As I sit here in my Southern California office and watch what seems like the millionth day of solid rain come down outside, I thought – why not talk about the water element!
Water is one of the 5 elements in feng shui. Wood, fire, earth, and metal round out the list. It is described as shapeless and dark. It can be seen in glass, crystal, free-form shaped and dark colored objects in your home. It governs the kidney and bladder organs of our bodies. Oh, there is so much to discuss with regard to water! And since I’m in such a free-flowy mood, I’m just going to type whatever thought flows by…because rigidity does NOT show off the power of water.
As a matter of fact, the relaxed, possibly lazy attitude of people who live on the beach is possibly a direct result of being so near the abundance of water. I had to resist the desire to take a nap just to get this blog post finished!
So, here’s my loose and lazy feng shui tip of the day: Iif you have someone in your life that needs to chop chop – remove the water from their environment! I’ve seen little kids and teenagers with ocean and surfer-decorated bedrooms that are driving their parents crazy with their lack of motivation. Don’t hate your kids – remove the ocean posters and murals! Especially if they are poisitioned over the head of their bed.
Water symbolizes the magical place where life begins, as well as the mysterious place where it ends…and the space of pause in between. In the bagua, water rests in the same place as midnight and mid-winter – which is the pause-point between the death of the day or year and the birth of a new one. (perfect discussion for the winter solstice today).
Water is also half of the word feng shui by the way (feng being wind and shui being water,) as it describes the “seen forces” that can act itself as an agent of death as the “shapeless” floods and typhoons engulf and annihilate whatever is in it’s way. Oh, the power of such a material that can just also just slip right through your hands.
Oh, one last thing before I try to “pull myself together.” If you want a good exercise to stimulate the water essence in your body, try this exercise. I got it from The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing: Guarding the Three Treasures by Daniel Reid:
Stand upright with your arms overhead, bent at the elbows and your palms face up with fingers almost touching overhead. Tuck your chin in slightly so your spine is straight all the way up to your head, and relax your shoulders and hands in the air. Then HOP! Hop for about a minute or until you are winded – curling and uncurling your fingers as you hop. As loose body parts bounce (your uniquely “girl and boy parts” especially,) it stimulates kidney essence and helps balance your personal kidney energy. Woo-hoo! Bouncy, bouncy! No need for a nap now!
Now THAT”s a water-dominated, free-flowin’ blog post. 
