Chapter 10

Home Sweet Home: Evaluating Your House and Its Surroundings

In This Chapter

How neighboring facilities can be a health risk

Recognizing favorable lot shapes

Houses of all shapes and sizes

Laying out your bedroom and office

This chapter continues where Chapter 9 left off. Here, you’ll learn more about your environment, and how the proximity of a school, church, or power plant—among other things—affects how you feel, relate, and even sleep. You’ll discover how the land your house is built on plays a role in your well-being.

This chapter is also about practical application—things you can do now to improve your living space, such as the best way to position your bed to gain a restful night’s sleep, or where to station your desk to increase your productivity. By making simple adjustments and being mindful of potential qi-inspired hazards, you’ll feel more balanced and centered. You’ll feel strong and in control instead of butting heads with the elements.

Church Bells and Power Poles

A host of man-made factors can influence your health and livelihood. Although some are obvious hazards, others are less so. Take living next to a school. Would you think its proximity poses a health risk? Aside from the school bus exhaust fumes, the area is charged with the high energy of youth. Just being in your own children’s presence can wear you out. Now, multiply this by say, a thousand. Over time, the voltage of kid qi may cause insomnia, anxiety, and muscle tension.

Conversely, how about living next to a hospital, funeral parlor, or even a place of worship? Here, you’re enveloped with trauma, depression, sorrow, illness, and death. But wait, aren’t churches, synagogues, and the like peaceful places? They can be. However, you’re still subjected to the maladies of others. Here are more sites you should avoid living in close proximity to:

Garbage dump

Airport

Landfill

Railroad

Cemetery

Factory

Police station

Military camp

Fire station

High-tension power lines

If you live next to one of these places, can a five-phase remedy offer protection? Unfortunately, no. The presence is simply too overwhelming. If you’re a soldier stationed in a military camp or a minister living in the parsonage next to the church, take extra precautions to safeguard your health. A proper diet and exercise will help to defend against the inherently inauspicious site in which you must live. However, it’s best to try to avoid it altogether.

Land Sakes Alive!

There’s much to consider when choosing or evaluating a house. You’ve already learned you can create a veritable heaven on earth just by identifying and situating yourself in an area that protects your back and left and right sides. Even if you don’t live in a mountainous region, you can still find security and protection among neighboring structures. Also, don’t forget the fourth component—river and/or road patterns (and foothills, if applicable). Do the river courses and roadways surrounding your house bring sheng qi, promoting good health, wealth, and happiness? Or is your house the object of sha qi, bringing potential money loss, illness, and failed relationships?

Let’s examine the land on which your house is situated. Later, we’ll look at other favorable and unfavorable factors that influence your state of being.

Over Hill, Over Dale

Where’s the best place to live? On top of a hill? On a steep incline? How about on sloping land or flat terrain? Look at the following illustration. What do you believe to be the most favorable terrain?

1. A hilltop. While offering a spectacular view, this is not an auspicious site. Left unprotected, you’re subjected not only to nature’s forces but also to psychological vulnerability. People who live on hilltops are known to feel insecure and exposed. Often, these individuals are prone to insomnia and nervousness. Imagine yourself camping out on a hilltop. It’s just you and your sleeping bag. You have an unobstructed view of the stars. After a while, you doze off. But your sleep is not restful. On guard, you summon up the fight or flight instinct understood by primitive man. Although the inhabitants of Masada and Machu Picchu might have been skilled at sleeping with one eye open, ultimately, they did not withstand the test of time. Again, choose a secure haven over a scenic view.

2. A steep incline. A mountain view in back, a panoramic view in front. Sound ideal? Imagine standing on a vertical incline. Naturally, you tend to lean back and widen your stance—anything to offer stability to prevent you from toppling over. Psychological effects aside, how about the threat of landslides? In feng shui, those who live on a steep incline are unable to retain wealth. Like a house on top of a hill, a house on a steep incline does not allow sheng qi to accumulate and settle. It’s carried downhill. So is your hard-earned money.

Although generally it’s favorable to have a natural mountain formation supporting your back and a body of water in front, in some circumstances this configuration can be detrimental to your health and livelihood. You’ll learn more about this in Part 4.

3. A sloping hill. Classical feng shui doctrines tell us that living on a gently sloping hill is ideal. This is because the soil on this terrain is fertile and rich. Here, your house is less likely to flood. Depending on the grade of the slope, the upward incline can represent the black turtle, protecting and supporting your back.

4. Flat terrain. Although the ancient Chinese classics tell us flat, low-lying areas are best avoided (because of the threat of flooding and poor soil quality), these texts spoke to an agricultural society. Today, most urban dwellers live on flat terrain. Offering a solid foundation and security, this type of site is favorable.

Armed with this information, you’ll think twice before purchasing your dream house on a hilltop or steep incline. As mama says, “It’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Lots of Plots

Now that you understand what kind of terrain is considered favorable, let’s see how the shape of your lot affects your well-being. Much of what we have presented so far relies on plain old common sense, a factor we’re more accustomed to dealing with than complicated environmental concerns. We’ve discussed where you should seek a lot, now let’s talk about the individual lot itself. Disregarding all other external details, look at the following illustrations. Which lots do you think are most favorable?

1. Square lot. In feng shui, a square shape, be it a lot, a room, or a table, denotes stability and balance. Qi is able to flow freely, unobstructed. Ideally, your house should be situated in the center of a lot, allowing qi to circulate around the structure and through its windows and doors, nourishing the occupants.

2. Rectangular lot. In this example, the dwelling is positioned at the front of the lot. Qi flows in and accumulates in the back, your wealth and health safeguarded. It’s similar to a wealthy individual having “deep pockets.” Investors have backers—ensuring support behind them.

3. Deep front yard, shallow backyard. In feng shui, if the space behind your house is significantly less than the space in front, you will have difficulty retaining money.

4. Trapezoid lot. Here, sheng qi inspiring good health and monetary gain must squeeze in. Like a bottleneck, the object in question must maneuver through the tight opening in order to accumulate in back. Because qi will have difficulty entering, this shape is not considered favorable.

5. Inverted trapezoid lot. In this example, qi has no trouble entering, but a difficult time staying. Imagine a cone-shaped paper cup. Flatten the bottom so that it’s able to stand on its end, then fill it with water. More than likely, before the water reaches the rim, the cup will fall over. Its support base is too weak to retain the liquid. Similarly, sheng qi is unable to collect and settle.

6. Triangular lot. This is the most unfavorable of all the lot shapes. Simply, angular lots are disorienting.

Most likely, the shape of your lot corresponds to one of the illustrations just offered. Of course, there are other shapes like an L configuration. This shape is considered unfavorable because qi has a difficult time maneuvering around corners. Also, the junction of walls and/or fences produces angle sha, which impacts negatively on the well-being of the occupants. But, what if you live on a lot with no visible boundaries? Common in the Midwest, this situation features adjoining multiple lots with little, if any, visible division. The suggestion here is of one great yard. As long as qi is able to flow unobstructed, nourishing each structure, this housing configuration does not pose a problem. However, do be mindful of wind tunnels. We suggest planting shrubs and trees to prevent possible negative effects.

Regarding apartment-dwellers, although the external lot the building sits on is certainly a consideration, the shape of your unit within the building takes precedence. In other words, think of the floor your unit is located on as the lot. Where your unit is situated plays a role in the overall auspiciousness of your dwelling. Traditionally, side and back units don’t receive as much light as front units. To offset the lack of yang qi, make sure that your unit is amply lit.

House of Shapes

As we mentioned in Chapter 6, each of the five phases corresponds to a shape: fire is triangular, earth is square, metal is round, water is wavy, and wood is rectangular. How does the shape affect qi’s course? Consider each individually:

Triangle. Most of us don’t live in a teepee or a church. But some of us live in A-framed houses, or have some rooms whose walls are angular. Attic rooms are a good example. What does this mean? Well, again, you may feel disoriented, out of control, as if the room might cave in on you. Some people feel claustrophobic. Also, if two protruding walls come together to form an angle, this troublesome juncture creates sha qi.

Regarding qi’s flow in a triangular dwelling, imagine bouncing a Super Ball in this room. What happens? The angular walls cause it to bounce in a crazy, haphazard fashion. It is the same with qi. After a while, this dizzying effect will take its toll on your well-being.

Square. This shape is your best friend. Square lots, square house, square rooms. No fuss, no muss. Here, qi flows freely. So abstain from an architecturally challenged structure in favor of something nice and normal. You’ll be better off.

Circle. This shape is ideal for sports coliseums, but would you want to be caught up in a whirlwind of qi? Imagine how water drains. Imagine the power a hurricane or tornado creates. Caught in the path, it’s nearly impossible to free yourself. People who live in circular houses or who spend a lot of time in domed or circular rooms have trouble concentrating and sleeping.

Wavy. A house conforming to this horizontal shape has variegated roof/ceiling lines. Like a ship at sea, the up-and-down motion of qi waves can cause you to feel unstable. Many castles and modern houses correspond to this shape.

Rectangle. Symbolic of wood’s expansion and growth, living in this type of structure is considered favorable. Like a square shape, rectangles don’t present any odd angles to which qi will have difficulty maneuvering. Ranch houses and trailers are examples of rectangular dwellings. Now, a rectangle standing on its end is also considered a wood shape. High-rise buildings are good examples.

What about other configurations? Although there are myriad different shapes, here are two common ones that, from our experience, affect the occupants differently:

1. People who live in a house with a receding central section are known to be of humble means and content. But in this case, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Although subconsciously they might appear to others to lack wealth, it’s more likely the owners are financially secure. This is because the back of their house is solid, providing support and security.

2. People who live in a house that forms a U-shape, its central back section missing, subconsciously appear to others to be well off. In fact, these people are subjected to possible divorce, money loss, and other misfortune. This is because the sitting side of their dwelling does not provide uniform protection. Occupants feel as though they’re exposed.

When judging a structure’s form and layout, disregard furniture, doors, and windows, concentrating only on the shape of the dwelling and rooms. How do they make you feel? Remember, the external and internal environment should nurture, not deplete, you.

A Grand Entrance

As you’ll soon find out in upcoming chapters, the most important part of a house is the entrance. It represents who we are. Similar to the car we drive or the clothes we wear, much can be said about the outward appearance of the main entrance. Yet, aside from visual factors, the front door is the primary location for the invisible qi force to enter. Later, you’ll learn to determine whether the entrance is inherently auspicious. But for now, let’s concentrate on factors that can influence how you and your guests feel.

The size of your front door should be proportionate to the size of an average person (see illustration 1). Illustrations 2 and 3 show an entrance that is too tall and too large, respectively. Doors of this size encourage valuable qi to escape. In feng shui, it is believed you may experience financial loss by having such a grand entrance.

Conversely, if your entrance is too small (not illustrated here), you are restricting qi from entering. Here are some other considerations:

The front door should not be impeded by things like a single tree or utility pole placed curbside in direct alignment with your entrance.

The front door should be protected against any poison arrow qi coming from T-junctions, Y-junctions, or other sha qi emitted by neighboring structures.

The path leading to your front door should be curved, forming a right angle just before the door.

Ideally, the main entrance should be at the top of a flight of stairs. Subconsciously, the occupants feel safer above street level.

The main entrance should not be below street level. Qi is not able to enter easily; the occupants feel trapped.

The main entrance should be inviting. Your front lawn should be mowed and bushes trimmed. In general, you should feel good about entering your own house; your guests should feel welcome. Your house shouldn’t be an eyesore of weeds, overgrown plants, and peeling paint!

The front entrance should not open onto a stairway positioned directly opposite the door. Similar to living on a hilltop or a steep incline, your potential to accumulate wealth will flow out the door.

The front door and back door should not be in alignment. Literally, qi will enter in one door and exit from the other. Unfortunately, many houses are constructed such that a long hallway connects the front and back doors. Considering the appropriate five-phase remedy (and space provided), block negative qi’s path by placing a screen, piece of furniture, or plant near the main entrance.

The front entrance should be well lit. By protecting the main entrance, you’ll be promoting better health, wealth, and happiness.

You may be wondering whether these considerations apply to only your main entrance. They apply to the front door and any other door (such as the back or side entrances) you use most often.

Room for Improvement

You may have heard that you should sleep with your head positioned toward the north. But as you’ll soon learn, the direction you should sleep is determined by your ming gua—knowledge you acquired in Chapter 8. This same method will also describe which directions are best for work and study. But until then, other factors contribute to the quality of your sleep, work, and study. Even though auspicious bed and desk positions are evaluated in the same way, we will separate the two to facilitate easier learning.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

It stands to reason we should do everything possible to ensure a restful sleep. After all, we spend a third of our lifetime in our bedroom. Disregarding factors such as the shape of the room and the color of the room, here are some bed positions you should avoid:

1. The foot of your bed should not face the door. Qi’s flow will disrupt your sleep.

2. For the same reason, your bed should not be placed on the same wall as the door.

3. Your bed should not be positioned under a window. The elements will prevent a peaceful rest.

4. Your bed should not be positioned between a doorway and window, or a combination thereof. The wind tunnel will cause a disturbance.

5. Your bed should not be placed on an angle. Having the solid support of the black turtle will make you feel more secure, preventing the bogeyman from lurking in the black crevices.

6. You should not sleep under ceiling beams. The beams cause qi to create a ripple effect, the downward pressure impacting not only your sleep but also your health.

So, where is the ideal place to position your bed? Referring to the following illustrations, the bed should be placed on an unobstructed wall diagonally across from the door and far enough away from the window so that you aren’t bothered by the direct hit of incoming qi. Also, the bed should be accessible from both sides.

Now, before you begin to move furniture, you first must learn to determine which directions favor you (an important factor you’ll learn about in the next chapter). Only then can you make a competent evaluation.

Working Nine to Five

The time we spend in our bedrooms may reign, but the time we spend at our desks follows closely. So, again, it behooves us to harness sheng qi to promote a better livelihood. Look at the following illustrations:

1. Your back should not face a doorway. It’s important that you see anyone who enters. More importantly, your back must be supported by a wall.

2. The desk must not be placed on the same wall as the doorway. Qi flows directly toward you, causing a lack of concentration.

3. Your back must not be exposed to a window. Again, you need support. Besides, incoming sunlight will cause a glare on your computer screen.

4. The desk should not be positioned between two doors or two windows, or a combination thereof. The wind tunnel creates a lack of concentration and need for paperweights.

5. The desk should not be placed on an angle. You need support to get the job done.

6. The desk should not be positioned under overhead beams. The bombardment of the hammerlike qi pattern created by the beams will negatively affect you over time.

Now for the favorable positions. The following illustrations show a desk placed so that the person’s back is supported by a wall. How close should your back be to the wall? Close enough so that you feel its solidity. Also, you must be far enough away from qi’s direct path entering through the window and door. And, the occupant must have a clear view of anyone entering.

Again, don’t move anything just yet. First, you must learn how to determine your favorable directions. When all factors are considered, then you can begin the laborious task of rearranging the furniture. Hey, while you’re at it, why not apply a fresh coat of paint (using the appropriate color, of course), and get rid of clutter? Qi will flow more smoothly. You’ll feel more organized, confident, and motivated.

Moving Day

What about the rest of your house? What about arranging your living room, den, and kitchen according to feng shui principles? Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll be on your way to achieving harmony, balance, good health, and prosperity:

The furniture in the room should be a mixture of yin and yang. Balance dark with light; angled corners with round.

The furniture should be proportionate to the room. The pieces should be arranged evenly to facilitate easy access.

Sofas are best placed against a wall.

The backs of sofas or chairs should not face any entrances.

All areas should be free of clutter.

Objects d’art should be balanced.

It’s a good idea to plot out different furniture arrangements on graph paper. Study each design and choose the one best corresponding to our suggestions. Sometimes change can be difficult. So, have a friend or family member help you. A well-informed, objective opinion can present options you might not have considered.

In the next part, we’ll introduce you to one method of classical feng shui called Flying Star.

The Least You Need to Know

Living next to a place of worship, school, hospital, or fire station can cause health risks.

Living on gently sloping or flat terrain is better than living on a hill or a steep incline.

The shape of your lot and house affects how vital sheng qi is able to accumulate and settle.

To ensure a restful sleep, your bed should be supported by a wall and positioned away from doors and windows.

To increase productivity, your back should be supported by a wall; the desk should be stationed away from doors and windows.