Feng Shui and the Command Position

by Stephanie Roberts

One of the most important feng shui guidelines is to place your bed and desk in what is called the "Command Position." In this position, you face the door from the far side of the room but are not directly in front of the door; usually the part of the room diagonally farthest from the entry offers the best Command Position.


In the Command Position, you are able to benefit from the chi that enters and flows through the space, while being far enough removed from the doorway that you are not exposed to chi that is too strong. A true Command Position also provides a solid wall behind you for support. Using this position puts you in visual command of the space, and allows you to face life directly, both literally and symbolically.

If you can't see the door from where you sleep or work, this implies that life can sneak up on you, that you tend not to face issues directly, and that you are easily startled and constantly dealing with unexpected events. Sleeping or working directly in line with the door also exposes you to excessive chi, which can contribute to stress, irritability, health problems, and feelings of overwhelm. Use of the Command Position removes you from these negative influences and puts you in control of your space and of your life.

The objective of using the Command Position for the bed and desk is a key factor as well in the feng shui guideline that says not to have your home office in the bedroom. While the main reason for this is that the energy of work (desk) and that of rest (bed) are incompatible and should not be housed in the same space, it is also highly unlikely that you will be able to place both the desk and the bed in the Command Position if you try to use both these important pieces of furniture in the same room.

These are fairly straightforward guidelines, but as so often happens, in any particular space there may be other factors involved that need to be taken into account. Although there are often several potential places to put a bed or desk that will meet the Command Position criteria (the larger the space, the more options you will have), usually one or more of these will be less than optimal for some reason. For example, placing your desk with a good view of the door may require sitting with your back to a large window. Not only does this imply lack of support in your career, but if you work at a computer (as most people with desk jobs do) glare from the window can also be a problem.


Other potential problems to be avoided include overhead beams, the low side of a slanted ceiling, sharp angles from interior corners, and an overhead fan in a room with a low ceiling - to name just a few. Any one of these factors may make a potential Command Position less than desirable. You should also keep in mind what is going on in the neighboring rooms as well as outside the building. For example, what may seem like the perfect Command Position location for your bed is not so perfect if your bedroom shares a wall with your kitchen or bathroom, and the toilet, shower, stove or refrigerator is right on the other side of the wall behind the bed. Another example would be a bedroom in the front of a house very close to the road. Here the Command Position might indicate placing the head of the bed against the exterior wall, where nighttime traffic may sound like it's driving right over your pillow and make it difficult to get a good night's sleep. In this case, you may find that placing your bed so it is in the Command Position relative to the road, rather than the doorway, is the better option. In many cases a review of the pros and cons of a space may indicate that the best location for your desk or bed may be one that is not in the Command Position, but that protects you from other influences.

The best possible furniture placement in any room in your home often involves a compromise between several different feng shui guidelines. The more you know about how the different features of your home affect your space, the better able you will be to make the placement choices that are best for you.

© 2005 Stephanie Roberts Serrano