Obamas should apply feng shui in the White House, practitioner says

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Remember when moving into the White House engendered controversies over the new first lady’s choice of curtains? A New York Realtor sent around a press release Wednesday urging the Obamas to redecorate and clean the White House based on the principles of feng shui, the ancient Chinese system of aesthetics intended to improve the flow of positive energy.

The Obamas should install fish tanks and water features in rooms that face southwest, west, northwest or northeast; they could also paint those rooms red, peach or rose, said Debra Duneier, a New York real estate broker who is also a feng shui practitioner.

Duneier says the White House is an old building where a lot of drama has taken place, so there might be some lingering bad vibes the new residents need to shoo away.

‘So much history is in the White House, and energy from all of those years, both good and bad, inhabit this space,’ Duneier said

Here are some of Duneier’s suggestions to spiritually spiff up the White House: Change the doorknobs on the doors in the rooms most frequented by the departing administration. If the doorknobs cannot be changed, wash them with warm water and sea salt solution. ‘The minerals in the sea salt will cleanse the energy and make room for the new energy to flow,’ Duneier said. She also suggests ‘smudging’ the place before moving in, an American Indian method of banishing evil spirits that involves lighting a bundle of dried sage and lavender herbs on fire and waving it around. ‘Let the smoldering smoke travel in all corners of the room, especially where energy enters the home by the doorways, windows, fireplaces and electrical outlets,’ she said.

Oh, and the Obamas should hook up the stereo first and play their favorite music as they move in. ‘The vibrations of the music will be uplifting and bring good energy,’ according to Duneier. Finally, she said, based on his birth date, Obama is an ‘East Life’ person who will feel most grounded in the East Room. That’s where he should entertain his ‘most challenging’ guests.

-- Roger Vincent

Photo: Time for good vibrations at the White House?

Credit: Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images