Where to place a bonsai according to Feng Shui

The discipline of Feng Shui is ancient and originated in the Chinese empire, where it was applied exclusively to the buildings and homes of nobles and rulers. Currently, its simplest application in homes is based on attracting positive energies with the distribution and orientation of the furniture and elements of a house.

But what are the energies of bonsai? Feng Shui establishes very clear and direct guidelines in some aspects, but it is more free and subjective in others; bonsai is one of the latter. If we go back to the origin and history of bonsai, we will reach a period of about 2,000 thousand years ago, again in China. There, the Taoist monks applied very laborious techniques to get some trees to grow much smaller than natural, also giving them the forms that the strict discipline of bonsai marked. The spiritual meaning of bonsai , thus, was that of a bridge between the divine and the earthly and in Japan it was adopted as part of Zen aesthetics and philosophy.

Thus, the importance of bonsai in Feng Shui lies mainly in what its presence and care arouses in the inhabitants of the home. It is true that bonsai cultivation is inevitably associated with artificial control and growth limitation, so it is common not to advise having a bonsai at work or a business, where the exact opposite is sought: growth. On the other hand, it is recommended to have a bonsai a house for people sick with degenerative diseases or that spread throughout the body, precisely because of the idea that those energies of constriction and growth impediment act on the disease itself.

In the end, as we have already said, the most important thing is what bonsai does in you. If when you see a bonsai you are amazed by its orderly beauty and you feel respect and admiration for the discipline and perseverance that its work requires, as well as for having contact with nature, it will be a positive influence on you. If, on the other hand, you see a plant that has not been allowed to grow naturally or the human hand on the tree is unpleasant to you, you should definitely not have a bonsai at home.

If your intuition tells you that bonsai will be a positive energy element for your home and for you , it is time to decide the location of the bonsai . As is evident, it is an object closely linked to the wood element, so you should locate it in a Bagua area of ​​this element, that is, located to the east or southeast , with power from the south. Well located, you can enjoy all the advantages of caring for a bonsai in your home, working on patience and discipline and learning to cultivate harmony.

If you like it and want to find out more about Feng Shui and plants, do not hesitate to consult our other guides:

• Plants for the bedroom according to Feng Shui .
• Where to place the cacti according to Feng Shui .
• Good luck plants according to Feng Shui .

Growing a bonsai is not easy, since the technique that manages to shape a bonsai is one that requires a lot of patience and discipline, especially when working with certain species of trees. However, here we indicate the main care of a bonsai :

• Location: protected from the wind and air currents, in an area illuminated during the morning but sheltered from the direct incidence of the hours of intense sun.
• Climate: many bonsai are subtropical trees, so they will need relatively constant temperatures throughout the year. No extreme cold or heat.
• Watering: how do you water an indoor bonsai? Only when the substrate dries. Since the tree has very little soil, it is vital to pay attention to the condition of the substrate and the plant rather than relying on established periodic waterings. Here you can learn more about How to water a bonsai .
• Substrate: Most will do well in a mix with two parts of akadama, one part pomice and one part volcanic rock, or with three parts akadama if it is not going to be watered often.
• Fertilize: in each growing season of the tree, usually during warm months.
• Pruning and clamping the bonsai: this is one of the most important parts, and one that requires the most work. Bonsai must be clamped and pruned often to keep it as such, and each tree has its own requirements at this point.

These are all general guidelines for most bonsai, but cannot be automatically extended to all of them. Consult your specific species of bonsai and find out about its specific needs and techniques used in its cultivation. To learn more about how to care for a bonsai, we recommend these two guides on the care of two very common species in homes: