces. Call (306) 249-2064 or (306) 261-2148, email: zensolutionsfengshui@gmail.com, or visit her website at www.zensolutionsfengshui.com. Also see the Directory of Services ad on page 28 of the 17.1 May/June issue of the WHOLifE Journal