Nowadays, people hire feng shui experts to examine the current state of their homes or even involve them in the construction plans for new ones.
A lot of us have probably heard someone say: "Oi! Don't sleep facing the door. That's bad feng shui!" Or something of the sort at some point or another—especially if you're Filipino, Chinese or Tsinoy.
It's just one of those things weaved into our diverse and dynamic culture as people who live in the Philippines. But what is feng shui beyond a cynic's perception of it being "just another superstitious set of beliefs"?
Space is a crucial thing for us human beings. Our lives, and how we go about living them, are so incorporated in the spaces we occupy—at work, school and, most importantly, at home.
As you learn more about feng shui and delve into the practice, you'll realize that it does somehow change the feel of a place. And although you probably won't or don't believe in the whole harmony and energy part of it, you'll realize that a big chunk of the practice is actually just a collection of common-sense ways to organize and balance your space.
In feng shui, it is a stagnant and draining energy that takes up space and blocks new energy from flowing into your life.
In a practical sense, clutter is simply an impractical use and complete waste of space.
Clean your workspace or bedroom and see what a difference it will make for you mentally, physically and emotionally.
Also, the cleanliness will make you feel like you had a win—no matter how small.
In a practical sense, obstacles blocking your doorway are just a hassle to deal with for you and your guests. You don't want the first thing anyone sees in your house to be piles of boxes or heaps of clothing, do you? Also, you'd want to keep it clear in case of emergencies—that's why movie theaters also clearly mark and make way for their exits.
Make sure it's easy to see your door from both sides, clear the pathway of any obstacles and have a shoe rack or coat and umbrella stand in an orderly place somewhere nearby because these items hold "outside energy" so they have to be left in a certain place.
Also, in a practical sense—germs. And for most Asians, outside shoes aren't really welcome inside. They're dirty.
Sometimes we fill our spaces with things that we hope will uplift our mood, other times we subconsciously fill our spaces with things that symbolize the challenges we face and that somehow just reinforces our experiences even more. Negativity manifests negativity and so does the opposite.
Remove energy-draining and negative imagery and symbolism. Replace them with clear, positive and uplifting things and you'll find that eventually, you'll attract more positive outcomes in your life.
Also, seeing things that remind you of your goals will help you strive harder to achieve them.
Important pieces of furniture like your bed (which symbolizes your life), your desk (your career) and your cooking area or stove (your wealth) should be in the command or commanding position—somewhere where you have the full vision of your door but you aren't directly in line with it.
Symbolically, and also literally, this puts you in the best position to deal with whatever comes into your life through that door—opportunities, possibilities and even dangers.
In a practical sense, these major pieces of furniture or places will be where you spend most of your time in your space, so having a clear vision of what comes through your entryway will help you feel safe and deal with anyone or anything that's approaching.
If you can't be in the command position and are facing the opposite direction, you can remedy it by using a mirror that reflects your entryway in your line of sight.
Also, a big no-no is having your bed directly facing your door—because it symbolizes a coffin and just feels weird.
The bathroom is where water flows out of our homes and that water flowing out also symbolizes wealth or even good fortune flowing out as well. No one wants their money flushed away.
In a practical sense, the practice of leaving the bathroom door open or closed depends on habit and culture.
Some people say you should leave your bathroom door open for a while after you shower so that the humidity decreases and there will be less of a chance for mold to grow. Others say that if your space or room is air-conditioned, it's best to keep the bathroom door closed to reduce any bathroom odors from seeping through.
Whatever it is is up to you.
Also, most of us scaredy cats like the closed option because our imagination sometimes gets to us and an open door with darkness on the other side is a little bit creepy.
