Feng Shui: Q & A

KITCHEN QUESTIONS

Dear Practitioner,

Dear Myra,

A stove back to back with the toilet wall, and a bathroom under the kitchen, will not cause you problems. In both situations, it is the reverse that is problematic. In other words, the front of the stove should not face a bathroom door and a bathroom should not be located over the kitchen. Especially detrimental is a toilet directly over the stove.

Wood is always a good element for the kitchen. It symbolically feeds the fire that is the source of the family’s nutrition. The wood element in the kitchen can include wood cabinetry, plants, and anything green. A kitchen that emphasizes wood fills the food created there with warm, expansive, health-giving life energy and with TLC (yes, tender loving care - a key ingredient in an excellent diet). Such food feeds the body and the soul!

A kitchen with a large amount of gray, white, black, blue or metallic colors is a kitchen that fills the food with a cool, introspective energy. Food produced here will keep your body alive, as will fast food or frozen dinners. However, such food may seem "plastic" and lacking in soul.

WEEKENDS WITH BRATS

My boyfriend has two children – a 4 year old boy and a 6 year old girl. There is no nice way to put this – they are spoiled brats! They spend alternate weekends with us and I just can’t stand them! They run around like wild animals, mess up the apartment, and one even vomited in my car. Ugh! My boyfriend and I constantly argue over the importance of order and discipline in a home – he has no clue! The girl makes it clear that she dislikes me and the boy looks at me, makes weird faces and totally ignores me. They have both ganged up on me more than once – lying to their father that I hit them. Fortunately, he trusts and believes me. I feel like I am a prisoner in my own home with two terrorists out to destroy my life. What can I do?

Dear Going,

I am not at all surprised that your boyfriend’s children do not like you. Why should they? You make it extremely clear that you do not like them! It is entirely possible that children of your own would be raised differently and would act differently. However, these children are part of your boyfriend’s life. You do not know what they have had to deal with in their short lives so far and you are neither in a position to judge nor to discipline them. The best you can do with your situation is to make friends with the kids. Relax your standards about the house and accept them on their own terms. For example, remember that vomiting is not a disaster. Sensitive stomachs sometimes throw up, and it can be cleaned up. No big deal! Get down on the floor and play with them. Get to know and understand them. Eventually, they will come to accept you as being on their side and you may then have the opportunity to exert some influence in their lives.

TOO MUCH SUNLIGHT

Dear Dee,

A large south-facing window can bring in an excess of yang energy which may very well be responsible for tension and disputes in the household. Other than a window treatment, you can hang a number of faceted crystal balls in the window. These can range from 30mm to 60mm in diameter. These crystals will "catch" the sunlight, somewhat reducing the amount of light coming in. The crystals will also create countless tiny rainbows which will in turn generate positive chi in your family room!