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As a Feng Shui Practioner who is a rule buster at heart, don’t tell me no.

When someone tells me no—I am going to want to try it more.

When I decided to study Feng Shui, I didn’t realize the challenge that may pose. There are many “nos” in Feng Shui. Ironically, it ended up being a blessing and helped me become a well-versed Feng Shui practitioner who used trial and error and got good results.

Every time a teacher or mentor (and I had several going through two schools) told me not to do something because it was “bad Feng Shui,” nine times out of 10, I would do that very thing to see what happened.

The internal rule breaker in me couldn’t help myself.

While I understand the basics of Feng Shui well, I am also a subtle energy medicine practitioner, and I appreciate and am confident that energy follows thought. I wanted to test all the possibilities I could and see if I could shift the reality and flow of energy.

In the 15+ years I have practiced, there have only been three absolute bottom lines for me that I will not mess with, or try to override.

Plants in the bedroom is not one of them.

It may help to have a bit of a rundown on this, however, because while it is generally not optimal Feng Shui to keep plants in the bedroom, there are ways to make it happen harmoniously.

Worth noting, while there are many schools of Feng Shui, I am a BTB Feng Shui Practioner, so this perspective is rooted in that school of thought. We use a superimposed map on a floorplan, called the Bagua Map. I also strongly consider and call on the five elements (water, wood, fire, earth, metal), and it makes no difference to me which way the door or home faces.

Firstly, Feng Shui uses the Yin Yang Theory, which says everything is composed of two opposing but deeply interconnected forces. Yin is feminine, dark, and fluid, and Yang is masculine, bright, and structured.

While we aim to balance the energies overall. Certain rooms in our home have recommendations to make the energy flow optimally.

The bedroom is considered a Yin space, and it is advisable to create the bedroom to be a darker, soft, and quiet room. Plants are yang energy, which is active, promotes growth, and is bright; a primary reason that many Feng Shui Practitioners discourage plants in the bedroom.

For plant lovers who want plants in the bedroom, however, the energy of the room can be balanced by ensuring that the majority of space is Yin. Then, bring plants in little by little, and see how they may affect sleep and rest.

When choosing plants for the bedroom, aim for soft edges that absorb a lot of water, for more Yin energy. My advice would be to avoid using dry plants with many pointy edges, like a cactus, in the bedroom.

The second point to consider is the five element theory. It’s a pretty layered subject. Every item and every person is associated with an element, whether that be water, wood, fire, earth, or metal. Plants are of the wood element and will call to people who have the wood or fire element in their chart. (For element curious people, there are many Nine Star Ki calculators online, but they aren’t all accurate. I recommend this one.

When I experimented with plants in my bedroom, it was fascinating. My bedroom at the time was very Yin; dark colors, curved edges with a feminine feel. I learned I could have two small, soft plants in my bedroom for optimal sleep and rest, and they needed to live away from my head. When they were on my nightstands, my sleep was not as deep, and I felt less energy in the morning. And I didn’t just leave them for a night or two. I did a whole month’s cycle.

I currently have no plants in my bedroom because there are too many other yang elements, like big windows and bright lights. But if I was called to having them in there, I would happily experiment.

Keeping these points in mind—explore. Start bringing plants in little by little, try placing them in different areas, and take notice. It can help track or at least be aware of sleep quality, dreams, energy levels, and rest. If you try it out, I’d love to hear about your findings. Let me know in the comments.

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