Fengshui Festivities

‘Have You Eaten?’ is the greeting Chinese people often use when they meet each other. The availability and plentifulness of food is a symbol of being able to support one’s family. And, it follows, of having sufficient material abundance alongside enjoying personal well-being and good health. Abundance is meaningful for most of us, particularly where families have experienced hard times in the past.
We need to keep our inner and outer environment in consistent tune with each other in order to feel good. The fundamental fengshui principle of seeking to achieve equilibrium and balance in our surroundings is reflected by how well we nourish our own physical and subtle bodies.
Just as in all other aspects of fengshui, foods are classified as being either yin or yang in their nature. Hot, spicy, sweet, pungent and light foods are considered to be yang whilst sour, salty, bitter, cooling and heavy foods are yin. We need soft, moist and warming foods during the autumn and winter months, sweeter foods in springtime and lighter
foods during summertime.
The colour of food has an important infl uence as well. Foods like apples, peppers and olives have several different colours and their taste becomes even more appealing when the lighter and darker varieties are eaten together.
Even the most wholesome of foods when eaten in excess or at the wrong time of day or out of season can upset our systems so much that we feel ‘off-colour’, depressed, moody or even angry temporarily. The atmosphere may become disrupted due to our own feelings, then other family members can also feel affected as a consequence. A very good
principle to bear in mind when faced with culinary excesses during the Chistmas festivities.
The food we eat supplies us with vital life force from the earth and from the outer universe as well. Where and how our food is prepared is all part of the process of sustaining our vitality. So when the energy of our food becomes disturbed, it will certainly affect our well being. You ought to feel calm, relaxed and happy when you prepare food as you are actually connected to it.
The ideal fengshui kitchen layout is planned so that a clash of yin and yang energies is avoided. This even helps to avoid conflicts between a husband and wife, which is considered to be a likely outcome if a fridge or sink directly face the cooker.
In reality not many people are in a position that they are able to do much about changing these two locations once appliances have been built in. For kitchens where this situation exists, the solution is to use the element wood to balance the fire of the cooker and the water element facing it. Simply place a green mat on the fl oor, alternatively
stand a wooden table in the space between them if there is enough room to do so.
The stove is the most significant source of energy within any home. Fengshui rules are very clear about the effects it can bring about. So choosing its location and layout carefully and correctly is of great importance to the well being of the occupants. It is undesirable to place a cooker in the centre of the house or against a wall where it is directly behind a toilet or in line with one. Located beneath a beam, it indicates pressure for the wife, also vulnerability to health problems. Try not to work for long beneath an exposed beam or dropped ceiling, or you may find you feel oppressed.
If the cooker can be seen from the front door, it may be an indication of potential money problems for the family. So if your kitchen door is in direct line with the front door, then the best solution is to make sure that it is kept closed when you are preparing food. Do not store anything on top of your wall cupboards either, with the exception of a few decorative items placed well back from the edge, You will subconsciously sense the risk of them toppling and you will probably feel uncomfortable working nearby.
When it comes to the style of your kitchen, there are so many design options available these days, ranging from a traditionally rustic look to the more minimalist, hi-tech decor theme. However some basic principles always apply. Avoid overcrowding with a confusing array of small items. Instead keep the worktops uncluttered. Throw out anything that has no use or that simply appears ‘tired’ and steer clear of those bundles of dried flowers. Inspiring storage solutions that will pleasingly transform your space include those attractive green or blue glass containers, natural cane baskets and large colourfully glazed bowls filled with wholesome fresh fruit and vegetables.
Select colours, textures and natural materials that give your kitchen a welcoming and harmonious atmosphere, whichever look you prefer. If you like to have a streamlined contemporary style kitchen, be sure to decorate at least one wall in a warm tone. If there is a lot of metal or glass, introduce some chunky earthenware or ceramics and include some healthy plants in cheerful coloured containers.
So with good fengshui in your kitchen, it will become all the more cheerful and harmonious and your culinary efforts will be really successful when infused with these good feelings. Wishing you all a very special, wonderful Festive Season.
Sylvia Bennett is chairman of the Feng Shui Society, a leading feng shui consultant, writer and teacher based in Devon, practicing in the London region, Southern England, and overseas. She is also an environmental designer and RIBA affi liate. You can reach her on 01548 580989 or visit www.fengshui-living.com