Feng Shui for Career Success and Satisfaction

Our careers form an integral part of our lives. In fact, many people feel that they are defined by their careers. Thus, they look to achieve much success in their chosen field. Feng Shui master Jill Lander of Golden Elements today shares with us vital Feng Shui cures and tipsto attract the energy of success and advance in your career.

Jill, it is said that Feng Shui views everything as being interconnected. Is it true that the Feng Shui of your home has a connection to the Feng Shui of your workplace?

[Jill Lander] It does in so much that many of us are at times considered to ‘bringing our work home’ so to speak. Therefore, if you are content in your career and have good relationships with colleagues, you harness respect for yourself and others this then can affect the quality of the energy of the home.

If I have to consult on a home and the primary focus is the career, then I do try to correlate the client’s office space as well. After all, a home is a person's sanctuary, a place to relax and rest after work is done for the day. However, many of us spend more time in the workplace than at home, so I feel it is important to address both spaces whenever possible.

If you work from home then most definitely the interconnection will be even stronger.

In Feng Shui, the North area is associated with the career area of the Bagua while the South is linked with success. Could you shed more light on how to reorganize an office area in adherence to the rules of Feng Shui?

[Jill Lander] The Bagua method also referred to as Black Hat Feng Shui relates to the north being the career sector as the north relates to the element of water. Thus having active flowing water such as an aquarium in the north is considered to be supportive of career luck. The south relates to the element of fire and as such has the potential to enhance light onto a person’s luck by getting you noticed offering support for positive recognition. It’s advisable for the south to receive as much natural light as possible. The South is also the astrological location of the horse that represents moving forward (after all you never see a horse running backward!)

It is very important to have as much space in front of your desk as possible for this enables your energy to expand and for your personal potential to be recognized - especially if your desk faces south.

You should also try and the keep the area under your desk free of clutter.  Also, you should ensure you can at least stretch your legs in space, or else you may find you are constantly being overlooked for promotion. You can also place plants in the east and southeast areas to enhance growth potential and stability, as these two areas relate to the wood element.

The Northwest is usually the location in any major corporation where you will find the C.E.O as this is considered to be the position of the patriarch. Metal items such as coins or dramatic metal sculptures are ideal adornments for this location.

Printers, telephones, and computers are best placed in the northwest of the office environment. The best spot for files and filing cabinets is in the western section of office space. The southwest area of an office is the perfect locale for placing any items relating to current projects – while the northeast is ideal for bookshelves containing reference files.

As the southwest and northeast relate to the element of earth, these locations are ideal for the placement of anything made of the earth element. Popular Earth items such as quartz crystals or the popular crystal caves that we see in many offices these days help to promote stability.

If you work in a shared office with restrictions and very little personal space, then consider adopting the Black Hat formula to your desk. Use the formula in a practical manner not necessarily using all of the above. I suggest you consider the most important aspect you wish to improve currently on and focus on just one direction this can be equally potent with success.

Some of the steps you could consider would be to place an uplifting image directly in front of you. A paperweight or a piece of quartz crystal placed in front of your desk (in the facing direction) denotes the boundary of your personal space.

Since we spend a major part of our day at our workplace, what Feng Shui tips can you suggest to combat the stresses and strains of office life?

[Jill Lander] Natural light and good ventilation have to be the primary focus when these two aspects are not in agreement with any working space the results will be the lack of focus and irritability.

You should also aim to have as much space in front of you, this is always beneficial especially if you are looking for a promotion or feeling your energy is being unrecognized or restricted in any way.

Try and make sure you do not have any open bookshelves directly behind you or that you do not sit under any beams. Fluorescent tubular lighting may be considered as beams so try to move away slightly either to the left or right would be beneficial. Also, try not to take a seat directly in front of a toilet door.

We often don’t have control over the type and shape of our office furniture. Are there ways to energize our workspaces if they are not in line with good Feng Shui?

[Jill Lander] We often have to work within limited boundaries of the office environment that we occupy. Many offices are off long corridors that can have quite an exhausting effect on energy, especially if your office is located at the end of a corridor. Therefore, it is important to create definitive areas of energy by introducing some form of a shield to direct the energy flow and to help mitigate any loss of energy. The most efficient way to do this is to introduce plants (if space permits) to help control the energy flow in a natural and inviting manner.

If the corridor space of your office is limited, then you should suggest placing some artwork on the walls. You should also try and sit as deeply into the office as possible. If you feel your back (energy) is exposed in any way – place a tall plant to shield and to offer some support.

What does a good Feng Shui backing mean?

[Jill Lander] Feng Shui ‘backing’ means to offer support both from the environment and from colleagues and superiors. The concept refers to not having your back exposed in any way but especially your back to a door. Thus, having your back against a solid wall is considered good backing.'

How do you create a Feng Shui commanding position at your office?

Many people today work from home. Jill, how do you create a good, Feng Shui-compatible home office?

[Jill Lander] To create a compatible home office it is important to make it more personal by using your personal Feng Shui directions to maximize your potential. Personal directions are formulated from your gender and day of birth.

Home offices are best located as close to the front of the home or on a separate level altogether in order not to impinge on the general energy of the home and away from the kitchen as possible. To work successfully from home you have to be disciplined as although it affords you the flexibility, it demands a focused mind for it is easy to become distracted by the general energy of the home.

It is advisable not to have a home office located in the southwest area of a home as the general energy can be rather a yin or passive making it difficult to maintain focus.

The North area of a home is always positive in general terms for a home office location and when personal orientation can be implemented you may achieve great success.

An ideal location of a home office in a landed property would be one that is away from the home entirely and occupies an outhouse or a garden studio.

Does this mean Feng Shui can also help with a hunt for a job or a then the hunt for a better job or a promotion?

[Jill Lander] Absolutely, Feng Shui can be applied to any aspect of our lives from finding a lost item to finding the ideal job placement. If you wish to have a successful job placement, it would be advisable to have a personal reading of your chart to discover your true potential at any given time. For example, if you are in a strong position in your ‘luck’ you may be tempted to apply for a more responsible and demanding appointment, however, when your luck is a little restricted it may be wise to look for a more flexible appointment for the short term, maybe waiting a few months until you are in a better supportive period to go for a more challenging appointment.  It's all about TIMING and being time observant can save a lot of disappointments and setbacks.

If you are feeling like a career change or as a young person just entering the workforce and undecided about what type of career to choose, a personal Chinese astrological reading can be most beneficial.

Are you stuck in a career rut? Do you feel that you are not achieving your full potential at work? Maybe you need a little help by way of Feng Shui. A personal consultation with Feng Shui master Jill Lander may just be the answer to your work woes. At Engel & Völkers, property agents in Hong Kong achieve their best work and strive to find luxury estates compatible with you. Do call us to set up an appointment with Jill at +8522561 3616 or then email us at midlevelswest@engelvoelkers.com