The principles of feng shui can be used to design spaces that are conducive to our growth and well-being. In many respects, it boils down to establishing a connection to the rhythms of the natural world so that we can live in concordance with the environment that surrounds us. Plants are a good place to start if you want to change the energy of a room, whether it's your bedroom, your kitchen, or your home office, according to the principles of feng shui.
How the Plants Represent in Feng Shui
It would appear that everyone these days, including those who practice feng shui, has a soft spot in their heart for indoor plants. According to feng shui, they are emblematic of expansion, fresh starts, and vitality. In the system of the five elements, they are also representative of the wood element. Being responsible for the well-being of another living being and witnessing its development can impart a wealth of knowledge regarding empathy, generosity, abundance, and the natural world.
What Your Office Space Symbolizes According to Feng Shui
According to feng shui, your place of business is a reflection of your professional life. This is the case regardless of whether you perform your duties in an office located outside of your home or from the comfort of your own home (or both). This indicates that your home office is generally a good place to start when you want to work in order to support either your career or your work life.
If you work from a shared office or a co-working space where you do not have a dedicated desk, it is a good idea to create a permanent workspace in your home as well. If you work from a shared office or a co-working space, however, you do have a dedicated desk.
This communicates to the universe that you are intent on establishing a successful professional path for yourself. Even if you don't have enough room in your house for a dedicated office, you should still try your best to carve out an area that you can use as a workspace. Although it would be ideal to have a separate room with a door, it is important to make do with what you have available. If all you can do to make a permanent office out of your home is to claim a corner of your kitchen, then do that!
How to Use Plants in Your Home Office
Using the feng shui bagua to determine where to put plants in your home office is one way to make plants work for you. Depending on what you want to cultivate, you can place a plant in a specific area of the bagua. In the event that you are not familiar with the bagua, it is a conceptual map that can be laid out over a space.
It has various areas that correspond to various facets of life. As a first step, place the bagua on the surface of your working space or desk. Consult with a feng shui expert if you are unsure how to arrange the bagua. This is an important step in the process.
Next, decide on a particular facet of your professional life that you feel is most important to concentrate on at this time, and place an indoor plant in the bagua area that corresponds to that facet.
New Beginnings Area
In Chinese, this region is referred to as Zhen, and it is associated with new beginnings as well as family. If you want support beginning new projects or launching a new business, this is a great area to activate in your home office so that you can get the support you need.
Wealth Area
Home offices are frequently located in the region of the bagua known as Xun, which represents wealth and abundance. Put a plant in this spot if you want to see gradual but consistent improvement in your financial situation. Activating this region can be helpful if you want to work on truly recognising your own worthiness because it is connected to how you value yourself; therefore, activating this region can be supportive if you want to work on truly valuing yourself.
Fame Area
It is possible that it would be a good idea for you to activate the fame area if you are experiencing feelings of being overlooked at work or if you are working on a business project that would benefit from more visibility. This region is known as Li, and in addition to being connected to recognition, it is also associated with the element of fire. Because plants are a representation of the wood element, which provides fuel for the fire of recognition, having a plant in this particular location can be very helpful.
Relationships Area
In Chinese, this region is referred to as Kun, and it is most commonly known for its association with love and romantic partnerships. Nevertheless, it is also connected to partnerships and relationships in the business world. If you want support as you embark on a joint venture, or if you want to bring on a new business partner, this might be a helpful location for a plant to be in.
Completion Area
On the bagua, Completion, also known as Dui, is located directly opposite New Beginnings. It's not uncommon for new projects to be very simple to initiate, but significantly more challenging to see through to completion. Activating the completion area of the bagua by placing a plant there might be helpful if you have a lot of trouble with this particular aspect of the bagua.
Helpful People Area
One of the areas of the bagua, which is referred to as Qian, is associated with travelling, helpful people, and benefactors. If you feel like you could use more assistance from helpful people when it comes to your work, you may want to place a plant in the Qian position in your home office. This can help attract more assistance.
Career Area
In addition, the bagua contains a sector known as the Kan, which is associated with your chosen line of work and overall life path. This is an excellent location for a plant if you want to increase the number of career opportunities available to you or gain clarity on the appropriate career path for you moving forward.
Knowledge Area
In Chinese, the portion of the bagua that deals with one's skills and knowledge is referred to as the Gen. If you want to make progress in cultivating the skills and knowledge that you use in your work, activating this area can be of great assistance to you. If you have been working in your field for a considerable amount of time and want to expand upon the knowledge you already possess, or if you are switching careers and want to cultivate a new skill set, you can activate this section of the site.
How to Pick the Right Plant and Take Care of It
It is essential to give the plant you've selected for your home office the attention and care it needs once you've made your selection. First things first, check to see if whatever it is you've chosen will be able to flourish in the environment you've selected. A plant that is unhealthy and unable to thrive as a result of insufficient exposure to sunlight or humidity will not contribute the same amount of positive qi (energy) to your working environment as a plant that is healthy and able to flourish. Do some research on the requirements your plant has, and provide it with the appropriate care. Choose something simple to care for like a pothos, peperomia, or spider plant if you are a beginner in the world of plant parenting and are concerned about your ability to keep a plant alive.