During consultations, clients have all sorts of questions regarding their homes and the objects within. One such question made me pause…
“That fish is broken. Should I get rid of it?” (The “fish” she referred to is the ceramic object to the right).
At first glance, the answer would be “yes.” Since I believe that our homes mirror our lives, the fish could be a symbolic representation of something in her life that may feel broken.
How we can analyze this?
One tool we use when analyzing symbols is the Bagua Map. For instance, let’s look where this object is located according to the Bagua? This fish was in the Wealth & Abundance area of her home, so it could represent broken financial systems or a feeling of missing out on the wholeness of life. She may suffer from low-self esteem or structural issues related to the hips or pelvic area of her physical body.
Another tool we can look at is the room the object is in and the significance that room plays in her life. For instance, if the fish was located in her home office, it could represent something “broken” in her career or work. If it was in her bedroom it might be connected with sleep or health issues or even her romantic life.
In this consultation, the fish was in her living room. For her, her living room served as a place of relaxation as well as socializing with friends and family. So a broken object here could represent challenges with feeling peace in her home or with friendships or family relationships.
A third tool would be to consider what the object itself symbolizes. A fish might represent the Water Element, which is the most yin of the Five Elements. How is her life flowing? Does she need more of the yin chi in her life, such as downtime, rest or meditation?
On the Other Hand…
On the other hand, as a feng shui consultation I need to dig a bit deeper rather than offer a quick, ill-informed answer.
So my request to her was, “Tell me a little about this fish.”
My client went on to say that she had purchased it several years ago and it has found a place in her last few homes. She loved the fish even though it was an inexpensive piece and it broke. She explained that her brother knocked it over by accident when visiting her. He felt so bad that without her knowing, he carefully glued it back together and presented the “fixed” fish to her with his apologies.
My client said this with such warmth that I acknowledged immediately this fish needs to have a place in her home, regardless of the imperfection. There was love and significance embedded in the fixing of the object. It reminded me of the Japanese practice of wabi sabi, which is rooted in Zen Buddhism. It acknowledges the transience and imperfection of objects and the beauty of their impermanence.
We need to be reminded that feng shui is not a set of rules to follow. It is much richer than this. What is good for one situation is not the best option for another. We need to dig a bit deeper to understand what is being reflected back into our lives.
This is why a feng shui consultation with a certified professional is going to uncover the patterns of the deep tapestry that weave our lives and our homes.
Consider the gift of feng shui to illuminate the patterns of your life.
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