Q&A Archive: Home Gyms in Feng Shui

Welcome to our Holistic Spaces Q&A Archive:
Enjoy this post originally published April 21, 2019

I was wondering if there were any feng shui recommendations for having a home gym or exercise equipment in my home. Does it matter which way my treadmill faces, or is the most important thing that I use it regularly?

Liz K., Austin, TX

Hi Liz!

There aren’t any specific teachings that I’ve been transmitted about exercise equipment in regards to feng shui. However, there are a few different ways we can look at this.

First, we can look at how it relates to the bagua. If you’re looking at exercise and gym equipment in terms of your overall health, that might relate to the Health area of the bagua map. This doesn’t mean you need to put your gym equipment in the center of the house. I don’t think your whole life should revolve around gym equipment, and generally whatever is in the center of the house represents something that’s affecting everything else.

If you haven’t been exercising and you want to create a new habit of using the treadmill regularly, then it might be beneficial to work with the New Beginnings area of the bagua. You could place your gym equipment in the New Beginnings area of your home, or the New Beginnings area of a particular room.

In terms of which way the treadmill should face, I feel that the commanding position does apply to the treadmill, because if you’re spending half an hour to an hour on this treadmill, it makes sense to be in a position where you’re in command of the room. To be in command, you would be facing the door without standing in line with it. You can still have a TV in front of the treadmill as long as you are able to see the door; that way you can feel safe while you’re exercising.

Finally, another thing you can do is place a vision board, a list of intentions, or an image that represents your intentions in front of your treadmill. I’ve read stories of celebrities or aspiring actors who have placed Oscars or trophies in front of their treadmill to visualize that they’re running towards their goal. Whether it’s an ideal weight, a career success, or some other life goal, there’s something wonderful about making your exercise not only an activity to strengthen your body, but also a metaphor of moving towards a goal you want to achieve in your life.

I hope that this helps, and let us know how it goes!

xo Anjie Cho

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Common Misconceptions about Feng Shui and Plants

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There is a lot of conflicting information out there about feng shui and plants. I also get a lot of questions about how to work with plants in the home, so I wanted to share my perspective and help clear up some of the confusion around three common misconceptions that I hear a lot:

MISCONCEPTION #1: It's not good to have plants in the bedroom because they release a lot of CO2 at night.

Plants do release CO2 at night, but the amount is trivial, and many plants also continue to produce oxygen at night as well. If you're worried about the air in your bedroom getting stale, try opening some windows.

MISCONCEPTION #2: Plants in the bedroom are disruptive.

Plants have a special type of qi (life force energy) that is about growth and vital energy. They encourage us to move onwards and upwards. Your bedroom represents you, so any feng shui changes you make here can have a big impact. Plants in the bedroom might be just what you need, especially if you're feeling a little stuck or lethargic. If you're worried about having plants in your bedroom, try taking them out for a few days and see how you feel. If you notice that you sleep better without the plants, honor that, but in the school of feng shui that I practice and teach (BTB feng shui) there's nothing wrong with having plants in the bedroom.

MISCONCEPTION #3: Spiky plants are always bad feng shui.

If you're going out to get a new plant for a feng shui adjustment, something with soft, rounded leaves is generally best. However, if you have a spiky or thorny plant that you love, don't throw it out! Plants are living beings, so we'd recommend treating them with love. Also, not everything in your home needs to be a feng shui adjustment.

I hope these guidelines are helpful as you consider plants for your space! Keep in mind that there are no absolute rules in BTB feng shui. My teachers taught me that the best feng shui solution for you depends on your unique circumstances…and if you're feeling confused, it's always a good idea to work one-on-one with a practitioner.

by Anjie Cho

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

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Feng Shui Space Blessings

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In feng shui, we see spaces as alive. Like other living beings, our spaces have energy. They absorb the qi of the people who live and spend time in them, and they can also hold onto energy from people who used to live there. This is called predecessor qi, and it’s not always the most helpful. It can sometimes make us feel stuck and contribute to challenges. 

If you are feeling like there is stuck qi in your home, I would recommend a space clearing, which I like to call a space blessing, to shift the qi. You can think of space blessing or space clearing almost like a shower for your home. How refreshed do you feel after you’ve taken a shower? Space clearing provides the same kind of refreshment to your home. 

There are many different ways to do a space blessing. Here are a few of my favorite methods: 

Clear your space with sound

Using devices like crystal singing bowls, metal singing bowls, bells, or even your own voice is a wonderful way to transform stuck energy. Try starting in the middle of each room in your home, and allow the sound to resonate outwards. You can also start at your front door, ringing a bell or singing an uplifting song, and move clockwise throughout your home. Hug the wall on your left, and visualize your home being purified, uplifted, and filled with rainbow light. 

Clear your space with botanicals

You can also shift the qi in your home by burning botanicals. This is a way of connecting to the heavens, and the smoke helps to transform the energy of your space as it rises. You can consider which botanicals resonate with you and which ones grow near you, and then purchase or make a bundle that you can burn. You can then gently light the botanical above a fireproof bowl, and walk clockwise around your home as the plant material is burning. As you do this, visualize your home being filled with rainbow light. You may also want to chant or sing while you are walking around your home. 

Clear your space with oranges

Oranges are also often used in feng shui as a space blessing tool. Oranges are very auspicious, and they have a lot of yang energy. You can keep a bowl of fresh oranges in your kitchen and allow the scent to uplift the energy in your home as you’re peeling and enjoying them, or you can cleanse your home with a mist made with fresh orange peels or orange essential oil. 

I hope this inspires you to refresh the energy in your home! 

by Anjie Cho

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

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