For thousands of years, practicing feng shui has been considered a perfect way to give home a better “feel.” Specifically, feng shui is the system of organizing and arranging objects in space to maximize the flow of chi. While the word might be familiar already, chi described as the circulating life force ever-present in the universe. A great deal of Chinese philosophy has been based on chi, and feng shui mirrors are no exception.
Life can attract both bad and good energies to a home, and feng shui considers all sides. The goal is to bring good energy flowing into your space. But also to ensure the bad energy can freely flow out of space. While there are essential elements involved with feng shui, mirrors are used to balance a home.
Bagua Feng Shui
Getting a better idea of how mirrors work in a space requires you to understand what Bagua is. Essentially, Bagua is a tool used in the art of feng shui to help give a person a better idea. In simple terms, as Bagua is a philosophical component of Chinese cosmology and involves many more intricacies. For now, it is best to solely focus on Bagua as it applies to the art of western feng shui. And how to use the tool to your advantage within your home.
The literal translation of Bagua means “eight areas.” In feng shui, these create a general guideline for space and arrangement.
The most accepted titles of these eight areas can generally be broken into the following groupings:
- Prosperity and Wealth
- Family and Core Health
- Reputation and Fame
- Marriage and Relationships
- Children and Creativity
- Career and Life Path
- Helpful People and Travel
- Spiritual Growth and Knowledge
Analyze
When attempting to analyze the current flow of chi at home, there are eight areas to focus your efforts. Now, figuring out each Bagua can be complicated. Approaches need a general idea to measure your space, draw blueprints, and utilize a compass in your attempts. Many people appreciate some simple tips and tricks when it comes to Bagua feng shui.
This is where mirrors come into play. Mirrors are an item associated with the element of water. According to Chinese cosmology, balancing elements within your home is a critical aspect of successful feng shui. While some elements, such as fire proves challenging to balance; water is complicated due to how the element is perceived. Water is associated with fluidity, allowing for a bit of room when it comes to placing items like mirrors throughout a home.
Mirror, Mirror: Two Ways To Utilize Feng Shui Mirrors
Using mirrors with your feng shui is a fantastic idea, especially if you are recently getting into the practice. Mirrors are straightforward, in a variety of sizes, and enhance different aspects at home and aspects interact with chi.
1. The Right Baguas
While mirrors used in your home, you will pay attention to which Baguas benefit the most from the addition. Traditionally speaking, there are three key Baguas where mirrors do the best: family, prosperity, and career. You keep things simple and not use a compass in your approach. You will need a general idea of placement to follow a specific tactic with mirrors. Luckily, most smartphones come equipped with a compass app these days and can point you in a general direction.
Unlike some aspects of feng shui which require precise placement of items for maximum impact, mirrors can be used freely. All you need to know is which parts of your home are located in what direction. Using the compass on your phone, learn the general placement of north, west, east, and south. When you do this, you get ready to place mirrors in the appropriate areas to guide positive chi into Bagua.
North: Career
The north is the direction associated with career. When you are hoping for a promotion or are looking at starting your own small business, then you might want to show this corner of your home a bit of love. Hang a mirror or two in whatever room is located in the northern part of your house and see how it changes things for you. If you plan on starting a business from your home, see if it is possible to place your home office in the north to allow positive energy into your work zone at all times.
East: Health
The east represents personal health and wellness. It is important to focus on one’s own health from time to time by engaging the right eating practices, visiting the doctor for regular checkups, and remaining mindful of the changes that come with age. Whether you are simply looking to promote better health or you have health-related issues on your radar, you can find a sense of serenity by using mirrors in the east Bagua of your home. If your bathroom is situated in the east, try and use this to your advantage when arranging the way mirrors are placed.
Southeast: Money
A little extra cash can go a long way in life. The southeast part of a home is the Bagua most closely associated with finances. While career might have a little bit to do with personal finance, this Bagua is more about fortune than income. Placing a mirror in the southeast corner of your home can be quite useful when you are looking to find stability with your finances, have specific money troubles on the horizon, or feel like you could benefit from a windfall. Keeping mirrors humble in size can prove useful for balancing your financial Bagua.
2. Sheng Chi
For those who do not feel like figuring out direction or aligning mirrors with particular Baguas, there is an even simpler solution. All you need to do is think about sheng chi. Literally translated from Chinese, sheng chi means “upward moving energy.” In essence, this is the energy associated with positivity. It is the wave of happiness that washes over you when coming home or seeing loved ones after time away. It is the joy you experience when going to your favorite spot in nature or having intimate conversations with your partner.
Specificity Is Key
Focusing your attention on sheng chi when you are looking to incorporate feng shui mirrors into your home is a wonderful way to keep things simple while seeing some fantastic results. Now, Sheng chi might seem like an umbrella term for “anything that makes you feel good,” but there are a few guidelines that can make your life easier. For one, nature is a huge aspect of feng shui. While you might not be able to include too many natural elements in your design, you can use mirrors to create the illusion of natural energy.
All you need to do is place mirrors in your home so that the surfaces reflect the beauty of the outdoors. A large mirror in the north of your home, for example, might be able to catch the garden in bloom in your backyard. Since the north is the area associated with career, you can feel like your path is constantly growing and reaching for greatness the same way the plants reach for the sun. Get creative with using mirrors to reflect natural beauty, and you are likely to see some better results.
Balance Light
To keep sheng chi flowing through your home, you want to make sure your space has access to as much natural light as possible. Though light fixtures can easily bring illumination to space, only the light of the sun truly nourishes the body and soul. Of course, not all homes are lucky enough to have ample windows. If your small space feels too dark, see if you can place mirrors to help bounce light around the rooms. Not only will this add more light, but it will also help to make your home appear bigger.
Bright, airy colors are usually a great pick when you want a room to have a larger appearance. By figuring out where the light comes into your home during which hours of the day, you can easily come up with a plan for the best placement of mirrors. Take your time with this step and you’re likely to see some more impressive results.
Experiment and Enjoy
Feng shui mirrors can easily pack a punch when it comes to giving your home a more balanced flow of chi. Experiment with different ideas, mirror sizes, and placements to really get the most out of the process and see your home take a more balanced form.
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