What’s the Big Deal About a Built-In Garage?
In North America, it is not uncommon to find homes with large attached or built in garages. You say, “Convenient!” and I say, “Hmmm… Feng Shui problem.” Before I explain why, it is important to remember that at the core of Feng Shui is the concept of the ‘greater whole’ and that everyone and everything is interconnected and affected by a vital energy force we call Qi. When we live in homes and environments with positive Qi our lives flourish and thrive. When this Qi is disturbed, we experience stagnation and blockages in our financial and personal lives. Good Feng Shui manifests as good Qi flow, leading to a good life for the people who live there.
So what are the Feng Shui facts and truths about garages?
Yes, garages are convenient. But think about it every time you park your car in the garage you are bringing poisonous fumes and movement into your home. In places like Singapore or Hong Kong, where the principles of Feng Shui are well integrated into everyday life, cars are located away from living spaces. Actually most Eastern cultures understand the need for a separation between our outdoor (Yang) and indoor (Yin) energies, which is why they observe the strict practice of removing their shoes before entering a building.
Three problems that happen with poorly designed garages are:
- The garage protrudes at the front creating an irregular or L shaped floor plan.
- A home should have a wholesome form, meaning regular shaped versus fragmented and irregular. The purest forms are the square and the circle. The square is considered Yin and supports the energy of rest and rejuvenation. Chaotic and fragmented forms reinforce chaotic energy. I was recently involved in a new build where the forms had already been poured. The house was an L Shaped design with the garage at the front. The NW sector was missing. The NW sector is one of the most important compass sectors in Feng Shui as it correlates to the Male Household head as well authority and power.
- This could result in:
- The power and authority of all who live in the house is undermined.
- The balance of energy between males and females is disturbed either weak men, domineering women, or unhappiness.
- This could result in:
- A home should have a wholesome form, meaning regular shaped versus fragmented and irregular. The purest forms are the square and the circle. The square is considered Yin and supports the energy of rest and rejuvenation. Chaotic and fragmented forms reinforce chaotic energy. I was recently involved in a new build where the forms had already been poured. The house was an L Shaped design with the garage at the front. The NW sector was missing. The NW sector is one of the most important compass sectors in Feng Shui as it correlates to the Male Household head as well authority and power.
- The Front Door is obscured or not clearly indicated.
- Many North American home designs have the garage dominating the front resulting in the main door being pushed back or over to the side. In classically designed Feng Shui buildings, the entrance is always at the centre, just as the eyes, nose, and mouth are at the centre of the face. The front entrance describes the type of life force energy that enters your life and it should attract, collect, and encourage beneficial Qi. A well-designed prominent front entrance serves as a powerful guard for the well being of the family. Think of your front door as your personal ‘satellite dish’ positioned to attract the energy of the universe to you. Energy, in this case, is people, health, money, reputation, and anything good that you can imagine. As you exit your front door, there should be an open, inviting space for energy to collect and settle before entering the home.
- You are entering your home through your garage.
- There is an old Feng Shui saying, “The main entrance is worth a thousand pounds of gold, the rest of the house is worth only four ounces.” If entering through the garage, are you walking through a laundry room and into the kitchen? Does this correlate to feeling overworked? Are you able to relax? How beneficial is the energy that you are bringing into your home? Ideally after the entrance, whether it is the garage or main door, there is a transitional space, like a foyer or landing; however, when entering through the garage, that is often not the case.
The energy of your home reflects your life. A home with good Feng Shui is one where you feel good. If you want more stability, less drama, and better opportunities, you need to have an entrance that receives and distributes positive Qi smoothly. Maybe this means you have to make some changes to your habits. Maybe park in the garage, but enter through the house. Whatever entrance you use, remember that you bring Qi in with you. Keep your entrances clean and organized, place lighting to brighten the space, and allow enough room for Qi to circulate both in front and behind the entranceway.
If you would like to learn more about entrance ways and factors that are integral to positive Qi, visit my Youtube page for past webinars and tips.
My house is an L shape because of an attached garage. I am so lost because not only is it an L shape, the master bedroom is over the garage, my stairs are in the entry way and are in the center of the home. I am slowly figuring out tings but it’s difficult with different styles of feng shui. Thanks for your validation of my home layout. #fengshuicures