Feng Shui Your Temporary Living Space: Creating an Energetic Bubble
A few months ago I was interviewed by Torja a magazine for Japanese students and workers living in Canada. Many of the questions focused on how to deal with temporary living spaces. I realized after doing the interview that this is an important issue for many people. University students, foreign workers and working holiday students have to live in small, uninspiring, rental spaces for a year or less. A temporary space can have a huge impact on how content and happy you are. There are also external stresses that can contribute to your unhappiness: being away from the support of family and friends, language barriers and financial insecurity.
Can you relate to these three problems?
Living abroad or away from home temporarily is difficult because you never truly settle down. Your life is temporary, and without roots; this can take a toll on your ability to feel safe, secure and at ease.
You have no control over your surroundings in a shared rental space. The common rooms (ie. kitchen, bathroom and living room) are often occupied by people that you are not friends with, and you hardly know.
Why bother trying to fix up your room? You cannot paint, redecorate or hang pictures. Plus, what’s the point? I’m only going to be here for a few months.
Take a look at my doodle below. Feng Shui works from the inside out. The most powerful energy changes are made closest to you. Start by shifting your own personal ch’i then work outwards. Your bed and bedroom are your best places to create change, and they directly affect you and your energy. Focus on what you can control.
Create your own energy bubble in the spaces and parts of your life you can control: you, your bed and your bedroom. Once you take energetic control of your spaces all other external energy realms will seem unimportant.
How do I take energetic control of my space?
Believe it – Your mantra for the next nine days is “This is my space. I own it now and it will support me.”
Clean it – wash the sheets, sweep out all the corners, dust, open the window.
Own it – Put your energy in you room. Play music that will fill the space. Sing. Chant.
Visual it – Sit on your bed. Close your eyes. Take 3 long, slow breathes. Visualize yourself sitting on your bed. Create a bubble in your mind. Pick a colour that you like… pink, purple, yellow… Visualize the bubble expanding around you… now around your bed… then expand it around your room. Hold it there… breathing slowing and evenly. Now repeat your mantra above 9 times. Open your eyes. You can do this every day for 9 straight days.
Shift your energy – Take up one of the following: yoga, guided meditation, Tai Chi or take silent, peaceful walks.
Understanding that you are in control of your most important energetic spaces is fundamental to moving on to the next step, to bring in Feng Shui enhancements using the Five Elements. Next month: Part Two – Feng Shui Your Temporary Living Space: Simple and Inexpensive Feng Shui.