Author Archives: bette

The Goodness of Green

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“Green is the prime color of the world and that from which its loveliness arises.”
– Pedro Calderón de la Barca
When someone inspires me, it’s a call to action. When a color inspires me it changes my life. I recall a sweet conversation with a darling stranger who shared, “Color is my medicine.” Selecting her attire was a conscious ritual that expressed her quirky personality yet protected her from a world that could often be unkind. Her words struck a chord with me: the colors we adorn our bodies and homes with are profound and meaningful. They affirm our sense of beauty and peace of mind, more so than choosing current color trends.

This brief conversation was especially timely and I could see it mirrored in my March walks along the Ridge. The landscape has been filled with an explosion of luscious greens – emerald, olive, pea, lime, pine and verdigris. Grasses, plants and trees are happily rioting in the warm, spring sun. Nature has indeed replenished the earth. This joy led me to ask, “what is the goodness of green” and “how do we use its goodness in Feng Shui?”

The goodness of green is that it refreshes the body and spirit. It is associated with springtime, a fresh start, vitality and hope. It is a common color in nature – grass, trees and vegetation reflect this color and can help you to feel grounded, creative and calm. Green is easy on the eyes and you can look at it for a long time and not experience eye strain. It lays its verdant, healing vibration upon our spirits in a manner that equalizes, relaxes and balances painful processes.

Will you be turning your attention to a remodel or refresh your house in the coming months? What about painting your bedroom? If you are dealing with depression, the goodness of apple green is that it supports new beginnings. It’s an invitation to take a different path; it inspires hope and encourages possibilities for a better future. Add this secret for the best results: visualize in detail your venture into the unknown while the vitality of green strengthens your resolve to follow through.

Does this economy have you worrying a lot and you can’t seem to shake the feeling? Cheek your front door. Open it, what do you see? Are there dead or unhealthy plants within view? Remove them and your worries may dissolve. Replace the old with new greenery (both inside and outside the door). The goodness of green is your decision making will improve, your next step will be clear and you will feel confident in moving forward.

Did you daydream when you were a child? Do you still want to step out of your body so you don’t have to dealt with adult matters? The goodness of green is that it can influence your inner state and give you hope that a fresh start is around the corner. Wearing the color green is grounding like a tall tree that draws the vital essence of the earth up through its roots into its branches and leaves. Its essence infuses your spirit with a sense of aliveness, abundance and focused energy.

Plants are all too happy to share their abundant life force. They thrive in groups. The goodness of green in the bedroom is they revitalize your Ch’i. If you place nine (representing longevity, completion and peak accomplishment) green plants in the master bedroom, this BTSB Feng Shui adjustment will lend ardor in your intimate moments with your beloved.

Green orchids bring extra blessings and luck to friends and family. Sending them is a powerful good deed as they are a symbol of good fortune, good health and longevity. The Japanese culture employs the goodness of green by displaying a green orchid in the home or office. It is believed to bring good fortune into one’s life and career.

Bamboo has a long and humble connection to the Chinese culture. The drooping bamboo leaves cross one another, as if they are composing the Chinese character “An” (tranquility). Being both hollow and soft inside, it symbolizes humility (the Chinese word for hollow means to be humble) which allows it to bow in the wind. The goodness of this green tree is that it provides peace and can drive away negative influences so it will protect you. If you wish to have money and work peacefully for it, hang a bamboo drape in the Wealth/Hsun gua (far left back corner) of your home.

Do you want to enhance what is already a good relationship with your home, family, your job or partner? I would be happy to help you with your place. I am available my signature offering, Your House Is Talking, full consultation service as well as the Feng Shui A La Carte. I look forward to talking to you soon! 503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

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.

A New Hairstyle: The Best Magnet For Love

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“A new hairstyle is like a new relationship: it makes you giddy, confident and excited.”
– TheSalonBusiness.com

Friends, your Feng Shui bestie here with an enchanting tip this month on how to attract your true love. With February the month of LOVE and Feng Shui holding the vibration of LOVE* what better way to add spice when looking for that special Valentine who knocks your socks off. This secret is also a real gem for those passionate matchmakers who love to have new tricks up their sleeves. This Feng Shui mojo will have prospects showing up in the least expected places.

This is a secret cure from Professor Lin that I hold dear but it’s just too yummy to keep it a secret any longer. Here’s a clue: the sky is the limit. Get giddy and let your imagination run wild.

“Attract A Romantic Partner With A New Hairstyle”

Every three days change your hairstyle for a total of fifteen days. Make each style slightly different from the preceding one. You are eliminating obstacles that stand between you and the partner of your dreams. As you change your hairstyle you are: 
1) Letting go of your fixed ideas.
2) Changing your habits.
3) Removing stumbling blocks to attracting the right partner. 
Each time you create a new hairstyle visualize your intention and feel inspired by the new coif adorning your head. Hold your hands in the Heart Calming Mudra or the Anjali Mudra (praying hands). Close your eyes, say a prayer and see your partner by your side. 

If you share this information please give attribution to: Bette Steflik, Shen Men Feng Shui and Professor Thomas Lin Yun, Black Sect Feng Shui GrandMaster. 

If you. have a partner, follow this link to keeping the love you have found, Double Your Happiness.
*Human love is associated with the Solfeggio frequency of 528 Hz which releases love hormones that promote healing, harmony and positive emotions. This frequency encourages us to restore human consciousness to its full power and potential. 528 Hz resonates at the heart of the Sun (recorded by NASA scientists). Sunbeams, the rainbow, flowers, grass and the buzz of bees vibrate at 528 Hz. It is the frequency of life itself.

The Super Powers of the Yin Wood Snake

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“Just as the flowers start blooming, you too can have a personal renewal, a rebirth of everything that makes you unique.”
–My Bright Future

Chinese Lunar New Year  begins at midnight January 28, 2025 when the robust Dragon reign ends. This year find your balance with the super powers of the Yin Wood Snake when Xiaoling (the Little Dragon) takes the stage. What does this mean for you? The year offers introspection to recharge, find balance in a fast pace world and time for contemplating the spiritual realms. The Yin Wood Snake will influence how you decide to refresh your inner life and expand your knowledge. You might be drawn to pick up yoga or qigong to tap into calm because the Snake’s introspective nature is that strong and healing. Revered for its wisdom, intelligence, intuition and creativity, the Snake symbolizes agility, adaptability, cleverness and strategic thinking. One way to acquire Snake skills is to meditate over brainstorming to channel inspired ideas that will help you manifest your goals and with a lot less stress. Like the Dragon, the wise, enigmatic Snake is a bringer of life. In Chinese culture it controlled the rains and the rivers, symbols of fertility and change. Become friends with renewal in a Snake year. Shedding your skin serves as a powerful metaphor for transformation and letting go of the past.

In fact, losing what does not serve you becomes much easier to discard when you add a bit of alchemy. The hour is NOW to be the change you wish to see in the world. Pull out your “shape shifter” super power, it invites simple truths to unfold in perfect timing. So know your garden. Create your community. Let your attitude shape shift each moment into an awareness of possibilities.

You can alchemize the Yin Wood Snake year when you enhance it with Feng Shui adjustments (always here to help), Chinese New Year ceremonies and carry a talisman for the duration of the year. The curious, innovative Monkey is the Snake’s secret best friend. In the Year of the Yin Wood Snake it is auspicious to carry a three dimensional Monkey with you. “Monkey joins Snake to win success through their brilliance.” Enjoy the inspiration this match brings! (Khadro Crystal Chu). The clever, witty, Monkey favors jade, boxwood or bone. The Secret Friend helps you make the most of the year to achieve maximum results. If you are born in the Year of the Tiger, this Chinese Zodiac animal is at odds with the Monkey so carry the power combo charm of  the Ox and Rooster together in place of the Monkey (which you can find at Feng Shui Shopper on Etsy while talismans last. This shop closes at Chinese New Year, it’s advisable not to delay).

As the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake is connected to the Fire of the Sun in the summer. Fire is connected to civilization, intelligence, fashion, what is modern and eye-catching Monkey is a curious animal. Monkey is connected to the wind. It learns new leading-edge knowledge and popular fashion very fast. It likes to try new conspicuous stuff. Snake and Monkey can be attracted to each other by the common tastes. According to Chinese horoscopes, Snake is in the Fire group and Monkey is in the Metal group. Metal is afraid of Fire. Therefore, Monkey will respect Snake, listen and follow to Snake’s requests. The metal of Monkey is money to Snake. When Monkey works for Snake, Monkey can make money for Snake. Fire can help Metal to transform a useful tool. That means Snake provides the opportunity for Monkey to become a popular figure.

Do you want to enhance what is already a good relationship with your home, family, your job or partner? I would be happy to help you with your place. “Your House Is Talking” is a full consultation service and Feng Shui A La Carte offers a taste of how Feng Shui can work for you, Let’s chat.  503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

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.

Write Your Most Beautiful Story Possible

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Create your new chapter as bright as your smile!
Dear Friend, are you as excited as I am about 2025? Let’s create a  successful beginning by closing 2024 intentionally. The process is simple. Wrap up all your affairs, mend relationships, express forgiveness and your heart will be ready to write the most beautiful story possible for yourself. You will create a new chapter that is as bright as your smile.

Begin by keeping your eyes wide open as December 30 new moon ushers in the Ox to the zodiac stage. This is the final month of the Year God (Yang Wood Dragon). Complementary in strengths, the truthful, confident Ox and the proud, lively Dragon may shake things up as they tango across the sky in January. Be aware of things that are hidden these next 28 days, the Year God, the Dragon might “swoosh its mighty tail” one last time and send you flying. The Dragon’s influence is waning but it doesn’t mean it’s gone.

Second, take measures that help you stay in balance during the shift in influence before the Chinese Lunar New Year, January 29, 2025.
• Put your thoughts on paper to manifest your wishes quickly.
• Add insurance (accidents).
• Draw upon the super powers of focus, patience, stability and practicality to meet challenges.
• Exercise like yoga, tai chi or walking release excess tension.
• Recite a mantra such as “I am committed to my well being.”
• Look about before you walk or talk.
• Keep those protective talismans on (Snake’s BFF is coming).
• Do a good deed every day to ensure the best possible luck.

Communication is key. When explaining your point of view to others whether a co-worker, partner or child be sure to take the extra step, in fact it might be a good maneuver to ask them repeat it back to you before you depart. Also be sure to communicate what is expected from one another and that you are on the same page.

In January the home begins to hum with sweeping, shopping, putting up decorations and planning the Reunion dinner  for the Yin Wood Snake Year starting January 28, 2025 at Chinese New Year’s eve.
January 7, 2025, Laba Festival: Eight Treasures Porridge is the essence of good fortune.
January 19, 2025, Sweep Away the Old: Clean misfortune from every corner.
Enjoy the festivities with Chinese New Year’s Eve Rituals/

Join me on Facebook and Instagram to discover more new year activities.

Wan Shi Ru Yi! May everything go as you wish.

Do you have a great relationship with your home, family, your job or partner but looking for something more to enhance your life? I would love to help see your house with new eyes.  “Your House Is Talking” is a full consultation service and Feng Shui A La Carte offers a taste of how Feng Shui can work for you, Let’s chat.  503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

A Winter Wreath To Bless Your Home

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“When something nourishes you and brings you joy, make room for it in your life.”

A tiny bell on the front door welcoming the owner into her home; a bird bath inviting wildlife to refresh their thirst while invoking Heaven’s help.
A mirror that moves worry from a couple’s mind who are trying to conceive a child. These are not only decorative objects that
bring beauty but enchantments that light the way for the Ch’i to enter and expand the home into wholeness. They transform the everyday into
the extraordinary and bring the bigger gifts of peace, success and happiness. And so it is with the holiday wreath.

In nearly every culture the front entry protects us from the outside. It is the entry to our sacred space.  It invites what we want into our homes.
What we place on our front door influences what enters our homes. In Celtic traditions fresh garlands are hung around or just instead the
threshold. A winter wreath is one type of garland and the circle is the key feature of a wreath. A winter wreath blesses, unites and insures harmony.
A winter wreath is a circle and the circle suggests inclusion, enclosing our home with the sacred.

Natural wreaths have the most anima of the season. Autumn leaves with hops, nuts and gourds; bittersweet or dried rose hips make beautiful fall
wreaths. Winter Solstice and Christmas wreaths are generally made with evergreens. Conifers and evergreens lend their ongoing vitality and so
we are casting a field of protection during the cold winter months. Evergreens like pine, spruce and firs represent eternal life and thought to
restore the sun made sick by the winter.

May the season of light lay a might blessing upon you.

A by-note: 25 -30 million real Christmas trees are sold and discarded in the United States every year. When an acre of trees are cut down, the daily
oxygenneeded for 18 people is destroyed. If you put up a live tree consider one of the following: rent a living tree that is delivered to your doorstep
in a pot. Or plant a tree in your yard and on Christmas you can gather around the tree and celebrate with hot cider and songs.
(resource from Raeanne Rubenstein)

Do you have  a great relationship with your home, family, your job or partner but looking for something more to enhance your life? I would love
to help see your house with new eyes.  “Your House Is Talking” is a full consultation service and Feng Shui A La Carte offers a taste of
how Feng Shui can work for you, Let’s chat.  503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

How Feng Shui Cures Put Your Worry To Bed!

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“Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot and you’ll survive whatever is coming.”
– Robert Tew

Worry is like a thief, it steals the goodness you deserve.

If you’ve repeatedly missed out on opportunities, wake up with headaches; regularly overlooked for a promotion at work; or daily argue with your partner over money in the same location in your home, Feng Shui would say you have a worry problem initiated by your home’s design. In this blog I share five “uncommon” design features that trigger worry and catch you off guard which can lead to missing lucky breaks and failing to see favorable openings. The following scenarios reveal that what isn’t readily apparent has an influence over behavior and interactions. The power in Feng Shui design is that by changing your environment, you alter your circumstances which allows you to bank on the good fortune that will flow into your life.

A knife edge at the front door.
A design feature I see frequently at the front entry is a corner that faces you as you enter into your home. In the Chinese language it is known as “sha ch’i”. This corner creates a knife edge and it can metaphorically cut you with headaches, distress, feeling at loss and low self esteem. If you are being criticized or learn that someone is backstabbing you, look for “sha ch’i” behind you or to your side while you work at your desk. In both of these circumstances your brain only knows there is danger directed at it. The amygdala’s job is to keep you safe, it sets up signals to get your attention in the form of anxiety. Not attending to the perceived danger creates prolonged stress in your body and an auto immune illness may likely ensue. Soften the knife edge with a string of faux pearls hung from the ceiling in increments of nine (depending on the height of your walls) or hang a 50 mm faceted crystal on a red cord in increments of nine. See the edge blunted by the light of the crystal or softened by the flow of the pearls.

Seeing a kitchen from the front door.
Whatever room you see when you enter the house influences your Ch’i and behavior. One client saw her bedroom and would take afternoon naps instead of walking to manage her weight. A game room would entice you to play video games or over indulge in media, maybe for hours neglecting important responsibilities like preparing dinner or late to pick up your children. Seeing the kitchen would be especially difficult for a person who struggles with an eating disorder or has issues with irritable bowel syndrome or any number of digestive issues. Worry that neighbors and friends might find out, they may obsess, feeling they would be judged which can lead to self deprecating thoughts and behavior.

Wealth gua missing with a “run through kitchen”.
This combo pertains to partners who worry and argue over finances. If the good Wealth gua is missing the couple may feel blocked, unsupported and carry on nightly heated discussions over finances. A “run through kitchen” is a design feature where the stove is situated between two doors that are directly aligned (in the kitchen). In this situation worry undermines trust and stability erodes between partners. Hang from the ceiling a 50 mm faceted crystals or a wind chime strung with a red cord anywhere between the two doors. Visualize the sharp Ch’i running between the two doors softens and dissipates. Compatibility and trust reawaken between the partners.

Sleeping with the bed on the door wall.
When the bed is on the same wall as the bedroom door, the brain cannot see who is coming through the door, it cannot protect you from threats of any kind. Your mind will spiral and it is a dark dance during the night of worry and angst. Over a prolonged period health issues such as insomnia, mood swings, headaches including migraines and heart trouble, e.g. arrhythmia, develop. Mental and emotional stress may accompany these and develop into more acute health issues. The adjustment is to place a mirror that reflects both the bed and the door. A beautiful fashion mirror will serve this purpose well. Off set it from the bed so it faces the door and when you awaken you can see who or what (your precious pets) is walking through the door.

Desk is out of command position.
Most desks are placed up against a wall to save space. If you work off site, your home office is generally designated as a multi-purpose room. This position of the desk is referred to as “out of command”. If a person walks through the door their unannounced appearance will startle you and the distraction initiates an imbalance within the brain. It may take up to an hour to calm your mind and return your focus and concentration to your task. During that recovery period precious time is lost that could have been used to develop a new idea or organize your work space. If it happened once it could happen again. Worry becomes a flurry of disorganized thoughts based on fear and anxiety. According to Professor Lin lack of command at the desk creates:
A sense of danger
An inability to see both opportunity and trouble coming
A narrow point of view
An outdated perspective
An old self-image
A lack of control in the world
A lack of support and good advice
Heart trouble
Being accident prone
If the desk must remain in the current position place a mirror (the size should be the length of the desk and as tall as the tallest person who sits in the desk chair). Seeing your image relaxes the brain, worry takes a holiday and you immerse yourself into finishing your projects.

There are more design details on this list. If you didn’t see one here that is relevant to your space, I am available to look over your floor plan with my Feng Shui A La Carte offering. We could get down and pinpoint what isn’t working then design Feng Shui solutions that will line your drawers with prosperity, catalyze your goals, sprinkle your life with joy and help you attain your vision of success. It would be my pleasure.

Do you want to grow your business or improve what is already a good relationship with home, family, your job or partner, I would be happy to help you with your place. I am also available for a “Your House Is Talking”  consultation service  as well as the Feng Shui A La Carte. I look forward to talking to you soon! 503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

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: Freepik

How To Unearth The Gift Of Autumn

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“I noticed that Autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche

In May I shared with you the power of fortuitous beginnings. In the Chinese calendar Autumn launched August 7. Hot will turn to cool. Fertility transforms into ripeness. Radiant greens fall asunder to sunflower yellow, crimson red, and radiant russets. Dew moistens the parched earth. By human standards everything remains the same from work schedule, vacations, promotions, school activities–but behind the scenes, Nature is changing as the wheel of time notches to the next season.

If you are a highly sensitive person, a lover of Feng Shui or someone who has an insatiable curiosity, these ideas offer uncommon opportunities to embolden your Chi and give you strength to embrace the shift into the cooler days.

Deepen the connection between you and your home  This mystical BSTB Frng Shui secret will smooth what may be out of sorts. It adds robustness. It draws success and resources to you. Professor Lin Yun would say everything in the house and every part of the house has its own spirituality. It’s true of every piece of furniture, of every system in the house and so he shared:

• When you touch the stove you can visualize the god of the stove is suddenly aware of you and that the god of the stove raises his head to look at you. And suddenly you’ve energized the god. And then you can ask the god of the stove to bestow blessings upon you and the family; that the family will have everything they need, that their resources will be bountiful.
• When you touch the desk you can visualize the god of the desk suddenly looks up at you. And you can ask the god of the desk to bestow blessings upon your career and your labor will produce really good results.
• When you touch the god of the bed visualize the god looks up at you and listens to your requests for blessings. You may choose to have better sleep or you may need healing as you rest in bed.
• When you hold a piece of “clutter” (Autumn is a propitious time to let go), you can tell that object you are retiring it and you are sending it away cause you are running out of room. Thank it for serving you well. Place it in the proper container which will go to its future destination.

Colors of Upliftment Fall is the perfect time to add touches to your decor especially if you live in a climate with more gray days than blue skies. This adjustment also helps with overwhelm and feeling afflicted. Design or accessorize with one of the three color systems. You could use the Five Element System (black, green, red, yellow and white), the six true words color system (white, red, yellow, green, blue, black  or the rainbow color system. Use the color, green, because it is a peaceful color.

Container of Abundance Baskets in your dining room or kitchen symbolize the gathering of crops (or in urban areas the gathering of ideas).

Circle of Happiness A wreath blesses, unites, insures harmony and offers protection. A circle suggests inclusion, enclosing that which is sacred and our homes are our sacred space. An autumn wreath may contain wheat, corn, gourds, sunflowers or fall flowers that grow in your region to celebrate the season. The Native Americans saw the sunflower as a symbol of holiness and fertility. Its color symbolized vitality and energy. In the Chinese culture it represents immortality and symbolizes long life and happiness. Its yellow color signifies vitality and intelligence. They are given on occasions to bring good luck to a student upon graduation or starting a new business.

Altar of Celebration A living altar adds vibrancy to your home. Add plants and flowers of the season. Whatever reminds you of the transition between summer and autumn. According to Ayurvedic tradition, holy basil/tulsi is high in sattva. It infuses the recipient with divine energy – body, mind and soul, it anoints one with lightness, clarity and warmth. A living plant in your home will bring good luck. The berries and flowers of elderberry boost your immunity with antioxidants and vitamins. They tame inflammation, lessen stress, and protect your heart and they show you  how to care for yourself. Goldenrod encourages to bring forth your unique healing in the face of adversity. Carrying the flowers in your wallet during the day brings money.

Keys of Joy and Life with Ease Helpful People make life easier. When present good fortune, abundance, lucky breaks, compassion and kindness are bountiful. Mentors show up and bosses see the best in you. It is related to the Metal element which encompasses Autumn. The  Children Gua (of the Bagua) is related to the Metal element. To enhance this area to  harvest what you sowed in the Spring, add either a metal sculpture, or a painting your child made  or perhaps a white vase with white flowers to stimulate your creative life force. If this area is missing there is no place for joy to express itself or your children may require additional help with their studies or they may be experiencing some other difficulty. Fill this in with a convex mirror. The visualization is very specific so if you need help, please contact me. Red envelopes will be requested.

I started writing my blog in 2013. I have written about the effects of Feng Shui design and what specific design elements and details to look for in your home such as conditions that create stuck Ch’i,  obstacles or challenges. If you are experiencing setbacks or you want to grow your business or improve what is already a good relationship with your home, family, your job or partner, I would be happy to help you with your space. I am available for “Your House Is Talking”  consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. The description is 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: PNG Tree

Ten Feng Shui Wellness Tips For Burnout

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“Even though much of our doing (as women) is motivated by love, it does catch up with us when we don’t take time to care for ourselves.”
– Daisy Lee
Are these sun-kissed days enticing you to be on the go and from dawn to dusk you can’t say no? Are you at the point of exhaustion caring for loved ones? Overlooking your needs may have you tangled in commitments. What about a step back to refresh your energy before you burnout. July’s blog is filled with holistic tips that renew your spirit before summer fades and you haven’t had any fun. It’s time to fill your cup.

When I sought out Feng Shui I received answers from this metaphysical system that transformed my emotional and mental well being. As part of my journey I discovered the value of the Five Elements theory as a way to understand the subtleties and intricacies between seasonal change and human nature. Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal represent winter, spring, summer, late summer and fall respectively. Each has a function in the evolution of  a changing year. Each element has qualities and characteristics that support and assist the three elements while decreasing and checking the power of one specific element. To my amazement and delight the Five Ekements offer an insightful practice in self care.

Fire signifies Summer. Fire in balance is splendor, fulfillment and expansion. When Fire blazes too hot it looks like feeling overloaded, overexcited and overextended and it burns out its own source turning it into cold ash. We can gently control the amount of Fire we express by introducing into our homes co-elements that bring Fire into check reducing nervousness, anxiety and stress. These two elements are Water and Earth.

If you want to subdue too much Fire, seek out Water, it controls Fire. Like a lullaby for your nervous system the sound of a bubbling water fountain near the path to your front door or inside your front entry are an invitation to your brain to switch from beta (fight or flight waves) to alpha (creative waves). Smoothing the brain waves lowers stress and aligns the heart and brain. Wouldn’t you like to regain that feeling of ease y0u once had?

Steaming water: sip on a cup of chamomile tea lowers tension in the brain and body. The flowers of the Chamomile plant when made into a tea reduce your stress and acts as a gentle sleep aid.

Hydration: drinking 10 glasses of water can leave you feeling calm, satisfied and more positive. This practice improves focus, increases alertness and attention span. If  you are too tired to give  your significant other quality time, you could pour a glass of water and vow to support each other’s  water habits, toasting to more precious moments together. Drinking water not only helps your brain but strengthens your battery, your kidneys, your source, that keeps you going day after day.

Water distillation: diffusing clary sage, bergamot and lemon can be the ultimate stress buster. Clary sage reduces cortisol and regulates dopamine bringing on a feeling of contentment. Bergamot is a refreshing pick-me-up while reducing blood pressure and heart rate. It promotes a more balanced mental state. Lemon helps modify sadness, depression and lethargy with its bright, invigorating fragrance. It too is a mood lifter and compliments the other two when all are diffused together.

Water bath: add orange peels to a warm bath for oranges are an adaptogenic. Oranges offer what you need most. If’ it’s relaxation, they’ve got you covered. If it’s releasing stress, they’ve got your back. Relax into a dreamy bliss.
Water time: the subconscious is most active as you awaken in the morning. It’s easily programmable. Feeding it positive messages, visualizing what you wish to achieve and saying affirmations will elevate your emotional state. Begin with a mediation or write in a journal to collect your mind and energy before you begin your day.

Earth has the ability to steady any situation with its calm, grounded presence. It tames overwhelm, feeling scattered and exposed by stabilizing excessive thoughts that may lead to  emotional outbursts. In the Five Element constructive cycle Earth follows Fire. In its relationship with Fire it is the child of Fire. If you want to tone down excessive thinking and distraction, wear the colors of Earth in your wardrobe. Those are yellow, orange and brown and any variation in between.

Earth colors evoke grounding, helpfulness and being pliant. Adding earth colors like yellow, orange or brown to the center of your home creates stability, focus and calm. These colors cultivate a sense of trust in yourself, your ideas and feeling supported by those you love. As the well of trust deepens you become trustworthy.

If redecorating your home doesn’t appeal to you but life is moving too fast, place a 50 mm crystal hung from a red cord either in the center of  your home or the center of your bedroom. The center represents the Earth element. This is the place of transition. Reflect upon the wows, the woes, the friends whom you love and the beliefs you had to let go. The ‘cure’ is your quiet connection with order, harmony and the abundance that has ripened your life. Come back to center, to your senses, allowing your soul to rest and release strife. And when you are fulfilled, gather up the muse from this nurturing space, step into the world again and wildly share your grace.

Stepping onto the Earth. Remember what it felt like after a summer rain? Relive that feeling by walking barefoot on the ground. Remove your shoes and plant your feet on the earth. Within five minutes the atmospheric static electricity that has collected in your body discharges. This practice counteracts the positive charged electricity that breaks down your immune system. Touching the earth, the body absorbs its negative ions and they charge up your immune system. Studies report that there are measurable health benefits with grounding beginning with feeling calm.

May these wellness tips offer unification of your mind, body and spirit. May these adjustments help you create an oasis of calm to get you through. May you feel ease, may you feel at peace.

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.

The Bagua: Build The Life You Want.

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“I’d always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed.  I never suspected that I would have to learn how to live – that there were specific disciplines and ways of seeing the world I had to master before I could awaken to a simple, happy, uncomplicated life.”
-Dan Millman

You have an intimate relationship with your home. Every object within your space has been hand selected by you. What story are these objects telling about you? More importantly how are they talking to you? Are they reminding you there is something more waiting for you? Or knickknacks on the shelf?

Great filmmakers leave no room for chance when it comes to storytelling. With singular artistry, they shape their tale and bring their vision to life with lighting, sound, ambiance and placement. They create a super reality that transcends time and space. If your home isn’t reminding you that there is something more to your life, more wholeness, more joy, more creative expression, more adventure, you too can use your artistry with your home as your set to envision a new story; a story that transcends your current reality and builds the life you want to live.

The Cornerstones: Build The Life You Want.

Gratitude
Being grateful for the goodness that is already exists in your life fills you with wholeness, wellness, happiness and more of what you have. Develop a gratitude routine. Either write about or speak out loud five events in your day that you feel thankful for – especially if they set you on a trajectory to achieve a specific goal.

Intention
The universe is listening to every word you say and everything you think. Becoming still is a sacred space in your heart-mind where you create a place for your vision to unfurl because this allows your imagination to design a new reality in vivid detail without distraction. This intention stabilizes and transformation invokes the events and people who will help you manifest your intention.

Purpose
When you commit wholeheartedly to doing what your soul is here to create, “it comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force”. Your devotion and dedication create a momentum that cannot be denied. It is an immersion of joy and creativity. Let it take you places you could not have imagined if you chose a lesser inspired path. Take time to ask yourself questions and check your responses to each. You will know it is the right one as your heart will release a flood of endorphins and fill your body with love so build the life you want.

Elevated Emotions
Your heart holds the key. Expanding the energetic field around your heart through mindful meditation expands your capacity to attract magic – those synchronous events that cannot be predicted. The more you brand the emotion to the image of joy, abundance, and freedom, the more your brain pays attention to this elevated emotion and it begins to identify with the future. Build the life you want with a morning practice of breath work combined with meditation. These will release attachments, decrease distractions and enhance your awareness and receptivity of the positive experiences coming to you.

The Corners of Your Home: Build The Life You Want.

Knowledge
We know ourselves best when we find in our hearts home. The Mountain symbolizes taking the time to climb to the quiet heights within ourselves, to contemplate our experiences. There we find a lush verdant hill of knowledge that we can access any time we view the Knowledge adjustment. It could be a picture of a mountain that you once climbed or feel an affinity to. Or place a gong in this area to wake up your awareness. If you want to do well in the stock market, hang a wind chime from a red cord.

Wealth
Wealth is the Persistent Influence of Wind. When we take our time to shape our wealth through slow and steady persistence, adopting the yin qualities of patience, trust and self control we build a solid financial foundation. It is the quality of mind in this gua to be adaptive and bend with circumstances. A koi painting of eight red fish and one black bring Yin Yang balance to your dealings with others. The 12 Jade Zodiac animals strung with a red cord bring wealth because money comes from harmonious relationships. People you work with affect how you bring money into the household. Visualize that money comes from your relationship. The image of grasses blowing in the wind attract the qualities purity, subtlety, leverage and perseverance, investing you with the acumen to magnetize what is important to you.

Partnership
In the I-Ching this is Receptive Earth. It is associated with adaptability, devotion and unconditional support – qualities that we find in self love, true love and happy marriages. Cultivate the dance of responsiveness in this gua. Place a bowl, a cauldron or a ceramic container (in your garden) in this area. Visualize it holds all there is bringing an open heart, simplicity, nurturing (if you have a troubled mind) support and stability.

Helpful People
Benefactors and mentors are gathered by the energy of complete abandon with which you pursue your task because Heaven opens the skies for power, synchronicity, inspiration and confidence to flow into this area of your home. Cultivate grace and ease and accept all benevolent guidance that comes to you when you place an image of an animal associated with this gua. The Five-toed Imperial Gold Dragon will bring boons. Horses mean success. Lions bring courage and good heartedness. Heaven opens the door for opportunities to knock when you visualize your intention.

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.