Back-to-School success: Support your Child with Feng Shui

Fall is almost here in the Northern Hemisphere, and back-to-school energy is everywhere. The malls are full of harried parents and children in tow, in search of the perfect new outfit for the school year.

By using Feng Shui to give them a bedroom makeover you'll have more impact on your child's energy, learning and creativity than any new outfit could.

Just as for adults, harmonious energy in a child's bedroom encourages good study habits, promotes greater success in school and creates well-adjusted children.

Top 10 Feng Shui tips for your child's success and well-being

Set an intention to co-create a simple and cozy room. Fill it full of symbols representing possibility and imagination. By giving children some control over how their room is decorated, you can help them prepare for decision making later in life.

To find where the various areas of the Bagua are located in your child's bedroom, see the Bagua Map http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/BaguaMap.html

1. Clear the Clutter. Clutter is the biggest issue for children. It will suppress their energy and disrupt their growth.

• Remove possessions that they don't use or care for.

• Make a habit of clearing unwanted clothes and toys regularly

• Ensure adequate and fun storage for the possessions they choose to keep

• Involve even young children in making decisions about what to keep and what to give away

2. Place their bed against a solid wall, as far away from the door as possible and with a view of the door from where they lie. This will increase their sense of security. Consider hanging a curtain to screen the bed from the more active areas of the room.

3. Provide a solid desk and position it to have a view of the door. A small desk facing a wall represents limitations and obstacles, and sitting with their back to the door can be unsettling and make it difficult to concentrate on homework.

4. Create a recognition corner and acknowledge their successes. Honor them with their ribbons, report cards with good marks and other symbols of their achievement. The Fame & Reputation area, at the middle back wall, is the perfect place for this.

5. Remove the TV from their bedrooms. Not only will this remove a source of dangerous electro-magnetic fields (EMFs), but it will help them concentrate on their study and allow them to sleep well. If there's a computer their room, position it as far from where they sleep as possible to reduce their exposure to EMFs. Store electrical toys outside the bedroom for the same reason.

6. Add plants to increase the presence of healthy chi energy. This is particularly helpful near the computer. The more natural the atmosphere, the easier it will be for your child to feel relaxed.

7. Activate the Wisdom area. The Knowledge & Self Cultivation area (near left corner) can be activated with a lamp, a globe or by hanging a faceted crystal from the ceiling in this area. Anything with earth energy, such as a rock collection, will also energize this area and support learning.

8. Enhance the Helpful People area (near right corner) to ensure support from teachers and mentors. Here, you can place a collection of names and photos of teachers, advisors and anyone else the child trusts to support them, such as grandparents.

9. Display maps and educational artwork ­ to encourage curiosity and imagination. A crystal hung from the ceiling over the head of their bed will balance emotions and increase self-esteem. Rearrange the room and make changes regularly to reflect and support changes in the child.

10. Choose a color ­ using non toxic paint whenever possible.

• Blues and greens promote growth, improvement and a positive attitude

• Primary colors help stimulate brain functions in very young children

• Add darker colors to a white color scheme to settle an overactive child. It's been found that hyperactive children still need stimulation, so you'll need to experiment with the balance that works best in each child.

Each child has different needs. Some thrive with lots of stimulation, some in a more tranquil energy. By creating a room for your child that honors who they are and gives them a safe and stimulating environment, you nurture their world of imagination and possibility.

Learning doesn't stop when formal education ends. Take advantage of the back-to-school energy to ask yourself what skills or knowledge will support you as you move towards your personal or professional goals. Then clear the clutter in the Knowledge & Self-Cultivation area of your office, bedroom and home and place a Feng Shui symbol there.