Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Chapter 15 : Fire Problems in the Kitchen

Written by : Master Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by : Janny Chow

A newlywed couple once invited me to their home for a feng-shui consultation. They lived in a very beautiful home surrounded by trees with red blossoms and berries. While inspecting the kitchen, I realized that the position of the stove presented a problem. Their "designer" home had the stove built right in the center of the kitchen. It stood in the middle of the room, unshielded by any objects. Furthermore, the faucet and basin were located directly across from the stove.

Such a placement is problematic for two reasons:
1) It is important that the kitchen fire be located in a place that gathers chi. Only a fire that gathers chi can continually burn and maintain its temperature. According to the book The Secrets of Earth Magic, a stove should be protected on three sides with chi flowing in from the fourth side. The best locations for stoves are the south, east, or southwest positions.

Although an unshielded stove located in a central island is a convenient working area, it does not afford the advantage of easily storing chi. Quick dissipation of the temperature of the stove fire can lead to the dissipation of money.

2) It is disastrous to have the kitchen faucet directly facing the stove fire, as this symbolizes the clashing of fire and water. From my observations, such a design portends great trouble and can lead to sexual promiscuity and excessive drinking.

Upon arrival, I noticed that the mistress of the house was a very beautiful, graceful lady with tapering fingers and soft palms. Her shoulders were round and her back not too thin. In terms of physiognomy, the upper, middle, and lower segments of her face were well proportioned. She had the hallmark features of a distinguished woman. But I also noticed a coquettishness in her bright, almond-shaped eyes and a charming seductiveness in the way she moved and swayed-characteristics of someone with "secret peach-blossom luck." (The term "peach-blossom luck" in Chinese refers to the luck one has in attracting lovers.)

I asked my friend, "Do the newlyweds believe in feng-shui?"

The mutual friend who had invited me said, "Only a little. They work in scientific fields."

"Then the purpose for my coming today was...?" I asked.

"Just to get acquainted with them and take a look around," answered my friend.

Since I was only there to get acquainted and enjoy the home's gorgeous furnishings, I needed to be tactful by commenting only on the good and avoiding mention of anything negative. I wanted the meeting to be harmonious and cheerful, and I did not want my friends to feel any unpleasantness in the air.

It was only after leaving the house that I told my friend to give a message to the owners: they must rectify the fire problem in the kitchen.

The owners ignored my advice.

A year later, I learned that the lady of the house had had an extramarital affair with her supervisor at work, and her husband had a mistress and had become an alcoholic. In the end, the marriage ended and each went their separated ways.

I would like everyone to heed this fact: if the "kitchen fire" is situated in the center of the kitchen, then whichever direction the faucet is installed in-north, south, east, or west-chances are that it will be sitting directly across from the stove fire. With the faucet a symbol for "yang" and the stove a symbol for "yin," this is an omen for licentiousness and promiscuity.

I have noticed that the designer kitchens of many new homes in the United States have stoves built right in the middle of the kitchens. Architects of such kitchen designs are definitely uninformed in the science of feng-shui. Although their goal may be to create a convenient, aesthetic space, they are, however, contributing to the flourishing of licentiousness!

I want readers to know that, when one enters a house, fire must not be the first thing one sees. This means that the kitchen or the fireplace should not be the first thing seen upon entering a home. Avoid having these two types of "fire chi" facing the front door.

In business settings, such as restaurants, under no circumstances should stoves (gas stoves, water heaters, electric stoves, electric cookers, etc.) be installed at the center of the cross of the restaurant. Such centrally located "fire chi" can pollute the air inside the entire restaurant, creating a hot and fiery atmosphere. In such an environment, business partners will not get along and customers will not feel comfortable. Over time, they will not want to set foot in the restaurant. And even more importantly, "fire chi" in the center makes it difficult for earth chi to remain balanced.

In the kitchen, one must also pay attention to the following things: Make sure garbage does not accumulate, is well contained, sealed, and frequently disposed of. Pay attention to the flow of water in the kitchen sink. Also, select a stove fan that does not have its working parts exposed, and install a range hood that does not protrude too conspicuously as this also affects kitchen feng-shui. Finally, one must not install skylights in kitchens as this is conducive to the upward spreading of "fire chi." A skylight opening in the kitchen incurs unexpected accidents and calamities.

Source:
http://www.padmakumara.org/books/book69/chap15.shtml

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