Introduction
Many Feng Shui practitioners consider the front door an important focal point of any living space. A strong front door allows positive energy and opportunities to flow easily into the home, creating an atmosphere of comfort and abundance.
Many houses, however, also have secondary doors that residents use on a regular basis, such as side doors and back doors. Some people may even use these doors more frequently than the official front door of their home. Is it bad Feng Shui to have a front door that you use only rarely or not at all? Our Feng Shui expert Uncle Dixer supplies answers and practical advice.
(1) Dear Uncle Dixer: I hear a lot about the importance of your front door or entrance. We live out in the country with one neighbor across the road. Out here, no one uses the actual front door. Everyone enters their houses through the garage, using a back door which opens into the mud room or laundry room.
What should I do to bring good Qi (chi) to my front door other than keeping it as clean and clutter-free as is possible? Thank you.
Answer: The front door is only important if it receives the most traffic. Otherwise, it is just a door at the front of the house to be looked at rather than to be used.
If everyone enters the house through the garage, then make sure the garage is clean, tidy, well-lit, and roomy enough that people can get past the cars easily. The back door which opens into the mud room or laundry room should also be kept clean and clutter-free like you said. If you’ve done all of those, then everything is fine.
The most important thing is to focus on the most frequently used door, whether it is the front door, the side door, the back door, or the garage door with a back door. In other words, the most important door is any regularly used door that connects the inside of the house to the outside world. This door should have a clean, orderly, and welcoming feeling, since it is the threshold or the “Naqi Mouth,” an opening that allows the Qi from outside to enter and nourish your home.
If this door is not welcoming and blocks the Qi from freely entering the house because it is untidy, badly lit, cluttered, or dirty, then it is not desirable. In Feng Shui, we say it has Sha Qi, or Qi that stops nourishment and growth, which is not good Feng Shui for the occupants.
(2) Dear Uncle Dixer: I want to Feng Shui my house or at least start trying to. I live in an old house where the front door is almost north facing, but it never gets used as frequently as a front door should. My kitchen door is used more like a front door because all my family and guests pass through it. Do I treat my kitchen door as the main entrance then or do I still consider the front door as a front door?
Answer: You will need to consider both the formal front door and the informal kitchen door when you to do your Feng Shui. That’s because they are both openings that people can use to enter and leave the house. But you can put a bit more weight on the kitchen door in your Feng Shui audit since it is used more often.
(3) Dear Uncle Dixer: I know the main door is very important as it is where the main chi (Qi) enters the house. If the house’s door is closed most of the time, does it mean the chi cannot enter? Or is the chi restricted and/or limited?
Answer: Besides the main door, there are other doors that lead to the outside. The more frequently a door is used to get into and out of the house, the more attention you need to pay to the Qi of that door. That’s because the more frequently used door will most likely be the one that affects the Feng Shui of the house the most. However, Qi also enters the house through windows and other smaller openings.
Additional Comments
Feng Shui principles have always described doors as powerful portals through which both good and bad energy can flow into the home. Hence, the placement, size, color, and overall condition of the doors to your house are all essential for good Feng Shui. The more you use a particular door or entrance, the more important it becomes to keep that particular area clean, well-lit, and free of external obstacles to facilitate the flow of positive Qi.
If you feel the need to Feng Shui your doors or any other parts of your house, or if you simply wish to learn more about the art in general, licensed Feng Shui practitioners are your best bet. No matter where in the world you are, Feng Shui Nexus can connect you with experts who are well-equipped to address your specific needs and concerns.
Uncle Dixer is a Chinese-Australian Feng Shui Expert. He is here to answer your Feng Shui questions so we can better understand the workings of Feng Shui. Read more about him or submit your question to an expert.