5 Feng Shui Tricks for Your Home and Practice

The Bagua Octagon helps determine where certain energies should reside in your space.

Where you put a chair in your house or waiting room may seem a little inconsequential, but according to Feng Shui experts, the way you arrange your space has a direct effect on many areas of your life and business.

The ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui, which translates to wind-water, is all about energy. Because people are shaped by their surroundings, colors, the objects you keep in a room and where you place those objects dictates the flow of energy, or “chi”.

As a doctor, you may question the scientific validity of this mystic art. While Feng Shui is considered a pseudoscience, redesigning your space can have a positive influence on your well-being and make your patients happy, too. Here are a few immediate ways you can improve your energy flow both at home and in your practice.

1. Put a fountain near your front door.

Water, according to the principles of Feng Shui, is a symbol of the flow of chi into your space. A fountain with moving water is said to encourage wealth and positive energy in your life and career. Whether it’s in front of your practice or your home, moving water can only improve your space.

2. Declutter.

Messy piles and poorly placed objects block the flow of chi into your space. While plants are beneficial when placed properly, they should not be creating an obstacle to your space. Clutter can also be a turn off for your patients, so make sure the entrance to your practice is free of any disorder.

3. Play with color.

Remember that waiting room from your childhood whose sickly yellow or sterile blue walls left you feeling on edge? Color choices can either make patients comfortable or leave them dreading their appointments. in your home, lack of attention to color can have the same consequence on you and your family.

Different colors and their placement can help different life areas, according to the Bagua Octagon, which helps determine where certain energies reside in your home. See the example above for guidance. As you can see, while painting your walls yellow can bring negative associations, centering the color unifies and balances a space.

4. Close bathroom doors.

This one may seem a tad superstitious, but shutting the doors to your bathroom at home and in your practice is said to protect your finances. Same goes for drains, which should be stopped when they’re not being used. Even if these forces don’t have the mystic influences Feng Shui claims, keeping your practice’s bathroom doors closed will keep this private space out of sight of your waiting patients.

5. Hang a wind chime.

Everyone knows wind chimes are pleasant and relaxing, but they can also encourage people to help you. In your practice, this can lead to increased motivation and productivity from your staff. You may even be able to get your family to participate around the house more by hanging a chime near the front of your home.

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