THE BEDROOM IN FENG SHUI
The bedroom is one of the key rooms of any home. As our place of rest, its main job is to replenish us with fresh energy, or Qi. If we cannot find a balanced source of energy during sleep, health problems and other imbalances can appear.
When we talk about the bedroom in feng shui, we are talking about one of the most important rooms in a home — the space that represents our place of rest, whose main function is to supply us with new energy, or Qi. The basic problem is that if we do not find a balanced source of energy during the sleep phase, health problems and other imbalances may follow. Let us look at several points worth considering about this room.
The head of the bed and the Black Turtle
If we consider the functions of the body's organs, the skull is surely one of the most important areas — the seat of the highest energy centre in the subtle physiology. From a feng shui point of view, the head should rest in a solid, well-grounded area, free of disturbance. So avoid placing your head over an empty zone, such as an open door, a corridor, a passageway or any unsupported spot. Think of how it feels to stand with your back close to a cliff edge and you will see that your nervous system stays on constant alert. To rest, we must escape states of stress, and alertness is a yang activity, wholly opposed to the yin state of relaxation we seek in sleep.
In short, you should not have to worry about movement in the area behind your head while you rest: that place calls for support and complete stability, both physical — in terms of form — and energetic, as we will see later.
Electromagnetic pollution in the bedroom
A very common problem in bedrooms is wiring that runs from side to side between the sockets, right behind the head of the bed — and therefore behind our head. The skull is extremely sensitive to electrical pulses, and wiring so close can generate an electric or magnetic field that disturbs the normal functions of sleep. You should therefore avoid having the electrical run at the same height as, or close to, your head. Where the problem already exists, the best current solution — short of major building work — is a mains demand switch (a “bedside disconnector”), which cuts the electrical potential when no power is being used during the night. If you can plan the wiring from the design stage, keep the electrical run away from the head of the bed. When in doubt, it is best to take electric- and magnetic-field readings with a professional meter.
The same advice extends to nearby appliances: radio alarm clocks, active mobile phones on the bedside table, wireless routers left on, halogen lamps and other devices that can generate electromagnetic pollution. Remember the mental quiet you feel when sleeping in natural spaces free of artificial electrical radiation.
Proper ventilation for sleep
Another point of great importance is the quality of the air where we sleep. Some people are in the habit of sealing the bedroom tightly, and at some point in the night this brings on a mild hypoxia. On waking, the symptoms can be mental dullness, headache, poor rest, puffiness and a feeling that a goods train has run over you. The importance of this point cannot be overstated.
While it is true that we should not be exposed to draughts blowing directly on the body, it is equally true that we should not rest in a stagnant place. One of the most important physiological principles of yoga and meditation is the correct oxygenation of the bloodstream; so do not practise a kind of “reverse yoga” in your bedroom for want of proper ventilation. In some places you can find CO2 meters for studying the air quality of a room, which can give a more scientific view of the problem.
Mirrors in the bedroom
This is a question that comes up again and again in feng shui talks, since mirrors hold an almost magical fascination for many people. Some authors say that when the “subtle body” detaches from the physical body during sleep, seeing itself reflected in a mirror gives it something like a shock; most likely this explanation has no solid basis. So what influence does a mirror have in the bedroom? The first thing to consider is that a mirror is a reflective surface, in feng shui much like a virtual window: the feeling it brings is one of depth, like a lake of water. In the bedroom we usually seek security, stability and firm support — qualities closer to the earth element — and from that point of view, too much “virtual water” is not advisable.
Mirrors can also worsen the reflection of electromagnetic fields, because of the metal used in their backing. It is easy to see that an uncontrolled scattering of electromagnetic waves is not helpful in a place of rest, especially if there are DECT phones at home, Wi-Fi, or a mobile-phone mast nearby. So as far as possible, avoid having mirrors in the bedroom that are in line with the view of the bed; this advice will help you keep a calmer, more stable space.
Television in the bedroom
Another recurring topic! Is it good to have a television in the bedroom? The answer depends on several factors. First, rule out the electromagnetic-radiation problems that can turn a sleeping area into an unhealthy place. If the television is far enough from the bed and that problem is solved, the next question is the impact of what we watch on the quality of our sleep.
There is nothing wrong with using this virtual screen to enjoy a good film, a documentary or a programme that interests us. But we should ask ourselves whether we use it to escape an inner emptiness, a lack of communication with our partner, laziness in our own personal search, or other things. Bear in mind that, at the moment of falling asleep, the psychological pattern left imprinted on the mind matters greatly. If you go to bed watching unpleasant news, a bloodthirsty film or images that take you away from your soul, television will certainly not help you drift into sleep. If you have the discipline to use it sensibly at certain times, we could not always call it bad feng shui; but if it becomes the star of your intimate space, you should consider cultivating other habits, since the way we enter sleep matters greatly to our physical, mental and spiritual health.
A good yin energy
In general terms, a bedroom is regarded as a yin space. Here we should avoid being continually exposed to unbalanced yang situations. If we simply want to rest well, our space should not be exposed to loud colours, large scattering surfaces (mirrors), constant noise, electromagnetic pollution, draughts on the body, or ground disturbed on a telluric level — underground water veins beneath the bed, energy crossings, and so on. We might also count digestion as a yang activity, so do not go to bed having swallowed a whole ox: it is not a strict feng shui rule, but it is worth mentioning.
The end result of building up a disturbed yang environment can be illness. Yin, too, can cause imbalances: stagnant objects, stale air, excess damp, very dark colours and objects in poor condition all generate Sha Qi.
Try to make your resting space simple and welcoming. The décor should be sparing, peaceful and cheerful; as for colours, you can lean towards neutral tones (neither too warm nor too cold).
If you go through these points one by one, you will find many useful ways to improve your health during sleep. A further step is to use meditative techniques to enter the sleep phase free of psychic burdens or mental stress, which will help your rest and your sleep decisively through the night.
Related: Electromagnetic Pollution · Mirrors in Feng Shui · Yin and Yang. For a professional study of your home, see our Feng Shui course.
