According to the rules of Feng Shui, a piano, placed in the north-west sector of a room, attracts help from mentors and makes one more sociable and popular

Q My daughter has recently developed fascinations for three things — to own a piano, have birds in a cage and get four walls painted in four different colours. Can you please suggest the suitable directions for the placement of the piano and the cage? Also, what colours do you recommend for each wall of her room?

Barkha Mukherjee,
Ranchi

A. Pianos are best placed in the north-west sector of the room. Movement in this area attracts help from mentors and makes a person more sociable and popular. Keeping birds in a cage is not recommended in the house because it is against the laws of nature. If kept in the house, they start reflecting on our lives, thus restricting our growth. You have a choice of two colours related to the five elements that rule each direction.

There is one ruling element and another nourishing element. North is ruled by blue and nourished by metallic tones like white, gold, silver and bronze. South is ruled by red, maroon, purple, mauve, peach and orange and nourished by green.

East is ruled by green and nourished by blue and black. West is ruled by metallic shades and nourished by earthy hues like beige, cream, yellow and brown.

Q. I have pictures of racing cars and rockets in the north-east of my bedroom. I somehow feel uncomfortable since the day I have placed them. Are their placement correct or do they need to be replaced with other pictures? If so, please suggest what kind of pictures should be avoided and the ones that are recommended.

Heena Chowdhury,
Calcutta

A. North-east is associated with knowledge and peace. Hence, this area should have pictures that lend mental peace and enhance internal strength. Pictures that spoil concentration like racing cars, rockets, galloping horses, sinking ships and derailing trains should be avoided and replaced by pictures that give mental peace.

These could be pictures of spiritual leaders in meditative postures, or posters that contain inspirational sayings, quotations and affirmations.

Q. I read in your column that the front door should be the largest in the house. We recently moved into a house where the back door is bigger than the front one. We have also come to know that the previous occupants did not flourish here and had to leave because of sudden downfall in their business. We wonder if this could be one of the reasons of their downfall. Please suggest a remedy that does not need structural changes. Also, we have two doors to enter the house — one for guests and the other for us.

Kirti Singhania,
Calcutta

A. The front door should be the largest because it allows a lot of chi to flow into the house. In your arrangement, the energy that flows in from the front door leaves from the bigger back one, leaving the house starved of energy. The best way to prevent chi leaving the house is by hanging wind chimes, crystals, mobiles and placing tall plants on either side of the back door. These act as barriers that help to conserve energy.

Two doors are not recommended because powerful chi flows from one entrance and too many entrances result in it being dissipated. Also, two doors represent two mouths and this symbolises conflict between the occupants.

Q. My new office is at the dead end of a lane and the road directly hits the main entrance. But there is a tall tree between the main door and the road. Should I try to get the tree removed?

Suvrat Ghosh,
Silchar

A. The tree is more of a blessing in disguise for you as it is protecting you from a more powerful poison arrow — the road.

The best solution would be to relocate the main door. If this is not possible, then the tree should be balanced by placing healthy plants or something similar that is attractive near the entrance. Another alternative would be to put up anything reflective on the door to ward off the poison arrow.

Q. As we enter our house we face a sharp edge of a column on one side. This is a permanent structure that cannot be removed. Please advise as to how the negative energy can be offset. We have displayed cross swords on the wall opposite to the entrance.

Vandana Agarwal,
Ranchi

A. On entering the house you should not be confronted by a sharp edge of a pillar, wall or even a large cabinet. If space permits, place a screen to hide it. Otherwise, counterbalance it by placing a plant along with a beautiful sculpture near it.

You should not display swords in the house as they tend to cut the life giving force entering the house.