Q&A Sunday: Mirrors in an Office

I follow you on Twitter and love your posts - very inspiring! I moved my office and have been working hard at setting up the new space in just the right way. I sketched out the Feng Shui mapping to determine where to place things and understand the space better.  My large conference room still has a large blank wall because I need just the right "something" there.

I think I found it!  It is the SE wall, so I think it's perfect for mirrors to build wealth and prosperity. It's the perfect size to fill the wall - 4.5 feet long and 2 feet tall - but they are Mercury mirrors - a bit antiqued looking. How should I consider this?  Should I scrap the purchase because it's not a crystal clear reflection? 

Suzanne A., Minnesota

Dear Suzanne,

Thank you for your email and kind words! I’m so happy to help another female entrepreneur!

Without a full consultation, where I see your floor plan and work with your specifics, the quick general answer is that for a feng shui cure, this is not a great mirror.

For a feng shui adjustment, a clear mirror that’s not mottled or disjointed is best. However, if you want as an art piece, that’s a different story. This is what I’m picking up from you. Not everything has to be a feng shui cure. This mirror can be there because you love it!

Secondly , I am not sure if a mirror is an appropriate feng shui adjustment for wealth, because, again, I would need to review your floor plan and specific concerns. In addition, I practice BTB Feng Shui, where the cardinal directions are less important than the mouth of qi (where the door is located). 

Let us know what you end up doing! And congrats on your new office space! 

UPDATE!

Suzanne wrote us back. She did end up getting the mirror. 

Thank you for your response! I read it and it was just what I needed to hear.  I'll send you a couple pics from my phone.  It's already here and hung up in my space.  It was meant to be but I was needing reassurance from you! 

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!

How to Create a Serene Meditation Space in a Small, Cramped Apartment

featured on Clever

It feels like the cure for every problem these days is meditation. Feeling anxious? Meditate for 20 minutes a day. Need help falling asleep? Again, meditate. Feeling lost and disconnected? You get the point. But whether you're new to meditation or just looking to feel more peaceful in your everyday life, a cramped and chaotic apartment can seem like an enormous roadblock. Sure, it's ideal to retreat to an empty, sun-drenched room to do your morning meditation, or a lush backyard where you can surround yourself in nature every day. But we're happy to report that you can still curate a mindful meditation space even in the most cramped, eclectic, and chaotic of dwellings. Here are some hacks to create a conscious corner for you and your practice.

Tidy Up (Or Face the Chaos!)

Channel your inner Marie Kondo and spruce up your space so you don’t have to deal with distractions while meditating. On the flip side, “it actually acts as a great challenge for you during meditation,” says feng shui consultant Anjie Cho. “Having the obstacle of a chaotic apartment will improve your practice. You’ll start to see your chaos more clearly,” says Anjie. Don’t take this as a total pass to live in the mess, though; I still recommend creating a clean slate at first to subdue any stress, especially for beginners.

…read full article

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.

Q&A Sunday: What to Do When Your Desk Isn't In Command

I happily discovered your blog and am inspired to feng shui my desk! Unfortunately I have an L-Shaped desk attached to the walls, and the right side of my body is directly in line with the door. I do not have the option to change this, what can I do instead? Can I use crystals?

- Joanne C., San Francisco, CA

BTB feng shuiHi Joanne, thanks so much for your question. This is a good question, because it’s very common. If you work in a cubicle, or most office spaces, it’s very likely you will have a desk that is fastened to the walls, often placing the worker directly in line with the door (or door of the cubicle). I have designed many, many office spaces in my time, and even after learning feng shui, sometimes you end up with a situation like this. For instance, in my home office, my only option is also to place my desk so that my (left) side is directly in line with the door.

Luckily, BTB feng shui gives us some tools to adjust these situations. Ideally, if at all possible, it is best to place the desk in command. But for those of us without that option, I have some suggestions!

Convex Mirror

If the side of your body is facing the door, then you are not in command while sitting at your desk. A simple way to adjust this is to use a convex mirror. I have a small one on the top of my computer monitor so that it expands my view around me. It’s even better if you can place it angled so that you can see the door. You can get one at the Holistic Spaces store here.

Feng Shui Crystal Ball

Because you’re in line with the door, that puts you in the path of qi. This should be adjusted, because the qi comes at you very quickly and can be damaging. The feng shui way of adjusting for this is to place a faceted feng shui crystal ball halfway between you and the door. Grab a crystal ball with string at the Holistic Spaces store here. Hang the crystal ball with a red string from the ceiling. The length of the string can be cut in a dimension that is a multiple of 9, such as 9”, 18”, 27” and so forth. You can use any units, including centimeters. The crystal ball energetically breaks up that rushing qi and disperses it.

If you have enough room, you can use something else to break up the line of qi, such as a piece of furniture or plants. We’d love to see a photo of what you end up doing!

I hope you also listen to my Podcast, Episode #3 feng shui for your desk!

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" (formerly “Question of the Month”).  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers.  Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!