Shui Happens

Feng wha? Is that a fungus? What's that mean? I don't really like things I don't under... OUCH! Jeez, I've gotta move the bed. I keep running in to it, and for some reason I can't sleep at night. Oh, so, you're telling me that's sort of what this Feng Shui business is about? Oh, ok, a meeting of the laws of heaven and earth to govern our aesthetic world, so that we can improve life by receiving positive qi. Well, why didn't you just say so before?

It may sound a bit silly to some, but for us here at Bambu Batu, with our recent move, Feng Shui was on the mind. And with so many people moving in to dorms, and houses with people they don't know, trying to accomplish great academic things, it occurred to us that it might be helpful to you all to have some aid in the concentration, focus and ambition department. Here are a few tips to Feng the Shui out of your surroundings so you can get that 'A' and sleep at night.

To squeeze the qi out of your study room:

• Make sure your office space is tidy. This may be fairly obvious, but it's the first and most important step for concentration.
• If possible, place your desk so that the window is to the left of it. If there is no window, place a mirror there instead. It will have the same effect. Try to avoid having your back to the door, as this will interfere with your concentration.
• To make the room more comfortable and inviting, place a plant or wind chime near the window. This will help to prevent bad influences from coming in the window, and will bring good luck

Don't let the bed bugs bite:

• Keep your head AWAY from the door. Try and position your bed so that you can see the door, but neither your feet or head are facing it. (This is also useful when the zombie apocalypse comes. The head is the first thing they go for.)
• Try and avoid sleeping under a window. Windows are entrances and exits for qi. You can either loose positive energy by dispersing it, or receive the full force of any negative qi that might enter. If you cannot avoid this, then hang a curtain to prevent the flow either way.
• Avoid hanging depictions of water where you sleep. This can cause insomnia and bring bad luck to the bedroom's inhabitants.

Hopefully these six little pointers will help you in the new adventure of the home decor department. It might be a little easier to decide where you like your desk the best, if there happens to be a window in the room. If you decide you're really invested in the Feng Shui of your home, room, or dorm, come see us. We have a pretty neat Feng Shui compass to assist you in your furniture and art decisions. Until then, happy moving!

Song of the Day "The Bed" by St. Vincent

All bamboo is lucky... but not vice versa

It happens twice or thrice a week. A customer walks into the store with a look of determination on his or her face and asks if we actually sell just bamboo. Now, I have complete appreciation for a customer who knows what they want, but since this is an all-bamboo store, and virtually every item in here is bamboo, I usually just raise my eyebrows in expectation, waiting for a more specific request.

As often as not, when someone says they're just looking for actual bamboo, it's actually the plant commonly called Lucky Bamboo that they're seeking. As it happens, however, this "lucky bamboo" is really a species of dracaena, and entirely unrelated to the vast sub-family of true bamboos. (see photo above for contrast)

Dracaena sanderiana resembles bamboo in appearance, but is actually a hardy houseplant that thrives in water (no soil needed) and requires little or no natural sunlight (making it perfect for offices, bathrooms, and other indoor settings). Its appearance and ultra low-maintenance attributes are probably what earned it the name lucky bamboo.

In the Orient, Dracaena sanderiana has long been revered as a great remedy for feng shui. It is, in fact, quite lucky, but bamboo it's not. The 1200+ varieties of true bamboo technically belong to the grass family. They require full or at least partial sun exposure, some type of soil medium, and should most certainly be grown outdoors.

Because Bambu Batu is located indoors, with one large, east-facing window, it's fairly difficult to keep a true bamboo plant happy and healthy. We generally keep one specimen by the front door, where it gets good sun and plenty of fresh air, but I also rotate it with other potted bamboo specimens from my yard at home, so they are never stuck indoors for too long a stretch.

As for the Lucky Bamboo, yes, we do sell it. It is one of the 5 or 6 items at Bambu Batu not actually made from bamboo : )
...along with the Sparx soy candles, Sweet Earth fair trade chocolate, and No Enemy organic cotton t-shirts.