A Feng Shui Tip from E. J. Shaffert, Director of London School of Feng Shui

Years before I ever studied Feng Shui, I discovered one of its most important principles simply by noticing what felt right.

I was having dinner with a friend in Washington D.C., and she asked which seat at the table I wanted. Without thinking too much about it, I said I wanted the one with my back against the wall, where I could see the room and the entrance.

The couple at the next table overheard us, and the man laughed and said he always preferred the same thing. We joked about gangsters wanting to keep an eye on the door, but underneath the joke was something very real: some positions in a room simply make us feel more secure, more aware, and more in control.

Years later, when I began studying Feng Shui, I discovered that there was a name for exactly this: the Command Position.

The Command Position is the place in a room where you have a solid wall behind you and a clear view of the entrance. Ideally, you are not sitting directly in line with the door, where you may feel too exposed, but slightly off to one side.

Think about the way a powerful office is often arranged. The desk is rarely squeezed into a corner with the person’s back to the door. Instead, the person can see who is entering, while feeling supported from behind.

This week, start noticing where you naturally place yourself.

Where do you sit in your living room? How is your desk positioned? What about your bed, your dining chair, or even the seat you choose in a restaurant?

Pay attention to how different positions feel in your body. Do you feel settled and supported, or slightly on edge? Do you have a clear view of the room, or do you feel as if something is happening behind you?

Once you begin noticing this, you may start to see how often your body already knows where the stronger position is.

And next week, I’ll tell you about a time when I changed my own Command Position at home — and something in my life shifted dramatically.

Enjoy!

E J Shaffert

Director, London School of Feng Shui