Feng Shui for Real Life

Mirrors are sometimes called the "aspirin" of Feng Shui because they can cure so many problems, but like aspirin, mirrors should be used sparingly and only when necessary. Mirrors can be used to attract, move, or redirect energy, so it’s important to choose the right type of mirror and best location. The general Feng Shui rule is that a mirror doubles the energy of what they reflect. That means if a mirror reflects a pile of unpaid bills, it could symbolically double of your debt, but if it reflects a family vacation photo, it doubles family harmony.

A Feng Shui bagua mirror is a special octagon-shaped mirror that is used outside of a home to redirect energy. This type of mirror can be very powerful on the outside, but should never be hung inside the home.

Mirrors keep a room “awake,” so limit them in a bedroom to no more than one, and make sure you can’t see yourself in the mirror from the bed. If your bedroom closet has mirrored doors, hang a curtain above the doors that you can close at night and tie back open during the day. Avoid placing a mirror in a child’s bedroom where it could interfere with restful sleep. If your child must have a mirror, hang it on the inside of the closet door.

As with any Feng Shui change, the intent you have when you place a mirror will determine its effect. Whether you hang a mirror to attract, move, or redirect energy, if you are clear in your intention for the mirror it will help you achieve your goal. Here are some situations where I recommend using mirrors.

Attract

• Hang a round mirror near your stove to symbolize wealth. The mirror symbolically doubles the number of burners and consequently, symbolically doubles prosperity.
• Place a flat mirror on the wall in a dark room to attract and reflect extra light.
• Place a mirror on the right hand side in your foyer (as you look into the foyer from the front door) to symbolically attract new opportunities.

Move

• If you have any rooms where you must step down to enter, place a square mirror opposite the stairs to symbolically move the wall and correct this imbalance, especially in bi-level or split level homes.
• Low ceilings or heavy beams can be oppressive over your bed. Attach a quarter-size round mirror to the ceiling or beams to symbolically lift the heaviness. You can find these inexpensive small mirrors at craft stores.
• Bring any missing areas of your home back into your life by hanging a mirror on the inside wall to symbolically move it out and fill in the missing area, especially when correcting an apartment or office.

Redirect

• If your oven is located directly opposite of your sink, the Fire and Water Elements "fight" each other, often leading to arguments in the home. Attach a small mirror to the oven door to reflect away the sink’s energy.
• If you live on a T-junction where a road points directly at your house you could be subject to its negative energy, making it difficult to achieve harmony. Hang a bagua mirror on your home facing the road to direct the harsh energy away.
• If you have any negative energy directed toward your home, such as the sharp corner of a neighbor’s home, a telephone pole in front of your door, or a nearby cell tower, hang a bagua mirror on the outside of your house to symbolically push it away.

You can order a convex bagua mirror from the Feng Shui Store.