Author Archives: bette

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.

Beltane Rituals. Soothe Yourself With Beauty.

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“Ritual is the act of sanctifying action – even ordinary action – so that it has meaning. I can light a candle because I need the light or because the candle represents the light I need.”
– Christina Baldwin
The Yin and Yang are always at work. April taught us lessons, some difficult, some compelling. May teaches us sweetness. It comes to our aid absorbing the pieces into its vast well of beauty that we can tap into all month long.

In diverse cultures around the world, Summer is the midpoint between the vernal equinox and summer solstice. May 1-2 is Beltane (Fire of Bel) or May Day. May 4 in the Chinese lunar calendar is Lixia, (The Inauguration of Summer).

The beginning of each season provides an opportunity to create a fortuitous beginning. In sanctifying the season, we invoke our own potential laying the path for abundance and success. In January I shared Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) rituals. Now, four months later, life begins anew with the imminence of Summer. Its energy potential fertilizes the seeds of intention we plant during this time. This blog will focus on Beltane. The Beltane rituals below are simple and easy to implement. Select what feels right for you.

May your day be blessed, your morning bright, your evenings filled with fae and sprite…. Beltane honors life and new growth. One of the eight solar sabbats celebrated by Wiccan cultures, humans offer their prayers and gratitude to the Earth and human fertility is celebrated with rituals. Traditionally groups come together but you can create a private Beltane ritual in your home or backyard. So ring a bell to scare away bad spirits (yes, we do that in Feng Shui too!) and add candles to your spring altar to welcome the Fire of the Sun. Here are eleven easy  Beltane rituals to celebrate abundance and the promise of prosperity.

• Create a bonfire. Bel is a Celtic Sun God. He is the father/protector/husband of the Mother Goddess, often known as nature/earth. Bonfires are a way to symbolize Bel and his fire, and encourage him to bring life to the earth.

• Leave an offering for the Fae. The veils are thin between the worlds. Fairies are mischievous beings who often cause chaos. Offerings of Rowan branches or hawthorne placed above the windows and doors were a sign of protection. Food is left on the steps for fairies. Leave what is seasonal in your area which can include crystals and little lavender cakes to show your respect.

• Arrange Flowers At Your Front Door. Flowers’ beauty and fragrance represent nature and the fertility of the season. It was common to gather flowers and weave crowns or wreaths from them. Hanging them on doors is a sign of abundance and prosperity. Flowers traditionally associated with Beltane are roses, lilacs, bluebells, primrose, daisies, and marigolds.

• Bathe To Welcome Summer. The element of water is refreshing and rejuvenates our senses. It is believed that if you bathe in the dew gathered before dawn on Beltane morn, your beauty will flourish throughout the year. Draw a bath for yourself and add essential oils of lavender or lilac. Light yellow, green or pink candles. Saying a prayer of appreciation for all that you have is the theme of this day.

• Dress in Green. Emerald or any color of green refreshes your body and spirit. Green is a common color in nature – grass, trees and vegetation – it can help us feel grounded, creative and calm. Green shades have a stress-relieving and rejuvenating effect. In color psychology, colors of shorter wave lengths relax and cool the human body and mind. Green invests you with tranquility. Jade, forest, mint, sage or any variation of green is easy on the eyes and you can look at green for a long time and not experience eye strain. Green equalizes, relaxes and balances painful processes. Need to address an issue? Wrap yourself in a deep sage or an emerald green throw. Quietly sit by candlelight, touch your heart with your hands and breathe.

• Make An Altar. An altar or shrine in your home helps you manifest the abundance and fertility of Beltane. Add lilacs, daffodils, budding branches. Place oats and honey too.

• Stroll In Nature. Connect to your inner child. Explore the woods, run through a field of flowers and absorb the abundance of new life all around you.

• Adorn Your Home. Wreaths, bouquets or garlands of containing yellow flowers celebrate Beltane and the b. Marigold and for wild flowers: Golden Ragwort, Yellow Sorrel, Yellow Goat’s Beard, Dandelion and Coreopsis.

• Walk Your Property. Give thanks and ask for protection for the coming year.

• Decorate A Tree. Use colorful ribbons that represent your wishes for the coming year.

• Take Action On A Project. The planets are lined up to nurture a project(s) that is near to your heart. It will gain traction and meet with success.

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.

Creating Peace Begins At Home

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“If I could bring relief to your stress filled days, the blessing it creates would be shared by all.” 
Stress is an all too familiar feeling. A feeling that weighs upon our hearts and feels impossible to shake. However, neur0-scientist, Dr. Joe Dispenza, purports suffering caused by stress is not a natural condition. Rather it’s an altered state. Happiness, joy and enthusiasm are our natural states of being. So the question arises, can there be a reprieve from stress? Then what might that antidote be? In my conversations with clients the unspoken word in their hearts is peace. Peace is the antidote. Peace create the gateway ro wholeness. It is the balm that calms the minds and invites hope to the table.

Invoking peace through Feng Shui. If you’ve been shaken by recent world catastrophes; shocked by devastating actions that continue to spin out of control, begin with the energy in your home. It is your sanctuary and with the help of Feng Shui design you may begin to create a haven that has a positive influence on your family, with your neighbors and in the world.

Creating peace takes many forms. Ones you would never suspect. Creating peace has many levels and outreach: creating it in your life, world peace, in a household, amongst employees or peace on the streets in places where there is little peace. I composed an out-of-the-ordinary list to support you and those you love.

• Infusing a space with one of the three color systems raises it to a higher vibration for color can bring a listless room to life; a depressed person hope; it can make a sanctuary out of a stark environment. Color not only creates beauty but also peace. You could use the Five Element System (black, green, red, yellow white in this sequence), the Six True Words color system (white, red, yellow, green, blue, black in this order) or the rainbow color system (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple. This spectrum represents the endocrine system and the chakras – our link to the cosmos). Or use the color, green, because it is a peaceful color.

• Planting bamboo in your yard, in your community or in a place where there has been flooding or damage to the environment revitalizes the Ch’i. We need Ch”i to feel at peace. Bamboo, being both hollow and soft inside, symbolizes humility. “Hollow” in Chinese means “humble”. The Chinese would watch bamboo bow in the wind believing it had supernatural qualities that could soften a human’s heart.

• Imaging Quan Yin Shi Yin Pusa, the Goddess of Mercy, She Who Hears The Cries. Whether a painting or a statue, her presence will bring waves of peace wherever she rests.

• Hanging the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals in your home can bring harmony into your space. Begin at the root of relationships. Go to the far right corner of your home. There you will find the Relationship gua. Placing the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals here will bring harmony to your  relationships, creating peace in your life.

• Facing a wall while you stand at the stove could blind sight you or you may become easily frightened diminishing your peace of mind. When you don’t have command of the Ch’i, you could be taken advantaged of. Place a mirror so you see your image while you are facing the stove.

• The eight trigrams were created as a representation of the ten thousand things in the universe. Yet, they still cannot cover everything. So, what is not covered, is in the center. Go to the center to find what you cannot find elsewhere. Go to the center to be “totally covered”, go to the center to create peace. Adjust the center.

A special note about performing Black Sect Feng Shu cures: envision that you are at the juncture between heaven and earth and thus will receive universal Ch’i to help you overcome all your obstacles.

May peace be with you.

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.

A Spring Ritual To Revive The Front Door

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“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the Pacific Northwest Spring arrives with undeniably glory. Cherry blossoms kiss the sky with their clouds of pink. Sunny daffodils dance among the tulips while hyacinth perfume the air. Earth’s life force is abundant everywhere. Spring seems to be saying: start fresh, life is limitless,  welcome possibilities.

How do we step into the rhythm of this abundance? Nearly every culture with deep roots has a Spring ritual for the home. The door is the threshold between one’s inner sanctum and the outer environment which gives it the distinction of  symbolizing new beginnings. The Spring ritual (Door Washing Charm with the description below) harmonizes and protects the loving energy of the hearth and home. When performing the Spring ritual, a spiritual space unfolds that encourages focus whereby one’s intentions can sflow. The use of the fragrance of orange is part of my Feng Shui tradition so this Spring ritual from the Goddess and the Green Man perfectly dovetails with the teachings I share.

This simple charm helps to safeguard the home and boost harmonious energies within. And who knows it might be a magical gift for your visitors too.

Materials

3 drops of orange essential oil. It invites good fortune, happiness and contentment.
2 drops of clove essential oil. Clove oil encourages courage and protection.
2 drops of lime essential oil for purification and love
Hot water
A white cloth
A bowl or bucket

Procedure

Place all the essential oils into your bowl and pour hot water over them. When the water has cooled stir well in a clockwise fashion. Next take your cloth and gently wipe your door starting in the center, work outwards in a clockwise movement. While you are doing this, say three times (either out loud or silently): “I protect this home and shield all within. Love, peace and harmony, I call you in…”

When you have completed the ritual, wring your cloth out under running water, dry it thoroughly and keep it for future cleansing. Where it is safe, pour your water outside. Feel the love and joy of spring.

Happy Spring

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: Pexels

Dragon’s Best Friend

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“Friends are great riches.”
– Unknown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

photo credit: Arib Neko. UnSplash.