The first thing people see when approaching a house is naturally the entranceway, most notably the front door. According to the principles of feng shui, the main entranceway to a home is not only the means by which most people enter, but also the doorway that protects the home from unwelcome and destructive spirits.
According to Feng Shui master Man-Ho Kwok, the proper entranceway encourages health, wealth and a long life; and since this is the case, there are certain things potential buyers should look for when considering purchasing a particular house.
Construction and Size
The front door should be well hinged and solid, not wobbly and flimsy. It should also be proportionally in scale with the rest of the house, meaning neither too large nor too small. If the door is too large, homeowners are likely to suffer from financial difficulties; if too small, they are liable to engage in frequent disagreements and arguments, most of which will be petty.
The door’s frames should be free of rot, well aligned, and straight, for if the frames are bent, out of alignment, or rotten, residents are likely to encounter ill fortune.
Door Placement
The most desirable position for the front door is toward the left-hand side of the house, which allows the Green Dragon to exert its vigorous spirit over the home. A door placed in the center, however, is acceptable, while doors on the right-hand side are undesirable, since this placement allows the White Tiger’s influence to outweigh that of the Green Dragon.
The front door should not face a “Y” shaped walkway or path because such a walkway or path indicates that whenever one leaves the house, one will always be faced with the decision of which direction to take, which will eventually lead one to misfortune, either at work or within one’s family life. Neither should the front door be aligned directly with a tree in the front yard because, given the strong yin of trees, such placement prevents yang from entering the home and creates an imbalance in energy within the home.
If the door faces a narrow gap, for example, an alley or lane between two structures, it could lead to a loss of the residents’ savings. Moreover, the front door should not face a hill or mountain, since this placement can herald work difficulties or losses in business ventures. Finally, the front door should not face a deep ravine, valley, or dead-end street, since this placement can lead to mental instability in residents of the home.
Outside Lighting
The most desirable outside lighting is that of one lamp on each side of the front door; however, both lamps should be in good condition, for if one lamp does not work, this is considered a bad omen.
Although a lamppost placed in the yard near the front entranceway serves as a guardian of the home, as long as it is in good repair, one should avoid purchasing a home with a lamppost standing directly in front of the main doorway, for such placement heralds financial misfortune for the residents.
Surroundings
Walls or fences around a house can create good feng shui that protects the house as long as they are not right up against the house. Ideally, walls and fences should not be less than six and a half feet from the house itself, for when closer they tend to lose their protective powers.
Overcoming Bad Feng Shui
After looking at a home if potential buyers are still determined to purchase it, regardless of the entranceway’s undesirable traits, there are steps they can take in order to counter any negative feng shui:
- Place a feng shui mirror above the doorframe on the outside of the door in order to deflect bad feng shui and prevent it from entering (this, however, does not work if the house faces a “Y” shaped walkway, a dead-end street, or a deep ravine or valley);
- Hang wind chimes near the outside entranceway;
- Hang a string of bells inside the door so that they tinkle whenever someone opens and closes the door;
- Paint the door a deep red, dark charcoal, or rich chocolate;
- Position two large urns or flowerpots (heavy enough that it take both hands to pick them up) near the entranceway, with one urn or pot on each side of the entranceway, not together.
The important thing to remember when shopping for a home is that all places are influenced by forces that are working in both the land and any structures built upon that land, and these forces may be in harmony or disharmony with the cosmos. This is the purpose of feng shui —to help people recognize chaos and then, if it cannot be avoided, to learn how to replace chaos with tranquility.
Kwok, M. & O’Brien, J. (1991) The Elements of Feng Shui. New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
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