I first learned about the philosophy of Feng Shui in 1993 when I was visiting a
friend who was living in Bangkok, so my very first story was business related.
He had been working in an office in Malaysia, which had been experiencing lack
of profits, loss of clients, and business and deals continually generating
problems and going wrong. My friend is a very scientific western male, and
quite surprised when introduced to the Feng Shui Master, but accepted that when
living in another culture and unable to speak the language, it is wise to accept
ideas and go with the flow. The Master recommended the entrance doors to
the building be re-hung to allow the energy to flow into the building more
easily. He also relocated the Managing Director and based him in a
different office, which I now presume positioned him in his area for Prosperity
facing his most Prosperous direction. There were also a few other subtle
changes and recommendations. Very soon after this visit the office turned
itself round and has continued to do well ever since.
In business we recognise the powerful effects that Feng Shui can have within the working environment to help:
Improve harmony and good communication between staff and clients
Promote good TEAM work (Together Everyone
Achieves More)
Reduce staff sickness
Create greater productivity leading to
higher profits and opportunities for
expansion
As an aid to help focus on a positive
environment and attitude and embrace an
easier way for your everyday
The literal translation of "Feng Shui" is "Wind Water". These are the two
most powerful forces in nature and the fundamental elements of life. By
introducing this theory and philosophy into our way of life, we are working with
the natural elements within our environment, and sometimes the energy that we
cannot physically see, to bring balance and harmony into our lives. Some
describe it as the art of placement and manifesting prosperity. In my
experience working with Feng Shui gives us the gift of a powerful tool of
transformation. When staff are comfortable within their working
environment they will be more productive. By going with the natural flow
of energy we can make life easier for everyone.
The use of Feng Shui's
Bagua energy grid in your workplace
The Bagua is a pattern of energy used in Feng Shui. The more you key into it the
more supported your life becomes. Use it holographically in your home and
office, and on your office desk, business cards and stationery and/or
presentation table. This can especially help if the room you work in
is an irregular shape and you have what is termed as "missing space". For
instance, one person worked in a room with an angled wall, which gave "missing
space" in the "Helpful Friends" sector, which I believe to be very important.
The person who worked in this room experienced many conflicts with others within
their working circle. Eventually they were made redundant.
Look at where and how you sit
In
this work I see again and again the coincidences of experiences based on where
and how people sit. For example, when a desk was positioned in the direct
flow of a door that was used very often. Whoever sat at that desk was not
with the company much longer for various reasons! Another instance is of a
person who joined a new company. His desk was situated at the end of a
corridor with his back towards the oncoming "energy". He therefore had no
support or stability whilst seated in this position. This became apparent
with the lack of planning that accompanied his working life, as he was often
being sent on a day trip to Europe within an hours notice, or to the USA the
next day. I discussed his situation with him and recommended another more
supported position. As soon as he moved he began to have a lot more
planning within his job situation and schedule. Amazingly enough the next
person who sat at his original desk experienced the same circumstances.
Ideally position yourself with a solid wall behind you as this gives you
increased protection and security. However, in open plan offices this is
not always possible. Using partition screens can help. If you can
also face your lucky direction this is a double bonus. It is best to use a
supportive office chair with a good solid back and arms. It is also good
to have curved or round shaped desks or tables to encourage communication and
help avoid any discomfort with what is called "cutting chi" created from
furniture with sharp corners. In any meetings it is always preferred to
sit yourself in a non confrontational position. You can also key into a
"Ming Kua" direction for each person, which is their lucky directions based on
their date of birth.
Entrance and reception areas
Another good Feng Shui tip is to take a very critical look at your entrance door
and reception area. This is the first face the outside world sees of your
company. It needs to be well marked and inviting so the postman and your
clients can find you, if not, the consequences are other opportunities may not
find you easily either! If it's practical it's great to have ceramic pots
placed either side of your entrance filled with an abundance of seasonal
flowering plants. This will help to welcome energy and opportunities into
your business and building. Avoid using a door mat with the name of your
business as the design, as the symbolism of this is people will be always wiping
their dirty feet on your good name! Also, look at the layout of your
office or shop and see how the energy is flowing. Energy is like a very
active toddler. It rushes in and then meanders around. Make sure the
energy flows easily and do not over furnish spaces. If energy does flow
too quickly you can start to control it by using some stabilising features such
as plants. Round leafed healthy plants are very beneficial, as they are
symbolic of growth and abundance, they help to keep the air and atmosphere clean
and healthy, and they also help to anchor energy. However, someone in the
workplace needs to take responsibility to ensure the plants are continuously
nurtured. Fresh flowers are very good, especially placed on the Reception
desk as a good and welcoming "energy" to help create a fresh environment.
Dried flowers are already dead, so these do not enhance energy. It is
extremely important to make this space attractive and welcoming, so ensure it is
kept tidy and avoid keeping storage in this space.
Less is more
Enjoy a clear desk policy to encourage a fresh start to every day and implement
your intention to work with focus, clearness and clarity to ensure you invite
efficiency and effectiveness in all that you do. Alternatively if you
start work with a desk full of papers this can lead to mental clutter, and
therefore confusion, irritation and lack of concentration. Also empty
rubbish daily to ensure you are not surrounded by old and stagnant energy.
It's always good practice to periodically clear out old files and make way for a
new client base. With storage cupboards choose units with doors that close
to give a tidier appearance. Also, realise that when people are surrounded
by high levels of files and storage this can sometimes lead to feelings of being
overwhelmed by their workload.
Mirrors
Mirrors are very powerful and magnify whatever they reflect, and this includes
whatever we can and cannot see. They are very good in shops or pubs, where
they reflect the till and the number of clients who visit your premises, and
therefore magnify your income. They are not good in offices where they
magnify the paperwork but not necessarily the profits. They will also
magnify the effects of any draining energy which we cannot see, such as geopathic stress and other negative energies which may be affecting the
property. Earth healing and space clearing techniques can be used by a
professional to cleanse and revitalises the space, and introduce new energies
and sow your positive seeds for the future.
Company Logos and positive messages
It is important to look at logos and signatures along with the energies of Feng
Shui. A good logo has balance, is attractive, distinctive and sets you apart
from everyone else. Designs are better taking your eye up and into the
future, such as the Nike and Virgin logos which are both very good examples of
this positive pattern. We can also incorporate the use of Feng Shui on
stationery, business cards and brochures to help keep the energies in balance.
Less information is more on business cards, so keep it simple and use it for
providing the basic information of your phone number and address. Your
brochure can have more detailed information. It is always interesting to
look at your own signature and the symbolism of how you sign your name as this
is another mirror of you.
Creating a supportive company slogan can also be extremely helpful, as described
in the following examples. One of my client's runs a cattery and pet
supplies business and uses the words "Happy pets make happy people" to help
promote the business. Apparently the word Happy comes from a Celtic word "happ" which means blessing, therefore every time the words are used it creates
a double blessing for this company. They are also easy to say as they roll
off the tongue. Another client who runs a garage business and converts
cars for disabled people uses the words "We make life easy". This again
has proved very helpful as the basis for promoting his work using the power of
the subconscious mind combined with positive thinking, both with his own
creative inspiration to find solutions to the individual needs of the client,
and also initiating the thought that help is at hand for his customers, leading
to satisfaction, loyalty and recommendation from his client base.
If you are creating a new business ensure you use positive words and think through
the meaning and intention of the title, as this is leading your way to success
and will be with you for a long time.
The use of colours in your Feng Shui environment
The use of colour is very important to bring energy and vibrancy into the
working environment. Each colour has it's own energy, for instance yellow
is good for communication and social harmony. You can also support your
own individual character with your choice of colour for clothes and corporate
artwork and designs when you look at your 9 Star Ki Astrology chart in
considering the general energetic association that is connected with each shade.
Geopathic stress, electro magnectic fields and other invisible energies
Be aware of disruptive energies within your working environment, as staff can be
very sensitive to geopathic stress and other disturbed earth energies, which can
cause disruption and illness. This energy can be released and
re-balanced by a professional. It is very important to do this prior to
introducing any Feng Shui cures, otherwise this can exacerbate problems before
you start. Also, electro magnetic fields which radiate from computers and
other electrical equipment can be very disruptive to health and performance.
On a small scale we can introduce crystals such as rose quartz, tourmaline, or
amethyst to help soak up this draining energy. On a larger scale you may
consider introducing other equipment such as Raditech or Helios machinery to
help deflect these effects.
Traditional Chinese cures
If you are drawn to use these I have experienced good results with people using a
triple set of Chinese coins placed on cash tills, diaries and in purses and
wallets. A publican placed some of these coins on his till when his
business was really poor, and turned his business round very quickly. A
Therapist I know placed some of these coins on her diary and removed them when
she felt she had so much work she could not cope. The consequences were
she had five bookings cancelled within an hour. I have known the 3 legged
toad of wealth to work well for people too. However, you must remember to
take the coin out of his mouth overnight so he does not get too full, and leave
some room for the next day's harvest. Personally I avoid the use of Bagua
mirrors. So beware with your choices and see what happens when you have
introduced them into your environment.
The Power of your Intention
There is a lovely saying "Where intention goes energy flows". In my
experience a huge part of working with the powerful effects of Feng Shui is
working with intent. Allow yourself to have a life review based on the use
of the Bagua energy grid, decide on your aims and cement your intention by
writing them down and signing and dating the document. Your Feng Shui
choice of placement is an extremely powerful reminder to the sub-conscious mind
to help you focus and strive towards achieving your unlimited potential.
Why work with Feng Shui in the 21st Century?
Although this philosophy is thousands of years old we can use it today to bring
balance, harmony and support into our daily lives. A lot of good Feng Shui
is down to common sense, good design and maintenance. It is also important
to listen to your intuition and follow your gut feeling as this is often right.
For me, I need to walk my talk. Since I first started using Feng Shui my
life has changed totally. So much so I cannot recognise the person who
used to walk in my shoes. My transformation has been so total, from a
caterpillar to a butterfly, a mouse to a lion. I continue to enjoy the
great pleasure to work with many people from all walks of life, and see each of
them embrace positive changes in their lives and develop their potential, which
is a continual motivation and inspiration to me to evolve my work further,
always increasing my learning through watching these experiences. My
gratitude to each and every person goes beyond measure.
If
you want to stay as you are, do as you've always done. I challenge you to
embrace this path of freedom of the heart, change your life and recognise your
unlimited potential. Using the principles of Feng Shui can open many doors
for you and introduce you to a whole new life. I only recommend the use of
Feng Shui as a catalyst for change and positive transformation!
Vandaeh Works