Gary Hendrickson's Lexus is white: elegant and sleek. The color is also compatible with his personal element -- earth, according to feng shui tradition. And that makes for a much more pleasant driving experience, says the Boulder man. Many people all but live in their cars. They work and eat staring at the brake lights ahead of them.
In fact, a study by the Texas Transportation Institute found the average American spends almost a full workweek stuck in his or her car every year. That's more than double the average in 1982. Collectively, the 2007 study found, Americans spent almost 500,000 years stuck in traffic. If that's time wedged between a mountain of empty Big Gulp cups and dirty sneakers, that's going to be a very long half a million years.
A car that's out of balance can leave the driver and passengers feeling off-kilter, too, according to local feng shui and organizing experts.
But consciously keeping your car organized, energizing and in line with basic feng shui principles can make your commute easier, whether it's a journey to work or across country on a road trip.
Hendrickson, with Feng Shui Design International in Boulder (fengshuidesign.net), has been studying feng shui for 28 years.
His first tip is obvious: Clean. Your. Car. Including your trunk, glove box and the other nooks where negative energy might accumulate. Have a trash receptacle, and use it.
"It subtly weighs on your psychic connection to your travels if you always have to worry about having to excavate something," Hendrickson says.
Also, make sure your windows are clean and not cracked, he says. Windows are the eyes of a car, and a broken windshield represents a broken perspective.
After you tidy up, he recommends smudging or "space clearing" your car. Some traditions believe burning sage, sweet grass or a mix of sage, cedar and lavender in a bowl orabalone shell can bless and purify the space before you set off.
"It's a nice way to start out a trip, or spring in general," Hendrickson says.
Each driver also has a personal element, which you can determine from feng shui Web sites or books. Hendrickson's is earth. He says choosing a car in a color that is compatible with his element affects him positively. Earth colors are brown, beige, tan and yellow.
The other elements are wood (greens), fire (red, orange, peach and salmon), metal (white, silver, metallic gold, bronze and copper) and water (blue, black, purple, lavender).
Lisa Sarasohn, a Boulder-based professional organizer with Hire Order Inc. (hire-order.com), recommends treating your car like another room in your house -- instead of like a rolling garbage can.
Sarasohn says she understands how difficult that can be, especially for people who work out of their cars like she does. That's why she relies on containers. She organizes her trunk with plastic bins. Case Logic also makes "mobile offices" that you can stick on the passenger seat -- mini desks with compartments, laptop storage and tabs for folders.
"It's an efficiency thing," she says. "If I were not able to go out to my car and put my hands on the left tab green folders, it would cost the client money. I'm on the clock. I can't be out there rooting around in my trunk."
Other ways to feng shui your car:
Make it smell good. Instead of chemical-filled scented trees, hang a container of essential oils from your rearview mirror. Lemon and ylang ylang are stimulating and can help keep you alert during long drives. Rosemary and lavender are soothing and peaceful, great to prevent road rage, according to Hendrickson.
Keep water in your car. Drinking water clears your energy and mind.
"Water represents a smooth flow," Hendrickson says. "When you're driving, you want a smooth, flowing experience."
Chicagohealers.com practitioner Andie Pearson says water energy can also make it easier to cope with transportation woes. Hanging a round, faceted crystal from a blue ribbon on your rearview mirror also works.
The Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui recommends hanging a clear, round crystal from a red cord from the mirror, according to Catherine Dawson-Laframboise, with Radiant Chi Feng Shui in Boulder (radiantchi.com). Cut the ribbon 9 inches long or in 9-inch increments.
"The crystal represents the light of the sun, which is uplifting," she says, "and brings good luck and harmony. The crystal will also bring the colors of the rainbow into the car."
Snack on oranges if you must eat in your car. The color is good luck, they smell good and round slices of orange peels are considered useful for protection, according to Dawson-Laframboise.
Learn about your personal directions. Feng shui believes people can sleep better with their heads facing a certain compass direction, and the same goes for driving. People are more efficient and focused driving in a certain direction. This can be useful knowledge for long road trips, Hendrickson says.
Choose your intention via your music. If you want to chill out, listen to relaxing music, such as jazz or classical. If you want to stay alert, opt for energizing music. Hendrickson says he listens to electronic music on road trips.
"Music stimulates your attitude that you want to put out," he says. "Part of feng shui is intention. What do you want to experience? Put on that kind of music."
Create protection. Place objects on your console, key chain or around your neck. Stones, such as hematite and black tourmaline, are grounding, to keep you focused while driving. Dragons represent protection and luck. A rhino is considered a deterrent against thieves and accidents.
The Hindu elephant god (Ganesha) statue removes obstacles. The Hindu/Buddhist Green Tara is the goddess of peace, protection and overcoming obstacles. Or if you're a Christian, the Archangel Michael stands for protection.
Set good intentions. Every time Hendrickson starts a trip, he says he imagines a shield of protection around his car, declaring that he is going to have a safe, smooth and peaceful drive.
Sprinkle sea salt. Some practitioners believe that sprinkling sea salt on the floor of the car can absorb negativity, Hendrickson says. But make sure you vacuum it out regularly.