Feng Shui is a Chinese art pertaining to maximizing balance and achieving harmony through the organization of tables, chairs, and office items.
Feng Shui is the Chinese practice of arranging different components or elements in a space to attain the greatest amount of balance and harmony. The concept is believed to have originated around 25 A.D., during the East Han Dynasty. The theory revolves around the notion that all things must be level, and has much to do with the well-known concept of the two equal but opposite counterparts, the Ying and the Yang. In ancient times Emperors would hire Feng Shui specialists to organize their luxurious and highly decorated kingdoms so that the perfect balance was achieved. Often an emperor would have a large staff on call for emergencies that may cause a disturbance in the Feng Shui of a palace, a room, even a closet.
Over the years the concept of Feng Shui has evolved and has been adapted in Western society. Feng Shui has a large presence, particularly in the home and office decorating industries, where professionals are called up by clients to not only utilize space to its maximum capacity, but also to make it balanced and harmonious with the ways of Feng Shui.
Feng Shui can be fostered in the office in a variety of ways. Here are some of the most important ways Feng Shui can be fostered in the work environment.
The first rule of Feng Shui is that you must have a strong support behind your chair. You must always position your chair in front of a solid wall to ensure that you will have a supported life. If there is a window behind you, according to the rules of Feng Shui, you are setting yourself up for a structureless life. If you can position your chair in front of a tall building you ensure a even stronger support in your life.
Second, do not have your desk face a staircase, elevator, storage room, bathrooms, or other non-office entrances. These will detract from your focus and will let the chi, or good feelings, escape your work environment.
Never have the main door opening into a table. If you do, the masters of Feng Shui assure you that the chi will fly through the door and hit you in the head, causing you bad luck instead of good luck. The pathway of the chi should not come in contact with a wall inside your office. Once chi hits a wall it is forced to turn, and will, as a result, slow-down.
Do not position the paper cutter neat the main door. The presence of a paper cutter near the door is indicative and symptomatic of co-workers back-stabbing each other.
Empty vases and other empty containers should be kept far away from the main door. If there is an empty container in the entrance the chi will get stuck in it and will not reach the rest of the office.
The placement of furniture and other items is very important. The Southeast corner is the wealth corner, and for this reason you should place all your machines""computer, fax machines, telephones""here, so as to foster more business and income. If you place your computer in the North or West area you will also be enhancing your creativity. Chair and tables should always be placed in balance with each other; symmetry is valued in Feng Shui.
Always sit in the corner farthest form the entrance to the room. This is the command position, and will promote leadership and control over the office environment,.
Do not have any mirrors in your office. Mirrors can reflect negative energy from clients to other people in the room. You, as the commander, must seek to control the energy in your office. Never have cactus or sharp-leaved plants in your office. These will cause what is called, "shar chi", or ill-will, in the office. This should be avoided at all costs. Soft flowers, like roses and lilies, are more desirable
Try adorning your office with one or two crystal hangings, as this enhances chi as it passes through the space. Lastly, get rid of unsightly electrical cords. This will not only result in a cleaner look, but will allow the chi to flow more freely.
