Q&A Sunday: When You Cannot Move Your Bed

How does one deal with a space (such as a small NYC apartment) where moving the bed or having two nightstands is not possible?

Sacha J., New York City, NY

In feng shui, the most ideal layout of the bed would be such that there is space on both sides of the bed with nightstands and lamps on each side of the bed. Your bed location is one of the most important things to consider in feng shui philosophy, because it's where you spend many YIN, or passive, hours sleeping. So where your bed is placed greatly affects you when you are most susceptible to influence.  

So, why does it matter if you have some open space on both sides of your bed? When your bed is pushed up next to the wall, the person sleeping on the closed side of the bed may feel constrained or trapped by life. Also, the side of the body that's facing the wall has less energy (chi) flowing around it, so it may become weaker. If you sleep alone, you also may have the issues with the side of the body facing the wall.  

What can we do about it? Well of course, the ideal situation is to change the location of the bed. If that's not possible, as Sacha suggests, you can try to safely and securely fasten a large mirror on the wall. This would be the wall the bed is pushed up against. The mirror will expand the space next to the bed to help alleviate the feng shui and energetic blocks. Now, I know this is going to bring up another question I often get asked: Isn't it bad feng shui to put a mirror in the bedroom? No, it depends! And in this case it's okay, as long as you make sure it is securely attached to the wall so the occupants feel safe. Take a look at this Q&A Sunday answer for insight around when mirrors in the bedroom are okay.

Thanks for your question, Sacha.

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: Sun Moon Mirror

Sun Moon Mirror.jpg

I am very interested in purchasing your Sun Moon Mirror; however, I was hoping you could provide me with a few more examples of how I may use it. I have been trying to research it a bit on the Internet but have not found any valuable information on the topic. I appreciate any assistance that you can provide regarding the item.

Teneale S., Alberta, Canada

Hi Teneale,

Thanks for your interest in the Sun Moon Mirror.

Sun Moon Mirrors are sacred ritual objects used for many purposes in BTB Feng Shui. Mirrors are quite useful in feng shui adjustments, but these Sun Moon Mirrors can be used as a more powerful version in most feng shui cures that require mirrors. They are double sided and are powerful because the sun side of a Sun Moon Mirror has been exposed to 24 hours of sunlight and the moon side to 24 hours of moonlight. They’re a challenge to make, because your attention to the process is important, and can also take a great deal of time, as cloudy days are not effective for empowering the mirror(s). You don’t want the sun side to accidentally receive energy from moon or vice versa. The Sun Moon Mirrors that we sell at Holistic Spaces have been created by my feng shui teacher, Katherine Metz. 

There is a wide variety of uses for a Sun Moon Mirror, but you won’t find them on the Internet. This list is something you receive when appropriate from a feng shui consultant or a teacher. The teachings are traditionally most effective when transmitted orally and at just the right time and place. When you purchase the mirror through Holistic Spaces, you’ll receive a document that Katherine created listing over 20 ways to use this incredible feng shui ritual object. 

Some examples are:

  • You can carry this tool around at all times for protection. I carry one with me in my purse.
  • For clarity, you can place a Sun Moon Mirror in your pillow and sleep on it.
  • For clarity and focus in your career, fasten it on the ceiling above your head at your desk.
  • If you are making a feng shui adjustment using one of the feng shui mirrors we have, you can use this Sun Moon Mirror as a more powerful option. For example if there is a missing feng shui bagua area in your home, you can use the mirror to bring back the area energetically.

I'm excited to hear that you're interested in the Sun Moon Mirror. It is such a powerful feng shui tool, and I recommend it when possible. I would love to hear how you choose to use yours!

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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Q&A Sunday: Bed Direction and Entry Mirrors

I've just moved into a new condo. Should my bed face the door? And is a mirror bad to have in an entry way?

Patricia G., Buffalo, NY

Hi Patricia

Congratulations on your new home! Hope you're loving it. 

Question one, should your bed face the door? In BTB feng shui, we use the "commanding position" for important furniture placement, such as a bed. Essentially, this question is about what is a good direction to face when you're spending many hours in one spot. The bed ideally faces the door, meaning that when you are laying in bed, or sitting up in bed, you can clearly see the door. However, it's not about placement right in front of, or in line with, the door. Diagonal from the door is the best position for a bed, so when you're in bed, you can see anyone that may be coming into the room with ease, not having to turn around. We have more posts about the commanding position here, here and here.

Onto the second question, is a mirror bad to have in an entry way? It's definitely not bad! It actually depends on they layout of your entry and your home, where exactly you want to place the mirror, etc., etc. But mirrors can expand a space, so if you have a small foyer, a mirror can be very helpful from a feng shui perspective. It can also be very functional. 

As you likely know from reading the blog and listening in on podcasts, feng shui can be a great way to get started in a new space. I'm excited for your new adventure and happy to hear that feng shui is a concern for you. Good luck in your condo, and please reach out with any additional questions!

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!