​Bring health, wealth, love and more to your life when you use the right type of bedroom art for Feng Shui in your sleeping space. The ancient Chinese art has long been used to create a better flow of Qi for healthier, happier individuals.

Feng Shui, which translates to "wind and water," is an ancient Chinese art meant to improve your health, relationships and overall well-being by improving the channel of Qi, or your life's energy, through your home. Feng Shui has been in use for centuries, having started as a traditional Eastern concept with a manual created by Yang Yun-sung.

The traditional method separated rooms into sections based on the directions on a compass. About 100 years later, another method was created for areas with a flatter topography. This method was also largely traditional and was known as The Compass School. Today, modern Feng Shui uses the same basic principles, but instead of using a compass, it assumes the placement of the main entry in a room in the south side of the room for Feng Shui purposes.

The bedroom is considered the main component of your health and relationships, which means Feng Shui for this area is especially important. Even the bedroom art you use should have a purpose.

Using the Bagua for Your Bedroom

Think of your room as a three-by-three grid with your door being on the south wall. By dividing the bedroom into nine sections and using the bagua to determine which section corresponds with which part of your life, you can reap the best benefits possible when you add Feng Shui your bedroom. Each section focuses on a specific area of your life.

This section is for helpful people and travel. The best elements and colors to use include metal, gray, black and white.

This is for your career. Focus on the color black. Traditionally, water elements would go here, but in a bedroom, it is best to avoid water.

Knowledge and self-cultivation. This corner is for the earth element and is best for black, green and blue colors.

This is your family section. Focus on green and wood materials.

This section focuses on wealth. It also uses the wood element, but focuses on purple, blue and red as colors.

The north wall is for fame. Use the element of fire and red here.

This section of your bedroom is for relationships and marriage. The best element is earth, and the best colors are pink, red and white.

The east wall focuses on children. It is a metal element section and uses the color white.

The very center of your bedroom is for your overall health and well-being. It should be clear of clutter and use yellow, orange and brown in the color scheme.

General Guidelines for Using Feng Shui in Your Bedroom

Before you focus on specific sections or types of art, it is important to know some general guidelines for using Feng Shui in the bedroom. The most important aspect of the art is a lack of clutter. Cramped, dirty rooms make it harder for Qi to flow freely and can leave you feeling overwhelmed, stressed or even physically ill. Get rid of piles of papers, clothes, shopping bags or other items in the bedroom. Organize drawers and closets; use trays to keep your desk or dresser more organized; and avoid piling things up, around or under the bed if possible.

When it comes to the art in your room, choose carefully. While water is important in most aspects of Feng Shui, it is best to avoid it in your bedroom as the belief is that too much of it can wash away your good energy as you're sleeping. This means avoiding color schemes with a focus on blue and not putting fountains or aquariums in the bedroom. Mirrors are also considered water features, so keep the full-length mirrors in the bathroom of the spare room. If you absolutely must keep one in your bedroom, put it in the closet.

The bedroom is considered a room not only for sleeping and healing, but for sensuality. Because the space is meant to be relaxing and happy, it is vital to avoid bedroom art that is violent or otherwise aggressive. Images of fighting, arguing or sadness are especially bad, but it is best to avoid any art that has a main color scheme involving black, dark red or other deep colors often associated with anger. The energy emitted by these types of art pieces can weaken or completely negate the Feng Shui work you did in the room.

Important Symbols to Incorporate Into Your Bedroom

Some symbols are thought to evoke specific emotions or energies in your bedroom. The double happiness symbol is one of the most common for bedroom Feng Shui. The pair of Chinese characters creates double doses not only of happiness, but also of luck and love. Often used in wedding decor, it is also quite popular in bedrooms. Go big with a large wall piece, or if you prefer something understated, you can choose a small table plaque or even a porcelain jar that can double as a jewelry or makeup holder.

Birds are also quite popular in the bedroom. Considered messengers from the god of marriage, they are a powerful symbol of love that looks beautiful and create positive energy flow in bedroom Feng Shui. To best reap the benefits, always display birds in pairs in your artwork. The best area to place them is in the southwest corner. The most popular species include mandarin ducks, Phoenix birds, lovebirds and swans. However, avoid paintings or artwork depicting birds in water.

Another popular symbol in bedroom Feng Shui is the mystic knot. Mystic knots, which are entwined figure eights, are thought to symbolize prosperity, love, luck and infinity. They are common for representing marital love.

Feng Shui Bedroom Art for Singles

Of course, not everybody who wants to incorporate Feng Shui their bedroom is coupled up. There are plenty of ways for single people to add bedroom art as well. Rose quartz in the southwest corner of the bedroom looks beautiful and fosters more positive relationships of all types.

For those who are interested in adding bedroom art that may attract a romantic partner, there are elephants. A pair of elephants is thought to attract a faithful lover as long as the trunks are trumpeting. Black and white elephants symbolize yin and yang. A single woman who is seeking a lifetime partner may also consider a painting or a photograph of red peonies in the southwest corner of the room.

Feng Shui Art for a Child's Bedroom

If you want to foster positive energy in your child's bedroom, there are some types of art that are appropriate for his or her room:

Placing a crystal globe in the northeast corner can enhance academic abilities and achievements.

A seven-level pagoda in the same section can also boost grades.

Place a figurine of your child's astrological animal in the northwest corner to attract loyal friends and mentors.

Add a Phoenix to the room to boost fame and recognition in competitive sports or academics.

Art That Promotes Health and Wellness

The bedroom is where your body goes to rest and repair itself as you're sleeping, which means it is the perfect place to add Feng Shui art that will boost your overall health or help you to fight illness. Use wood art in the east portion of your bedroom to become or remain lucky in health.

A Wu Lou is a good luck gourd that is thought to absorb negative Qi and protect against illnesses. This is best placed on your nightstand. Cherry blossoms do double duty by promoting both health and romantic love. There are several other options as well, including:

Gold art promotes physical health as well as financial wealth.

The pear is a symbol of immortality and represents longevity of life and health.

The peach is another symbol of longevity.

These Chinese gods are important for protecting prosperity, wealth and physical health.

Art to Avoid in a Feng Shui Bedroom

Water was already touched upon, but there are several other types of art to avoid in your bedroom if you wish to reap the biggest Feng Shui benefits. Live plants and flowers generate too much yang energy for the bedroom, so stick to photographs, paintings or fake plants for this area.

If you display wild animals, ensure they do not look ferocious. Avoid anything depressing or too harsh, such as empty deserts or harsh winter landscapes. Finally, don't display family photographs in the bedroom. These should remain in the main living areas.

While there is no hard science backing Feng Shui, plenty of experts in soft science, such as psychology, agree that there are benefits to Feng Shui. Research has long proven that the cleaner, more open and fresher a living environment is, the better the person living in it feels.

Even if Feng Shui doesn't bring you a longer life or a faithful lover, the fresh, open and clean room is sure to at least leave you relaxed as you sleep. And after all, isn't sleep one of the most important factors for a healthy mind and body? There's really no reason not to try this ancient Chinese art. It must do something right to remain so popular after thousands of years.