Better Health Through Feng Shuiby Mary Jane Kasliner, AAS, BS, CFSC, RYT
President of 5 Element Designs Feng Shui and Director of Teaching Tortoise School of Feng Shui
All things are made up of yin and yang, two interdependent yet complimentary polarities within nature and the cosmos. This is the fundamental principle that underlies feng shui and the human body. To build on this principle further, it is believed that we are simply a microcosm of the Universe and thus are directly affected by any changes within the environment and the cosmos.
From this principle, the concept of five-element theory arises. Everything as we know it is comprised of these five elements: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. In turn, these elements correspond to an organ within the human body. For example, the wood element is associated with the liver, fire element with the heart, metal the lungs, earth the spleen, and water the kidneys. If we link these elements to our living space, we can see how a balanced environment means a balanced body.
Just as the elements play a role in our overall person, the planetary bodies overhead does much the same. In this respect, the impact is on our behavior and personality. The correlation between our personality urges and Astrology stems from an imprinting of electromagnetic rays dispersed from the planets within our solar system. These rays are part of the electromagnetic spectrum and as a result drop down into the earth’s atmosphere. The moment of our birth, our brain kicks into high gear generating electrical impulses directed through our nervous system to allow for bodily functions. The compilation of these planetary electromagnetic charges (energies) imprint with our own electromagnetic component (nervous system) and, as a result, the specific energy associated with each planet becomes the urges or desires we experience in life. By configuring a natal chart with a location chart, one can determine the directions these planets were at the time of birth. This becomes a tool used within a building, home, or room to determine where that planetary energy will fall for that person. For example, one might have a sun line running right across the center of their home giving that individual a sense of confidence, self-assurance and overall warm feeling.
Qi is another component to the equation of health from a holistic approach. The Chinese refer to qi as the cosmic breath of life. This energy flows throughout the Heavens, Earth and nature until it reaches our living and working spaces. The human body experiences this qi flow by way of our meridians impacting our organs, emotions, our senses, dreams, and our ability to make decisions. Therefore, it behooves us to live and work in an environment that supports strong healthy (sheng) qi and to avoid or abate unhealthy (sha) qi. We can achieve this by choosing an environment that is balanced. Choosing a site with lush vegetation, clean air, and vibrant animal life makes more sense than a location with poor air quality from an overhead airport or five-lane highway. The climate where we choose to reside also plays a vital role when it comes to our health. Overly windy, damp, cold, or hot climates directly relate to illnesses of the lungs, joints, and cardiovascular system respectively.
The foods we ingest and the atmosphere we ingest it in can impact the effectiveness of how the body absorbs nutrients. Unfortunately, the majority of people consume a diet high in acid producing foods such as meats, eggs, dairy, white flour and refined sugars. These foods create an acid level within the body making us prone to illness. Disease loves an acid environment where it can flourish as oppose to an alkaline environment. Choosing a diet rich in alkaline foods such as whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and alkaline water makes more sense and is in alignment with the natural PH levels of the human body. Obviously, the freshness quality of our foods plays a vital link to health. Foods loaded with pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics cause a cumulative chemical build-up within the body with potential rebounding health issues. The key here is to buy organic foods and buy what you will consume. Unfortunately, the American mentality is all about stock piling stuff. The concept of buying in bulk is not necessarily a good one. Remember, in order for that food to last there is something called preservatives. Not too healthy sounding, is it?
The setting where we are typically ingesting our foods also plays a role in the digestive processes. Having our meals in a quiet environment such as our kitchen that follows the principles of feng shui rather than “on the fly,” makes all the difference in a healthy digestive process. The kitchen is such an important room when it comes to our health in the world of feng shui. Therefore, it is worth noting a few key points for this space:
While we are on the topic of rooms that affect our health, the bedroom is the other area that has a tremendous impact on how we feel. First, it is important to note whether or not we are actually sleeping, let alone if it is a healthy sleep. The following guidelines are key factors when it comes to a healthy sleep:
1. Make sure your bed is in a commanding position to the door entry. In other words, you should be able to see the door from the bed in order to keep the body in a relaxed state. Otherwise, the fight-or-flight mechanism will take hold and physiologically hormones are released into the blood stream automatically increasing vital organ activity. This response system is built into our genetic make-up when our body senses danger, such as having our back to the doorway. Obviously, this is not a physiological system we want to activate when we are trying to sleep.
2. Avoid TV’s, clock radios, computers or any type of equipment that throws an electromagnetic frequency (EMF) in this room. Any appliance plugged in runs off an A/C current or alternating current. Once that appliance is turned on, it emits an electrical current and a magnetic frequency as well. Depending upon the type of appliance will determine the magnetic field length. So, what’s the problem? Well, the human body operates much like the Earth and that means our electrical field runs on a D/C current, one way in a smooth motion. A/C currents alternate direction 60 times per second. That’s a lot of movement and friction to the human cell. It’s like standing around lightening or subatomic particles all night long. Not a very good idea. Not only will this disrupt your sleep, but over time it will wear down the immune system and mutate the very core of the cell.
3. Avoid placing your bed opposite a wall that houses a toilet. Bathrooms in feng shui are considered a draining source of energy. If you sleep with your head against this type of energy, or with the bathroom door open to your bedroom, the result is feeling fatigued when you awake. In addition, you may notice frequenting the bathroom more times than usual during your sleep.
4. Install adequate window coverage to block night-light pollution from the street. The pineal gland is responsible for setting the cascade of hormones in the human body. In order for this to occur properly it is important the room is fully dark when sleeping.
5. Avoid positioning large pieces of furniture especially with right angles near the bed, sleeping beneath beams, or placing heavy objects above your head. Sleeping around any of the aforementioned produces a suppressive qi against your body. The result is poor sleep with potential body aches at the site of the infraction. The key is to avoid positioning the bed with these components surrounding it.
6. Stay away from decorating the bedroom with water fountains and plants. This is the only room I suggest you lay off on these feng shui favorites. The fountain will have you running to the bathroom all night long, while the plants will have fun consuming your oxygen at night. Remember, plants only emit oxygen during the day when there is sunlight to complete the photosynthesis process.
7. Avoid positioning your bed catty corner in the room. When your head is not securely grounded on a supportive (Tortoise) wall, qi spirals behind the head of the bed causing a chaotic movement of energy. The result is poor quality sleep that in time will impact the occupant’s health.
8. Incorporate natural materials. Cotton sheets, wood furniture and hardwood floors compliment the human body. Synthetic materials outgas leaving us with allergies, headaches and an array of other annoying ailments.
We are all have the potential to infuse our lives with healthy energy. How we decide to utilize this energy determines the kind of life we experience. We have a choice to imbue our space and our bodies with healthy sheng qi by taking an active role in the design of our space, the food choices we make, and the nourishment of our mind and spirit through additional Eastern practices such as Tai Chi, Qigong or the sister practice of Yoga from India. Taking the time to make these changes in your life is well worth the effort. The choice is yours.
© by Mary Jane Kasliner ~ All rights reserved.
Mary Jane Kasliner, a former health care provider, has trained at elite feng shui schools world-wide. Her studies include Classical and Natural Feng Shui, Geomancy, Western Astrology, 4 Pillars Astrology Flying Star, 9 Star Ki, Dowsing, Earth Alignment, Space Clearing, Qigong and Yoga. She is the founder and director of the Teaching Tortoise School of Feng Shui and president of 5 Element Designs Feng Shui and Body Space Alignment located in Ocean, New Jersey. Mary Jane has received word-wide media coverage by the Associated Press for her work and is the feng shui expert for Lasting Lifestyles cable television talk show. She is the author of "The Feng Shui Connection To a Healthy Life" and "Love, Happiness And Feng Shui." Visit her website at 5elementdesigns.com