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Beauty and the bath

By on February 27, 2010
Washroom, toilet, bathroom, water closet … it goes by many different names depending on the country, and yet the ‘powder room’ has a few functions that are quite essential to good health. Keeping this room attractive, functional, and balanced energetically is essential if you are to have a clear relationship with its various uses, all of which relate to cleansing and releasing, which are necessary for your well-being.

The first thing most people see when walking into this room is the toilet. That’s because it is quite literally a huge energy drain – large amounts of water flow down from the toilet, after all, which is a lot of energy moving. Given what the water takes down with it, this is a good thing that it goes down (we sure recognize that when it stops working properly) – however, the fact that so much energy descends in this room means that we want to do something that will raise the atmosphere of the room. Keeping the lid down (when the toilet is not in use – important detail) is absolutely essential – sorry, gentlemen, but that’s the way it has to be. Then placing an attractive picture or small cabinet above the toilet (but not on the actual tank) will help draw some focus there so that something other than the toilet is commanding attention.

Since there is so much water present in a bathroom, both literally and energetically, it is important not to accent the water element any more. That means avoiding pictures of oceans, waterfalls, and lakes (unless they are in the distance), and no water fountain accessories – and definitely don’t paint the room blue! Blue and black towels are not recommended either. Go for earthy and fiery colours – yellows, ochres, reds – when choosing wall and towel colours. Metallic and grey/white tones can be supportive too. I personally love the look of a fiery bathroom – a reddish bronze tone includes metal that holds the water and fire that adds a steamy quality.

In Chinese medicine, the liver relates to the element of wood, and this is an ideal element to accent for health in bathrooms, as all the water that is present can serve to nurture the wood for healthy growth. That said, green is not the best colour for the walls because your skin can often look sallow and ashen in green light. Instead, show pictures of beautiful lush plants and verdant landscapes. You might also have some realistic fake plants that add a graceful touch – these days, there are some fake orchids and roses that are incredibly well produced. Any plants in this room should give a warm, uplifting feeling – no cacti, please!
 
An additional way to improve the energy in the bathroom is by arranging grooming products on a tray. Just as first-class hotels place a selection of perfumes on a tray, you can have your own collection beautifully displayed in such a contained way. It helps to keep order when there is limited counter space, and adds a touch of elegance to a room that can often seem purely functional. May your washroom help you cleanse in peace and tranquility!

 
Mark Ainley is a contemporary Feng Shui consultant based in Vancouver. A former resident of Tokyo, he consults internationally for home and business owners. To contact him, write him at markainley@gmail.com or visit www.markainley.com

About Mark Ainley

Mark Ainley is a Contemporary Feng Shui Consultant and Emotional Stress Consultant living in Vancouver. A former 5-year resident of Tokyo, Mark consults with clients internationally to help them design living and work spaces in alignment with their goals. He also provides consulting in emotional stress management, as well as in the connection between facial structure and innate behavioural and communication patterns. He can be reached through his website: www.senseofspace.com and www.markainley.com.