Landform Feng Shui: Siting Your House for Construction
Are you currently selecting a site for a new home or thinking of doing so in the future? If so, then consider using the Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art and science of placement, to help you find the best property for your home construction and make the most of your investment. This 3,000 year-old tradition originally was used for the auspicious placement of government buildings and imperial palaces for Chinese emperors to assure their wealth, success, health and happiness. It is just as applicable in modern times, as you choose land to build your dream home.
A key component to site selection with Feng Shui is to find land with good “chi.” Chi means energy and the best sites have positive life force energy. Here are our top tips to help you identify good chi on your site and select a suitable site for your new home:
Vegetation: Look at the shrubbery and trees along with the animals that appear on the land. They should be healthy and vibrant.
Lot shape: Evenly shaped lots such as squares and rectangles are best as they allow for the most even distribution of chi energy.
Roads and Driveways: Roads with a meandering path are best as the chi can flow like a stream. This theory also applies to driveways and walkways. Two-way traffic streets are best for locating your home. While one-way streets, dead end and cul-de-sacs are believed to contribute to stagnant or stuck chi.
The Facing Direction of Your Home: Feng Shui pays attention to the direction of a home in terms of power directions. These are the most favorable directions for you to face, sit or position yourself and are dependent upon your “Kua” number which is calculated through a formula based on your month, day and year of birth. Ideally, a home will face a top power direction for the head(s) of the household.
Water: It is considered very auspicious to have water at the front or facing side of the home. Think of the waterfront condos, lakeside homes or cities like Manhattan or San Francisco that sit on the water. The facing side of a home is defined as the most open view to the most open space.
Turtles and other animals: A turtle is symbolic of support and ideally every home should have a turtle behind it. This can literally be a hill or mountain behind the home. It can also be a tree line or another dwelling higher than the home. Other landform animals include the green dragon, the site line on the left side of the property, and the white tiger on the right side. The green dragon should be higher than the white tiger. Planting a row of green hedges on the left side and shorter white Spirea on the right side can accomplish this if a site doesn’t naturally have the desired shape.
To be avoided: From a Feng Shui perspective, the experience of your property and home begins on the drive to it. Make sure the sights leading up to your property are pleasing. Keep away from high-tension wires, loud commercial business and overly trafficked streets.
The goal of selecting a site with Feng Shui for your construction project is to create a space in tranquil surroundings that support and empower you for years to come. So, take your time in selecting your site and explore all aspects of the property from aesthetics to convenience and safety. Best wishes for success!
About the authors
Linda Ellson is a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, owner of Feng Shui Your World and a Licensed Realtor®. She is a graduate of the American School of Classical Feng Shui and has done Mastery level studies with global Feng Shui Masters Lillian Too Joey Yap Master TK Lee and space clearing with Karen Kingston. Linda has been a professional Feng Shui consultant and teacher for more than 14 years and student of metaphysical and spiritual studies for over 25 years.
Co-author, Joanne Miechowski is the happily retired former Marketing Director of Feng Shui Your World.
