House First View

To practice this technique, visit a new neighborhood. Stop at random in front of a house you've never seen, and look at it. But don't think; just feel. Notice your first gut impression. How do you feel within the first second or two? This simple exercise can give you an initial grasp of the energy of any residence and the kinds of influences it may be having on its occupants.

The impression a house makes from the street is a key indicator of its energy. For example, suppose you look at the front of a large, dark house and feel a sudden sense of gloom or foreboding. This gloom is probably the dominant effect you would feel from the house if you lived there, and the effect it may well be wreaking on its present occupants. The long-term energetic effects of living in this house may include lethargy or sluggishness, or feelings of oppression, depression, sadness.

Try this technique on your own house. First, clear your mind of all preconceived notions. Let your thoughts stop for a moment and simply feel as you gaze at the front of your home. Notice, how it makes you feel. If the answer is "like home," "proud," or some other familiar emotion, you're off track, still relating to the home you already know. Pretend you don't live in the house. See it with new eyes. Take a fresh look at the house, without conjuring up previous associations and memories. How does this place make you feel inside?

As you blank your mind and let your senses take over, you may notice sensory impressions. You may smell jasmine or grass or burning rubber, or you may hear the sounds of the wind in the trees and feel the pavement beneath your feet. But you get the most information visually. So notice your instant impression. Do you feel calm, excited, confused, numb, cheerful, scared, and uneasy? The house is like a second body that you wear. Performing this exercise is like looking into the mirror to see what that second body looks like and how it feels.

This exercise gives you an indication of the kinds of impressions and effects that you receive each time you come home, effects that strongly influence, your daily psychology. The most effective time to do this exercise is when arriving home after being away for several days.

Looking Out from the Inside

Another important factor is the view you see as you exit your house from the front door. As you stand in the front doorway of your home and look out, what do you see, A vacant lot across the street, a factory, a condemned building? Is it a beautiful home across the street, a door across the hallway of your apartment building? Are you lucky enough to see a pleasant green field stretching in front of you with a beautiful view of water in the distance? This last example is a Feng Shui concept of an ideal view

Taking a look out from the inside helps, in part, to define your relationship with the outside world. You may not have stopped to consider it before, but your first view when you open your door is essentially how you see the world. Needless to say, this view does affect you. If your first daily glimpse of a dead tree in your front yard, guess what? It's not good Feng Shui! Surprised?

Knowing the importance of this first impression of the outside world may motivate you to create a vision of beauty, serenity, and charm. If a charming sight is what greets you each day when you leave your home, the world tends to look brighter; your attitude and actions tend to reflect this perception, which naturally boosts your energy and participation at work, resulting in positive, practical benefits.