Tag Archives: Om Mani Padme Hum

Simple Feng Shui Rituals To End 2020

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“You can’t always choose what happens to you, but you can always choose how you feel about it.”
– Danielle LaPorte

Feeling unsafe and uncertain have been the big themes of 2020. Jobs were lost, spouses divorced, family members died from COVID-19, homes went into foreclosure….We had to make tough decisions. Yet there were silver linings too. Couples bonded in ways they had not before. Parents spent meaningful time with their children. We discovered what matters most. As 2020 draws to a close I bring to you Feng Shui rituals and companion rituals that I believe offer a different way to reflect upon the year. These might be new for some of you or they might be a helpful reminder that ending the year with a positive mindset quickly releases the past and brings what you desire with sure footedness.

De-clutter your home. Clarity.
This first of the Feng Shui rituals might seem counterintuitive however the magic of de-cluttering is it wakes up the brain. It engages both the left and right hemisphere of the brain. In BSTB Feng Shui Professor Lin would say to move 27 things in your house to bring good luck. If you wish, move 27 things out of your home. Marie Kondo’s simple and gentle advice for releasing the physical things that no longer serve you honors the object and the process. First hold the object in question. Ask yourself does it bring me joy? Do I feel love? If not, thank it with sincerity for the time it served you and find it a new home.

Reflect and review. Release.
Another one of my favorite Feng Shui year end rituals. Purchase a new white candle(s). Find a place in your home where you will not be disturbed. Best times are 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. If this is not doable, perform this ritual when it suits your schedule. Orange or lemon essential oil are perfect for purifying your space. Pour a few drops onto the burning candle or in a diffuser. Or cut circles out of the zest of an orange or lemon and sprinkle around your room. Reflect upon the highlights and what brought you low points. Declare how you felt about each situation. Write these down on several slips of paper or just one page. Say out loud what you want to let go. Throw the paper into a small fire-proof cauldron or cooking pot or let the candle burn them. Feel the burden lift off of you. Feel your breath deepen in your tan’tien (belly). Feel the transformation in your heart. You have exited one portal and entered a new phase of your life.

Shift your focus. Forgive.
Ho’oponopono is an ancient Hawaiian art of healing, which developed as a social practice, is a way of resolving conflicts between people, families and groups. Ho’o means to cause something to happen so ho’opono means to cause something to be pono – to be right, to be good, just or caring and/or in alignment with all people, places and things. By duplicating pono the word ho’opono, is full of achievement, goodness is accentuated.

To do the four phrases practice, we can use anything as a focus. We can use an emotion, a tendency towards certain kinds of action (e.g. impulsive buys or self-blame), a person, a place, an event, anything. We first choose our focus and then we formulate statements about it using the four phrases as guidance.  Inwardly, we say: “I’m sorry that __________.” Then “Please forgive me for ____________.” Then “Thank you for ___________” and end with “I love you.”We offer this “I love you” both to the focus of the practice and, ultimately, to the greater ‘something’ beyond.
– Adam Pearson

Complete the challenges on a high note. Chant.
“A mantra is a magic formula that, once it is uttered, can entirely change a situation, our mind, our body or a person. But this magic formula must be spoken in a state of concentration-that is to say, a state in which body and mind are absolutely in a state of unity.”
– Thich Naht Hahn

If you are having trouble with reflecting, forgiving or letting go, a mantra or an affirmation when repeated again and again will release your mind of the burden that is distracting you. This seed language is like a reminder note to be compassionate with yourself and open to what your heart has to say. I recommend the Six Syllable True Words Mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum or from Chinese Buddhism, The Calming Heart Mantra, Gate, Gate, Para-Gate, Para Sam Gate, Bodhi Svaha. Multiples of nine (the number of completion and peak accomplishment) are suggested. Nine means forever so you are setting your intention into stone, so to speak.

See the good in the past. Appreciate.
There is no one perfect or right way to say goodbye. There are ways that make the process of ending 2020 with “You got this! You are the eagle soaring into the sky.” Whatever you do as this week winds down to January 1, 2021, these Feng Shui rituals may initiate insight into the gifts of 2020. While you are sipping  your tea or coffee, give yourself a big hug and lots of love for all the ways you made the year yours. 

A well designed space allows you to access positive energy at all times. Please feel free to call upon me to help you arrange your home where you feel supported. I am available for a “Your House Is Talking” full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation, 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.

Winter Solstice 2020. Dreaming In A New Era.

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“If you can see yourself as an artist, and you can see that your life is your own creation, then why not create the most beautiful story for yourself?” 
― Don Miguel Ruiz

Winter Solstice 2020 heralds the return to light but this year is exceptional. We will experience an astrological phenomenon of a grand design. Saturn and Jupiter in a rare, dynamic rendezvous will ascend upon the horizon just after dusk. Their massive, celestial bodies will appear like starry lovers embracing on a dance floor. Look to the west-southwest and you will see the coupled planets shining through the twilight.

What does this mean for humanity? Compared to the Christmas star that guided the wise men, the Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter means old, tyrannical ways will be released. Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius will help us dream in a new era where humans will experience an expansion of consciousness, compassion and concern for the well being of the eight billion people on this planet. We will become global citizens. We will see more humanitarian policies set in place. Climate change will be addressed in more aggressive measures. Technological advancement will seem beyond miraculous, so buckle up.

What it means for you personally? There will be a greater impetus to realize your purpose. If you want to write a book, change your career or begin a project, this conjunction is fresh with innovative ideas. It’s the best time to tune in. Meditate and the small, still voice will whisper with clarity. Hold your thoughts in sincerity and devotion and you will be set on a trajectory to create something new and meaningful. Give it your full expression and heart, and it will receive the support it needs.

This conjunction is considered the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. We will use empathy to change the world. “Everyone will feel encouraged to embody the highest vibration in the form of social and progressive social activism.” Gandhi’s quote will be more relevant than ever, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. 

Consider the following if you want to align with the momentum of the Winter Solstice 2020 and the new energies of Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius. Plan time to meditate and perform rituals. Engaging your senses with your psyche you will nourish your body and spirit. These practices will help you hold your life’s vision while you “write the most beautiful story of yourself”.

Straighten your house. Begin with the front entry. Remove clutter, especially shoes (or organize them). When they are in disarray (in the Chinese language it means chaos or evil reside here)  the mouth of Ch’i becomes unruly. Bad luck follows.

Wash with orange peel. Cut nine circles from the skin of the orange. You will only want to use the zest (one of the reason oranges are used is their roundness means is not only as a symbol of gold but also completeness). Break down the peels to release their essence. While you are breaking the peels into smaller pieces, visualize the light of 10,000 Buddhas is emitted into the peels. Or visualize a deity of your choice. Chant Om Mani Padme Hum nine times or say a prayer. Draw a warm bath and drop the peels into the water. Let it sit a few minutes to infuse the water. Step in and wash your body. Do not forget to wash your hair. Feel the purification. Feel your Ch’i revived and refreshed.

Purify your space. Purchase nine oranges. The night before the Winter Solstice, this year, Sunday, December 20 at 11:00 p.m. open all the windows in your home. Cut (as you do with the orange peel bath) nine circles out of each orange for a total of 81 circles of orange peel. Break down the peels to release their essence. Nuance: talk to the oranges. Tell them they are being used in the best way possible. While you are breaking the peels into smaller pieces, visualize the light of 10,000 Buddhas is emitted into the peels. Or visualize a deity of your choice. Chant Om Mani Padme Hum continuously (at least 108 times) until the last circle is broken down. Begin at the front door. Quiet your body, mind and spirit. Walk around the house either clockwise or counter clockwise. Take a very small handful and scatter the peels out, as if you are feeding chickens. This mudra feeds “the hungry ghosts”.  At the same place take another very small handful of the orange peels, cast them straight down. You are ”planting auspicious seeds”. Stay in the same place and take another small handful and throw up into the air, chant Om Mani Padme Hum in excitement. You are sending blessings to heaven. Move throughout the house, upstairs and downstairs until you have covered the house. As you are scattering the peels visualize that tens of thousands of Buddhas’s light are filling every corner of your house. Stand at one open window, take a deep, deep breath and exhale while chanting Om Mani Padme Hum nine times in short puffs (use only one breath – do your best). See the mantras cleansing the room of any negative ch’i such as illness, bankruptcy, death, etc. See the room filled with positive ch’i and good fortune. You and the room receive the blessings of Heaven and Earth. Close the windows and end the ceremony at the front door with the Calming Heart Mudra and chant Om Mani Padme Hum nine times. You are complete. If you are experiencing digestive issues do this adjustment. It will remove old patterns, resentments and vendettas.

Meditate to focus. Find a comfortable sitting position. Hold the ‘gyan’ mudra, (The Mudra of Knowledge). It will improve your mental and physical health – increasing your memory power, pituitary gland production and improves the nervous system. Touch the tip of your index finger to your thumb. Hold the other three fingers straight and stretched. Be sure they are parallel to each other. Do the mudra with both hands. Rest your hands onto your knees. Close your eyes. If you can open them slightly and focus on your nose bridge if that is comfortable. Breathe in for the count of five and exhale for the count of five. Keep your spine straight during the mediation pose. Let your mind become empty just watching your breathe (in and out). If you choose you can chant Om or Om Mani Padme Hum at least 108 times to 216 to 324 times. Hold this for at least 15 minutes if not 30 minutes. The posture will promote the flow of prana; improves focus; enhances memory and promotes of sense of balance.

Journal after meditating. The flow of Ch’i will be enhanced and your mind will be open to channel ideas and insights not available to your rational mind. Write whatever comes into your consciousness. Do not censor. Appreciate the stream coming to you and the ideas for your new project, new career or new book will flow.

If you are looking to build a new home, remodel, plan a wedding, purchase a home or sell one, when you begin has tremendous influence on the outcome of your event. Beginning on the right foot with an auspicious date and time will bring success to your endeavor. Contact me, bette@shenmenfengshui.com for details of how I can assist you with getting started.

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: Daily Express

Secrets That Maximize The Great American Eclipse

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“Success is meeting every challenge from your calm center within. Seek strength and guidance intuitively in your inner self.”
– Swami Kriyananda

In less than five days a breathtaking, bucket list eclipse will darken the skies of midland America with millions flocking to watch. Concurrently completely weird anomalies will happen as a result. Stars and planets will be viewable in the middle of the day; a 360 degree sunset will be visible around the moon; corona rainbows are likely to appear. With the change in light, the temperature will plummet. Birds will think it is dusk and begin their evening song. Roosters will start crowing when the sun reappears. With this confusion in time and space as day turns to night, how might you maximize your experience when the sun drops out of sight?

Many ancient cultures believed eclipses were a bad omen. In China, they thought a celestial dragon was eating the sun. The Greek word ekleipsis from which eclipse is derived, means abandonment. In India, food is considered tainted during an eclipse. Fasting is observed before and after. Maybe the ancients were on to an important concept, that it is a vulnerable time on this third rock from the sun and it is better to be mindful than frivolous.

Contrary to what scientist and astronomers purport, that eclipses do not have an effect on human behavior and health, a celestial event such as a solar or lunar eclipse can affect you physically, emotionally and intellectually. And yet it has the potential to amplify your emotional intelligence, mental expansion and spiritual cultivation. Yogis and spiritual masters use it as an opportunity to retreat indoors and perform pujas. It is an excellent time to cultivate a spiritual practice if you do not already have one. If you have decided to sit (literally) out the Great American Eclipse, here are action steps you can take to minimize the effects of the solar eclipse and maximize your experience.

The electromagnetic fields of animals and humans lowered during an eclipse, thus inhibiting concentration and focus.
Don’t look at the eclipse.
Don’t engage in day to day activities.
Don’t make important decisions.
Don’t initiate important projects.
Don’t eat food 12 hours before. Specifically do not eat or drink water during the eclipse.

An eclipse is a powerful time to accelerate your spiritual development. The pituitary and pineal glands become rewired. The cosmic channels are open and spiritual practice allows you to receive downloads that will increase your awareness.
Do set your intention of exploring your spiritual essence.
Do take an orange peel bath to cleanse your auric field prior to the start of the eclipse.
Do chant mantras (Om Mani Padme Hum, Gate, Gate…).
Do meditate.
Do perform yoga or qigong.
Do journal or creative writing.

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.

Polishing The Mirror

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“As you live deeper in the heart, the mirror gets clearer and cleaner.”
– Rumi

With tonight’s Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebration I am reminded of the tens of thousands who venture out of doors to dine on moon cakes, drink wine with loved ones and pay homage to their ancestors. I too have worshipped the moon as I held my sake cup up high to the sky at the Portland Japanese Garden. In ancient China women would bring out water-filled basins to absorb the perfectly round moon used to purify their homes when they cleaned. This gentle influence can pull an entire ocean from shore to shore. And because of its power, it has been collected for centuries to remove heat from an angry heart or clear a furrowed brow of confusion.

Like the water basin filled by the moon, mirrors can also be filled–sometimes it is the moon’s yin essence, sometimes the sun’s vitality, yet it is always filled with intention. A “programed” mirror can create soft words between partners, pull water across a bed to attract money or flip an oppressive building upside down. Understanding how this esoteric magic works has largely remained untapped. If you desire to understand the transcendental nature of your mirror cure or if you are a first time seeker of Feng Shui, the following wisdom may give you a greater appreciation for an ordinary mirror.

Mirrors Help Us Release Judgement “The Mirror is an ancient Buddhist symbol for clarity, completeness of perception and purity of consciousness. A mirror reflects a thing objectively but what we see in the mirror is not the thing itself. Because the object is not seen directly, it may be seen more accurately – more clearly, without judgement and with great perspective. This can lessen the tendency to see a thing as fixed or solid and encourage better understanding. The mirror or perception, more effectively propels the mind toward insight and compassion than mere argument or lecture.”
–Baronet 4 Tibet

Mirrors Fill With Whatever Is Before Them A mirror has no color, no image and can fill itself with whatever is before it. This “empty” nature is what makes it possible. Take an object like a vase of red flowers and it becomes the flowers and the vase. Take it away and place a bowl of oranges and it becomes the fruit. We, humans, are also capable of reflecting what is before us. However we may not be conscious of the effect of the content of what fills us. Often this leads to unhappiness and limitations.

Mirrors Give Us Insight Looking into the mirror’s reflective surface reminds us of the impermanence of nature and bends the limitations of our thinking. We may experience a sudden insight that the thing is not good nor bad, not beautiful nor ugly. And we begin to see ourselves in the same way and embrace our true nature.

Polish The Mirror In Your Heart Sprinkling your day with meditation, spiritual breathing, chanting a mantra, for example, Om Mani Padme Hum, and taking walks, help you shift from a busy mind into focused perception. These precious, out-of-time still moments create a direct path to living deeper in your heart. The stillness polishes your mind and with your intention refreshed, your wish projects into the mirror and beyond the wall on which it rests, expanding all possibilities and opportunities.

Mirrors

  • Bagua mirrors protect everything that are behind them. Most often they are hung outside to protect everything within. Their power rests in the power of the eight trigrams, the five elements and theory of yin and yang.
  • Convex Mirrors widen an area of view, they broaden the scope of an adjustment creating an array of possibilities.
  • Concave Mirrors widen an image and soften a potential threat such as a knife-edge or an oncoming road.
  • Sun Moon Mirrors create balance that is represented by yin and yang, night and day, the moon and the sun. This universal balance of light can create clarity, cultivate good judgement, keep you safe and strengthen your prosperity. When life gets a little frenetic, this mirror can be like the ocean–calm, steady, rhythmic and pure.

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.

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.

How To Manifest Peace

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“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster’, I hear my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing there are so many helpers–so many caring people in the world.”
– Mr. Rogers

The tragedies that have pierced the heart of the world were such a force that I had to step back these past several weeks to think deeply how Feng Shui may empower us to create a world that is safe. The story we tell this time of year is about peace, goodwill towards all. I asked myself, “How do we maintain a peaceful coexistence throughout the year?” “Build it into the world!” whispered in my ear.

It is through H. H. ‘Professor’ Lin Yun rich legacy of Feng Shui and dharma teachings that I am able to share this wisdom with you. I have selected six Feng Shui precepts that I believe will help us to help each other live under an umbrella of peace. At the least may they be a foundation to harmonize our hearts and mend strained relations and not just the United States, but around the world too. Because when we show we care, we feel safe.

Solidarity In a sense right now we are all vulnerable. Professor Lin said planting bamboo will help vulnerable areas. Bamboo is an uprising force. It provides support. It can drive away negative forces and has the power to suppress evil Ch’i over time. Bamboo is hollow and soft inside, these characteristics symbolizes humility. When you plant bamboo, you add that quality to your own nature. You create solidarity and help your neighbors, near and far, when you place bamboo or the imagery of bamboo in your home and/or plant bamboo on your property. It will wrap its long limbs of peace and safety around you.

Safety New homes that consume an entire lot are on the rise in major and mid-sized cities. They create pressure among neighbors. Everyone feels the narrow space and tight fit. Like a pressure cooker that has to release steam an adjustment to your home can deflect a crisis before it happens. Plant greenery, especially plants with colorful flowers in your lot, both front and back yard. The colors release the pressure of being crowded. It is also vital we maintain our city parks and not let them be sold to developers. Stay up to date on city policy and stay closely connected to your neighborhood associations.

Stillness Take time to be still and shake off negativity by meditating. Start with chanting. The Sanskrit chant, Om mani padme hum, has been practiced all around the world for thousands of years. As you chant and meditate you may realize you have all the power, clarity and the omniscience of the Buddha. If you do not ascribe to the Buddha, then place your focus on God or your higher power. As you practice meditating you unify your inner being, your heart comes into coherence. You let go of divisiveness and inner conflict which is the pathway to peace.

Softness His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama has often expressed that feeling warm-hearted allows him to smile and be happy even in the company of strangers. Being kind and nice towards others creates an atmosphere  for them to be kind in return. A smile works wonders in a potentially unfamiliar situation. When you can help another person feel at ease neither you or they feel alone. Your lives become much easier. Practice kindness, sympathy and generosity daily.

Simple beauty A son and father interviewed after the Bataclan attack. The son is fearful the gunmen may return and he wants to leave. His father speaks calmly to him and says, “They may have guns but we have flowers.” The son feels reassured comforted and a look of peace washes over his face. 

In 2007, Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D. of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital and her research team investigated the effects of flowers in the home. Flowers foster compassion. Participants noted that they felt influenced by flowers emotionally, causing them to feel kindness and more compassion for others. Looking at flowers first thing in the morning, particularly in the kitchen, dissipates anxiety and feelings of depression. Having flowers at home can have a positive carry-over impact on your mood at work too. They energize your time at work.

In the Chinese culture flowers served as a significant vehicle of communication. They convey epic messages that express powerful positive emotions. A peony, the national flower, stands tall and symbolizes prosperity, happiness and peace. Plum blossoms, the harbinger of spring, represent firmness and solidity. The lotus whispers, that which may not be sullied. Chrysanthemums brave the frost to bloom in a vast array of colors. The narcissus is known as ‘the fairy over ripples’. They speak of the correct way of living, indicating being clean and healthy. If you want a flower’s quality to support your endeavor, display a picture purchase flowers and usher in the force they represent. For those suffering from acid reflux Professor Lin shared The Flower Cure.

Self Care If you are suffering from stress or depression caused by the tragedies or you can’t quite put your finger on what the stress is but you feel pressure, make an adjustment in Helpful People. It could be the house, office, bedroom, or any Helpful People gua. If you need more strength, place three cures, one in each of three places. If you live in an apartment, one could be the home, bedroom, and desk. If you live in a home with property, you can adjust the bedroom, house and lot.

Have questions about your home? Minimize stress by designing it with vitality and beauty with Feng Shui A La Carte.

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.