Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Pets

How do pets, especially their living quarters (crates/pens, etc), factor into the feng shui equation?

Carlissa K., New York City, NY

This is a great question!  I know a lot of people who are curious about how to feng shui their home for their pets. Since I am allergic to most dogs and cats, I’m not sure I’m the best person to respond to this. But a fellow New York City feng shui consultant that I know, Sabine Millauriaux was kind enough to share her knowledge with us. Sabine specializes in feng shui for pets.

Sabine suggests:

Pets should definitely be taken into consideration in the feng shui equation. Concerning their living quarters, you should follow some basics:

  • Crates and beds should not be in a commanding position or in the mouth of qi, which means not facing the door, but in a quiet place where they can relax, except in the case of a guarding dog (this also applies for outdoor pens).

  • Litter box and pads should not be placed in the left area of any entrance door since this area is one of the purest of the feng shui bagua map (Self Knowledge/GEN) and corresponds to the knowledge, self development part of the room. If possible, they should be placed out of view and never in your way (such as pads in front of the door or in the middle of the room).

  • Play areas with items such as scratchers, playing posts, or wheels may be placed in a feng shui bagua map area that you want to activate since they bring life and yang energy. Having an animal in your house usually brings energy to it (good qi), and your pet can be a very good “tool” to pinpoint what areas in your place and in your life should be taking care of.

Remember you are sharing the same energy field as your pet and, being an animal, it can pick up bad energies (such as residual energy from predecessors) or resonate with any unresolved emotions in the members of the household. So watch your pet, consider its crazy or loving behavior and think about what it tells you about you or your family. It will guide you in how to feng shui your place and have a more harmonious life.

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 or Green Design questions!

Note:  To locate the areas of your home in which you want to activate, please refer to the Feng Shui Bagua Map here.  New blog post to come soon discussing the Feng Shui Bagua Map!

Q&A Sunday: Five Common Feng Shui Mistakes

What are five common mistakes people make with feng shui?

Jacqueline R., Cleveland, OH

1.  There are mistakes in feng shui! 

I would not necessarily call these mistakes, but rather misinterpretations of feng shui. And sometimes the misinterpretations lead you to what you really needed! My point is: everything you do is right and correct if you do it with the best intentions. But this is a great question, because I always like to share with my clients the meaning and reason for the feng shui concept. If possible, we should strive to do things in the proper way. But mistakes happen and sometimes for a good reason!

2.  Feng shui is simply about moving furniture around

Feng shui is not just about moving furniture around! It’s about creating harmony in our lives by unifying our inner and outer environments. The inner and outer are not separate, because everything that we do to our spaces – positive and negative – affects our daily experience. In BTB feng shui we incorporate many personal chi adjustments (meditations and rituals to change your personal energy), adjusting objects to your space (such as adding plants, mirrors, or crystals), in addition to re-arranging your furniture.

3.  Using items made out of wood for the wood element

The wood element is about new beginnings, family and kindness in feng shui. Sometimes people misinterpret wood as the dead material of wood, like a wood desk. But in fact, objects made of wood do not embody the wood element. To add wood element you can add green plants or objects that are green/teal or tall and expansive. Brown wood objects are actually earth element!

4.  Fountains flowing wealth away from the home

Fountains can be used as feng shui adjustments to bring more wealth into the home. The best way to do this is to position the fountain so that the water flows into the home, rather than right out the door. So just turn that fountain around.

5.  What direction your door faces is very important

In BTB feng shui, it is not critical if your door faces north, south, east or west. We look at the relationship of the space to the formal entry to the room, home or property. We call this the “mouth of chi,” where the energy comes into the space. There are other schools of feng shui that use the compass directions. The other schools are as valid and equal to BTB feng shui. But the feng shui I practice does not follow this particular discipline. We care more about where the energy enters the environment, and how to look at the flow of chi. 

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 or Green Design questions!

9 Amazeballs Ways to Fit In All Your Teen Needs in the Bedroom

featured this month on Houzz by Eva Byrne 

A teen bedroom is a place of refuge, a private retreat from family life. You’ll need to provide somewhere to sleep, somewhere to study and somewhere to store clothes. With clever planning, you can accommodate these needs in even the tiniest of spaces. Think in terms of a ship’s cabin to squeeze the most out of every available centimetre.

8. Max the make-up

A teen girl will always appreciate even the tiniest of dressing tables. Your bathroom will thank you, too, with one less demand on its use.

Slip a narrow table within the run of wardrobes, perhaps near the window to maximise that all-important light. Add strong artificial light for night-time use, and, of course, a large mirror. A drawer beneath the dressing table would be handy for lotions and potions.

...read full article

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