Aside from the, “hello-I’m-red!” paint on this entry door, the first impression of this home is clean and crisp; DING-DING! The lawn is meticulously mowed, windows are sparkling clean, roof is in good shape and even the shrubs have a fresh trim. The white trim against the blue siding pops and the flower pots at the front step coordinate with the door.
Have we talked about feng shui in this blog? Maybe. Let’s discuss it again because this photo shows how to put feng shui into practice! From a feng shui practitioner’s view, there are many things this homeowner is doing right. There are also a few simple adjustments to be made.
Wait…what’s feng shui (fung-shway) again you ask? Simply put, it’s an ancient Chinese practice of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment. Feng shui translated into English literally means, “wind-water.” It’s used all over the world in the siting and designing of buildings. We also know that Native and Central Americans had similar practices related to the selection of perfect sites for their homes and places of worship.
What keeps this ancient practice relevant is how it helps us to think about the way wind or water would flow through our spatial environments, at home, at work, inside and outside. Look around you. Would wind and water flow smoothly, gently, curving around from room to room, object to object or does it meet sharp points, dead ends and obstacles? (Yes, clutter counts as an obstacle.)
Energy, called, “Qi,” pronounced “chee,” moves in the same pattern as wind and water and most clients I’ve worked with want all the good qi they can get! To achieve this we try to create easy paths of travel, up to, into and around the home. We aren’t trying to capture it and hold it hostage, nor do we want it to flow in one door and directly out the other. We want a little good chi to move through each and every space, every day.
Look at the picture again; can you see how energy would flow directly up this path and through the front door? Do you see any sharp objects that might get in the way? I see spiky plants in each of those red pots. The route to the front door is very direct and there is no point along this path to linger for a moment.
Change out those spiky plants with a soft leafy plant like lamb’s ear, add a bench near the front door and this home would be all the more balanced and ready for qi! And for you… go knock on the door!