by Sj Brown

Created on: November 24, 2007

My mother didn't have feng shui and I am pretty certain anyone who is at least 30 years old or older had a mother who didn't know what feng shui was either. Our mothers used common sense and placed their belongings in places where it wouldn't be tripped over - plain and simple. They placed furniture in patterns around the room until they felt comfortable with it. They rearranged their furniture (at least my mother did) every couple of months or so and she was perfectly happy.

Feng shui is not for everyone. I tried it, I got bored with it. Yes, I know it is supposed to be meant to put positivity back into your life and is supposed to enhance all the "good" vibes around you and that sort of thing but I have a few reasons why it doesn't work for me.

For one, I am crazy busy and a bit lazy at times. I like sectioning off the "great room" (as apartments have now) and creating cozy little "mini-rooms". I like organized clutter and shabby chic. I like tons of color in my house and don't like my feng shui friends telling me I need to stick with one scheme (South, North, East, West I am global, baby!). I refuse to clean my house daily just to get "clean air" circulating because I would much rather spend time with my child making a mess for me not to clean up immediately (but later that day of course). Besides, I can step outside in the beautiful air God gave me if I want "clean air."

Also, I don't like to waste. I use those drying flowers (a veritable resting place for bad juju in the feng shui world apparently) in my bath or laundry. I see nothing wrong with keeping old furniture if it useful. I have nothing against organization but placing things in a certain way to make me happy is not the way I do business. In my house (as I am sure other people have this problem as well), I put things where they fit.

Finally, I don't want to "connect" to my home. My home should "connect" to me since I am the one paying the mortgage on it. I like what I like and I find that I can make my own happiness regardless if I keep flowers a day longer than their shelf life or don't arrange the furniture in a certain "flowy" way. But that is me, I find my happiness from within, not from external things like lighting or "clean therapy." Everyone must find their own happiness and if feng shui is yours then I am happy for you. But it is not mine.

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