A Feng Shui New York Consultant's Advice on a Home Office
In Feng Shui, how DO we set up a home office to help follow Feng Shui Principles?
Many of us do quite a bit of work from home. We use the Internet for so much: to grow our business, write blogs, create listings if you are a Realtor, show pictures of Before and Afters if you are a Home Stager. In Feng Shui"talk" the internet is where we GET OUR NAME OUT TO THE UNIVERSE.
I am also asked about proper placements in a home office. Here are some suggestions to have your office support you AND all your efforts:
Remember in Feng Shui we don't like an "unprotected back." We should be easily able to see the doorway so we are not surprised. Your desk should face the door which is also known as the Commanding Position. If it doesn't, try putting a mirror on your desk so you can see who's coming in. *Be careful what the Mirror reflects-you are doubling the Energy*
Hopefully you will have a wall behind you. In the FORM method of Feng Shui we like to see ourselves "Backed Up" in life. We think of Strength...a picture of a Mountain, for example. We can also accomplish this by having our diplomas and documents behind us-all the wonderful things we have accomplished in life. *If possible, use a RED Frame*
I'm posting the Bagua again because you're going to need it....and no, it's NOT difficult so don't run : ) The Bagua is simply a "Life Station" map to show you where each area of importance lies. Think of it as a TRANSPARENCY. You cam lay the Bagua over anything....an entire neighborhood, the exterior of a home, in interior of a room or a DESK.
In the interests of space, I will address the most important areas!
Make your desk work for YOU. You'll see the area of "Career" on the bottom of your Bagua. Align this with your seat (Where you "enter" your desk). You'll find that Wealth is always in the back left hand corner. Partnerships (business and personal) are always in your back Right Hand Corner.
To make simple but effective methods for your desk in a Feng Shui Perspective, look at EACH area. A small plant might go in your Wealth area **Peace Lily'shelp to absorb some of those electro-magnetic rays we all face**
Enhancing your Career? Under the desk, right in your Career section. A business card if you are happy in your current Career or if you would like to move up or change careers, put up another card above that. It should have your name, and the position you would like to achieve. Cut out a piece of Black Construction paper and make a frame....attach to the underside of your desk.
Back Right is partnerships. Honor your partnerships by thinking in "twos" Put a pair of something there (equal sizes) and they can be anything you like. Two small statues, two flowers, a picture of you and your beloved. Also think of the color PINK. Adding a small ribbon, for example, helps enhance your partnerships.
On the Front Right hand side you have Helpful People. The one section I hear over and over again that starts the synchronicity of Feng Shui. Put very small items there from people you treasure, the ones that will always help you out. Honoring them brings MORE.
Finally, clear off the Center! It's Health and we need to keep that OPEN. Cleaning off your desk at night creates TWO things: It opens you up to new energy (and work) the next day AND keeps your health open. It's definitely worth a few minutes of your time!
Don't forget to use your INTENTIONS on what you want to create! And see, the Bagua isn't that difficult-if you don't know it, you'll have it down in no time.
**Carole Provenzale has been a New York Feng Shui Consultant since 1997 and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island & New York. On Site Feng Shui Consultations provided for New York City (Manhattan), Queens and all of Long Island for Homes, Apartments, Businesses, Corporations, Renovations and New Construction. FengShuiLI@aol.com http://www.TheFengShuiVoice.com
Carole~ I find this information so enlightening and helpful. I think I have a bit of rearranging to do to maximize my work area and to bring more harmony into my career and my life.
Carole--I always learn soooo much from you...Thanks for sharing this information. Now if I could only keep the desk cleaned off every evening. :)
Thanks Carole!
I've see this before, but didn't understand how to apply it. I appreciate your simple instructions, for those of us who read it after the bedtime we refused to accept!
Keep up the good work... I'll be reading!
Hi Carole - thank you for the information, I've been trying to do a better job about keeping my desk cleaned off and it does make a big difference. I have a big messy (overflowing) inbox on the front left corner of my desk though that I'm moving right now. :)
I am so aware of need to have my desk face the door, but am still strying to figure out how to do that woith computer cords, etc. It is a huges thing to have clean desk
Hi Carole
What about windows behind me? I can see both doors (one from the house to my left and one out to the side yard on my right but the whole wall behind is windows (this was a porch at one time). Oh well I am with Monica and Kevin Keeping the desk clear helps a lot. Guess I better straighten up now.
I know I would have a difficult time working from home. I enjoy being around others and there would be too many distractions at home.
Hi Carole...I'll need to work on a plan to clear my Desk at night...mmm, some of it could go in the circular filing basket.
I face my Computer Screen, with my door on my left, I also sit in the middle of the room. My room is a little to small to turn my desk to face the door, I do have a mirror on the right top of my desk which reflects the area from my door. The Wall behind me has a window facing the morning Sun.
Cheers, thanks for sharing your advice :O)
Carole - thanks for sharing. It really is good information and I have bookmarked it for future reference. I could use a complete analysis!!! Happy Sunday!
I love a clean and tidy desk, so I hope I'm doing something right, but I'll have to print the Bagua map and have a better look.
Thank you for sharing so much with us, Carole.
It's very much appreciated.
Carole you are a "guru" when it comes to feng-shui, its all so mystical and intriguing. Many of the things you, or should I say Feng-Shui teaches I do without knowing what they mean.
Hi Carole...I am going to bookmark this post so when I go to my office "office" I will check it against your list.
I have a home office as well although I have been using our sun room for the past few months. There I am surrounded by floor to ceiling windows and french doors on three sides. I wonder what I'm doing to myself. Probably inviting all my wealth to float up, up, and away.
Kate
Joan, These were just short tips but they WILL help. Take the time to do them and watch what happens.
Teri, Once you clean it, just keep it that way. Think of NEW work coming in every morning.....that should keep you motivated.
Robyn, It's not as hard or confusing as people believe. Thanks for reading and I do hope you try it, it'll make a difference.
Kevin & Monica, I love to hear people are at least trying it. These things are simple (because if I gave lots of work, people would RUN) but yes, move it...and then organize and clean it out when you can.
Janice, If you can't turn it around (and sometimes you can't), put a mirror on your desk so you can see behind you and who is entering. You could also put a small windchime so you can hear someone coming in.
Paddy, Try hanging some suncatchers and especially when you're working, close the blinds or curtains at dusk. I love to let the outdoors IN while still being "backed up."
Bill, I do work at home and of course in client's homes and businesses. But I do have an office in my house...that's how these blogs get written :)
Fred, Clearing it off at night is important. You don't want to leave "left over" business, you want to make rooom for NEW business to come in. I have organizers and file cabinets and still when it starts getting cluttered, I'll stay up and do it!
Sharon, Good, I hope you don't forget. I had a wonderful Sunday...it was an absolutely beautiful day out!
Sylvie, I don't want to have people think it's time consuming or difficult. It isn't. There are many more things but this is a wonderful start!
Fernando, I saw that in your stagings...particually with colors. The most common thing I see is a lack of FIRE and you always add red. It may be instinctive.
Kate, Not at all, you are surrounding yourself with NATURE. I'd gladly move into your new space! Do your office in your office, it will make a difference no matter where you apply it.
Carole, this is very helpful information. Thank you so much!
Carole -- I've bookmarked this and given it a flag as well -- I'm going to look at tonight when I'm at my desk . . . it needs a LOT of help! Thanks for the great information!
hi Carole,
Thank you so much for writing this wonderful and helpful post...I'm at the office right now, however sometime over this weekend I'm going to study this post again and make many changes in my office and on my desk....
Best wishes to you and yours for a beautiful and peaceful Easter....
Jo
I have worked from home for 27 years but it appears that I have had my desk in the wrong place the entire time. I do have that unprotected back going. I guess I need to think about a mirror?
Carole, thanks for putting this post together. I have committed to cleaning and organizing my home office this weekend. I have my desk angled in the middle of the room facing the door, with a corner desk directly behind me and file storage behind me on the right and shelf storage on the left behind me. I'm thinking I should have the computer on the corner desk so I have the desk in the middle of the room to spread out the paperwork on -- I can add a mirror to the corner desk to see behind me???
Loving my new desk space - moved the junk pile inbox and have a nice flowering plant in that corner, a photo of my daughter and one of Kevin and I on vacation in the right corner, and a clean middle of my desk (usually) :) Recommended this post on Twitter today :)
You commented to me once, that I might be intuitive about Feng Shui, as it seems everytime I read one of your posts about what should be where, I am already doing it! My desk is positioned to see the door, and the terminal to take credit cards is in the far left corner...great post!
It sounds like I have a lot of work to do on both my office and my home office.
Well, at least my back is protected and my desk faces the door. As for the piles of paper on my desk and on the guest bed, uh-oh. And am I right that I shouldn't have a mirror behind my desk facing the door? Oh dear, I better get cleaning and organising. Thanks for the diagram.