Miler suggests comparing the experience of sitting in a chair facing the corner versus sitting in a chair with your back to the corner. “With your back to the corner, you have command of the room, nothing can approach you from behind without your knowledge,” Miller says. She continues by explaining that when facing the corner, one aspect of your energy is exposed and another is blocked. By turning the chair around, these energy concepts are put in their proper place. Your back, or most vulnerable side is protected and the wide scene before you enables a clear and more controlled view of what’s approaching.

As Terah Kathryn Collins explains in her new book, The Western Guide to Feng Shui Room by Room, “When you and your home blend harmoniously, the effect is friendly, comfortable and positive.” Miller expands this idea: “With feng shui, you have to read the whole space. Sometimes when you walk into a room and something about it just doesn’t feel right, there is an imbalance of yin and yang.” Yin is the still, quiet, dark, feminine energy; yang is the noisier, active, bright, male energy.

When one of these forces is stronger, the room feels out of balance. Perhaps it is too dark, or too quiet. Or maybe it has too many hard, cold surfaces and lacks warmth and softness. “These things actually distract us, moving the focus of our energy from the productive and positive to worry over the imbalance,” Miller says.

Every day, Miller works with clients on their personal areas and workspaces, bringing them into harmony. Often, clients have specific issues such as their career, health and well-being, relationships, prosperity and financial goals that can be addressed in feng shui. Considerations such as directional bearing, color, shape and substance all play a part in balancing a room.

As explained in Collins’ book, there are five elements used in feng shui as the “basic building blocks of everything physical on the planet.” They are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each of these elements has shapes and colors associated with it and a well-balanced room has all elements fairly represented.

Miller also notes that the directional bearing of a room is one factor in good balance. Based on the entry position and the direction of each room in a home, or office, each section of the space corresponds to a “blessing” such as health, love, wealth and creativity. Enhancing aspects in each of these areas, along with the focus that comes with putting energy toward this change, or enhancement, “get s the environment under control. [It allows a person] to find peace there,” Miller adds.

For more information, contact Tracy Miller at (770) 973-9629 or gazellefengshui.com.

NO. 1 RULE: Lose the clutter. Free all spaces for focus.

IN THE OFFICE: Make sure you have control of the space. Desk position is very important. Take command of the room. Don’t keep you back to a window, door or the room all day every day. If you work in a cube, reinforce the space with a green plant, wind chimes or framed art (with bright colors and scenes that make you feel great.)

IN THE BEDROOM: Softness and quiet should prevail. This room should be a beckoning and beautiful place but one that fairly represents the parties that share it. A super-feminine room, with lace and frills, does not always include the other personality that might sleep there too. Computers, televisions and fax machines do not belong in the bedroom.

COLOR: If you can’t do anything else to balance your environs, paint or add some color. Add yellow flowers or a blanket to bring light and earth elements to a room. In all-white or metallic kitchen, add red-flowers or fruit-for balance. Red represents fire and counteracts the cool white and glaring metals.

MONEY: Financial issues are related to a lack (or loss) of water. Make sure that there are no leaky fixtures or appliances in the home (kitchens or baths). Green plants in the southeast corner of the house bring positive, vibrant energy to the wealth and prosperity sector.