How to create a mindful and peaceful home

featured in The Yorkshire Post by Sharon Dale

Architect and feng shui expert Anjie Cho has put together 108 tips on how to create a mindful and peaceful home. Sharon Dale reports.

We are all used to applying the word “holistic” to our bodies but architect and feng shui expert Anjie Cho believes that it is also relevant to property.

Anjie, a feng shui expert and an architect with an interest in eco-friendly design, is perfectly placed to show us how to turn our homes into calm, balanced and harmonious oases. Her book, Holistic Spaces, published by Cico, £9.99, has 108 tips that blend everything from feng shui to Buddhist and Taoist philosophies and environmental psychology. She says: “Holistic spaces are designed by looking beyond the surface to create awareness and an environment that supports and nurtures the inhabitants.” The book is a fascinating read and begins with a feng shui bagua map that you can align with the entrance to each of your rooms. It splits the space into nine areas, each relating to a different energy covering everything from new beginnings and relationships to wealth, health and knowledge. It then suggests what you can do to improve these areas.

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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.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our 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.

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Mindfulness in Art

I wanted to send a picture that I have hanging in my bedroom to get your opinion of the Feng Shui as you suggested in one of your posts. The  online form did not allow me to input it. I hope this is ok! Thanks!

Lucretia B., Austin, TX

Hi Lucretia,

Thanks for your email and for sending in your question. This is a lovely piece of art. May I assume that it’s one that you care for, since you’ve not only hung it in your bedroom, but you’ve also taken the time to ask me about it? Take a moment to touch into how you feel about this artwork. Where did it come from? What do you sense from it? How does it feel in your body when you gaze upon it?

It still surprises me that sometimes I receive questions about feng shui and art where the asker has a neutral position on the piece. Sometimes they can take it or leave it. I think we have the tendency to try to fill up space and just put something up ‘just because’. Often they have no idea why they wanted to put it up in the first place, besides that there was a empty space they wanted filled.

Sound familiar? We do the same with food, television, any sort of entertainment so we don’t feel the empty, bored, sad...etc. It’s not ‘bad’; however it’s interesting to notice this and see that if it comes from mindless conditioning. Is this coming from a helpful place? This is true mindfulness, contemplation and paying attention to the details even for a few moments.

I also encourage my clients to wait for the art that they love. You don’t need to rush and hurry to finish up your home. In fact, it’s kind of fun to have your eye open for something that you love. Alternatively you can find something to put up that’s not perfect but is trendy and fun for now, without a lot of investment. Or...why not just keep the space open?!

There is, of course, also the aspect of the location of this art. In your case, this art is up in your bedroom. If you’re a single woman ready and actively desiring a relationship with a partner, this isn’t exactly the best imagery. But the colors are soothing; the cool hues are okay for a bedroom otherwise. The angles are rather metal-like, so precise and orthogonal. And it can certainly go in another area of your home.

Be sure to check out our other posts about art!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

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.

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!

6 Simple Steps to Creating Your Own Book Nook

Shrugging off the busyness and stress of the day is easier when you’ve got a dedicated sanctuary space. Even if you’re not a bibliophile, creating a reading nook can be one way to escape and unwind without leaving your home. Don’t think you have the square footage for a dedicated spot? Think again. With these 6 tips, you’ll be curled up with a good book in no time. 

Find your nook

Think outside the box. A good reading space may be nestled into a sunny corner of your bedroom, tucked into an alcove of your living room or even hidden away in a closet. Select a space that is large enough to fit, at minimum, something to sit on, and is accessible to a light source. The perfect nook will be in a quiet place away from distraction. If possible, and if you'd like to, aim for a nook placed in the Knowledge area of the feng shui bagua map. If you can't, don't worry. It's not required!

Pull up a seat

What’s your ideal chair? Does it engulf you in fluffy comfort? Do you want something you can curl up in or a seat that lets you dangle your legs over the arm? Is a bean bag a good fit or is a hanging chair more your style? This is your space to unwind. Pick the seating that best fits your style and space. 

Add a small table

No need to go big if you’re tight on space. A small end table would suffice. You need a place to hold your cup of tea (or glass of wine!), your book, and reading glasses. If space allows, go ahead and personalize some more by adding your favorite plant or candles.

Set the borders

Your nook should be a clearly marked sanctuary space. A decorative screen delineates the line between your reading nook and the rest of the room, while giving you the flexibility of opening your nook up to the whole room if you need the space. If that’s not your style, experiment with drapes or a sheer canopy hung from the ceiling. Check out my tips on separating small spaces using a curtain.

Light it well

Of course, a good reading nook requires proper lighting. Tap natural light resources when you can. Streaming sunlight brings warmth and comfort to any space. For evening reading or spaces with limited sunlight, add a small side lamp to your table. 

Make it you

This is, after all, your sanctuary. You don’t have to paint the walls of your dedicated space to make it special (although you can!). Add wall art, paper lanterns, book shelves, and other small touches to personalize your nook and make it inviting.

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.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our 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.