Feng Shui and Clutter

Anjie Cho September 15, 2024

Many people think that feng shui is synonymous with the word “de-clutter,” but it is not! There was no clutter in ancient China, when feng shui was developed. Clutter is a modern day problem, not necessarily bad or good, but it may represent and cause blocks or stuck energy in your home and your life.

That pile of magazines collecting dust in the living room may not only be an eyesore, but a constant reminder of another thing to clean. It is another item on the to do list. Or even a source of guilt. It takes a lot of energy to ignore that clutter!

One thing to also consider… do we really need all this “stuff?” Pretty much everyone in the western world has clutter. We have a lot of “stuff.” Do you really need that extra pair of black pants when you already have quite a few? Or maybe you can try the “one in, one out” method where if you would like to add that new pair of black pants to your closet, you find a pair that you no longer need and donate it.

Please do not be too hard on yourself if you do have clutter; take it step by step. Start with the easy items that you know you no longer want. I suggest you start with 9 minutes a day (9 is an auspicious number in feng shui). Take an egg timer and just do 9 minutes of clutter clearing, and then feel good about it!

Just to be clear, clutter is not always negative, as long as it doesn’t hinder your life or cause guilt and distress. But it may be a problem if it prevents you from achieving your goals and leaves you feeling “stuck.”

by Anjie Cho

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

Color and the Five Elements

Guest User July 15, 2024

The five elements system is a way of looking at our environments and spaces. It was developed in Taoism, and the five elements are earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. There are many ways that the five elements can be expressed in a space, and one of these ways is color.

One way to begin working with the five elements is to simply notice each element’s presence in your home. Try looking around your home to see if you can find colors that represent each one. You can also experiment with incorporating something that represents each of the five elements into a space to create more balance.

The earth element is represented by earthy colors including brown and yellow. In homes, this often shows up in wood furniture and floors.

White and gray represent the metal element. White walls can be great as a blank canvas, but too much white can feel a bit harsh. To soften white, you can mix it with other colors, including softer off-whites and ivories.

The water element is connected to the color black, as well as very dark charcoal gray and deep navy blue. Like white, black can be overwhelming in large quantities, but a thoughtful pop of black can be really dramatic and beautiful.

The wood element is related to blue, green, and teal. If you have living green plants, that’s the wood element!

The fire element is represented by red, as well as fiery shades of orange. Since red is such a bright, strong color, a little bit goes a long way!

Were you able to find all of the element colors in your space? If you want to learn more about the elements and find out which element is most nourishing to you, take my quiz here!

by Anjie Cho

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

Q&A Archive: Home Gyms in Feng Shui

Anjie Cho June 1, 2023

Welcome to our Holistic Spaces Q&A Archive:
Enjoy this post originally published April 21, 2019

I was wondering if there were any feng shui recommendations for having a home gym or exercise equipment in my home. Does it matter which way my treadmill faces, or is the most important thing that I use it regularly?

Liz K., Austin, TX

Hi Liz!

There aren’t any specific teachings that I’ve been transmitted about exercise equipment in regards to feng shui. However, there are a few different ways we can look at this.

First, we can look at how it relates to the bagua. If you’re looking at exercise and gym equipment in terms of your overall health, that might relate to the Health area of the bagua map. This doesn’t mean you need to put your gym equipment in the center of the house. I don’t think your whole life should revolve around gym equipment, and generally whatever is in the center of the house represents something that’s affecting everything else.

If you haven’t been exercising and you want to create a new habit of using the treadmill regularly, then it might be beneficial to work with the New Beginnings area of the bagua. You could place your gym equipment in the New Beginnings area of your home, or the New Beginnings area of a particular room.

In terms of which way the treadmill should face, I feel that the commanding position does apply to the treadmill, because if you’re spending half an hour to an hour on this treadmill, it makes sense to be in a position where you’re in command of the room. To be in command, you would be facing the door without standing in line with it. You can still have a TV in front of the treadmill as long as you are able to see the door; that way you can feel safe while you’re exercising.

Finally, another thing you can do is place a vision board, a list of intentions, or an image that represents your intentions in front of your treadmill. I’ve read stories of celebrities or aspiring actors who have placed Oscars or trophies in front of their treadmill to visualize that they’re running towards their goal. Whether it’s an ideal weight, a career success, or some other life goal, there’s something wonderful about making your exercise not only an activity to strengthen your body, but also a metaphor of moving towards a goal you want to achieve in your life.

I hope that this helps, and let us know how it goes!

xo Anjie Cho

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