In our previous discussion, we covered the fundamentals of the Bagua Map—the energetic blueprint used in Feng Shui to analyze the energy of your space. We learned how to overlay the nine-grid square over your floor plan to locate areas corresponding to Wealth, Love, Career, and Health.
But here is the most common hurdle new Feng Shui enthusiasts face: What if my house isn't a perfect square?
Modern architecture rarely adheres to the ancient preference for symmetrical, square, or rectangular foundations. We live in L-shaped apartments, T-shaped houses, and homes with extensions, cutouts, and garages. In Feng Shui terms, these irregularities result in "Missing Corners" or "Missing Areas."
If you discover that a specific life area (Gua) falls outside your home's walls, don't panic. A missing corner doesn't mean you are doomed to fail in that area of life. It simply means the energy (Qi) there is unstable or unsupported and requires a specific "cure" to anchor it.
This guide will walk you through identifying missing areas and, more importantly, how to fix them energetically.
Is it a Missing Corner or a Projection?
Before applying cures, you must determine if you actually have a missing corner or if you have a projection (an extension).
- The 33% Rule: Generally, if the area that sticks out is less than 50% (and ideally less than 33%) of the width of the house, it is considered an extension or projection. Extensions are usually positive! They add extra energy to that specific life area.
- The Missing Corner: If the "empty" space creates an indentation that is more than 50% of the side of the house, the empty space is considered a missing corner. This creates an L-shape or U-shape structure.
For example, in an L-shaped house, the "void" where the square is incomplete is your missing area.
The Impact of Missing Areas
When a sector of the Bagua is missing structurally, it can manifest as a recurring difficulty in that area of your life. The energy there doesn't have a physical container to hold it.
- Missing Wealth Corner: You may find money flows out as fast as it comes in, or you struggle to accumulate savings.
- Missing Relationship Corner: You might feel lonely, unsupported, or experience constant friction in partnerships.
- Missing Health Center: This is rare (usually the center of the home), but if the center is destabilized by a courtyard or staircase, it can affect overall vitality and grounding.
Feng Shui Cures for Missing Corners
In Feng Shui, we use "cures" to symbolically complete the shape of the home and lift the energy. You can address these issues from the interior (inside the house) or the exterior (the yard or garden).
1. The Mirror Cure (Interior)
This is the most popular interior cure for apartments or homes where you cannot alter the structure.
How it works: Mirrors create depth and visual expansion. By placing a mirror on the wall that borders the missing area, you symbolically "push" the wall back, energetically reclaiming the missing space.
The Method:
- Identify the wall inside your home that borders the missing sector.
- Hang a mirror on this wall. The larger the mirror, the better.
- Important: Ensure the mirror reflects something pleasant (not a toilet, a trash can, or clutter). The intention is to expand beautiful energy.
2. The Light and Landscape Cure (Exterior)
If you live in a house with a yard, this is the most powerful way to fix a missing corner because you are physically defining the boundary.
The Method:
- Go outside to the empty space that represents the missing corner.
- Visualize where the corner of the house would be if the building were a perfect square.
- Anchor the spot: Place a heavy object at that intersection point. This could be a large rock, a statue, a heavy planter, or a tall lamp post.
- Connect the lines: Ideally, create a flower bed, a path of stepping stones, or a fence line that connects this anchor point back to the house, visually completing the square.
- Lighting: Installing a light at this "phantom corner" and pointing it back toward the house is an excellent way to call Qi back into that sector.
3. The Crystal Faceted Ball Cure (Energetic)
When you cannot use mirrors or landscaping (perhaps there is a window on that wall, or it is a rental property), faceted Feng Shui crystals are a subtle and effective remedy.
The Method:
- Hang a clear, faceted crystal sphere in the window or corner closest to the missing area.
- The crystal disperses light and energy.
- Intention: As you hang it, visualize the crystal acting as an anchor that pulls the energy of the missing gua into your home.
4. Elemental Anchors
You can also strengthen the wall bordering the missing area by using the Five Elements associated with that specific Bagua sector. This strengthens the boundary you do have.
- Missing Wealth (Southeast): This is a Wood area. Paint the bordering wall green, or place tall, lush plants along that wall to simulate growth and expansion.
- Missing Fame (South): This is a Fire area. Use bright lighting, triangular shapes, or red accents on the bordering wall.
- Missing Career (North): This is a Water area. Use images of flowing water, mirrors (which represent water), or black/dark blue decor features.
Specific Advice for the "L-Shaped" House
The L-shaped house is the most common irregular shape. The primary issue with this layout is that the "heart" or center of the home (the Tai Qi) often falls outside the structure or on a boundary wall, leaving the home ungrounded.
The Fix:
- Find the Center: Determine where the center would be if the home were a full rectangle.
- Activate the projected center: If the center point falls in your garden/patio, treat that outdoor spot as a sacred space. Keep it clean, perhaps place a birdbath, a round table, or a spiral garden there to keep the energy circulating.
- Internal Balance: Inside the house, near the inner corner of the "L," hang a crystal or a wind chime to soften the sharp corner and circulate the Qi around the bend.
Conclusion: Intention is Key
Having a missing corner does not mean your Feng Shui is "bad." It simply presents a unique opportunity to work with your environment consciously.
When you apply these cures—whether planting a tree in the garden to square off the lot or hanging a mirror in your hallway—the most important ingredient is your intention. As you place the cure, take a moment to visualize the energy of your home becoming whole, complete, and supportive of your dreams.
Stay tuned for the next post in our series, where we will dive deep into the Power Position: How to arrange your furniture to command your life.