In my last column you learned the four easy steps to Feng Shui, with the most important being locating and enhancing each of the nine Bagua areas. Over the course of the next few months, we will spend each column digging deeper into each area. Let’s begin with enhancing your Career area.
Have you been looking for a rewarding career?
Do you feel undervalued in your current job; are your skills not being utilized?
Are you in transition between careers?
Then this is the time for action! Look to the Career area of your home for help.
The most powerful tool in Feng Shui is the Bagua (Ba-gua) Map, represented as a grid of nine sectors. The Bagua comes from the Chinese philosophy, “The I Ching,” and literally means “eight trigrams”, with the Center acting as the grounding force. The Career Area is located in the front center area of your home or office, the element for this area is Water, (allowing career opportunities to flow freely) and the colors are dark and shiny. Representations of this element can be used inside and outside of your home or business.
The Career area is located in the front of your home/office/business.
For many of us the greatest challenge in life is discovering and performing the work that we love to do. This is known as “following your bliss”, which is the goal of this area. Since this is in the entrance quadrant of your environment, the key is to invite in and keep the Ch’i, the vital energy, flowing through your home.
Enhancements in this area are particularly helpful if you are making any kind of changes in your current job or career (including retirement and promotions), looking to change, or find, a job or career, looking for meaningful volunteer or community service work, seeking ways to bring more energy, creativity and efficiency to your current job, or if you simply want to explore your life’s purpose.

The Bagua and the Elements

The five Feng Shui elements are considered the building blocks of everything physical on earth: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal.
Each is associated with an area in your home related to the Bagua. The front center of your home is the Career area, which is referred to as the “Mouth of Ch’i,” and symbolizes the flow of energy into the home. The FLOW comes from the connection of the Career area to the Water Element. This element is represented by a body of water, and when in balance it enhances communication, inspiration, calm, ease – therefore helping you find the perfect job. Without the nourishing water element we can experience stress, lack of communication and connections, and lack of a satisfying career.

The Water Element:

Feng Shui relies on the power of symbolism. While we do recommend positioning water features of all kinds (fountains and aquariums), there are many other symbols of water you can use such as: a reflective surface such as glass, cut crystal and mirrors, flowing asymmetrical shapes, the black and dark tones color spectrum, art depicting water scenes. These are all represented in the Career area enhancements.
Enhancements for energizing career inside your home or business:
* Ensure that this area is clutter free. If your Career area is your front door make sure that when you open your door you are greeted with a clean inviting space, and that there is nothing blocking the door from opening fully.
* Hang art depicting water (such as streams, ponds, rivers or oceans) or career images and symbols (books or logos from your business or one that you aspire to). This is a great location for a small fountain or aquarium.
* Display items, such as statues, accessories, or furniture in black or very dark colors or in asymmetrical shapes.
*Hang mirrors, and/or display glass/crystal items, such as a crystal vase or a glass table. A round faceted crystal hanging from the ceiling helps the energy flow in small more confined spaces.

Enhancements for energizing career outside your home or business:
* Water features, such as fountains, waterfalls, and/or ponds work well here. It is important that the energy flow toward your home or business, so the fountain should either be a 360 degree bubbler or facing so the water flows towards your building.
* If your career area is your front entrance (the Mouth of Ch’i) use wind chimes to invite the Ch’i to enter, plant colorful healthy flowers along the path (curved if possible) to your door, and have two greeters in the form of plants or statuary on either side.
*The front door is very important in Feng Shui; therefore anything you can do to emphasize it will encourage new opportunities to come your way. Painting it a shade of red, not only highlights it, but invites wealth and positive energy.

Correcting Feng Shui problems affecting career

What if my entrance is small, or opens into a long hallway?
*Small spaces can be opened up with mirrors hung along the wall (not facing the door, as it would send the Ch’i back out). A round faceted crystal hanging from the ceiling can keep the Ch’i moving forward.

What if I’m missing the Career Area?
*If your career area is missing from your floor plan, anchor this area with fountains, wind chimes, red and yellow flowers to draw attention to the vital energy, greeting statues, or hanging plants. The key is to complete the space, and create a welcoming environment.

What if my front door opens to stairs going up?
*Stairs can be tricky because it can symbolize the Ch’i flowing right down the stairs and out of your home. This can be fixed by placing a mirror by or above your front door, facing the staircase to reflect the energy back in.
Even if the area is not your front door, similar enhancements can be made. In a classroom, my career area is where I teach my lessons; with a screen, whiteboard, projector etc… I also hang posters representing waterscapes. Bookcases with career oriented books and a small fountain can also be placed here. My daughter had her career area in her kitchen; she hung a beautiful ocean scene, hung a crystal in the kitchen window and has a small fountain on the counter. This began a string of wonderful career opportunities for her.
Making a few simple changes within your home can have an immediate and powerful effect. Be prepared to have doors of opportunity open that were closed before – perhaps even opportunities that are completely different from the ones you expected. You could be very pleasantly surprised! Enjoy the flow of renewed energy while you follow your bliss!

Affirmations:

In Feng Shui, intent plays a significant role in enhancing any area of your home or business. That’s why all enhancements need to be made with intentionality; written or stated affirmations are very important. It is also important for them to be expressed as if they are already happening. Examples or affirmations for the Career Area: “My career is fulfilling, inspiring, and lucrative,” “I grow and prosper though performing my life’s work,” “I attract many positive opportunities and circumstances.”

Feng Shui at Work:
A client had me do a consultation in the small room she was renting, and the Career Area was the wall at the foot of her bed where she had hung a rock poster. Knowing that that was the first thing she saw every day I realized the importance of replacing it with career images and a vision board. She even hung her resume with the word “hired” across it. The results were dramatic. Her visualizations paid off. She now is an attorney in a law firm she was hoping to work for.
One client was stuck in an unsatisfying career. He realized that he had been neglecting the dying plants by his front door. Once he made the connection, he took time to clear a path, plant colorful flowers, and even hung a beautiful plant arrangement on a red metal holder. His energy increased as did his career opportunities.

Feng Shui on a Shoestring:
Feng Shui enhancements do not have to cost a great deal. Just the act of hanging an inexpensive wind chime by your front door calls in the Ch’i. Planting fresh flowers and decluttering get the energy flowing, and remember that affirmations cost nothing.
For questions or home consultations email at mtmccull@aol.com and put “Feng Shui” on the subject line, or visit my website at www.fengshuibymaria.com, (where you can read past columns), or Facebook “Feng Shui by Maria”, where I post pictures as examples to enhancements.
* Check out my BLOG – Just go to the website and click on “Blog”: You can view many pictures and, I will respond to your questions quickly.

Maria McCullough, a Benicia resident, is the owner / founder of Feng Shui by Maria (www.fengshuibymaria.com) and is a speaker and educator with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in residential, landscape and business consultations. She is a graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui and has personally trained with Terah Kathryn Collins, founder of the Western School of Feng Shui, specializing in Essential Feng Shui® and author of numerous books including “The Western Guide to Feng Shui.”

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