Q&A Sunday: Can a Mirror Face a Window?

I wanted to verify something with you if you're willing. Is it bad placement to have a mirror face a window? Thank you!

Lisa R., NYC

 

Hi Lisa

Thanks for writing in, and what a great question! Mirrors are used a lot in feng shui, and there’s often much confusion as to how to use them. In this case, no it is not “bad” or unfavorable to have a mirror face a window. In fact, it can be an auspicious placement.

In general, mirrors can symbolize and bring in water energy in areas of your spaces that lack water. An example would be if you have a fireplace (fire energy) in the Abundance (earth) area. Adding a mirror is one of the numerous ways to add water energy to tone down the fire. 

Another use for mirrors is that they can expand, extend space. For instance, if you have a toilet or bathroom in an inauspicious location such as the Fame gua (fire), then you can place a mirror on the outside of the door so that the bathroom energetically “disappears”. The reflection in the mirror expands or extends what’s reflected into the Fame area where the toilet sits.

Another example that answers your question specifically is an adjustment I personally have in my office. I have a convex mirror above the Abundance area of my desk. It reflects the image of my window, where there is a view of the East River. I have the mirror specifically reflecting the window and image of water, to bring that water (Wealth & Abundance) energy across the Knowledge, New Beginnings and Abundance areas of my desk. This brings in so much auspicious qi for my business. I also have something similar in the kitchen, where a convex mirror reflects the window and view of water over my stove. The stove represents wealth so this increases that energy of prosperity, as well as adjusting my stove location!

So, no it's not "bad" for a mirror to face a window! 

As in many cases with feng shui, the adjustment really just depends on the person and situation. If the circumstances mentioned above are similar to yours, the choice to face a mirror towards a window may well be auspicious, but if you aren't sure or have doubts, feel free to follow up or book a 15-minute consultation call!

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!

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui and Interior Design

I've been receiving your newsletters and am an interior design student currently and wanting to learn more about feng shui. I'm half Asian and have basic understanding having grown up with the Korean tradition, but I would like to know more about about feng shui that I wish to apply to my career as a sustainable interior designer. Although there is a plethora of books and references out there, I wondered if you might be able to give me your advice on how or where I can go to learn more? I really appreciate any advice you could offer!

Emma B., Sydney, Australia

 

Hi Emma,

Thanks so much for reading my newsletters and for your question. We actually just answered one similar to this a few weeks ago. Here’s a link to it. But i’ll add some more information based on your specific request.

Since you’re half Korean, you may want to reach out to your family members to see if there are any connections to your ancestry there. Korea has their own form of feng shui called Pungsu-jiri. Most cultures have some form of “geomancy” — a way of looking at the environment and our relationship to it. By definition, geomancy is a way of divination through signs from nature, which is essentially how the art of feng shui works. You might have interest in learning more about Korean feng shui.

There are definitely many books out there, and as I’ve mentioned before, because there are so many schools of feng shui, it can be confusing, and the information may be conflicting. If you really want to incorporate this into your career, I suggest you look for a teacher locally. But if you want to just tip your toe in, my top books to recommend are:

Modern Book of Feng Shui - Steven Post

108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces - Anjie Cho

ALL BTB feng shui books

I, of course, more deeply recommend the BTB Masters program, which currently offers a few online courses and is expanding further, and fengshuistoryboard.com, which is currently online. Each of these programs is taught by BTB feng shui masters, including some of my mentors and fellow feng shui students. 

If you are genuinely interested in incorporating the philosophy of feng shui into your sustainable design, I highly recommend finding a mentor or teacher and practicing hands-on learning and certification, as this will help you bring meaningful adjustments to your design work. Good luck in your studies! 

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!

How To Feng Shui Your Beauty Routine To Bring Love Into Your Life

featured this week on MindBodyGreen

Your face offers valuable information in feng shui. You can glean information about health, personality, and influence others with just your face. Here are some feng shui tips to welcome love with a few tweaks to your beauty routine.

Hydrate with rosewater.

Rosewater is soothing and hydrating for the skin and excellent to spritz on your face, neck, and body before, during, and after any beauty regime. Roses represent love and sweetness—the fragrance of flowers (especially roses) can lift your energy and is said to attract love. On a physical level, rose has a profound tonic action on the heart, activating sluggish blood circulation, relieving cardiac congestion, and toning the capillaries. That's literally why we get a flutter from it.

Apply makeup symmetrically, in pairs.

Humans are attracted to bilaterally symmetrical faces—this symmetry in our faces connotes health and vibrancy and resonates with beauty. When applying makeup be sure to keep both sides as even and symmetrical as possible, and apply everything in pairs. The number two (a pair!) also represents love and partnership in feng shui.

...read full article

by Anjie Cho

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