By Kathryn Weber
There’s one image that gives you support at work and represents wealth, resources, strength and support and that image is a mountain. Mountains, whether images, real, such as the Rocky Mountains or Himalayas, or symbolic, such as a screen, all give support in feng shui. This is a critical concept in feng shui because without support, there is struggle and a feeling of rolling a boulder up, well, a mountain.
Support from behind
The idea of being supported makes a lot of sense when you think about it. If you sat on a stool all day, your back would ache. But when you have a comfortable and high-backed office chair, you are supported and can work longer and more effectively at your job.
The same is true in your home.
Having a support at the rear of the house symbolizes the black tortoise, a celestial creature that provides support and adds vigor and longevity to your life and home, helping to protect you from unpleasant surprises and misfortune. The black tortoise is represented by a slight rise at the rear of your home, supporting your home, much like the tall back on an executive chair supports you as you work.
Bedroom and Offices
In your bedroom, the mountain is symbolized by a solid wall behind your bed and headboard. The same is true when you are seated at a desk. Even if the direction that your head will point as you sleep or the direction you look while seated at your desk may not be your most auspicious according to your KUA directions, it’s always better to have a solid wall of support behind you rather than try to favor your personal directions.
New mountains
While it’s not always possible to have a rise at the rear of your property, tall buildings can be a good replacement for mountain support. Tall buildings are a good mountain substitute and symbolize modern support according to Lillian Too. The same is true if the home that’s behind yours and is taller than your own home. If the land slopes away from your home, be sure to read my article about homes built on a slope. Other stand-ins for mountains include large shrubs or tall trees.
Adding mountain support
Rear slope — If your home doesn’t have mountain support behind it and it slopes away, you can simulate the mountain support by building a stone wall, planting a row of five trees behind your house or building an earthen berm and then planting large shrubs or trees atop the berm.
Bed lacking support — In your home, if the only wall you can place your bed has a window, consider adding a tall screen or headboard and heavy drapes behind your bed. This will help to provide added support. Sleeping without support can leave you feeling drained, like you always have to “go it alone,” or prevent you from getting full and complete rest at night.
Career support — For an office that has windows behind the desk, adding a screen will help create support behind your desk. Screens are easy to construct and will provide a solid feeling behind you as you work. Add rounded tops to mimic the soft edges of an old mountain.
Mountain imagery
Another helpful way to bring more support to your life, and the ease that comes with it in the form of recognition, help from others, and a feeling of optimism, is to add an image of a mountain to your home or office. You can also help your career by selecting a mountain image to hang behind you at work.
Selecting mountain images
An auspicious mountain image will show the mountain prominently. A mountain at a great distance with a valley below or anything prominently in the foreground is not considered auspicious, but rather a close-up image is preferred.
The mountain should also not include any other features such as waterfalls, lakes or rivers, as these diminish the effect and strength of the mountain. Place verdant green mountain images in the south, east or southeast to enhance these corners. If the mountain is brown or orange, such as a desert type mountain, place these images in the northeast, southwest, west or northwest. Strongly pointed peaks are not considered good fortune, so forgo these images.
