What Happened When We Cut Down the Giant Maple Blocking Our Morning Light
A family's southeast-facing kitchen felt dark and cramped until they removed a towering maple tree from the yard. The change was immediate and surprising.
Location
Portland, Oregon, United States
Property Type
House
Room
Kitchen
Direction
Southeast
The Problem
Our kitchen faced southeast, but we never saw the sunrise. A massive maple—planted by the previous owners—stood just outside the window, its trunk inches from the house. It blocked the light, made the room feel closed in, and every meal felt like it was happening in a cave. We'd lived with it for years, thinking it was just how the house was.
What They Tried
After a storm damaged a branch, an arborist told us the tree was dying. We had it removed. It was expensive—about $2,800—but we saw it as an investment. The day they took it down, the kitchen flooded with warm morning light for the first time in a decade.
What Happened
We didn't expect the room to feel bigger, but it did. The ceiling seemed higher, the walls lighter. We started having breakfast at the table instead of at the counter. Even the plants on the windowsill perked up. It's not like our lives transformed overnight, but the kitchen went from a place we tolerated to the room we actually wanted to be in.
Spatial Orientation
| Bagua Sector | 巽 ☴ · Xun |
|---|---|
| Direction | Southeast |
| Element | wood |
What works best here
Xun (4) · Wood. Southeast loves moderate height with an airy, open feel.
Place: tall leafy plants, natural fiber rugs, light wood tones, cream and soft green.
Recommended crystal
Citrine or Green Jade — placed on a wooden side table in the southeast corner
Perfect for a creative workspace or journaling spot; natural light is your friend here
Source Analysis
1. The Original Principle
Original Chinese
见宅午巳东巽巳来有高楼大树，皆不利，宜去之吉。
English Translation
An old Chinese house manual warns that a tall building or large tree directly to the southeast of a home brings misfortune. Removing it is said to bring good fortune. The southeast is associated with the morning sun and growth.
2. About the Source
宅经 by Attributed to the Yellow Emperor · China · Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), based on earlier traditions
The Classic of Dwellings is one of the earliest surviving Chinese texts dedicated entirely to residential architecture. It presents a holistic view of the home as a living organism — comparing the house to a body with its own anatomy of walls, doors, rooms, and courtyards. Its core teaching is that a well-arranged home supports the health and fortune of its inhabitants as naturally as good soil supports healthy plants.
3. How This Principle Applies to This Case
This case echoes an old principle about clearing obstructions to the southeast, a direction traditionally tied to light and vitality. The 'misfortune' here manifested as a dark, cramped kitchen and a family that avoided spending time in their own home. By removing the tree, they restored sunlight—a factor strongly linked to mood, appetite, and perceived spatial size. Modern environmental psychology supports this: daylight exposure boosts serotonin, and brighter rooms feel more spacious. The real 'cure' wasn't mystical; it was simply letting the sun in. This home's owners didn't consult a classical text, but their action aligned with an ancient observation about the value of an open southeast outlook.
Bring the Purest Energy Into Your Home
Sourced from altitudes above 4,000 meters in the Himalayan range — the highest place on Earth and the closest to the sun. These crystals formed over millions of years in some of the planet's most pristine conditions, untouched by industrial pollution. Each piece carries the raw, unfiltered energy of the mountains. Whether placed on a nightstand, a desk, or a meditation corner, they serve as a quiet anchor — a daily reminder to pause, breathe, and reconnect.
Explore the HIMA ALAÏA collection →Related Elements
Case source
Balanced Environments
Founded by Francoise Courty-Danota, a French-born Feng Shui master now based in the US. Combines European Geobiology (detecting underground water veins and electromagnetic radiation) with classical Chinese Feng Shui for premium healthy home planning.