Introduction: When Front and Back Doors Align, Qi Energy Flow Suffers
In feng shui, a traditional Chinese system for arranging your home to promote harmony and balance, your front and back doors carry great significance. These entry and exit portals serve as the mouth of qi (pronounced “chee”), the life force energy that flows through your home. When the front and back doors align, this qi energy moves in a straight line, rushing from the front door through the home and out the back without circulating properly.
While visually pleasing in symmetry, this linear configuration can wreak havoc on your financial well-being and relationships. Without the proper circulation of qi, money and resources may swiftly exit your home. The fast-moving energy may also stir up arguments, tensions, and conflict among family members and roommates. Fortunately, with just a few feng shui adjustments, you can restore harmony and prospering energy flow.
Qi Energy Flow
In feng shui, Qi (pronounced “chee”) is believed to be the life force energy that flows through a home. For optimal feng shui, Qi energy needs to circulate properly throughout the different areas of the house in order to promote health, wealth and good fortune.
When the front and back doors of a home are aligned and directly across from each other, the Qi energy is able to rush straight through the home without properly pooling and circulating. This is considered problematic in feng shui because it can quickly drain resources and finances, since the Qi doesn’t accumulate in the home.
Feng shui masters often recommend against having aligned front and back doors for this reason. The rushing river of Qi energy essentially goes in the front door and out the back without circulating and energizing the home and its inhabitants.
Financial Implications
Having aligned front and back doors can negatively impact finances and drain resources from the home. Many feng shui practitioners have seen this layout contribute to money problems over time.
For example, Jennifer had aligned front and back doors in her Los Angeles bungalow. She loved the flow and sightlines this created in her small home. However, after living there for 2 years, Jennifer found money getting tighter and tighter. Her finances seemed to have a leaky quality no matter what she tried. After an expensive feng shui consultation, the consultant suggested it was the alignment of the front and back doors that drained her finances.
John provides another anecdote. He set up his Detroit loft with doors perfectly aligned to create an artsy, industrial look. But he soon found his bank account dwindling rapidly. He also had trouble collecting payments from clients and found himself constantly running out of cash. When he brought in a feng shui expert, they immediately flagged the problematic door alignment.
Many similar stories show the power of having a straight path between front and back doors. Money energy seems to rush right out, making it hard to accumulate and hold onto wealth and resources. Careful feng shui adjustments provide the solution.
Relationship Troubles
Having aligned front and back doors can cause relationship discord in a home. When qi energy rushes quickly through a home without circulating properly, it can create an unsettled environment.
Some examples of relationship troubles seen with this layout:
-
Frequent arguments between couples. The fast-moving qi energy can stir up emotions and make peaceful communication difficult.
-
Siblings bickering more often. The agitated qi can cause tension between family members.
-
Trouble making or keeping friends. The home environment feels chaotic, which can transfer to relationships. Friends may not feel comfortable visiting.
-
Challenges working or playing together. Projects and activities feel discordant, with frequent frustrations.
The right feng shui adjustments can smooth the qi flow and help restore harmony. When the energy circulates properly, relationships naturally improve.
Place a Crystal Ball Between the Doors
Placing a crystal ball between misaligned front and back doors is believed to help buffer the rushing qi energy flow. Crystals are thought to absorb negative energy and promote positive flow.
Position a medium to large crystal ball on a stand or table directly between the front and back doors. The crystal ball should be made of quartz, rose quartz, amethyst, or another quartz variety. Clear quartz is considered ideal for purifying energy.
The crystal ball creates a natural buffer between the two doorways that slows and scatters the qi energy rushing through. This allows the energy to accumulate and circulate within the home rather than draining straight out the back door.
Having the crystal ball situated squarely between the two doors balances the energy flow. It also activates positive energy in the entrance of your home.
This is an easy feng shui adjustment to make that does not require renovation or architectural changes. Simply place a lovely crystal ball in a prominent location between your front and back doors. Not only will it help harmonize your home’s energy, it also makes an attractive decorative statement.
Furniture Buffer
Placing large furniture pieces strategically in the entryway and areas connecting the front and back doors is an easy fix to disrupt the straight path of energy.
Furniture buffers redirect and slow down the rushing qi energy flow. This diffuses the harshness of the entryway while still allowing qi to circulate and nourish the home.
The ideal furniture buffer pieces are substantial and made from real wood, with solid rectangular shapes. Some good options are a piano, bench, armoire, bookshelf, or credenza. Avoid moving small decorative tables or chairs, as they won’t have enough mass to make a difference.
When arranging your furniture buffer, angle the pieces diagonally to bounce qi from side to side as it travels between the doors. You can also experiment with having some pieces face each other to diffuse qi. Notice where you tend to stand or pass through, and place buffers strategically in those spots.
With a bit of creative furniture rearrangement, you can transform the qi flow in your home and enjoy the benefits of smooth, meandering energy. The furniture buffer method doesn’t require renovations or purchases, making it one of the most accessible and budget-friendly feng shui fixes.
Hang a Crystal Light Fixture Between the Doors
Hanging a faceted crystal light fixture between the front and back doors is an excellent feng shui cure. The dangling prisms will refract and break up the straight shot of qi energy flowing through the home.
As light passes through a crystal’s angled facets, it bends and scatters in different directions. In the same way, placing a crystal fixture in the entryway allows the qi to bend and circulate instead of rushing straight through. The sparkling light will energize the space with good ch’i.
Choose a chandelier, pendant or sconces featuring cut crystal accents. Opt for faceted prisms over smooth or rounded crystals. The more cuts and angles, the better the diffraction. Hang the fixture centered between the front and back doors so it can properly scatter the energy flow. Let it brighten up the entryway while improving your home’s feng shui.
Crystal Ball in Back
Placing a crystal ball in front of the back door is believed to soften the rushing qi energy as it exits your home. The radiant and reflective qualities of a crystal are thought to calm the qi before it departs.
Position a large crystal ball on a table, shelf or stand directly in front of the back door. Choose a ball in a color like purple, blue or clear for its peaceful and cooling energies. The crystal doesn’t block the qi, but instead infuses the stream of energy with its lighter vibrations.
As the qi passes through the crystal on its way out, it takes on a smoother and more balanced flow. This allows your home’s qi to circulate properly between the front and back doors without draining your finances and resources. The crystal’s presence can also add beauty and positive energy to your back door area.
Renovation Options
If you have the budget for renovations, reconfiguring the layout of your home is the most effective way to fix misaligned front and back doors. Installing a partition wall between the doors blocks the straight line flow of energy. This allows qi to circulate properly throughout the spaces.
Full height partition walls with a doorway are ideal, but can be quite costly. As an alternative, you can rework the floorplan to avoid having the front and back doors align. Stagger them diagonally or place them on adjacent walls instead. This interrupted alignment gently guides qi in a meandering path through the rooms. Any renovation requires professional help to execute properly. But realigning your home brings lasting feng shui benefits.
Don’t Panic, Try Affordable Fixes First
Having aligned front and back doors in your home does not mean you are doomed to have poor finances and relationships. While the rushing qi energy is not ideal in feng shui, there are affordable and easy fixes you can try before undertaking major renovations.
Begin with small adjustments like placing a crystal ball or plant between the doors to slow the energy flow. Hanging a crystal near the back door or adding a lamp, bookshelf or other furniture as a buffer between the doors can also help circulate qi.
It may take some experimentation to find the ideal adjustment for your space and comfort level. Not everyone feels comfortable having a glowing crystal ball greet their guests! Try a few different affordable options first before assuming you need expensive renovations. With some feng shui adjustments, you can transform the energy flow in your home and avoid panic.
