Create Your Own Personal

Paradise!
This easy-to-understand guide gives you tips on each area of your
home and garden.

"Feng Shui for Your Home and Garden takes the mystery out of Feng Shui
and explains how easy it is to apply this ancient Chinese art to our
contempory Western lifestyle, enabling you to shift the energy in your home
and garden to create your own personal paradise."

                                      Table of Contents

What is Feng Shui? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1
Compass v. Form School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Feng Shui Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Yin and Yang ..................................... 11
The Five Elements ................................. 13
How to Begin Using Feng Shui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Clutter ........................................... 19
Clutter Inside Your Home    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Living with Other People’s Clutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How to Clear Clutter     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Bagua Map       . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Missing Bagua Areas      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Substituting Colors and Shapes for Elements. . . . . . . . . . . 41
Enhancements for Each Bagua Area in Your Home . . . . . 43
Cures        . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Feng Shui in the Home     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Entertaining      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Easy Ways to Introduce Feng Shui to Your Life . . . . . . . . 87
Applying Feng Shui Principles to Your Garden. . . . . . . . . 91
Enhancements for Each Bagua Area in the Garden  . . . . . 97
Flowers for Each Bagua Area ....................... 109
Chinese Symbolism ............................... 119

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Environment

Your House is a "Living Being"

The most well known method for Feng
Shui space analysis is the use of an
octagonal overlay pattern called the
Bagua. Each area denotes a different
aspect of Feng Shui namely health,
wealth, career, fame, relationship, and
support.

Another simple yet highly beneficial Feng

Shui approach for analyzing the
characteristics of your home is to view it
as a "Living Being".

First, it is helpful to consider our personal

space as an external part or extension of
our personal selves. Our home then is an
outward expression of the self. Typically,
we chose our home because of its
personal appeal, whether we chose our
house for its looks, functionality,
roominess, comfort, price, or all those
factors together.

From a quantum view, our home,

apartment, or condo can be looked at as
a holographic microcosmic universe. As
such, our home portrays all our hopes,
wishes, dreams, accomplishments,
strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore,
if we can consider that our space is alive
energetically with an ebb and flow of Chi,
then we can stretch that thought to think
of our space as not only alive, but as a"
living being" as well.

In Feng Shui, you will always read or

hear that the front door is the "Mouth of
Chi". What we mean by this is that, as in
our own body, the air (or energy) enters
the body through the mouth. Symbolically
then, the Chi energy can also be seen to
enter through the mouth of the building -
the front door.

Extending this analogy we can imagine

that the front windows are the eyes and
the front view of the house to be the face
of the "being". (See Figures A & B)

Such an analogy is very helpful to

analyze your home. For example, a door
that is proportionally too small for the
size of the building does not let enough
energy into the home. The "mouth of Chi"
- the mouth of the being - is restricting
the energy flow. This lack of in-flowing
energy can indicate a lack of health,
wealth and career problems. Conversely,
a door that is disproportionately too large
can be seen as introducing too much Chi
and thus overpowering and adversely
affecting these same qualities of health,
career, and finances. In this case, more
is not better! For example occupants can
become hyper and money may be spent
too quickly on unimportant or frivolous
items.

Similarly, if the windows -the eyes of the

home - are dirty, shuttered, or blocked by
overgrown plantings one can thus
deduce that the occupants will lack vision
and foresight. They can be unaware or
blind sided by future events - they won't
see a problem or development coming
until it's right on them. By then it's too
late and the occupants are then only able
to react with damage control! (Figure C)

A home that appears to have a sad face

like a sad "Jack O Lantern" can indeed in
a short time begin to reflect sadness to
the family living inside. (Figure D)

By the same reasoning, we can also

overlay a "Being" on top of our house
layout and figure out more information.
For instance if there is too much Chi
energy flowing rapidly through the very
center, (In the front door and out the rear
door as the example shown) then the
body will feel it in the spine, nerves or
heart. The people themselves can be
susceptible to and develop those types of
problems. (Figure E)

It is important to point out that not

everyone is susceptible to the problems
cited. The conditions are not meant to be
certainties. They are rather, possibilities
or potentials that could express with time.
Also, some individuals with good luck or
good Karma can still escape these
issues regardless.

A missing corner of the house as shown

above, could reveal a problem related to
the corresponding part of the body. A
foot missing (as drawn in Figure E) could
mean lack of movement, constantly
limping along or tripping up in life!
Similarly if a hand is missing, then it
could indicate a problem of application in
career or in school.

The concept of a house as a "being" can

be carried to a slightly deeper level of
understanding wherein the plumbing
equates to the digestive system while the
electrical wiring represents the nerves. A
stopped up drain or backed up toilet can
easily be understood as a potential
health issue. Dangling wires, inoperative
switches or electrical equipment
breakdowns might imply a nervous
system that needs attention.

Now you are armed with new information

about your personal space. Take a few
moments, go around and survey your
space once again and take a really close
look with your new viewpoint and see
what you might discover and want to
correct. Are your windows blocked,
cracked or broken? Is your mouth of Chi
(front door) too small? Maybe there is a
light fixture that was removed and the
wires are still hanging out from the
ceiling. Are there leaks in your plumbing
or worse yet, is one of the drains
constantly clogging up? Maybe there is a
leak in the roof! This could alert you to
possible emotional issues. Ask yourself:
Is your "being" whole?

There is more than one way to analyze

the Feng Shui aspects of a space. Using
the building as a living being as a method
of analysis is not only easy and simple
but can prove to be most useful and very
valuable. Knowing and understanding
that everything is alive and that your
home is a reflection of your personal
universe can provide you with a treasure
of information to enhance you and your
family's well - being!

Louis Audet
Feng Shui Consultant

For consultations or information:

Southern California & Los Angeles: 310-
669-5709
Other areas: 480-345-1678

www.fengshuilou.com

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York

Staircase, Apartment in New York

This is a great example of Feng Shui design on how to enhance the Chi (energy) of a spiral
staircase. In Feng Shui, spiral stairs are best avoided, as they act like a cork screw spiraling
down the energy. But hey, this is New York and space is a premium. So to enhance this area,
we have introduced an upward directional plant and a light to brighten the space. This is also
a Love and Relationship corner, so the use of the fire element (red) helps lift the Chi. I
sourced the red/black/white wire shelving from Beth Bath and Beyond and I painted the
paintings above the shelving and by the staircase with colors to complement my client's Feng
Shui elements.

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York

Family/Community area
I added a comfortable seating area with two chairs and a table (which I sourced from Crate
and Barrel), a plant (for growth), and another painting I painted above the table, to create a
nurturing, comfortable seating area for my client's Family and Community area. Many of his
work colleagues now comment how much they enjoy coming into his office and feeling the
energy.
Feng Shui Examples - Homes and
Office in Sydney and New York

Workstation, Apartment in New York

In this Feng Shui Design example, the desk has been repositioned to take advantage of the
client's clear thinking direction. This client also lacks water and metal in his 4 pillar chart. So, I
sourced the perfect chair for this client - a soft blue and curve shape, which are both symbols
of the water element. I also used a metal-framed desk, which I sourced as an inexpensive
yest smart alternative from Bed Bath and Beyond (total - $30), along with a mirror which
represents metal. I hung artwork, added plants for growth, lighting for energy. I also cleaned
up and organized my client's papers and filing system in his desk area.

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York
Friends and Supportive People corner
For my client's office, I added red wind chimes (for sound and fire, sourced from Crate and
Barrel), a plant for growth, and I painted a painting with strong elements of red (fire) and blue
(water) to my client's Friends and Supportive People corner of his office. My client has
commented that many of his work colleagues have been drawn to his office, commenting how
nice and nurturing the energy feels in his office.

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York
Mirror in Office
I added the mirror to my client's back wall to draw the energy into his office. I also added a
clock I sourced from the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum Store to his Prosperity corner to add
movement (i.e., more dynamic energy). I also repositioned my client's desk (sourced from AI
Friedman) to face the door, other than having his side (or back) facing the entrance. He also
was then repositioned to face Northeast, which is one of his positive directions.

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York
Living Room, Apartment in Chelsea
In this Feng Shui design example, we have a calm, peaceful balance in the health and family
area of the home, with:

 Comforting earth tones

 A small selection of family photographs
 Family indicated in the original artwork (I painted complementary panels to accompany the
large photograph artwork this client received from a friend)
 Fresh flowers indicating growth
 Candles for fire and energy

Furnishings I sourced:

 Couch and coffee table from a great homewares store in Tribeca called "Room"
 Carpet (which had great earth tones, was smart looking, and was on sale!) from a local
Chelsea carpet store
 Blue and green vintage lamp (for $30), a donut-shaped decanter, and vintage Murano
glass vase, and a clay/earthenware vase holding the flowers - all sourced from local antiques
stores in Chelsea
 Blanket from Portico

 Large pillow below the coffee table came from Jonathan Adler
Feng Shui Examples - Homes and
Office in Sydney and New York

Protective Buddha
I placed a buddha I sourced from Bali facing the slide doors to the front terrace to my client's
apartment, adding a protective force to all outside energies. The protective energy in my
client's apartment must have been working - Last summer, a fire destroyed his next door
neighbor's apartment. The fire was so big, it made the Six O'Clock News, where viewers
could see flames leaping out of the neighbor's windows onto the terrace of my client's
apartment. After the fire was extinguished, there was no damage to my client's apartment -
Nothing was harmed or damaged whatsoever.

Feng Shui Examples - Homes and

Office in Sydney and New York
Balancing Five Elements of Feng Shui
Notice here the use of the Five Elements of Feng Shui:

- Water (As displayed in artwork I created for my client and fountain)

- Wood (Materials used in the furniture)
- Fire (The use of the color red and the lit candles)
- Earth (Earthly tones and stone artifacts)
- Metal (Metal railing and the use of mirror on the painting)

Great Modular Office Furniture

Many of my clients are stuck with a work environment where they

have to share a cubicle or have some sort of a modular work
station. There are many out there that are not advantageous to
the occupant for numerous reasons:

Most people are facing into a wall with their back open to all the
activities in the office. The front of the body is closed off to
receiving and processing information. The back of the body is
unable to filter information, hence distractions are inevitable, and
the person is constantly trying to re-focus, being pulled away from
the task at hand.

The optimum situation is where a person's back is to a wall, and

the front of the body faces out into an open space. This allows a
person to continue working, still having the ability to filter out all
the peripheral information and activities happening around them.
The person is then able to stay focused and less distracted.

Of course, the lighting aspect is crucial as well. A well-known

glossy magazine called me and asked me to tell them what I
thought about why their employees were lifeless and seemed
disinterest in their job. They were hiring very energetic happy
people that seem to be droopy once they arrived at work. Where
the room was located in the building had something to do with it,
the lack of natural light and lighting in general was another
problem, but the work stations were the major problem. We
changed the location of the work stations to another part of the
building, took advantage of the windows in the building and
created a work environment that was actually energizing for the
staff. Creating work nooks, with an open vista and front of each
worker and beautiful things to look at on the walls, gave each
worker a command of their own work space.

Many modular desk areas feel like a truck transporting way too
many poor squished chickens for long periods of time! When a
worker feel like they are a commodity, at just another desk,
facing into wall, with a whole bunch going on around and behind
them, it almost devalues what they are there to do. Productivity
suffers, energy levels dip, the love of the job goes down the tubs.
Honoring who we are as human beings , that a work space is worth
getting right, and having enough space, light, and ability to feel
energized is so important to a company as well as well-being in
general.

Take a look at some of the examples below of creative and

comfortable work stations... or click here to see more photos!
 Great Modular Office Furniture

Many of my clients are stuck with a work environment where they

have to share a cubicle or have some sort of a modular work
station. There are many out there that are not advantageous to
the occupant for numerous reasons:

Most people are facing into a wall with their back open to all the
activities in the office. The front of the body is closed off to
receiving and processing information. The back of the body is
unable to filter information, hence distractions are inevitable, and
the person is constantly trying to re-focus, being pulled away from
the task at hand.

The optimum situation is where a person's back is to a wall, and

the front of the body faces out into an open space. This allows a
person to continue working, still having the ability to filter out all
the peripheral information and activities happening around them.
The person is then able to stay focused and less distracted.

Of course, the lighting aspect is crucial as well. A well-known

glossy magazine called me and asked me to tell them what I
thought about why their employees were lifeless and seemed
disinterest in their job. They were hiring very energetic happy
people that seem to be droopy once they arrived at work. Where
the room was located in the building had something to do with it,
the lack of natural light and lighting in general was another
problem, but the work stations were the major problem. We
changed the location of the work stations to another part of the
building, took advantage of the windows in the building and
created a work environment that was actually energizing for the
staff. Creating work nooks, with an open vista and front of each
worker and beautiful things to look at on the walls, gave each
worker a command of their own work space.

Many modular desk areas feel like a truck transporting way too
many poor squished chickens for long periods of time! When a
worker feel like they are a commodity, at just another desk,
facing into wall, with a whole bunch going on around and behind
them, it almost devalues what they are there to do. Productivity
suffers, energy levels dip, the love of the job goes down the tubs.
Honoring who we are as human beings , that a work space is worth
getting right, and having enough space, light, and ability to feel
energized is so important to a company as well as well-being in
general.

Take a look at some of the examples below of creative and

comfortable work stations...
Warm Colors
 I am adding more color photos, and will continue to
do so. I find that the more you are able to see,
the more freedom you will have to experiment.
Adding 2 or more mixed colors, sponge painting, and
using variations of tones can add depth and texture.
Green when added to dark wood tones and white can
be a disaster for someone wanting to settle down
and focus. Many offices that have paneling or a lot
of wood, plus green and or white, lend to the
occupant not being able to settle in to get to the
task at hand, more restless, and often irritable. It
can be too activating , over stimulating, where the
mind is in over drive. But, used wisely, green can
feel warm when put with the right colors. It adds
life to many scenarios, as does nature when
combined in the whole picture.

Warm Colors
More examples of warm textured background colors. Even green
can be warm if you combine it right!
 
 
 
 This topic is being discussed further in the
Interactive Feng-Shui Website
and members can ask Sally questions about this topic in
Sally's Interactive Feng-Shui Website Discussion Forum

陽宅形局、範例參考：
RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT EXAMPLES FOR FENG-SHUI
REFERENCE:

大門兩旁各留小門出入，主居者大小不合睦。

If the front gate has two side doors and both of them are used simultaneously, they

                             will be bring disharmony to your family.

 獨高屋居者六親、鄰人不得力、不聚財。

Living in much higher buildings will incur jealousy and the children lack a sense of

                             family orientation.

宅前臨反弓（流水或馬路），破財損丁、運衰。

A highway or a water course that forms a concave curve from the residents'
perspective
                         ( a reversed arc ) will do damage to the dwelling and cause
inauspiciousness.

住宅面向廟宇，久居男性易懶散、陰病多。

A house that is either in back of or , more importantly, in front of either a temple or a 

                            church will deter your business prospects.

住宅靠近變壓器（改變磁場），家運日衰。

Avoid having high tension power lines passing near the building. Living there long, 
                             residents will suffer from unknown diseases.

床設樓梯下，易頭疾、傷身、運衰。

Do not place the bed under a staircase just to economize space. It gives a sense of 

                              compression, thus influencing your health, academic performance,

and career.

住家或商店在陸橋或高架橋旁不吉，彎度越大越不吉。
                            Houses near viaducts or elevated throughways are buffeted by
destructive energy.

                            Those lower than them will suffer from much pressure. Business
cannot boom. 

                            Houses parallel to elevated highways are symbolically cut in half by

them. Residents

                            will easily fail in business. Those living higher than such highways
will be less affected.

宅四周大廈包圍，不吉，官訟、傷身、運衰。

Avoid living in a house that is surrounded on all four sides by other buildings or next

                            to a much taller house or building. Residents tend to take things too
hard, become

                            pessimistic, fall sick and suffer from bad family fortune.
 宅前橋樑直沖，運衰財不聚，事業慘淡。

A house with a bridge, either concrete or wooden, pointing toward it is buffeted by 

                              destructive energy. Residents may suffer from unexpected malign

effects. 

死巷之宅不吉、財不聚、運衰沒發展。

Avoid a house that stands at a dead end, or a narrow lane. By far the worst is the 
                                terminus of an arrow-straight dead end, the fast-flowing conduit
of notorious "

                                killing ch'i ( 氣 ) ". If you live there, you could not have a
prosperous and healthy life,

                                or harmonious family.

宅基不可太高過馬路，不利納財。

The main floor should not be inordinately above street level. If so, you have to go 

down a steep slope, and it symbolizes the decline of family fortune and business.

                              You are bound to lose money.

 宅居剪刀路口（分乂路間），居不安、破財、血光、損丁、運衰。

A house in the intersection of two perpendicular streets or two rivers makes residents

                            suffer markedly. Money can be tainted and various nefarious

activities can occur.

住宅前後宜避免三角形庭院，居久是非多且易傷身。

Do not live in a house with a triangular front garden or yard. Residents will easily be

                            hurt or have to undergo surgeries.

 通道及梯下不宜安神位，不吉。

The hallway in a home is also a kind of " road ",  and will also cause  " road offense ".

So it is not a good place for an altar. Otherwise, residents will lead a hard life. An
altar

                           cannot be placed under a staircase or face it. 

屋內樓梯不宜直對出入門，久居漏財傷身。

A straight staircase in the sitting-room that faces the door is a " sign of decline. "
 It should be broken up with a landing in the middle and should be well-decorated

                              in order not to be seen clearly from the door.

多條路交會之地，火災、打架、禍事多。

A house that is situated between two or more converging roads should be avoided.

                             There will easily be a lot of disputes and traffic accidents.

奇石假山或噴水池太近大門，不吉。
 A rockwork with a man-made fountain should not be placed in front of the house.

                              It should be moved to a side of the house. Water columns of the

fountain are

                              especially inauspicious, for they look like dancing knives and
swords.

大廈建成十字形，久居官非、破財、損丁。

A cross-shaped building is like a square with four corners cut off. Too many corners

                            bring financial fallout, injuries, sickness, and lawsuits.

 臥室燈不宜太過懸垂，對到身體部位久居易不舒服。

Overhead lights should not protrude from the ceiling. That will affect one's health.

兩大屋夾小屋，久居小屋不吉。

A house much smaller than the ones on either side is like a person who does not 

                               achieve his noble aspiration. Both his business and health will
deteriorate, and

                               family will move away.

　

Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Home-moving

                                          Ceremony and Selection of an Auspicious

Day

I. Selection of an Auspicious Day

Ask an expert, or find a suitable auspicious day and time

according to the Chinese Almanac. The selection of an auspicious
date should take into consideration the birth data of the family
members, but priority is given to the house-owner/patriarch.

II. Home-moving Ceremony

A.   Prepare six offerings

1. Rice: a rice tank with 80% of rice.

2. A red envelope: put it on top of the rice tank.

3. A dustbin and a new pair of brooms with red

cloths fixed on the handles.

4. Water: 30% water in a water barrel.

5. Bowls and chopsticks put in the barrel: there

must be even                          numbers.

                                6. A charcoal cooker.

Move these six items into the kitchen first, and then move the
other things in.

III.

On the evening of the move, worship the God of Residence at the

kitchen door.
Put offerings on the table:

1.     Cooked rice and vegetables: one dish of

vegetables, one dish of meat, one bowl of rice.

2.     Three cups of wine.

3.     A pair of red candles.

4.     Three joss sticks.

5.     Ghost money.

Feng Shui in the Office

The study or office is considered the room where you get work done. This can be
anything from reading to writing to meditating. As such, it is important to find a
balance in the Chi of the room because you do not want the energy around you to be
too restful, but you also want it to be conducive to work. You want the atmosphere to
be calm and clear. There are many ways in which to improve the energy of the room,
here we will discuss a few of the more simple ones.

One of the more important aspects of an office will be where the desk is placed. Two
of the worst places to have a desk in Feng Shui are directly in line with a door or
window and with your back facing a door or window. These places can provide
distractions to thought and can provide negative Chi in your office. The most
commanding position to have your desk is diagonally across from the doorway. If
however, this is not possible, you should at least try to place the desk in such a way
that your back is next to a wall or corner, facing into the room rather than facing the
wall.

Examples of positive desk placement

     

    

Rugs in the office

A rug in the middle of the room is another way to help create more positive energy.
The rug should be of medium size in relation to the room and parallel with the walls
of the room. Preferably the rug should be deep blue to achieve its effect, but any dark
color can help. The rug in the middle of the room will represent a pond on which you
can rest your eyes during a moment of insight or reflection

If you wish to measure a facing direction of a door, stand on the inside looking
outwards using your compass.

Do not be confused between ‘location’ of the door and the ‘direction’ of the door.
These are actually very different aspects.
For example:
A door can be located in North and face West.

Or a door can be located at the North and faces North.

Here is a door located in the South East sector, facing South.

Here is a door that is located at the West, facing South.

 So, you can have a door in the South sector of your home but have it facing Southeast

Measuring The Facing Direction of a Building

By Joey Yap
There is a difference between Door Facing and Building Facing. Find out the way to
measuring the facing of a building.

There is a difference between Door Facing and Building Facing. Many people are
confused that the Main Door Facing of a property represents the Facing of the property.
This is incorrect.

The Facing of a Property is determined by considering the following factors collectively:

 The orientation of the whole building.

o Consider which side the building was built intentionally to face.
o Some buildings are built to face the main road, the beautiful golf course
or the seaside.
 The most ‘yang’ side of the building
o Consider which side of the building receives the most ‘yang’ Qi.
o For example, the main road
 The side that receives the most light
o This is a derivative from the previous point where the side receives most
‘light’ is where it is most yang. Usually the side with the most windows or
doors.
 The Main Door Facing

Some examples:
 

Consider the above four points collectively and decide on the Facing Façade of the
building. Measure this direction standing with your back to the building looking
outwards.
‫ر‬

Getting started

The practice of feng shui is primarily concerned with object placement, directional
positioning, and energy flow. To get started, all you need is a magnetic compass.
 A fine example of ideal feng shui

Optimize your personal office space!

Offices are often cramped, crowded and otherwise stressful places. But there are a
few easy things you can do to increase your productivity and otherwise make you
happier and more productive at work and in your career.

(1) Choose the right office. If you have the luxury of choosing, always pick a square
or rectangular shaped office. Irregularly shaped offices don't allow for the smooth
flowing of energy around the room.

(2) Pick an optimally sized desk. Think the biggest wraparound desk you can get a
hold of is your best choice? Think again! The optimal desk is 60 - 61 inches long, 40 -
42 inches wide, and 33 inches high. These dimensions will enhance your career,
power, and money luck - all things you want to have to be successful at work.

(3) Arrange furniture beneficially. Never sit with your back to the door. You know
what weird feeling you get that someone may be there? Well there's more to it. Sitting
with your back to the door promotes betrayal and backstabbing! Sitting too close to
the door will also lead to distraction. Pointed, sharp or otherwise hostile objects aimed
at people are called poison arrows and create "killer chi," harmful energy. While you
can't necessarily eliminate these objects, you can minimize their deleterious effects by
blunting or hiding them with vegetation and mirrors. See that edge of the filing
cabinet pointed at your desk? Stick a plant in front of it! If you are lucky enough to
have a window, but unlucky enough to have a poison arrow staring at you, close the
blinds to hide it.

Wealthy workplaces
In a follow-up to feng shui for the home, Anouska S. Wilson tells you how to put feng
shui to work at work.

It' 9am Monday morning. You've just tripped over the photocopier
and into your windowless workspace where you're greeted by a
desk brimming with Vesuvian-size piles of paper, muddied mugs of
joe and enough computer gizmos to stock a small shop in
Akihabara. You slump into your chair, back to the door, and stare at
the colorless wall or dour-faced colleagues in front of you, yearning
for Friday.

Sound familiar? No matter what your metier, a well-organized,

Illustrations by Marco morale-boosting workplace is fundamental for generating timely
Mancini productivity. For centuries, the ancient art of feng shui has been
implemented in business practices across Hong Kong and China for precisely this purpose.
The core principles of balancing the elements of the universe and allowing a fluid flow of
sheng chi, or positive energy, are believed to abet a lackluster workforce and ensure
company prosperity, co-worker camaraderie and all-round corporate well-being. With a few
fuss-free alterations to office decor, any organization can banish "I don't like Mondays"
sentiments and begin whistling while it works.

Stoking the southeast

The corner of your work area that represents wealth is the southeast. The five universal
elements - wood, water, fire, metal and earth - are key in feng shui tradition in determining
how good chi can be stimulated in relevant directions. Wood and water spur wealth energies,
so it's a good idea to place a healthy plant in this corner. Veto dried or thorny foliage - the
sharp edges encourage shar chi, or negative energy, to circulate - and stunted plants like
bonsai, as the idea of stalled growth does not bode well for businesses seeking to develop
commercially. Some water features are fine, such as a vase of flowers or a fish tank, but
remember that wood is the dominant element here and an overflow of water can drown it. As
always, balance is crucial.

The dimensions of your workplace dictate how far you can go with your feng shui makeover. If
you have an amply-spaced office and an equally limitless expense account, you could invest
in an ornamental plant made of jade, a small orange tree or lime plant and a water fountain to
rouse wealth chi. If you inhabit a corner cubicle with barely enough room to balance a coffee
cup, try using color to aid your ascent to the top of the corporate ladder. A postcard of a lush
landscape, wooden paneling or a print in green-and-brown tones are all beneficial to career
and financial success.

Another motif that triggers prosperity: The dragon. Plant these sculptures in your company's
wealth area to witness an upturn in profitability. Aspiring Bill Gateses, take note: Setting a
dragon on the right-hand side of your desk towards the door should boost your chance of
becoming top dog in your chosen field. Other success symbols include square-hole centered
Chinese coins bound with red ribbons and laughing Buddha figures. These tokens are
commonplace in the East so have a look around town or pick them up on your next trip to
Asia.
The perfect feng shui office layout

Sitting pretty
Specific seating order and desk placement in the office can jump-start a flagging enterprise -
or employee. Always sit with your back against a wall as the solidity of the structure embodies
support. If possible, fasten a painting or print of a mountain on the wall, as this epitomizes
strength and provides further backing. Set your desk in clear view of your office door,
although not directly opposite it, as this will slow the chi crossing your threshold and lead to
sluggish business. A wall directly in front of the door or a PC monitor in your desk-to-door line
of vision similarly deflects energy as it approaches you. The most favorable set-up: Align your
desk diagonally to the door with open space in between. Be sure to keep your desk clutter-
free - overflowing in-boxes, non-essential stationery and computer add-ons should be stacked
neatly out of sight. If this is impractical, try to maintain some degree of tidy order on your work
table so that chi has an opportunity to take hold.

Lucky layouts
In order for chi to follow an uninterrupted path around the workplace, office equipment may
require reorientation. The main entrance to a corporation or office introduces energy to the
working environment and should therefore be kept free of paraphernalia. Keeping heat-
producing machines, like photocopiers, by the door causes chi to warm up and disseminate
too quickly via people entering and exiting the building. Instead, locate important electrical
items like telephones, the fax machine and computers in the wealth sector to bolster
business. Empty, decorative vases, though beautiful, pull positive energy away from the office
atmosphere and should also stand far from the main door.

To nurture a happy, healthy staff, organize desks in a non-confrontational style - side-by-side

rather than face-to-face. If possible, avoid long corridors in your initial layout as this will create
backstabbing, squabbling worker bees. Also, keep key personnel in easily accessible offices:
Burying them in the pockets of a building means those departments will suffer. Finally, for a
sickly staff, hang up a metal wind chime or a crystal in a window and periodically allow fresh
air to disperse chi in the workplace.