Ingrid's Inner Sanctum
Unearthing your Child's Potential with Feng Shui
Children are often at the top of our minds during March. We may be preparing for a much-anticipated family holiday or working out the logistics of day-care during the March Break. Report cards arrive, and remind us of the need to place adequate emphasis on school work during the final months of the term. We wonder how, with our own busy schedules, we can best support our most precious resource- our children.
What could the ancient Chinese art of placement known as Feng Shui possibly have to do with this modern dilemma? The old sages in the Orient unearthed knowledge about how the universe operates that quantum physics is only recently verifying: namely that everything in the material world also exists in an energy state. This means that the buildings within which you live, work and learn, as well as all the objects in them, carry energy. By using the principles of Feng Shui, you can put this energy to work for you right in your own home. And much can often be accomplished just by moving the things that you already have into the energy zones that correspond to your goals.
Your children will not only benefit from using Feng Shui, but they will also likely enjoy doing it. Young people have a great sense of pride in their own rooms and will be positively challenged by coming up with a few appropriate changes that can make them feel more comfortable and may lead to better grades. But first we have to unlock their potential, or more aptly, unearth it. For if your youngsters are anything like mine, you mightn't even be able to get a foot in the door, or much farther than that, before tripping over the clutter: clothes, sports equipment, lunch or snack remnants, books, CDs and school debris.
What you see is what you get, energy-wise. Living in cluttered spaces means that your approach to life and thinking will also be disorganized and chaotic. You'll have trouble, energetically-speaking, making room for new thinking. The waste strewn about in the room will also manifest itself in wasted time- it will take a lot more effort to get things done at all, let alone well. Even my 13 year old agrees that she was doing better at her homework assignments during the fall which, not coincidentally, was when her room had undergone a major clean-up. And while everything was in its proper place, new concepts "fell into place" in my daughter's mind; she readily grasped new material and felt on top of her subjects. Over time, as the orderliness and cleanliness slipped, so did the ease and proficiency with which my teen tackled her schoolwork. And so did the marks.
So the first step to improving your teen's confidence and marks is by getting the room cleaned up and decluttered. This task is likely to be more effective when approached as a team effort. Enlist a responsible adult, such as parents, siblings, a favourite friend or relative, to pitch in and help lest the youngster is inclined to pitch everything under the bed. In Feng Shui, out of sight is not out of mind!
Once the things that are needed and cherished are properly put away, you will want to make a few key Feng Shui adjustments in a child's room. For energetic support with school, pay particular attention to the Knowledge zone. Imagine that when you stand in the doorway facing into the room, the room's floor plan is a giant clock face. Ahead of you at the back wall, in the middle third of the space, is 12:00 o'clock. The door itself is around 6:00 o'clock if it is in the center of the room (or the door could be offside around 5:00 o'clock or 7:00 o'clock). The Knowledge zone is located in the corner to the far left of the room, around the 7:00 o'clock position. It extends about 1/3 of the way into the room and towards the wall with the door into the room.
Each energy zone resonates to a different colour and natural element. The element for the Knowledge zone is earth, so you will want to ensure that there are some earth elements in this area. These can include ceramics, bricks or tiles. This area is also a great location for bookshelves. How about one of those bookshelves using concrete bricks- the type we may have had in our student days? This is also a good place for figurines such as a Beatrix Potter collection. Or place some ceramic plates with your child's name and birth date on the shelves.
Other earth elements that can be placed in the Knowledge zone are pictures or posters of earthy landscapes, such as deserts or fertile fields. The colour yellow and other earth tones can also be brought into this part of the bedroom. You may want to colour-block some square or rectangular shapes onto the walls. Also add something in a red tone to add some supportive fire energy to the space. This can be any sort of object, including toys or stuffed animals.
Involve your child in selecting some of these objects and colours. And while you are admiring the finished results, be sure that you thank the Universe for your precious gift, and ask for support in having your child become the best that he or she can be!
Ingrid Hauck's Feng Shui practise, Ingrid's Inner Sanctum, helps people to achieve results in their homes and offices, using basic and advanced Feng Shui solutions. Personal and corporate workshops and consultations are available, as are gift certificates. Contact Ingrid at 613-526-3975 or online at Ingrid@room4success.ca.
