The colors used to design your website are very important and you should choose it carefully. If you want a website which feels lively and active, it should contain yang elements, while if you wish it to be quiet or passive, it should have yin prevalence. Yang colors are all the bright and cheerful ones, while ying colors are all the dark shades. What’s New about  a website with predominance of a light and bright color would that it would be more yang than a dark or off colored one where yin would have prevalence.

It is important that you keep your business’ website general appearance clear and tidy. A messy or cluttered website would not only make the user feel overwhelmed but it would also be an obstacle for your business prosperity. Your business website should be designed having its graphics and written content clear and organized. Besides this, the general appearance should be as natural and easy to follow as possible. Anybody who visits your business website should feel welcome and comfortable in it, and this should be achieved by providing a clear and welcoming main page and allowing an easy navigation through the entire website.

The lines you use for your business website and its graphics are also important regarding feng shui harmony. Straight lines and shapes with cutting edges are not natural and when having too many of them it can be harmful for your business’ prosperity. Therefore, you should try to use as many curved and smooth lines as possible, since this would not only help you adding nature inspired elements to the website but also bring wealth to it.

About the author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com.

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Let me prove a point: Today if we need anything related to financing, we’d probably hit the ‘net looking for a loan comparison tool or a mortgage calculator perhaps, but where’s the magic in that? Efficient it might be, but there’s just no thrill and excitement in it. In the good old days there’s feng shui, totems, and lucky items meant to attract good fortune and turn away bad vibes. Most of it might be guesswork but at least there’s magic, and above all there’s faith. It’s a good thing lucky cats are still popular nowadays.

Lucky cats are traditional Asian items which represent good fortune and protection. Those who have lucky cats in their homes or working spaces will have their protection as well as the wealth benefits they attract. You can place lucky cats at any environment where you wish wealth to come.

Most of the times, there are two lucky cats represented together, one of them with its left paw up and the other with the right one up. The lucky cat raising its left paw is the one which specifically attracts wealth, while the lucky cat which raises the right pay is in charge of giving protection to those who keep it as well as to the income attracted by its partner.

The lucky cat which has its left paw up is depictured smiling. This smile is meant to invite good fortune and wealth to come to him and therefore to the place where he is. On the other hand, the lucky cat which raises the right paw shows a warning expression. This warning is what protects your income from any evil.

There are some indications you should take into account and follow regarding the place where your lucky cats will be. Ideally, they should be placed in the wealth area, at the southeast of the house or working space where they will be. If that is not possible, they should be placed in the northeast area.

If you wish to follow feng shui guidelines when placing your lucky cats, you should not only take into account the house area where you place them, but also the elements they contain. Therefore, if you will place your lucky cats in a metal area you should choose them made of metal, or if they will be in a fire area they should contain fire colours.

Lucky cats symbolize protection in all senses. They can see in the dark and protect you from what you might not be aware of. They would defend not only your income but also your house and all those who live in it. If you have them in your office, they will help you succeeding in your career as well as improving and protecting your income.

About the author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com.
 

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However, the Chinese people have known for thousands of years how the environment affects the well-being and prosperity of governments, families, and business. They know how to “read” the energies of the mountains, waterways, trees, shrubs, slopes of the hills, directions of the roads, and other environmental features. They also know how shapes and colors define these energies both outside and inside of structures. When they add compass direction and time to these distinctions, they can give a comprehensive picture of what any particular environment will provide for its inhabitants, and how to most effectively use that space.

Fortunately we are all able to partake of this ancient knowledge and utilize the time-proven principles in our environments today. Feng Shui is both simple and complex. It makes sense that by placing your business or home in a good location well positioned so that it can receive good energies you will most likely enjoy good health and prosperity. The complexity comes in learning the subtleties of the art of choosing a proper site, building placement, building design, and timeliness of the building. Fortunately, we have many good buildings already available to us on great sites, and many times the only thing needed is to shift a few walls and doors to make them personally viable. The astute businessperson brings a qualified Feng Shui professional in to work with the realtor, architect, and/or interior designer to choose and to optimize the space.

Choosing An Office Space
Some key points in choosing an office space are:
1. Choose an office building with a wealth-attracting fountain inside or outside its entrance. 2. Choose an office that does not face the elevator doors or is not right next to the elevator or stairway. This will help to avoid being the prime target of negative energy, and will help to keep prosperity in. 3. It is best to avoid an office building with reflective windows. Wealth and prosperity have a hard time entering a reflective building. 4. Stay away from offices positioned on top of the parking garage. The movement of the cars coming and going causes instability in the business. 5. Choose an office building with a large foyer, as this gathers good energy and buffers against negative energy.

Do It Yourself
Although nothing can take the place of a good Feng Shui professional, there are some things you can do to for yourself to make the best use of your current business space. 1. Position your desk in the “place of power,” which is the area farthest back from the door and facing the inside of the room. Be sure the desk is not directly in front of the door.
2. Have a good chair with high back and arms to support your back and on each side. 3. On the wall behind your chair hang art that represents a strong mountain (we call this the tortoise that gives stability). Some people like to put a good picture of their bank in that position. Personally, I like the idea of a picture of Fort Knox. 4. Be sure that you have something taller on your left than on your right. This gives you a good “dragon” for wisdom, and “tiger” for self-control. 5. Keep the area in front of you as open as possible and hang beautiful art on that wall. This gives you your “red bird” which is a powerful and prosperous future. 6. Make sure that all your plants are healthy and well fed and watered with proper light. The healthy wood energy brings growth and stability. 7. Keep as much open space as possible in your office so that the chi can move through and not stagnate. 8. Have your furniture be the appropriate size for your space; not too large or too small. 9. If you are forced to sit with your back to the door at any time, place a mirror in front of you so that you can see your door. 10. Soften or round out any sharp corners pointing at you.

The preceding recommendations are a few that can be implemented safely from the Landform School of Feng Shui (or the “space” part of Time-Space), which is one part of the Feng Shui picture. Another part of the picture is the Compass School that includes the direction and “time” part of Time-Space School. This is the more analytic aspect of Feng Shui that involves calculation and logic.

Simply stated by my teacher, Feng Shui Master Joseph Yu, “The practice of Feng Shui is to find the best location in a specified period of time. Feng Shui is the study of how to avoid chi from being dispersed by wind and how to have it retained by water.” This is a fine art that has been tested over many thousands of years. It is not surprising that Feng Shui has been embraced by professionals all over the world and has now entered mainstream America.

About the Author and Permission

Copyright � 2006 by Judy Morris. http://www.fsrc.net/

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Q: Are there Feng Shui things that we can do to the entrance to our building to bring in more business and money?

A: Yes! Make sure that the access from the street or sidewalk to your business is clear so that customers can easily see the entrance door to your business. The flow of traffic should follow the predominant flow from the street. Signage should be simple to read and have strong colors such as red to activate the Chi. Make sure that there is a clear path to the front door, clearly marked or color coded so that as the customers enter the property they sense clearly where to go. The front door needs to be large and easily accessible for this is the “mouth of the Chi”. Ideally the front door should face South or East according to Feng Shui principles. Also it is best if the building is level or higher than the street or sidewalk. Avoid locating right next to major powerlines or electrical transformers.

Q: Where is the best place to put the bosses office? We are redoing our offices and I want to be sure to put my office in the best Feng Shui place.

A: Your intuition is guiding you quite well. Indeed the location of the bosses office is important to the success of the business. The energetic environment of the bosses office affects everyone in the business. When the boss is in a harmonious environment then the best possible outcome results. Ideally the boss would be located in the wealth corner of the business according to the BaGua octagon. This is the left rear section of the business relative to the front door. The bosses desk should likewise be located in a commanding position relative to the doorway into his office. I am reminded of a boss that I once had who had his desk poorly positioned behind the door upon entering and every time I entered to see him I felt uneasy. I never knew what kind of surprise he would have for me. So make your office a sacred harmonious place of creation so that anyone entering your office will be at peace and feel your loving commitment to them and the business. The old ways of running a business from power and control are no longer working. It must come from the heart. Blessings to you and your business.

Q: Does Feng Shui have an opinion on sloped ceilings? My desk is positioned in a room which has a sloped ceiling. It is lower behind me and higher in front of my desk.

A: Sloped ceilings cause imbalance. Lower ceilings compress your auric field thereby limiting the flow of Chi. The physical result of this may be headaches, sinus difficulties, and limited breath. If possible reposition your desk so that you will be sitting under a higher ceiling area. If this is not possible then creative Feng Shui techniques will help. The traditional solution is to place two Chinese bamboo flutes on the lower part of the sloped ceiling hanging from red ribbons with the mouthpieces down . To determine the spacing of the two flutes, imagine an octagon between the ceiling and the floor. This will tell you how far apart to place the flutes and the angle between them. If your aesthetic tastes do not resonate with the Chinese flutes then you can place lights on the floor pointing up toward the ceiling as well as upward growing plants. Another creative solution is to paint a cloud/sky scene on the ceiling thereby lifting the ceiling.

Q: We have heard that Feng Shui has a philosophy about numerology. We are about to move into a new office with an address 666 Monroe Street. Is this a good address from the Feng Shui perspective?

A: 666 is a powerful number of love, power, and balance. When you look more closely you see that 666 is really a 9 in disguise. 6+6+6=18, and then 1+8=9. 9 is the highest number because after 9 comes 10 which is 1+0=1, then 11 which is 1+1=2, etc, etc. So from a numerological Feng Shui perspective this is a very good address foretelling a balanced success. As a note, there are no bad numbers to fear. They simply all have different characteristics. Many blessings in your new office.

About the Author

By Stanley Bartlett. http://www.bartlettdesigns.com

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In feng shui, there are a few very basic, yet potent, guidelines to creating an effective office environment � and that can instantly boost the career quotient of almost any office inhabitant. Although, some offices may require more extensive rearrangement to help promote success, most offices only require a few modest changes. Use these suggestions to help you create your own �Power Office.�

1. Sit in the power position.

This is situated opposite and diagonal from the door or opening to the room. The desk should be here facing the door. Draw more emphasis to this area by creating a focal point with a lamp, artwork, tall plant, etc.

This also helps create a straight line of sight to this area, imbuing even more power and authority. What�s more, this corner is also considered the lucky corner of any room � so you definitely want your desk there!

If possible, try to use personal feng shui by tapping your personal auspicious directions.

2. Sit behind a power desk.

A power desk is one that is substantially-sized and correctly placed. A power desk is never an L-shaped desk (the shape of which is like a cleaver or hatchet, and is thought to cut the person sitting at the desk). It also has specific dimensions.

Here are dimensions for an auspicious desk (in inches):

75Lx43WX33H or 66-70Lx24-27Wx32-33H

Small desks are deemed inauspicious and thwart future growth.

3. Sit in a power chair.

A good chair is one with a high back and arm rests (solid, if possible). Although the chairs that are designed for the back are very popular right now, their open weave does not provide good symbolic support for the person occupying them.

4. Put power behind you.

Power includes symbols of mountains, banking or business photographs, and your boss. Be sure that your desk does not face your boss� desk, but rather, he or she is behind you — even if he or she is on the other side of the building. This also means you should never sit with a window (no support; unless it is a window with a view to a very prominent business or bank), door (no advancement), or bookshelves (backstabbing) behind you.

5. Get power in front of you.

Keep the path in front of your desk open and clear. If there are obstructions, such as chairs, etc., the path to a rise in your career will also be obstructed.

6. Activate your desk dragon.

Put fresh flowers in the left-hand corner of your desk (as you are sitting at it). Or, place a plant in this corner. This is the �dragon side� of your desk and it benefits tremendously from the special energy of plants and flowers. Never, ever put bonsai plants in your office, or your career will be stunted and short-lived. Nor should you decorate with cactus, or your career will be riddled with problems and difficult working relationships.

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A bullying boss, unreasonable manager, sales targets, threatened redundancy, computer breakdowns, lack of information can all lead to stress. Add to this SBS-’Sick Building Syndrome’–a working environment which is unfriendly because of unfriendly harsh lighting, lots of corners and sharp angles pointing towards you–called by the Chinese �poison arrows�, too many large windows, badly designed air-conditioning, plus constant noise, and you can quickly see that stress at work, and the absences caused by it are very, very common.

Whatever the problems caused by stress, the answer I have found to be useful is a combination of two vital ‘medicines’. Ancient Eastern Philosophy calls them, ‘internal and external landscape’, and it describes how to achieve the perfect flow of natural �chi� energies–preventing, reducing and taking away the stress–permanently.

The ‘external landscape’ is your surroundings. Feng Shui uses the chi energy of the {{post id=”office-environment” text=”office environment”}}, making it friendly instead of antagonistic. Colours, interior design, mirrors, plants, lights, seating, desk positions plus careful use of ornaments, pictures and soft furnishings can all help to radically improve the surroundings of our workplace. A carefully balanced chi energy, like a good balanced diet, will help to reduce stress significantly- and, in my work, internationally, over the last thirteen years, I have found feng shui to be very useful in all sorts of working environments–hospitals, schools, hospices, care homes, dentists, doctors, sales offices, finance houses, retail premises, hotels, cafes, restaurants, undertakers, chapels of rest!

You are however restricted to the basic shape and layout of the building, the ‘work environment’, where you can exert little control, unless you are involved in the original plans [something, incidentally which I am doing more and more of]. So, sometimes, an 85%, 95% ‘de-stressing’ is the best that you can achieve. This is why, when I can, I suggest that the staff become involved with the destressing of their ‘internal landscape’. The destressing of personnel is much easier to achieve, quicker, more practical and often 100% is very possible and permanent!

Destressing the person means that the person remains destressed, no matter how the environment around them alters, or how bad the day gets. This is because the change comes from within– the ‘internal landscape’.

Over many, many years, I have used meditation, chi-kung and tai-chi to destress private, corporate, business and celebrity clients–changing the flow of natural energy, the chi around the body, in the same way that yoga, acupuncture and the martial arts do.

The external chi energy of the environment-feng shui, is exactly the same as the internal chi energy–indeed the two are constantly in a flow of exchange, a bit like photosynthesis in plants. Chi-kung, standing, slow moving exercises- called ‘The Eight Pieces of Treasure’, used by the Shaolin Chinese warrior priests as a warm up focus, a strengthening and calming exercise and meditation before they practise kung fu, if often the simplest and most �life-changing� way in!

I teach my students how to breathe in a different way, in an aware way, so that each breath and each move within chi-kung becomes a powerful destressing tool for the whole mind and body. Of course, the beauty of using the breath is that you carry it with you everywhere you go–always and everywhere, so you can perform your breathing, meditation exercises anywhere–not just in a special meditation place, although that does help as well, especially in the early ‘learning’ days!

From these simple exercises, breathing awareness–a student can be taken deeper and deeper into ‘sitting’ meditation, where the breathing can be slowed even further and visualisations, affirmations and mantra can be added to make the experience more and more powerful, more and more ‘destressing’! The student thus learns to control breath, mind and the body–brain, heart, pulse are all affected. Life remains the same, full of problems, as life always will be, but the student�s approach to life is no longer stressed and panic ridden-it is now strengthened, calmer and more assertive!

Fifteen minutes chi-kung and the slow moving tai-chi, through to twenty minutes sitting in meditation, the student can take the effects way into ‘real life’ and become totally destressed. I have recently finished filming a programme for BBC 2 TV, ‘Everyman’, where the exact process I have been describing has been recorded and examined. The results, everyone agreed, were spectacular.

I was teaching nine factory workers from Wigan, Lancashire how to �destress� themselves. For four weeks, first of all in a very noisy factory, and then finally for two days at a ‘retreat’, I taught them to use the tool of meditation. Many of them were sceptics. Many of them had problems with sleeping, anger, stress, panic attacks, heart palpitations, blood pressure. All received help from the work I did, many were changed forever! Their heart/pulse/breathing and metabolism rates were all checked regularly and thoroughly and showed dramatic changes. More importantly, the workers themselves noticed changes in themselves and these changes were also noted by family, friends and work colleagues.

The results although spectacular are not unusual. Stress levels were drastically reduced, the evidence was overwhelming. This programme will be screened shortly. Watch it and judge for yourself!

With any class I teach, I take in a small glass coffee jar, filled with clean water. At the bottom of the jar, I have placed a spoonful of soil. I shake the jar for one minute, to show my students the results of one minute of stress and anger. The water—the human bloodstream–is left clogged with toxins/chemicals for about eight hours–the water is cloudy, no longer fit to drink! In life, of course, stress and anger are repeated over and over again during the day, so ‘the water’ will never become clear again! The toxins will be constantly flowing around the bloodstream!

Meditation cures stress, and here�s the even better news——–everyone CAN meditate!

If you have tried it once and did not succeed, or think perhaps that you never will try it, you need to see what is stopping you. Look in the mirror- and that�s the only thing stopping you–yourself!

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The building then, should try to be within the supporting arms of the Dragon and the Tiger, whilst protected by the Tortoise at the rear, and in front of the building, the ‘footstool’ of the Phoenix. As I always say at this point, this is the perfect positioning which a Feng Shui consultant would recommend for the building of commercial premises in somewhere like Hong Kong or Taiwan. We, in the West, often have to ‘put up with what we are given’ and this is where Compass School Feng Shui can be useful in helping overcome any difficulties and ‘poison arrows’—-sha chi.

Flow of Chi

The flow of the chi around and into the building is vitally important. It should be a steady, constant, meandering flow, neither rushing through as in ‘gorge and rapids,’ nor stagnating in dark pools.
The history of the building should be checked, as you can do with a house. Were the previous occupants happy, successful and healthy–or were there problems, bankruptcy and illness? Knowledge is power, and these problems can be overcome, either by using the Eight Remedies, or even through Space Clearing and Cleansing, a ritual to ‘frighten away’ any really bad luck which remains.

Pa Kua Planning

Once the Pa Kua sectors have been realised, you can then begin to work out the best possible positions for types of staff, i.e., {{post id=”feng-shui-vs-marketing” text=”marketing”}}, sales, accounts etc. But, when you know their personal Pa Kua numbers as well, this can be done with pinpoint accuracy, taking into account their inate personalities.
As a general rule, ‘bosses’ and managers are well located in the North Western sector, which symbolises the ‘Authority Figure’ as well as mentors, networking, important meetings and helpful people.
The South East, the wealth corner, would be best for finance, accounts and cash register operatives in {{post id=”feng-shui-and-shop-locations” text=”shops”}}, whilst those workers specifically dealing with personnel functions would be best located in the South West.
Each time, colours, elements and ornaments would all be taken into consideration, plus the placement of desks, furniture, pictures, electrical equipment, lights, spotlamps and shelving.

Active Energy

Business premises are active, busy sites and the energies to be encouraged are very yang. Any empty spaces within the building or immediately around it, like empty offices, warehouses and derelict ruins would have to be considered as ‘pools of decay’ and protected against. Inside the building, there is going to be lots of necessary movement and activity as well as loads of angular office furniture, mainly metal plus all of the electrical equipment and so, without much help, the site will already be very yang. It is important that with the decor and the remedies, that this highly powerful yang type energy does not go ‘over the top’ and become too oppressively yang and so disrupt the workplace and, more importantly, the staff who are working there. If the public are often there as customers, it is very important that the atmosphere comes across as ‘friendly and helpful.’
Main colours can be neutral, even bordering on pastel, with bright touches and splashes being brought in where they are appropriate. Metal is supported by brown, orange, terra cotta, yellow and strengthened by white, cream, gold, bronze or grey. Water is supported by blue/green and strengthened by black.

Desks

Desks are best made of wood whenever possible. There are precise measurements for desks which will bring strength, support and authority. A good sized, very large desk, recommended by Feng Shui experts [see books by Lillian Too], for a ‘top boss’ would be 33 inches high [3 is a strongly yang number, symbolising the East, growth and ambition], 60inches long [6 is wealth, power and authority, symbolising the North West] and 34 inches wide [3, already mentioned, 4, number of the South East--wealth and riches, together making 7, a very magical number, linked to the stars and constellations]. A smaller desk could be 33 inches high by 48 inches long and 32 inches wide. L shaped desks, so very popular these days, are not very auspicious, {{post id=”shapes” text=”rectangular shapes”}} are far, far better.

Computers on desks will give out a great deal of yang energy in the form of electro magnetic fields. This is good in the {{post id=”office-environment” text=”office environment”}} as long as it does not become overpowering because of all the other yang energies already there. Yang energies, and remember in Feng Shui, we are constantly striving for harmony and balance, can be harmonised with the introduction–as mentioned earlier–of yin [near pastel] shades in the decor.
Whilst at desks or computer work stations, office workers should never, ever sit with their backs to the door. The desk should be placed diagonally opposite the door with a clear view of anyone who enters. The back wall behind the desk should be solid with no windows; on this wall, place a picture of a mountain, symbolising support and strength. If a window does back a desk, then it should be protected–vertical blinds will do the job very well indeed.
A manager’s office and anyone in rank above manager, should ideally have their office(s) well into the ‘heart’ of the building, but never at the end of a long corridor, especially if the corridor has three or more doors in it.
All offices, as with all rooms in a house, are best if they are regular with few corners and no alcoves. Offices near toilets, especially right opposite toilets are not good Feng Shui.
Open angular shelving should not threaten desks. Glass fronted shelves are best, or protect them with trailing plants or with books, or files brought right forward to the edge of the shelves.

Office Organisation

Front doors and entrance/reception areas need protection from any external ‘poison arrows’, such as T-junctions. Front doors and entrance areas for one person business or small businesses are often, if possible, best aligned with the Pa Kua number of the boss. General good directions for office main entrances to face are South, which would fit into the Form School ideal site location of the ‘Phoenix footstool’, backed by the protective armchair. Also remember that South symbolises Fame, Public Recognition and Reputation. The Southern entrance is excellent for shops or any premises dealing directly with the general public.
Another good location for the main entrance is South East, representing Wealth and Richness of Life. Reception areas or offices near the main entrance need to be as spacious as possible with excellent lighting.
Do not let mirrors face the main entrance, so that chi would be reflected straight back out again. Broad leafed plants and attractive colours in this area would be excellent. Tie them in with the elements and colours for the Pa Kua locations. Reception and initial ‘Hello and How are you?’ meeting rooms, for visitors to the company are excellent in the South, or in the North West, the sector of mentors and influential, helpful people.

Desks in reception areas, or indeed in any offices in the building which are too near doors may need windchimes to moderate the flow of chi. If, however, windchimes are considered ‘too weird’ for the business environment, then broad leafed plants can do the same job. If desks are near to pools of stagnant chi, hidden away in corners, near to alcoves or actually in alcoves,remedies need to be applied-such as uplighters/spotlights. But, lights right above people�s heads are not conducive to good chi.
Shelves and mirrors too near a desk would also not be good for the person trying to work at the desk. Clutter and untidiness, of course, also need to be avoided, especially on desks, but around them as well. Go back to thinking about the Pa Kua sectors, and remember what the South East represents———–, so, clutter in that Wealth corner, or even worse, rubbish bins, waste paper baskets or paper shredders there would not be good Feng Shui!

Using Remedies and Protectors

Colours, elements, directions and locations should all be considered, especially remedies such as, electrical equipment, clocks, mirrors, lights, windchimes and crystals.

South East = Wealth

All businesses are concerned with wealth in one way or another, so the South Eastern sector of the Pa Kua applied to a business premises is usually the most important. If this sector is stunted or missing, or if this is where all the staff toilets and rubbish bins are located, obviously there will be problems that need sorting out using the Eight Remedies. I recommend the use of Chinese coins, tied together with red ribbon. Use three of them,and they must be Yang side facing upwards. This is the side of the coin with 4 pieces of writing on it. You can also use pound coins [Heads=yang,Tails=yin].
Put them in or near cash registers in shops, in invoice books, near sales figures, in the accounts department in offices. Cash registers in shops, or any offices or areas connected in any way with finance and accounts should never be close to, or even worse, facing a toilet or kitchen.
Mirrors reflecting the cash register or the account books are excellent Feng Shui, as are good luck coin balls tied with red thread hanging in the ‘financial areas’, or frog and/or fish ornaments.
Also remember that especially in the South East, water signifies wealth so a small water feature or aquarium with moving water would help, ensure that any water flow is pointing into the office and not, as with small waterfalls, facing the {{post id=”the-main-door” text=”main door”}}.

The Eight Locations – Business Implications

The eight locations can also be seen to have special implications to do with business life. The Centre, as you know, is an extremely precious and powerful area, symbolising earth and the number 5, where the chi swirls and can produce extreme change. It should be left as clear and as empty as possible. This is very important in shops, to allow the customer freedom to browse.
I once provided a consultation for an office where the rest area for the staff was in the tai chi. Needless to say there were many staff problems, arguments and no team building!

The North West, metal, number 6, is usally a good location for ‘bosses’ of any description including managers. The chi here is strong, powerful and supportive, helping with organisation, authority and leadership qualities. The boardroom or any important management rooms should be in the North West whenever possible.

The West, metal, number 7, is good for creative work and new projects or developments inside the company. It can be used very well for sales or credit chasing, finance, account records.

The South West, earth, number 2, symbolising relationships has a slow and staid chi energy but can be good for personnel work, good customer liaison and interviewing new staff, representing as it does, careful solid progress and strong physical relationships.

The South, fire, number 9, is Fame, Public Recognition and Reputation and therefore links in with improved sales and advertising/marketing, PR., and design departments. This is an excellent location for shops.

The South East, number 4 and wood element, has already been discussed at length being the Wealth corner.

The East is also wood, number 3 and is an excellent location for computers, technical design and where necessary-kitchens, toilets, rest rooms and training. It has a very active chi energy, where ambitions can be realised; any hi-tech equipment is well placed in this location.

The North East, earth, number 8, has a strong, sharp energy, symbolising learning, knowledge and inner self-growth. It usually is associated with hard competitive skills, motivation and getting difficult work and projects carried through to completion.
But always remember the chi here is unstable and can quickly change. Speculation, such as stock exchange trading, investments, are very often found in this location!

Finally, the Northern sector, number 1, element water, is strongly associated with career matters. There is great power and strength here, protection and support.

Siting of Departments in Small Businesses

The information given above could be applied to a small business, restaurant or shop occupying just one room, by placing the Pa Kua over that individual room. The power and strength of the application would never be as strong as that used for the whole building. The office environment of a small business is crucially important, since all the functions of the business may be crowded together. Feng Shui can be very helpful in bringing efficiency and progress into a business like this, and also helping with good working relationships between staff and the satisfaction they get from their jobs. It will also help to provide surroundings free from negative stress while enhancing the ‘feel good’ factor which is needed to help keep the company growing and therefore also ensure individual growth of wealth!

Energy Levels

The chi energies have to flow freely but not too quickly around the business premises. It should not be allowed to rush or to be blocked or become stagnant. The energies of the staff and how this impinges on and exchanges with the environmental chi is very important as well. Often in modern office layout, there will be use of communal desks and the associated equipment with very little room given for personal space. With loads of yang energy zinging about, more rounded features, water influences, plants and softer colours are often needed to stop the overwhelming effect of ‘being on top of each other’.

Personal, individual offices or work stations can have the opposite effect and so more angular, more yang colours and ornaments need to be introduced. Sometimes these very personalised offices can become too strongly identified with home with cuddly toys and photos brought in. This can often have an inauspicious effect, when ‘home’ is located in a workplace, making life a bit ‘too comfortable’ and alterations in enhancements would probably have to be made to counteract these energies.

Article written by Paul Darby. Paul Darby is a feng shui expert, a registered consultant with the Feng Shui Society(UK), who travels all over advising individuals and companies on homes, {{post id=”feng-shui-gardens” text=”gardens”}} and offices.
www.fengshuidoctor.co.uk
pauldarby@fengshuidoctor.co.uk

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Depending on what area your business is specialising in, you may first consider the position of your office plan and using Pa Kua. For example you may consider positioning the office in the North East (Knowledge) Sector if it’s a knowledge-based business, or in the North West (Mentor/Networking) Sector if the business relies mostly on contacts outside the office.

Entrance

- Make sure the entrance is wide and well lit with a “bright hall” for ch’i collection in front of the {{post id=”the-main-door” text=”main doors”}}.
- Check that rubbish does not accumulate outside your entrance door.
- Light the entrance well, for example with uplights.
- If you are able, protect the entrance of your office building with two lions (sometimes referred to as Fu Dogs) as they help to reduce the entry into the building of bad (sha) ch’i.
- Place a water feature or fountain near the front doorway, this will welcome good ch’i.

Office Layout

- Avoid long, straight corridor or furniture alignments.
- Get rid of as many sharp corners as you can and make sure people can move freely.
- Square pillars should be softened, perhaps with a climbing plant.
- Make sure you can clearly see the doorway of your own office.

Clutter

- Treat all your personal or financial files with respect, especially files that contain potential and ongoing projects. Do not leave them on the floor. You do not want your business trodden on. Give your company name or logo the same respect. Never place your company name or logo on the floor as this symbolises thousands of people’s feet stamping all over your business.
- Make use of filing systems and trays.

Activating Sectors

- Activate the prosperity sector in the South East by using water features such as fountains or fish tanks with eight colourful fish inside (plus one dark one to represent the balancing Yin).
- Activate the fame sector in the South especially if your business depends on public recognition, by installing red furnishings or other representations of “fire”.
- Activate the networking sector in the North West of your business with Metal – filing cabinets and perhaps electronic equipment. You could also use large crystals.
- You could also activate the career sector in the North area of an office. However, this would activate and promote the careers of all members of staff in the office. If you want to activate this feature, place a water feature in this sector.

Secret Arrows

- Make sure your desk is not hit by “secret arrows”. Avoid locating it at the end of a long corridor or pointing at by corners of the walls, pillars or other desks. If you cannot move your desk, try and soften the corners with plants or screens.
- Position your back against a wall for “support”, avoid showing your back to an open space, window, door or corridor.

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