Why are mirrors used so often in Feng Shui?
What are the rules in Feng Shui concerning mirrors?
Are there any types of mirrors I shouldn't use?
Are there any places that I shouldn't use mirrors?
What size of mirror should I use?
Different Feng Shui schools seem to say different things about mirrors. What should I be doing?
Why are mirrors used so often in Feng Shui?
The Chinese actually invented the mirror hundreds of years before we in the West had started to use them. But in many cultures in the mirror is considered a magical item. In a mirror we can see our reflection, it's reflective surface bounces light, and it allows us to see behind us. For these and other reasons the mirror is used in Feng Shui today.
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What are the rules in Feng Shui concerning mirrors?
In Feng Shui we place a mirror to move energy (by reflecting light). We use it to reflect and give us a view of another part of the room. And we use it to reflect ourselves. Keeping this in mind the rules are pretty easy to remember.
Place the mirror where you want to add more light, and it will add more energy. You would want to add energy and light to a dark hallway so a mirror at the end of the hallway would add light and energy. But you wouldn't want to add energy and light to your filing cabinets so you wouldn't place mere across from your filing which would just cause you to do more work.
You can use a mirror to reflect another part of the room. In this case we use it when a desk or bed cannot be placed in the ideal spot (where the person can see the door). The mirror reflects the energy and helps the person sit or sleep more comfortably. But you wouldn't want to place the mirror where reflects something you don't want to see such as a view of the toilet from the hallway.
Finally we used mirror to reflect ourselves. This allows us to see ourselves more clearly and for this reason we choose mirrors that are solid, not broken into tiles.
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Are there any types of mirrors I shouldn't use?
There are a couple of types of mirrors that should not be used, the number one being a broken mirror. A broken mirror here in the West represents seven years of bad luck but in addition the view from such a mirror is cracked and distorted, symbolizing a distorted view of our self.
There are only two shapes of mirrors not to use. The first is rare to find in a home. It is the coffin shaped mirror. The other shape is more common; the headstone shape. It's an elongated arch shape and is often used in bathrooms or in hallways. When you look at yourself in a tombstone shaped mirror you're actually seeing yourself on the tombstone which is not considered good for health.
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Are there any places that I shouldn't use mirrors?
Mirrors can be used most everywhere and there are only a few places that we recommend against mirrors. The most common difficult placement for a mirror that we see in homes today is a mirror in the entryway directly across from the front door. A mirror placed directly across from the front door will take the energy that you worked so hard to attract and bounce it right back out the front door. This will cause you to work harder and receive less.
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What size of mirror should I use?
The purpose of the mirror will help indicate the size that is best for your situation. Protection mirrors can be quite small, even as small as 2 1/2 inches across. Generally a four to six inch protection mirror is sufficient. If the mirror is both a decorative item as well as a Feng Shui cure then the size is a consideration. If a person can see their whole head in the mirror then it is important to place the mirror so the tallest member of the family can see his or her whole head. However if the mirror is small and decorative and smaller than a person's head then it can be placed most anywhere.
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Different Feng Shui schools seem to say different things about mirrors. What should I be doing?
Sometimes people find it confusing because different schools of Feng Shui seem to conflict on some of their information. China is a large place in different schools of thought emerged in different areas. But all schools of Feng Shui are valid and the information is useful just as different schools of martial arts are valid. Like kung fu and tai chi, they are both good systems they just cannot be combined.
When placing a mirror first trust yourself and put it where it looks right to you. Notice how it feels and what happens to you over the course of the next few days. If you're not getting the results that you want consider placing the mirror somewhere else. By the same token if you find Feng Shui rules that conflict choose the one you're most comfortable with and try that. It is better to try and see what happens then to do nothing.
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