When designing a home, it’s crucial to ensure adequate living space and pay attention to factors that influence comfort, such as ventilation, lighting, and protection from the elements. As a result, when building a house, it’s essential to carefully consider the orientation of the house, the main entrance, the structure of windows, and auxiliary doors. However, many people tend to neglect auxiliary doors, assuming they are less important than the main entrance.
Traditionally, it was considered inauspicious to have a door at the back of the house or next to the altar. Let’s explore the reasons behind these beliefs.
Why did ancient people fear having a door at the back of the house?
In the old days, houses were mostly built facing south to benefit from sunlight and cool breezes while avoiding cold winds. As a result, the back of the house would face north. Opening a window or door on this side would invite cold northern winds, making the house chilly and uncomfortable. In those simpler times, exposure to cold could lead to illnesses, and a cold house could deplete the yang energy of the household.
Additionally, having a door at the back of the house presented security concerns, providing an opportunity for thieves and a discreet entrance for illicit romantic encounters. For these reasons, ancient people believed that a door at the back of the house could compromise safety and disrupt family harmony.
From a feng shui perspective, wealth and prosperity enter through the front door. Having a door at the back could symbolically allow wealth to escape. Furthermore, when wind enters through a door at the back, it collides with the back wall and becomes trapped, creating an uncomfortable and undesirable flow of energy.
Why should you avoid having a window next to the altar?
The altar is the most sacred space in a home, and it requires tranquility and appropriate lighting to honor the ancestors. A window next to the altar can disrupt the peace with noise and bright light, affecting the spiritual energy of the space. It can also provide an entry point for negative entities, potentially disturbing the peace of the ancestors.
If the window faces the sun, direct sunlight can impact the spiritual well-being of the ancestors, bringing negative consequences to the descendants. As a result, it is considered a major taboo, and the consequences can include family disharmony, illnesses, and setbacks.
While modern beliefs are more flexible, allowing for multiple orientations in house design, the placement of windows near altars remains a concern. Windows can disrupt the tranquility required for worship, so if you have a window near your altar, consider keeping it closed or using curtains or feng shui remedies like a six-rod wind chime to mitigate the negative effects.
This information is based on traditional beliefs and may vary across different cultures and schools of thought.