The Feng Shui of Soaping

Soap. Everyone uses it.

Not everyone makes it.

You can create soap with the energy of the universe in every bar.

While the world is made up of yin and yang, light and dark, good and evil, so is the Tao of soap making. Putting a little bit of yourself, your own energy, and your chi, into creating your soap should be your ultimate goal.

Begin with a space clearing. Declutter your life and your home. Unclutter your kitchen or workroom, clear off the counters, and allow the chi to flow freely into and throughout your home. You want the flow of chi coming into you and bringing uplifting spirits and good energy into all you create.

Chi flows in a clockwise direction. Create your soap making space so that you face into the flow of chi.

Before you begin any creative project, you may first want to take a moment to reflect on what it is you are creating. Give thanks for providing you with the ingredients to make natural soap, the perseverance and fortitude to do it correctly and with your whole being.

You may wish to light a candle before you begin. If you're creating soap for a beloved family member, you might want to use a green candle, as green is the color of the portion of the bagua relating to family.

If you're creating soap just as a fun outlet for yourself, use a white candle to symbolize creativity. Creativity's place on the bagua is white. Crystals also work as an aid to bolster creativity.

For those of you creating soap for fun and profit, light a black candle for business success, or purple for wealth as these colors relate to their corresponding points on the bagua.

Gather all your needed equipment, scales, pan, thermometer, and ingredients before you begin. Wearing your long sleeves, long pants, rubber gloves, long hair pulled back, and eye goggles, you may prepare to mix your lye. Some people prefer to do this outside to avoid fumes. This is perfectly acceptable. Chi's energy is free to move around you unrestrained.

A good outside location for the ladies would be on the left side of your home (facing the street). This is the White Tiger location and is decidedly feminine. Male soap makers will probably prefer the right side of the house (facing the street), as this is the direction of the Green Dragon.

Some people will prefer to mix their lye over their kitchen sink. This too is an excellent spot as chi is always attracted to water. (This is why we keep the toilet lids down – to prevent the chi from being attracted to the water in the bowl and being flushed away.)

NOTE: Lye into water and NOT the other way around. Safety first! Remember: Snow falling over the Mountain. (The mountain is represented in Feng Shui as the Black Turtle.)

The lye water is then allowed to cool to the temperature listed in your favorite recipe. Remember this concoction is basically dragon water at this state. Be careful. There is danger in nature. Keep this mixture in a safe place – clearly marked and away from children.

On to your preferred method of soap making, the kitchen stove. Did you know that ancient Chinese families' wealth was determined by the size of their cook stove? Modern homes frequently have four burners in the kitchen. Six would imply more wealth. (A mirror strategically placed behind the stove will essentially double your wealth!)

Add the dragon water (lye water) to your fixed oils and cook over low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture gels or traces.

For best results, stir your soaps in a clockwise direction, the direction that chi naturally moves, empowering more chi into the mixture.

At this point you may add your favorite essential oils or homegrown ground herbs. Pour quickly into a natural wood mold, cover to retain heat and chi, and then set aside in a warm place.

After a cycle or two of the sun, you may remove the soap from the molds and cut into bars. The soap will still need to cure for 4-6 weeks before use.

Congratulations! You just made soap the Feng Shui way, incorporating your own energies and chi, the energy of the universe.

By Judi Roberts