by Kathryn Weber
Swimming pools are a wonderful addition to any home. They create an instant place for fun, relaxation, and exercise. Plus, water is extremely beneficial in any landscape. However, in feng shui, swimming pools can be a negative influence if they’re positioned poorly or are too large, for example.
That’s because swimming pools possess a great deal of energy, and water is very powerful. It’s also because swimming pools are often located at the rear of the home, which is extremely inauspicious according to feng shui.
On the plus side, there are many instances when pools are a benefit to the homeowner. This would include a pool that is correctly sized, shaped, and positioned.
Certain pool shapes and sizes can create problems, such as poison arrows, which are harsh points of energy directed at the house. Square pools can be harmful if a corner points toward your home, for instance. Pools should also have movement such as fountains or sprays that make the water activated and energized.
Better still, pools positioned in certain locations can actually benefit homeowners.
These are pools that are placed according to flying star, a classical Chinese feng shui formula. At their best, pools can be positioned to tap the “wealth star” — the secret location of prosperity that is tied to the direction of the front door. This can bring tremendous good fortune and wealth to the homeowner.
Another benefit of flying star placement is to overcome negative energies, as pools can offset negative energy from poor star placements that are determined based on the date that the house was built or last remodeled. A qualified feng shui consultant can help you select the most auspicious location for your swimming pool.
Look at placing your pool in an auspicious location and follow feng shui’s design criteria to make sure your pool benefits you. Positioned right, swimming pools can add tremendous wealth luck to a homeowner’s life.
If not, though, a poorly placed pool can harm your wealth, health and relationships. This is often the pool that is placed directly at the back door, too close to the home without sufficient space between the home and the pool. Some pools can even cause bankruptcy when the pool can be seen from the front door.
Another kind of pool is the infinity edge pool that appears to be draining away from the home. While beautiful, they are not considered good feng shui as they symbolize wealth draining away. It’s always better if water appears to be flowing toward the home.
Read on for more 6 tips on making your pool auspicious and that adds to your health, wealth and happiness!
The Top 6 Feng Shui Pool Rules
1. Select a shape that is auspicious for wealth.
The best shapes for pools are round, oval, kidney, or curving. This is because none of these shapes have any hard edges or points that can create a poison arrow effect that square-shaped pools often do. Square pools are alright as long as the pool’s edge doesn’t aim toward the house.
2. Keep your pool size proportional to the size of the home.
Pools are better if they are not overly large. If they are too large for the home, they can “overwhelm” it, imparting much negative energy. Better to go with a smaller pool than one that is too large.
3. Place pools at the sides of the yard.
If possible, it is better to position swimming pools at the side of a yard rather than directly in the rear center of the house. Pools positioned this way can become menacing, as water behind you is considered bad feng shui and akin to standing with your back to the ocean, which even small children know is dangerous.
4. Pools that embrace a home bring good luck.
These pools appear to wrap around a home or curve toward the home. These are a good design choice as they don’t have hard edges pointing at the house.
5. Locate pools in a favorable sector for periods 8 and 9.
Until 2043, pools should ideally be located in the North, Southwest, East, or Southeast sectors.
6. Incorporate the five elements around your pool.
Pools should be mixed with the other elements, such as metal (handrailings, pumps, electrical equipment), wood (plants, arbors, gazebos), earth (rock, walls, cement surroundings or stonework), and fire (lighting). This helps to ensure that the pool is well-balanced and harmoniously incorporated into the landscape.