The Real Use of Mirrors in Feng Shui Applications

When attempting to learn more about and apply the principles of feng shui in their life, many people are drawn to the use of mirrors, believing that this is one of the most basic necessities of this art. However, is this really the case? Do real experts use mirrors in feng shui applications today? How exactly to they work to encourage positive energy in your home, if at all? Let’s take a look at some of these thoughts before you run out and purchase a whole set of mirrors for your own home.

The Ancient Use of Mirrors in Feng Shui

Many people understand that feng shui is a harmonious balance of what it refers to as the five elements – wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. These elements either feed one another or destroy one another; for example, wood feeds fire, but water destroys it. Water feeds wood, but metal destroys wood, and so on. There needs to be a balance between these elements for true feng shui.

In the ancient application, mirrors in feng shui were a common way to introduce the metal element. Any home or room that had too much earth (such as being colored brown, having live plants, and so on) needed a contrasting element introduced, and metal was a quick fix. Using mirrors in feng shui for these rooms offset the earth element and opened up the space, making it seem sunnier – and obviously the earth and the sun are two good complements for one another.

Today’s Use of Mirrors in Feng Shui

However, there is a big difference between this ancient practice and the modern-day use of mirrors in feng shui, and that big difference is that there is typically no real metal used in today’s mirrors. Most are a form of modified plastic and other chemicals. You could rightly call them a type of placebo, just “faking” the introduction of the metal element.

So then, for today’s application, how does one use mirrors in feng shui? Quite simply, mirrors are used to reflect light, which warms a space, creating positive energy. They also make rooms seem bigger, and they open up closed off spaces and bring some reflection of that light to dark corners or other areas that seem somewhat cave-like.

Mirrors in feng shui are also a common decorative element; true feng shui teaches that art should be used for aesthetic value, not for anything spiritual. Mirrors are then simply pieces of art, or may help to reflect the glow of candles or of a fireplace, making the room seem warmer and cozier. They really are no longer considered a metal element, and should not be thought of in that manner. So when using mirrors in feng shui in your own home, you need to remember that you should introduce a different metal element, but still, don’t hesitate to put them in darker rooms where you need some light, or in dimly lit corners that need some perking up.

A Feng Shui Tree

As more and more people become interested in the once-ancient art of feng shui, they are finding that it’s easy to become confused as to what really is and is not true feng shui elements. After all, there are thousands of online stores that promise to sell feng shui crystals, jade, wind chimes, and yes, feng shui trees.

But are there really such things as feng shui trees, and if so, what are they? How are they used? Are there any that claim to be such, but that really aren’t? Let’s examine a few of these questions here and then you can decide for yourself if you still need to look for a feng shui tree.

The Five Elements

You are probably familiar with the five elements of feng shui, namely, wood, water, fire, earth, and metal. These natural elements exist in harmony in nature, and are meant to bring that harmony to your indoor environment as well. This is where feng shui trees typically come into play. If you have a room that is very strong in one element, it needs to be balanced with another. For example, a very white bathroom can be considered clean and pristine, since white is a water color and water is associated with cleanliness. However, too much white and the room can feel cold and sterile, almost surgical. So, a wood element is helpful to tone down all that white. A small feng shui tree that introduces browns and golds may do the trick. This can also be done in a kitchen, where white is also a favorite color since it not only depicts cleanliness but makes the room feel open and larger than it may be. Many who live in small homes and apartments are encouraged to use white to open up the rooms, however, therein again is the danger of too much white seeming sterile and unwelcoming – not a good feeling for the hearth of the home!

The Money Tree and the Fire Element

Many are told that if you have a feng shui tree in your home and you tie old coins to it, then wealth will be yours. However, this is of course superstitious and not rooted in logic, so it’s no wonder than many modern adherents of feng shui have rejected this notion.

There is some use for this type of object. Again going back to the idea of the five elements, many money trees are seen tied with bright red ribbons that offset the golden brown of their branches. These ribbons can add a wonderful fire element to any room or area that needs such. For instance, if your living room has a strong earth element, being painted in warmer browns or more neutral tans and creams, this fire element can help accent and harmonize this room.

So you see that there are some uses for a feng shui tree; while it may not bring good luck and prosperity the way some would like to believe, it can definitely add a much needed accent to your home.

How Do You Use Feng Shui Wind Chimes?

If you’re familiar with Asian and Chinese culture, you know that many homes in that beautiful country have wind chimes hanging from someplace outside – the porch, a doorway, or a window. Some believe that these were brought to the U.S. as part of feng shui; wind chimes were actually used before this of course, but the questions still remain: When employing the art and science of feng shui, how do use feng shui wind chimes in your own home? How are they introduced, and where should they be kept? And are there places where they should not be used as well?

Remembering the Five Elements of Feng Shui

You are probably already familiar with the five elements, namely, wood, water, fire, earth and metal, that are the embodiment of feng shui. These elements are meant to balance one another and keep any one from overpowering a room or any particular area. Feng shui wind chimes are usually used as such an element in order to introduce either metal or wood to a room or to a home.

A room that is colored in earth tones, such as warm browns or tans, will need a metal element to balance it. If your living room is such a color, this is where the metal element needs to be. Having feng shui wind chimes that are made of metal outside your living room where they are visible to those inside, such as from a porch rafter, is helpful. This is especially true if you purchase feng shui wind chimes that have brightly colored artwork on them, such as beautiful yellow and orange flowers. Those bright colors will offset the warm earth tones of your living room and keep it from feeling overpowering.

If your kitchen is white, which typically resembles water and is a bright, clean color, it can sometimes feel a bit cold and sterile. Introducing the warmth of the wood element with wooden feng shui wind chimes can be done by having them right outside your kitchen, perhaps from a window or the back porch or balcony. Again, if the wood is a nice warm tone or has darker artwork and design to it, this can offset that cold white of the kitchen.

Where Not to Use Your Feng Shui Wind Chimes

As with everything else about feng shui, it’s not just a matter of what you use, but sometimes it’s just as important to leave things out. If your home is busy, noisy, and generally chaotic, then feng shui wind chimes may not be a welcome addition. Also, if you have neighbors that are in close proximity or live in an apartment that doesn’t allow these types of things, then you should also omit them.

Remember, feng shui is about peace and positive energy. You are not going to introduce any of those things into your home and your life by having something around you that is too much noise, that makes your neighbors irritated with you, or that gets you into trouble with your landlord.

The Real Use of Jade in Feng Shui

If you are looking to unleash the power of unlimited energy in your life, have you thought about investigating feng shui? This ancient art and science promises to bring you good health, good luck, prosperity, and boundless vitality and energy.

Which makes people wonder just how much of what they hear about feng shui could possibly be true. How can the art of arranging furniture and de-cluttering your home bring you luck and wealth? Persons do well to think about these things, because there are of course many out there who want to sell you so-called feng shui items, many of which have nothing to do with real feng shui. For example, is there a real use for the element of jade in feng shui? This is a common item you see in Asian cultures, so is there a reason for this? What can jade and feng shui principles do for you, if anything? Let’s take a moment to review just how it was that this element and this ancient practice began to be intertwined.

The History of Jade and Feng Shui Applications

There’s no mistaking the fact that jade is a popular metal element in Asian cultures, particularly in China. In ancient times, jade was abundant, and because of its softness it could easily be shaped into various forms, unlike diamonds and other stones which had to be worked tirelessly in order to be cut and polished.

Using jade in feng shui applications did not happen overnight. True feng shui history does not include the use of jade and does not teach that there is anything special or “magical” about the element itself. However, the value of this element to the Chinese culture is unmistakable. In the long history of the art and culture of the enormous Chinese empire, jade has always had a very special significance, roughly comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West. Jade was used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family.

Jade and Feng Shui Come to the West

When the practice of feng shui began to be introduced to western cultures, it was easy for it to become adulterated, as there were always unscrupulous persons looking to make some easy money from those who didn’t know any better. They realized that they could convince any westerner of the “healing” powers of jade and feng shui, and these unsuspecting persons would rather easily believe them. Jade was known for being a very important element in Chinese culture, as was feng shui, and it was easy for some to believe that the two were intertwined.

However, the real teachings of feng shui don’t include anything special regarding jade. It is not considered “lucky” and doesn’t have special healing powers. If someone were to introduce a metal element into a room, or wanted to add artwork for aesthetic purposes, then using jade in feng shui applications may work that way, but in reality, that is where this stone’s use stops.

 

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