If the eyes are the window to the soul.....

If the eyes are the windows to the soul then your front door is the mouth of the home. It is here that nourishment comes into our home (groceries), where new opportunities present themselves (unexpected visitors), and where fresh air is breathed into the home. It is for this reason that the front door of your home is vital and important. Imagine having your mouth taped shut for a week. The difficulty you would have breathing, the inability to eat, and the inability to communicate with loved ones or make business deals.

Front doors attract good energy and also protect us from the elements. It is for this reason that the front door is critical in feng shui. It should be easily seen, identified and approachable. All of us have seen the one house in the neighborhood that is ‘haunted’. The lawn is dead, the sidewalk broken, door faded and hinges rusted. The house that always gets egged by the kids, the ones where people cross the street rather than cross the driveway. Okay, I know your house is not like a cliché haunted house. But think about it this way. You entered the Publishers Clearing House drawing for one million dollars. The vans pull up, cameras are rolling and the host has a huge check in his hands. But wait, the crew looks puzzled. Where is the front door? Are those cobwebs? Do I hear a scary dog? They hurriedly load back in the van and you have lost a once in a lifetime opportunity. Okay, again, an extreme example.

The best exercise you can do is to go outside your home, stand in the street (please, watch for cars), face your house. Imagine that you are a good Samaritan and want to give one lucky homeowner on this street a ton of money. Would you approach your home or your neighbors? If you are biased and you still say “YES I would give myself the check!” then try this: imagine your are a young girl scout selling chocolate chip cookies. Is the owner of your home going to be enjoying those cookies or will she be skipping your house? I for one always hope for cookies.

Here are the top 5 basic feng shui principles for front doors:

1. Your front door should be seen from the street or at least it should be clear where the front door is.

2. The front porch and front door should be well lit. Not only will this make you feel more protected, and your visitors more comfortable approaching your home, it may also limit your liability if some one trips on your front porch step.

3. There should be a clean and bright colored door mat welcoming visitors.

4. There should be a pleasant yet protective greeter. These are often seen as small statues, a beautiful plant, or even small bench.

5. The door should open easily and freely. The door should not be blocked from the inside or difficulty to step through.

If you are feeling that ‘opportunity’ is passing you by, take a look at your front door.