“Do colours and feng shui items really work?” asked one of my client.
“Of course it does,” interjected his wife.
Can you imagine a world without colours – just like going eons back watching black and white TV? Life wouldn’t be the same. If we could introduce colours to make our life better in all aspects, why not?
In Feng Shui, we often talk about the vibrational energies (frequencies), similar to the various levels of Wi-Fi frequencies that our mobile phones tapped onto. Through understanding the Feng Shui energies, we can learn to leverage the right locations or directions so that we can perform to our maximum capacity for success, as well as promote better harmony and relationship. We can also learn to protect ourselves from afflicted energies that can affect our health or from those energies that can cause us to be careless and get into accidents or suffer financial loss.
Most Feng Shui practitioners would agree to the above. However, the differences in opinion come in the application of whether one should utilize colours and place items besides just spending time in the right locations, introducing a harmonious flow in our living and working environment and facing the right directions to maximize outcome or minimize problems.
Before we look at the concept of utilizing colour in Feng Shui and Bazi, let’s explore the usage of colour in other areas.
As all of us have been taught in school, white light splits into the spectrum of colours through a medium due to their individual vibrational frequency. In fact, colour has been explored and used as medicine since 2000 BC (1). Colour therapy or colour medicine was utilized throughout the ages in different civilizations. Chromo therapy, a few centuries-old concept used over the years to cure various diseases, is a method of treatment that uses the visible spectrum (colours) of electromagnetic radiation to cure diseases. A number of studies have also elaborated the relationship between the human body and colours. Phototherapy (light therapy) was practised in ancient Egypt, Greece, China and India. The Egyptians utilized sunlight as well as colour for healing (2).
It is also a well-known fact that interior designers utilize colours in the design of restaurants, health care facilities, and home design to promote the necessary feelings and emotions in the occupants. For instance, Red (eg. McDonald’s) has often been chosen in fast food restaurants for a happy feeling and good appetite; the cooling colours of Blue and Green are used in spas to promote the sense of calmness and serenity; and Black and White have often been utilized when respect and formality are observed. I have even met a client who specializes in utilizing colour therapy to help couples through their marriage crisis/ divorce settlement proceedings in her legal firm.
In Feng Shui, we often utilize colours to enhance the location’s vibrational energies. For example, if we would like to enhance the Southeast sector which belongs to the Wood element, we will utilize the Water element which is represented by the colours of Blue, Grey or Black. Similarly, if we would like to suppress an area’s afflicted energies on the occupants, we will utilize the appropriate colours in our choice of bedsheets, cushions, decorative items or curtains. Over the last decade of practice, these are in fact what my clients would look for in our annual review discussions so that they can have a fruitful, safe and harmonious year.
How do we utilize colours in Bazi? Some of us have Bazi charts that may lack certain elements, and due to this disharmony in our charts, we may have “peculiar” perception affecting the way we handle matters and relationships which can cause issues and unnecessary obstacles. Take for instance someone without the Fire element – they are usually less optimistic and may exhibit less warmth to others, causing relationship, emotional or career hindrances. The colours of Red, Pink and Orange represent the Fire element. In my consultations, I’ll recommend that they introduce these colours to their clothing and accessories that they utilize. With the utilization of these colours, the aim is to introduce some vibrational energies of the Fire element so that it will kick start their positive thinking power and promote better relationship.
In addition, when they see themselves in the mirror or the accessories that they utilize, they will also be reminded of the specific areas that they can make improvements on. Based on their individual Bazi chart – it can mean being more articulate, less or more proactive in their approach to others, and managing their expectations, etc.
In the study of meta-physical science, Heaven (what we are born with – our personality, traits and perception of the world), Earth (Feng Shui – our living and working environment) and Mankind (Human Thought and Effort – our upbringing, family background, motivations, etc.) all play equally important roles to us having a smooth, successful and happy life.
Since we are born a certain way (Heaven Luck), it will take effort to manage our behaviours. But if we can utilize positive influences whether it is tapping on environmental (Earth Luck – Feng Shui) energies or human effort induced energies (Mankind Luck – eg. attitude, making the effort to spend time in the right locations, utilizing appropriate colours) – why not? Will it take persistent effort and motivation on our part to see successes? Of course, the human thought, effort and conscious decision and action is the most critical part of this equation to success and happiness in life.
In the next article, I’ll share my experience of utilizing artefacts and my observations on how the physical items in our living or working environment affect us.
In the meantime, visit www.bazicalculator.janetyung.com to find out (for FREE) your favourable directions or your favourable elements: industries, job roles and colours.
References
- Anonymous. Colour history. Accessed at http://www.colourtherapyhealing.com/colour/colour_history.php.
- Coclivo A. Coloured light therapy: overview of its history, theory, recent developments and clinical applications combined with acupuncture. Am J Acupunct. 1999;27:71–83. [PubMed]
