Family Tree, community and connection

“An infinity of forests lies dormant within the dreams of one acorn “ – Wayne Dyer

The area of our homes with an energetic connection to our sense of connection to our family, community and our lineage is associated with the wood/tree element. On the bagua for our homes this refers to the East sector  (if using compass school) or the middle left hand sector as you look in from the front of the house (if applying the bagua using three door gate of chi approach). If you are unfamiliar with the bagua – see my bagua blogpost for greater detail. 

Also known as elders or ancestors this area of the bagua is associated with family.  Like thunder that precedes a storm our elders or ancestors come before us. In all cultures, the importance of respecting and honouring those that have gone before us is recognised. In my experience, this area of the home is key to providing us with an anchor, a sense of home; belonging to and having a place in, a lineage stretching behind and in front of us. A tree can only grow up and out in direct proportion to the extents of the depth and breadth of its roots. In honouring where we have come from, we can set out into our own future with the stability and grounded-ness required to help us navigate our path and find our way home. 

Honouring our ancestors

Honouring our ancestors is helpful, they are our first tribe, our lineage. Accepting, honouring and building on their combined experience, their legacy, can bring great strength and resilience to our own path. 

This is an area in which we may express our gratitude to our family, parents, grandparents, teachers, guides and mentors; our tribe. Many people choose to have a collection of family photos in this area of their homes. Photos, imagery or ornamentation which we associate with our family and ancestors within our homes can anchor our sense of connection to our lineage and point to our part in that continuum. They give us a sense of place and purpose. The addition of inherited items, if they have special significance and have positive symbolism for us, can be useful. Alternatively, we can add symbolism or artwork which reminds us of our connection to our chosen “tribe” in this lifetime. 

Predecessor energy

We need to acknowledge where we have come from, our relationship with our past, in order to move forward. Like casting a fishing rod out into our future, we must first cast it back, where it will hook onto our past before it casts forward to latch on to our potential. Researching our family tree can often reveal hidden insights into our part in our lineage. It can also be very interesting to research the history of our home. Investigating who lived there before us and the history of the land it stands on can yield interesting insights into why we may have been drawn to live here. Is there some healing necessary on that front, is there a lesson there for you? It is said that we are attracted to the home we are living in so that we can learn from its experience. Often when we research the history of our property or the land it stands on, we can see some repetition in behaviour or experience in our own lives. Taking time to address this, and working on releasing patterns in this area can create great healing and balance in our lives.  Often some space clearing or earth energy balancing can be of great benefit in this process.

Read more on this and every area of the bagua in my book A Place to Call Home; your feng shui guidebook for design, connection and belonging

In our monthly FREE online spotlight on feng shui design class on Saturday March 25th 9am – 9.45 we will take a deeper dive into the energy of family connection, looking at ways to enhance our sense of connection and belonging to the place we call home.

If you have already signed up to our feng shui design community monthly free gatherings, you will automatically recieve the zoom link each month. If not, you can sign up by registering and ticking the box on my contact page