5. IMPROVE YOUR FENG SHUI

Choose land

Here's a list of things you should look for: check out the lay of the land in terms of hills, water, vegetation (look for lush and thriving greenery), sunlight, drainage, roads, and potential winds. A square or rectangular lot is the best, rather than irregularly shaped land.

Improve the site of your home

Well, we can't all live in the loins of the green dragon and white tiger. So, what you do is make do with what you get. There are many steps that you can take to improve your chances of accumulating ch'i in your home. If you live near strong winds or swift waters, you could build a fence or row of trees/shrubs to shield you from the wind or negative affects of the strong current. If you don't happen to live near clean, meandering water then you could build a pond or fountain. Water is important since it symbolizes status, prosperity and wealth and is the dragon's favorite element.

Avoid shars

The ancient Chinese believed that shars or poison arrows travel in straight lines. Therefore, one should avoid straight lines often found in power lines, railroads, walls, rivers and roads. For example, the corner of a neighboring house may be pointed directly at your house. There are also traffic or road-related shars, like when your house is at the intersection of two streets, when traffic faces your house, or when your house is built on a curve of a road. Practically speaking, these types of traffic situations are negative because headlights are likely to shine in your windows at night. One remedy would be to build a fence or row of trees/shrubs to shield your home from the road.

Inside the house, exposed beams are considered unlucky and inhibit ch'i movement. They create the feeling of the weight of the world on one's shoulders. Ways to fix the negative effects of beams include hanging a small Pa-Kua in the center of the beam, or two small flutes with tassels. There are numerous shars that one should avoid, but too many to list here. Please refer to the reference books at the end of the article if you are interested in learning more.

Room by room

Bedrooms:

  • The master bedroom should be as far away from the front door as possible, because it would be most secure there.

  • The bed should face either the health or longevity directions if possible.

  • A person sitting in bed must be able to see who is entering the room (either by direct sight or using a mirror).

  • The foot of the bed should NOT face the door because this is how the Chinese line up coffins for burial (death position), nor should it face a mirror.

  • The bed's headboard should not touch the wall, but part of the bed should be touching a wall otherwise the people will feel unstable.

  • The color of the bedroom should compliment your personal element (for instance: wood - blue, fire - green, earth - red, metal - yellow, water - white).

Kitchen: (it's the symbol of family wealth)

  • The placement of the stove is most important. It should be positioned so a person using it can see who is entering the room (either by direct sight or using a mirror). The cook shouldn't be surprised by someone coming into the room because it may cause accidents or affect food preparation.

  • The stove should NOT face: the front door, bathroom door, master bedroom door, staircase, bed, under a beam, or in a corner.

  • There should be ample room to work around the stove - it should be kept clean and work well to encourage favorable family finances.

Living Room:

  • This is where the family and guests usually come together, so it should be comfortable, cheerful, and reflect the personalities of the home's occupants (e.g., pictures, art work, memorabilia).

  • It should be regular in shape - square and oblong are the best. However, some of the furniture should be round (e.g., rugs, end tables) since a round shape represents money.

  • The room should be well lit and have natural sunlight.

Dining Room:

  • Should be close to the kitchen and preferably in the corner of a home to encourage the pooling of ch'i. Placement near the front door means your guests will eat and leave quickly. However, just like fences can block unfavorable situations outside, screens can serve the same purpose inside.

  • Round tables are ideal because everyone can talk easily to each other. The table should be made out of wood or metal, NOT glass or marble.

  • There should be enough room around the table for guests to comfortably get in and out of their chairs.

  • Mirrors are beneficial because they give the perception of doubling the amount of food.

Bathroom:

  • Lots of water (symbolic of money) is used in the bathroom, so the room symbolizes the homeowner's finances.

  • The bathroom should NOT be placed in the wealth, fame, or career sectors of the home, nor should it be visible from the front door.

  • It should be clean, well lit, well ventilated, and have many mirrors.

  • The toilet should be hidden, if possible in a separate room, and not be placed central to the home because it could "flush away" opportunity.

And there you have it, how to use feng shui to get all your crap straightened out (no pun intended). For information that's a little more personalized, check out the online Chinese Fortune Calendar. Just put in your birth date, and it will calculate most of your feng shui information for you. Your directions, elements, all the basics!