Q & A: are plants in the bedroom “good Feng Shui”?

Q: “can you have plants in the bedroom? is there any room in the house that you shouldn’t put plants? you mention orchids a lot for Feng Shui, but if you’re not a fan of orchids what else could you use in their place?”

A: if you have a plant (or plants) in the bedroom but sleep well and feel great overall, i would not change a single thing. (i don’t prescribe to shui for the sake of *good shui* only.)

however, if your sleep quality could use improvement or you’re restless at night, i would look for “yang” contributors in the bedroom. in yin/yang, yang is like a verb – creative and active – “yanking” up our energy. and in a bedroom, too much yang will interfere with the yin attributes – still and quiet – of rest and relaxation. plants are energy enhancers (yang) and when placed in a bedroom, they are sometimes the culprit behind sleep problems.

if i suspect there is too much yang energy afoot in a client’s bedroom, i would suggest…

replacing larger plants for smaller ones – size contributes to the energetic currency, so a smaller plant might be all the remedy necessary.

or, using imagery of a wooded landscape, fertile field, or tall trees instead of plants – this gives the bedroom a lively spark without the nighttime interruption.

as for what kind of plants? i don’t want to be too prescriptive because i would LOVE for you to go with what you LOVE instead of what you think is *right.* so, here’s what i would discourage – anything with thorns (this creates sha chi). anything that gives off too strong a fragrance – which can be overstimulating. and anything that feels high maintenance — especially if you don’t have a green thumb. otherwise, you might let the plant wilt and linger – and that’s not the quality of energy we want to fall asleep and wake up to on the daily. xo