Feng Shui Your Leaks Away for a Prosperous New Year

You might think we're kidding, but we're not. All year long we talk about water conservation and the things you can do at your home or business to cut back on use -- because it's the right thing to do in water-dry California. Now we've decided to invoke a little feng shui magic to motivate and inspire for a dripless and prosperous new year.

In Feng Shui -- the Chinese art of placement -- water represents sustenance, wealth, and the flow of life. Here in the West, it's pretty easy to understand those associations.

So clean free-flowing water is a good thing (think fresh water and clear drains) but stagnant water and restricted flow, not so much. And water drip, drip, dripping from a leaking faucet or toilet? Well, consider the full implications of the expression "money down the drain".

It all makes sense - psychologically, energetically and literally.

Anywhere you have a drain, you want the outlets and lines to be clean and clear, with no obstructions. Anywhere you have a water inlet, you want faucets, shut-offs and other moving parts to be working smoothly, with no drips. (No restrictions on incoming sustenance -- and no waste!)

It's pretty simple, but you can take the whole feng shui wealth and water thing up a notch by paying attention to where in your house or office the inlets and outlets are located.

  

The top graphic shows what's called the 'ba gua' -- a graphical representation of the eight taoist principles of reality: wealth and opportunity; fame and recognition; relationship; creativity; helpful people and travel; career; knowledge; and family.

In the art of feng shui, the bagua can be 'laid over' -- or is superimposed on -- our physical environment. That's where the second graphic comes in.

Notice in the second graphic where the front door is indicated. If you're mapping out your house or office, orient the layout of your room or building so the entrance lines up with the lower edge of the bagua.

Next, look to see where your kitchen, bathroom or other inlets/outlets fall. In this diagram the kitchen is in the 'Fame and Recognition' area. According to feng shui, any problematic plumbing issues are going to negatively impact things relating to your reputation -- and because water is involved, those impacts may well be of the cha-ching variety. Say, people stop referring you for work, so new clients seem harder to come by...fewer clients means fewer jobs...You know, that kind of thing.

So what do you think about feng shui-ing your way into a more prosperous new year? Could be just the ticket!