Feng Shui For A Bedroom With Poison Arrows

May 3, 2013 | Feng Shui 101

feng shui bedroom

In your bedroom, you want to eliminate as much bad juju as possible.  While you can get away with less-than-awesome things happening in some other parts of your home, your bedroom is the room of rejuvenation and it requires nothing less than total awesomeness!  The good news: every space can be improved.  And most every space can be improved relatively easily!

A reader reached out with three options in mind to fix a poison arrow in his bedroom that was keeping him from sleeping well.  What is a poison arrow?  Sharp points, edges or other energetic “points” that impede the energy of a space.  Sharp corners are a big culprit.  Lets see what we can do here!

He writes:

” I’ve recently moved into a new place and have been trouble sleeping, which I’m assuming is because of the poison arrow that faces my bed.  If you take a look at the attached pictures you’ll notice that my bed faces the window and is diagonal of the entry doorway (all good things I think), but close to the entry doorway is a poison arrow that is in line with my bed (it’s the sharp corner from a wall endpoint close to the doorway).  I have a couple of options that I was thinking about in order to remedy this situation and wanted to gather your expert opinion.
1) Find a rounded/padded material that stretches the length of this poison arrow from floor to ceiling and place over the sharp edge
2) Place a 3 foot rod diagonally from the poison arrow to the wall aside from it, then hang a decorative piece of fabric that hides this area
3) Move my bed.  This would entail switching places with my bed and dresser drawers, so that my headboard is now under the 2 hanging pictures.  That way I’d be out of the line of the poison arrow, but I would no longer be able to see the entry doorway.
So I guess my dilemma is, move my bed but not able to see the entry doorway OR somehow hide the poison arrow.”

 

Here is my answer: 
feng shui bedroom
Feng shui “cures” to problems are only successful in my mind if they don’t look out of place.  By putting a padded cushion on the angle of your wall in this beautiful room, you will likely grow more irritated by the sight of it.
feng shui bedroom

I’m not sure that moving your bed would be a good option, since that seems to move you closer to the bathroom, or, if you move “toward” the door you will be enhancing imbalance in the space.  The bed should be as symmetrical as possible on a wall in an irregularly shaped (though very attractive) bedroom like yours.

fengshui bedroom

Right now, your bed seems well “seated” on the wall.

But here’s what I would do to “cure” the arrow, as well as other instantly noticeable imbalances.

1. The carpet goes under your bed, and oriented to fit squarely under it, so that you are grounded in the space.

2. Another lamp will help you feel more balanced, on the other nightstand.

3. Exercise equipment out of the corner

4. Swap the painting on the wall beside you to the wall where the two landscapes are.  I’d put a big mirror on that wall in place of the landscape painting to throw energy away from the bathroom and double the power of the abstract sunset colored landscape it will face. Now… skip this if it feels wrong to you since I am generalizing based on what I see and don’t know what else you are aiming to create in your life, but I would probably do this!

And now, for the arrow!

5. “Place a 3 foot rod diagonally from the poison arrow to the wall aside from it, then hang a decorative piece of fabric that hides this area” is an awesome idea!  I’d stick with a piece of fabric very close to your wall color and with a bit of substance to it (IE: not see-through).

6. In terms of better sleep, I’d also pull those shades down a bit so that you are not completely exposed to the outdoors with all those windows when you sleep.  The big windows are gorgeous, but that are like “eyes” of your house…and no one sleeps well with all eyes on them 😉

7. Without overwhelming your room, you might want to find a way to add a vertical behind your bed (perhaps a really large neutral tapestry, to tie in the fabric you are adding to the wall… or a handira?)

Good luck!  Oh, yes, and if you want to paint, I’d stay away from greens and browns as your whole room is an abundance of wood and earth. A barely blue silvery shade might be refreshing and calming. I rarely recommend this, but I think it could be immensely balancing if you like the tone and its not too cloying or dingy.

While this is basic feng shui advice, can you see how some small shifts will renovate an entire bedroom?

femg shui book

Sit tight… you will all be able to do this feng shui re-design for yourselves VERY soon!  My DIY feng shui e-book, Feng Shui 101, is DONE and once its back from editing you will all be armed with the tools you need to customize any and every space…and infuse your home with your own brand of magic!

xoxo Dana

11 Comments

  1. Michaela

    What about a tall plant or potted tree placed right in front of that corner?

    And perhaps some gauzy curtains, not only to enhance the privacy issue you mentioned, Dana, but also soften things up– it’s such a sleek space, I bet it echoes and maybe doesn’t feel too cozy. I’m in love with these from Pier 1 and I bet with that silvery-blue wall color, they would make a gorgeous, comfy but still sleek bedroom: http://tinyurl.com/d7pj4k7

    Reply
  2. Alisa

    I am curious about the side tables. Are the pointed corners on the side tables beside the bed also considered poison arrows? These are the only arrows I have and was wondering if I need to remedy them. And if so, do you only get rounded corner side tables? Confused newbie…….

    This illustration really helped to answer my questions about my furniture placement of my bedroom. Appreciate you sharing this example. I have an abundance of wood and earth elements. How do I balance this situation when your furniture is all wood, wood floors and blinds, walls are neutral taupe and I have sea foam green fabrics. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • danaclaudat

      it really depends if the points are coming toward your bed, and how they are… sometimes its not a big deal; sometimes it is…Its hard to say a lot of cold hard facts because every room has its peculiarities, and everyone needs something specific.
      If you have a lot of wood and earth you probably need a good deal of fire to start with…as well as bits of metal and water. I’m not a fan of too too much fire in a bedroom (can interrupt sleep), but sometimes it works…! Otherwise, you’d need to play with reducing elements.
      My book- Feng Shui 101- which is literally on its last edit- will explain all of this in so much detail & help you decide personally if you need more fire or need to do other things to create your personal balance!
      But at least a little bit of fire, water and metal are going to be needed, so you can start there in the meantime!!!

      xoxo

      Reply
    • Lisa

      From what I was told, poison arrows grow in strength based on how fixed and solid they are.

      So a concrete wall can create a strong poison arrow when compared to a wall made with drywall. So in this case, lighter, movable furniture often doesn’t have the energy to creat a strong poison arrow.

      But like all things in feng shui, if it bothers you, then move it 🙂

      Reply
      • danaclaudat

        Great distinction Lisa. Thank you for this!!!

        Reply
      • milly

        I have two arrows,one small over my bedroom door way which isn’t directly pointed to my bed but rather a window. I also have a concrete arrow wall in my living room that is directed in my family are in the tic tackle to bagua lay out. I was thinking putting fabric fringe over the bedroom arrow edge but having trouble covering the concrete arrow in the living room. My desk faces the front door in my living room in a diagonal way which is the command position. The arrow faces my desk and family are in my living room. I have another arrow facing my bed room door and placed fabric with a Lantern lamp to conceal the arrow as u walk in. However,putting fabric in the living room arrow is quite weird. I heard of beads on arrows too but what color? I think the troubled arrow cover is in the family area(yellow )center living room but in the metal section side of the living room.

        Reply
        • danaclaudat

          hi! sorry this question is a bit too specific to answer re: color, but I would follow how you feel and handle the spaces where you feel the most issuesin ways that are organic to you!

          Reply
  3. Alisa

    Thank you Dana! Looking forward to getting your book =)

    Reply
    • danaclaudat

      thank you alisa! your sculpted sugars are beautiful!

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth

    Could you provide a visual of what this solution is for the wall corner. Where would you attach this rod?

    Reply
    • danaclaudat

      hm, no visual is handy. but i’ve seen very creative solutions with pvc pipe used as rods for curtains in unique places as it is easy to cut to different sizes…

      Reply

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