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Feng Shui, Food and You

By on July 28, 2021

Food is one of the great pleasures in life in addition to being a necessity. Nourishing ourselves on more than just the physical level is paramount to a satisfying life.

In Feng Shui, anything to do with food preparation and consumption speaks to your ability to feel fulfilled not just physically, but also emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Let’s take a look at the parts of your home that speak to these multiple levels of sustenance.

Your kitchen obviously plays an important role in providing nourishment to you and your family.  Of primary importance is having all aspects of the room functioning properly. Counters should be clear enough for you to prepare your food – if not, you might find that you have lots of obstacles between you and what you are looking to accomplish in your life.

Having the tools and implements to help you prepare your food – the right knives, blenders, pots and pans, etc – helps you feel supported in your skill set as you set about achieving key goals. The fridge, pantry, and cupboards should be well stocked and organized, supporting your easy access to the key ingredients in your consciousness that will assist your envisioned success. And the oven and stove help you to fully pave the way to finalizing goals with ease. The sink and dish rack (or dishwasher) speak to your ability to end processes appropriately as far as your desires are concerned; if you tend to resist doing dishes and leave things to pile up, you may find yourself regularly needing to follow up or being unprepared for new situations.

Having a clear space in which to eat is essential. A dedicated dining area speaks to your ability to nourish yourself clearly in distinct spheres of your life. If you tend to eat at your desk or on the couch while watching TV, you may experience a lack of boundaries between different areas of your life fueled by a subconscious belief that you need to either over-work or shut yourself off in order to feel nourished. Have your table be clear as you eat, and do something to set the mood for a consciously engaged eating process – lighting a candle, perhaps, and some relaxing music – so that the meal time is respected as a nourishing ritual.

The items you use to consume your food speak to aspects of your thinking and being that help you to accept and process what you are seeking nourishment from in your life. Have cups, glasses, plates, and utensils that you like. If you are using chipped, broken, tarnished, or otherwise damaged or dated items, you might find that despite active steps towards your goals, you somehow don’t feel satisfied or enjoy the circumstances you’re in as much as you’d anticipated.

Food intolerances and health conditions relating to consumption of certain food groups speaks to a general dissatisfaction with what’s on your plate in life. If you can’t really stomach what’s going on, you may find yourself needing to regulate what it is that you consume food-wise because you can’t deal with everything normally. Usually such limitations force you to restrict yourself to a certain flavour palette that mirrors the emotion that you have not yet processed; for example, if you have unresolved bitterness about your lot in life, you may find yourself in a position of dietarily having to consume more bitter foods so that you can consciously engage with that ‘flavour’. While there is a real-world need to respect and employ such limitations – some people’s bodies will undergo serious stress if exposed to certain foods – dealing with the emotional triggers can help to lessen the future need for excessive restrictions.

To maximize your health, ensure that all consumable items are kept separate from anything that should not be put in the body but which can be accidentally. Soaps, detergents, and cleaning products should not be kept in the same area as foods; if they must be in the pantry, ensure that any toxic items are on the bottom shelf as opposed to above or next to food items so that there will not be any contamination.

Finally, remember that your attitude towards food will mirror your approach to nourishing yourself in all areas of your life. Pay attention to cravings, bingeing, rushing, multitasking, and overeating when it comes to food, and draw parallels to how the same behaviour is present in how you strive to reach your goals. (Do you get impatient when you’re hungry? And do you feel the same way as regards achieving your goals in life?) Being fully present and engaged in a positive state of being when eating will create a supportive energy set for you to work holistically towards your goals as the food consumed in such a state continues to (literally) give you energy.

May you feel truly and deeply nourished in all areas of your life!

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.