IN modern architecture, sharp lines and striking angles often signal bold design. Glass facades pierce the skyline, corners jut out with geometric precision, and buildings now resemble blades of ambition. But in feng shui, these structures may be doing more than just catching the eye – they could be energetically attacking your home.
One of the most commonly misunderstood external feng shui mistakes is called jian jiao sha, which means poison arrow energy. This occurs when the sharp corner of another building – especially one made of steel, concrete or glass – points directly at your main door or living space.
On the surface, it may seem harmless. But energetically, it is a form of silent pressure – one that slices through the qi (energy) field of your home.
In classical feng shui, your main door is known as the “mouth of qi”, the entry point where life force flows into the home. When a poison arrow is aimed at it – especially from across a narrow street or a nearby high-rise – the qi entering your space becomes unstable.
Over time, this can lead to residents feeling restless, experiencing frequent misunderstandings, financial obstacles or even health concerns such as tension, headaches or anxiety.
This form of energy attack does not always announce itself. In fact, many homeowners do not even notice the angle facing their entrance until someone points it out. But symptoms quietly build as things will feel off. Opportunities slip through your fingers. Conflicts stir without reason.
The good news? Feng shui is rarely about fear – it is about adjustment. And in many cases, simple changes make a profound difference.
If your front door faces a poison arrow – landscape with intention. Place tall potted plants or a living green wall to soften and absorb the incoming energy.
Instal a protective screen or structure just outside the door – such as a timber lattice, curved panel or a decorative partition. You can also shift the main entrance usage by guiding foot traffic through a side gate or secondary door.
For the indoors, you use crystal spheres or a convex Bagua (eight trigrams) mirror to deflect the sharp qi away – but this should always be done carefully and, ideally, under guidance. At its core, feng shui is about harmonising your living environment with the forces around you.
While we cannot control city planning or neighbouring buildings, we can absolutely control how our homes respond. And often, a small buffer is all that is needed to turn sharp pressure into softened support.
Because in a world full of edges, it is not about removing the angles – it is about learning how to live beyond their reach.
This article is contributed by Daniel Siew Feng Shui. Discover more at www.danielsiew.com.