The great 4 Feng Shui animals in practice: the tortoise in your house

Most people have heard about the great 4 Feng Shui animals: the tiger, the dragon, the tortoise and the phoenix. Each animal has a different place and a different role to play when it comes to protecting us and bringing luck. Every house or flat should ideally be positioned in a way which brings these 4 animals and their energies to life:



The great 4 Feng Shui animals. Source: http://www.fengshui-center.ch/FSE1/formschool.htm

 

Today, I'd like to focus on the tortoise and its power. A reminder: the compass point of the tortoise is North and it should be in the back of your house. The main purpose of the tortoise is to protect you. The tortoise should cover your back and makes sure that no sudden danger looms behind us.

That goes back to our ancestors: in ancient times, there always was some animal about, attacking from behind. Unconsciously, we are still feeling safer  when we've got a solid wall behind us. An example: in a restaurant, people are more likely to choose a seat next to the wall, with the wall behind them and an overview of what's going on in front of them.

When we are sitting at a desk and there is an open space behind us, we are less likely to concentrate on our work. Unconsciously, we are feeling somewhat insecure and are always wary of what might be going on behind our back. We will be more concentrated and at ease if we know there's a wall behind us.

How does this look like in practice, at home or in the office?

Let's have a look:

The desk in the image below is positioned with no tortoise in the back: we are sitting with a view to the window and the door behind us:

Sitting at the desk, we'll always be wondering what's going on behind us. The door might open, someone might be stepping in... That will affect our concentration and no work can be done.

Another example: we've got the window behind us. That is equally bad, because there is a constant inflow of energy from the window. Even though we're looking at the door now, we still won't be able to fully concentrate:

The best solution: we are sitting next to the wall, the desk in front of us. That way, we are able to observe everything in front of us:

Another possible location would be the corner of the room. However, this position doesn't fully evoke protection from the tortoise because of the corner 'absorbing' energy. I know that sounds somewhat funny, but corners do have a tendency to 'suck' energy:

If you prefer to locate your desk that way, I would recommend to place a large flower in the corner. But please be careful to ensure that the leaves are round and not sharp. Another option: a shelf. But again: choose a shelf with round edges, or cover the shelf with a nice blanket or cloth, to 'hide' any edges:

However, if you fancy locating your desktop with the door at your back and you are not keen to re-position the desk, you could also place a little mirror on your desk, so you can see what is going on behind you. For me personally, that never worked - I prefer to sit with a solid wall behind my back.

Similar rules apply to pretty much any places where we are sitting, working or sleeping. Another example: the sofa in the living room. In modern flats, sockets for the TV can be located in the most bizarre corners of your flat and may need to position your sofa in front of the TV rather than next to a wall:

This is not really ideal. Nobody will be able to relax and enjoy a nice movie if, unconsciously, you are worrying about what is going on behind you. If you have the choice: make sure your sofa is next to the wall and the TV in front of the sofa:

I'm aware this is easier said then done, but if you have the choice: ensure your sofa is located next to the wall, and you've got the tortoise in your back (so to speak).

The tortoise principle applies to other rooms as well: in the kitchen, in the living room, in the bedroom. Always make sure that your back is protected.