How To Use A Feng Shui Bagua Map In Your House Or Apartment

Applying feng shui principles to high-traffic areas like your bedroom, living space, or home office can have positive and reverberating effects throughout your life. Feng shui is all about balancing different elements such as wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, and ying with yang. The bagua map (which translates to "eight trigrams" in Chinese) is an important tool for creating this kind of harmony and balance throughout a space.

A bagua map is used to divide your space into nine separate areas—each one relating to a certain theme. The center square of the bagua is considered the heart of the home, where the energy is distributed to all the different sectors. 

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. I like to use this method in apartments since they generally are not exposed to the elements like houses are. Chances are that when you're looking straight across your apartment from the front door, you're looking at a sunny spot—so it would make sense that that's where the reputation gua, which is ruled by fire (more on that below), would fall. I prefer to use the compass method for houses that are surrounded by land and have more access to the elements.

Align the bottom of the bagua map with your front entrance wall. Your front door will most likely be in the knowledge and self-cultivation area, career area, or helpful people area. 

Alternatively, you can also calculate your bagua map (and some associated tips for each area) online.

Once you organize your space into a bagua map, you can tackle the sections that relate to your goals outside of the home. For example, if you're hoping to bring more financial abundance into your life, you can add some plants to your wealth and prosperity area. Here's what you need to know about every section of the bagua map and how to bring more of its energy into your life:

Abundance

The southeast area of your house or the rear left corner if you're using the front door method.

Wood

Healthy plants, the colors blue and green.

Acclaim

The southern area of your house or the rear middle section if you're using the front door method.

Fire

Candles, fiery colors like red or burgundy, fireplaces, triangular shapes, summery décor.

Passion

The southwest area of your house or rear right corner if you're using the front door method. 

Earth and Fire

Red, pink, orange, burgundy, and yellow tones. Accessories and small furniture should be in pairs.

Play and the creative process.

The western area of your house or middle right section if you're using the front door method.

Metal

Playful, pastel kid-friendly decor. The colors white, metal, and gold.

Nourishment and support.

The eastern area of your house or middle left section if you're using the front door method.

Wood

Wood furniture and objects. Healthy plants and flowers. Green and blue tones and tall, thick stripe patterns. 

Wisdom

The northeast area of your home or the bottom left corner if you're using the front door method.

Earth and Water

An altar and calming features like floor pillows, candles, crystals, and photos of people that inspire you (dead or alive, famous or not—people who have your best interest in mind). The colors dark blue, black, cream, taupe, yellow, beige. 

Work

The northern section of your home or the bottom area if you're using the front door method.

Water

Dark colors, mirrors, asymmetrical shapes, paintings of water, a water feature.

Mentorship and networks.

The northwest corner of your home or the bottom right corner if you're using the front door method.

Metal

Round, metallic objects, globes, maps, and electronics. 

Foundation

The very center of your space.

Earth

The center really plays a supporting role to all the other guas in your home. You can decorate it with earth tones and calming decor.