Explore The Bagua Map: A Compass for Your Life and Space
A window into the 9 areas of your life and space.
Which areas of your life are flowing, growing or slowing?
Learn how each cardinal direction within your space, represents a different area of your life..
Wealth & Abundance
The SOUTHEAST is associated with fortunate blessings, abundance, wealth and prosperity. This is about more than money, it’s how you relate to abundance, value, and flow. It reflects your beliefs about worth, wealth, and how you receive and give energy in all forms.
It is supported by the wood element, lush trees, healthy living plants and the colour green. Bring in healthy vibrant living plants to support the wood energy and intentionally grow your wealth.
This direction is your portal for abundance. It is ideal for cultivating financial growth, amplifying abundance, inviting ease. Keep this area clear of clutter to prevent blocks to your prosperity. Place items that represent whatever wealth means to you here. A good place for a wealth altar.
In Feng Shui wealth is associated with water, so this could be an auspicious placement for a water fountain as well.
Chinese Name: Xun
Direction: Southeast
Element: Wood
Season: Late Spring
Family Member: Eldest Daughter
Body Part: Hips, Thighs, Arteries
Life Focus: Abundance, finances, wealth, generosity, gratitude, prosperity
Associated Trigram: Xun (巽) — Wind, representing expansion and flow
Ideal for: Cultivating financial growth, amplifying abundance, inviting ease
Fame & Reputation
The SOUTH area represents fame and reputation, how you are recognised for what you do and how you shine your light in the world. This area is about how the world sees you, your personal brand, integrity, passion, and how you’re known. and recognised for what you do. It helps you shine, speak your truth, and lead from the heart. This is an ideal area to enhance to boost your reputation, amplify your presence, share your gifts and enhance heart-led epxression.
This south is supported by the fire element. The shape associated with the fire element is pointed like the triangle, star or pyramids.
It is the only element that we remedy using the colour alone. Fire colours are reds, oranges, bright yellows, fuscia pinks, cranberry, burgandy and magenta. A fireplace or candle is not considered fire element as it is unlikely these can or should be lit all the time. A red candle for example is.
Chinese Name: Li
Direction: South
Element: Fire
Season: Summer
Family Member: Middle Daughter
Body Part: Eyes, Heart, Circulatory System
Life Focus: Fame, recognition, reputation, passion, visibility, authenticity, confidence,
Associated Trigram: Li (離) — Fire, representing illumination and insight
Love & Marriage
The SOUTHWEST area represents partnership and marriage and this is one of the areas of the home to pay attention to, if you want to maintain harmony and connection in your relationships.
This area governs both romantic relationships and your relationship to yourself. It’s about how you give and receive love, the quality of your closest connections, and whether you feel supported emotionally.
Whether partnered up or looking for love, think about adding pairs to your decor here. A pair of candles, ornaments in pairs, artwork and imagery showing you as a couple, or a symbol of lasting love.
It is supported by the earth element and is a beautiful space to place fresh blooms, or imagery of flowers such as the peonies or roses that are the highest vibrations of love energy.
Avoid single items and imagery here. This can manifest as feeling alone or singled out or like you are taking on the world on your own without the support of your partner. It is also advisable to avoid placement of anything in ‘threes’ here as well, if you wish to avoid third party interference in your relationship!
Chinese Name: Kun
Direction: Southwest
Element: Earth
Season: Late Summer
Family Member: Mother
Body Part: Abdomen, Reproductive Organs, Digestion
Life Focus: Relationships, love, divine feminine, intimacy, partnerships, romance, self-love, deepening connection, cultivating balance and harmony and support in relationships, attracting and nurturing love
Associated Trigram: Kun (坤) — Earth, representing nurturing and receptivity
Ideal for: Deepening connection, cultivating support, attracting or nurturing love
Family, Community & New Beginnings
The EAST represents family, ancestors, community and new beginnings. It relates to your family of origin, close friendships, and how supported and connected you feel in life. It also reflects how well you're grounded in your personal history and emotional foundations.
It is also supported by the energy of the wood element, the season of spring and new growth. It is ideal for starting fresh, energising health, supporting family or new projects.
It’s a great place to intentionally place healthy living plants with upward growth, such as the lucky bamboo, jade or orchid here. Add family crest, portraits or a gallery wall of family, friends and community here or you could place intentional artwork and objects that represent family and new beginnings to you or vibrant woodlands, forests and trees to support the expansive energy of the wood element to support growth in these areas of your life.
Chinese Name: Zhen
Direction: East
Element: Wood
Season: Spring
Family Member: Eldest Son
Body Part: Feet, Legs, Liver, Gallbladder
Life Focus: Roots, ancestry, stability, family dynamics, new beginnings, fresh starts, vitality, growth,
Associated Trigram: Zhen (震) — Thunder, representing movement and action
Health, Vitality & Unity
The CENTRE represents health and vitality and unity. This is the energetic hub of your space and your life. It influences every other area. A strong centre brings harmony, presence, and health, physically, emotionally, and energetically. It connects all areas of the space and acts as the heart point of the home. I t also affects all other areas, so it’s important to keep this area clear of clutter so the Qi can flow to the rest of the home.
In Feng Shui, this area known as the Tai Chi, is supported by the Earth element and helps anchor us in self-love, confidence, and overall wellbeing. A balanced centre supports clarity, harmony, and integration in all aspects of life.
The centre is ideal to support grounding, restoring balance, supporting overall harmony
If you are feeling burned out and run down, it is best to avoid burning candles or lighting fires here. The fire element creates warmth and ambience, but in Feng Shui, placement matters, especially in the heart of the home. Adding fire here, like lighting candles can disrupt that energy and stir up imbalance, like burning away your health and self-worth.
Keep this area, calm, clear and neutral, adding supportive earth inspired elements, such as fresh flowers or imager of such. Whatever represents health, vitality and unity to you!
Chinese Name: Tai Qi
Direction: Center
Element: Earth
Season: Transitional Times / Equinoxes
Family Member: Represents the whole family
Body Part: Stomach, Spleen, Muscles, Immune System
Life Focus: Wellbeing, self-confidence, vitality, integration, balance, health
Associated Trigram: (None — the centre represents unity and holds all together)
Creativity, Children & Future
The WEST is connected to creativity, fertility, children, inner child, joy and the future. This area reflects your ability to create, whether that’s artistic expression, birthing new ideas, or raising children. It’s the realm of joy, inspiration, and lightness.
The west is supported by the Metal element which assists with clarity of vision and precision.
If you have an idea or something you want to give birth to, whether it’s growing a family, starting a creative project or business, plant the seeds of intention in the West of your home. It is a great place to get creative and engage in creative pursuits, play or listen to music, write, read or journal. You can also photos of children or grandchildren here (*exception is NOT the primary bedroom).
Feeling blocked in any of these areas? What could be blocking your creative flow in your space? Declutter and clear out and release anything placed here associated with the past or that no longer represents you.
Chinese Name: Dui
Direction: West
Element: Metal
Season: Late Autumn
Family Member: Youngest Daughter
Body Part: Mouth, Lungs, Skin, Reproductive System
Life Focus: Joy, expression, play, creative projects, children, legacy, completion, harvest
Associated Trigram: Dui (兌) — Joy, representing communication and expression, supporting creative projects, children, future
Knowledge & Wisdom
The NORTHEAST area represents inner wisdom, learning, and personal growth and supports personal development, study, and spiritual practices. It’s the space of quiet introspection, where we turn inward to listen, reflect, and evolve, to deepen self-awareness, set intentions, and become grounded in your truth.
Governed by the mountain element of Earth, this area embodies stillness, grounding, and spiritual strength.
This is an ideal area to support ongoing learning, grounding, self-inquiry, and skill-building, reflection, spiritual or personal growth. Whether you're studying, meditating, seeking clarity, or deepening your spiritual path, activating this zone can enhance focus, insight, and a strong foundation of self-trust. It’s also a powerful place for retreat, journaling, or quiet contemplation.
Chinese Name: Gen
Direction: Northeast
Element: Earth
Season: Late Winter / Early Spring
Family Member: Youngest Son
Body Part: Hands, Fingers, Back
Life Focus: Inner reflection, knowledge, wisdom, study, learning, stillness, spiritual growth, personal development Associated Trigram: Gen (艮) – Mountain, representing stability, support, wisdom and contemplation
Career, Life Path & Purpose
The NORTH area represents your life path, the unfolding journey of who you are and where you're going. This area reflects how you move through life, your career, calling, and overall direction. If you’re feeling stuck, unclear about your next step, or craving new momentum, this is the place to explore.
Governed by the Water element, this area is associated with introspection and flow and the intuitive current that guides you through change and choice.
Whether you're focused on career direction, personal calling, or simply navigating a new chapter in life, the North supports momentum, self-trust, and deeper alignment with your purpose. It’s an area that invites introspection, visioning, and intentional movement — helping you tune in to your own inner compass.
This is an ideal space to activate if you're seeking clarity, navigating change, shifting direction, aligning with purpose or calling in fresh opportunities and meaningful work, in all its forms.
Chinese Name: Kan
Direction: North
Element: Water
Season: Winter
Family Member: Middle Son
Body Part: Ears, Kidneys, Bladder
Life Focus: Career, work, purpose, introspection, transitions, opportunities, resilience
Associated Trigram: Kan (坎) – Water, representing deep wisdom, adaptability, and movement
Helpful People & Travel
The NORTHWEST area is often called “Heaven’s Gate” the part of your home where support flows in. This area governs the people who support you, mentors, clients, guides, and helpful people. It’s also linked to travel, movement, and trusting in divine timing and guidance.
This area represents the people, mentors, and allies who appear at just the right moment, as well as meaningful travel and movement through life with purpose. It connects you with synchronicity, divine timing, and the wisdom of those who have walked before you.
Metal energy here encourages clarity, discernment, and honouring the role of support — both given and received.
A reminder that you don’t have to do it all alone, help is always available when the space is open to receive it. This is an ideal space for calling in mentors, teachers, wise counsel, supportive networks, enhancing divine timing and synchronicity, attracting aligned collaborators or clients, supporting travel, relocation and smooth transition, cultivating generosity and spiritual connection.
Chinese Name: Qian
Direction: Northwest
Element: Metal
Season: Autumn
Family Member: Father
Body Part: Head, Brain, Large Intestine
Life Focus: Support, mentors, synchronicity, global connections, helpful people, guidance, travel, divine masculine
Associated Trigram: Qian (乾) — Heaven, representing leadership and support
What Is the Bagua Map? A Window into Your Space and Your Life
The Bagua Map is one of Feng Shui’s most powerful and practical tools, a symbolic map that reveals how the energy (Qi) in your space mirrors key areas of your life. From relationships and health to career and creativity, the Bagua helps you understand how your home or workspace influences your wellbeing, mindset, and direction.
Why Does the Bagua Matter?
Your home isn’t just where you live, it’s a mirror of your inner world. The Bagua Map offers insight into how your environment is supporting you… or possibly holding you back. By revealing which areas are energetically aligned (and which need attention), it gives you a clear path to create spaces that feel better and support your growth. When you shift your space, you shift your life.
A Brief History of the Bagua
The word “Bagua” means “eight trigrams” and its roots go back over 3,000 years to ancient China and the foundational text of Taoist cosmology, the I Ching (Book of Changes). Originally, the Bagua was a circle of eight trigrams (three-line symbols) each one a combination of three broken or unbroken lines, symbolising different aspects of nature and life, representing natural forces like Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain, and Lake.
These trigrams represented and symbolised:
Natural elements (Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain, Lake)
Life aspects (like wealth, love, or wisdom)
Directions (north, south, east, etc.)
Family members
Body parts
And even seasons and emotions
Over time, the circular trigram arrangement evolved into an octagon, and eventually into the more accessible nine-square grid used in contemporary Feng Shui. This grid includes a central ninth square for Balance, Health, and Self-Confidence — reflecting the growing understanding that everything in your life is interconnected.
You can apply the Bagua to:
Your entire home
A single room
A desk or workspace
Even your land or garden
From Circle to Grid: How It’s Used Today
Today, most modern Feng Shui practitioners use the Bagua as a 3x3 grid, like a tic-tac-toe board, which you overlay onto your floorplan. Each square of the Bagua corresponds not only to a life area, but also to an element, direction, season, family member, and body part, helping you understand how deeply connected your environment is to every part of your being.
Career & Life Path (North)
Love & Relationships (Southwest)
Family & Community (East)
Wealth & Prosperity (Southeast)
Health & Balance (Centre)
Helpful People & Travel (Northwest)
Creativity & Children (West)
Knowledge & Self-Cultivation (Northeast)
Fame & Recognition (South)
What About Missing Areas or Extensions?
Each area of your home affects a specific part of your life, physically, emotionally, and energetically. Missing areas or extensions in the Bagua can highlight where life feels off-track or overextended. Real-world spaces are rarely perfect squares. So if a part of the grid falls outside your home (e.g. your Wealth area is missing), that area of your life may feel unsupported, depleted, overlooked or out of balance. If part of your home extends beyond the main footprint, it may signal an area that’s overemphasised or energetically dominant.
This is where Feng Shui becomes incredibly revealing. Gaps and extensions can explain why certain aspects of life feel blocked, excessive, or imbalanced, and offer tangible ways to shift that energy.
Two Common Approaches to the Bagua
There are two main ways to apply the Bagua Map:
Traditional / Compass School: Uses a compass to align the areas with actual cardinal directions.
BTB / Western School: Aligns the bottom row of the grid with the main entrance wall, regardless of compass direction.
Both methods are valid. For example I apply the traditional compass school to the whole floorplan of a building or land plot, but I would apply the BTB theory to a desk. What matters most is intention and consistency.
Applying the Bagua to Your Space
Whether you’re seeking clarity, confidence, ease, or a fresh start, this map is a beautiful place to begin. The Bagua can be applied to:
Your entire home
A single room
Your desk, studio, or workspace
Even your land or garden
If you need help applying this to your floorplan, please reach out, as this is a service I offer to take the guess work out and ensure you are working with precise placement. Get in touch: hello.enlivenedspaces@gmail.com
Feng Shui isn’t about perfection, it’s about intention. The Bagua Map gives you a new way of seeing your space: not as a set of walls and furniture, but as an energetic blueprint for your life. And when your space is aligned, everything else begins to flow.
