What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is the 3000-year-old Chinese practice of interior decorating
that allows for the open flow of energy in a home, school or office
environment. Originating from the Chinese religion and philosophy of
Taoism, feng shui, literally "wind water" in Chinese, has traditionally
been used when designing a home and arranging space within a home. Feng Shui
practitioners believe that, to have a home where prosperity, health, good luck
and success will thrive, space must be arranged accordingly for energy
or "chi" to flow freely.
Feng shui, the Chinese system for arrangement and
placement, so often used in businesses and homes is now making its way
into the nursery, and for good reason, too. Feng Shui proposes that by
arranging and aligning the room correctly, energy will flow better in
the room and that all who reside in the room will thrive and prosper
better than if the energy is the room was incorrect or did not flow
smoothly. Understandably, no one needs to thrive and prosper more than
a baby.
Getting ready for a new baby requires a lot of thought and planning
from what diapers the baby will wear down to the decoration and
arrangement of baby’s room. Today’s parents want to create a haven for
their little one that will help the baby feel comforted and nurtured,
as well as stimulated enough so that they thrive. Increasingly, parents
are going beyond the traditional coordinated “theme” rooms to ensure
baby has a healthy environment by incorporating feng shui.In the case of the arrival of a new baby, Feng
Shui can be used as an important tool to ground your child in a healthy
and flourishing environment.
According to Kathryn Weber, a master Feng Shui practitioner, there are
several Feng Shui principles to consider when arranging a baby’s nursery:
Location of Bedroom
There are a few no-no’s when it comes to the placement of your baby’s
nursery. A baby should never be placed over a garage or empty space in
a house. Likewise, a baby nursery shouldn’t be somewhere that a baby
will be disturbed by excessive noise. Ideally, a baby boy should be
placed in a nursery located in the east and north parts of the house
while a baby girl should be placed in the south, southeast or west
parts of the home.
Furniture Arrangement
As for furniture arrangement, crib or bed placement is an essential
factor to consider in a baby’s room. The crib should not be placed
along a wall that is shared with a bathroom or storage room because
this will adversely affect the baby’s health.
The baby should be able to see his caregivers as they enter the room in
order to feel safe and protected, so put the crib next to a solid wall
that faces the door. The bed should not be against a window or
be directly in line with the door. Put the baby on a solid wall with
the head of the crib against the wall, rather than lengthwise. Make
sure the baby does not sleep or is placed against a slanted wall. These
press on the baby.
Room Color
The color of the baby’s nursery is usually decided by the parent’s
personal preference or by the colors traditionally assigned to a baby’s
gender. If you want to determine the color of your newborn baby’s room
according to Feng Shui, though, you can use a Feng Shui bagua. This is
a wheel chart that assigns particular colors and elements to certain
areas in the home as well as aspects of life, such as relationships,
career and children.
The Feng Shui bagua dictates that the best color for children is white
since this is the color associated with creativity. While children will
benefit from a white room, if you prefer to have some color on those
walls, than choose a soft, muted color. Using a soft color for your
baby will help promote proper health and rest. Although bright colors
can be attractive, they are considered in feng shui to be too
stimulating for babies. Select color palettes that are close to one another and harmonious, such as green and blue, white and beige, or pink and yellow.
Movement in the Room
To create good movement in a baby’s room and soft energy flow, a fan
kept on a low setting can create air movement. If you’d like to room to
have a bit more movement, soft music can be played and a mobile hung
near a window to sway in the breeze.
Lighting
The lighting should be balanced in a baby’s room. It should neither be
too dark nor too bright as brightness can affect a baby’s level of deep
sleep and darkness is discouraging. Instead, opt for blinds. This will
allow you to let more or less light into the nursery according to the
time of day or need for light or darkness.
Room Decorating
It is important to consider what types of designs or pictures might be
hung on the wall in a baby’s nursery. Select design motifs with care. Make sure that designs do not have
harsh points, such as arrows, crosses, diamonds, or triangles. Nature
designs are excellent and promote growth. Animal designs should also be
chosen carefully. Feng Shui experts warn that
animal or jungle prints
can be intimidating for a newborn baby and should be avoided. Water and
sea motifs are also to be avoided as in Feng Shui belief these themes
may cause respiratory, lung, nasal or kidney problems or may worsen a
baby’s asthma. Nature designs that are pleasant, warm and inviting are
encouraged as they will make a baby feel safe and healthy. If you had
your heart set on using animals or a water theme, you can still do so,
just go easy on the imagery, perhaps balancing it out with something
more Fen Shui friendly.
Clear Away the Clutter
One of the most important ways to obtain good energy or "chi" for you
and your baby is to organize and clear away clutter in your house.
Unnecessary clutter can block physical, mental and creative energy and
lead to discouragement. With the responsibility of a newborn baby,
comes a much more hectic life and your home space needs to be organized
for this new chapter in your life.
Repairs and Renovations
If there any repairs or renovations that need to be done, aim to have
them complete before you bring home your newborn. When it comes to
cleaning, use all-natural products; harsh chemicals should not be used
as these are harmful to your baby.
As for the painting, while pregnant women shouldn’t paint an entire nursery, touches may be done so long as you are painting in a well-ventilated area.
Also, be sure to use water-based, toxin-free paint. And if oyu have
wall-to-wall carpeting, then it’s time to rip it out. This type of
carpeting is a haven for mold and dust mites. If you have carpets or
wood tiling that contains toxins, then remove those as well.
Welcoming a New Baby
In the days, weeks and months after your baby’s birth, your life as a
parent will be inundated with the duties and joys of caring for your
new baby. Help make your life easier, as well as your baby’s nursery
less cluttered, by only getting those items you need. Stock up on just
the necessities, like diapers, and food, to look after your baby in those first few months.
About The Author: KATHRYN WEBER is the publisher of The Red Lotus Letter (http://www.redlotusletter.com),
the Web's largest weekly feng shui ezine. She is also a certified feng
shui master practitioner whose been featured in Seventeen and Martial
Arts Professional magazines, among others, and is sought after for her
expertise with a witty, down-to-earth style. weber@redlotusconsulting.com
