25

CAREER, CREATIVITY & MONEY

BY FOLLOWING SIMPLE FENG SHUI GUIDELINES you can also help to boost your career, your creativity and even bring more money into your life. Before carrying out any of these tips, you should check the earlier sections on cleaning, clearing and feng shui to make sure you have the ground rules in place. Often all you need to get the dice rolling is to do a serious bout of spring cleaning, clutter-clearing and some basic feng shui. If the problem still remains once you’ve done all that, try these hints.

BOOSTING YOUR CAREER

• For most of us, our career area will be surrounding our front door, or directly to the right or left of it. If your front door lies in the career area then make sure it is as clean and smoothly working as possible. It should open easily (if it sticks, get it fixed at once). It should be freshly painted or polished, with any door furniture (knobs, letter-boxes, key holes etc.) absolutely gleaming. No cobwebs, no dirty marks, no peeling paint. Wind chimes which tinkle as you enter are great for energizing this area.
• If you want to stabilize your career then make sure you have a good solid pot or statue either side of the door (either on the outside or inside of the door).
• Feng shui expert William Spear points out that the Chinese connect the career area with water (which is also linked with money and wealth) so he suggests you boost this area with objects that contain liquid such as inks, paint medicine or oils. Maybe an oil burner with jewel-like coloured oils, or a beautiful bowl containing water on which you could float candles or flower petals. Pictures and photographs in this spot should depict water in some way: so look out for images which include rivers, streams, oceans, fish, whales, waterfalls etc.
• Your desk is also symbolic of your career so pay attention to it. If you work in commerce and deal with money you should choose a square or rectangular desk. If creativity is your priority, then an oval or round desk is better. If you want both, choose a desk that combines graceful lines with defined, square edges. Natural wood is the best choice – black and white desks will tend to slow you down. Make sure there is nothing hanging above your desk – no plants, mobiles or light fixtures.
• In an ideal world your desk will be in a diagonal position to the door of your office so you have a clear view of the door. If you can’t move your desk and have your back to the door, you must have a mirror on your desk to give you a view of the door. That alone might save your career!
• Get rid of all the clutter and put your files and papers in neat order. If you feel you always have too much work, get rid of stacks of papers – file them in a vertical drawer filing unit.
• Now look at your clear desk and add objects to boost the ba-gua of your desk space. Put a vase of flowers, a plant or a beautiful crystal in the top left-hand corner. A picture of your family or partner is good for the top right-hand corner; or an image of unity, warmth and love. This will help humanize your working life and make it more harmonious. On your right-hand side is ‘helpful people’, so it’s a natural place for the phone (if you’re right-handed); also for your address book (put a lead crystal on top to boost it). If you’re left-handed your phone can sit in ‘knowledge’ very happily. If not, keep your reference books there. Straight in front of you – at the far end of the desk or on your computer, is your fame area. This is a good place to keep something that inspires your soul – a picture, a statue, a candle.

ATTRACTING WEALTH

If you have cleared and decluttered your wealth area and ‘cured’ any missing bits, and you’re still having trouble paying the bills, let’s take a look at what else you could do:

• Check your front and back doors – if they lie in a straight line, this could be your problem. Place a plant in between the two doors or hang a small spherical crystal below the level of the doors, making the chi energy pause. Are your doors too big in proportion to the size of your house or office? That too could cause money to disperse. Place a good, heavy, solid object at the entrance, near the door – or invest in a pair of large stone urns to steady the energy either side of the door.
• Goldfish are a well-known Chinese way of enticing wealth into your home. Put your bowl or tank in the wealth area of your home or your study/office. For best results you should have nine fish – eight red and one black. Make sure your tank is kept clean and that your fish have enough space. An aerator helps keep the tank oxygenated and boosts chi too. If you’re not happy with the idea of keeping fish, just install a waterfall or small fountain to pump water around.
• Red and green are the colours traditionally associated with wealth. I’m not saying you have to decorate in these colours (unless you happen to like the combination) but just make sure you have something in these colours in your wealth area. A healthy green plant could help – put it in a bright-red pot for maximum effectiveness.
• If you find it easy enough to get hold of money but that it then simply vanishes before your very eyes, you need to weigh down your wealth area. Try putting something solid – a heavy stone, plant, statue or piece of furniture – in that corner.
• Make sure your wealth corner gets plenty of bright light. If it’s naturally dark, place a large lamp there to give it some illumination.
• Check your kitchen. Remember that kitchens are also equated with wealth in feng shui terms. So ensure it’s bright and well-lit and free from all clutter. Your stove in particular must be kept clean and well-working at all times. If the burners are clogged you will never clear your debts. Use all the burners, not just the front ones – the more burners used, the more money earned.
• Check your bathroom too. Keep the toilet seat always down or you’re flushing money away.
• If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool, you shouldn’t have too many problems with wealth (bit of a swings and roundabout this one: if you’ve got a swimming pool you’re probably wealthy in the first place!). However, they can be a bit tricky. A swimming pool inside the house can unbalance it – unless your house is truly huge it’s not a good idea. Circular-shaped pools are best and the pool should not be sited too close to the house or it will overwhelm it. If so, put a curving path of rounded stepping stones between pool and house. If a swimming pool is out of your price range, then a garden pond can be equally effective. Again it should be rounded, away from the house and kept clean.

ENHANCING CREATIVITY

Have you always wanted to write a book? Or paint or ice cakes? Or start an innovative business? Feng shui consultant Sarah Shurety suggests you focus on your study or the room in which you do your creative work. Try these tips and see if they help:

• Put up a wind chime by the door so it tinkles as you walk in. This will clear the energy of the room and also signify to your subconscious that you are entering a different place and will focus you on your work.
• Directly in front of you (on your desk or worktable) put something that links you to your dreams, something that makes you focus on what you want to achieve. It could be a picture, the cover of a book anything that symbolizes your dreams or projects. If you have a computer taking up that space, put it on the wall beyond. Sarah tells the tale of a woman who wanted to set up a refuge for animals and so she put up pictures of animals plus the business cards of various firms she was hoping would sponsor her project. The refuge became a huge success.
• Once again, water can help. Sarah recommends having a small fountain in your office because the bubbling water helps creativity (as well as attracting money – no bad combination). It will also bring in clarity and lessen stress. Ideally place it near the entrance of your study or in the wealth area.
• Make sure you have a bright light in the left-hand corner of your work table or desk. An uplighter is ideal.
• Always keep fresh flowers on your desk to inspire you.
• You could also use the treasure map technique again – focusing on your goals and aims. Place it in front of you so you see it as you work.
• Burn uplifting, inspiring oils as you work – see Chapter 16 for ideas.