Feng shui and art

A better choice would be a nature scene with a beautiful stream, or perhaps a picture of two people holding hands.

by Joy Abrams —

Every decorating item in your home conveys a distinct message. The things around you have a profound effect on everyone in the household. Your surroundings can greatly affect career, health, relationships and prosperity. So it is important to surround yourself with things you love and that are meaningful and impart happiness. Feng shui is not just about a place; it is about you and how you resonate with your place.

Art is especially meaningful, as it displays overt and covert messages. Walk through your home, room by room, and try to feel the energy that your photographs, art and sculpture convey.

Art works for you when it helps express your hopes and goals in life. Before you consider displaying a piece of art, consider the message it conveys and whether this is a message you want to influence your perspective at this time in your life.

For example, if you are experiencing a rocky relationship, avoid paintings that depict storms. A better choice would be a nature scene with a beautiful stream, or perhaps a picture of two people holding hands.

Artwork is expressed through color, line and form. Have you ever pondered the colors in nature and their inherent meaning?

The color green helps you feel alive and stimulated toward positive action. In nature, green is the color of chlorophyll, vital for photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light and helps things grow.

The blue of the sky shows you the mystery of the self. With the shortest wavelength of all the colors of the spectrum, blue does not call to you or pull you toward it. As such, it is a color that has a cool distance about it and conveys a sense of mystery.

The color red says, “Stop and notice who I am!” With the longest wavelength in the spectrum, it is a common color in beautiful tropical flowers. Red is a stimulating color that inspires you to do what needs to get done.

Yellow brings into focus your perceptions of the sun. This color inspires happy thoughts and hope for the future, even when all seems dim. Yellow lights up your space and encourages an optimistic outlook.

Examine your artwork more closely and evaluate its messages before you hang or display various pieces around your home. Also, decide if the message each piece conveys is appropriate for the area where it will reside.

Joy Abrams, M.A., FSII, is a feng shui and yoga master. www.aaafengshuiandyoga.com or 602-791-5223.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 27, Number 5, October/November 2008.