Your home's essential question

This week's Torah portion, Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25), opens with Moses asking the ultimate question: "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord, your God, demand of you?" 

Since October 7th, I've been obsessed with unity – not the superficial kind that asks us to ignore differences, but the deeper kind that recognizes how apparent opposites can work together toward something greater. This obsession led me to rediscover something remarkable in Jewish wisdom: teachings that see unity not as the elimination of differences, but as the integration of them. The biblical declaration in Isaiah 45:7 that "I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things" parallels Taoist wisdom in ways that surprised even me.

Where Western thinking (influenced by ancient Zoroastrian dualism) tends to position good and evil as cosmic enemies that must battle until one conquers the other, this integrative teaching within Jewish tradition offers a different vision. From a Taoist perspective, yin and yang aren't opponents but dance partners, each containing a seed of the other.

This isn't about avoiding conflict – it's about understanding that some tensions are meant to be held in creative balance rather than resolved through victory.

How is divine presence asking to show up in your home this week? Perhaps through the integration of opposing forces – the welcome and the boundaries, the openness and the protection that every entrance must hold in balance.

What I've discovered is that our homes can teach us this integration on the most practical level. Every room contains both active and quiet spaces, light and shadow, storage and openness. When we try to eliminate one aspect completely – making everything bright, or everything minimal, or everything busy – we create environments that feel either harsh or lifeless. It's about creating conditions for integration to become instinctive.

ROOM OF THE WEEK: THE ENTRANCE

Your entrance is where all energy, opportunity, and possibility flows into your life – what feng shui calls the "Mouth of Chi." I refer to this concept often because the entrance is one of the most important areas of the house in feng shui. Like this week's Torah portion, which speaks of the "heel" (ekev) that supports the entire body's movement, your entrance supports your home's entire energetic ecosystem.

The entrance manages the critical transition between the outside world and your sanctuary. According to both feng shui and Jewish home wisdom, this threshold space must integrate opposing forces: welcoming energy while maintaining protection, creating openness while preserving privacy, expressing your authentic self while honoring guests.

DAILY ENERGY FOCUS

This week's theme suggests a Family Harmony Week - focusing on balancing opposing energies rather than eliminating them. We'll explore Rushing Chi and Compressing Chi patterns, as they represent the specific tension between flow and containment that this week's Torah portion illuminates - how your entrance must welcome while maintaining boundaries.

Sunday (Yang/Sun) 

OBSERVE rushing chi indicators in your entrance. Notice: Do you naturally speed up when moving through this space? Yang energy reveals how active forces might be creating too much momentum for a proper threshold transition.

Monday (Yin/Moon) 

SENSE compressing chi indicators in your entrance. Check if: Does breathing become shallow in certain areas? Yin energy asks: Where might receptive spaces be creating constriction rather than sanctuary?

Tuesday (Fire/Joy) 

NOTICE the fire qualities in your entrance - bright colors, triangular shapes, harsh vs. gentle lighting, and how voices carry in this space. DETECT signs of rushing chi by observing: Do conversations feel rushed or interrupted here? Fire's transformative energy asks: How does rushing chi either enhance or diminish the joy of coming home?

Wednesday (Water/Flow) 

OBSERVE water elements in your entrance - flowing shapes, dark colors, glass/mirrors, and how your body naturally moves through the space. SENSE rushing chi through: Do doors slam shut on their own? The flowing energy of water asks: Where is energy moving too quickly to allow natural transitions?

Thursday (Wood/Growth) 

FEEL the wood energy in your entrance - plants, vertical shapes, green colors, and where you pause vs. where you rush. CHECK IF compressing chi is present by noticing: Can multiple people move comfortably at once? The pioneering energy of wood asks: Where might growth be restricted by boundaries that have become too tight?

Friday (Metal/Structure) 

SENSE metal qualities in your entrance - round shapes, white/metallic colors, clear sounds, and smooth vs. rough surfaces. DETECT compressing chi by observing: Do you rush to get through rather than enjoying the transition? Pay attention to spaces that feel 'just right' - it's rarely about the objects themselves but about how the energy allows you to breathe. The structured energy of metal asks: How can boundaries support rather than squeeze the flow of welcome?

Saturday (Earth/Grounding)

 REST and INTEGRATE this week's chi observations without acting. Simply NOTICE: How does your entrance need to balance the week's discoveries about rushing versus compressing energy? Earth's grounding energy asks: What would it feel like if your threshold held both welcome and protection in perfect equilibrium?

BAGUA MAP BY ROOM

Before we look at where your entrance falls, consider this: Connection vs. Boundaries – Where in your life are you craving deeper relationships and community? Your family dynamics? Your community involvement? Your spiritual practice? And where do you need stronger boundaries and more independence – perhaps in work relationships or in how much you take on for others?

Once you identify these areas, you can use your entrance (and the corresponding bagua areas) to support both needs – either maintaining healthy connection or creating space for necessary independence where needed.

*In BTB feng shui, we align your front door with the bottom of the tic tac toe board below to determine the location of each gua. This is different from the Compass approach to feng shui which uses directions for alignment. Also note that the rooms and walls of your home won't perfectly align with the bagua map, and some rooms may fall in more than one gua area.

┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│   Wealth        │    Fame         │ Relationships   │
│   Corner        │   Corner        │    Corner       │
├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│   Family        │    Center       │   Children      │
│   Corner        │                 │    Corner       │
├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│  Knowledge      │    Career       │ Helpful People  │
│   Corner        │   Corner        │    Corner       │
└─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
          ↑               ↑               ↑
      Front door typically aligns somewhere along this edge

Wisdom, Knowledge & Spirituality Area (Gua 8): How does your entrance here support both learning and contemplation in your daily life? This area thrives when it balances study with spiritual practice - like integrating opposing forces rather than choosing one over the other. The mountain energy of earth responds to dark blue and deep earthy tones and square shapes. Consider: CLEAR books, images, or statues that no longer serve your growth; ADD ones that reflect the next phase in your personal evolution.

Career & Life Journey Area (Gua 1): How does your entrance support the flow between your professional and personal selves? Water's natural movement teaches us that career satisfaction comes from integration, not compartmentalization between work identity and home sanctuary. This area benefits from black/blue colors and wavy/flowing shapes. Consider: CLEAR work materials that pile up near your entrance, ADD a small bowl for keys to create mindful transition rituals, or AMPLIFY items that represent your life purpose beyond just career success.

Helpful People & Travel Area (Gua 6): How does your entrance help you both give and receive support gracefully? True guidance helps us integrate different perspectives rather than simply following directions without discernment. Metal's clarity energy works with white/metallic colors and round/oval shapes. Consider: CLEAR clutter that blocks the flow of helpful energy, ADD photos of mentors or meaningful travel memories displayed thoughtfully, or TEND to this area by keeping it organized and welcoming.

Not sure how to read your space according to this map? Click here.

CLOSING INSIGHT

According to Rashi, the word "ekev" (heel) in this week's portion refers to the "light mitzvot that people tend to trample with their heel" – the small, easily overlooked practices that actually support everything else. Like our entrances, these practices don't demand attention but they determine whether our spiritual and physical foundations remain strong. Integration happens not through grand gestures but through countless small acts of balance.