Our grandchildren left yesterday to head back home as they are starting school on Wednesday. I figured it might be a great time to offer some feng shui tips for fall:
- Position the bed: Beds should ideally face the door but not be in direct line with it. When you enter a bedroom, you should be facing the bed. The idea behind this is that when you are sleeping, if anyone comes into the room you want a clear view of who it is. Back in ancient China, the intruder was often up to no good so if one had a good view of the door from where they were sleeping, they might have a chance to react and protect themselves. We and our children still have this reptilian brain response embedded in our brain stem.
- Organize-to a point. This gets harder the older the student becomes as they want control of their space which in mind takes precedence to what the parents want to a point. It is important to keep it clean, if not neat. I once had a child who was so messy I refused to clean his room unless it was picked up. If it wasn't, he had to clean it, under supervision. The rule was no food or drink in the bedrooms because with three sons, who knew how long the empty plates or cups would sit there under piles of sporting gear and clothes. However, if you can, get their rooms as organized as possible and if you have little ones, train them early by having bins and baskets to put things in.
- Clear the Clutter. A sub category of organizing, this is often the result of poor organization combined with a ho-hum attitude. Everyone knows how distracting clutter can be. However, for some kids, it can fill a need for a feeling of security and safety. Some people need a kind of buffer between them and the world. Do your best to support clearing the clutter, but if it becomes a habit for the child, it might be an innate need for stuff around them to make them feel secure.
- Add Color. Surround your child with colors that will be support him/her. If you are not familiar with this, consult a professional color specialist or Chapter Six of my book, Simply Color. (www.lifepotentials.net) Don't be upset if your teenage child chooses black. It is a pretty typical choice for that age group.
- Move electronics. I know we are in the information age and that there are many electrical things kids want in their rooms. Try to place these as far as possible from the bed. And yes, this includes digital clocks. The EMF's emitted by these appliances are harmful to our body's energy field and over time can cause damage to our bodies as well as lowering our immune system.
- Place Chairs. Windows are wonderful but they provide distractions for kids. If you hae a child who is dreamy by nature, place their chairs with their backs to the windows. this will help them focus either on conversations at dinner or when studying.
- Stay clean. You know what they say about cleanliness being next to godliness, so I probably don't have to elaborate much here. Suffice it to say that dust mites, cockroaches and vermin cannot only be annoying, they can carry disease. 'Nuff said.
- Use aromatherapy. For times in your child's life (and yours too!) when they cannot control their living space (sharing a room with a sibling, living in a dorm or apartment with others, even living at home with you) they can use aromatherapy. Life Potentials offers two lines of aromatherapy sprays: Simply Feng Shui and Simply Color. They were developed with the idea of offering indirect feng shui and color support when spaces cannot be controlled. You can find them all listed at www.lifepotentials.net. If you are knowledgeable yourself about how to combine essential oils into formulas, you might want to try making your own!
- Tip: For teachers, parents and students: use yellow for focus, to remember things, and for clarity.
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