By Dolores Kozielski
When Feng Shui first began, thousands of years ago, the practitioner was looking for an ideal ancestral burial site. Location, Location, Location still is the focus; it’s been going on for more than five thousand years. Presently, most practitioners use a directional compass when searching for an ideal location for homes and businesses. The traditional Feng Shui compass of the east is called the Lo P'an; it is so complex, that most practitioners living in the west now rely, simply, on a western compass; therefore, when looking for real estate, equip yourself with one. It can be purchased in any sporting goods store or most department stores. Take a compass direction of the energy that you will be facing. A facing position is found by standing with your back to your front door, looking out toward the other side of the road or street. Today, roads and highways are synonymous with rivers. A large, trafficked area has fast-moving energy and equates with a large, fast-moving river or even a rough ocean. That’s why businesses do well on high volume roads, but a home in the same area can cause many woes for the people living there.
A young couple, just starting out, may want to consider buying an eastern-facing home. This signifies new beginnings and new projects; while, an elderly couple may want to consider the more quiet and peaceful energy of the west. A southern energy is very dynamic; though, the energy of the north is placid and contemplative. Northeastern energy should be avoided, unless the individuals living there like a whirlwind of chaotic energy. Northeastern energy can be very draining on slow-moving and methodical inhabitants. Think about the storms coming out of the Northeast, the Nor’easters. If you buy a home facing in this direction, at least you’ll know what you’ve gotten yourself into.
When searching for your dream home, it should not have overgrown trees and bushes blocking the front door. The entrance is called the Mouth of Ch’i, also known as the Ming Tang, the inner and outer space found at Chinese gravesites. The inner space is an area adjacent to the dragon's lair; the outer is bright and welcoming. Ming Tang translates in Chinese as Bright Hall. In the same respect, I have coined the three “w’s”, an easy way to remember that a pathway to the front of a home should be well-groomed, winding and welcoming. This keeps the entrance bright and hospitable.
The house should be well maintained, with no loose shingles, or if it is made with brick or stone, loose mortar. A fixer-upper needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The color of the roof, sides, front and back equate with specific energies and these factors should also be analyzed, so that they may enhance the inhabitants own energies. In the backyard, this area should be supported with the dark tortoise hills by planting bushes or trees on the perimeter, toward the back of the home. On the sides, bushes, flowers and small trees could augment the property. But, the east side of the home should have plants and bushes larger than on the west side. The dragon of the east rests higher than the tiger of the west.
Adding foliage is the equivalent to the “U” configuration, an arm-chair-effect that was first used in Form Feng Shui. The armchair is supported in the back by the dark tortoise, on the sides by the azure dragon and white tiger. The red bird hovers in the front. If the home is in the city and has other homes next to it; this is considered protection on both sides. But, the back would still have to be enhanced and grounded. Yet, there’s one caveat… make sure you know who you’ll be living next to, before you purchase that home. Loud neighbors can mean that the dragon and tiger are always animated or angry.
For those of us who are thinking about purchasing a property on the side of a mountain, no matter how breathtaking the view, this can be iffy and is not optimal Feng Shui. Mud slides happen, as well as earthquakes, avalanches and sometimes even volcanoes. The back of the house should be situated, far enough, away from the mountain. The view of the mountain’s beauty can still be captured, but the mountain should not endanger anyone living on it. City dwellers should keep in mind that large buildings are synonymous with mountains.
Remember, when you finally purchase a home, this is where you will live, eat and sleep each day of your life, so practice beneficial Feng Shui.
Copyright ©2006 by Dolores Kozielski