3 Common Feng Shui Misconceptions

Guest User December 22, 2021

There are a lot of feng shui misconceptions out there, and I wanted to address a few of them in this post. While the things I’m sharing here aren’t problems from the BTB feng shui perspective that I practice and teach, I want you to first consider your own feelings. If you are very concerned about something, always go with your intuition. If you’re very fearful about an object in your home, it’s not going to be a source of good energy.

Plants in the bedroom are bad feng shui

One common feng shui misconception is that you shouldn’t have plants in the bedroom. My teachers taught that plants are fine in the bedroom. I have plants in my bedroom, and my business partner Laura at the Mindful Design School does as well.

Some feng shui consultants do recommend avoiding plants in the bedroom, and this doesn’t mean they are wrong. Their teachers probably taught them that plants in the bedroom are not ideal. There are many schools of feng shui, and while their foundations are all similar, each school has different takes on certain things. If you’ve read a lot about feng shui from different sources, you may have read some conflicting information, and that’s okay. Just think about how many chocolate chip cookie recipes there are in the world; there isn’t one that is the best, unless it is the best for your needs and your taste.

The idea that plants shouldn’t be in the bedroom comes from the fact that plants and wood energy are more active, and the bedroom is more of a restful space. If you do have trouble sleeping, and you’ve already tried all the logical things and you’ve done all the bedroom feng shui adjustments, you can try taking the plants out of your bedroom to see if that feels better.

Again, from a Black Sect or BTB perspective, which is what I teach, it’s totally fine to have plants in the bedroom. That said, if you want to try removing the plants from your bedroom to see how it feels, go for it. I would encourage you to test things out and trust your own intuition.

Mirrors in the Bedroom are bad feng shui

Another common misconception is that it’s not good feng shui to have mirrors in the bedroom. Mirrors are something we use a lot in BTB feng shui because they have the ability to magnify and amplify energy. As with plants, if you feel uncomfortable with a mirror in your bedroom, then you should acknowledge and honor your own perspective. However, from the BTB perspective, mirrors in the bedroom are not a problem.

If you have a second-hand mirror that has a lot of predecessor qi, or if you don’t know where the mirror came from and what energy may be connected to it, that’s a whole different story. With anything you bring into your home, it may have picked up energies from its previous owner or on its way to you. If you do have a second-hand mirror in your bedroom, it is a good idea to clear it.

The mirror itself, however, is not a problem according to the BTB school of feng shui. Again, if you don’t feel comfortable having a mirror in your bedroom, honor that. You have to pay attention to your own personal connections to how your bedroom is set up and how it makes you feel.

Feng shui is about fixing things

The last feng shui misconception I want to address is that feng shui is about fixing things. While a lot of feng shui is remedial, I like to look at it from a different perspective. Instead of looking at feng shui as a way to fix problems, I like to ask my clients what wishes they would like fulfilled. This way, we are using feng shui with the intention of creating the life you want and manifesting your dreams.

Since I’ve started practicing feng shui, almost all the aspirations I’ve written down have come true. Feng shui can be a tool that allows you to see what is already present in your life and be in greater harmony with your space and with the people around you. Then, you can be grateful for what you have, and think about what wishes you have for your life.

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 Mistakes to Avoid, Part 2

Guest User September 12, 2021

What are the most common feng shui mistakes that you see?

I answered this question a couple of weeks ago in this blog post, but there are a few additional topics that I wanted to cover. Here are three more common feng shui mistakes to look out for:

First, avoid keeping gifts that you don’t want anymore. If you don’t love it, and it isn’t adding anything to your home, give it away so that someone else can enjoy it. While clutter isn’t always a bad thing, keeping items that you don’t love can create extra work for you in the form of cleaning, and can even create feelings of stuckness.

Second, I notice that a lot of people hold onto clothing that no longer fits, hoping that they’ll fit into it someday. First, seeing these items can be a source of guilt as you are getting dressed. In addition, a full closet means that you have no room for new things, both literally and metaphorically. To invite in new energy and opportunities, create space by donating any items in your closet that don’t fit you anymore.

Lastly, a lot of people store things under the bed that don’t need to be there. Ideally, it’s best to have nothing under your bed, so that qi can flow freely around you as you sleep. If you need to use the space under your bed for storage, stick to soft, relaxing items like extra pillows and bed linens. Be sure to avoid storing sharp objects here, as well as anything emotionally charged, like items from an ex!

As you’re noticing feng shui “mistakes” in your home, remember to approach them with curiosity and compassion, rather than fear. If you do feel like you are in “fear shui” mode, I would encourage you to work one-on-one with a consultant!

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 Mistakes to Avoid

Guest User August 29, 2021

Photo by Visual Stories || Micheile on Unsplash

What are the most common feng shui mistakes that you see?

This is a popular topic that people seem to be very interested in! It’s natural to want to put things in categories as “good” or “bad”, but I would first encourage you to try not look at things as “bad” feng shui. In BTB feng shui, there aren’t absolutes when it comes to things not to do. Instead, it really depends on each individual situation. While some aspects of your home may not be ideal, there can also be wisdom in challenging or less desirable situations.

That said, there are a few things that are generally best avoided if you want to improve your home’s feng shui. One thing that I often see is broken items in the home. Broken items can create challenges, so I most often recommend that you let go of these items. Or if you really love something that’s broken, take the time to repair it.

Another thing that isn’t ideal from a feng shui perspective is dried flowers. While you can certainly include dried flowers in your decor if you love the way they look, they are not a feng shui adjustment. Because they are no longer alive, dried flowers do not offer the same vibrant life energy as a healthy houseplant or a bouquet of freshly cut flowers.

Something else I’d like to mention is having random Asian things around your home. Sometimes, people buy Asian objects and place them in their home because they think it will be good feng shui, but they’ve done no research and have added them in with no purpose or consideration.

If you are really attracted to the item and you love it, that’s ok. It doesn’t necessarily have to have a feng shui meaning. However, it’s best to avoid bringing in something with the intention of improving your feng shui when you don’t actually know the purpose of it. For example, bagua mirrors are often used incorrectly, because people put them up thinking they’ll be good feng shui without knowing how to use them properly and respectfully.

If you want to learn more about common feng shui “mistakes,” be sure to listen to the Holistic Spaces Podcast episode all about this!

by Anjie Cho