The Feng Shui of Cul-de-Sac Streets

by Karen Abler Carrasco

When seeking to balance extreme or unique man-made features and spaces, I like to compare things to Nature’s workings when I can, to figure out what might be actually happening to the Ch’i in those situations.  Cul-de-sacs, those circular “dead end” street patterns in housing tracts, remind me of little lagoons off of the main stream of a river. These lagoons feel safe, and relaxed, and eventually kind of sluggish, as stream debris that floats on in does not circulate back out very easily. Eventually, these pond-like off-shoots can get a bit mucky and smelly, unless a good storm flushes them out. If they have a fresh creek flowing in to them from the shore, they can also get flushed out gradually.  

Here we have our natural model for the traditional the feng shui suggestions for balancing the ch’i of homes on cul-de-sac streets. While these street designs are safer for pedestrians and children playing in the street, the houses themselves can feel stagnant over time. Their front yards become neglected or cluttered, and the fortunes of their residents become cut off from fresh opportunities and growth. 

Using feng shui to remedy this, we attempt to mimic the flushing of natural lagoons with fresh water flow by bringing fresh “stream” movement to these front yards with the placement of a strong water feature there, or some other form of fresh, enlivened ch’i, such as lighting, bright color, movement and sound.

We also need to take a look at the effect of car traffic that flows in and out of these circular streets. In the US, where cars drive on the right, the entering car flow will be from right to left, so each home will experience ch’i flow across its front yard going from right to left, (when facing the house from the street.)  In order to capture some of this fresh moving ch’i, and slow it down to meander onto the property, objects of interest or height on the left side of the yard can “grab” some of this ch’i before it flows off the property. This captured ch’i can then be funneled up and into the home via a welcoming “people” pathway to a brightly colored front door or an attractive porch.

Where more privacy is desired out front, a beautifully designed privacy screen or tall fence with lighted gate will provide this, and then more ch’i enhancers will be needed inside the fence to generate fresh ch’i from Nature. Water or wind chime sounds, garden sculptures, bird feeders and baths, colorful flowering plants, meandering paths, comfortable seating, etc. will restore harmonious energy to the private space.  Also, whenever we choose to create privacy with fencing, usually in front yards to buffer traffic and to screen the “stranger” energy from the space, it is important to make the exterior side of the fence as lovely as possible, with space for street-side plantings and special details on the fence and gate, including street address numbers. This insures that the property is still viewed as approachable and welcoming, and friendly ch’i will grace the property and its owners. 

Good feng shui accomplished brings fortunate blessings to all.

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