Feng Shui Remedy Inspiration - Wood
In bespoke Feng Shui we use a remedy known as ‘wood’ in spaces where the flow of energy of the home is a little fast and needs to be stabilized while retaining flexibility.
To find out about the unique Feng Shui energy in your home, request a Feng Shui Report Package.
Funnily enough ‘wood remedy’ is not activated by wooden furniture, art or a wooden floor. This wood has been harvested, it’s dead and therefore energetically dormant.
Nevertheless, Wood is one of the simplest remedies to install because it’s as easy as adding a living plant.
There are some caveats however. We never recommend using spiky plants like cactus (except in very specific situations which you can read about below!), plants which look like swords, snake plant aka mother-in-law’s tongue or plants with thorns or barbs like devil’s ivy because they cut into the energy which can result in a prickly atmosphere and lead to arguments and in extreme circumstances exhaustion.
The plants we love the best tend to be those which have abundant round or succulent leaves and those which are beneficial to air quality like a peace lily which exudes oxygen at night.
Wood energy is beautifully calming in a busy home.
Flowering plants are wonderful too, just make sure all houseplants remain healthy. Dead or dying plants will drain you and your home of wellbeing energy, and no one wants that.
There hasn’t been much requirement for wood energy in homes during the last 20 year Feng Shui cycle, but we anticipate an upsurge as we move into a new period which will last from February 2024 – January 2044. This will be a time when anything can happen and flexibility and the ability to go with the flow will become increasingly important, hence the greater need for wood energy.
But what about the areas of a home where you want some greenery but you don’t need a wood remedy or the light levels are inadequate to keep live plants in tip-top condition?
That’s where artificial plants can provide a solution. I want to stress that an artificial plant would never qualify as a wood remedy. However they can add beauty in a dark place like this glorious faux orchid by Peach and Perrow available at ufurnish.com
Larger artificial plants can be used to slow down or divert energy in situations where it may be rushing too quickly through a home. This is often the case where the doors or windows at the back of a house can clearly be seen from the front door. These are places where the owners often feel tired much of the time. Symbolically blocking the racing energy with a large plant like this one or a piece of furniture will divert Chi or lifeforce energy into parts of the home which were previously missing out.
This faux Monstera plant by Graham and Green at ufurnish.com would be an option for a dark hall or space where energy is moving too fast.
Once you have a living plant in place, you can amplify the wood energy by using shades of green in décor and accessories. Just remember that using the colour green will not be a wood remedy on its own.
We love this exotic palm art by Graham and Green from the ufurnish.com site.
The only times you’d knowingly use a cactus…
1. If you needed to repel the energy of something (or someone) attacking your home. If you live in a high crime area, putting a small cactus in the front window can act as a deterrent.
2. Noisy or unpleasant neighbours may become less annoying if you position a spiky cactus against the adjoining wall or position spiky plants along the garden boundary. If you’re having problems with upstairs or downstairs neighbours, book a taster call to show us around your home and we’ll give you some recommendations to ease the pressure on you and your family.
3. If your reputation has been damaged, put a small very thorny cactus in the South area of your home. This represents your fame, reputation and how others see you. Leave the cactus there until the dust settles on the aggravation and then dispose of it in the waste.
Wood energy is something we all benefit from, especially if we can spend time around trees in nature. In parts of the world, Forest Bathing (spending time in woods or forests) is prescribed as a treatment for anxiety, depression and other wellbeing issues. We don’t all have access to beautiful forests, so take advantage of parks, tree-lined city streets and even footpaths with healthy hedges to help boost your personal chi.
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