Bring Inner Peace into Your Bathroom

With hectic and stress-filled days to deal with, many people try to find as much inner peace and balance in their lives as they can. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that takes a look at how our thoughts, moods and behaviors are affected by our environments. The goal of this ancient art is to bring balance into our lives by arranging our environments in keeping with the Feng Shui principles.

Gregg Nodelman, founder of Dancing Dragon, a full-service Feng Shui design and consulting firm in Branford, Connecticut says his personal philosophy is that "a lot of what happens in our lives is affected by our environment."

Nodelman says when it comes to choosing a room that can benefit from Feng Shui, a good choice is the bathroom. Bathrooms "can drain energy," he say, because for the most part, energy in a bathroom is below eye level. In order to prevent this, Nodelman recommends that the energy in the bathroom be lifted. The simplest way to uplift this energy is to hang artwork above eye level. Nodelman says good types of artwork to use in a bathroom include pictures of trees or skies—anything with an upward motion. Wallpaper borders at the top of the walls are also a good option.

Another item to consider is the mirror in the bathroom. Nodelman says it isn't good to have a mirror that is too small or cuts off the head. A lot of the newer medicine cabinets are split, which gives people a split image of themselves. The best solution to this is to use a solid mirror. If a medicine cabinet is used, make sure the sections are off to the side. He adds, "It is nice to see our whole image and not be cut off."

According to Nodelman, the colors that are chosen for the bathroom can make a big difference in the way it makes you feel. Someone who has trouble getting motivated in the morning will be uplifted by bright colors in the bathroom. On the other hand, if you cannot fall asleep at night, try using calming colors in the bathroom.

Peggy Therriault of Feng Shui Visions in Southport, Connecticut says the bathroom is just like any other part of the home. "It needs to be neat and free of clutter. It needs to make you feel calm."

Therriault adds people can also reinforce what they want in their lives through the philosophy of Feng Shui. For example, a single person who is looking to meet someone should put two sets of towels or two toothbrushes in the bathroom, reinforcing the notion that he or she is looking for a potential mate.

Therriault and Nodelman both agree the lid of the toilet seat should be kept down, but do not advise keeping the bathroom door closed when the room is not in use. A closed door makes the air stagnant, so the door should be left open a crack to let fresh air in.

When it comes to Feng Shui, Nodelman adds, "It is possible to move energy without changing a lot. It's very easy to move energy by making subtle changes."