Q&A Sunday: A Feng Shui Aquarium

I read about your write-up about Goldfish and Feng Shui on the International Feng Shui Guild website. I have recently set up an aquarium and intend to keep goldfish to attach positive 'chi.' May I seek your advice? Instead of keeping 8 gold and 1 black, can I have 5 gold and 1 black?

Raymond S., Singapore

Hello to Singapore!

Thank you for your question. What’s interesting is that I asked my teacher, Steven Post, a similar one when I first started my feng shui studies. I had only room for a small aquarium, so I asked if I could use 3 fish total (rather than 9 total). 

The ideal set up is 9 goldfish total. It’s especially beneficial to have 8 gold and one black. 9 is an auspicious number in feng shui, as are the numbers 3 and 5.

I also asked if I might use other fish, rather than goldfish, since goldfish need a large amount of space!  But it’s better to use orange goldfish rather than, say, a tiger barb, because orange goldfish have special symbolism in Asian mythology. They can transform into dragons! Steven noted that the black goldfish is a “balance of the normative and exceptional.” Black also represents knowledge and wisdom.

To answer your question, if you don’t have room for 9 goldfish, it’s better to have 3 total with 2 gold and 1 black. Please let me know how it goes! Good luck to you!

For more information, read the previous article here.

UPDATE!

Raymond sent in some photos of his new aquarium based on our Q&A Sunday! Thanks for sharing Raymond!

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!

Q&A Sunday: Schools of Feng Shui

There are so many schools of feng shui, I'm honestly a little confused. I just recently just found out that when sleeping, it is the crown of our head that faces our favourable direction. My mother had a seasoned practitioner come over a long time ago (almost 15 years ago, I think) and he told us the complete opposite! So technically we've been facing the wrong direction for almost 15 years! 

Samantha C., Malaysia

Thanks Samantha for this follow up comment. I believe that this is a great topic for Q&A Sunday!

Yes, there are dozens of feng shui schools out there, and not only is it confusing, they may contradict each other! The compass school looks at directions, the form school looks at shapes, plus there’s flying stars and many more. I practice BTB feng shui.

In BTB feng shui, we recognize all other schools of feng shui as correct and valid. One major difference with BTB is that we look at the direction of qi into a space, so the bagua is located based on the flow of energy. We also utilize many “invisible” cures in addition to mundane enhancements such as adding a crystal or moving furniture. The invisible cures are sometimes found in BTB books, but most often only shared by practitioners. Invisible cures may be rituals, meditations, etc. – which are effective ways to further boost your physical adjustments with powerful intention. An example would be “One good deed a day.” Personally, I share the “transcendental” adjustments one-on-one only.

In regards to your sleeping direction, I would encourage you to consider, rather than feeling that you have been facing the “wrong” direction, we can shift that viewpoint. Maybe this change of direction in bed symbolizes a shift in your life. Perhaps you are embracing another way of positioning yourself in the world and you’re excited to see the qi that’s opening up in your life.

It's interesting, because I’ve been reading a little into Vastu (Vedic feng shui), and they also use the commanding position for the bed. Yes, the different feng shui schools may contradict each other and be very confusing. In feng shui implementation, I suggest you use an advanced practitioner or do your best to follow one school.

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!

Q&A Sunday: The Bagua Map and Your Entrance

If we have an outer gate, and another main entrance into the house, which entrance do we use as a reference for the bagua map? My outer gate faces south and the inner one faces West...so I'm a little confused as how to place the map.

Samantha C., Malaysia

Hi Samantha, thanks for your note!

Your question is an important one. It is challenging to overlay the bagua map on a space. Which way is up? What if my house is “L” shaped, etc. But another source of confusion is when you have more than one entrance. Sometimes this question comes up in suburban homes where the inhabitant enters through the side, rear or garage door, while rarely using the official front door. In this case, it’s recommended to open the official front door occasionally. This can be done once every 9 days, or something to that effect. The front door represents the “mouth of qi,” how energy enters your space and your life. If you never open the front door, then energy has trouble moving into your home and your activities.

This leads me to your question. Even though you have an outer gate to your home, and another main entrance to your home, the official front door would be the one attached to the building with a roof that is your home. When we discuss the “mouth of qi” it’s important to remember that we always follow the qi. Where is the qi coming from? 

Since the exterior gate is a doorway that you walk through to get into the home, it would be considered a “yin” door. Yin doors are the more passive, indirect, or secret doors. It’s the secondary door. But the actual front door to the house is what you would use to overlay the feng shui bagua map.

As I discuss in the Holistic Spaces Podcast episode #2, the bagua map is a concept that you can overlay on your home, but also your bedroom, your desk, or even your hand! Although the primary placement of the bagua on your home would be in reference to your front door, you may locate a secondary bagua map based on the yin door. If you work with an advanced feng shui practitioner, they may use both (or more) bagua maps and suggest you do adjustments in both (or more) baguas if appropriate.

For instance, with the Holistic Spaces Citrine for Wealth & Abundance kit, I provide three pieces of tumbled citrine so that you can intensify the effects by placing one stone in two bagua maps. Place the first in the abundance area of your bedroom, the second on the abundance area of your desk, and the third in your wallet or pocket.

Thank you for the kind words, and check out the podcast on the feng shui bagua map! Please let me know what you think and if you have other questions.

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!