In the hustle and bustle of college life, it’s likely that your living space is cluttered, disorganized, and crowded. The space you call home serves multiple functions, especially in a dorm room. It’s your bedroom, office, and living room all in one, but too much clutter in one area can clutter your mind too. Fortunately, the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui can help you improve your life by changing the energy in your room.
Feng Shui is believed to use laws of astronomy and geography to help improve life by channeling positive Qi, or energy flow. Feng Shui followers believe that deliberate placement of objects, such as furniture, creates balance and helps achieve harmony in an environment. Even in a dorm room, by applying some basic principles, Feng Shui can be used to make the best of the living space you have.
To begin, draw a diagram of your room and split it into nine equal areas – each of these areas represents a different aspect of your life. Hold the diagram so the door is at the bottom. In the top row (left to right) the squares represent Wealth, Fame, and Relationships. In the middle row, the squares represent Family/Health, Tao (Center), and Creativity/Children. The bottom row represents Knowledge, Career, and Helpful People.
From there, you can use symbolic object placement to begin channeling energy. For example, move your bookshelf to the knowledge corner, and put pictures of family and people that inspire you in the helpful people area. In the relationships corner, boost your energy by pairing items, like two statues or two candles – red candles are especially positive energy. Live plants in any section represent growth, so place one in the career or wealth sections. A collection of rocks help restrain positive Qi, so place some in an area where you need more stability.
Keep clutter to a minimum. This is one of the simplest ideas, and often overlooked in the typical college room. Whichever area of your room is gathering clutter is likely to be the aspect of your life that feels cluttered too. Also, waking up to a mess can create stress and negative energy before you even start your day. Since you typically can’t paint the walls in a dorm room or rented apartment, use artwork. Colorful selections are best, but keep them to a minimum. Too much art on the walls can become cluttered and disorganized, again creating negative energy.
According to Feng Shui principles, to build wisdom point objects east. If possible, place your desk against a wall that faces east to channel the studious energy. The best bed location is facing the door, but not directly in front of it. A bed located directly opposite a door exposes you to strong energy traditionally called the “death position.” It’s also good to have your headboard resting against a solid wall.
These are just some of the basic principles of Feng Shui, but hopefully they can help you create balance and harmony in your living space. Try shuffling your stuff today and see what channeling positive energy can do for you!
-Leland Strott
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