In feng shui, there are a lot of ways you can use mirrors to your advantage. Some of the most popular ways are to reflect a beautiful view, add more light to your room, or make the room look larger. But equally important are the ways not to use mirrors, or the feng shui mirror don’ts.
The tips below cover some of the ways that mirrors are displayed that are considered bad feng shui and that could create more problems for your home and life.
1. Never reflect the door.
A mirror should never be placed opposite a door or entrance. When they are, health and wealth can be drained and opportunity pushed out the door.
This is true of a residence or a business.
Mirrors placed at the back of a store will draw more business in, but they should not be seen from the front of the store.
There was once a bakery that had mirrors lining the back walls of the store that went out of business. Passersby on the street in front of the bakery could see the cars and people passing in the walls at the back of the store.
Afterward, more bakeries and restaurants followed, and also went out of business. Finally, the mirrors were removed at the back wall, and the new bakery that moved in has been there for over five years.
Check reflections from multiple directions.
Mirrors should not reflect a bathroom or a front door, but you may not even know they are unless you take in all the views.
As an example, a house had a mirror over the fireplace that was opposite the front door, but only when you went to the second floor that was open to the living area could you tell that the mirror was reflecting the door.
Be sure to check your mirrors from a variety of locations to ensure they don’t reflect the door, bathroom, or kitchen.
2. Never reflect the bed.
When a bed is reflected in a mirror it can cause insomnia and restlessness. It can also double the number of people in the room, and in feng shui thought, that could mean relationship restlessness, and that could lead to infidelity.
3. Don’t reflect a fireplace or stove.
Fire is the element of joy and helps us to stay warm and cook our food. However, reflected fire can introduce too much fire energy and that can cause anxiety, fatigue, and anger.
That’s why it’s best to avoid placing mirrors to reflect the stove (a common feng shui recommendation that can cause problems), the kitchen, or a fireplace.
4. Avoid using mirror tiles or sets.
A solid mirror is great feng shui, but mirror sets that are hung with space in between look like the image of what is being reflected is being cut, so it’s best to avoid these.
5. Never place mirrors at the end of a hallway.
Mirrors hung on a wall in a hallway are positive for slowing energy down and brightening a darkened space, but they should not be placed at the end of a hallway.
Placed at the end of a hallway, mirrors often become distorted from a distance and add a creepy feeling. They can also be disarming to see a reflection of a person as you pass from one room to the next or when you see your image at night.
6. Avoid placing mirrors at the top or bottom of stairs.
Whether placed at the top of the stairs or at the bottom, placing mirrors at either end of a staircase will be cutting off the image of a person and can be disorienting. At the bottom, they will cut off the image of the person coming down the stairs. At the top of the stairs, a mirror can push energy back down the stairs.
7. Never use feng shui mirrors.
Pa Kua, bagua, or feng shui mirrors are often sold in feng shui shops. However, these mirrors emit strong energy and should not be displayed without the guidance of a qualified feng shui professional, and even then, only in very specific instances. Displaying these mirrors can often create bad luck for those who put them up, so it’s best to avoid them.