Q&A Sunday: Bedroom Colors and the Bagua

I'm confused when it comes to bedroom feng shui. I see a lot of articles on creating a bedroom space that's romantic, with colors of red/pink, etc. But what about the area in which the bedroom is on the bagua map? My bedroom is in the Family area which has different colors and shapes, etc. than the Love & Relationships area. What's the best way to set up a bedroom like this?

Jennifer S., Madison, WI


Hi Jennifer

Thanks for your question! it’s a really good one, and it comes up a lot. Here we’re looking at two different approaches or feng shui techniques. 

First off, when writing a general post on feng shui for a bedroom, I try to make it as crowd friendly as possible. The bedroom can be in any area of the feng shui bagua map, but it’s always a bedroom! So usually I approach it from the knowledge that the bedroom can be in any bagua area, however here are some ways to work with the bedroom in light of what a bedroom is generally used for: sleep, or healing, or in the case that you mentioned, to encourage romance. 

It’s actually a great idea to also approach the bedroom with regard to where it’s located on the feng shui bagua map. You mentioned that your bedroom is in the New Beginnings (Family) area and it’s not in the Relationship area. You can possibly see that with your bedroom in this area, there can be opportunities for energy and growth in your relationships, especially your primary relationship. Your bedroom doesn’t have to be in the Relationship area to use the colors related to the Relationship gua. You can invoke romantic colors in your bedroom (in New Beginnings area) to create and invigorate new relationships. Or you can use the colors of New Beginnings (green) to encourage growth and healing in your personal life. But without talking to you, I can’t tell you what is the “best” way to set up your bedroom. 

This is where a feng shui practitioner can be very helpful. My friend and colleague, Doris Ingber, calls what you’re looking at as “Barnes & Noble Feng Shui”, where you read things here and there and work with things in a very literal way. There’s nothing wrong with this, because it’s a step in the right direction! But a skilled feng shui consultant can help you use the feng shui principles in a more precise and effective way depending on what your needs are. It’s sort of like working with a doctor or looking on WebMD 😃 But if that’s not something you’re interested in, I’d advise you to look at what you want to achieve in your bedroom, and take the advice on the posts that resonate with you.  

We’re also doing a raffle on the podcast in May through June 2017, so be sure to enter and you will have a chance to win a free mini-consultation with me that we’ll share on the podcast. There we could look at your bedroom more closely! Until then, take a peek at some of these bedroom feng shui posts to see what you can glean!

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Family Bedrooms and the Bagua

I love listening to your podcast! Our family has purchased a new home and are excited to be moving in, in a few weeks time. My children will have their bedrooms in the Abundance and Relationship areas respectively, with the Recognition area being shared by both of their rooms. I wonder if there is a more auspicious place to place each child?

My daughter is the first born, and I have heard you say that the Abundance area is represented by the first daughter. They have decided that my son will have that room, and she will have the room in the Relationship area which has no balcony and two smaller windows, compared to the bedroom with the big window and balcony. They want to swap bedrooms once a year so that they can each enjoy the balcony. I wonder if there is a better place for either of them and whether it is a good idea for them to swap once a year? My husband and I are on the other side of the house and our bedroom aligns with the Knowledge, Path in Life and Benefactors area.

Olga D., Brisbane, Australia

Hi Olga

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! 😃 

This is an interesting question, and I’m going to first comment on placing the two children in the rear of the home (with your room, the parents, in the front of the home). Ideally, you want to place the parents room further back beyond the center line of the home, because that places them more in command. With the children in the rear of the home, it may mean they are more in charge, or in command, of the family situation. But I’m guessing this is because the master bedroom is located where it is, and so we have to work with the situation, right? 

You are also correct that the Abundance area of the feng shui bagua map is related to the eldest daughter. The area related to the first son is actually the Knowledge area. My sense is that it's positive and encouraging that your son and daughter would like to swap bedrooms once a year so that they can both appreciate the larger window and balcony. It sounds like they have a balanced relationship. 

As far if there's a better room for either of them, in a full consultation we could look at the astrology and five elements of each child to see if there is a more beneficial area. However, I think the idea that your children came up with is a great idea, and I encourage it!

Please don't hesitate to let us know if further questions come up as you each set up your rooms and your home as a whole. You can also take a peek at Feng Shui Tips for Moving Into a New Home and Q&A Sunday: Kickstarting a New Beginning, Energetically and Spiritually for tips on moving!

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

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Bedroom Makeover: 9 Feng Shui Tips for Better Sleep

featured this month on Daily Burn by Tiffany Ayuda

We all know about the many factors that come into play when it comes to sleep: gut health, nightly shutdown routine and exercise. But your sleep environment also says a lot about the quality of zzz’s you get at night. Ill-fitting pillows, clutter and distracting electronics can be major sleep thieves.

If designed right, though, your bedroom has limitless potential. Between those four walls, you can have a sanctuary, a REM fortress, a dream world… This space can also symbolize your relationship with yourself, your partner and the most important things in your life. And feng shui — the ancient Chinese practice of balancing energies in any given space by placing your furniture and belongings a certain way — might help.

Anjie Cho, feng shui expert, interior designer and creator of Holistic Spaces, says, “Your bedroom represents you. Other than maybe your office, you spend a majority of your time in your bedroom, especially if you get six to eight hours of sleep at night.” And that’s when the so-called magic happens: “Because you’re unconscious and in a passive state while you sleep, you’re open to absorbing energy around you more easily,” Cho says.

...read full article