By Susan “Honey” Good

I luxuriate in the art of Feng Shui. When considering how to express this, I recalled a series of events a few years back. The day was glorious — I knew it would be. I awoke to an incredible sunrise, then a workout with my trainer, followed by a trip for the first time to visit Orchid’s physical therapist, and the delicious finale was lunch with two girlfriends on the rooftop of The Peninsula Hotel at Shanghai Terrace. As I entered the restaurant, the term Feng Shui flashed into my mind because my day thus far was in total alignment.

I was the last to arrive because, to cap off my perfect day, I ran into my Ultimate Concierge on Michigan Avenue.

As soon as I sat down with my girlfriends the laughter and questions were nonstop.

Penelope said to me, “I did not know you were left-handed.”

“Why did you ask?” I questioned.

“Because you are wearing your watch on your right wrist,” she responded.

“I practice Feng Shui, a four-century-old Chinese system. It is a set of laws that teaches how the flow of positive energy brings alignment into all facets of your life.” (And don’t we need all we can get, darlings?)

My girlfriends rolled their eyes, raised their eyebrows, and smiled. I paid no attention to their teasing manner because I believe in Feng Shui and began to give them a brief tutorial on the reasons why I feel as I do and how this practice has brought joy into my life.

“I wear my watch on my right wrist so positive energy can flow to my heart.”

Several years ago a Feng Shui teacher taught me the electricity in your watch cuts off all positive currents going to your heart. I changed my watch that moment to my right wrist.

Before continuing, Penelope, a movie critic who has her own blog, Peneflix, said, “I think you should muse about Feng Shui to your readers.”

Over the course of the next day I decided I would write on the subject, but only share decisions I made when we built our home in California because the practice is so large in scope.

MY JOY WITH THE ART OF FENG SHUI

When I designed my home in Rancho Mirage, I did so with the art of Feng Shui in mind. It was our home for 25 years, our tranquil Shangri-La.

As I walked into my Shangri-La, I always felt in harmony and at peace with my environment. When I walked through the doors, my eyes were able to take in the whole setting because my décor was pleasing and consistent with one floor coving throughout the home. It was a celadon, a willow-green color tile; the color originally coming from China. The furniture was in the same shades with accents of Chinese red and black. The great room was filled with orchids and larger-than-life real trees.

The rest of our home was in the same shade as the flooring so there is Feng Shui consistency. I learned the importance of flow from one of my Feng Shui teachers.

My Feng Shui expert and teacher is a friend and the head of a major corporation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I began to think highly of the practice of Feng Shui when my husband Shelly and I visited his office. He explained that everything has its place and the exact placement creates harmony with his environment. I was immediately interested!

“My desk faces the door because it will provide me with prosperity,” he explained. “I have plants because of their oxygen flow,” he related as he expanded his lungs. “Meaningful objects are in my eye’s view because they create happiness and relaxation. The sight of flowing water in the fountain outside the entryway of my building creates the flow of wealth into my office.”

I was enthralled and, upon arriving home, bought a book on Feng Shui and met with a teacher. I was hooked. The word harmony drew me into the practice of Feng Shui.

FENG SHUI SAYS: LIVE WITH WHAT “YOU” LOVE!

How I practice the art of Feng Shui:

1. I live with my favorite colors and carry them throughout our entire home. As I leave one room and enter another, I feel a flow of continuity providing me with a feeling of harmony.
2. Each room in our home has orchids and greenery, all of the same variety. This provides a quality of calm, a feeling of organization, and the flow of oxygen.
3. I have wind chimes in our yard humming quiet sounds that bring me a feeling of contentment.
4. A beautiful, large green evil eye hangs outside at our entryway warding off any evil from entering our front doors.
5. The sunlight flows through the windows and is constant from room to room.
6. When we chose our lot for Shangri-La, we knew it had to face south. Good quality of light is very necessary.
7. The outside of our home flowed inside. I did this by creating a beautiful landscape using the same colors as the inside of our home.
8. Last, but actually first… I choose my favorite possession to live with me in our home. My husband, my Ultimate Concierge, Sheldon Good.

FENG SHUI SAYS: CLEAR UNWANTED POSSESSIONS FROM YOUR HOME

Clutter sets you up for failure.

ASK YOURSELF:
Do I love it?
Do I need it?
Does it reflect who I am?

If you answer no to any of these three questions, I suggest sharing your possessions with your children or a charity. If you do, Feng Shui says you will have a wealth of happiness.

FENG SHUI: SIMPLIFY YOUR HOME

Disorganization adds negative energy to your life.

1. Your choice of textures, colors, styles of furniture, and your yard are very important. They are truly ‘you.’

I am mindful that the practice of Feng Shui is thousands of years old and far more complicated than I am suggesting. I find myself living a partial Feng Shui way of life that peaks my fancy because it allows me to “simply be.” I am in harmony with my lifestyle over 50 and I owe this, in part, to Feng Shui.

If you want to learn more about Feng Shui, I recommend this book: A Master Course in Feng-Shui: An In-Depth Program for Learning to Choose, Design, and Enhance the Spaces Where We Live and Work.

Do you practice the art of Feng Shui? Do you have a favorite principle? Please share in the comments!