Christopher Blackburn

It is important that the flow of Chi from the front to the back of your home is not hindered. It is also best to have it flow through in a meandering path and not a direct line. Entrance ways off the street or through your garden to the front door will determine the qualities of Chi that flow into your home. Therefore it is important to use curved pathways or garden beds. Breaking up the direction of pavers to allow curved lines will also help. A birdbath, fountain or a small pond along the way will bring balance and improve the qualities of Chi. outside the door. This will also discourage Sha (negative energy) from entering your home. Too small a doorway will not allow enough Chi to enter the home, but placing a If the back door can be seen from the front door, Chi can flow straight through your home without circulating. Placing a large potted plant or a screen in between the two will break up the straight lines and help to deflect Chi. The entrance hall is most auspicious in terms of Feng Shui as it is the place where one might pause upon entering or leaving the home, thus being energized by the Chi that flows through it. Entrance halls that have no windows or doors leading from them or are enclosed in some way can cause Chi to stagnate. Again mirrors or a ceiling fan or maybe a small Poorly positioned stairways can cause problems in the way they defect Chi. A stairway directly opposite the front door will allow most of the Chi to rush through and up to the next level causing the ground floor to starve. If you have an open stairway that uses risers as opposed to filled in steps it will not allow enough Chi to flow to the next floor.

Placing plants beneath the stairs will help to deflect Chi upwards, thus allowing the flow to continue. A skylight over the stairs will also help improve the situation. Stairways that curve along their path are obviously ideal, but what can be done to help if there is too sharp a bend. Again we solve this dilemma with the use of The lounge room is the place reserved for relaxation, conversation, interaction and relationships. It is therefore considered in Feng Shui terms to be the heart of the home. The lounge room should be in the south side of the home or should face south. West is also a good outlook and it should have a pleasant view. If the view from your lounge room has harsh lines or angles such as a neighbouring home or a city skyline, try breaking the lines up with large plants Your lounge room should be square or rectangular in shape and the furniture should be placed so as to break opposing straight lines. This will allow Chi to flow gently through a room. Alcoves and dead areas can be broken up with the placement of plants, large items of furniture or fish tanks. Seating in your lounge room should be placed in a way that breaks up direct pathways. Avoid placing the back of a lounge chair or settee directly toward a wall. This will break the lines and secret arrows which produce Sha energy. There should also be an even number of seats in the room. The most comfortable seat in the room should be reserved for a guest and should never have its back facing a door. The lounge room should have an open and inviting feel to it.

1. Avoid overcrowding the room with furniture.
2. If necessary remove the least used items in the room to achieve this feeling.

1. An area that has stagnant Chi is best remedied with an aquarium or a television.
2. The placement of flowers or potted plants are also effective enhancers for these areas.
3. Color your room wisely.
4. Don't use harsh colours or colours that oppose the furniture or artwork.

Where possible derive the colours from your artwork to help create a harmony between the two. Soft pastels are always good. Before making a final decision on colour, check the symbolic definition for them. The seating arrangements for the family dining table are based on the order of the trigram in the Bagwa. The ideal shape for your table is the octagon of the eight sided Bagwa. However tables of this shape are difficult to come by and not always practical. A round table is said by some experts to be as good symbolising earth and stability. If your table is rectangular or square, the placing of an octagonal centre piece or place mats is good Feng Shui. To enhance your health, wealth and happiness place the Three Star Gods over looking your dining table. When arranging furniture in the dining room ensure that chairs do not restrict doorways. There should be ample space for guests to walk around the table without having to manoeuvre around chairs or other furniture. There should be an even number of dining chairs and remember to seat an honoured guest facing the doorway. Dining chairs with a horseshoe shaped back are ideal Feng Shui as this shape represents the Dragon embracing the Tiger. If your dining room has no windows a chandelier or a ceiling fan will assist the flow of Chi. Always use soft even lighting in the dining room as well as soft colours such as shad.