Table of Contents
1. What Is Feng Shui?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese craft of aligning structures, objects, and spaces in a climate that achieves harmony and balance in a way that brings harmony and prosperity. The Chinese "feng shui" means "the way of wind and water". This idea comes from an old story that discussions of human existence are tied to and flow with the climate around it. The theory of feng shui is the act of coordinating the rooms in a living space so that it deviates from the ordinary world. The goal is to resolve energy issues and establish friendliness between an individual and their current situation. In Asian culture, this way of thinking is called Tao, which means "the way". Taoism is nature's method, and each of the basic feng shui standards reflects nature.
2. Why Feng Shui? How Do Plants Bring Positive Energy?
Plants are living things, able to recover from arid, brittle or inert spaces. "They are constantly changing and evolving, which can help people move and develop a healthy environment where they live or work." Chi also echoes that sentiment, adding that "plants bring the element of wood into space, which is one of the five main components of feng shui. It creates and supports the energy of well-being and growth. and dynamic growth".
Additionally, plants filter the air and promote "excellent levels of oxidation, which are the premise of positive feng shui for wellbeing and prosperity," adds Chi. "The vegetation also represents the abundant and nurturing energy of nature in a space, and each individual needs it."
The wood component brings the fundamental energy of development and activity into your space. It can likewise stimulate empathy, thoughtfulness, and adaptability. Furthermore, green - the shade of many plants - is related to revival.
Image Via ShukiRugs
3. What Plants Can Be Used For Feng Shui?
Money Tree:
- The money tree is one of the most well-known feng shui plants and is utilized to draw in riches and success. Place the money tree in the southwest area of your home (the "riches" part of the bagua) to draw out the full impact of this plant.
- Money trees don't develop quick, they find opportunity to develop and that educates persistence. There's really no need to focus on making easy money, it's tied in with making a consistent and sound wellspring of abundance in your life. With its particular elements, including its webbed leaves and effortlessly twisted stems, the money tree draws poisons from the air creating a pure and healthy atmosphere to work in.
Hedgehog Aloe
- A fashionable and easy-care houseplant, aloe has a thick and fleshy stem, containing a clear gel prized for its healing and soothing properties.
- Similar to the snake plant, the Hedgehog Aloe plant has pointed, succulent leaves and adds protective energy or vitality to a space. It is also a powerful air purifier, ideal for feng shui in general.
- Aloe vera is also said to ward off bad luck and bad energy, help you rearrange your space and create a positive and welcoming aura,
Philodendron
- The humble philodendron provides amazingly relaxing feng shui energy. It is best placed in the southeast or east sector of the house (area of abundance and reality, separate, on the bagua map). Philodendron Heart Leaf is an air-cleaning vine that isn't hard to care for with fun, heart shaped, glossy leaves. This low maintenance plant is a great extension to an office work area or a stand where the vines can hang down, helping to bring in positive energy while you work.
- This is an extremely good feng shui plant and is willing to tolerate all types of neglect, and it is a low light plant. To help it grow, provide bright indirect light. High moisture levels are not necessary, but higher humidity will promote more leaf growth.”
Rubber Plant
- The rubber tree is great for eliminating toxins in the home and will thrive in the dining room. Similar to the philodendron, it also brings calm, relaxing energy and will bring positivity to the southeast and east sectors of the house.
Ficus
- The air purifying ficus is ideal for the physical health part of the Bagua (east sector of your house). It is also a taller plant and can therefore make small houses feel more spacious.
Bamboo
- Bamboo symbolizes growth and adaptability. In feng shui use, the number of sticks has a symbolic meaning. For example, two trunks are said to nurture areas in your life associated with love, and three trunks nourish you. Lucky bamboo is considered a lucky houseplant in terms of feng shui, and it will bring positive energy into your home or workspace. As a symbol of good luck, the lucky bamboo balances the five elements. It is best to place it in the wealth corner of your home, or the wealth corner of any room,
- Some bamboo require more light than other plants, so investing in an LED growlight can help this lucky plant grow to it's fullest potential
Pothos
- The golden pothos is very easy to care for and propagate. It grows lush vines with heart-shaped leaves. The air purifiing Pothos can easily light up stagnant or "dead" areas of your home, such as upper kitchen cabinets or neglected corners. It is very low maintenance and will bring positive energy to the house (even if you forget to water). They create a feeling of excess and space because they propagate easily.
Some other plants that are also considered as good Feng Shui plants are:
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Jade Plant
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Jasmine
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Calatheas
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Peace Lily
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Air Plant
Be sure to check out Soltech's Plant Care Guide to learn how to care for all of these feng shui approved plants.
Where To Place Your Plants For Good Feng Shui?
The bagua is the feng shui energy map. It is one of the main principles of feng shui practice and one of the most powerful tools we use. The bagua offers a systematic way to evaluate the energy field of your environment. Bagua literally means “eight areas” in Chinese. Therefore, the bagua is eight areas around a center. These areas are connected to different aspects of life. Each gua (or area) also has countless other layered meanings such as colors, elements, shapes, organs, and so much more. The center square of the bagua is considered the heart of the home, where the energy is distributed to all the different sectors. The bagua is sometimes depicted as an octagon, other times a square. In either case, the bagua consists of eight areas around a center. The bagua is a compass that indicates life areas as well as many other symbolic meanings.
A Bagua Map of the Front Door Method Via MindBodyGreen
There are two different approaches to using a bagua map: The traditional (or compass) bagua map uses a compass to determine the different areas of the home. The front door method, on the other hand, aligns the bottom of the bagua map with a home's front door.
References:
How To Use A Feng Shui Bagua Map In Your House Or Apartment | mindbodygreen
Understanding the Feng Shui Bagua (Energy Map) (thespruce.com)
The Basic Principles of Feng Shui (thespruce.com)
Feng Shui | National Geographic Society
The 8 Best Feng Shui Plants For the Home | Bloomscape
