Before you cut down that tree
Summer is when trees are at their best, tall and full and throwing shade across the lawn. It is also when a sick tree is easiest to spot, and when people start looking hard at the big one by the front door.
"What should I do about my tree?" is one of the most common questions in feng shui. Trees are a vital part of the planet and a respected life force in the tradition. They give us oxygen, food, shade and shelter, and in return we should do what we can to help them survive.
It is true that a tree can block good chi, or even act as a poison arrow (the feng shui name for anything sharp or straight that points at your home). The answer is to work with the tree, and cutting it down is the last resort.
If you have lived in the same house for twenty or thirty years, the little tree you planted may now be taller than the roof. That changes things, and sometimes for the better.
The tree in front of the door
This is the most common tree problem of all. A tree directly in front of the door is said to block opportunity, prosperity and abundance on their way in. Before you call anyone to take it down, try these.
- Trim it. Cut back the branches so chi can circulate around the tree as freely as possible.
- Hang a wind chime in the tree. It is said to help guide the chi around it.
- Hang another above the door. If you are still concerned, put a second wind chime directly above your front door.
- Add something reflective. A mirror or other reflective ornament by the front door is said to send the tree's challenging energy back, away from the door.
That should do the trick.
When it has to go
Sometimes a tree does need to come down. If it is sick or rotting and cannot be helped, the tradition says its decaying energy will drag down the good chi around the house. If you cannot save it, cut it down. Then plant another.
Where to plant
The east of your property is linked with health and family. Large, sturdy trees there are said to protect that part of your life, and the pine is the ideal choice, because it stands for longevity.
The back of the house wants what feng shui calls mountain support: something tall and solid behind you, ideally taller than the house. A fence, a neighbour's house or tall lights can all give it, but tall trees make the strongest protectors. A tree can also stand between you and a poison arrow across the road and block its energy.
For prosperity, look to the south east, the wealth area. If you have the chance to plant a flowering tree, that is the place, ideally one with flowers or fruit in orange, red or purple. Think apples and oranges.
From the archive. First written for my journal years ago, and rewritten for life after 50.
