The home is the centre of your existence. Your surroundings influence your conduct and thus, the place you live in, is of great importance. You feel at home only if your home has a lived-in look. It is not possible to relax in a house, that is too formal.

The messages that are conveyed through the display of photographs from childhood to old age fill our lives with love and joy. They contain cherished memories that linger and bring together people and places into the home environment. Capturing rare moments and moods in featured photographs often remind us of our past. They retain the energy present at those times as they give us a glimpse of our inner feelings during those situations, and remind us of the happy times that we had. We also remember those photographed with us.

Feng Shui offers a very easy way to determine the correct placement of photographs. This is done by placing the pa kua in the centre of the house, a room, a study table or even an office desk. With a good compass, ensure that the needle points towards the magnetic north. This automatically gives us the other corresponding directions.

nThe eastern sector: We must take a good look at photographs before placing them. Family members should not be looking at different directions while being photographed. If all of them focus their attention towards the centre, their energy becomes united and this becomes the source of strength for success in their lives. If tension reflects on their faces and they look uncomfortable standing next to each other, then these photos when placed with a figurine of a dove on the eastern wall, will help heal their strained relations. Doves are symbols of peace and help bring harmony among the photographed people.

But your efforts could be wasted if the photograph is mounted on a metal frame.

Metal frames should not be used on the eastern side as this area is ruled by wood, and metal-cut wood. One could use frames made of wood, papier mache and fabric. While adorning the walls with family photographs, we must take care not to put up too many photographs of those who have passed away. Though the photos of our ancestors serve us as a constant reminder of our lineage, too many photos imply the severing of relations with the present. On the other hand, photographs of only surviving members means that you want to have nothing to do with the past. Thus, Feng Shui tries to create a balance in every aspect of our lives.

We can also have pictures of landscapes, cranes or bamboo trees on the eastern wall. If our motive is to keep good health, we can also have pictures or symbols of tortoises, who are known for their longevity.

nThe south-western sector: It is not uncommon to find couples posing for photos looking lovingly at each other when the photograph was clicked. These vibes continue and become a constant reminder that they once shared a warm and loving relationship. But when married couples place photographs, which show them facing away from each other, it reveals that they once had a strained relationship, which increased with the years to come. This results in mounting tensions that become detrimental to the relationship and finally end up in separation. We find similar results when photographs of individuals are placed next to each other in different frames and shows them looking away from each other. It is advisable for couples to display their photos during happy times in the south-western sector of their bedroom to enjoy marital bliss.

As far as Feng Shui is concerned, we must always display only those photographs in our homes that remind us of good times. If we have photographs that are reminiscent of unpleasant occasions displayed on our mantle-piece, then a sense of uneasiness prevails whenever we look at them. For example, a person who remarries after being divorced, must never keep photographs of his or her ex- spouse displayed anywhere in the house. It is better to get rid of them altogether, rather than even keep them in photo albums. This is because they carry with them the negative energy of previous times, which ended in a separation. It is essential to do away with such photographs to avoid a repeat of what happened in the past.

nThe western sector: Feng Shui always gives a lot of importance to the placement of photographs in the house.

Women in the family way or those who want to conceive can tap western energy that is related with children. They can display photographs of healthy children on the western wall of their bedrooms, to bring in happiness during pregnancy and experience the joy of giving birth to healthy babies. It is often observed that people unwittingly display photographs of their children in toilets. I once came across a busy working couple who placed their children’s photo in the bathroom.

When questioned, they replied that since they hardly got time to see them, they got a feeling of closeness and at least saw them in the morning. But this negative area is definitely the wrong place for such photographs and must be avoided. They are best enjoyed when placed on the western wall of the bedroom in metal frames.

Photographs of grandchildren, who are a constant source of joy to their grandparents, can be placed anywhere in the home but certainly not in the negative areas.

(To be continued next week)