I received an email from one of my readers, Gordon, who asked how to best protect a home from burglary using feng shui. He shared that in the past three months, 163 burglaries of homes and cars had occurred within a two-mile radius in his neighborhood.

So, let’s look at how one can energetically protect a home from unwanted intruders.

Ultimate Balance

Although much of feng shui is about creating a “welcoming” feel and increased energy flow into your home, it is important to diminish vulnerability by ensuring that your home is not too open energetically. You must strike a balance between being welcoming and being too vulnerable.

Stand back and take a new look

Start at the entrance by circling your home and objectively analyzing it in terms of welcoming versus vulnerable spaces. Take note of where you want to make some changes to “protect” the interior view from unwanted eyes. How much can you see of the interior of the home? Does your door have a window that allows you to see in? Can you peek in and see things of value? Are your windows missing shades or have curtains with holes in them? Does your sliding glass door have a view to the interior of your home? Could applying frosted film be a simple solution?

Think “teenage daughter”

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To help you understand the energetic concept behind being welcoming and being too vulnerable, imagine that you have a teenage daughter who is going out on her first date. You would likely pay attention to what she wears because her choice of clothing will make her either discreetly appealing or vulnerable to unwanted advances.

Similarly, when your home is too enticing or too open, it could be an invitation to burglars. It is important that your home is welcoming, but appropriately discreet. When you take steps to create balance between “welcoming” and “vulnerable” energy, your home will send out the right signal.

Feng Shui protective items

At the grocery store the other day, another reader, Edith, asked me what kind of feng shui items she could use in her home for protection. Sometimes placing items in and around the home can add a tangible source of helpful visual support.

Bagua mirror

The bagua mirror, a popular symbol in feng shui, is round and encased in a hexagonal frame. It is usually placed above the main entrance facing out to welcome harmony into the home while blocking out “negative” energy. You can purchase bagua mirrors in Chinatown, online and in all feng shui stores.

Protective animals

Animal statues and imagery can be used to provide protection and peace of mind.

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For example, bat symbols, figurines, or pictures can be used to energetically deter “negative” energy while dragons at the front entrance can be used to boost energetic protection to your home and family. When placed inside your home facing the entrance, lions, owls, tigers, rhinos and elephants can provide protection from violence and burglary.

Fu Dogs are another protective symbol (a combination of lion and dragon). They come in pairs and can be placed facing out near your front door or your gate.

The male should be on the left and the female on the right as you look out from inside.

How to view protection

The desire for protection should not come from fear, but from the basic understanding that a wide variety of energies surround us, and some are better left outside of our own energy field.

Feng shui expert and life guide Alice Inoue — whose bi-weekly articles appear in Hawaii Renovation — offers books, DVDs, workshops and private consultations. Join Alice on 11/11/11 for her “Get Inspired About Your Life!” event. Visit www.aliceinspired.com

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