Q&A Sunday: Auspicious Hours in Feng Shui

Anjie Cho January 17, 2021

is there a most auspicious time of day on Chinese New Year to open windows/doors for nine minutes? Or does time of day matter?

N L D., Lindale, TX

Hi! Thanks for your question!

Yes, there are more auspicious hours to perform feng shui adjustments. I think most of you are familiar with the Taoist concept of yin and yang, which is a philosophy that describes everything as a dance between two opposites. Some examples of yin and yang (in that order) are: dark and light, moon and sun, cold and hot, feminine and masculine, internal and external, passive and active and so on. Everything in our universe has both yin and yang; that’s why I say it’s a dance. The yin yang symbol represents this constantly moving relationship between the two opposites. Then the little dot of white in the black, and the little dot of black in the white…this means that with yin there is yang, and within yang there is yin. The darkness only exists in relationship to the light.

When we look at how a day progresses in time, there are hours that are more yin and hours that are more yang. 11am to 1pm are the most yang hours of the day and beneficial to activate and start new endeavors with a big push of energy. Similarly, the hours of 11pm to 1am are the most yin hours of the day and may be a more ideal time to unravel and/or clarify internal workings of the mind, or have a more subtle push forward (like a "slow and steady wins the race" type of attitude).

As you see, feng shui philosophy is layered and is interdependent on many Asian philosophies, which really makes it so rich and powerful. I hope this information helps you to apply some changes in your life in a more powerful way! Let us know if you made feng shui adjustments for the Chinese New Year and how they made you feel!

by Anjie Cho

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Clear Your Space with Oranges

Guest User September 23, 2020

Space clearing is an important practice in feng shui. Our homes and spaces are made up of energy that impacts us, so it’s important to make sure we are surrounded by supportive, healthy energy as much as possible. Clearing space in your home helps to remove stagnant, stuck, or negative energy that has accumulated to make room for new, positive energy.

Space clearing is especially helpful during times of transition. This could be moving to a new apartment, starting a new chapter in life, or even a change in seasons. The transition from summer to fall that we’re currently experiencing in the northern hemisphere is a great time to clear your space.

One of my favorite ways to clear space is to use oranges. In feng shui, oranges have a lot of yang energy. Yang energy relates to brightness and sunlight. It’s the opposite of night, which is related to yin energy.

Take a moment to close your eyes and visualize peeling an orange, and imagine the experience through all of your senses. Oranges are visually bright and cheerful, like the sun. The color orange is a protecting, uplifting, and vital color. The smell of oranges can also instantly uplift any space. As you are visualizing an orange, or even as you’re peeling a real one, notice the smell, the way it looks, the taste, the way it feels in your hands, and even the sound as you peel it.

A great way to clear your space using feng shui principles is to use a mist with orange essential oil. You can purchase some here or make your own. To clear your space with oranges, open all your windows and doors for at least 15 minutes and allow air to move throughout your home, then spray the orange mist all over your home. If you want to make it more of a ritual, start at your front door and go in a clockwise direction around the perimeter of each room. This makes your space clearing more of a special, sacred experience, and not just an everyday activity.

As you’re clearing your space, set the intention that you’re filling your home with bright orange light or sunlight, along with feelings of joy, contentment, and vitality. This will help set the stage to welcome in positive energy and opportunities.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Open the Eyes of Your Home

Guest User September 16, 2020

In feng shui, the windows of your home represent your eyes. Because our surroundings are a reflection of our inner worlds, the state of your windows can say a lot about your vision and how clearly you are seeing the world around you.

If your windows are dirty or dusty, it can be harder to see, not only on a mundane level, but also in life. If you are seeing the world through a film of dust, this can represent a lack of clarity in your life. Perhaps your vision is clouded by perceptions or judgments, just as your home’s windows are clouded by debris.

Clean windows, on the other hand, represent clear vision and being able to see with open eyes. Because of this, it’s helpful to wash your windows regularly. Instead of using toxic chemicals and paper towels, you can make your own cleaning solution from vinegar and water to use with cloth towels.

Make sure your window frames are in good repair also. Broken things in general often indicate difficulties or challenges, so it’s a good idea to fix anything that is no longer functioning properly. Because windows are connected to eyes, dirty or broken windows could even relate to eye problems.

When you clean your windows, both your environment and your perspective become clearer. Not only does your space become brighter and more cheerful with the added light, this allows you to see things in your world with more clarity, precision, and truth. It also allows you to see the everyday magic and beauty in the world around you.

The transition to fall is an especially great time to clean your windows and clear your vision. I encourage you to take some time in the next few weeks to work on this, or hire your local window cleaner. Let me know if you notice any more clarity in how you see the world around you!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com