One of the reasons I have continued to practice non-compass school (Tibetan Buddhist Black Hat) feng shui is that, by laying the eight trigrams of the ba-gua over a house or a room, each area has symbolic significance. For example, using the Fu Xi ba-gua arrangement, the implication is that in entering on the "north" trigram wall one is entering from earth and approaching heaven (the "south" wall) in any room. In addition to such esoteric symbology, the kitchen itself has its own significance because of what the room is used for: food preparation and serving meals that nourish the body, mind and spirit. This nourishment is as much a product of the cook's focus and intent as it is the content of the food; using feng shui in the kitchen helps bring about this energetic transfer from cook's hand to delicious meal.

Of course, as Americans, we have been 'eating and running' for a couple of generations, so the idea of focusing on food is practically alien. And with the proliferation of eating disorders and body dysmorphism, focusing on food in some circles is considered neurotic. However, it's essential to life for the simple reason that our food is one of our primary sources of qi (c'hi, or ki) after birth. In Chinese Medicine, getting food qi into the blood is a foundation of good immunity as well as strength and the ability to concentrate. In the information age, mental energies are drained more than physical energies ever were!

Feng shui in the kitchen comes in handy because it helps both the cook as well as those sharing the meal focus on the task at hand: making and sharing the meal. The reason for not wanting the cook's station to be in part of the kitchen where the cook is distracted or startled is that the disruption of the cook's qi will be transferred to the food that is being prepared, and the meal will be less healthful as a result. In homes designed for the eternally accommodating mother or hostess (the open island where the cook can be attacked simultaneously on all sides by demanding diners) the result is actually less nourishing food on an energetic level. Also, an opportunity for the cook to enjoy the meditation on the food at hand, its ingredients, combinations, and metamorphosis on the stove or oven, is lost. Any chance to meditate on a task, no matter how mundane, relaxes the body and mind and reduces stress. The harried cook at the center of a high-tech island of food prep may be a swift chef, but their enjoyment and nourishment are sacrificed in the process.

Diners can seat themselves around the table keeping in mind the positions of the ba-gua as they relate to the dining room entry, or determining who will feel less vulnerable sitting with their back to a window (an adult, rather than a child, let's say). The youngest child can sit to the left of whoever is at the head in order to be better behaved; the person who has difficulty focusing on their meal can sit in a chair where something higher, representing the dragon (one of the five animals in feng shui spaces) is to their left and consequently protecting them from distraction. The guest at the dining table, as in the living area, should be given the safest chair: the one with a wide view of the room and a minimal chance of being surprised by the entry and exit of people they may not know.

Finally, the idea that the stove is symbolic of wealth is simple, and it keeps ambitions firmly rooted in practicality. The stove represents wealth because it takes money to have fire (the burners) and money to buy food (which you cook). If you have a fire, and you have food, you are prospering; and eating and enjoying food that has been prepared thoughtfully is a foundation of good qi, good health, and the ability to increase prosperity in the future. Honoring this foundation of prosperity has survived in Western Christian culture in the practice of saying grace at a meal; however, the honor should begin with the cook's action in the kitchen; considering the stove a form of "altar" does just this. Mirroring the stove doubles the number of burners (if done correctly) thus doubling the wealth symbolically; for most stoves the number of burners would then be eight: one of the two "money" numbers in feng shui. Further, it helps the cook see what's going on behind their back, and it may draw in daylight that otherwise would be in short supply. Any of these reasons is a good idea to mirror the stove if there's sufficient wall behind it to do so.

Every feng shui adjustment found in a book may not pertain to a particular kitchen and dining space; but keeping in mind these underlying principles can help choose the feng shui adjustments best for the kitchen in question and the occupants who rely upon its space for daily nourishment.


About the author:

Isabeau Vollhardt is a 1996 alumna of Samra University of Oriental Medicine, an NCCAOM Diplomate in Acupuncture and Herbology. Her clinical focus is chronic illness, stress reduction, multiple sclerosis, repetitive motion injuries, and women's health care. Over the past thirteen years, Ms. Vollhardt has continued studies of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qi Gong history and theory, which led to Tibetan Buddhist Feng Shui (non-compass school).
A published author in both fiction and non-fiction, Ms. Vollhardt is currently compiling her studies on the relationship between Kuang Ping style T'ai Chi Ch'uan and the I Ching hexagrams. An 8th-generation Cherokee/mixed blood, she is researching the use of Native American herbal remedies in TCM polypharmacy.

Also of Interest:

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