In the Flow: How to Feng Shui Your Apartment
Learn how this traditional technique can be used for apartments and other high-rise buildings
joeyyap
12 July 2018
Joey Yap is the founder of the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics - an education institution for Feng Shui, BaZi, Qi Men Dun Jia, Mian Xiang, Yi Jing, Date Selection and Face Reading.
He is the best-selling author of over 170 book titles published in 7 different languages worldwide and engages with students in more than 37 countries. He has conducted professional consultations for a wide range of clientele from the UK, USA, Canada, France, Germany and all of South East Asia.
Joey Yap is the founder of the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics - an education... More
Can feng shui be used for apartments? After all, classical feng shui was created in a time when buildings were mainly single-storey, with the grandest of them being double-storey. So how can an ancient practice be used for apartments and other high-rise buildings? To answer that, just take a look at a modern country, Hong Kong. It is full of high-rise buildings and also home to many thriving feng shui masters. To me, this is evidence that feng shui can be applied to high-rise buildings.
Although the principles are thousands of years old, they can be applied to any building, be it a farmhouse in the countryside or a loft apartment in the city.
Eliminating negative qi from an apartment
Let’s be honest, if ensuring that positive qi (aka ‘chi’ or life energy) flows throughout the apartment was that easy, what need would we have for feng shui masters? Even the basic feng shui class which I offer takes several months to complete. It’s far easier to ensure that there are no negative forms affecting a property. I will be going through several key internal factors and how to ensure that they’re not harmful to the occupants.
Although the principles are thousands of years old, they can be applied to any building, be it a farmhouse in the countryside or a loft apartment in the city.
Eliminating negative qi from an apartment
Let’s be honest, if ensuring that positive qi (aka ‘chi’ or life energy) flows throughout the apartment was that easy, what need would we have for feng shui masters? Even the basic feng shui class which I offer takes several months to complete. It’s far easier to ensure that there are no negative forms affecting a property. I will be going through several key internal factors and how to ensure that they’re not harmful to the occupants.
For an apartment, the balcony and bedroom are the two most important factors, while the kitchen and the study are also relevant depending on your needs.
Starting point: the balcony
Typically for a landed home, the main door is the starting point of all feng shui analyses, as it’s the qi entryway. When it comes to apartments, however, the main door generally opens to corridors or landings, thus, it’s harder to accumulate qi using that method. Therefore, we focus on the balcony instead.
Generally, the balcony needs to be sunny and uncovered. The room with the balcony should also have a nice open area so that the qi can accumulate before dispersing throughout the unit. Finally, the balcony should not be facing any sharp corners, alleyways, or other sharp or pointy things. Don’t be too worried about forms below or higher than your apartment’s level, however. You’re mainly concerned with objects at eye-level.
Lastly, the balcony should not be directly opposite your apartment’s main door. Otherwise, the qi that enters the apartment flows out immediately. If you have this problem, it can be mitigated by putting a screen in between.
Structures, Screens and Panels to Split Large Spaces
Typically for a landed home, the main door is the starting point of all feng shui analyses, as it’s the qi entryway. When it comes to apartments, however, the main door generally opens to corridors or landings, thus, it’s harder to accumulate qi using that method. Therefore, we focus on the balcony instead.
Generally, the balcony needs to be sunny and uncovered. The room with the balcony should also have a nice open area so that the qi can accumulate before dispersing throughout the unit. Finally, the balcony should not be facing any sharp corners, alleyways, or other sharp or pointy things. Don’t be too worried about forms below or higher than your apartment’s level, however. You’re mainly concerned with objects at eye-level.
Lastly, the balcony should not be directly opposite your apartment’s main door. Otherwise, the qi that enters the apartment flows out immediately. If you have this problem, it can be mitigated by putting a screen in between.
Structures, Screens and Panels to Split Large Spaces
The bedroom for relationships and health
Another place of importance in your apartment is your bedroom. This place governs your health and relationships. If it’s in good shape, the person or people using that bedroom will rarely fall ill and will enjoy a good relationship with friends, family, colleagues and sometimes significant others. If it’s affected by bad qi though, the occupant generally will have constant illnesses, disputes and disagreements.
The main feature of the bedroom is the bed. When positioning a bed in the bedroom, here are several things you need to ensure:
Another place of importance in your apartment is your bedroom. This place governs your health and relationships. If it’s in good shape, the person or people using that bedroom will rarely fall ill and will enjoy a good relationship with friends, family, colleagues and sometimes significant others. If it’s affected by bad qi though, the occupant generally will have constant illnesses, disputes and disagreements.
The main feature of the bedroom is the bed. When positioning a bed in the bedroom, here are several things you need to ensure:
- The bedhead is against a solid wall. Sleeping is a yin activity, so the bed should be in a place where the qi is stable. By putting it against the wall, it creates a solid and stable foundation.
- The bed’s foot end is not pointing towards a door. If the bed is facing the door, the qi that rushes in hits the bed immediately instead of having time to spread out peacefully throughout the room. That creates instability for the bed’s energies.
- There is nothing hanging above the bed. Anything hanging over the bed, including beams, suppresses qi; this leads to a lack of positive energy.
- The ceiling above the bed is straight and solid, with no exposed beams.
5. The bedroom isn’t too messy; a messy bedroom means that qi cannot flow well around the room.
6. If there is a mirror in the bedroom, make sure it cannot reflect sunlight onto the bed. Sunlight is yang energy, so if it’s reflected by the mirror onto the bed, the bed absorbs yang energy, which clashes with the yin energy of sleep.
7. There is no water feature, such as an aquarium or a water fountain, in the bedroom. Glasses of drinking water are fine. Water features are yang energy activators. If we activate the yang energy in the bedroom, which is supposed to be full of yin energy, there will be a clash.
A clash or instability leads to sleep issues and relationship problems. If the qi is suppressed or is unable to flow, the occupant will be unable to benefit from qi.
They style and colour of your bed plays no significance in feng shui so go ahead and get that a double-decker purple bed if that’s your fancy.
6. If there is a mirror in the bedroom, make sure it cannot reflect sunlight onto the bed. Sunlight is yang energy, so if it’s reflected by the mirror onto the bed, the bed absorbs yang energy, which clashes with the yin energy of sleep.
7. There is no water feature, such as an aquarium or a water fountain, in the bedroom. Glasses of drinking water are fine. Water features are yang energy activators. If we activate the yang energy in the bedroom, which is supposed to be full of yin energy, there will be a clash.
A clash or instability leads to sleep issues and relationship problems. If the qi is suppressed or is unable to flow, the occupant will be unable to benefit from qi.
They style and colour of your bed plays no significance in feng shui so go ahead and get that a double-decker purple bed if that’s your fancy.
Other health zones
While we’re on the topic of health, the kitchen also plays a role in feng shui, but only if it’s used regularly. For people who always eat out, or bring home takeaway, the kitchen is not of importance. However, if your family does cook regularly, try to ensure that the stove is not next to the sink, or is directly opposite the sink or door. It should also be against the wall, not at an island.
The stove is a fire element object that should be kept stable, so that cooked food can contain positive qi which leads to better health in the family. For stability, the stove should be against the wall, not in a centre island, as if it’s in the centre, it will be affected by qi from all eight directions. Similarly, if it’s opposite the door, it gets hit by qi rushing in, leading to instability.
As a fire element object, it cannot be placed next to or opposite a water element object, as fire and water clash with one another. Thus, it should not be placed next to or opposite a sink.
If the stove is unstable or has an element clash, it could lead to health problems in the family.
While we’re on the topic of health, the kitchen also plays a role in feng shui, but only if it’s used regularly. For people who always eat out, or bring home takeaway, the kitchen is not of importance. However, if your family does cook regularly, try to ensure that the stove is not next to the sink, or is directly opposite the sink or door. It should also be against the wall, not at an island.
The stove is a fire element object that should be kept stable, so that cooked food can contain positive qi which leads to better health in the family. For stability, the stove should be against the wall, not in a centre island, as if it’s in the centre, it will be affected by qi from all eight directions. Similarly, if it’s opposite the door, it gets hit by qi rushing in, leading to instability.
As a fire element object, it cannot be placed next to or opposite a water element object, as fire and water clash with one another. Thus, it should not be placed next to or opposite a sink.
If the stove is unstable or has an element clash, it could lead to health problems in the family.
How about your career or academics? If you work from home regularly, or if you are a student or have children studying, then the place where you study or work is also important. Basically, the worker or student should be sitting with their back facing a solid wall. Preferably, they should also be facing the door when they’re working or studying, as a person studying or working would do better if they have a yin backing behind them, in this case, a solid wall. This represents the support the person would need when advancing in their work and studies. If they face the door, they would have the yang energy in front of them. Having yang in front and yin behind is an ideal situation.
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We're currently building a tiny house on wheels and are about to design the kitchen and work area. I'll be keeping these thoughts in mind as we advance. Thanks
Just about to try and move my bed in the master, which currently faces the door. I may even move into my spare room after reading this! Need a general tidy up. Also explains why I prefer working at a table on my couch in the sunroom, to working at my two desks, both desks are under windows, but my real work area has a solid wall behind me! Thanks!