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The Key To Helping Keep Family Relationships Intact

By on June 4, 2019

 The home is where families grow and gather, and so this environment has a strong impact on family dynamics.  Here are  some important Feng Shui tips to streamline communication and relationships.

Photo: Sense of Space

 

In Feng Shui, the Wood element represents Health and Family – how interesting that we have what we term a Family Tree. Wooden furniture and items, the colour Green, columnar shapes (actual columns or items taller than they are wide), plants and flowers, and images of trees, flowers, and lush landscapes can help nurture the essence of Family.
The Family area of the home or of any room is located on the middle of the left side when looking into the space. The state of the room located in the central left area of the home will strongly impact the relationship with family members. It is, however, important to decorate according to the theme of the room – if it is a bathroom, rather than family pictures (you don’t want them watching everything!), use pictures of flowers and landscapes; if it’s the kitchen, pictures of fresh fruits and vegetables can speak to nourishing your genetic roots.

Photo by Wait Rose Garden

It is essential that plants and flowers in your space be kept fresh and healthy. The best plants for a living space are soft-leaved, upward-growing plants. Spiky palms have a cutting quality that creates aggressive energy, and plants too tall for a space may indicate the presence of an overbearing family member’s energy.
Pictures of relatives are a wonderful way to pay homage to strong family foundations. Such images are best kept out of bedrooms, where their presence might lead to a lack of intimacy. More than once I have found a mother’s picture in the bedroom casting a disapproving look in the direction of the bed; such an arrangement can lead to anything from marital strife to difficulty in conceiving.

Photo by shutter fly

However, a picture of parents next to a young child’s bed can help them feel secure and less likely to call out for them in the middle of the night. But in general, a feature wall or display in the living room is the ideal setting for family pictures.
Keeping pictures up-to-date is essential – nothing will make a relationship go sour faster than old images of people who are still in your life. Baby pictures of children who are now teens or adults show that the parents still see them as their ‘little baby’, and the children will be more tempted to rebel against this restrictive dynamic. If you have one older picture represented, feature the newer ones more prominently in the same display to show the story of their unfolding life. Similarly, pictures of deceased relatives come alive when placed in the midst of their lineage – mix and match the old and the new while emphasizing the most recent pictures. Place the surplus of older ones in an album or a treasure chest, or dispose of them.

Knowing that the Wood element supports family relationships, you have a better reason to adorn your abode with things that grow.

About Mark Ainley

Mark Ainley is a Contemporary Feng Shui Consultant and Emotional Stress Consultant living in Vancouver. A former 5-year resident of Tokyo, Mark consults with clients internationally to help them design living and work spaces in alignment with their goals. He also provides consulting in emotional stress management, as well as in the connection between facial structure and innate behavioural and communication patterns. He can be reached through his website: www.senseofspace.com and www.markainley.com.