For anyone interested in the practice of feng shui, understanding how to use the bagua map in your home is key to aligning the energies of fortune and abundance—the constantly flowing life energy that is all around us and within us. Working with feng shui and this energy of abundance is a way to heal and amplify your health, finances, family, relationships, and overall happiness in any aspect of your life on which you choose to focus your energy.

At MOTIV, we implement the practice of feng shui in every project and offer consultations to anyone who would like to balance the energy in their space. Today, we’re explaining the bagua map and how to use it in your home. 

What is the Bagua Map?

Think of this as a chakra system for your home. It is based on predictable patterns and energy relationships that have been studied and proven over thousands of years throughout the history of feng shui. As we move through life growing and changing, we tend to touch on the different areas of our lives one at a time, in a cyclical pattern.

“Ba” “gua” translates to “eight sided,” and a specific area or side of your home is referred to as a “gua.” The bagua map is a grid of nine sections: one central square surrounded by eight other squares or “guas,” and the bagua map is your home’s overall energy footprint. You can lay this grid over your home’s floor plan to better understand where these different energy centers are naturally located in your home.

You’ll want to align the bagua map with the front of your home and lay it over the floor plan. Then, you’ll be able to determine which areas of your home affect the energy for that area of your life. 

Our needs for each area of the bagua map shift and move, and our life moves in seasons just like the natural rhythms of nature. This means you can revisit this bagua map every new year, after a major life change (such as marriage, divorce, or a death in the family), or really as often as you’d like support with your goals and soul journey ahead.

If you’re feeling stuck or stagnant, like you just can’t move your life forward, this is a great way to get the energy moving. Additionally, if you’re feeling overwhelmed because things are moving too fast and you need to feel more grounded and safe, this is an excellent tool to achieve that balance.

The bagua map is your new best friend and your key to working with the energy in your home.

Understanding Each Gua

In the center is your primary gua, or “side”, of Health and Wellbeing. It is represented by the Earth element, which is all about feeling grounded and safe—and this area holds the energy of balance and harmony. If you only have time to focus on one area, this is where you’ll want to begin.

There are four secondary guas that align with the four directions: 

• Front and center is your Life Purpose and Career gua, which is represented by the Water element and holds the energy of journeys and new beginnings. 

• At the back of your home is the Fame and Reputation gua, which is represented by the element of Fire and holds the energy of outward recognition. This is about how you shine your light in the world, for your own happiness and the greatest good of the planet and all beings upon it.

• We have the Creativity and Children gua, which is represented by the element of Metal and holds the energy of pleasure, play, and offspring. This gua can also be deeply tied to your career if you work in a more creative field.

• We have your Family and Community gua, which is represented by the element of Wood—lots of growth energy here. This gua holds the energy of your foundations and support systems and is all about interconnectivity.

I recommend starting first with the primary gua, then the four secondary guas, and then moving on to the tertiary guas once you feel aligned. 

• Knowledge and Wisdom, an Earth element energy, is all about individuation and self-inquiry. If you’re on a journey of doing deep work and looking within, seeking new truths and experiences, this gua should be a focus for you. 

• We have Helpful People, Friends, and Travel represented by the Metal element. This gua holds the energy of spiritual community, guidance, and synchronicities.

• Love and Relationships is another Earth element gua, representing trust, commitment, receptivity, and nurturing.

• Finally, we have the Wealth and Prosperity gua, which is represented by the Wood element. This gua represents your openness to receiving abundance.

How To Shift the Energy in a Gua

The bagua map is just one of the tools of feng shui to align the energy in your home and is really helpful if you need guidance on how to shift the energy in a gua. If you have an area of your life or home that you would like to begin shifting right now, you can hone in on that specific space and begin to incorporate items that hold the energy of where you’d like to be and how you’d like to feel. Here are a few clear steps to take to begin the process. Grab a pencil and paper, and let’s dive in. 

1. Write out the specific outcomes you’d like to see come to fruition. You can choose a long-term or short-term goal, but pick a soul destination that is within reason but still challenges you and gets you excited when you think about it.

2. Tap into how you want to feel in this future moment by writing down your desired outcomes and feelings, then begin to think about what you can bring in to embody that energy. Personal items you have an emotional connection to are the best; photographs and imagery are incredibly powerful. Feel free to grab more than one, as you may need a few to shift your energy. 

3. Check your bagua map and see what gua your goal falls within. Once you do, you will want to align that space in your home with feng shui best practices, such as decluttering, to bring the right balance of those five elements into your gua. 

So, let’s say you have fallen off the exercise wagon and you want to lose a little weight to feel more confident giving presentations at work. To accomplish this, you’d like to set the intention of working out three days a week for 90 days.  

It’s a reasonable goal that may feel challenging. Now, ask yourself how you will feel after achieving that goal in 90 days. You’re going to feel amazing, which will translate into crushing it at the next board meeting! That feeling of being lit up inside is what we are tapping into, especially when the going gets tough. 

In this example, you would want to focus on your Health and Wellbeing area and your Life Purpose and Career area. In the Health and Wellbeing area, you want to make sure that you incorporate the Earth element. This could be a beautiful piece of earth-toned pottery or incorporating earth tones into the design to create a really grounding place for you to have an exercise area. 

Next, in the Life Purpose and Career area, you would want to make sure that you incorporate the water element. This could be in the form of crystals, glass, or free-flowing forms like abstract art or sculpture. Black and white figure studies are a favorite of mine. 

Also, set yourself up for success on a practical level. What can support you on this journey, this new beginning? Perhaps, if your front door is in this area, you could keep your gym bag there so you see it in the morning and grab it on the way out. 

It’s All About Setting Your Intentions

During this process, remember that you are creating space for your vision to come into your physical reality on this earth and expressing it through your home. Just as your therapist or coach would encourage you to take control of your mindset to achieve your goals, applying the same level of intention to your home and the energy around you will empower you to bring your vision to life. 

The ancient practice of feng shui requires a nuanced and layered approach to ensure it is done correctly. If you’re ready to align the energy in your home and curate a space designed to support your vision, please check out our Feng Shui Design Consultation. This signature solution is the perfect step for creating balance and better energy flow in your home and is available virtually and in person. Schedule your connection call today and let’s begin.