The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home and in the past used to be a place where family and even community gathered.

This tip is from Black Sect Esoteric Buddhism, developed by His Holiness, the late Grandmaster Professor Thomas Lin Yun. He transformed ancient Buddhism and Chinese philosophies to be adapted to the modern life and to address modern issues and challenges.

Take a look at your stove and keep these key questions in mind:

1. Is it working properly?

2. Is it clean?

3. Do you use it to cook or is it just there because it came with the house?

4. If you do cook, how often do you alternate the burners you use?

If you have answered no to having a clean stove, no to it properly working, no to not cooking and alternating the burners, you may want to rethink how you treat your stove. Why? In BSEB Feng Shui it's believed that all things, including inanimate objects and appliances, etc, have a spirit and tell a story. The stove is associated with wealth (even if it's not in the wealth life section).

When not properly working, it's said to represent lack and how that could be translated is different for each person. When not alternating the use of the burners, it's saying you could be subconsciously choosing to not allow possible new opportunities into your life. By not keeping the stove clean, it could say you do not honor wealth (however you wish to define wealth). And if you do not use the stove at all, it's saying wealth is not being ignited and promotes more stillness.

If anything, at least once a year, give your stove a good clearing and use it from time to time. Remember to alternate the burners and if you can't use all of them, then at least go back and forth between two of them.