Which directions should you avoid sleeping facing? and Which directions should you sleep facing? This is a personal belief about which direction one should orient their head when sleeping, based on the idea that each direction carries different meanings, leading to beliefs about forbidden and recommended sleeping directions as follows.
Forbidden sleeping directions vary among different teachings, but most Thai people prefer to position their bed with the head facing " east " and " north " because these directions are considered auspicious and beneficial to life.
Additionally, in Thai belief, it is also common to face the bed head toward " south " since it is believed to be the direction of the Buddha's head at his passing, according to Buddhist lore.
Which directions are forbidden for sleeping? Ancient people often forbade sleeping with the head facing " west " because it is believed to be the direction of the dead. Sleeping facing this way is thought to cause illness, make one vulnerable to ghosts, and increase the risk of being possessed. There is also a saying that the god of death will come to take your soul. However, this is a traditional belief passed down in Thailand and depends on individual discernment. Feng shui beliefs also include the following.
Avoid facing your head toward the bathroom: It is believed that doing so harms your health, brings obstacles, invites gossip and slander, and fills your life with troubles. This belief may stem from the fact that bathrooms tend to be humid, and having a bedroom adjacent to a bathroom can encourage mold growth, which affects health.
Avoid facing your head toward cracked walls: It is believed that residents will experience conflicts, and married couples may quarrel and even divorce, leading to broken relationships. This belief serves as advice to prevent harm to occupants. It is wise to promptly repair cracked walls to avoid accidents.
Avoid facing your head toward the kitchen: It is believed this causes poor health, stagnation at work, and lack of luck. This rule also aims to prevent cooking smells from entering the bedroom and disturbing sleep.
Thai beliefs about which directions to point your feet while sleeping are not very strict, but one prohibition is " do not sleep with your feet pointing toward the front of the house. " This means you should not sleep with your feet toward the main entrance or extending out the front door, as it resembles the posture of a deceased person and is considered the direction where spirits leave the house.
Do not sleep under a beam: This is considered bad feng shui as it causes discomfort, insufficient rest, and burdens in life since beams support the house's structure.
Do not sleep facing the bedroom door: Doors are points of energy flow. Placing a bed directly in front of the door means energy rushes in and strikes you directly, which is believed to cause restless sleep and a disturbed atmosphere.
Do not sleep facing a large mirror: Sleeping directly in front of a mirror is believed to expose the body to negative energy throughout the night, resulting in poor rest.
Do not sleep adjacent to the bathroom: It is believed that this causes frequent illness, poor health, and is considered bad feng shui for those in business.
Beliefs about forbidden sleeping directions vary among religions and cultures. In particular, Muslims place importance on the " Qibla direction ", which is the prayer direction facing Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Therefore, they avoid sleeping with their feet pointing toward this direction.