Q&A Sunday: Driveways in Feng Shui

Anjie Cho February 3, 2019

We are buying new modular house and putting it on land we bought. The grading and landscape guy wants to put a circular drive in front and a carport to the side of the house that the master bedroom is on, which is the dragon side of house, (the carport would not be connected to house but sits at an angle, so there are no poison arrows toward the house). I’m ok with that, but he thinks a drive from the carport to the basement entrance should go around the back yard to the basement entrance. I’m not sure that’s good, or should the basement drive come off the circular drive in front of the house. If it comes off the front driveway, will too much water (energy) be flowing by the front of house? The house is facing north, with the left side higher than the right, as the basement entrance is on the south end.

Barbara L., Charlotte, NC

Hi Barbara,

Thank you for your thoughtful question! I will only be able to answer only half, as the other half is a bit more complicated and requires an in-depth consultation with a feng shui practitioner who can take a closer look at your floor plans and the layout of the land. I will be happy to discuss a few points you mentioned.

Congratulations on your new home and the land! For anyone who may be wondering what Barbara means by the “dragon side” of her home, in BTB feng shui, there are some directions we do look at in terms of house location. Imagine that you are the house sitting in an easy, comfortable armchair position with your back against the wall. To your right is the green dragon (if you are standing outside and facing the house from the outside, this would be the left side). On your left (as the house) is a white tiger. Behind you is a black tortoise, and in front of you is a red bird. These are the directions Barbara is referring to.

The part of this question I can speak to regards the circular driveway. If you have a circular driveway, it is ideal for the driveway to curve towards the house and hug or embrace the house. This will bring more wealth, abundance, good health, qi and opportunities. When the driveway curves away from the house, all this energy and opportunity moves away from you. So it’s great that you’re putting in your own driveway, and I would recommend ensuring that it curves toward the house rather than away from it, like in the drawing below.

Unfortunately, as I note in most of my posts, I practice BTB feng shui, which doesn’t consider cardinal directions, so I cannot comment on the house facing north, especially with the information I’m given. If you are very concerned about this, it would be helpful to find a feng shui consultant in your area with whom you resonate and who you trust and have them take a look at the lay of your land and your plans, to assess the energy there.

Thank you so much for your question!

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.

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Q&A Sunday: How Do I Lay the Bagua on My Odd Shaped Home?

Anjie Cho September 2, 2018

I am having trouble thinking through what is the center of the apartment, or the Health area. Is it the living/dining area? The kitchen? The room where we exercise?

Mary P., New York, NY

A note to the readers: This was a followup question to “Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Illnesses” from last week. We offered a suggestion to activate the center of the home.

Hi Mary,

This is a wonderful question, and I think it will be helpful for our readers. Yes, this is an odd shaped home! There’s a super complicated way to find the center, but instead I’m going to suggest something simpler. One of my teachers wrote “Simple understands complicated”!

How Do I Lay the Bagua On My Odd Shaped Home - Floor Plan.jpg

When I see the floor plan, I see the shape of a gun. Which is not good or bad, but it can be powerful. And, the trigger of the gun would be located right at your front door. So when I gave you the suggestion to activate your Health area in our post last week, it was really about triggering major healing. Because the Health area is in the center, it touches and energizes all the areas of the bagua (and all the areas of your life). In your case, there is not a clear center, but you have a clear trigger area that can do the same thing. You can use the same suggestions from last week, but instead of the center of the home, use the front door area to generate a powerful spark to create healing in the home.

I also loved your question, because your answer tells me that you related the center of your life to the living and dining areas, or to the kitchen. Your words can inform how you can also spend more time in those areas of the home with your husband to produce more healing energy.

And in case you were wondering, in a floor plan like this one, I would not use the bagua on the entire home. Instead you can lay a bagua on each individual room. If you’re interested in learning more about how to use feng shui for health, or on odd shaped floor plans, be sure to check out our feng shui cerification program at Mindful Design School.com!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I are launching our program in September 2018. We have a free webinar “Five Feng Shui Tools Revealed: Must-do business boosters for soulpreneurs and wellness practitioners” coming up, too! check us out at www.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!

Visit the Holistic Spaces Store

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Illnesses

Anjie Cho August 26, 2018

My husband has leukemia and I would love some feng shui suggestions.

Mary P., New York, NY

Dear Mary,

I’m so sorry to hear about your husband’s illness. While feng shui is not the most important factor, it is absolutely beneficial to incorporate with the mundane directions given by medical professionals. My teachers always reminded me that the everyday practical details are more important than the transcendental adjustments.

I have two suggestions for you. First is to activate the center of the home, which corresponds to the Health area of the feng shui bagua map. You can activate it in different ways, but my first thought is with the sound or song. A bell, a chime or a Tibetan singing bowl like this one will do. You can ring the bowl nine times every day if you can. Or better yet, you and your husband can sing together. Sound and song can be very healing in a gentle way.

Second thing, please check your plumbing and electrical systems for any defects, and correct any problems. These relate to the blood vessels and nervous systems of the body.

There are more complicated feng shui suggestions that require a consultation, but these two feng shui adjustments are wonderful to start with.

You can also learn more if you study feng shui. I’m starting a feng shui certification program this fall and encourage you to take a look at the details below.

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 are launching our program in September 2018. We have a free webinar “Five Feng Shui Tools Revealed: Must-Do Business Boosters for Soulpreneurs and Wellness Practitioners” coming up, too! 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.