Making space for more creativity with feng shui
Photo by Andrew Barrowman on Unsplash
“Believe it or not, we are all creative. It’s true! Sometimes we have a very narrow view of what being creative is. When we think about being creative, we imagine ourselves painting a landscape with oil paints, or taking a pottery class; these are excellent examples of the power of creativity, but not the only ones. Creativity can strike at any time when we are tending, caring, fixing, moving, and reshaping our home and the objects in it.”
— Laura Morris Creating Change: 27 Feng Shui Projects to Boost the Energy in Your home
Feng shui is often referred to as an art, and maybe a little narrowly, as the art of placement (if you have been following our blog and podcast you will know that feng shui is much more than placement). Let’s put aside the discussion of the correct definition of feng shui for now, and think about the term “art of placement”. The simple act of placing (or removing) objects from a space can be done in an artful way. Using intention and appreciating the act of shaping your space is a creative act. So perhaps referring to feng shui as the art of placement isn't such a narrow view after all.
“Creativity starts with how you think and then becomes about what you do. Creativity is a capacity of mind that can lead to original expressions.”
— Dr. Carrie Barron, The Creativity Cure
How can feng shui help us to cultivate more creativity in our life?
In feng shui you are working with both the physical space, as well as the invisible energy, or qi, that circulates and surrounds us. The most effective feng shui is when both are combined: when the mundane and rational is combined with the invisible and immaterial (transcendental).
Feng shui in itself is a creative act, because true creativity is both material and transcendental. You work through the creative process—making, installing, and designing, as you impart a deeper part of yourself into the creation or project. The immaterial part of the creative process is your desire, hope, inspiration, discernment and intention.
Here are 3 ways you can begin to use feng shui to help cultivate more creativity in your life:
Begin to study the bagua on a deeper level - the bagua is a way to examine a space by connecting it to an ancient cosmological tool. Place a bagua map onto a space dividing your home (or bedroom etc) into nine areas. You can learn about what each of these areas or guas (eight guas plus the center) mean on a deeper level. If you are new to the concept of the bagua you can start here to learn more about it. If you want to listen to Anjie and Laura’s discussion around the bagua and creativity you can listen here.
Make space for creativity in your life. This could mean decluttering your home or maybe just saying no to additional expectations or demands. Downsizing your social calendar can also free up time for more creative pursuits.
Choose one feng shui adjustment or change to make in your home. If you have an interest in feng shui you have probably been listening to our podcast or reading our blog, so you know we have a lot of easy-to-follow, accessible feng shui adjustments you can make in your home. Choose one and do it with intention and creative energy.