Water is an ancient feng shui symbol of wealth and prosperity. Its power is enhanced by its ability to change form—from liquid to solid to gas—and its freedom of movement or expression. Every living thing on earth relies on water for life. By activating the water element in your home or office, a water body nourishes Chi energy and can help enhance your life journey, foster new beginnings, promote abundance, and more.

But what is the best form of water body in the house and where?

The answer is simple. One can use indoor fountains, fish tanks, or even a large bowl of water with some floating candles as a decor. Here are some tips of where to place water bodies in the house:

1. East: This is the Health & Family area and is home to the bagua element of wood. Wood is nourished by the water element. A cure in this area promotes physical as well as spiritual and mental health and helps maintain peace and harmony within the family.

2. Southeast: Southeast is the area of wealth and money, or abundance. It shares the element of wood with the east bagua area. Placing a fountain in the southeast area is good not only for monetary wealth and abundance but also a wealth of blessings.

3. North: The north area is associated with your career and path in life. Its element is water—perfect for a feng shui fountain or a small fish tank.

Much as Water can bring us so much prosperity, it can also cause harm if not placed in appropriate settings. It is not advisable to place a feng shui fountain (or any water feature) in the south area because this area needs a strong energy of the fire element. Bringing water here creates conflicting energy—water puts down the fire in the five element cycle.

It is also bad feng shui to have a water feature in a bedroom, regardless of the bedroom’s feng shui location in the home. The water feng shui element brings the energy of worry and sorrow into the bedroom and can contribute to colds and respiratory problems. Also do not place a fountain in an area directly below a bedroom. If a fountain is in a room adjacent to a bedroom, you should not hear the fountain from the bedroom, particularly while you sleep.

Finally, do not position a fountain directly under a staircase, as this can promote negative energy that can lead to health problems and other misfortunes for the children of the household.

The make of the fountain does not matter. Fountains can be made of almost any material, such as metal, stone, wood, ceramic, plastic, and even concrete. Avoid fountains with sharp edges or corners. I sometimes recommend my clients to place crystals or stones in the base of the fountain. If its conducive, even fish can be put in the fountain, provided they can be well taken care of. I tried to put Gold Fish in my outdoor fountain(picture below) but soon the raccoons got hold of them for dinner! Not a good idea, so now we have floating lilies in the fountain in the summer.

The fountain does not have to look Chinese or Asian. I get that asked a lot. It just needs to be in sync with the home decor, whether indoor or outdoor! So, bring some water body into the home this holiday season and stir up the Chi of home by inviting some abundance!

Love and Light
Kanika Babal