Dragon’s Best Friend

“Friends are great riches.”
– Unknown

Considered the Angel of the Orient, the Dragon has long been revered for its greatness, goodness and blessings for the Chinese people. A symbol of charisma, decisiveness and transformation, this wise, powerful creature brings the essence of life in the form of celestial breath, known to many as “Sheng Ch’i”. It grants its power in the form of the seasons, bringing water from rain, warmth from sunshine, wind from the seas and soil from the earth. The Dragon is the greatest divine force on earth.

The Yang Wood Dragon will embark on its hallowed voyage beginning February 10, 2024. In Dragon years we perform our hero’s work. It is through our impetus that the wheels of motivation are set with resolve, inventiveness and courage and help us realize our soul’s plan. We can carry out our intentions when we strengthen our Ch’i with Feng Shui adjustments, Chinese New Year ceremonies and carry a three dimensional talisman for the duration of the year. “Chinese folk culture believes Dragon and Cock best of flock.” (Khadro Crystal Chu) Dragon’s Best Friend is honest, brave, lucky, and trustworthy. The three dimensional image of the Rooster reminds us to focus on solutions that will raise our status in the Wood Dragon Year. This lucky fowl favors jade, boxwood or bone. Enjoy the inspiration this match brings!

For you dear folks whose animal protector is Rabbit and Dog, carry the power combo charm (preferably jade for its life force) of the Rat and Monkey as your talisman. The smart, clever Rat and the mystical Monkey are friends to the Dragon. They will harmonize any taxing energies of the Dragon and Rooster during this year.

Why is Rooster Dragon’s Best Friend? Rooster lent its beautiful horns to the Dragon so he could attend the Jade Emperor’s party in grand style is one story. Rooster is brave, motivated, proud and with a magnificent tail like a Phoenix. How could the Dragon not notice him. But there are the virtues of the Rooster that make him a holy asset for this year. The five virtues of the Rooster by Tian Rao: ‘”The Rooster dons a crimson cap, a mark of literary sophistication! It claws its enemies, what martial prowess! It calls to its cohorts when food is available, a creature of compassion! It fights to the death with its nemesis, what bravery! And it never fails to keep time, a trustworthy soul.” What is unique about rooster is its ability to keep time for humans which leads the Chinese to the conclusion there is a divine spark, like the Sun that exists in the rooster which makes it capable of this unique task.’

What other reasons to have a Dragon’s Best Friend by your side? Ceremonies of protection use rooster feathers in BSTB Feng Shui. They guard the individual against scoundrels who may be agents for spirits. They have the ability to turn them into Helpful People. This is a carry over from ancient times when roosters were used in many kinds of rituals. In Chinese folk stories, all ghosts are scared by the rooster’s crow. Ghosts can only appear at night, but the rooster’s crow means the day is coming. So all ghosts fear the rooster’s crow, for ghosts lose their power at dawn. So if scoundrels are coming into your life, this ceremony has the strength to turn the situation around.

Roosters are beautiful, with its red comb, colorful feathers and golden tail. At first they were called ji (吉, meaning luck) because it was believed this animal would bring people luck like the phoenix.

The roosters suggest prosperity. They reproduce very fast. The Chinese believed this was synonymous with prosperity in terms of both population and wealth.

If you want to enhance your Rooster talisman to receive even more good fortune and good luck email me, bette@shenmenfengshui.com for details. Nine red envelopes requested.

Etsy carries Three Dimensional Jade Roosters. Start with Marina Lighthouse, Feng Shui Shopper. She closes her shop right after the new year.

This year I am offering the BSTB ceremonies so wealth and abundant good fortune are readily available: revel in “Welcoming the Wealth Gods” into your home; feel protected peeling away bad luck during “The Golden Cicada” ceremony and jump for joy when orange peels bless your home at midnight during “Changing the Ch’i…”.

Welcome the Wealth Gods 
Invite the Wealth Gods right into your home with this midnight tradition. Face the yearly direction then walk the Gods back to your front door and enjoy safety, protection, better health and prosperity throughout the year.

The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell 
In this ceremony remove all work problems, relationship problems, financial problems and health problems when you peel the shell from the egg. Your true self, your good Ch’i emerges from the crust of life’s difficulties allowing you to magnetize what you desire with a clear heart.

Changing The Chi Of The House and Transforming The Fortunes For Individuals and Residences 
Wake up the house with fragrance and invite new beginnings, wealth Ch’i, happy Ch’i, prosperity Ch’i, and healthy Ch’i.

Receive two bonus cures + the Three Secret Reinforcements, the main amplifying tool for Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui adjustments. It is a ritual way of adding extra strength to your cure.

The Three Lucky Feng Shui Secret Traditions Packet is$27 + nine red envelopes. Email me at bette@shenmenfengshui.com for payment options. Nine red envelopes must be received by mail on or before Thursday, February 1, 2024 to ensure your mailing will arrive in time.

Xīn xiǎng shì chéng
May all your wishes come true

Allow me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. Details are at this link Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

photo credit: Arib Neko. UnSplash.

Your Home Is A Window To Opportunity

“An open mind is like an open window, it lets in fresh air.”
– Mike Hernacki

Clean the office windows prompted my inner voice. Such a mundane topic to begin a blog but experiencing the sunlight stream across my desk boosting my creative space (and my mind) with a much needed drink of Ch’i, I realized without my office windows I would be lacking in this joyful experience. We cannot live without light. It is essential to our minds, bodies, health and well-being. Light nourishes our spaces and this brilliant energy gets our ideas flowing and our Ch’i going. A well placed window can maximize the benefits of this creative life force.

What’s the perk for you? When architectural details are arranged in such a way that they generate an elevated emotions in you, the positive feelings attract positive experiences. Some houses need a little more TLC while others need a little tweak to stimulate more Ch’i. I’ve created a list of ten Feng Shui design features related to window placement, window care and window construction to help you create a life of opportunity.

Doors represent the voice of the adult where as windows represent the voice of the child. If your windows cannot open, old Ch’i is constrained. Every one in the house may gradually “suffocate”, unable to process clearly or not move at all. Life can be problematic for children.
– Fix the windows.
– Place a small round mirror on the inoperable window(s). This encourages the ch’i to circulate and revive the occupants.

Too few doors in relationship to the windows and the children may decree what happens in the house creating chaos. At work, there may be a strike by unhappy employees, mirroring an unruly parent/child relationship.
Nuance: Evaluate the size of the windows and doors. A very large window can give the children very strong voices and visa versa, a very large door can give the parents very strong voices.
– If there too few doors, hang a bell on the inside of the parent’s bedroom door (or on the doors of management personnel) to enhance their parental voice.
– Option: install panes in the large window. The mulleins soften the voice of the child. They then may be motivated to listen.

If a window is behind you as you sit at your desk and it provides you with good light and good scenery, then you need not do anything. But if an arrow point at you from the outside, you need to adjust it. A concave Bagua mirror on the outside reflecting back to the offending building will soften (blunt) the arrow.

If the window is wider than your desk (or bed) and you feel nervous, make an adjustment. Drapes or blinds can be used to make the window appear smaller, feeling more secure.

Windows that begin at eye level making it impossible to see out, can create feelings of constriction and control. This feature is designed into many modern schools. Watch for a child’s basement bedroom where the windows are above their head. They may feel like a frog in the well.
– Hang a mirror in the affected room(s) at eye level.
– You can have a breakthrough by practicing the Six Stage Up-lifting Ch’i Method.

If windows are shorter than the tallest person in the building, that person may feel depressed or oppressed. They  may internalize their feelings resulting in a loss of clarity and an inability to process thoughts and take action. If an entire office building had short windows, what madness might run through the hallways.
– Place a mirror in the room that is high enough to allow his or her Ch’i to expand. The center of the mirror should be at eye level.
– Hang a crystal ball in the short window(s) to elevate the Ch’i. The rainbow colors created will lift one’s Ch’i.
– Make the window appear taller than it actually is, by installing curtains that extend above the window.

Rare but still there is that one occasion when a stove is under a window (not good) and if it is barred (really disastrous) family members may end up in the hospital, in court, or in jail.
– Paint the window frame in the colors of the five elements (green, red, yellow, white, and black).
– Grow greenery on the bars.

If a family or business is separated from their community, standoffish and isolated, check to see if the windows open inward. If this is the case, the Ch’i is constantly being sucked into the home or office. The lack of connection can hinder opportunity, and create mental and physical instability.
– Hang a wind chime near the front door to activate a connection with the outside world.
– Hang a crystal ball near the window where the sun shines. The rainbow colors created by the faceted crystal will bring good luck, endurance and fortitude. Family members may be more willing to leave the house.
– Use colors in the affected room that are full of life force like green, blue, bluish purple and reddish purple
– Red and green can help a nervous adolescent come out into the world.
– A timid teenager may benefit from pink, red, blue, and green.

Professor Lin was once asked by a student in one of his Berkeley workshops about a broken window in the Knowledge gua. In his over arching vision he replied, did the person break their hand or their wrist? The answer was, Yes! The hands in the Bagua are related to the Knowledge gua (front left corner) of the home. Repair broken windows, replace inoperable windows, windows that are stuck and install energy efficient window panes before an accident happens.

The eyes are the body part symbolic of the Fame Gua (central back part of the house). If you seek clarity about your career, want to develop ideas that create a robust network, increase your visibility in your profession or community, improve your inner sight, keep the windows in this area clean. 

Bonus: Any outlet to the outside is related to the eyes. Be sure your vents, fans, air conditioners, etc., are working properly. You will help protect the eyes from injury and illness.

Glass doors correspond to the eyes. Simply keeping them clean will help you maintain the clarity of your vision.

What can a window teach you?
• Keep your eyes open
• See things as they are
• Enjoy what you see
• Prepare to meet opportunity
• Enlighten your mind
• If something is broke, fix it
– Bette Steflik, Shen Men Feng Shui

Allow me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. Details are at this link Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

Feng Shui Flowers That Whisper Good Fortune

“Hear blessings dropping their blossoms all around you.”
Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

If we wish to attract what is good for us, flowers are a direct path to enhancing our feelings and elevating our sense of well-being. Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General. Hospital and her research team investigated the effects of flowers in the home and they concluded 1) flowers influence people emotionally; they foster compassion and kindness. 2) people feel less negative around flowers. Looking at them first thing in the morning dissipates anxiety or feelings of depression. 3) having flowers at home can carry over to work creating a frame of mind for happiness and enthusiasm. 

In the right place flowers in your home whisper their message, be joyful and blessings will fall like blossoms all around you.

Flowers have a long held importance and cultural significance in Chinese culture. They believe they communicate positive messages.

Here are five of my favorites that I give as Feng Shui adjustments and personally display during the Chinese seasonal festivals.

Peony Their elegant, full blossoms and delicate fragrance make them a favorite of bride’s bouquets and with good reason. The Chinese hold the peony in high esteem because it symbolizes prosperity and nobility. It also represents wealth, rank, female beauty and honor. Yellow and purple varieties are the most desirable. According to Feng Shui tradition, cultivate affluence by hanging either an image of a peony in a vase or placing an actual peony in a vase in the living room of your home. Either one expresses the wish for ‘prosperity and peace’, because the peony represents prosperity and the vase is a rebus for peace.

Orchid We all want someone special who is just right for us. The orchid represents integrity, friendship and nobility. Confucius compared the orchid to a virtuous man. In BSTB Feng Shui tradition to attract a refined and cultured partner place a pink orchid in your Relationship corner. The nuance to this relationship adjustment is visualize you are attracting the perfect person for you.

Lotus The Chinese believe the lotus symbolizes purity, long life, humility and honor. In Chinese Buddhism, Quan Yin is depicted seated on a lotus flower because it rises from the mud in beauty and symbolizes perfection and purity of the heart and mind. Mud represents a meaningful part of the lotus flower’s development. In Buddhist teachings, we humans are born into suffering, it is a vital part of our experience. The sacred lotus grows in the deep mud, far away from the sun. But sooner or later, it reaches the light becoming the most beautiful flower ever. If you’ve struggled to accept your fears. If you’ve felt your burdens have not brought you redemption. If despair reminds you that you feel you’ve failed, it may be difficult to see that these muddy waters make you the exquisite human being that you are, but you are. 

Chrysanthemum The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival also called Chongyang Festival (this year it is October 17, 2018). Nine is a yang number (symbolizing forever). Celebrating the double nine brings auspiciousness to the household. “Double Ninth” is pronounced the same as the word “forever” so ancestors are also worshipped on that day. Chrysanthemum is a Chinese word derived from “Chu hua” meaning “October flower”. White chrysanthemums represent nobility and elegance and attract good luck to the home and a life of ease. It is revered like the orchid, bamboo and plum. Displaying chrysanthemums in the home and eating Chongyang (double yang) cakes (cake sounds like height so they are regarded as lucky) are popular customs honoring this festival. They lift the Ch’i of, not only individuals, but families and communities too.

Narcissus Narcissus is known as the “water goddess”. It is said this flower can rout out evil spirits. At Chinese New Year (The Year of the Water Pig is February 5, 2019), the Chinese believe daffodil and Narcissus bulbs when in bloom bring good fortune and luck to a home. The modern take: enliven your Ch’i through the sense of smell. This adjustment calms the nervous system and promotes a sense of well being.

The Flower Cure Many times the most unlikely Feng Shui adjustment has the greatest affect. If the valve between the stomach and the esophagus is not opening and closing properly and there is acid reflux, H.H. “Professor” Lin Yun suggested this cure (nine red envelopes requested). The essence of this cure is how the sense of smell affects the body, mind and spirit.

Photo credit: https://www.quitecontemporary.com/2017/01/diy-ceramic-vases.html

Have you decided this will be your year? “Boldness has genius”… start with one hour of Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

Tis’ The Season To Get Engaged!

“Every once in a while in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.
– Author unknown

Tis’ the season to get engaged! 40 percent of engagements occur between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day with Christmas Day the most popular so when my client, Loretta Rossini, Wedding Officiant, asked me to share good luck wedding customs.

Start with luck. A 1500 year old symbol must have some good juju, right? The Chinese created a symbol for marriage that is as potent today as when the first two lovers used it on their wedding day. The character for happiness is set side by side. The bottom part looks like the number “8”. In the Chinese language the number eight attracts prosperity. It’s been a long standing custom to give double happiness red envelopes with money inside to the wedding couple.

Pick your flowers. Whether a Bridal bouquet or one flower, selecting the heavenly, fragrant peony as your wedding flower is auspicious. The flower is believed to be of divine descent, no wonder it represents wealth, rank and honor. If you use vases with a neck for your centerpiece, it expresses the wish for prosperity and peace because the vase symbolizes peace.

Wear a touch of red. Red is like “a red sun rising from the East.” When it first emerges over the horizon, it is red hot. Wearing a touch of red on your wedding day (it can be hidden) is a good fortune adjustment and attracts auspiciousness. It’s the traditional color for Chinese brides.

Let the stars decide. When Heaven and Earth line up it leads to a successful marriage so start out on the right foot by selecting a lucky date for your wedding. I can help.

Choose happiness. Keep the luck coming. Whether it is a grand reception or intimate dinner for two, pick eight dishes (not including dessert) for the word eight not only sounds like prosperity but “good luck” too.

Keep your love fertile. Have plans to bring a little one into the world? A formal tea ceremony is served by the bride and groom during the wedding festivities. The reason being is the words, “lotus”, “year”, “seed”, “child”, “date” and “early” sound alike but have different meanings. Dropping lotus seeds and two dates into the tea will help the newlyweds to have a baby early and every year. The sweetness of the special tea is also a wish for sweet relations between the bride and her new family.

————————

After you’ve said your vows, kissed the bride or groom and shared sweet pleasure on your honeymoon, do something extra for your love. Create a radiant space for your hearts to grow together.

Have you decided this will be your year? “Boldness has genius”…start with one hour of Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.