Pinky Kapoor at a pre-Diwali Feng Shui workshop at Homeland. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Diwali is a festival of lights and Goddess Lakshmi always visits those houses that are clean and well lit. So ring out the old and bring in the new to make a fresh start.

Go through a rigorous cleaning process and not just a superficial one. Cleaning your home and workplace from deep within will help you experience the joy of life. Diwali perhaps is the best time to do away with old newspapers, magazines, empty bottles, old clothes, broken and irreparable electronic gadgets. These symbolise debris, which when collected over a long period of time, emit negative energies. Cupboards and drawers should also be cleaned out and one should not forget the lofts where we tend to hoard our unwanted things.

Damp, decaying walls and windows that need repairs should be immediately attended to. One should repaint and undergo renovations if needed during this festive season.

One should also make full use of the space-clearing ritual in Feng Shui wherein a person with a peaceful mind has to close his eyes and focus on the cosmic energy in the entire house. Sitting in the centre of the house facing north-east, ask forgiveness for any wrong deed you have done in the past and visualise the house being filled with positive energy that blesses its residents with good health, wealth and prosperity in abundance. Purifying the house in this manner will make the house radiate with bliss and happiness.

Create an ambience of festivity in your house and give an invitation to Goddess Lakshmi in the best possible manner. Make your entrances welcoming by hanging garlands over the doorways. Make rangolis by using powdered colours and flowers in white, red and yellow. These three colours hold a special significance: white symbolises purity and tranquillity; red is the colour used for luck and prosperity and yellow is the colour that brings joy and happiness to one’s life. So while making the rangoli, concentrate on the values of these colours and attract trinity luck that combines heaven, earth and human luck.

The threshold should be well lit with earthen diyas on either side of the entrance. On this special day, keep an idol of Ganesha near the entrance and worship it with all the five elements of nature. Place a shallow and a wide earthen pot in front of it, fill it with fresh water, float marigold flowers, drop a few metal coins and light diyas or floating candles in it. Along with the blessings of God, you will absorb the energy of all the five elements while entering the house. Remember that Goddess Lakshmi is never placed outside the house. It is only placed in the temple or in a cupboard where money is placed.

This Diwali, make a wealth bowl filled with lots of coins, energised with a red ribbon and place it in the extreme south-east of the house. Similar small arrangements can be made and hidden in the south-east of all the other rooms as well. The idea is to never leave any wealth corner of the house devoid of money.

One should always give a good reception to the guests coming home at such an auspicious time. Decorate your living room with fresh flowers, aromatic candles and diyas. Lighting fireworks also helps in warding off evil spirits. This practice helps harmonise the internal and external energies.

Diwali Checklist

north-east corner
Place an earthen pot filled with water in the north-east corner of your house and throw some fresh flowers in it. Ensure this zone is clutter-free and devoid of heavy objects.

South-east corner
The south-east portion is related to wealth. Take a blue bowl and place a lining of green paper followed by a red one. Fill it with silver and gold coins or foreign currency. Ensure that it overflows. Then tie a red ribbon around it and place it on a round mirror, so the image of the overflowing pot is reflected. This will ensure your wealth keeps growing.

South-west
The south-west area is the marriage area and should be decorated with things placed in pairs, like a couple of roses and crystals. Deck it up with heavy amethyst rocks and terracotta vases and pots that will add stability to your marriage.

West
Energise the kids’ corner with a lot of silver. You can keep a treasure box. It is also the sunset corner so orange and yellow are good colours for this zone.

East
Place family photographs in the eastern corner of the house, which is the family corner. Remove any sharp objects like scissors, nail-clippers or metal from this area.

South
Paint this zone in vibrant colours of green and red. This will help your career grow.

North
This area is connected with your career. Use blue here. Place metals, fortune plants, pendulum clocks, and mirrors in this zone.

Centre
Lord Brahma lives in the centre of the house. You should not place anything heavy here. Decorate it with a rangoli or light a diya to energise it.

Tip of the week:

This Diwali, Amavasya ends and a new moon is born at 4.33am on November 10. Write down your wishes within 10 minutes of this powerful time on a pink piece of paper, place it in the temple, light a diya, mediate and visualise your wishes materialising. With the growth of the moon, your wishes will be granted