Getting Grounded with Feng Shui

Guest User November 4, 2020

Today I want to talk about getting grounded, and what that means in terms of feng shui. In feng shui, we use the five elements, which is a system inspired by nature. The five elements can be found in your home, as well as everything around you. Earth, one of the five elements, is about grounding, connecting, stability, and self care.

It’s always helpful to get grounded, especially if we’re in our heads a lot. Being in our heads can lead to a lot of anxiety, difficulty, and challenges. Here are a few ways to get grounded with feng shui:

One simple way to become more grounded is to connect with nature through your senses. We often try to think our way out of things, but it’s important to connect through your senses rather than your thoughts sometimes. From the Taoist perspective, clarity arises once you stop thinking. In the Tao Te Ching, one of the verses challenges you to have the patience to allow the muddy water to settle. When the muddy water settles, you can have some clarity. Grounding with your senses can look like connecting with a pet, massaging your feet, or walking around your home barefoot and connecting to the textures on the floor of your home. The floor represents the earth element in feng shui, so that’s a really great way to ground.

Another way to get grounded is to find a place in your home where you feel safe, and to lie down there and allow the earth to hold you for some time. This is a way to let that muddy water settle, and it also helps you get grounded and connect to the earth.

The third thing I would suggest is to notice what elements in your home connect to nature that is alive. Do you have plants in your home? Animals? Do you live with other people? Next, take a moment to give some attention to those living beings. Notice if there has been a living being in your home that’s been neglected, and do what you can to bring more love and attention to that living being. This could even be yourself! I would challenge you to connect to this being without using words, so you can really tune in to your senses.

One more thing to keep in mind is that simple is always more powerful. People often try to make things more complex, but if something is simple you can really get straight to the heart of the matter. In order to keep things simple, start with my first tip: touch into your senses.

I hope this helps you get grounded. Let me know on Instagram if you noticed any shifts!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Your Ex

Guest User November 1, 2020

Is there anything feng shui-wise that can help me cut ties with my toxic ex?

If you have a toxic relationship that you need to let go of, be aware that feng shui does affect your energy, so it can definitely make a difference. Here are a few suggestions from a feng shui perspective that may help you cut ties with your ex:

First, make sure you don’t have anything in your home that’s connected to your ex energetically, for instance any of their clothing or mementos. It’s especially important to move these things out of your bedroom, since this is your most intimate room that’s most closely connected to you. If you must hold onto anything connected to your ex (for example, if you are going through a divorce and have to keep the divorce papers), find another place in your home to store them.

Second, space clear your bedroom. Your ex’s energetic presence actually takes up space in your home. Space clearing, especially in your bedroom, will remove your ex’s energy. This helps create space for you to work on your own self care and eventually invite in a new partnership. There are many different ways to space clear - here are a few of my favorite methods to get you started.

Something else to keep in mind when you’re working through a toxic relationship or finding your way out of one is that it’s a good idea to take time to heal yourself. An adjustment I often give for inviting a relationship is to put two pieces of rose quartz in your relationship area, to represent you and a future partner. However, in this case it might be more helpful to just have one for the time being. It’s important to heal yourself and your own heart first before rushing into a new relationship.

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday". If you have personal questions, we encourage you to check out Practical Feng Shui or hire one of Anjie's Grads.

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Feng Shui for Creativity

Guest User October 28, 2020

You may have noticed versions of the feng shui bagua map that have an area called “creativity”. In the BTB tradition that I practice, we call it “completion” or “children” rather than “creativity”. The Chinese word for this area is dui. Dui is associated with output and offspring, but I believe creativity is more than just what you put out into the world. Creativity can be found in all areas of the bagua map. Zhen, for example, which is related to new beginnings, may be the most relevant area to focus on if you’re starting a new creative project.

One way to work with your creativity and the feng shui bagua is to work with the bagua colors, not just in your home, but also in your creative practice. Each of the areas, or guas, as well as the center of the bagua, is related to a different color. You can either start with an area of life you’d like to work on, or start with a color that you’re drawn to.

If there’s a specific area of the bagua you want to work on—maybe you’re ready to invite in a partner and want to work on your relationship area—notice the color of that area and start to play with it. I’ve been working with watercolors to explore different colors and areas of the bagua. For example, I played around with oranges and reds here, which are related to the recognition area of the bagua:

Here I went with blues and greens, which are connected to family and new beginnings:

Working with the color of a certain bagua area helps to activate that energy in your life, and it also activates creativity. You can use watercolors like I did, or you can use colored pencils, markers, or any other medium you’d like!

You can also go the other way, and start playing with whichever colors you’re drawn to. This might give you a clue as to what area of life you may want to pay attention to. If you’re drawn to dark blue, for example, you may need to work on your knowledge, skills, and self-cultivation, since dark blue is related to this area of the bagua.

As you’re playing, remember to have fun! You don’t need to have a purpose or an end goal—your art isn’t going in a museum. You can even let it go, like a sand mandala, and give it away when you’re done.

If you’re interested in learning more about how creativity relates to feng shui, be sure to check our podcast episode on feng shui & creativity!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com