Have you ever wondered why you are unable to sleep in your room or focus in class? Many people may not realize the placement of furniture in a room may be the reason behind the distraction.

Nancy Flynn, feng shui designer and co-owner of Wind and Water Environmental Balancing, said by implementing the art of feng shui in the classroom or even in one’s bedroom, a person can achieve a peaceful, serene setting conducive to concentration and relaxation.

Feng shui, also known as the “art of placement,” is a 4,000-year-old discipline from China used to promote harmony and balance in a person’s everyday life. People who accept feng shui believe if their bedroom is free of clutter, the energy will be able to easily flow in that space and balance can be achieved.

People also believe feng shui brings harmony and balance to one’s life. But how important is it in the classroom?

Pat Chirapravati, associate professor of art studies and director of the Asian studies program at Sacramento State, said while creating feng shui in the classroom isn’t a hard thing to achieve, she also said it’s not easy.

“When people design classrooms, sometimes they have no choice but to build the room the way the building was made; so you want to keep all (furniture) together,” she said. “Energy needs to flow around the room, so if you sit in the corner you might get too much flow of energy.”

James Jay, CEO of Feng Shui designs, said the person farthest from the door in a classroom receives the best flow of energy.

“In any space, the person furthest from the door has commanding position of that space,” he said. “Commanding position puts that person in command of the environment and their surroundings.”

Flynn said there is a direct correlation between the way a classroom looks and the way a person feels when he or she walks into it.

“Classrooms should look and feel inviting, safe and comfortable,” Flynn said. “A good rule of thumb is that environments should enfold and shelter occupants in a way that causes individuals to want to stay instead of leaving quickly.”

Flynn said the best way to achieve this in the classroom is to keep the room free of clutter and to not overcrowd the space with too many desks. Lighting the room naturally or with some fluorescent lights would work in achieving an inviting learning space.

Chirapravati said in a classroom, the door should be on the side of the room and that the windows should be at the back of the class.

“Windows should be in the back of the room where you can’t see activity outside because it interrupts your concentration,” she said. “Also, the classroom should be arranged so that no one has their back to the door, and the colors needs to be soothing and calming.”

Some feng shui experts feel “sha chi,” bad energy, can result in feelings of stress and can generally put someone in a bad mood.

“A classroom with bad energy is likely to feel unsafe, chaotic, and unsupportive to the learning process,” Flynn said. “Likewise, a bedroom that is out of balance is not conducive to restoration of one’s soul, which is what ideally takes place in the bedroom.”

Flynn said the placement of furniture in the bedroom is important in order to achieve spiritual balance.

“The foot of the bed should be positioned so that it is not directly facing the entrance to the bedroom,” she said. “Also, the bed should not be on the same wall as the entrance but should be placed so the view of the entrance from the bed is not obscured.”

Flynn said the reason for this is because the person occupying the room should never be caught off-guard.

“Much in the same way as someone who is sitting at his or her desk with their back to the door,” she said. “Additionally, the end of the bed toward the door is how the dead are positioned during what might be called a Chinese wake. The bedroom should be a safe place in all ways.”

Flynn said the bedroom should be free of all clutter because a cluttered room does not allow energy to flow around.

“Unused exercise equipment, desks stacked with work-related projects, dirty clothes baskets, dead plants and other kinds of clutter should be removed from the bedroom,” she said. “Bedside tables and lamps should be matching. Anything that does not absolutely delight the soul should be removed from the bedroom.”

Flynn said where clutter exists, chi, the life force of everything, is constricted and can slow down one’s energy.

Chirapravati said colors in the bedroom should be light and soothing and that bright, bold colors can be distracting.

“Pale yellows are good; off-white, a pale pink,” she said. “You want to keep the lighting calm and dim, not too bright.”Chirapravati, said the Chinese believe the flow of energy in a room is important.

“The Chinese believe that energy flows into space and can make life happy or can make it destructive,” Chirapravati said. “And that placing things in the environment can make things flow better or worse around that energy.”

Flynn said that feng shui is a way to form a deeper connection with one’s self.

“People who have stretched into a more conscious or more aware place in life are more likely to undertake the process of bringing their environment into balance,” she said. “Becoming more connected, centered or grounded always results in a heightened feeling of serenity and calm.” Amber Wertman can be reached at [email protected]