Feng Shui for Beginners

Anjie Cho October 21, 2020

From real estate to renovation to simply redecorating, feng shui is gaining popularity in the west as a way to consciously shift your environment in a positive way. Many people believe that feng shui is just a concept of furniture placement, but in reality, it's a deep, philosophical practice around creating a sacred space that nurtures your very being. Sounds complicated, huh? It can be, but some parts of feng shui are very simple!

If you're new to the world of feng shui or just beginning to make some much-needed changes, try these easy adjustments first. They're powerful, effective and easy for anyone to understand!

Commanding Position

This concept may well be one of the most important in the practice of feng shui. When setting up your space, place the main pieces of furniture (namely your bed, stove, sofa, etc.) so that you can see the door. The ideal placement, called the commanding position, is diagonally from the door (not directly in front of it), in the furthest position, and facing the door. This comes from ancient Chinese safety measures as well as the psychological effects, even if only long term, of not being able to see what's coming towards you. Having major furniture (bed, desk and stove) such that you are located in the commanding position enables you to be prepared for what life brings you!

Plants

Adding plants to a space is a wonderful feng shui remedy. Plants represent new life-affirming energy and growth and cultivate compassion, kindness and human-heartedness. Not only are they excellent (and easy) feng shui adjustments, adding green plants to your space can help offset the toxic VOCs found in most indoor environments. Plants can beautify your space, add the Wood element and clean your air, and many of them, like bamboo and orchids, have even deeper symbolism in feng shui. Just remember to opt for softer, rounded leaves over spiky, pointed ones!

Clean Door

One of the easiest ways to welcome positive energy into your space is to make sure the entrance is attractive and clean. Plus, who wants to come home to a dirty door or entrance? For this adjustment, just spend a few minutes assessing your entrance area and cleaning your door. Check to be sure that the door is wiped down, buzzers and doorbells work and, if you'd like, add a clean welcome mat to invite positive energy (and you!) into your sacred space.

One Good Deed a Day

This feng shui remedy may be the easiest, but most powerful of all! It's one of the first adjustments I did when beginning to study feng shui. Each day, for 27 days, do a good deed for someone else. Why 27 days? It's a multiple of nine, which is the most auspicious number in feng shui! This adjustment helps you to put positive energy out into the universe, which in turn brings it back to you!

As you look further into the practice of feng shui, you may find you want to make more adjustments. Some of these are relatively easy and can be done with guidance, like from the Holistic Spaces blog or my book, 108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces! For others, you'll want to find a feng shui expert who suits you. No matter what, I encourage you to take a deeper look into the amazing philosophy of feng shui!

by Anjie Cho

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

Feng Shui Tips for Bedrooms

Guest User September 9, 2020

If you’re not sure where to get started with feng shui, I suggest taking a look at your bedroom. First, it can be easier to lay the bagua on a single room rather than your whole house. Second, adjustments in your bedroom can be very effective because your bedroom represents you. Your bedroom environment also influences your ability to rest and reset your stress levels, which can have a big impact on the rest of your life.

Because of this, it’s important to make your bedroom a soothing, relaxing space. Start by removing any objects that are too energizing or engaging, like books, electronics, and work projects. Having these things around you when you are trying to relax can cause more stress and make it more difficult to sleep.

It’s also important to make sure your bed is in the commanding position. To do this, place your bed in such a way that you can see the door when you are lying in bed, but are not directly in line with the door. This way, you can be more at ease when you are resting or sleeping because you are able to see anyone or anything that could be approaching. If you’re unable to place your bed in command, you can also add a mirror that allows you to see a reflection of the door from your bed instead of the actual door.

Next, choose colors for your bedroom that are supportive and soothing. Blues and greens are great colors for bedrooms because they’re healing and peaceful. They represent life energy, and are colors we naturally find in nature. Try not to use too much white, because it can be stressful on the eyes, like looking at snow with no sunglasses. Red and yellow are very stimulating, so they’re best used as accents.

It’s also helpful to consider the color of your bed linens. Because you spend so many passive hours in bed taking in the energy of your surroundings, the color of your bedding can impact your mood and energy. White can be a bit harsh here as well, so you may want to try a softer ivory instead. Deep reds and purples are good choices if you want to call in more passion, and earthy colors like yellow can help you feel more stable and supported.

It’s also important to choose colors that you love. There are so many potential color palettes, and the best one for you will depend on your preferences and life situation. Pay attention to what you’re drawn to and how you feel around certain colors. How do you feel in your bedroom now? Is there a change you could make that would make you feel more at ease?

by Anjie Cho

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

Gratitude for Your Home

Anjie Cho September 2, 2020

The feng shui that I practice is a shamanic tradition, which means we believe that everything around us is alive. Not only are you and I alive, but your home is alive, your desk is alive, your bed is alive, and so on. Even our spaces, and the air we breathe, are alive, and we’re all made up of the same stardust.

I think sometimes we forget this, and we take our homes for granted. It’s important to take a moment and think about how much gratitude you have for your home, especially since many of us have been spending more time at home than usual this year. A lot of us have also lost our homes or changed homes, and it’s been a year of really considering what home means to us. For example, does the city where you’ve been living really feel like home? Have you been living somewhere that does not suit you or support you?

No matter how you’re feeling about your current home, it’s still important to have gratitude and to thank your home. I encourage you to take some time to think about all of the things you’re grateful for, and simply say thank you out loud to your home.

Make this a sacred moment of gratitude, rather than rushing to get it done between tasks or immediately going back to scrolling through Instagram. Take a deep inhale, a long exhale, hold your hands over your heart if that feels good to you, and say to your home: Thank you so much.

You can add whatever you want to add - you can even give your home a name if you’d like - but a simple thank you is enough. Your home doesn’t speak in words, it speaks in energy. When you’re humble in your gratitude, your home will know.

I hope you take some time today to thank your home. If you would like more feng shui tips along with community and accountability, I would love for you to join me for eight weeks of free feng shui challenges!

by Anjie Cho

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