Colours play a vital role in the way Feng Shui works. Each shade enhances the energy flow and brings along positivity and prosperity for every family member. Therefore, knowing the importance and using colours in your home based on how you respond to their energy is a crucial part of the process.

Colours bring along certain energy, which sometimes is not suitable for you. Like for example, use of reds or hot colours in the living room may add to your stress. At the same time, using too much blue can end up feeling cold and uninviting. Therefore, to understand this, here's a quick-fix guide on the five elements of Feng Shui and the associated colours that draw specific energies:

Red is associated with fire, which supports life energy. It is known to increase one's heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. It also can promote activity and alleviate depression.

Blue and black is associated with water energy and helps promote creativity. Blue can slow the heart and breathing rates and lower blood pressure. It can also be used to increase coolness, to calm and to create privacy.

Green is associated with wood energy, the energy of growth, decisiveness and action. It inspires change.

Yellow is associated with earth energy, representing Mother Earth. It can cheer, give hope, clarify and elevate mental activity. It also creates a sense of stability and nurturing. Yellow is often used to help children with dyslexia improve their focus.

White and metallic colours are associated with metal energy. They support focus as well as purity.

The power of Reiki is a well-known fact to the world. It promotes natural self-healing and balances the energies in the body. While practicing Reiki, it is common for people to see various shades of colours. It is a common occurrence, though not everyone experiences it. So, are these colours saying something to us or are they mere visuals? Each colour has a meaning attached to it. Metaphysicians believe colours represent our conscious state of mind and indicate activity in an energy centre, or even the development of spirituality in a person.

Red may specify passion at the same time it could mean anger, depending on the various cultural interpretations. So then, are colours important to the treatment? The answer is no. By conferring interpretations, there are bound to be limitations to the real understanding of the practice of Reiki. We should see the colours as they are - they are energy.

Colours are important to the treatment and imply the beginning of change. You should see them as a sign of letting go, and open up further to experience the benefits and let the energy flow freely. These colours are an indication that your senses are responding to Reiki, welcome this with open arms and enjoy them. They will heal you in ways you cannot imagine.

The adage, you are what you eat, has proven to be right time and again, thus attaining a status of importance. Going by this logic, your kitchen, the place from where your food comes, is of prime importance and the energies prevailing in this area should be a matter of primary concern. The problem many of us might face here is how to fix the energy or vibration of your kitchen. Well, consider your problems solved because we are here with a few basic Vaastu tips which will help create positive vibrations in your kitchen.

To begin with, make sure that your kitchen is placed in the south-east corner of the house because this is the corner governed by the element of fire according to Vaastu Shastra. However, if you cannot place your kitchen in the south east direction, you can also choose the north western part of the house as your kitchen. Next, we move on to your cooking gas, which should ideally be placed in the south east part of the kitchen in a way that ensures the person cooking faces the east.

Any provision for storing water and installing taps or sinks should be made in the north east corner of your kitchen. You should also make sure that your sink is placed as far away from your cooking gas as possible. The storage of all food grains and utensils should be made on the southern and western walls, while the fridge should be placed in the south west corner of the kitchen.

If you have an exhaust fan, make sure to place it in the north west corner or in the south. Lastly, make sure that there are no adjoining toilets or bathrooms to your kitchen or even above or below them. It is of utmost importance to make sure that your kitchen is positively placed and organized because it is this area which is responsible for the general health and well-being of your family. So, if you want the best for your family, do the best for your kitchen!