Feng Shui drain in front of house

Dear Kartar: My current house (East facing) has a sewer pipe running at the backyard (cannot be removed) and another sewer pipe running along the right side (when looking out of the house) of the house. The latter (side sewer pipe) is about 3m from the side boundary wall.

My architect has proposed sealing off the current sewer pipe so that I can build an extended 3-story structure (bedrooms) over the sealed off pipe and divert the sewer pipe to 1m from the side boundary wall. The new pipe will still run along the side (white tiger?) of the house right through to the main road. The old sewer pipe will be sealed off but will run under the new house structure.

I was concerned about sewer pipe running under the house albeit a defunct one. Someone suggested as a Feng Shui cure, to line this old defunct sewer pipe with $10 worth of coins, and this would address any negativity associated with the sewer pipe. Does this make sense? I’d appreciate your guidance.

Answer: You asked some very specific questions about existing pipe line running under your house, near your house and the prospect of moving pipe to run alongside the house, underground, by a certain distance.  You are concerned because you have heard that this could be a feng shui problem.

This is an example of how some original Form School observations have been adapted to a modern context.  In this case, there is a Feng Shui notion that having water, like an underground stream running under a house, could undermine the health of the occupants, or worse, cause some kind of disaster.

One thing that is debatable, is whether the ancient texts were referring to literal water or if they were referring to virtual water in the form of ley lines.  Sometimes these might even be referred to as dragon veins.

In the case of modern plumbing, the pipes are not carrying water on a constant basis, but they also mimic a void underground, which is similar to a crack in the ground.  It’s my understanding that these situations are not ideal, but I don’t have voluminous evidence or feedback from clients to claim that the underground pipes will cause definitive problems.  I doubt that placing metal coins around a pipe (or a red string) will solve the problem.

I think that if you simply avoid sleeping directly under one of these pipes, then you will be safe. Even modern day EMF specialists will recommend that you not sleep directly under pipes since the metal can be a conductor for electricity.

Sealing off the pipes should be fine in your case.  But this is another example of how a compass reading could be unknowingly thrown off, if a person did not know they were standing above a pipe.

Kartar Diamond

Kartar Diamond of Feng Shui Solutions® has a full-scale consultancy, including assistance with property searches, design phase and existing homes and businesses.  She is the author of three books, 6 ebooks, 36 Cast Study Lessons and more to come. See the books she’s authored or browse through her online Traditional Feng Shui school.

When we moved into our house a year ago, it was only a matter of time before things would start popping up that needed repair. For anyone who has ever been a homeowner, maintenance is a big part of home ownership. Within eight months my bathroom faucet broke. The hot water handle would simply not turn off, continually leaking. Then like clockwork, the master bathroom toilet broke, and then the guest bathroom toilet broke….and then the kitchen faucet broke. Do you see a theme here?

Plumbing systems in our home not only represent elimination, but in Feng Shui they also represent money and emotions. Water enters and leaves our homes which is a symbol of cleaning and letting go. And the phrase, “I might as well flushed the money down the drain,” sums up the link between Feng Shui and plumbing. Our plumbing is thought to drain vital chi and resources out of our home, so it is our job as homeowners to be mindful not only in how we care for our elimination areas, but also in how to use and decorate them. And if many plumbing issues arise, it is time to take a close look at your personal life and what your home is telling you.

7 Feng Shui Signs You Are Flushing Money Down The Drain

1) Unattractive Fixtures

If your faucets or other hardware are broken, mismatched or outdated, you are not maximizing the Chi (vital energy) in your space, and likely creating stagnant energy that will hinder growth in all areas of your life.

2) Conceal Your Toilet

This may not always be possible, but create privacy between the toilet and the main area of the bathroom.

Conceal toilets

3) Keep Drains closed

Keep toilet seats down and drains closed when not in use. Toilets have a large mouth, and when flushed, they suck an enormous amount of chi energy down the drain. Some studies show that toxic energy, (sewage) re-enters a bathroom when flushed if the toilet seat is not closed; YUCK! Keep sink drains closed, and open only when in use.

4) Create Beauty

A well designed space allows the chi to meander. When someone enters your space, including you, and it feels lovely, those emotions radiate in the room, and boosts the chi around you. This is especially important around drains.

5) Remove the Clutter

As Carol Olmsted says, “clutter is postponed energy.” If you feel bogged down when you enter a space, disgusted or overwhelmed, then you will feel the same. This is not a good combination around drains – because it will leave you feeling further drained!

6) Live Plants

There are many house plants that are easy to grow, require little sunlight and are excellent Chi boosters. Place plants around your home like toilet tanks, kitchen and bathroom counters, and near fireplaces. This slows the energy down, cleans the air, and balances the necessary five elements.

7) Take Repairs Seriously

Avoid leaky faucets, and broken toilets at all costs! If your plumbing is on the fritz you will feel drained, fatigued and could start seeing financial problems. You may not notice this consciously, but often our subconscious picks up on the energy drain around us. And rather than being surrounded by energy that honors and nurtures us, it quickly depletes us. Listen to your home. When you live in a space you become intimately intertwined with it,  so pay attention to it’s messages, or you could be consumed with problems and not know why.

When my faucet broke I felt like I needed to have a “bigger” list to have someone come out for repairs. I thought no one would come out to fix one faucet. By the time I waited to have a full laundry list of repairs, my health was greatly affected, and so was my pocket book. If you live in the Nashville area and need a terrific handy man reference, please contact me. I have a great company that does repairs big and small, and will be happy to get your repairs fixed fast.