Feng Shui for your kitchen

The Feng Shui of a restaurant or a hotel should be such that there is always a clear demarcation between the working area, kitchen and the serving area. Doors should be positioned out of the line of sight of visitors so that they get an impression of calmness and efficiency in the surroundings. Entrances should be inviting and to make them auspicious they must face the correct direction as per the astrological calculations of the owner.

Let the main working area be out of sight of your visitors

It is very important to give some consideration to what visitors will see and feel when they enter the lobby or reception of a restaurant or a hotel. Basically, they should not be able to see directly into the main working area, kitchen and the account room. Every hotel and restaurant has its busy working hours when workers become susceptible to stress and it often shows in their activities. Visitors and important clients should never see and feel the daily problems of office life or be able to overhear any loud conversation that may be taking place in the building.

Here are a few Feng Shui tips which can help in creating an auspicious environment in restaurants and hotels:

• Entrances facing west bring stability and more visitors while those facing east are ideal for growth and energy.
• There should be a balance of all the elements – air, earth, sky, wood, fire, water and  metal – in the building.
• If there are toilets in front of the building, it can prove very harmful for the proprietor’s health and prosperity.
• Bathroom doors should always be kept closed and should be designed in such a manner so that the inside is not visible even when the door is ajar.
• An indoor garden can work wonders for the visitor.
  Reception and office table should be placed away from the beams.
• The middle portion of the building should not be heavy; it should have an open area with light sitting arrangements.
• Kitchen of the restaurant should always be located in the east, southeast, south or southwest, but the best location is southeast.
• Cleanliness and proper ventilation are extremely important so that the atmosphere stays fresh at all times.
• Stairs should be a ed in the north, northwest or in the centre (brahmsthan) and they should never be anti-clockwise. 
• The best location for car parking is east, northwest and southeast. It should be a ed in the northeast.
• Borewells, wells, underground water tanks, swimming pools and water fountains should always be situated in the northeast only; never in southwest or south. If they are in south or southwest, the owner will always be bogged down by problems and he might be compelled to close down his business.
• Basements should never be used for dining purpose. It should be located in the northeast or northern part of the building. 

If the architecture of the building does not conform to these specifications, there are a few rectifications which can be carried out to make it more auspicious:

Locate the overhead tank in the southwest corner on the terrace above lift blocks. If possible, shift the staircase to the southwest corner or in the south portion of the building.

In case you use solar heaters, shift them on the terrace in the southeast corner. Try shifting the servant and staff quarters in the southern portion of the basement if they are on the top floor.

When the size of the plot is not big enough, install the transformer/generator in the southeast and northwest part of the basement. Also, shift the counter in a direction so that it faces north.

Professor Kamala Prem has been practicing Feng Shui and Vaastu for over two decades. She has also pioneered the concept of combining Feng Shui and Vaastu with astrology.

Source: Realtyplus, December 2005