Feng Shui Your Money

Feng shui is all about creating good energy in your home, and the result will be prosperity and abundance in all areas of your life. So if you want to attract more money, then create an abundant, prosperous, energy in your home. Suggestions include using the feng shui money frog, placing furniture a certain way, using specific colors, etc.

But what about going directly to the source? Feng Shui your ACTUAL money? I was inspired to explore this possibility when I read the book Apartment Therapy, by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. Gillingham-Ryan doesn’t talk about feng shui per se, but he does discuss the physical and non-physical elements that comprise a comfortable, peaceful home that functions perfectly for its owner. If one could achieve this in his or her financial life, it could produce financial peace of mind on multiple levels.

So what are the elements? Gillingham-Ryan applied these elements to the home, but I am going to apply them to your finances.

Bones – this is the physical structure of your home, or in our case, your money. What accounts do you have? How is it organized? Are there old accounts you never look at? These old accounts will result in stagnant, stuck energy because they have no current role in your financial structure.

Breath – this is how your accounts are arranged or coordinated and how money flows between them. Arrangement might include where things are kept or invested or how you review or check different accounts. If accounts are properly arranged and maintained, then money flows between them without redundancy, and doesn’t stagnate in accounts where it serves no purpose.

Head – this is the actual purpose of your money, relative to the different accounts where it resides. Why do you have money in each account? What does it do for you? Do you have a goal/purpose for money, but no actual place to put it? When you look at your accounts, do you see a cohesive purpose innate in the structure?

Heart – this is the most difficult element of money to quantify, and the trickiest to define. It starts with the question: How do you feel about your money, structure, accounts, investments, etc.? Does it give you vigor, or make you feel tired? Do you feel confused or clear?

I think these elements are the perfect place for someone to self-diagnose their money issues and coordinate their practical situation with how they feel about it. I recommend creating a visual map of your different accounts, with connectors showing how money flows between the accounts. You can note what purpose each account has for you, and then start to clarify for yourself what is working and needs revamping.

Nothing compares to physically drawing it out on your own, and if you have a spouse, comparing it to their drawing. So I encourage you to do a drawing that encompasses all areas of your finances (it only takes a minute).

Here are some possible actions you might take after mapping your money elements:

Bones – reorganize, consolidate, and/or close various accounts.
Breath – set up automatic arrangements between accounts, or the flow might make more sense simply by changing the bones (above).
Head – establish new accounts for new purposes, or separate money from one account into another to make each purpose clear.
Heart – research some new place to keep your accounts, with a company more in line with personal philosophy.

Although I am stealing the term “feng shui” and shamelessly using it for my own purposes, I encourage you to take a look at your financial picture using this concept. You will no doubt identify action steps you can take on your own that will give you immediate satisfaction, as well as find greater meaning in your financial picture. And, of course, you can continue to employ the more conventional feng shui tools to attract wealth, if you so choose!