Academic Office Feng Shui

A new college professor asked for my Feng Shui assistance after moving into his first academic office. He was entering academia after working in the private sector for almost two decades. His latest position had provided offices in a more open format with individuals working in teams, placed in close proximity to one another. The 9’ x 9’  square traditional office along a long corridor lined with classrooms on one side and offices on the next offered a different outlook, and he wanted to be able to make the transition to his new career as easily as possible.

Although grateful to inherit an office full of furniture from the retiree who had previously occupied the space, my Client definitely sensed how the pieces held the distinctive personal Ch’i of the previous occupant. Whenever you take residence of a space that has both the physical trappings and memories of your predecessor it is important to shift the predecessor energy by redefining and energizing the space with your own spirit.

During my first visit I quickly saw several situations that would benefit from a Feng Shui viewpoint:

Chi Flow

As you can see at right, the view looking in from the hallway shows the door of the office is directly across from the wall of windows. This means that when the door is open, Ch’i will enter nicely but immediately take the path of least resistance and head for the windows. This prevents the occupants from enjoying the benefits of its vital energy. To coax the Ch’i to circle around the office, something needed to be placed in its path in front of the window to divert the flow around the room. My suggestions included a colorful mobile, a vertically oriented sculpture or a hanging plant. Ultimately, my Client chose a tall plant which was added to the back windowsill.

Desk in the Power Position

Thankfully, the oversized desk was already placed in the Power Position. A new desk chair needed to be purchased, so I recommended it have a very high, supportive back to act as the “solid wall to the back” which is a component of the Power Position. This guideline made it easy for the Client to decide when he went shopping.

 

Comfort and Safety First

Originally, a large wall cupboard similar to the one at right was resting on top of the desk on the side against the wall. It loomed over anyone sitting in the office. Sometimes we need to be mindful of tall, heavy or dark furniture as it can make folks uncomfortable. In this very small space the scale was too large.

After thoroughly evaluating potential storage requirements with my Client, it was determined he could easily remove this piece and still have adequate storage. The photo above shows a similar piece to the one that was removed.

On the day the desktop storage unit was wrestled out of the office, I received an excited text and a photo. He was thrilled with the result as the space immediately felt more to his liking, lighter and clearer.  Since then, my Client has received several positive comments about how bright and inviting his office is, and two other faculty have also removed similar shelving from their offices.

Live With What Your Love

Feng Shui Principle #1 asks us to “Live With What You Love.” My Client could live with the desk and a large bookcase that were left behind but chose to remove or upgrade a few of the remaining pieces.

Again, we made a thorough evaluation of his workflow and general needs. He designed a side table to house auxiliary items. A staff member that makes custom furniture was able to help him and created a piece of the perfect size and style.

Live With What You Love – Round Two

One item that he removed was a worn, heavy wooden guest chair positioned across from the desk. There is very limited space for students, graduate assistants and colleagues to maneuver when visiting, and my Client found the chair much too cumbersome and uncomfortable for his guests. He had the brilliant idea to replace it with a more contemporary, light, black metal chair with bright upholstery and casters. Now it is quite easy for people to come and go.

Enhance the Feng Shui Bagua

It was a joy to work with this thoughtful client to continue to fine tune his environment by creating the office’s Feng Shui Bagua and generating enhancements for each gua. This exercise can expand anyone’s understanding and connection with their space. Here’s a few examples of what we did:

Career Gua

As a professor in the School of Forest Resources, he chose a large framed print of a wooded spruce forest painted by a famous local artist. It reminds him of the land he so passionately works to protect.

Knowledge and Self-Cultivation Gua

The large bookcase that was in this space served as a perfect home for textbooks, reference materials and other academic papers. This is an ideal area for placing anything education-oriented, whether in an academic office, commercial office, home or other setting.

Creativity and Children Gua

A white board fit nicely in this space as equations and other creative problem solving activities could be recorded here.

Relationship Gua

A sentimental double spouted Native American pottery vase the Client received from his grandfather was added to the Relationship area windowsill. This item represented the recommended enhancement for this gua with two items (spouts) of equal size that related to one another being part of the piece.

Fame Gua

Typically, Fame is a wonderful place to display any diplomas, awards or commendations.  In this case, the space between the windows was quite limited and the Client’s diplomas were too large. A beautiful clock with a bird image behind the dial was added. This gua holds the Fire Element. Birds, animals, people, stars, suns, pointed objects, maps and electrified items (such as clocks) all hold the Fire element and can be used here

If you would like to learn more about the Feng Shui Bagua Map, my series, The Feng Shui Bagua will give you detailed information on how to create your own home’s Bagua and then how to decipher and utilize its messages.

Feng Shui Results

It has been several months since the initial changes were made. My Client reports excellent results in the first year and a half of his appointment. Both personal and professional friendships with his fellow faculty have been made, several grants have been awarded, and the teaching of his first few college courses has been successfully completed, all with excellent student and faculty reviews. He’s looking forward to moving ahead on the many opportunities that have come his way.

A fine student of Feng Shui, this Client continues to fine tune his space, and therefore, his life. Having experienced the transformation in his office, he is now becoming more aware of changes he can make on his own. When I made a follow-up visit recently, it was great to hear him point out a few items he wanted to continue to modify. All would improve the Feng Shui.

We all have this same capacity to tune into our space and listen to what it is telling us. In this circumstance, the Client knew something was off but didn’t know where to start. That is the perfect time to turn to the help of a Feng Shui consultant.

After making the prescribed changes, the space is becoming truly his own and he is now able to more easily discern what he can do to keep the room’s energy balanced for himself. Great Feng Shui!

Does something feel off in your home, even after you’ve made some changes? If so, it’s a great time to contact me to schedule a Feng Shui consultation.

Let me hear about your Feng Shui project and the great results you’re intending with the  Feng Shui adjustments. I look forward to your comments.

Have fun,

Carol