New Year, New Design

Attract positive chi in your home and life with these feng shui tips

The ancient Chinese system of aesthetics called feng shui, which translates to wind-water in English, is believed by followers to utilize the laws of both heaven and earth to receive positive chi, or energy flow. By incorporating changes in your home, such as the position in which your bed faces the door or where you place a mirror, followers believe, you can restore balance and harmony in your life.

Peekaboo clear nesting tables by CB2, $199 at CB2 (SF). 415.834.9370, cb2.com
Turquoise gourd vase by McGuire, $1,470 at McGuire (SF). 415.986.0812, mcguirefurniture.com
Terraced wall art by West Elm, $39 to $59 at West Elm (Corte Madera). 415.927.0202, westelm.com
One Year to an Organized Life by Regina Leeds, $17 at Book Passage (Corte Madera). 415.927.0960

Nancy Bennett’s tips to incorporate feng shui in your own home

San Anselmo resident Nancy Bennett has been a practicing mind and body feng shui master for 20 years. In Bennett’s initial interview with clients she asks them what they want in life. “I always do their horoscope, both Western and Eastern, to be able to attune ‘cures,’ choose colors and give directions to the person,” says Bennett. “And if someone doesn’t care for a particular cure, I need to change it to fit what they like, because we are all so very different. Each person’s life is viewed from a different eye; that’s what makes feng shui so interesting.” Read on for her tips to fix common problems in your own life and home. Contact Bennett at 415.456.7989 for more information.

Do you feel isolated?
Check your front door.  Is it visible from the street? If not, ask yourself how you can make that happen.

Are you lonely for a partner?  
Look at the passenger seat in your car  —  is it crowded with stuff? Or is one side of your bed next to a wall? Lots of things can create situations for you that you can easily fix. Be sure to set your bedroom up as if you already had a partner. One small correction is to have a night stand on each side of the bed.

Is constipation a small daily problem?
Look to see if your hallways may be crowded.

Does opportunity seem to pass you by?
Make sure your doors open all the way and that there are not things behind them.

Does the past haunt you?  
Clear your handwriting of backswings.

Is your child tired and unable to accomplish what he or she wants?  
Remove the television or computer from the room and keep the closet doors closed at night.

When do you use mirrors in your home?
You can use mirrors for all types of things—what you want to stop happening in your life and what you want to happen in your life. Sometimes a feng shui expert will actually put tiny mirrors where you won’t even see them to create a positive change.

What is the importance of a water feature?
It’s important to have still or moving water in the right place, as moving water has to do with being more social, still water with tranquility and peace.

Is life getting stale, routine, boring?  
Fresh flowers can help change that. Whether you spread them around or keep them in a simple vase, be sure to tend to them daily so the water doesn’t get grungy and the leaves don’t wilt, and replace them regularly.

Create Your Own Organized Sanctuary

At its most basic level, feng shui decreases your stress and increases your positive energy by clearing the clutter and anything that isn’t essential to your good chi. Regina Leeds, New York Times best-selling author of One Year to an Organized Life and author of The Zen of Organizing, recently spoke with Marin women about how they can create a relaxing sanctuary in their own home. Broken down by weekly tasks, the projects in the book cover your home and your life. Known as the Zen Organizer, Leeds says you can create a calm, peace-filled, joyous environment in your home or work area. “I recognize a ‘Zen organized’ environment the minute I enter one. It’s the feel of the room, not just its appearance.” 818.506.7167

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