Feng Shui & Front Doors

I know, I know, you expect me to tell you to get out the red paint, right? Red is the color associated with power, and is very popular in the Far East on doors that are facing the South. I would much rather discuss the ways you can create a powerful entry without much effort and without hitting the paint store!

In feng shui, the front door is vitally important. It is considered to be the “mouth of chi”. Chi is the life’s breath of a house, its energy. It is said that from the front door that all good, positive energy and opportunity comes to us. n Many people claim to never use their front door, choosing instead to enter their homes through the garage or a side door. Because of this, front doors and the areas around them tend to get neglected. I visited a woman a year or so ago. When I pulled into her driveway I could not see the front door of the house. I walked around the house twice before I finally gave up and went through the side garage door!! Now that is NOT good feng shui! If I can’t find your front door, you are missing out on a huge amount of energy.

To encourage energy to flow well into your space, it is important that you begin by using the front door. I do enjoy my garage door opener as much as the next person, but every morning I go out the front door to get my newspaper, and I go out in the afternoon to pick up my mail. Each time I reenter the house I try to stir up a bit of energy in the space. I may ring the doorbell, (yours should definitely be working!), or shake the wind chimes or sweep off the front steps.

Your front door sets the tone for your home. Is it beautiful? Are you proud of it? Start by looking at it with fresh eyes…try to see what that adorable UPS guy sees! Are there spiders on the walls, peeling paint, ripped screens? Have the plants wilted and died over the winter? Did the light bulb burn out years ago? Is your welcome mat shabby and faded? As you stand there, are the words that come to mind, inviting, welcoming, bright or rather dark, dirty and just plain scary?? Try to remember the mantra, “Whatever energy I invite in the front door gets carried through my space”. What kind of energy are you inviting in?

Begin revving up the energy here in small ways. Grab your broom and send those spiders to the neighbor’s house! Install new lighting or at the very least a new bulb or two! Check to make sure your doorbell works.

Next, treat yourself to a wonderful new welcome mat; one that actually says ‘welcome’ is an excellent choice! I often suggest that my clients take 5 shiny pennies and place them face up underneath their welcome mat. This way anytime that someone crosses your threshold they will be bringing money energy into your house!

It is advisable to make sure your door hardware is shiny and not rusted. A new door opener is an inexpensive way to create a whole new look! Now let’s look at the door itself. Does it open and close smoothly? Does it squeak and scrape the ground around it? It is a widely accepted belief in feng shui that if your front door does not open freely opportunities will not be able to come to you. I tell people if your doorknob sticks and needs to be jiggled to open it means you will have to work harder than normal to achieve your goals.

Many people with children who use their front doors on a regular basis find that the entryway becomes a haphazard mess of shoes, sports equipment, clothing (including wet bathing suits), and general yuck. We need to keep this energy center clear!

Remove anything that DOESN’T belong. Throw out all of the broken objects that have taken refuge here, including the chipped planters or the rusted plant stands. Take all of your thorny plants away from the front door…these will push energy away from your house instead of letting it in.

Your entry should be beautiful and should work to bring you in the energy you desire. If only a small amount of energy is getting in the front door there is only that small bit of energy to support the whole house, whereas if a lot of energy is getting in, there is definitely more potential for benefits to the whole house and the individuals who live there.

A final thought, often I will see a small table just inside the entry door. This table is usually beautiful and elegant, and covered with old mail, newspapers, and bills! This is something that really should be avoided. You certainly don’t want the energy of bills carried through your house! Keep things open and clear and watch the good come to you!

Blessings,
Lori