LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Feng Shui


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Feng Shui is an ancient practice for arranging objects and furniture so that the healthiest and most vibrant life-force Qi circulates in your home and in your life. Mirrors are often referred to as the "aspirin" in Feng Shui, since they are so versatile and effective, and we often kid by saying "place two mirrors and call me in the morning," but this powerful antidotal wisdom demonstrates the belief that mirrors encourage almost immediate results.

Mirrors are one of the nine "Methods of Minor Additions" that are effective with the tradition of mindful "intention-setting," and work hand in hand with why and where we place mirrors.

The important intention-setting step symbolically aligns our best wishes with the actual physical mirror, for a desired effect. Part of our intention is also understanding the "why," so that you can align your highest intentions and infuse the physical mirror with a divine purpose in your life and space.

Feng Shui Intention-Setting 101

1) Set intentions from your heart, your very best self - not when you are sleep deprived, worried, fearful or angry, etc. A gratitude or spiritual practice are fast ways to rekindle alignment to our inner healing, plus offer a connection to restore personal positivity, happiness, meaning and even purpose. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to think, but be mindful of your state of mind and try to do this work with an expansive mind and heart;

2) Intention-setting connects your personal Qi to whatever Feng Shui "cure" you are working on, be it mirrors, water fountains, or plants;

3) Intention-setting creates a living, breathing positive meditation within our minds and hearts and transfers into the home and walls we occupy, which is incredibly important today as we are home more;

4) Intentions ideally should be more about what we dream of or want to manifest, what we want more of, and also what we need more of;

5) Intention-setting includes using language that creates our mindful visualizations, so many layers of vivid detail are more powerful;

6) Intentions can include specific dates for the requested change to occur.

After achieving clarity and setting positive intentions you may proceed with placing mirrors in a safe, effective, and profound way. Remember, you will also need to use your BAGUA map for placement.

Feng Shui Mirror Placement 101

1) Only use sparkling clean mirrors;

2) Place mirrors high enough so none of the household members' heads are cut off in the reflection;

3) Place mirrors on the side walls of the foyer to make a typically small space seem bigger and thus positively expand Bagua areas such as your Wisdom (right door wall), Career (center door wall), or Helpful People (left door wall). Mirrors should also be placed on side walls in hallways, too;

4) Place mirrors to attract more natural light into your home and life;

5) Place a mirror behind the stove and wipe clean daily to activate wealth and magnify your ability to generate abundance in the household (this is especially powerful when the stove cannot be placed in the ideal island area or "Commanding Position" for a stove);

6) Place mirrors to attract more of what is reflected in the mirror, for example, an expansive beautiful view, lush garden, calm waters, all symbolically and literally, aligning the healing of nature within your home and life;

7) Mirrors placed on dining room walls magnify our ability for wealth (if we can afford dinner guests, we are "well off");

8) Mirrors placed on living room walls magnify happy social, family, and creative moments, so make sure you let the good times roll in front of your mirrors;

9) Place mirrors to activate one of the nine Bagua areas, for example, to attract a partner we might place a mirror in the relationship area (far right) of the home;

10) Place mirrors on the outside of the draining Qi of the bath so that negative Qi is hidden or neutralized; this is especially effective for bathrooms in the wealth (back left) area of the home since mirrors symbolically represent the water element;

11) Avoid placing mirrors that reflect your desk or your work may double, and since mirrors are water element avoid placing in the Fame & Reputation area (back middle area) ruled by fire, so your good name is not extinguished!

Mirrors can soften our spaces and round out the rough edges for a smoother Qi flow throughout our homes. This is important since a scientific, medical, or Feng Shui definition of well-being is all about movement, so that's partly why mirrors have earned an exalted place in Feng Shui. They work. What do you personally notice after you place two mirrors? I would be honored if you call me to let me know. Be safe and well, dear readers!