| Good feng shui often requires making wise | | | | intellectually stimulating effect; if you |
| decisions based on your specific | | | | have trouble turning your mind-chatter off so |
| circumstances, rather than blinding following | | | | you can fall asleep at night, make sure you |
| an ideal rule. The feng shui rule for storing | | | | are not sleeping on top of a lot of |
| things under your bed is "don't do it." But | | | | information. Plus, chances are good that if |
| for those who live in small homes every inch | | | | you're keeping that stuff under the bed it |
| of possible storage space is precious. If you | | | | probably isn't at all current, so all that |
| are faced with cluttering up some other area | | | | old information is also energetically holding |
| of your home with stuff that otherwise might | | | | you in the past. |
| be put under the bed, how do you decide what | | | | |
| to do? | | | | - Guns and knives. I really hope you don't |
| | | | feel the need to have these in your house at |
| My preference as a feng shui professional is | | | | all. All that potential violence is not |
| to keep the more visible, frequently used | | | | conducive to a good night's sleep, no matter |
| areas of the home uncluttered. If that means | | | | how "safe" it may make you feel. A feng shui |
| storing some things under the bed, so be it, | | | | friend once told me she'd consulted for a guy |
| as long as it is done thoughtfully and | | | | who collected knives, and who kept that |
| appropriately. | | | | collection under his bed. No wonder he |
| | | | complained of a long string of failed |
| There are two reasons why your bed is so | | | | relationships! Regardless of any other |
| important in feng shui. The first is the | | | | qualities he may or may not have had, that's |
| principle of proximity, which states that the | | | | a lot of cutting chi underlying what should |
| closer something is to you the stronger its | | | | be a place for romantic connection. |
| effect will be. The second is the principle | | | | |
| of duration, which means that the longer you | | | | These examples should give you an idea of the |
| are exposed to a particular influence the | | | | sort of potentially disruptive effect the |
| stronger its effect will be. | | | | stuff under your bed can have. If you must |
| | | | use the under-bed space for storage, reserve |
| If we were getting our eight full hours of | | | | it for soft, cuddly items like extra bedding |
| sleep every night, we'd be spending a third | | | | or your winter sweaters. |
| of our lives in bed. Even with long days and | | | | |
| not enough sleep, the average person probably | | | | You may even find a good use for that space |
| spends 25% or more of his or her time in bed. | | | | by placing something with positive symbolic |
| Keeping the factors of proximity and duration | | | | meaning there, so you can take conscious |
| in mind, this means that anything that is | | | | advantage of the proximity and duration |
| close to you while you sleep will have a | | | | effect. For example, laying a mirror face up |
| strong effect on you, either physically or | | | | under the bed is a recommended feng shui sure |
| symbolically. | | | | for insomnia; symbolically the mirror |
| | | | reflects the bed "downward" thus drawing into |
| Since you are probably well protected from | | | | a deep, restful sleep. For a child who is |
| below by a nice thick mattress, whatever | | | | frightened of imaginary monsters under the |
| you've got stashed beneath your bed isn't | | | | bed, placing a super-tough-guy action figure |
| likely to be directly harmful. However, in | | | | under there could provide some important |
| feng shui the symbolic energy of an object or | | | | protection and security. |
| image is just as important as whatever | | | | |
| literal impact it may have. If you are using | | | | A feng shui client recently asked if it was |
| your underbed area for storage, take a moment | | | | okay to keep her empty suitcases under the |
| to think about the implications of whatever | | | | bed. If you enjoy traveling and want to do |
| is down there, especially if you haven't been | | | | more of it, then having the luggage under the |
| sleeping well lately. If you don't remember | | | | bed may help to encourage that. Inside the |
| what you've stashed under your bed, it's time | | | | suitcases you can put guidebooks, photos, |
| to take another look. | | | | travel accessories, and other items related |
| | | | to the places where you'd like to go. For |
| Here are some things that you ought to find | | | | example, if you would love to take a trip to |
| another place for: | | | | Paris put a guidebook to the city, a |
| | | | French-English phrase book, and a photo of |
| - Shoes under the bed can keep you "running | | | | the Eiffel Tower in an empty suitcase under |
| around" all night even when you are sound | | | | your bed. Add some French currency or |
| asleep. No matter how many hours of sleep you | | | | traveler's checks for the future trip. The |
| get, you may never feel well rested. | | | | suitcase and its contents is now a feng shui |
| | | | activation to help make your travel dreams |
| - Exercise gear, workout clothes, and sports | | | | come true. |
| equipment are also less than relaxing. Unless | | | | |
| you want to feel like you're "going nowhere | | | | On the other hand, if you've been traveling a |
| fast" in life, don't store your treadmill, | | | | lot lately and would like to stay home for a |
| rowing machine, aerobic step under the bed. | | | | change, then I definitely recommend finding |
| Tennis rackets (or other gear for competitive | | | | some other place to keep your luggage. If you |
| sports) can bring a competitive, adversarial | | | | absolutely, positively have no alternative to |
| energy to your romantic relationships. It's | | | | keeping suitcases under the bed -- and you |
| best not to have any kind of exercise or | | | | really want a break from travel -- put a rock |
| sports equipment in the bedroom at all if you | | | | in each one and cover them with a blanket, to |
| can find another place for it. | | | | help them settle in for a long rest and to |
| | | | keep you grounded at home. |
| - Books and work or school papers can have an | | | | |