Recently a friend asked me if you can apply feng shui to apartments and condos. Of course you can. The same basic principles apply to all buildings for the living. It is only in the details that things change and become specific to the situation.

Can energy come to you? Can it enter the building? Can it circulate throughout? These are the three basic concerns in looking at a property.

Can energy come to you? You must look at the surroundings to determine this. Are there obstructions in front of the building’s door? Are the roads that pass the door conducive to bringing in qi or do they carry it away? Are you below street level? Is there a steep slope on the land? Are buildings too close, too far away or blocking the qi?

Can it enter the building? Where is the door to your building? Is the door an appropriate size for the building? What direction does it face? Is the lobby open or closed in? Do you have an elevator or do you have stairs? How does the qi get to your apartment?

Can it circulate throughout? What is the relationship of your door to the lobby? What kind of floor plan do you have? Is it open, or closed? Is your apartment cluttered and over furnished? Do you have a balcony open to the outside? Are your bedrooms, office and kitchen placed appropriately to benefit the occupants?

All of the above must be considered when choosing a beneficial living or working space. The same rules apply to homes, apartments, offices, hotels, retail stores, and factories.

If you don’t live on the ground floor you will have to decide how the energy is coming to your home. It may be through your entry door, through a balcony or even a window that you keep open. Make sure that it has a way to get in, and keep that area bright and open. However it gets in, it must be able to reach all the important areas of your space. Keep your space clean and free of clutter.

Consult with a practitioner to determine the areas of your space that are most suitable for your bedroom, your office and how to place your stove. These vary depending on your birth information and the orientation of the space. They will be able to help you do a fine tuning.