10 Aug 4 Reasons Your Office Needs Plants

The notion of buildings that speak helps us to place 
at the very center of our architectural conundrums
the question of the values we want to live by—
rather than merely of how we want things to look.

I love this quote by Alan deBotton from his book “The Architecture of Happiness.” It speaks to the primary Feng Shui premise about a space having influence on our purpose. A much-used translation of this statement is: Your space reflects your life. Although the philosophy of Feng Shui is centuries old, it is still in its infancy here in the west. Those of us who have studied this Asian philosophy know that, indeed, what you have in your space can help or hinder you on a daily basis.

Despite its enormous influence in your life, the beauty of Feng Shui is that often it doesn’t take much to make a huge difference. Sometimes, just the shift of a desk or a new paint color or the removal of some clutter, helps you move forward with clarity and efficiency. Your office (or cubicle) provides a great opportunity to symbolically remind you of your values, your goals, and/or your ideal path. The symbol must be relevant to you—in other words, you must truly connect and like what you’re using as a placeholder for your vision and guidance.

One of the simplest suggestions I make to my clients as we are analyzing their office is to add a plant. This can be a silk plant if keeping one alive will be a challenge due to lack of light or lack of time. A plant is very symbolic on many levels for a career and having one in your office can be a steady reminder of reaching your goals. If you already have a plant(s) in your office, then you can overlay it with any of the Feng Shui intentions listed below.

1. Using a plant that grows upward and outward can reflect to you the possibility of career advancement if you are looking for that to happen. A plant represents forward movement and action so make sure your plant has room to expand.
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2. A plant on your desk will always remind you of nature, whether that is a conscious or unconscious reminder. Connecting to nature automatically lowers blood pressure.  Check out the work by Dr. Roger Ulrich, a professor at Texas A & M who did research in the 1990’s and into 2003 who determined that being around a plant, even looking at a photo of a plant, can lower blood pressure and increase positive feelings. It will be important to keep your plant alive and healthy obviously.
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3. If you’re feeling stuck and uninspired, a plant can be a symbol for taking action. A flowering plant will provide even more inspiration and creativity. Flowers can be a perfect substitute for this intention since they are colorful and vibrant, although not as long-lasting as a real plant.
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4. Finally, for health reasons alone, place a plant near your computer to provide balance from all the EMFs that you are exposed to during the day. The electronic energy you are exposed to can be offset by the natural energy of your special plant.

Your responsibility is to keep your plant alive and healthy no matter what intention it’s holding for you. Even a silk one needs a regular dusting off from time to time. Let yourself be inspired and motivated as you watch your plant grow and expand and reach for the sky—–a wonderful mirror for whatever your intentions are.