Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Abundance

Photo by niko photos on Unsplash

Photo by niko photos on Unsplash

Can feng shui help me with abundance?

The short answer to your question is yes, feng shui can be a tool to help you feel more abundant, financially and otherwise. However, when someone asks about feng shui and abundance, they are often looking for a quick fix. I don’t approach feng shui in this way. For me, feng shui is mindfulness for your home, and being aware of how our spaces reflect our inner world. 

People tend to be very interested in the abundance area. Often, this area may not really be the problem, and there is actually another area of life that needs support. Perhaps you need to work on clarity in your career, or inviting helpful people into your life. Or maybe you need to cultivate your skills and wisdom in order to build more wealth. 

If you truly need to work on wealth and abundance, you can look to the wealth area of your home. It’s called Xun in Chinese, and is related to abundance and prosperity, as well as self-worth. It’s also related to feeling abundant in other areas of your life, not just financially. To find the wealth area of your home, stand at the front entrance looking in, and find the far left corner of your house. 

Usually, you feel as abundant as your subconscious mind is comfortable with, so that’s something to think about. If you want to bring in more financial abundance, that may also have something to do with how much you value yourself, and how you are able to receive from others. 

Take a look at what’s happening in the wealth area of your home. Maybe you put something there three years ago, but what’s happening with it now? Have you updated it? Have you totally forgotten about it? Is it collecting dust? Think about what you’ve noticed, and what that can tell you about how you approach your self-worth and your abundance. Take some time to really contemplate this. 

The wealth area is also related to the yin aspect of the wood element. Yin wood is like a big tree, which grows slowly and has deep roots. Similarly, enhancing your abundance is a slow, steady process that requires going deep. It isn’t just about adding an object to your home to make it better —that’s a shortsighted way of solving a bigger issue. 

I invite you to go a little deeper. See what’s going on in your abundance area, and see how that reflects on ways that you can invite more prosperity and feelings of self-worth into your life. 

by Anjie Cho


Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday". If you have personal questions, we encourage you to check out Practical Feng Shui or hire one of Anjie's Grads.


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

Q&A Sunday: How to Feel More Inspired at Work

Photo by Slava Keyzman on Unsplash

Photo by Slava Keyzman on Unsplash

I am feeling uninspired in my career. Are there any feng shui cures that can help me?

Thank you so much for your question! I’m sorry you are feeling uninspired in your career. That’s not a good feeling, and you are most certainly not alone. I think most of us have been in work environments where our gifts are not nurtured, and when this happens we end up losing inspiration and passion for the work we are doing.

In feng shui, inspiration is related to the fire element. I would suggest you take a look at the li area of the bagua map, since that’s the area associated with fire energy. To find the li area of your bedroom, check out my blog post on the bagua

Before you make any feng shui adjustments, I would first observe what’s happening in this area of your home or bedroom. Do you regularly give attention to this part of your home? Does it need to be cleaned? Is it easy for you to move around in this area, or is your path blocked? This information can give you a clue as to what might be happening in this area of your life. 

Sometimes, when you are not feeling passionate about your work, it is because you are not being recognized for your unique gifts. When we feel like we are being overlooked, it’s easy to lose inspiration. If this is the case, I would again look to the li area, since li and the fire element are also connected to recognition, fame, passion, and reputation. Think of a fire, big or small, and what kind of energy it has. The flame of a candle is illuminating, and can bring luminosity, clarity, and attention. In the same way, fire energy can bring these qualities into your life. 

One of my favorite ways to activate the li area is with new green plants. Plants represent life energy and growth. When placed in the li area, they can infuse the energy of growth and new life into how you are inspired and how you’re seen by others. Plants also represent wood energy, which feeds fire. Think about it: fires need fuel to burn. Since your lack of inspiration is specific to work, I would also recommend placing a new green plant in the li area of your desk, since your desk represents your career. A flowering plant can be especially helpful in this area.

I hope this helps you find more inspiration in your career! As always, if you want advice that is more tailored to your unique situation, I recommend working with a practitioner or studying feng shui more deeply

Even if you decide to move on from your current work situation, a bonus of activating the li area is that it can help you gain public support if you are starting a new endeavor. So, if you decide to pursue a new career or even start a business, you will have a boost there as well!

by Anjie Cho


Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday". If you have personal questions, we encourage you to check out Practical Feng Shui or hire one of Anjie's Grads.


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

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!