Q&A Sunday: Bells, Chimes and Abundance

Hi Anjie! I love your five elements series. In the post My Favorite Things: 5 Ways to Bring Metal into Your Home, you mention that you have a bell on your desk to promote abundance. Is this always the case with bells and chimes? If I'm looking to promote prosperity and wealth, is adding a bell to my Abundance area a good adjustment?

Cole P., Akron, OH

Hi Cole!

I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying the podcasts and blog posts! I'd be happy to elaborate on using bells as feng shui adjustments. 

Bells and chimes are not necessarily related to abundance. Bells and chimes are metal element, but there is not a direct connection to abundance. I suggested bells and chimes for adding metal element, because they are that...the metal element!

However, the sound that bells and chimes make create vibrations that move out into the universe. Just like the butterfly theory. The butterfly effect reasons that small changes can result in big differences. In the same way, when you ring a bell or chime, it creates a sound and vibration to extend out into the world and let the universe know that you may want to attract more clients or wealth into your life. You can doubly reinforce that by doing this in the Abundance area of the bagua map.

But you could also do this in, for instance, the Benefactors area to attract more helpful people into your life and home. which actually in turn creates more abundance, though not necessarily monetary. :)  Or you could ring a bell or chime in the Relationship area to attract a partner.

Overall, ringing a bell or chime does send out a message to the universe that you are opening your space to something new, but just adding these to your space, and not ringing them with intention, is not enough to attract prosperity and abundance. 

If you're looking to increase your wealth, prosperity and abundance, take a look at some of the other posts on the blog for suggestions like adding citrine, activating the self-knowledge area of your space, adding plants and more. There are many ways to welcome abundance through feng shui!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

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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: Using Colors in Your Space

Hi Anjie, Love your podcasts and I am in need of your guidance again :) I am aware that using certain colors may affect the energy of the room...for example, we should avoid using colors that are too fiery/energetic for the bedroom. What about the color blue? As it's also a water element, would it have a negative impact if I use too much of it in my home? We are thinking of pale blue walls for our kitchen and bedroom.

Samantha C., Malaysia

Hi again, Samantha!

First thing, you need not necessarily avoid fiery/energetic colors in the bedroom. For instance, if a couple needs to spice things up, it may be helpful to use red or fire colors to invoke more passion. It may counteract that “I’m too tired, let’s go to bed” feeling. Also, someone who’s very depressed and lethargic may benefit from energetic colors like red or brighter greens and blues if they need an energy boost. It’s not always good to sleep your way through life, right?

But in general, the bedroom is a place for rest and regeneration, so blues and greens are great healing colors for the bedroom. It’s all about the shade, though. I think that pale blue is perfect for a bedroom. and also fine for a kitchen, especially if you want to lose weight. Images of the ocean are relaxing and are the water element, however light blue is not water in BTB feng shui. Water is black and dark blue. 

One other thing to watch out for with the water images: water can also be depressing, dark and sinking, energetically. So if you or your partner has the tendency towards that, it would be best to have other sorts of images in the bedroom.

Too much water isn’t necessarily bad. For instance, I have a weak yin wood daymaster in my four pillars chart, so actually water really nourishes me. I live on the East River, and I love to vacation around water. And I’ve only lived in California and New York, on the coast near water. I absolutely love images of water and they really make me happy!

Taking care to use certain colors in your space can definitely be beneficial! Just be sure you also take into account the needs of people in your life who will be using each room. Different colors can cause different effects, but it always depends upon the person, just like feng shui!

by Anjie Cho

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish. Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com.

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: A Yellow Rug for Health

I'm moving into a new place within a few weeks, and I've decided to dedicate the feng shui adjustments to Health, Knowledge and Abundance. I'm thinking of putting a yellow-toned, square rug in the center of my bedroom. Is it better to stay with a solid color, or can I use prints?

Michelle G., Phoenix, AZ

Hi Michelle,

Congratulations on your new place, and that’s wonderful that you are dedicating time and effort to put some feng shui adjustments into your new space! I take it you’re looking to adjust Health by placing a yellow-toned square rug in the center of your bedroom. This was a tip that I suggest in my book, 108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces, and it’s a great way to tie things together in a room, visually and feng shui wise.

For your question, you need not stick to solids rugs; prints are fine. If you use square prints, that would reinforce the earth element. If you used triangular shapes, it would invoke the fire element which create earth. 

Since the Health area is in the center, and it affects all the other feng shui areas, it is a great choice as an adjustment because it will also support the Knowledge and Abundance areas. If you cant find yellow, you can also use brown, beige, orange or other earthy tones.

Please send in a photo of what you ended up with!

by Anjie Cho

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish. Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com.

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!