Feng Shui in the Workplace, by Ida Cullen

FENG SHUI FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL
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.

REAL ESTATE AND FENG SHUI
Have you ever walked into a place and it just didn’t feel right? Or maybe the opposite has occurred...you walk into a space and it feels wonderful! Have you noticed the difference between a walk in nature and a walk on city streets? We are usually unconscious of what it is specifically that attracts or repels us in an environment. Usually we attribute these feelings to the aesthetics or decoration of the spaces. However, Feng Shui, which translates as wind & water, tells us that it is something else, or something more, or something even beyond what we can see hear smell or touch that gives a space it’s ‘feel’.

Originating in China approximately 5000 years ago, Feng shui is an ancient system for creating harmony, health, good fortune and balance in our lives by focusing on our environment. The chinese were not alone in noticing the effects of buildings on our personal lives. In India, Vaastu Shastra developed to address the same concept. And in Europe sacred geometry and geomancy were used to bring churches and cathedrals into alignment with these unseen forces. The masters of ancient China performed their art of Feng Shui with reverence and ritual. Their task was to help align life on earth with the greater movement of the cosmos. And, it is through this alignment that good fortune will flow into their lives. Therefore intention and timing become critical components of Feng Shui practices. Clarity of purpose, belief in the practice and a sense of honoring the present moment all become powerful pieces of the overall practice.

The techniques of feng shui can be applied to cities, towns, buildings, houses, apartments, rooms, offices, gardens and even a desktop! Any "space" can be evaluated by a feng shui consultant.T

The invisible force is called CHI. (Prana is the term used by the East Indians) Chi is a universal flow of energy that permeates everything you can see, feel, hear, taste, and touch. It is the energy that connects the physical world to the non-physical world. Chi flows, swirls, permeates, surrounds, and sometimes it gets stuck. Stuck chi (otherwise called sha) is the force responsible for illness, dis-ease, and misfortune in our lives. When chi is allowed to flow smoothly and unobstructed then peace, prosperity, harmony and balance enter our lives.

WHY DOES FENG SHUI WORK?
Somewhere along the way to modernization and advancing technologies we lost track of one important thing. We are human animals, full of basic needs and instincts requiring regular doses of certain things such as light, color, fresh air, good food, clean air, and healthy environments. Whether or not the mind is consciously aware of what is present in the environment, the body is constantly receiving and responding to the steady flow of information emanating from the location. The further we are from a natural environment symbolically and actually, the more challenging and stressful it becomes to work and live. Environments create consciousness and consciousness creates behaviors. We are not separate from our environment whether we are inside or outside of buildings. Whether we are tense and stressed at our desks or in our kitchens our work and our lives will reflect that condition. And one thing is for certain these days…..everybody is tense! (See Yoga for Realtors)

HOW REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS CAN USE FENG SHUI
Feng Shui is particularly applicable to both residential and commercial Real Estate. It’s effects can be noticed and felt regardless of whether the agent applies the techniques to his/her own office, personal spaces or uses feng shui with his/her customers and clients. A well designed business office with good chi will go far in promoting good relationships between all those that share the space. Preparing homes for sale, setting up open houses, working with potential buyers, applying ‘cures’ to old listings, or arranging one’s desk are only a few of the ways feng shui can work for realtors. There are techniques to find the most auspicious directions for: finding new business, locating the For Sale sign, a front door. Simple things like moving furniture, adding plants to significant locations, or placing mirrors in strategic places can have immediate effects on the energy flow in a space. You can just feel it! Additional techniques exist to: clear spaces of negative energy, choosing auspicious times for business negotiations or new projects, and ways to bless a new home.

But perhaps the most important reason of all to learn and practice feng shui is to reduce the effects of stress in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. A stressed out realtor cannot function to his or her potential. By paying more attention to our environments and minimizing the triggers for stress we create a win/win situation for all.

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

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