Thierry Chow is one of the first few female Feng Shui Masters in the world. “I love the similarities between Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra, as both are heavily focused on harnessing principles of architecture and interior design, layout and measurements, space arrangements, and geometry to create an abundant life. The relationship between humans and nature, looks to me as a common ground with both practices,” she compares notes.

A New Decade Begins

According to Chinese astrology, 2020 is the Year of the Mouse: “This rat year’s lucky colours are blue and turquoise,” Chow explains. Co-incidentally, even Pantone’s Colour of the Year is Classic Blue, so being spiritual and sassy at the same time will be quite easy. Chow also hears wedding bells for many singles out there. “2020’s energy of auspiciousness for marriage and relationships is in the West corner—so, if your front entrance is in the west direction, this means the house will be very lucky,” she adds.

Symbols and Effects

Feng Shui uses something called a Bagua map to read the energy of a space. “Baguas are ‘8 symbols’ that represents 8 directions—north, south, east, west, north west, south west, north east and south east—and each direction has different energies depending on the year. And in order to figure out the energy of the 8 directions, we must first take compass readings to figure out readings of your front entrance, which then can tell you all your coordinates for the rest of the house,” Chow explains. If deciphering the Bagua is too cumbersome, Chow has just launched her Go Lucky line of homeware products and fashion accessories; a contemporary concept fusing Feng Shui with mindful, modern design. “Go Lucky is a creative expression of how Feng Shui encompasses both the emotional and the physical—easily applicable to all aspects of design, including fashion and interiors,” Chow elaborates.

Here are 8 lucky tips from Thierry Chow’s Go Lucky method, for 2020

1. Pick a style that speaks to you:
2. Be it bohemian chic or the industrial man cave, Versailles opulence or Zen realness, the style of your home is very important as your space reflects who you are. Be mindful of who you are. Nature knows what it is, you are no different.
3. Use fun, cheerful colours:
4. You don’t have to paint an entire room red, or have a whole wall of fluorescent fuchsia or neon lime. But colourful accents do and will brighten the mood, whether it’s an optimistic orange, sun-soaked yellow, a gentle pink or a nourishing green. Just make sure it’s in the optimal direction using the Go Lucky method or a Bagua Map.
5. Choose a meaningful decorative element which gives you joy: Even a bare Japanese tatami room will still have a tokonoma, an alcove serving as a focal point for a hanging scroll, an incense burner, or a flower arrangement. Place something that sparks positive emotions—whether it’s an inspirational painting, an object of art, your grandma’s quilt or a cute teddy bear from your childhood—anything that makes you smile.
6. More of the Five Elemental Phases: Human beings are not separate from Nature, but those of us living in urban jungles tend to forget this fact. Bring in wooden element such as plants into your rooms to keep you company and remove stagnant qi—their innate life-stimulating properties are proven to reduce stress. Bring in earth for grounding with marble, stone or colourful crystals. Water features like a fish tank or fountains bring abundance. Fire elements such as candles bring energy; metals such as copper, bronze, gold and silver offer protection.
7. No Qi blockage: Pay attention to furniture arrangement. Be sure to position your furniture in a way that it allows for a smooth flow of traffic in all areas of your home. Imagine a river going through your home or office; you don’t want to block the flow. Keep the qi moving freely throughout your space.
8. Purge and declutter:
9. It’s tradition to clean the house thoroughly before the Chinese New Year, but do purge every couple of months, no matter where you live. We collect emotional baggage, and it’s hard to expand and create when trapped in with all that stagnant qi. Get rid of old, unused clothes, as well as items from a negative experience or past relationships that you might be holding on to. Declutter your physical space and make way for something new.
10. Balance of Ying and Yang: Always achieve a good balance of Yin and Yang—neither too bright nor too dark, too warm or too cold. Feng Shui stresses flexibility in lighting to avoid dark corners. Colourful candles and curtains provide a lot of options, as ample sunlight can be let in during the day, softened in the afternoon, or made ambient in the evening. Invest in diversified lighting that reaches every nook and cranny of your home.
11. A good home should make you stay present: That’s the key. Whether you want deep invigoration, soothing relaxation or a quick reset, your space should allow you to connect to your soul, effortlessly. Setting an intention helps shape the use of your space, and being mindful of it creates the right energy to revitalise you immediately.

According to the 2020 Chinese horoscope, the Lunar New Year starts on Saturday, January 25th and ends on February 11th, 2021. The Rat is the first sign from the 12 animals cycle of the Chinese Astrology, and for this reason, 2020 is considered a year of new beginnings and renewals. The Year of the Metal Rat comes right after the Year of the Earth Pig (2019) and before the Year of the Metal Ox (2021)! The years of the Rat are: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, and 2032. New opportunities to find true love, and to earn more money will occur. The year 2020 will be successful for those who will take advantage of all the chances appearing throughout the year. The year 2020 is quite challenging, especially health-wise, but also financially, with obstacles, impediments, and unpredictable situations, which will mainly occur during the first half of the year. This situation is caused by the negative energy of the annual Flying Star 5, the star of destruction and disasters, which will have a strong influence during the Metal Rat year. The vital force is weak, which is why this year you might feel pretty stressed, even by small things. You will notice slow progress in your projects, which is why you need to be confident in your strength, and you will be successful in bringing everything to a favorable end. During the first half of the year, you will have more free time, and you will be able to rest and make plans for the future. You will consolidate the relationship with your life partner, and you will spend more time with the kids. The year 2020 is under the influence of Flying Star 2, which is positioned in the south, causing all kinds of health issues. The Metal Rat year is difficult and full of obstacles for the Water Chinese zodiac signs, but the other signs will also encounter many hurdles throughout the year, so they need to be more cautious than ever. The Metal signs will face many difficult moments, and they will be forced to fight fiercely for their rights. The Year of the Rat has ups and downs, but nothing of worth ever comes easy. During the second half of the year, the health of the chinese zodiac signs will be much improved, their energy and zest for life coming back in full force. You will have a hard time when you will be put in the situation of making decisions. Don’t let fear cloud your mind and soul. Trust your intuition!