Q&A Sunday: The Feng Shui Energy Map

Anjie Cho July 12, 2020

I’ve heard a lot about the bagua in feng shui, but I’m a little bit confused about what it is and how to use it!

Thanks for your question! Feng shui practitioners do talk a lot about the bagua, and it’s a really important and foundational concept. Here are a few things to know:

Quick overview

The bagua is one of the tools we use in feng shui. It’s a conceptual energy map that you can overlay on your home, a room, even your desk or bed. If you’re not working with a consultant, the easiest way to start is with your bedroom. Or, if you want to focus on your career, you can lay it on your desk. Bagua is a Chinese word meaning eight areas (gua means area and ba means eight), and it’s made up of eight areas around a center.

How to lay the bagua

To lay the bagua map, align the bottom of the map with the entry wall of your space. Say you are laying the bagua on your bedroom. The entry to your bedroom will always be along the bottom row, so it will be in knowledge, path in life, or benefactors. Another easy way is to stand in the door of your bedroom looking in, and divide it into a three-by-three grid that way. If you’re looking into your bedroom from the entrance, the far left corner is the abundance (purple) area and the far right corner is the relationships (pink) area.

The image above is a really simplified version of the bagua because as we know, life doesn’t fit into perfect squares. It’s a conceptual layout that can stretch or contract to adapt to the size and shape of any space.

Areas of the bagua

Let’s start with the green gua (area) called zhen, which is related to new beginnings and family. I always teach my students the Chinese names because the English translations don’t fully express the many layers of each gua. Each gua is also related to a color, number, body part, and so much more.

Going around clockwise, the next area is the purple abundance area. This area is called xun and is related to wealth and self-worth. Next is li, which is connected to fame, recognition, and the color red. In the far right corner is kun, the pink area, which represents relationships, kun, partnerships, the mother element, and self care. As you can imagine, these three areas in the back of the bagua (abundance, fame, and relationships) are generally very popular! It makes sense intuitively that the guas at the back of your home are related to the deeper aspects of your life, while the guas at the front of your home have more to do with your connection to the world.

After kun we have dui, the white area. This area is sometimes misnamed creativity, but it’s really about completion. The inspiration of creativity is more related to the new beginnings area. Dui is about output and projects, which can be creative projects, as well as children, offspring, and joy. Next to dui is qian, or benefactors. This area is also related to the color grey, helpful people, the father element, and travel.

The black area is kan, related to path in life and career. You career doesn’t have to be your path in life, though they are often related. This area is about your reason for being in the world, and it’s also related to your ancestors. The dark blue area is gen, which has to do with self-cultivation, self-knowledge, and skillfulness.

Finally, the center of the bagua is called the tai chi, and it’s related to overall wellness because it touches all other guas, and all other areas of your life. The center of anything, including a home, body, or even face (yes, you can lay the bagua on your face!) has a lot to do the overall health of the space or person.

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 questions!

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

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for a Quiet Lifestyle

Anjie Cho March 29, 2020

I'm moving unexpectedly due to a poor experience in my previous apartment. The manager feels it would be a better fit for my quiet lifestyle. Question: I desire peace, tranquility and an ambiance of water. I love citrus smells too. What feng shui suggestions do you have for a small apartment, family of 4 (3 kids & myself)?

Trina S., Las Vegas, NV

Hi Trina,

Thanks so much for your question. I’m so sorry that you had such a poor experience in your home that you need to move. I hope your new place does fit your quiet lifestyle better.

I find that so many of us seek peace and tranquility. I can’t tell you how many clients come to me, and they just want a relaxing home. You’ve also indicated you are attracted to water, which is related to dark colors (think black and very dark blue) as well as the Path in Life area on the feng shui bagua. It's also associated with fluidity, wisdom and intelligence. It's good news that you love citrus smells! In feng shui philosophy, oranges can welcome positive, life-affirming energy. Physiologically, oranges also help relieve depression and improve mood. Check out our orange peel ritual for space clearing that's perfect for the new lunar year!

I don’t have your floor plan, but you wrote that you’re searching for quiet. I can offer some general tips based on my intuition and what you have shared. If you love the ambiance of water, perhaps include a water element in your living room. The sound is soothing and brings water energy. Water elements, like fountains, can welcome wealth if you direct the water current towards inside or the center of your home (rather than out the door). As mentioned above, oranges are also are a great way to bring in life energy. We have some space clearing techniques on the blog or our orange Happy spray that is especially good for new homes. It’s also good to periodically clear the space no matter how long you’ve lived in your home.

Most importantly, because you have three kids, please review the commanding position and bed locations. If possible, try to locate each child's bed in the commanding position. This position is diagonal, or kitty corner, from the door with a clear view of what is entering. The commanding position is especially important for children. If you have bunk beds for the kids, and this is all you have space for, be sure to stay tuned for a future post. We'll talk more about that. But they're not ideal for kid's feng shui. You can read more about designing a kids' room with feng shui here.

I hope these help! Send us your floor plan sometime, and we may be able to offer some more specific tips.

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 questions!

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Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui in a Small Home

Anjie Cho July 21, 2019

I am living in a very small house with a combination of toilet and shower (too small) on the ground floor. We have the intention to create a proper bathroom (no toilet) on the first floor, but the only room where that's possible is in the wealth & prosperity area of the bagua. As far as I know, this is not the best place because of the downward flow of energy. At the same time, we want to make an extension to create workspace, but this is only possible in front of the front door line. I have a lot of doubts and even consider whether it is better to move.

Corina van T., Holland

Hello to Holland!

Thank you for your email, and thanks for reading my newsletter!

For clarification, in your small house, you currently have a small bathroom with toilet and shower only on the ground floor. You would like to create a bathroom on the upper floor with a bathtub and sink, but no toilet. However you are concerned because this area is in the wealth/abundance area of your home.

I have a couple of thoughts and comments. First, laying the bagua on upper floors is sometimes challenging. You would determine the layout based on what direction you are facing and where you are located as you make your final step onto the floor in question. So, I would ask you to double check the bagua layout. It’s a little challenging and usually something that an advanced feng shui practioner should advise you on. But if the bathroom must be in the abundance area, or you’re not able to layout the bagua confidently, it is what it is! I suggest balancing the energy with plants. The thought with bathrooms is that there is a lot of water flowing out, which symbolizes loss of cash flow and wealth. By adding plants, you can use this downward qi flow and feed the plants so there’s an upward positive growth.

Your second question is in regards to a work space or office in front of the front door (or “kan line”), which places it outside of the bagua. My teachers have taught that an extension of workspace in front of the kan line (front door line) is fine. In fact, it might be beneficial in two ways. First, you are extending the “gua,” whether the gua is Knowledge, Path in Life/Career, or Benefactors/Helpful people. The extension improves and expands your work in light of the gua it’s in. Second, the office outside the front door can mean you’re out in the world more, and can receive support in this way for your career.

Finally, whether to move or not, well that's up to you. I don’t know exactly how challenging it is there, functionally and feng shui wise, but in BTB feng shui we try to make suggestions so you don't have to move, which can be difficult and disruptive. However, if moving seems like the best positive thing for you, it should be considered. My intuition tells me that the issues that you asked about are able to be worked 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.