Like how the taichi symbol is synonymous with yin-yang, the bagua is an unmistakable symbols that represents feng shui.
A bagua is basically an octagon shape with trigrams on each of the 8 sides of the shape.
The power of the bagua is in the arrangement of the trigrams.
While there are basically two trigram arrangements namely the early heaven and later heaven arrangements, when used as a display item, the early arrangement is what is used.
Also known as the yin bagua, the early heaven arrangement bagua can be easily identified with the Chien trigram on top consisting of 3 unbroken lines.
It must be noted that for the practice of feng shui space planning, the yang bagua with the later heaven arrangement is used instead.
Just know that as protective amulets or display items, the correct bagua to use should be the yin bagua… unless under guidance due to extraordinary circumstances.
The bagua mirror is the octagonal shape with the 8 trigrams properly arranged, and a mirror at the center.
Such feng shui products are manufactured as a form of “shield” or protection from harmful energy such as sha chi and poison arrows emitting from hostile exposed pillars.
Many people get shocked when they realize that there are more than one type of bagua mirrors meant for different purposes.
Some know that there are 3 common types. But really… there are much more than that.
Here’s a list of the different types of bagua feng shui mirrors.
1) Plane mirror
The plane mirror is basically the “correct” name for what we call the flat mirror.
These are the regular mirrors we install all over the house to check out hair style and fashion sense before we go out. The ones we fix above the bathroom sink and admire at when we brush out teeth in the morning.
When a plane mirror is affixed onto the center of a bagua, the bagua mirror acts as a passive feng shui item that protects the house from harmful negative energy as and when required.
It does not have a defensive or offensive nature to it. It is just… neutral.
2) Convex mirror
A convex mirror is one which curves inwards.
It acts to shrink the reflections of objects in front of it. At times, you can even find it freaky to find yourself with a reflection that’s vertically or horizontally flipped compared to what you are used to with flat mirrors.
This ability of shrinking and distorting is the very reason why convex bagua mirrors are used as a defensive mechanism against poison arrows or sha chi directed at a specific area of the house.
The logic is that when sha chi meets the convexed mirror, it would be distorted to lose it’s negative potency. Or be shrunk from an axe to a toothpick.
Thereby, protecting the house from bad feng shui effects.
3) Concave mirror
Among the spherical mirrors, there is the convex and concave.
While the convex spherical bagua mirror has an ability to protect, a concave bagua mirror has the ability to disperse, dissipate, and blast back the sha chi from wherever it came from.
It must be noted that from a visual perspective it enlarges reflected objects rather than shrink them.
But because it is shaped with an outward curving surface, sha chi would disperse towards the counter direction when it meets the concave mirror.
This also means that, it has a more aggressive nature as it bounces poison arrows away and towards other buildings and residences in the vicinity.
4) Silvered mirror
A silvered mirror is one which is coated with reflective metal material such as silver or aluminum.
It must be said that silver coated mirrors are difficult to find these days as mixed compounds such as aluminum is more economical to manufacture.
Also note that plane, and spherical mirrors can also be silvered.
The feng shui benefits of silvered bagua mirrors is understandably the presence of the metal element.
This makes it even more effective when the bagua mirror is used to neutralize sha chi that is of an earth or wood elemental nature.
Which is also why coats with silver instead of aluminum would better serve it’s purpose as silver is undoubtedly representative of the metal element.
5) One-way mirrors
One way mirrors are those types of mirrors which reflects on one side but sees through on the other side.
Also known as two-way mirrors, they are fabricated with glass and reflective metal coating on one side.
This allows the side with the coating to reflect and the side without to see through a transparency.
Bagua mirrors made with such materials have a hole in the center where the one-way mirror is installed.
6) Acoustic mirror
An acoutic mirror is shaped like a convex mirror but have no reflective surface. This is because it reflects sound instead of light.
You can observe them on bagua mirrors with no mirror at the center.
This is a much less aggressive way to manage negative energy emitting from enternal structures in the surrounding environment.
And more effective against auditory sha chi (声煞) caused by noise caused by traffic, crowds, and busy streets, etc.
Which bagua mirror to use
It is important to be mindful that the placement of a bagua has a hostile nature. The different types of bagua mirror can bring a better defense against negative energy with less aggression.
Let’s use the example that you have an exposed corner of building 20 meters from the balcony window view. And you have decided to use a bagua mirror to counter it.
If there are residences opposite, then a convex mirror would be a more friendly way to manage that feng shui ailment. This enables you to keep the bad energy under control without having your neighbors bare the brunt of the carnage should you use a concave mirror.
On the other hand, if there are no residences nearby or you simple don’t care about karma, then use the concave mirror as much as you like.
If the sha chi is coming from a direction of earth energy such as north east or wood energy such as south east, then a silvered mirror can be especially useful.
The same can be said if it is a direction where the 5 yellow is entering the house from.
Otherwise, if you simply need to have this ailment addressed without wanting to think about it anymore, then a plane mirror or an acoustic mirror would neither be passive or aggressive.
If the sha chi is sound based, then the latter would be ideally appropriate.
One-way bagua mirrors are like periscopes build on a tank or submarine. They offer armored protection, but still allows the use to see what’s going on.
Yet doing so still leaves inhabitants a little exposed.
Finally, remember that the placement of bagua mirrors should never be in the living space.
This means they should never be in the living room, kitchen, bedroom, study room, dining room, etc.
They are ideally hung on the edges of the perimeter of the house. So if we are referring to a balcony, the best place to hang it is outside the window grills.
And please… don’t use it for personal grooming.
As a reminder, do know that there are other feng shui items that can counter sha chi if the bagua mirror is not your weapon of choice against rouge energy that causes bad luck.
For example if the intention is just to block, things like plants, salt lamps and amethyst geodes, etc, are commonly used.