Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for a Loud Door

How do I remedy a loud shared hallway entry door and my own entry door? When other people’s doors open and close, my door is affected; my door will shake and make loud noises while the other doors are opening and closing. I know that I can somehow remedy my door, but how do I remedy a shared door? What kind of remedy do you advise for both doors? I live in an apartment on the sixth floor. Our build has really long hallways and entry doors are also facing each other. Thanks so much!

Hannah P., Framingham, MA

Hi Hannah,

Thank you for submitting a question to Q&A Sunday. I’m sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time with your neighbors in your apartment building. Doors in feng shui represent the mouth of the home’s inhabitants, so if you have a lot of loud doors, that can mean you have a lot of people talking and potentially arguments. This can be very disconcerting, disorienting and maybe even stressful for you.

Unfortunately, this is more of a mundane question, and you can’t really change anyone else’s door. As you’ve acknowledged, you can certainly work with your own door, but not the doors of others. You could ask to pay to fix the hallway door, but otherwise, this isn’t really something you have control over. There is no feng shui remedy for this sort of situation, because you can only work with your own energy first. You’re responsible for yourself, and no one else is responsible for you.

One option here would be to move, but that likely isn’t the solution you’re looking for. Alternatively, you could befriend your neighbors, which is probably the best course of action. If you get to know your neighbors, who are probably sensitive to the same situation, perhaps you can work together to create a solution. In Buddhist philosophy, you can view a challenging situation like this as an opportunity to use what you have and grow. This is a very challenging situation, and you’ll have to find creative ways to work together with your neighbors in this shared space and find a solution with the help of others.

With regard to feng shui here, you could activate the Benefactors area of your home to attract more helpful people and so that you and your neighbors can help each other. Many people want to activate the Benefactors area so that they can find helpful people in their lives, but don’t forget that this involves you being a benefactor as well!

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

by Anjie Cho

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

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!

The Top Interior Design Terms You Need to Know

featured on ElleDecor.com

We've all been there before. You're engaged in a conversation and a term comes up that's left you completely clueless. For that reason, we checked in with interior designers to find out the top industry terms that are worth knowing. Read on for their explanation of designer jargon and consider making use of these words the next time you find yourself in a design chat.

Feng shui is mindfulness of place, noticing all the details in your environment with gratitude and care. When we are present for every moment, we can see the beauty and magic in our spaces and in everyday life.

Definition via Anjie Cho

…read full article

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

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for a Rented Room

My question to you is, since I rent a room, I don't have the luxury of my own house. However, I still want to receive the benefits. How can you suggest that I use the bagua map in such a way? I have read that feng shui doesn't have to be visible to work. Therefore, I don't want to have to break the bank to gain the benefits. Is there away around that? 

Nesma R.

Dear Nesma,

Thank you so much for your question. I think this is a good one that comes up a lot. I want to start with a quote from one of my most beloved teachers, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

“You may live in a dirt hut with no floor and only one window, but if you regard that space as sacred, if you care for it with your heart and mind, then it will be a palace.”

I challenge you to think about that, because the feeling I’m getting from your question is that there is a sense of poverty mentality, that you don’t have luxury and, although you don’t have luxury and don’t want to “break the bank”, you still want something. With this in mind, you are already approaching feng shui with the idea of black, of poverty mentality, and there isn’t an easy way around that. If you walk into a situation already thinking that you don’t have luxury and can’t afford it, you start off with an imbalance. I might ask you to consider finding gratitude and thankfulness for everything that you have, even if you’re only renting. That space can still be a luxurious palace.

You also asked about the bagua map. Mindful Design School has a bagua map handout that you can download for free, so that’s included here. And yes, it is true that feng shui doesn’t have to be visible to work. For feng shui to work, or for any benefit in your life, it’s not about how much things cost. It’s about how you value things and about having an abundance mentality. I encourage you to download the bagua material, since it’s free and it sounds like you may not be ready to hire someone. I would challenge you to take a look at the Abundance area here, in more than just a monetary sense of wealth. Abundance is also related to poverty mentality, self-worth issues, and a feeling of having enough. If you can work with this area of the bagua map, I think there is a lot of possible growth and self-reflection. This area of the bagua map is called Xun in Chinese and is related to wealth; abundance; self worth; the color purple, which is associated with royalty; and yin wood, symbolized by a big, strong tree. Trees don’t need much - just water and sunlight. A tree needs what the earth offers in abundance, and it doesn’t worry about breaking the bank in order to improve its life; it just accepts what’s given, is abundant and gives as much as it receives.

I recommend that you look at the Abundance area and use this as a mirror for yourself. How do you feel like you lack abundance, and how can you then change your mentality to work with abundance? You will make as much money as you feel comfortable with, and you’ll attract as much abundance as you’re comfortable with. One thing I want to leave you with is: the more you give without expecting anything in return, the more you will receive. The more you offer and give out to the world and open yourself up, the more you can receive. So download that bagua map, work with the Abundance area and see what arises for you.

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!