Feng Shui in the Workplace, by Ida Cullen

FENG SHUI FOR THE WORKPLACE
by Ida Cullen

Many ancient philosophies teach us that balance is the key to a happy, fulfilled, and productive life. And, balance is a natural result of attention to mind, body, and spirit. Feng shui (pronounced fung schway) is a 5000-year-old practice that creates balance in one's life by first bringing attention to the flow of chi (or energy) in one's environment and then making adjustments to bring balance to the flow of energy.

Our working environment consists of our desk, the room or office we work in, the building, where that building stands on the property, and where that property is located on the planet. Therefore many things must be considered as you begin to analyze the chi energy in a space. Space is defined here as the physical, visible world and the non-physical, invisible world. The further our workspace is from the natural environment symbolically and actually, the more difficult it is to work. And, we all know that a happy, healthy employee is much more productive than one who is depressed and miserable.

For many the 'office' is a place where people feel trapped and oppressed rather than free and easy. These feelings may be on conscious or unconscious levels. Within our corporate culture it is rare for a space to truly inspire or encourage one to work hard. More often than not workers are more in a hurry to leave then they are to arrive! A tour of the typical office environment usually shows the space to be overheated and harsh lighting. The air is sterile from constant recirculation. Most of the time you can't open a window! Computer workstations surround workers with extreme levels of electro-magnetic fields. Irritating noises permeate the entire room. Synthetic carpeting, copy machines, furniture, and building materials emit toxic gases. Clutter may be evident everywhere. The visual field may be entirely filled with unappealing, uninspiring wall space. And, it's possible that every square foot has been utilized leaving little open space and room to stretch and move.

Environments create consciousness. We cannot separate our working environment from our work. If we are tense and stressed at our desks then our work will reflect that condition. It may take longer to complete a project and require many revisions. The tensions may eventually manifest in physical conditions in the body requiring more sick days and possible medical leaves. Our environment affects our interpersonal relationships too. How we interact with our coworkers may have more to do with the position of the desks then anything else. Office and desk placement can undermine the authority of the employer or encourage employee contributions. Consider that the body is a massive electrical power station, taking in everything that you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. If you were to get into your body and get out of your head you might discover that your working environment inhibits your ability to work and could be making you sick besides! You can trick your brain but not your body.

The next concept to be considered is the effect of the individual person on the environment. We all carry within us a certain personal field of energy. There is interaction between our personal energy fields and the environment around us. So just as the workspace impacts us, we in turn impact the environment. Which means that although the general workspace might be perfectly designed, it may not be 'vibrationally correct' for everyone. Feng Shui, and it's companion discipline, Local Space Astrology can help to analyze and adjust the energetic balance here too.

If you would like to learn more about Feng Shui and/or arrange for a consultation I can be reached at Time & Space Consulting, 560 Main St. Suite 2C, Loch Arbor, NJ 07711. Telephone: (732) 531-9013, or by email.

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