New Beginnings and a New Book!

Anjie Cho April 14, 2023

Happy April!

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere like me, I hope you’re enjoying the transition to warmer weather! In feng shui, spring is connected to the Zhen area of the bagua, also called New Beginnings or Family.

On the opposite side of the bagua from Zhen is Dui, also known as Completion or Children. These two areas are deeply connected, and as feng shui practitioners, we often look at both places when someone is wanting support in starting or completing things.

One new beginning in my life that also reflects the completion of a big project is the release of my second book, Mindful Homes: Create healing living spaces with mindfulness and feng shui. I’m really excited to share it with the world — you can find it wherever books are sold! If you want to learn more about this book and how it’s different from my first book, Holistic Spaces, you can listen to this podcast episode.

Are you starting anything new in your life right now? How can you embrace new beginnings?

READ ABOUT FENG SHUI FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Spring

Feng Shui & Color: Green and Blue

Q&A Sunday: Kickstarting a New Beginning, Energetically and Spiritually

New Beginnings with the Vernal Equinox

PODCAST EPISODES ABOUT FENG SHUI & NEW BEGINNINGS

Feng Shui for New Beginnings in Spring

Feng Shui Tips for Moving into a New Home

Spring Equinox and the Wood Element

Feng Shui 101: The Bagua Map Part 1

Q&A Sunday: How to Clear the Energy in a New Home

Guest User November 7, 2021

Do you have any advice for clearing the energy in a new house?

I think it’s always a good idea to do a space clearing when you move into a new home. This is a way to ceremonially say goodbye to the energy that is there, and create a vacuum that can be filled by the new energy that you’re bringing in. It allows you to have the space for whatever it is that you want to welcome into your life in this new home.

The first thing I would recommend is to do a good deep clean. You might be surprised by how much that can do when it comes to clearing the energy of a home. Another thing that can be really powerful is changing the carpeting or painting the wall, since walls and floors can hold a lot of qi. This may sound straightforward, but it can make a big difference.

Then, choose any other space clearing methods that resonate with you. They can be really simple, like walking through your home and ringing a bell. You can also use a singing bowl or a crystal bowl, and let those vibrations resonate and purify the environment. If you love singing, you could walk through the space singing something beautiful that you love. You can also dance through the space to help clear out any stagnant qi.

Another way to clear space is to burn a purifying plant, like palo santo, rosemary, or lavender. Make sure you have a safe way to do this, and then guide the smoke around your home, making sure to include corners and closets. If you aren’t comfortable burning something, you might prefer a clearing mist with orange essential oil.

When deciding which space clearing method to use, listen to your heart. Trust that your first thought is your best thought!

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: What to Look for in Houseplants

Guest User September 27, 2020

I just moved to a new apartment and am excited to get some new plants! Is there anything in particular I should look for feng shui-wise?

Congratulations on the move, and thanks for your question!

Everybody is loving their houseplants right now, myself included! They’re also great from a feng shui perspective. Indoor trees and plants add positive qi, or life force energy, to a home. They also bring wood energy into your home, which is related to vitality and growth. They’re especially great additions to any area of the bagua where you would like to invite in new beginnings and flexibility.

It’s true that certain plants are better than others when it comes to feng shui, although it always depends on your circumstances. This is why it can be helpful to work with a consultant.

In general, you want to look for plants with soft, rounded leaves, and avoid plants with spiky leaves or thorns. This is because you want to invite in soft, flowing energy. Plants communicate a lot about the kind of energy they will bring to a space through their appearance. Think of the adjectives you would use to describe a certain plant—that’s also how you could describe the energy of that plant. This is why plants with spiky thorns or needles need to be used with more care, and are not usually recommended in feng shui.

I also always tell my students that not everything needs to be a feng shui application. You may have a cactus that came from your grandmother that you really love, and that’s ok! If you love something, it has positive energy around it. There are always exceptions to the guidelines.

It’s also important that the plants in your home, including ones you already have, are healthy and well taken care of. When you’re getting new plants, do a little research to make sure you are getting a plant that’s suited for the conditions of your space. You don’t want to have plants that aren’t thriving because they’re in the wrong environment. Putting a plant in a space where it can’t thrive is like putting a square peg in a round hole, and can cause difficulties and obstacles.

One last thing to keep in mind as you’re choosing a plant is to look for something you love and are attracted to. If you love your plants, they’ll be a source of positive energy!

by Anjie Cho