Driveway Not to Blame for Busy Life

Question: In one of my feng shui books it says that a short straight driveway that goes directly out to the street can lead to energy drains and a life on the go. That would certainly describe our life since we moved to this house. We love the house and have been here almost four years, but I have noticed since we moved here that we aren’t having much luck paring down our schedule and trying to create a less hectic lifestyle in spite of our efforts in that direction. Do you have any thoughts on feng shui remedies for this?

EDWARD DUNVAN

Via e-mail

Answer: I’d be surprised if your driveway is to blame for your busy schedule. The information you came across in one of your feng shui books sounds more like a modern version of a folk tale to me. Look at it this way: “Energy drains” and a life on the go are contradictory; if your driveway really was draining your energy, you definitely would have found a way to pare down your schedule by now.

If your life has been hectic and your schedule is busier than you’d like, try this remedy: Place a heavy stone next to your telephone. According to feng shui principle, the stone’s mass will slow the flow of chi around your telephone and will keep it from ringing so often.

To make absolutely sure that this little feng shui trick actually works, put a note on the rock that says, “Just say no.” This way, no matter what effect the rock may have, your calendar will clear and you’ll have more time to relax because you’ve declined invitations and commitments. This remedy is a lot easier and much cheaper than digging up and redesigning your driveway.

Coastal Towns at Odds With Nature

Q: I have been wondering about the environmental feng shui of some South Bay beach towns I frequently drive through. When I’m going through Redondo and Hermosa beaches, I often get a bad feeling, as if something is wrong with these places. I am puzzled by this reaction because I thought the curving coastline and the Palos Verdes Peninsula would automatically create good feng shui. Does this feeling I get when I’m driving through mean the feng shui is bad? Or am I crazy?

JILL S. MEAD

Inglewood

A: You are definitely not crazy. Your bad feeling is likely brought about by the feng shui in those coastal towns. And your question brings to light one of the most practical and interesting aspects of analyzing feng shui.

You’re correct that the proximity of the ocean, the shape of the land around it and the overall beauty of these beach areas should add up to great feng shui. But you don’t have to look too closely to see that many of the buildings--commercial and residential--are in conflict with the landscape. The man-made environment is at odds with nature’s design.

Next time you are in the area, pay special attention to the large square buildings that block the ocean view and jar the eye as it attempts to trace the curve of the hills that rise gently as you move inland. These man-made barriers are blocking more than the view; healthy and beneficial chi flow is severely impaired. Apparently you are sensitive to this on an unconscious level. The only remedy I can suggest to make you feel better when you travel through the area is to imagine the way this slice of the coast might have looked 100 or so years ago.

Kirsten Lagatree is a New York City area writer whose books include “Feng Shui, Arranging Your Home to Change Your Life” (Villard 1996) and “Feng Shui at Work, Arranging Your Work Space for Peak Performance and Maximum Profit” (Villard 1998).

Mail your questions on feng shui to Kirsten Lagatree, Real Estate section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax them to (213) 237-4712, or e-mail them to kfengshui@aol.com or Real.Estate@LATimes.com. All questions will be considered for use but cannot be answered individually.