Can Feng Shui Improve Creativity?

A conversation over lunch with a friend recently turned to the subject of Feng Shui and creativity in the workroom. Although I’ve heard of this Chinese pseudoscience, it’s not something I’ve ever delved into other than to understand it is all about the placement of things in the home to create good vibes, the ying and yang of life, complementary forces that flow between everything. When one considers the “art” has been around for centuries, I have to admit there must be something to it. And possessing an inquisitive mind, I’m always open to suggestions.

Apparently, to create the correct atmosphere in which to keep the creative juices flowing, be it art, writing, pastry making or building model aeroplanes, the idea is that your workstation should ideally face the door. If you sit with your back to it the energy spilling in through the doorway (whether it needs to be open or closed for it to work, is a matter for further investigation!), hits your back and bounces straight back out of the room.

This hypothesis resonated with me as my writing desk is in a corner of the room against a wall opposite the door, so when I sit there my back is to the door. Since making this move, I’ve never felt truly comfortable and my writing has taken a huge plummet: an observation I have mentioned to friends and fellow writers on numerous occasions. Before this necessary rearrangement of furniture, my desk faced the window, the door to my left and I was prolific in my writing and business there. Since the relocation, I’ve always maintained it was because I faced the wall and couldn’t see out of the window, invariably working with a lamp on that caused my problem. Such was my concern at the drop in my output, last year I purchased another computer which sits on my art table in front of the window. When working there, be it painting or writing, I am more relaxed and my work flows.

“So why don’t I move my desk back where it was?” I hear you ask. My office is also my art studio, which has to serve as my spare bedroom. Whenever I had guests, it was an absolute pain in the proverbial to reshuffle and rearrange the furniture every time, particularly when needing access to the tuck-under bed stored beneath the spare bed. My worktable had to be moved to the landing, cupboards and bedside table humped about the room in order for my guests to be comfortable, and items stashed away in boxes. All to be unpacked and restored after guests had left.  Moving the desk to the corner where the spare beds used to be was a much better option. So I thought.

It transpires in Feng Shui, if a mirror is placed on the wall or desk facing the door, this can elevate the negative energy by reflecting the positive back onto you. But it has to be a round mirror, it mustn’t have any corners. I remembered I had such a mirror stored away, so decided to put it use and see if this would work, such is my desperation to get back into the productive writing mode I used to have.

So the mirror is now in place. If it works, I shall buy a larger one and hang it on the wall in front of me.

Meanwhile, I shall be researching further into the world of Feng Shui to see what else I can achieve. After all, I’ve nothing to lose by giving it a try, and if the practice is to be believed, it could also bring me good fortune. I could certainly do with some of that!

Watch this space.