We have just had a major yacht festival in our French town and it is mind blowing seeing the different boats, incredible money being thrown around and an industry that has not been part of our lives. I was asked how can Feng Shui be applied to a boat and to be honest, I had to stop and think. It is on water most of the time, relies on the tides, the storms which are basically rain, the waves, oceans, rivers and lakes. Basically, masses of water! It would be a challenge and one that I haven’t had to take on. The Bagua Map would still be used but it would have to really focus on balancing the water element. Perhaps that is why wood and metal are the perfect elements for a boat to balance out the huge water overload. Let’s look at how to use this vital element in your own home and space.
Feng Shui First
In Feng Shui, Water is the word for Shui and is seen as a yin energy that flows calmly, representing emotion, wisdom and offering life and often needing to be contained. Within a positive partnership, Water needs Wood to grow and Water is created from Metal. In a negative partnership, Water puts out Fire and Earth drains Water. While this is the general cycle, there are times where you may wish to weaken the Fire or Earth elements in your space. Water also represents emotion and money in Feng Shui, it must flow smoothly and not in a rush and it shouldn’t be blocked, leaking or overflowing. It needs to be mastered.
Where to Manage Water
The first ideal place is in the Career and Life Path sector. Water is a great element for the flow of energy to your career but check out what room is located there. You can also see that the aligning colour is black and shades of dark charcoal. If you look further at the Bagua, you can see that the colours of the Wood sector -green and Metal – white and grey, can offer a chic look with white. However, it is not recommended to encourage Water in the Fire or Earth sectors – Water would douse the Fame and Reputation area and muddy the Relationship corner.
Our Bathroom is in the Travel and Helpful People sector which matches the Metal element. White marble with grey streaks has been used to ground the Water and balance it out with the Earth element. Darker grey stone tiles were used and plenty of metal accessories including picture frames have been added.. The idea is that balancing with ceramics and stone, grounds excessive Water. We added elements of Metal and avoided any Fire or Wood elements. Small mirrors where placed next to the toilet and other areas in the bathroom, to counter the drainage of career and money ‘going down the drain’. Check out previous posts in the Search box on how to Feng Shui the bathroom.
In the Wood sectors, you can use the Water element as it encourages growth but as always, balance is key. We had a kitchen in a Wood sector so it is important to check the placement of the oven which represents the Fire element and also the sink which may add too much Water. Yes, it can be a little complicated but check out other posts that help you with this. In the Metal sectors, Water is a partner element and it can help these areas to flow.
Mirrors and Glass
Both of these represent water and it is common sense not to have too many mirrors in a room. Mirrors reflect what is opposite and will double what can be seen there so be careful where you place them. Glass needs to be contained and Feng Shui seeks to avoid glass tables unless contained within strong metal bonds. Glass shelves ideally should have rims to avoid the ‘cutting’ effect. Don’t panic if you have open glass shelves, most improvement stores have metal edging or even fine rubber edging that you can easily add to the shelf or glass table.
Fountains
Fountains are a popular recommended ‘cure’ but need to be carefully chosen. Choose gentle flowing water and rounded shapes, avoid having a light under it as this represents Fire which drains Water. Make sure the water is cleaned regularly and doesn’t sit in the bowl but moves. Avoid placing one in the bedroom as it is said to add too much emotion and also the bathroom as it adds to the already dominant Water element. A key note to remember, water is seen to give life and energy flow but it can also unbalance.
Final Thoughts
I still haven’t been asked how to manage the Bagua map on a boat but the fundamentals of this element are the same. This quote sums up how to view Water in Feng Shui. “Surrender to the flow of the River of Life, yet do not float down the river like a leaf or a log. While neither attempting to resist life nor to hurry it, become the rudder and use your energy to correct your course to avoid the whirlpools and undertow.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
