SLEEPING ON WATER WITH FENG SHUI
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP IN HARMONY WITH THE ELEMENTS
The waterbed. It lets us sink into a restful sleep with a gentle rocking and comforting warmth. In perfect harmony with our defining element, water. It may sound like a fairy tale, but it is not that simple if you also want to take advantage of the benefits of a Feng Shui-oriented home.
Although water is one of the five elementary components of the ancient Chinese art and harmony doctrine of Feng Shui, electricity should definitely not flow in great quantities in a bedroom. And without heating, the comfortable oasis of calm quickly looses its appeal not only in the colder months. Does that mean that followers of Feng Shui have to give up the health benefits of an inevitably always heated waterbed? Experts like Gina Lazenby, author and head of one of the leading international information and communication centres, the "Feng Shui Network", and the Feng Shui author, who is well-known primarily in Europe, Wilhelm Gerstung, say "no". Not if you take into consideration the electricity supply and care of a waterbed and your position, and you observe the usual Feng Shui recommendations when designing your sleeping area.
The perfect sanctuary
And that is good, because in the end it is not only doctors who understand the benefits of calming sleeping areas, for example, when caring for burns victims or premature babies. Due to their conditions, a waterbed is very beneficial for people with back problems, rheumatism, asthmatics and those allergic to house dust mites, while healthy people simply profit from a deep, relaxed sleep in a natural position. This position is fostered by the fact that no pressure is placed on the body and that all its points of contact are supported evenly. Even pregnant women can sleep on their tummies on a waterbed up until the birth of their child, which in a conventional bed would prove to be extremely uncomfortable for both the mother and unborn child. In addition, the warmth of the waterbed mattress shortens the typical time it takes to fall asleep to a pleasant minimum, until an optimal sleeping temperature is reached. Unfortunately, it is precisely this cuddly warmth that poses the obvious problem of a harmonious Feng Shui energy in the bedroom, for the heating of the waterbed, which is essential, with electricity can produce electromagnetic pollution. However, there is a simple piece of advice as far as this is concerned: If you switch off the heat before going to sleep, the water temperature sinks by 0.5 degrees overnight at the most. As the water in the bed does not eddy, unlike underfloor heating, there is also no health risk as regards a possible water vein. Moreover, perfectionists can even maintain the freshness of the water for one year by adding a special conditioner. So, if you follow these guidelines, nothing else can stand in the way of a refreshing sleep in a waterbed - at least from a Feng Shui perspective.
Why Feng Shui?
Traditional Feng Shui teaching has always investigated the principles of energy flows and their effects on the human condition. It stands for harmony between the elements fire, water, earth, metal and wood and for the balance between yin, the passive energies, and yang, the active energies. The classic compass doctrine of the cardinal directions and the Bagua symbol with the eight trigrams were simplified over the course of the centuries and today they are practised primarily in the Western world under the heading "Neo Feng Shui".
If we act upon the ancient knowledge, we can consciously have a positive effect on the interpersonal, health and material aspects of our lives. Feng Shui supports our efforts to recognise our living and working environments as mirrors of our personalities and to structure our individual quality of life with the aim of improving it. The fundamental precondition is always that the positive energy chi, also known as shi, can flow unobstructed and harmonise personal living spaces.
Feng Shui rules for the sleeping area
An area of calm is very important for the energy balance. Those who do not sleep well cannot recharge their batteries for the next day. So what do we need to think about when we want to take advantage of the positive energies of Feng Shui while we are sleeping?
Choose your seats
First, the bed - whether a conventional one or a waterbed - has to be positioned correctly. The headboard, preferably with rounded edges, should be positioned against a wall and windows or spaces behind it should be avoided. It is especially important never to position it opposite a door, because according to Feng Shui principles, the energy flows then go directly to the person sleeping. However, you should be able to see the door from the bed and the room should be tidy, so that the chi can flow freely. The perfect room is regular: rectangular or square is ideal. Visible ceiling joists or wall units above the bed can have an oppressive effect and possibly even cause migraines. Thus it is best to avoid them or, if necessary, cover them. Metal frames are categorically considered unfavourable, as they can have the effect of strengthening electromagnetic radiation from household appliances. Bedding made from natural fibres completes the perfect Feng Shui bed.
Rounded room layout
As the bedroom is a room for rest and relaxation, the yin aspects should be strengthened. That means ideally no television or stereo or even plants, which emit strong yang forces, and mirrors should not be directed at the bed. If this is unavoidable, you can cover them during the night. Aquariums or pictures of fish are also considered unfavourable, although in other rooms they have a very positive effect. In the bedroom however, they mean financial loss. Furniture with sharp corners and edges should also be avoided. If this is not possible, they can be softened with a wind chime. Incidentally, all decorative objects that reflect a positive personal relationship with each other or are deliberately arranged in pairs are beneficial for a harmonious partnership.
Tip: If you have a free reign in terms of your bedroom layout, for example, if you have rebuilt it, converted it or have moved house, you should bear in mind that the door to this area should not face an oven, a fridge, stairs, a toilet or a free-standing column.
Want to learn more about Feng Shui?
Gina Lazenby's books The Feng Shui House Book and Simple Feng Shui provide a good overview of how we can best live with Eastern wisdom in the Western world. Easy to understand, practical and well illustrated - highly recommended!
Also definitely worth reading, even if it is more for those with an advanced knowledge of Feng Shui, is Das große Feng Shui Haus- und Wohnungsbuch by Wilhelm Gerstung and Jens Mehlhase.
The wonderful illustrated volume Farbe und Feng Shui - Raumgestaltung mit den fünf Elementen by Gudrun Mende is a feast for the eyes, containing excellently illustrated private and public living areas.
