9 Ways to Feng Shui Your Desk
If you’re struggling to keep your head afloat the cesspool of folders and documents you’ve allowed to accrue on your desk, chances are you may feel a bit uneasy while working. Although having a disorderly desk certainly disrupts the flow of Chi in your vital environment, which cultivates your livelihood and career, it is equally as detrimental to sit in an empty space with nothing to spark creativity or encourage prosperity of the mind, body, and of course- the wallet.
Feng Shui will help you facilitate an environment that keeps you energized, brimming with new ideas and creativity, invite raises, and cultivate your family life at home. The venerable Chinese art of arrangement focuses on the placement of objects in particular directions to align Chi (or energy) to manifest a desired outcome.
Existing in Feng Shui are nine directions which govern abundance, fame & reputation, romance, family, health & fortune, children & creativity, wisdom & self actualization, career success, and spiritual guidance.
Whoa!
Why would you want to invite the energies of creation (of baby humans, no less!), into your work environment? Although feng shui is traditionally used to balance the Chi of an entire home, we’re adjusting the art to suit our needs at work, where we incur most of our stress!
Treating the surface of our desk as the representation of a floor plan will map out the directional associations we will energize with zen! Understanding your personal energy map, or Bauga, is essential in the placement of objects on your desk.
Help identify the corners of your desk by using a compass app which uses your GPS to tell you exactly where each direction is. (I used the compass which came preinstalled with my iPhone.) When you have established the directions of your desk, draw a map so you’ll remember! It helps to label the Feng Shui properties with each corner too.
9 Ways to Feng Shui Your Desk for Success!
Creating an environment where Chi prospers positions you for everlasting success! Take a quick look how each of the directions can be work-centric and enliven every aspect of your professional career:
1. Abundance (Southeast)
Tending to the abundance sector of your space will help ring in that raise you’ve been pining for! Promote the growth of your wealth (and internal happiness) by introducing a plant. Philodendrons bloom wonderfully in office spaces, as do succulents which are drought resistant and don’t take up too much space, when potted appropriately (in a small planter, that is.)
To boost the innate properties of my plants I purchased round, votive candle holders with kanji of Wealth and Prosperity printed on their clear faces.
You may move beyond plants, or incorporate both elements, by introducing Chinese coins (or any coins, really)- specifically ones which dangle. Invite the colors of green and lavender into this space, and see your prosperity grow! You may also introduce crystals like jade, aventurine, and clear crystal quartz to help abundance come to fruition.
2. Fame & Reputation (South)
If you want your work to be noticed by the people who matter, fire up the South side of your desk with all things red! This is an ideal place to hang awards, accomplishments, or mementos of projects you are most proud of. (I hung a picture of my eBook’s cover here.) This serves as your font of power, building your confidence in the office will help you stand behind your proposals, and have the courage to propose them at all!
3. Romance (Southwest)
While fraternizing with your colleagues is frowned upon, placing a picture of that special someone on your desk will help you remain calm while in the thick of frustration. Giving the Southwest some of your attention will help spur things along at home, and will remove one less thing you have to worry about at work.
4. Family (East)
You guessed it! Place family pictures and portraits of your family and loved ones in the East to keep them in your mind (and maybe motivate you to perform your best at work). Hanging a bulletin board for taking photos and memos for work makes the East of your desk serve dual purposes.
5. Health & Fortune (Center)
If you’re sick you can’t work! Although it may be difficult for you embellish the center of your desk, I adorn my computer monitor with crystals like citrine and blue calcite, the first of which promotes energy and liveliness, the latter facilitates communication. Lack of communication is a common source of anxiety, depression, and physical unrest.
Surrounding yourself with mementos reminding you to share your honest thoughts with your coworkers, yourself, and the loved ones in your life will help both your physical and emotional wellness.
6. Children & Creativity (West)
Cultivating the West of your desk is imperative to stimulate creative ideas, and provocative, new solutions to propose everyday problems experienced by your department. (Guaranteed to impress your boss!) Despite whether or not your occupation is considered “creative,” heightening alternative thinking will open new door in every plane of your life, in and outside of the office.
Elect for something orange in color, a flowering plant, or tools of your trade. Posters of your favorite quotes from someone you revere are excellent choices. (Don’t forget to expand outward- you have bare walls full of potential.)
7. Wisdom & Self Actualization (Northeast)
Keep your ultimate visions and aspirations forever present in the forefront of your mind. Energy follows thought; actively participating in the manifestation of your ultimate definition of self actualization is important to emphasize at work, as it will help you spirit forward in your career to achieve all you’ve dreamed of.
Introduce venerable power symbols like the Yin & Yang, or a memento symbolizing what it is you wish to achieve.
8. Career (North)
Of course cultivating the North of your desk will help you solidify your actions in your vocation, and improve productivity. Introducing elements of nourishment and the encouragement of flow will help you grow in this aspect. Purchase an inexpensive water fountain, or all things blue in color. Posters of industry leaders are an excellent choice. (Don’t forget about those who started it all!)
9. Spirituality & Guidance (Northwest)
You may find it strange to introduce spirituality into the workplace- but appealing to all planes of human wellness is imperative for improving your performance entirely. You may purchase a calendar of daily devotionals, or draw oracle cards in the morning to keep yourself abreast of the challenges and successes of the day ahead. When you are centered within yourself, there exists nothing powerful enough to unground you.
