Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Morning Rituals

Anjie Cho June 28, 2020

I would like my home to feel more like a sacred space, especially now that I’m spending more time there. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for your question! One thing that really helps me incorporate more sacredness into my day is ritual. Ritual has been really important to me, even when I was little. I’ve always felt very connected to the ritual aspect of feng shui, and it really helps me feel connected to my home.

How do we bring more ritual into our lives using feng shui? There are a lot of ways to approach this, but a great way to start is to look at what happens when you first get up in the morning, and to create a morning ritual that really supports you.

I’ve been reading The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron, and I really love what she says about ritual. She writes, “Ritual is about joining vision and practicality, heaven and earth, samsara and nirvana.” How can you join vision and practicality in your home? How can you join heaven and earth? In feng shui, heaven is the ceiling and earth is the floor. Earth is always there to ground you, and heaven represents guiding principles, spaciousness, and openness.

For instance, I wake up to an alarm clock that emulates sunrise and sounds like birds chirping, and then I do my beauty rituals. Your ritual could be preparing a cup of tea or coffee, or making your bed. Whatever your chosen ritual, having that daily structure in your home gives you a sense of sacredness in your daily life. Feng shui is mindfulness for your home. It’s about paying attention to all the details in your environment, and noticing how your space affects you and how you affect your space. When we’re aware of this, we start to see that we’re not separate from our environment.

Morning rituals can look different for each person. If you’re not sure what to incorporate into your ritual, I would suggest looking at which of the five elements is most supportive for you. You can take my quiz here to find that out. For me, water is really nourishing, so part of my morning ritual is going to the East River and sitting in meditation by the water. Other ways to connect to the water element in the morning are to take a shower, drink a big glass of water, or listen to water sounds when you first get out of bed.

If wood is really nourishing for you, you could make sure one of the first things you see when you wake up is connected to the wood element, like a houseplant or something green or blue. If you’re fed by fire, you could sit in a room with a lot of sunlight first thing in the morning, or turn on the stove to make a cup of tea. To connect to earth in the morning, make sure the first thing you see when you wake up is brown, or sleep in earthy colored sheets. If metal is most supportive for you, try sleeping in a white room or in white sheets, so that’s what you see in the morning.

Thanks again for your question, I hope that helps!

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: Being Overlooked at Work

Anjie Cho January 5, 2020

I find I get overlooked at work. Can you suggest a feng shui cure for this?

Giuliana G., Lille, France

Hi Giuliana

Thank you for your wonderful questions and support. I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling this way!

Nobody likes to feel overlooked, especially in the workplace. But you're in luck! There are many, many ways to approach this concern from the feng shui perspective. The fame and Recognition area is the feng shui bagua map area for you! I think this area came up for you before in a previous Q&A.

But before we work on the fame and Recognition area, it's helpful for you to look more closely at why you are feeling overlooked. We can give clarity to a problem by looking at it more carefully in light of the other feng shui bagua areas. Who is doing the overlooking? Why is it happening? Are there ways to work with it? Can you gain more skills and knowledge? Is there a relationship that can be improved? Etc., etc.

I challenge you to really look closely at that. If this were a consultation, I would of course like to know much more about the situation.

Now getting back to the Recognition and fame area, this would be the best area to address feng shui-wise to receive more credit and acknowledgment. My intuition tells me it would be best for you to place a new green plant in the Recognition area of your desk at work, the same area of your desk at home and in the same area of your entire home. Use matching black pots with a red ribbon tied around the pot or plant. The plant adds Wood to feed the fire of Recognition. The color combination creates a powerful feng shui cure as Water (black pot) manifests the Wood (green plant) and culminates with Fire (red ribbon).

You can check out some of our posts on green plants and the Wood element for insight on what kind of plants to choose based on feng shui, indoor air quality and much more. Please keep us updated and feel free to share photos of your new green friends!

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". We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Adding Plants to Your Bedroom

Anjie Cho October 13, 2019

I was wondering which plants I can use in a bedroom space that faces east but windows are on the north wall.

Cami H., Atlanta, GA

Hi Cami

Thanks for your email and question. I practice BTB feng shui, which is one of the many schools of feng shui. One of the major differentiating factors with the BTB school is that we focus on the direction of energy rather than the cardinal directions (like north, south, east, west). With that in mind, in a mundane sense, I would recommend placing the plants as close to the window as possible to ensure that they get enough light.

As far as best plants to use in the bedroom, it depends! If it’s for feng shui applications, such as to add more wood energy (as suggested in an early episode of our podcast), then it’s best to stick to plants that have round soft leaves rather than sharp pointy ones. These three plants are some of the best options to add for feng shui adjustments!

Practically, did you know there are many houseplants that are great for the bedroom because they release oxygen at night time? Snake plants, also known as Mother-in-Law's Tongue, are one of the best options for bedroom plants for this exact reason. You can also use Moth or Dendrobium Orchids, especially if you are looking for a stable relationship, Bromeliads, Aloe Vera or certain types of Cactus plants. Just keep in mind with the last two, if you're making a feng shui adjustment, avoid pointy leaves!

On another note, since your window is facing north, it won't likely get a lot of direct sunlight. To counteract this, aim for a plant that thrives in full or partial shade. Hosta, English Ivy and Hydrangeas are a few good choices!

I'm happy to hear that you're considering adding plants to your bedroom space. Living plants are such beautiful and meaningful additions to any space. We'd love to see photos of the plants and arrangements you decide. Send them along!

by Anjie Cho