Feng Shui for Pets?
By TAILS
What’s better for Fido’s wellness—having his water bowl near the eastern or western wall of your house? How about your cat’s scratching post—will kitty be more inclined to use it if it’s in the living room or bedroom? Perhaps you used feng shui to organize your home when you first moved in, but did you ever consider that this Chinese philosophy relating spatial arrangement and orientation to energy flow can also benefit your pets? Why is it important to make your companion animals’ living quarters more feng shui–friendly, and what steps can you take to help your furry friends achieve a better balance of yin and yang? How can feng shui benefit Fido?
“A house with good feng shui means that you have a peaceful, clean, and harmonious home,” says Kathryn Weber, publisher of the Red Lotus Letter, an online newsletter about feng shui. “When your home is in good order, everyone is more healthy and content. This transfers to your pets’ health and well-being, too,” she says.
Dirce Johnson, a Longview, Washington-based certified practitioner of interior alignment, feng shui consultant, and animal rescuer, concurs. “Feng shui is even more important for animals than people,” she says. “If a living area is out of balance, people sense it and react negatively,” she says. “These reactions can run the gamut from mental issues, such as depression, anger, and anxiety, to physical ones, such as loss of sleep and illness. Animals are far more intuitive than we are—they survive by instinct. Consequently, an animal’s reaction to an imbalance in the environment is much worse than that of a human.”
Basic ways to achieve balance
In light of these expert observations, what can average pet guardians do to prevent such imbalance and improve the feng shui within their living space?
“A beneficial home environment is one that is neither too dark nor too light, not too loud nor too still,” explains Weber. “If your home has a loud TV and bright sunlight or is noisy and without calm, the pet may be anxious, [which can result in] birds plucking out their feathers or dogs excessively licking. If the home is too dark or quiet and is cluttered, the pet may experience weight gain, feel lethargic, lose [his or her] zest, or have nagging health complaints, such as achy joints or poor breathing. Cleanliness is also essential for maintaining good feng shui. For example, a kitty litterbox that’s rarely changed is bad for the cat, emits negative energy in the form of odors, and is unpleasant to look at.”
Suzanne Metzger of Feng Shui Consulting Services in Colorado Springs, Colorado, adds to these recommendations by emphasizing that eliminating clutter is a simple yet critical step that pet guardians and home owners can take to enhance feng shui. “This is especially important in your bedroom and your pet’s sleeping area,” says Metzger. “Clutter, which is stagnant energy, is a common problem in our material-based culture. Both people and pets can be affected in subtle ways, such as premature aging, eating disorders, and lack of focus. In a pet’s case, lack of focus can contribute to problems with housebreaking or other training difficulties.”
Calling all experts
But what if cleaning up clutter and providing a calm yet energized home environment seem like daunting tasks in and of themselves, let alone when the idea is to create the optimal combination of yin and yang for everyone in the family? According to Metzger, certain circumstances often necessitate a little expert advice.
“A trained feng shui consultant will be able to balance your entire space, pinpoint problems you may not be aware of, and give appropriate solutions with more accuracy than someone without training. Yet not all consultants are tuned in to animals, so it’s important to tell them about any problems your pets are experiencing when they take your family history.”
Weber, on the other hand, advises that outside consultation is not always essential. “You don’t [always] need to see a feng shui consultant, because good feng shui starts with the basics—a clean and tidy, clutter-free home. If you have pets, this will help them stay in good health and prevent them from being pestered with problems like fleas. Feng shui is truly an easy-to-apply technique.” On the flip side, she adds that furry and feathered residents are responsible for actually generating feng shui within a home. “Pets themselves are good feng shui! Their lively, active energy works as an energizer for the home environment, and animals are also wonderful protectors.” Consider this food for thought the next time you’re experiencing any negative energy as you go to change Fluffy’s litterbox.
Everyday Tips for Fostering Feng Shui with Your Furry Companions
Consider trying out these simple suggestions to ensure that your pet benefits from as much positive energy as possible!
• Make sure any litterboxes are situated in secluded areas, preferably in their own nooks.
• Be certain there are no exposed beams above your pet’s sleeping area.
• Do not situate your pet’s sleeping area near any electronic devices.
• Consider purchasing a pet fountain from a pet supply store or constructing your own with an inexpensive pump purchased from a craft store.
• Make sure there are no sharp corners pointing towards your pet’s food, sleeping, or toilet areas.
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