Wellness Architecture: How Feng Shui Teaches Us to Care for Our Space
I used to think wellness lived only in bodies until I learned that wellness also lives in space. The way in which light enters a room; the way we pause without realizing it. It’s imperative that we periodically question if our spaces invite us to exhale or does they keep us subtly clenching?
Feng shui has been saying this for centuries. At its foundation, it’s about energy flow (not decor which is what some people get wrong). It’s about how our environments support or interrupt ease. The body is always paying attention to this. You feel it when you enter a room and your shoulders drop. Or when a cluttered corner quietly irritates you. It’s physiology. Feng shui affects our nervous system, stress levels and emotions. It gives language to what the nervous system is very clear about… flow matters.
Research in environmental psychology shows that natural light, greenery and airflow reduce stress. Access to green space has been linked to lower cortisol levels and improved mental health (Ulrich, 1984; Kellert & Calabrese, 2015).
Feng Shui Is About Energy Flow
A common misunderstanding is that feng shui requires rules or ideal layouts. In reality, it asks practical questions to determine how to intentionally place things. Where does energy get stuck? Where does it rush too fast? The size of the space is irrelevant because even small spaces respond to intention. Intention requires energy.
Redesigning Patios and Backyards
Outdoor spaces are often treated as extra when they’re actually powerful places to get regulated with natural elements. A patio or balcony acts as a threshold; a transition between inside and outside. In feng shui, thresholds are important because they cue the body to shift states.
Try this:
Create one clear focal point like a chair, plant or small table
Soften sharp edges with greenery or fabric
Add gentle movement like a fountain or a fan
When redesigning any space, you must ask: Does this space support the way I want to feel? It’s not about how it looks online or what it “should” be, but how it feels to sit there, breathe there, live there.
Indoor Gardens: Living Elements That Work
Plants aren’t just decorative. They’re functional. Studies show that indoor plants can improve the quality of air, reduce stress and increase feelings of well-being. In feng shui, living plants represent growth and vitality but that’s only if they’re thriving. One healthy, visible plant does more than many struggling ones tucked away. Stop neglecting your plant babies. Care should look like care.
Care Extends Beyond the Body
We often try to regulate ourselves in spaces that were never designed to support regulation. Feng shui reminds us that wellness is environmental. That space can hold us or it can quietly demand more than we have.
When you redesign with flow in mind, you’re not simply "redecorating… you’re practicing care. And once your space starts supporting you back, your body notices.
Research Referenced
Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science.
Bringslimark, T., Hartig, T., & Patil, G. G. (2009). The psychological benefits of indoor plants. Journal of Environmental Psychology.
