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.

Color Your Life With Hope

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
– Albert Camus

Going for walks in the northern hemisphere, these late September days, I marvel at the trees shimmering with hues of vermillion, titian orange and marigold that light up the landscape. If you are like me you are enjoying the autumn rhythm of shorter days. And yet I have heard from some of you saying you feel isolated by COVID-19 sheltering in place and/or fearful about the unstable political climate.

Let me share a few things that could help. Worry and unease contract our Ch’i. “When our Ch’i is weak, we are more open to absorbing negative external factors–bad luck, bad Feng Shu, and bad Ch’i –that may come our way.”(H.H.“Professor” Lin Yun). So despite external conditions we can brighten our outlooks by creating our own invincible season. Color is one of many Feng Shui principles that strengthens our Ch’i. Making color adjustments in our homes, wardrobes and offices revitalize our mental, emotional and physical energies. I see this often after a client adds color to their home or wardrobe. They express confidence, they feel they are in a better place and hopeful about the future. 

Fall for the color that makes you happy.
For your office
Red color has a stabilizing effect on the eyes (which are connected to the heart). Place a red object in the area directly across from your entry. This focal point allows the mind to get clear before you move on to your office tasks. A side note: red, symbolic of happiness, is a colorful antidote to anxiety.

Purple color has a calming, peaceful influence. It enhances visualization. If you meditate it will enhance your meditation practice and that improves your decision-making at work. Make a red and purple pillow and sit on the purple side to minimize anxiety. Or if you need to change your luck to good, sit on the red side, it raises your Ch’i.

Green color is associated with vitality. If your desk is too close to the entrance to your office or cubicle or your desk is in line of the home office door this diminishes your energy. Place a lush, leafy green plant on your desk. Its life force dispels negative Ch’i that may enter.

For your wardrobe
Red amplifies your reputation. Wearing red with the proper intention will increase your visibility both in a mundane sense and the transcendental scope. It will build your career and increase your options for success.

Green is associated with springtime, a fresh start and hope. You can look at green for a long time and not experience eye strain. Wearing apple green or blue can help minimize anxiety. Excellent for children in the first year of school or a child who daydreams.

Black, Green, Red, Yellow and White, the Five Element colors, help you interact with a person who isn’t listening, who thinks only of themselves, who argues with you and has “Yes, but Ch’i”. These colors do not change their behavior but help you respond to them with equanimity because they strengthen your Ch’i.

White color if you stress eat. Professor Lin said that when we wear white we are afraid we will spill food on our clothes so we slow down, are more careful and our stomachs will fill up faster.

For your home
Red paint for the front door for in Feng Shui symbolism, red means happiness, etiquette, power and strength. Though it protects against negative energy the main reason to paint your door red is it will continue to gather auspicious energy over time.

Green (any shade) in the kitchen can turn your finances to flowing again. Keep in mind the stove is symbolic of your finances. A vent or microwave over your stove oppresses it. Applying green above your stove will lift the energy, creating more opportunities for money to come to you: 1) easily 2) without pressure 3) and relieves worry.

Apple Green helps to deal with depression. If a friend or family member is feeling despair paint their bedroom an apple green to give them hope that a new beginning is around the corner.

Yellow, orange or brown in the center of your home helps you collect your Ch’i.  Often your Ch’i is depleted from work, raising children and overextending yourself. The center represents Health. Placing an adjustment here will help you respond to emergencies with surety and know that you can trust your decisions.

Rainbow colors in the bedroom (from my chapter in Recipes For Living Coloring Journal), “Stress creates a host of emotional burdens on your heart. If you add a complete color system to your room, for example, the rainbow colors, (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) you carry the frequencies of these seven colors. This spectrum creates homeostasis in your body. It mirrors the chakra system, the life force centers, that are the gateway between your endocrine system and cosmic forces. I love this strategy for peace. I find that displaying a scarf or a quilt invites a sense of serenity and a feeling of calm washes over me when I enter my bedroom…” Good choice for  a man searching for a partner,couples who are having disagreements or a child who may need help with their studies.

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.

Super Moon Lunar Eclipse. Live Fearlessly In The Face Of Change.

“A lunar eclipse is emotional and pulls you apart to put you back together again, hopefully in a better way.”
– Mark Dodich, Astromark

Heaven is supercharged this week for change and it’s all meant for your own good. The Autumnal Equinox is a book end to a Super Moon Lunar Eclipse, Sunday, September 27. The Chinese will celebrate this as the Happy Moon Festival*. Gifts are coming but in the meantime you may experience sleepless nights and if so, lack of adequate rest affects your stress levels. Emotional–teary-eyed, angry and worn out–you may be overwhelmed by the momentum and this will affect your luck too. The Ch’i during the week is not smooth and you may even find it surprising. You could be promised a promotion and then get overlooked. Out of the blue someone may rear end you in traffic. Life could suddenly shift into haywire. It’s the perfect time to do something out of the ordinary. You can stop the cascade effect with color, conscious breathing and qigong methods. Here are five, easy Feng Shui methods to help you connect to the epiphanies of this transformational time and live fearlessly in the face of change.

Restless Nights
The time leading up to a full moon illuminates everything in your life. If you cannot sleep perform “Tapping the Head”. The procedure is this: tap the entire skull with your fingertips 108 times. Feel your thoughts being pulled from the interior of your brain to the surface of your skull and exit. If you need to, perform it 324 times.

Tipping Point
We all get caught off guard. You can bring yourself back before you get angry. Play the piano or write your anger down in your journal. You vent the steam as the Ch’i hits the paper. Sing if you are about to scold a friend or child or swallow your saliva nine times if you feel you are going to curse at someone.

Zest Boost
Wear green or light blue to lift your energy and help you gain clarity. These colors are related to the Wood element. They enliven your Ch’i, smooth out your nervous system and ground you in reality. You can add the visualization of deep roots of a tree.

Double Jeopardy
During these intense seasonal changes we may feel unstable. Place bamboo (I’ve discovered cut bamboo works better than live unless you have two green thumbs) anywhere in the house. Make sure the root end is at the bottom. The intention in this cure is to create stability. Bamboo’s meaning is peace and safety. It provides support and drives away negative forces.

Less Distress
If you would like to create peace in your household, amongst employees or peace on the streets in a place where there is little peace, use the rainbow color system (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) in any one of the rooms in your home or office. There are many creative ways to accomplish this. One client hung a rainbow kite on the ceiling of the hallway in their office. It made quick smiles. 

*Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Some say it’s the most magical moon of the year. “The Chinese people believe the full moon is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family reunion. On Mid-Autumn night the harvest moon is supposed to be the brightest and fullest of the year, so the festival is also known as the “Day of Reunion” and the Moon Festival” (China Highlights). While enjoying the festival hang lanterns, eat some cake with your significant other and make a wish! Moon cakes if you can get them – round cookies or pastries with filling will do. Place mirrors out in the moonlight to empower your divine feminine energy. 

Times like these prompt the desire for a life style change. 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.

Feng Shui Color Tips: Choosing The Right Hue For You!

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way…”
–Georgia O’Keefe

Color touches upon every aspect of life and creates a meaningful impact on your surroundings. It nurtures your health, replenishes money, captures opportunities for your livelihood and strengthens your communication skills. You can broadcast your intention with color. Refresh your body, brighten your mood, remove clutter in your thoughts or find creative solutions for your questions. Harmonizing your surroundings with color aligns you with your purpose and allows you to be free to tap into your highest potential.

Feng shui color tips and the science of color help facilitate telling a coworker how you feel; asking your boss for a raise; planning a passionate night with your partner; mending a relationship; writing your memoir and sleeping peacefully. 

Basic Rainbow colors +

Red is associated with happiness, passion and prosperity. Use red to feel enthusiasm. A sensational color for your power outfit that will pull your resume and prodigious work history together is red–fire engine red, Chinese red, chili pepper red. Red in Feng shui adds courtesy, etiquette, power and strength.

Orange restores, it warms and stimulates. It is a color to help you process your ideas. If you are a writer or want to try your hand at a creative project bring some orange, tangerine or mango to the craft table or tie a scarf around your neck to stimulate your throat chakra–you will speak your truth and play more successfully with the ideas that bubble up.

Yellow boosts your self-confidence. It brightens and promotes healing. If you have had a falling out with a family member and you want to mend your relationship, wear lemon or marigold yellow. It will raise both of your spirits. It will smooth out rigidity and inflexible opinions.

Green refreshes your body and spirit. It is a common color in nature – grass, trees and vegetation – it can help you to feel grounded, creative and calm. It is easy on the eyes and you can look at green for a long time and not experience eye strain. It equalizes, relaxes and balances painful processes. Wrap yourself in a deep sage or emerald green chenille blanket. Sit quietly by candlelight in your meditation room, touch your heart with your hands, feel its pulse, and quietly focus on feeling serene.

Blue clarifies. It emits a sense of well-being. It also soothes, focuses, and cools down energy. Gums sore? That inflammation could be unexpressed anger at work. Wear a sky blue dress or blouse to get mental clarity on the underlying issue. Still need to cool down? Go to bed in a cloud of blue flannel sheets or periwinkle blue cotton pajamas.

Indigo cultivates your intuition and builds self trust. Find a world market or antique mall that carries exotic scarves from Turkey or pashminas from India. Cloak your body and enjoy the mystery of the deep inky blue. Develop your insights from the messages you receive both visible and invisible.

Purple transforms energy on a higher level. It relaxes the nervous system and has a calming mental effect (not to mention boosts sex drive). It is wonderful to adorn a space where you meditate. After a long work day, gently refocus your attention and nourish your mind, when you slip into a flowing, satin robe of deep purple hue. Feel the luxury of its abundant warmth and sensuality. And while you are contemplating your bed and bedroom, check out Under The Covers With Five Element Color to see what colors work best for your bed.

Pink inspires love and romance. Hot pink and fuchsia stimulate passion. Be playful and use your imagination. Your brain is the biggest sex organ. You can do wonders with sheer magenta fabric to lead your partner to the boudoir.

Black connects you to your wisdom. Helps access deeper thoughts. If you need to take command of a situation wear black to express your authority.

White purifies. It is recognized as innocence and cleanliness in the west.  In the east, it is the symbol of death. If you have tried everything and still cannot shed those extra pounds wear all white. You will be so concerned with keeping your clothes spotless that you will be very careful about what goes into your mouth. No spaghetti sauce or chocolate fudge sundae for dinner.

Please share Feng Shui color tips of your own. 

Feng Shui touches on every aspect of life. If you want a small taste, I invite you to try 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.

When Home Improvement Becomes Soul Improvement.

“We hammer wood for a house but it is the inner space that makes it livable.” –Tao Te Ching

Can you fix the unfixable? Beyond the 9 to 5, beyond the soaring career climb, beyond the A lists and A’s on English tests, beyond the cancer scare, beyond is where your heart dares to find happiness. Has it become increasingly difficult to feel your feet upon the ground? What influences you in your surround? Are the things that vie for your attention–forgotten birthday wishes, a sink full of dirty dishes, rushing after work to your child’s soccer game, text messages left unanswered–keep you tethered to a frenzy when really you would rather follow your whimsy? Time to seek another way; it only gets better with Feng Shui.

Your story is in the details.
“My partner and I feel more in sync; we work better together.” “(I) rediscovered stability, confidence and joy in my environment and in my life.” “I’m finally feeling like everything is on track with us! I am a true believer in Feng Shui from all the good things that have happened in my life.” Each one of these individuals came to me in despair. They could not fathom how to fix what they thought was unfixable. Little did they know it was right in the (design) details of their home. It was beyond their comprehension that by changing a design feature they would experience a miraculous change too. Hearing about the “unseen”, learning how architectural features affected their thought processes, influenced their emotions, impacted their physical health, helped them connect to the truth and influence of Ch’i and feel their own life force mirror it inside. Even if they didn’t comprehend how a cure could possibly work, they embraced why to implement the home improvement cures, why to perform the ceremonies, why to say the intentions, why to imagine the visualizations. What they understood was these were lifelines to their well being, these ritual processes were a celebration for their soul.

What my clients learned. Implementing the transcendental concept of the Yin and Yang is the only way real change takes root in our lives. If you are missing your soul connection, start with the Yin, known as the “unseen”. It exists in every situation and its influence is powerful. H.H.“Professor” Lin Yun in his ever present wisdom would share: “we may not see a tornado developing (yin), but we do see the destruction (yang). We may see political demonstrations, murder or hijackings (yang), but we don’t see the underlying intrigue of a political coup (yin). We can see a wind chime or crystal (yang), but we cannot see the Three Secrets (yin). We may see someone fired (yang), but we must also see that his or her firing can affect the next “owner” of the job (yin).” (courtesy Katherine Metz). Now that you know its effect, isn’t time to tune in and turn things right side up?

Your house is talking. Are you pulling your hair out with home improvement projects (a split stairway at the entrance will cause all life situations to spin out of control)? Have you scheduled an unexpected surgery (seeing the stove from a door that leads to the outside)? Are you arguing with your partner (many doors opening into a small space?). Do you wake up tired (contrary door)? Or angry (biting doors)? Your house is talking. Start with your bed, desk and stove, place them in command position. Read my March Blog, “Do You Feel Secure In Your Home?” then tour your home for the remaining details and make corrections. Remember this life is all you have.

Keep calm and carry on. You can do one thing that will make a difference. If you want more vitality, more love, more abundance, create peace in your household, even peace on the streets, implement one of the three color systems: the Five Element System, the six true words color system or the rainbow color system. Or use the color, green, because it is a peaceful color.

Here is a link to Floor Plans Matter, examples of common design details and how they affect occupants’ Ch’i. Perhaps you will recognize your home in one of this.  

Have a brilliant and beautiful October!

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.