Feng Shui Aspects of Doors and Windows for Buildings
There are infinite possibilities available through the wisdom of feng shui to enhance the quality and sustainability of our living environment and to enjoy greater fulfillment in our lives. This issue will focus on the roles and impact of doors and windows from the feng shui perspective.
IMPORTANT ROLES OF DOORS AND WINDOWS
The feng shui system treats doors and windows with high regard, as they are the openings that connect the inside of a structure to the outside world. Their basic functions are to admit light or to prevent the loss of light from the living environment. They also help to frame the beauty of the surroundings to create a greater appreciation of them, as a beautiful view is worth a premium for many of today's homeowners.
Windows and doors also play important roles in bringing the desirable chi, the universal life force, into the indoor living space. Without these openings, a place would be dark and stagnant or dead, just as a tomb is - devoid of life, light and vibrancy. A powerful analogy of window and door openings is their comparison to our human eyes, nose, ears, mouth and pores of the skin. These organs all play an important function to ensure the effectiveness of a person. Without their functions, one cannot see, hear, smell, taste or feel. From the feng shui perspective, windows and doors play these same integral, crucial roles in providing the "aliveness" for a structure. Thus, their placement within the structure and their orientation to the outside environment - as well as their shapes, forms and designs - all have an enormous impact on the quality and flow of the chi, which influences the quality of the lives of its inhabitants.
A structure's exterior entry doors are the most important of all of its openings. On one hand, they represent the homeowners to the outside world, giving a certain perception of the family. On the other hand, the front door provides protection and privacy. Feng shui symbolizes the front door as the mouth on a person's face. It should be placed in the front center of the house and should be proportional to the size of the front area of the house for a balanced look. A balanced house gives a strong foundation for the stability and harmony of the household.
In addition to the balance principle of feng shui, it is more desirable to have a wide entrance than a narrow one. This is based on the principle of chi circulation. A wide front door helps to improve the circulation of the flow of chi by creating more space for the chi movement. Therefore, it is more favorable to have a double front door than a single one.
A bigger opening also helps to bring in more natural light, making the front entrance brighter. A bright entrance is favorable to attract the positive flow of chi into the house, whereas a dark entrance will attract the negative chi. In addition, a small front door creates a "bottleneck" situation, which affects the quality of the chi. The quality of the chi is rendered to be less beneficial in a narrow, cold and/or dark entrance.
March 2008 Builder Architect Edition Issue
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