Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Beginners

Guest User June 20, 2021

I’m new to feng shui. Where should I start?

One of the most important areas to look at for your feng shui, especially for beginners, is your front door. We call the front door or the formal front entry the “mouth of qi,” and this is where energy comes into your space. It’s like a portal or gateway to receive any kind of qi or life force energy. Ideally, you want it to be able to come in through your front door and properly circulate through your home. This allows you to be more in balance, and to invite in positive energy from the outside world and the natural world.

When it comes to your front door, there are a few really simple things you can do. First, make sure your entry is clean and inviting. You should also be able to open the door fully, so remove anything behind the door that is getting in the way, like trash cans or hanging coats. It’s also a good idea to make sure your entry is bright and well-lit, so if you need to, add a light fixture or a new lightbulb.

I would also suggest you take some time to put some care and attention into this area of your home. You can do this by sweeping and removing any debris. It’s also helpful to clean the door itself.

One other thing I see often is that when people are decluttering, they tend to accumulate the things they want to get rid of near the front door. That’s ok as long as it’s temporary, but make sure to move the things out of your home soon. If you have a blocked front door, that means that the energy also has a difficult time coming into your space and your life. You may not be allowing opportunities to come to you.

I hope you are able to spend some time this week cleaning up your front door, and inviting in positive qi!

by Anjie Cho

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

How to Work with a Bathroom in the Wealth Corner

Guest User June 16, 2021

If you stand in the doorway of your home looking in, the far left corner will typically be related to Xun position, also called the wealth area or the abundance area of the feng shui bagua map. People often get very worried if there’s a bathroom in this area, because it can mean a drain on your resources, or a drain on your wealth and prosperity.

I also want you to keep in mind that this area is not just about money. It’s also about abundance in all areas of your life, as well as how you value yourself, so it is important to notice if there’s a bathroom in that area of your home.

If you do have a bathroom in the wealth area, the first thing you want to do is make sure your bagua is laid correctly. If you’re not sure, I encourage you to join one of Mindful Design’s Practical Feng Shui workshops. We have one almost every month, and when you join you get a quick feng shui reading, and we lay the bagua map on your home so you can see if you’ve done it correctly. Especially if you have an unusually shaped home, we recommend working with a trained practitioner who can lay the bagua accurately. In Practical Feng Shui, you can also ask a feng shui question and you’ll see eight other floor plans, so you learn a lot about how to lay the bagua map.

If your bathroom is indeed in the wealth position of your home, there are a couple of simple fixes you can do. The easiest is to put a mirror on the outside of the door, which energetically erases the bathroom from that area of your home. You can also put a plant in the bathroom to uplift the energy of the space. Ideally, a real plant is best. If you don’t have any natural light in your bathroom, you can also include artwork of green plants.

by Anjie Cho

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 Small Spaces

Anjie Cho June 13, 2021

Can I still use feng shui if I live in a very small apartment?

This is a question that comes up often! A lot of people think it would be more challenging to apply feng shui principles to a small space, but it doesn’t actually make a difference. I’m currently living in a renovation, so I’m essentially living in a really tiny space right now. I thought it would be good timing to answer this question and share some feng shui-inspired suggestions for small spaces.

First, define the entry in some way. Often, small living spaces mean that there is less distinction between the different areas of your home. The entry to your home represents how energy comes into your space, and it’s one of the most important areas to look at from a feng shui perspective. Try to find a way to define and differentiate it, whether that be through a welcome mat, a colorful accent wall, lighting, or furniture. You can also think of your own creative ways to do this!

Next, bring in as much light as possible. Most of my clients want more light in their spaces. All living things grow towards the sun, so having natural light is quite important. You can do this simply by bringing in more reflective materials, and placing a mirror strategically to reflect in a view. The color white is also very reflective. I love white ceilings and walls! It’s also helpful to make sure your windows are very clean, so they can bring in as much light as possible.

Lastly, if you can separate your work place from your sleeping place that is ideal. When those begin to intermingle, it’s hard to keep a well-balanced differentiation between life and work. After the past year, I think we’re all experiencing the line between work and home becoming blurred, and creating a defined space in your home can really help. You may not have a spare room to use as an office, but maybe you can carve out a dedicated corner where you will focus on work. If your bed and workspace are close together, do your best to create some visual separation between the two areas.

by Anjie Cho