New Year, New Home: Q&A with Anjie Cho

featured on Ryland Peters & Small

We know January can feel like a bit of a slog, but it's also a great time to stand back and take stock of where you are and what you want to achieve this year. If you feel like your home is in need of a re-design, big or small, now's the time to make sure your environment is supporting and nurturing you as much as possible. We spoke to Anjie Cho, architect, feng shui consultant and author of Holistic Spaces, about how to maximize the potential of your space and get 2019 off to the best possible start!

Hi Anjie! So what are holistic spaces?

Space is physical, emotional, energetic, and so holistic spaces is a way to look at all the space around you in an integrated way. When you can begin to see that your inner and outer spaces are connected, it gives you insight and joy. It's a mindful way to work with the environment around us, so that we can see the magic in our everyday life. Every moment and every space has a gift to offer. 

When did you first become interested in feng shui?

In my late twenties I was pretty miserable and looking for happiness outside of myself. On a trip to the Buddhist country of Thailand, I had an epiphany during a Reiki session where I realized that when I returned to New York City I would begin a journey to find contentment within myself. So, I started studying meditation, yoga, and naturally next came feng shui. I was an architect so I wanted to bring this mindfulness into my work as well.

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Dive deeper into feng shui to transform your life!

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Create sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com

Nine Star Ki for the Earth Pig Year 2019

Happy Chinese New Year!

Next Tuesday, we celebrate the Chinese New Year! I am excited to greet the Year of the Pig with my new class, 2019: Golden Cicada and Welcoming the Wealth Gods. Join me on Monday to learn these powerful rituals for the new lunar year! You can learn more and enroll here.

A new lunar year also means new Nine Star Ki forecasts! In addition to Chinese zodiac astrology, I like to use the numerology of the Nine Star Ki to prepare for the coming year and stay energetically balanced. This practice was developed in ancient China, so it logically goes well with feng shui, and is based on a number system of nine rather than the animal system (but be sure to check out your 2019 zodiac horoscope here!). It also closely aligns with the five element principles and the I-Ching. 

Don’t forget to also grab one of our custom aromatherapy blends for each Nine Star Ki number in the Year of the Pig. Each aromastick is created to provide support and enhance the energy for your individual number in the coming lunar year, and they can be used in conjunction with feng shui!

If you’ve never used Nine Star Ki before, have no fear! Use the guidelines below to find your number, and let’s get started!

You can calculate your principle number by using your year of birth. Beware: this requires a little elementary math ;)

As an example, if you were born in 1986:

  • Add: 1+9+8+6 = 24

  • Reduce to a single digit: 2+4 = 6

  • Subtract from 11: 11-6 = 5

*if you were born between January 1 and February 4, subtract from 12:  12-6 = 6

If you were born in 1940:

  • Add: 1+9+4+0 = 14

  • Reduce to a single digit: 1+4 = 5

  • Subtract from 11: 11-5 = 6

*if you were born between January 1 and February 4, subtract from 12:  12-5 = 7

Here's what all that calculating means for the Year of the Earth Pig in 2019:

If your principle number is 1, in 2019 you will be in the year of Celebration. This year will feel celebratory and playful. It is a great time to relax and pat yourself on the back for all the hard work that you put in the last few years. Enjoy yourself, rejoice and have some fun. As a 1 Water person, you will feel very supported and enjoy this 7 metal year. It’s an auspicious year for you!

If your principle number is 2, in 2019 you will be in the year of Stillness. This year will be much quieter than the last. It will be a time of stillness, like climbing up a mountain to meditate in isolation. This is a great time to focus inward and do some self-cultivation. As a 2 Earth person, you will feel at home in this 8 Earth year. This is a time to ground yourself and go deep and focus on self-care.

If your principle number is 3, in 2019 you will be in the year of Recognition. This year you will be in the house of fire, where you have the best opportunities to be seen and recognized by others. It is a great time to receive any promotions or any other projects that you want publicity for. Be careful, as all things, good or bad, may be unveiled to the public. As a 3 Wood person, you may be prone to burn out in this 9 Fire year. Add some water and go with the flow to tone down the flames.

If your principle number is 4, in 2019 you will be in the year of Planning. This year will feel quiet and is a time for planning. In the winter, it may appear that everything is dead on the surface, but underneath there is much life and activity. Similarly, it may feel slow, but take this time to reflect, review and plan for the future. As a 4 Wood person, you will feel very supported and rejuvenated in this 1 Water year. Take advantage of the quietness and rest up!

If your principle number is 5, in 2019 you will be in the year of Germination. This year will be the time to plant seeds. When you plant a garden, you germinate many more seeds than you need. Do the same this year. Put all your ideas out there into the universe and share them with others. Plant the seeds and see what comes up! As a 5 Earth person, you will feel supported in this 2 Earth year. Enjoy, and let this year take care of you.

If your principle number is 6, in 2019 you will be in the year of Sprouting. This year will be energetic and full of new beginnings as you catch sight of seeds that you planted last year begin to sprout and grow. Be open to new ideas and cultivate the projects that you start at this time. As a 6 Metal person, you may feel a little overwhelmed in this 3 Wood year. Remember that this is a time to sharpen and expand. Take care to not get burnt out and depleted.

If your principle number is 7, in 2019 you will be in the year of Rapid Growth. This year will be a continuation of last year where you see your sprouts grow into strong, grounded trees. This year will be busy and active, so please take care of yourself and be careful not to get burnt out. As an 7 Metal person, you may sense some upheaval in this 4 Wood year, but remember that it's about creating movement and change for the better! Take care not to get overwhelmed and burnt out.

If your principle number is 8, in 2019 you will be in the year of Fluctuation. This year will feel a little chaotic, as this is a time of renewal and rebirth. You many need to reinvent yourself this year. It’s a great time to let things go that are no longer serving you. As an 8 Earth person, you will feel generally supported in this 5 Earth year. Emphasize some self-love and care this year.

If your principle number is 9, in 2019 you will be in the year of Prosperity. This year will feel strong and prosperous. You will begin to feel confident and be recognized for your knowledge and skills. There will still be a lot of effort, but you shall finally be harvesting the fruits of your labor. As a 9 Fire person, you will feel good in this 6 Metal year. Make the most of it!

Hopefully 2019 holds lots of promise and positive energy for you! Even if the year ahead appears challenging, remember that great things can come from difficulty. Interested in learning more about Nine Star Ki? Listen in on this Holistic Spaces podcast, and take a peek at the blog, too, for ideas on how to celebrate the Chinese New Year! Regardless of your number or zodiac animal, remember to take care of yourself during the Year of the Earth Pig! Start this off by grabbing a three-dimensional tiger charm to carry with you at all times for protection and support and enrolling for the Golden Cicada ritual event. Since the Tiger is the Pig's best friend, carrying this charm will keep you in their good graces. :) Happy Lunar New Year!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our 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.

Q&A Sunday: Laying the Bagua with a Garage

My garage is attached to my house, and if include it, the prosperity, family and skills and knowledge areas are to the left of the front door. Do I have to include it, and if I do I feel like it will hinder the effectiveness of all other areas of the house. Without it my bedroom would lie in the prosperity area. 

Judy M., Ukiah, CA

Dear Judy,

Thank you for writing in with your question for the Holistic Spaces blog.

Your garage is attached to the house, and you like the way the bagua is laid better when the garage is not attached. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite work that way. If your garage is attached to the house and it’s under the same roof, it is part of the main bagua map. It’s not something that you can pick and choose, because how the bagua is laid is based on the perimeter of the house.

On the other hand, there is another concept that comes up: the concept of the ever-changing or floating bagua. You have many other bagua layouts besides the one just of the house. You also have a bagua on the whole property, and there’s also a bagua of each room. Sometimes people have more complicated layouts where they perhaps have secondary doors; for instance, they have an outer gate and an inner gate. The outer gate might be considered a yin door, and we have other blog posts about that if you’re interested. So while you can’t pick and choose how you’d like to lay the bagua, hopefully the knowledge that there are additional baguas gives you some relief.

There are different practitioners and different schools that lay the bagua differently, and there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. If you do find conflicts, I would recommend going with what school or teacher resonates with you. It’s also helpful to work with a consultant because they’ll be able to give you ways to work with your unique floor plan.

It would also be very helpful if you could take some time and email us with your floor plan, because I’m a little concerned that perhaps you may not have laid it correctly. What you want to do is lay the bagua so that your front door is aligned with the bottom of the bagua. Your front door would be either in Knowledge, Path in Life, or Benefactors.

I hope this helps, Judy, and I hope this helps other readers as well. Please feel free to email us at info@holisticspaces.com with your floor plan, and we’d love to do a follow-up.

by Anjie Cho

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. Visit us at mindfuldesignschool.com.

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!