Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for a Small Office with Windows

Hey Anjie! I don’t know if this would be a good question for your blog, but I was just put in a small office with two other people. It has floor to ceiling windows on one side. Is there one item you’d recommend putting in a small office that would help with the feng shui? Here is the floor plan. Thanks so much! 

Mandy T., Livermore, CA

Hi Mandy!

For the readers, Mandy is one of my oldest friends! We used to make lots of trouble together as teenagers into our early twenties. But we turned out ok! So thank you for this question! 

Based on your photos, it looks like you have the floor to ceiling windows on the wall opposite the office door. This sort of design detail where there are floor to ceiling windows is not ideal feng shui-wise, however it’s fairly common in modern buildings. The floor to ceiling windows create less ground, and the qi can rush out, rather than gather in the space. In your case, there are two suggestions I’ll offer.

Feng Shui for a Small Office - Layout.png

First, you can strategically place a feng shui crystal ball as shown with the red star here. I recommend a crystal ball that is 40mm in diameter (or larger), and you use a red string to hang it halfway between the window and the door. The crystal should be centered on the door and hang from a red string (Holistic Spaces feng shui crystal balls come with a red string!). Ideally the ball will hang so that it’s the same height as the top of the door, but make sure the door does not hit the ball. The feng shui faceted crystal ball can take any qi that comes in from the door and disperse it into the room, rather than having it rush out the window.

Finally, I would also recommend that you ask if you can apply a frosted solar film to the bottom half of the windows. This will also help to keep the qi in the office and create more groundedness. If that’s not possible, you can try to arrange the furniture so that it blocks the bottom half of the window. There’s also a practical purpose: the people outside the window won’t be able to see up your skirt if your desk is up to the window! 

Hope this helps! I’d also be curious to hear about the two other people that you work with in there. I could offer suggestions on how to locate people and furniture with feng shui in mind for the most harmonious working relationships!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

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.

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: Feng Shui for a Difficult Roommate

My roommate is unbearable. She speaks to me in the most condescending tone and reprimands me about things like I'm a child. I've spoken to her about this, and she doesn't seem to see a problem - therefore isn't changing her behavior in any way. 

I'm saving up for a new deposit and hoping for an opportunity soon, but I am maxed out time-wise, and it might be a while. This situation is wreaking havoc on my emotions. I cry most days and feel worthless, and she often increases my anxiety and makes focusing difficult. I have tried to keep most things in my room and have stopped using the shared areas unless I have to. Is there a feng shui adjustment I can use to help deal with this until I am able to move to a better situation?

(P.S. I do see a therapist and am on meds.)

Megan D., New York, NY

Dear Megan,

Thank you for your question, and I’m really sorry to hear about this difficult situation. 

You know, when I lived with roommates, I think I was an awful person probably like the one you live with. This was before I became Buddhist and when I was just starting to study feng shui. I was really super unhappy and was very controlling about my space. I think I am probably still a little bit like this with my husband, and it’s something I’m working on. 

And you’re totally right; if your roommate doesn’t think anything is wrong then she’s not really going to change. So, what I’m getting at is that she’s probably got a lot of other things going on, and it does sound like you’re handling it as best you can. Your plans to move out are wise!

My feng shui teachers also taught me other healing modalities and information, including the Huna tradition, which comes from Hawaii. There’s a healing and clearing practice Ho opono opono, which is about forgiveness. It may push your buttons, because you would be asking anyone that has possibly wronged you for their forgiveness. 

From the Huna philosophy, there is a belief that we are all interconnected and that each individual in the community is responsible for each other person. So for instance if there is a crime, the whole community takes the blame and not just the person who committed the crime. Forgiveness has to happen on all sides. So, one way to work with this difficult person is to practice Ho Opono opono. There are different versions, but a simple one is to just recite this mantra, with your roommate in your heart.

Thank you [roommate].

I’m sorry.

Please forgive me.

This is a healing practice for both of you. You can recite this every morning and night 27 times for 27 days.

While doing this practice, another thing you can do is to take baths with orange peels to help to strengthen your qi during this challenging time. The vibrant life energy of the orange peel with refresh and support you.

Finally, there is also a Buddhist practice called Tonglen, which works with taking in the pain and suffering of others and breathing it in while giving out light and love. If that interests you, Lion's Roar has a great description of the practice here.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

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.

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: Front Doors and the Bagua

You did a wonderful, artful creation! I received my copy of “Holistic Spaces: 108 Ways to Create a Mindful and Peaceful Home” yesterday. I don’t think we have met, but I am a member of Bon Shen Ling. 

If you don’t mind, I have a question about your bagua map. Do you consider the front door to be the front door as the house was designed? Or is it the door that you use the most? Because those are two different doors for me. Kinda important for the whole system to work, I think 

David D., Milford, PA

Hi David, 

Thanks so much for your question, and thank you for purchasing the book. It’s nice to meet you! That’s great you’re a member of Bon Shen Ling; Chongtul Rinpoche is very kind man. 

For the readers, Bön Shen Ling, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization in the U.S., is dedicated to supporting the global Bon community through its programs that support refugees and educate western societies about this unique group of people and their way of life. Bon is the indigenous religion of Tibet and is closely tied to BTB feng shui as well as Tibetan Buddhism. Chongtul Rinpoche blessed me at my BTB feng shui ceremony. In addition, 10% of the proceeds from each Holistic Spaces Mandala is donated to support Tibetan refugee children at Bon Shen Ling's Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India.

Ok, now onto your question! In BTB feng shui, when we refer to the front door, we mean the formal front door to the space as was intended when the house was built. There are many people (especially in the US) with the situation that you have, where you have a formal front door but then have a secondary door that you use more frequently. Either way, you would lay the official house bagua on your home using the formal front door. You align the bottom of the bagua map so that the front door is in Gen (Knowledge), Kan (Path in Life/Career) or Qian (Benefactors and Travel).

In your case, if you don’t use the front door very often, I recommend you open it every day, if possible, to activate the energy. If the official front door stays dormant, it may affect how qi comes into your life and home. 

Another interesting thing of note, once I had a client where the official front door was converted into a window, and the side door then became their official front door. In this case, we had to open up the closed door. Doors represent the mouth of qi, and the mouth/voices of the inhabitants. When a door is removed or closed up, this may impact the voice of the people and the voice of the house.

Thanks so much for the wonderful question. Doors are really key in feng shui, as is the bagua, so this is a good question for everyone! Again thank you for purchasing the book and feel free to reach out with any other questions!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

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.

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!