West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

Feng Shui Checklist for a Home Sweet Home

Shelter is necessary for survival. Why not make your current home a place of peace? If this seems impossible, start your Feng Shui with one room or a cozy corner of the house which appeals to you. We all have our favorite spots, and most likely you resonate with one special corner or room. Each room of a dwelling is home to an Element. There are Five Elements which are needed for living in balance. They are Wood/spring, Fire/summer, Metal/autumn, Water/winter and Earth where all seasons exists.

Four to five thousand years ago a system was developed by India and China to find the best locations for building temples, villages and shelters. Added to their environmental investigations, human nature needed nurturing also. Nine aspects of life were added to the circle of life and the Bagua was created. Of course, I am simplifying the ancient Chinese Magic Square, or Bagua, an octagonal shape which denotes motion, change and transformations in relationship with the heavens or Wind and Water.

Elements should flow in a harmonious way such as Wood fuels Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth produces Metal, Metal makes Water and Water nourishes Wood. But when the environment is overwhelmed or people and nature are out of balance, Wood destroys Earth, Earth dams Water, Water puts out Fire, Fire melts Metal and Metal chops Wood! The body is also susceptible to these energy forces, as the ancient knowledge of Ayurvedic and Chinese physicians point out.

The checklist below gives valuable information on how to give you and your family the best living spaces. I have listed nine insights to take into consideration when finding a peaceful location and shelter.

1. When relocating check the location, climate, terrain, incorporation date (birth date) of city, location of grave sites, funeral homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics.

2. When building, check the same as above as well as property and lot shape, building codes and zoning, neighborhood Chi, address number, and location of lot according to Feng Shui principles:

a. Check Mouth of Chi or how the road comes into your property

b. Drainage, sewers or septic tank, T-Zone

c. Neighboring house shapes or buildings {pointing arrows}

d. Is lot above or below street level; steep hills in front or back?

3. Shape of Floor Plan: Remodel? New house? Existing structure?

a. Map the Floor Plan with the Bagua or eight-sided octagonal tool

b. Ratio of doors to windows

c. Determine shape – auspicious or not auspicious

4. Make adjustments for detail designs which might cause stress:

a. Hidden front door, odd-shaped lot, shared driveway

b. Staircase in line with front door, split-level design, angled or slanted walls, beam over entry, bathroom over entry, kitchen stove or fireplace over entry

c. Seeing kitchen stove from front door, front door/back door alignment

5. Best location for bathrooms – largest loss of Chi for a structure

a. Bathrooms in relationships to beds and stoves

b. Center bathrooms

6. Best location for:

a. Bedrooms; master, children’s and guest – Yin

b. Kitchen, office – Yang

c. Staircases, which move energy from one floor to the next

7. Placement of bed, desk and stove in commanding positions for success

8. Cures and Corrections/Enhancements

9. Have no doubt!

Stay tuned, next week I will give you some corrections for design details.

Caroline is a Feng Shui consultant, artist, herbalist, newspaper columnist, businesswoman, author and teacher. She has conducted over 3500 Feng Shui consultations. She has taught art for over 35 years. Her weekly column West Meets East can be viewed on her website moongateschool.com. Caroline’s advice is only considered suggestions and she is not responsible for any problems relating from her suggestions. Please consult a physician for any diagnostic evaluations concerning your health.

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Caroline Patrick Caroline's Feng Shui Concepts Mt. Vernon, WA 360-424-1501

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