The ancient art of Feng Shui focuses on creating balance within any space. There are many techniques used according to a rooms function to welcome harmonious energies and to remove negativity. The bedroom is an extremely important area because we spend a great deal of our lives sleeping. Sleep should be restorative and healing and the bedroom should facilitate rejuvenation of the mind and body.
Common Feng Shui tips for the bedroom include having a sturdy headboard, supportive mattress and space underneath the bed for energy to flow around you freely as you sleep. An end table at both sides of the bed brings balance to your space. Earth tones provide balance and harmonious energies, while pastel colors ensure good rest and tranquility. Use a small amount of warm color like red or yellow to help promote passion and intimacy, but beware as overuse can lead to sleep disturbance.
Here are four ideas for decorative elements to enhance the energy of your bedroom.
Feng Shui experts suggest layered lighting in the bedroom. Lamps with soft light are a great choice, so are candles in soft shades. Salt lamps are dual purpose, adding soft, warm light while purifying the air. They work well on end tables, giving a serene ambiance and comfort, while improving air quality right where you rest.
An oil diffuser is incredibly useful in the bedroom. Use it to disperse comforting blends of essential oils. The right blend of oils can help melt away stress and tension after a long day at work, or add a little spice to your love life.
Of all of the five senses which we humans are blessed with, the sense of smell is perhaps the most spontaneous. It is also the most strongly connected of the senses to the areas of the brain that process memory, meaning that even the smallest whiff of a smell that you had previously connected to a certain place can bring you back to that place in mere moments. The sense of smell is directly wired to your brain, unlike the other senses, meaning that the link between smells and brain response is very rapid and quite ancient and primordial in nature.
Incense, then, is a way to access certain parts of your mind quickly and with a great deal of precision. By selecting and using certain types of scents in your home you can rapidly adjust not only the atmosphere of the room but the atmosphere in your mind and spiritual body. This is perhaps why incense has been used so extensively by so many cultures since ancient times. From the joss sticks used in China, to the cedar and sage burned by indigenous tribes of the Americas, people all over the world have been burning plant essences in order to manipulate the sense of smell, and thus their brains, from time immemorial.
Incense is a wonderful way to change the atmosphere of a room in seconds without having to go through the trouble of painting or moving furniture around. It is also an incredibly useful tool for meditation practice. Scents such as Japanese cedar, sandalwood and camphor seem to instantly pull the mind into a calm, meditative state in which you will find it easier to bring greater depth to your practice. Incense releases fragrant smoke when burned. Incense is used in therapy, meditation, and ceremony. Incense may also be used as a simple deodorizer.
Some crystals and stones were made for the bedroom. Place pieces of Rose Quartz, Howlite, Amazonite, Jade and Lepidolite around the room. Selenite and Shungite should be placed on or near windows. Use caution with Selenite - don't place it too close to the bed as it has been known to create active dreaming.
Ideally, electronic devices like TV’s and computers should be removed from the bedroom entirely. In smaller homes, this isn’t always possible. In this instance a lovely curtain or table covering can be used to divide the room, or simply cover these items at night. Electronics are said to be a major Feng Shui killer in bedroom areas. The blue light they cast at night causes insomnia and unrest, not to mention distraction.
With a little planning, every room can easily be brought into balance. Many times, a few simple additions and changes are all that is required to turn the bedroom into a sensual, peaceful sanctuary.