Why You Should Stay Away From Cacti In Your Home, According To Feng Shui

If you're looking to create a feeling of harmony in your living space, perhaps you've heard of feng shui. Originally practiced in China, this idea is based upon arranging things to achieve the most balance, per National Geographic. The term itself literally means "the way of wind and water." It seeks to balance yin and yang, which are opposing but also complementary forces. Feng shui believes that everything consumes and radiates energy, per New Straits Times, and removing things with negative energy can greatly improve your living space.

To follow feng shui, certain precautions need to be made, including putting items in the right places and keeping pieces with negative energy out of the home. With this in mind, while feng shui promotes the use of some plants, cacti are usually avoided. However, some also believe that cacti can still sometimes be incorporated into the home as long as certain precautions are taken. You'll find more details about decorating with these spiky plants below. 

If your goal is to follow feng shui perfectly, you may want to rehome your cacti. This is because, according to Real Homes, any plants that appear spiky or sad will give off negative energy. Because cacti, like roses, have spikes and thorns, they don't promote harmony in living spaces. Additionally, some say that golden pothos should also be removed since they can appear depressing.

New Straits Times adds that, if placed in spaces where relaxation is the goal such as the bedroom or living room, a cactus' spikes could disrupt feelings of peace. Additionally, they recommend keeping these plants away from the front entrance, as this could create a negative feeling throughout the entire home. Cacti could also provoke painful emotions since touching the spikes hurts. Lushome says that cacti's sharp exterior can easily break up a smooth flow of energy. Another reason why you may not want to use cacti in your home is that they are associated with bad luck for pregnant women in Chinese culture, per Fengshuied!.

However, those who really love their cacti may find it difficult to remove these plants from their home. Luckily, some believe that there are other ways to create balance in your space that still allow them to coexist with you.

Fengshuied! says that, if you're going to use cacti, make sure to place them on the left side of something. For instance, you could position them on the left side of your computer in your office or the left side of a door or window. You could also choose to place them on your porch balcony to provide protection. Additionally, make sure your spiky plants have very good ventilation and lots of sunlight. Lushome also recommends surrounding the sharp exterior with softer plants that have round leaves. To block any negative energy, you could place them in a glass container or arrange fresh flowers between you and the cacti. They also say that, while some believe these plants bring bad luck, others believe they bring wealth.