How To Build A Fire Under Your Reputation

“Let the world know why you are here and do it with passion.”
Dr. Wayne Dyer

In April I shared with you the creative Power of Wood. Now we have reached the second phase of the Five Elements where we ascend to the fulfilling Power of Fire. In Summer Nature is at its peak and splendor. Spring blossoms are now summer fruit, their ripeness accelerated by the expansive light, warmth and radiance of the sun. It is a time where all of life develops to its fullest potential. Fire, the marrow of summer, is hot, vibrant and voluminous. It is the element that merges with all that comes into its path. In humans it is expressed through intimacy, passion, touch, sentiment, vitality, understanding, communication and community. When we merge our hearts with the hearts of others and realize our humanness, we thrive best.

If you have longed to reach beyond your comfort zone; dreamt to share your vision in a venue the size of Yankee Stadium, improve the rhythm in your heart or find the clarity to finish what you start, these six BSTB Feng Shui cures may enrich your home with the luminous vitality to help you pursue what sets your soul on fire.

Located in the back of the house are three power spots, Wealth, Fame and Partnership. The Fame and Reputation gua is central, nestled in between the Wealth gua to its right when facing the door and Partnership to left when facing the door.

Rejuvenate Your Heart. Not only is Fame/Fire identified by a location in our home, it is represented by the heart that pumps blood through our vessels, instilling our body with mindfulness. In Chinese philosophy our constitution is strengthened through performing virtuous actions. If you need to rejuvenate your heart then build goodwill by doing good deeds among your family members, friends, colleagues and relationships.

Build Your Business. Your business will prosper when you foster interdependent relationships. Make a practice to give and receive support and assistance. You will become illuminated in your community with what you are famous. 

Polish Your Clarity. When the Fame gua is missing in your home it can manifest as a heart attack, insomnia, feeling scattered, burned out, lacking clarity, unable to focus, depression and unfinished projects. To complete the missing area, hang a convex mirror. As you place the mirror visualize the reflection of the house in the mirror and see it move into the missing area, filling it. See the individual tasks to complete your project fall into place. 

Restore Your Reputation. A bathroom in Fame will dampen the Fire element and deplete the gua. The heart may become weakened. We need the warmth of Fire to speak from our heart, to soften cold words, comfort grief from within or succor a loved one. We may also experience damage to our reputation, status and honor. Mount a full length mirror on the outside of the bathroom door and visualize it assumes the image of whatever is in front of it. See the bathroom disappear and your reputation restored.

Guard Your Health. Watch for design details in your home that will cause damage to your heart. Here is a short list: a stairway out the front door (illness along the midline); a kitchen in the center of the house (fire in Health); a bed on the door wall (heart arrhythmia); slanted ceilings (especially if you have low blood pressure); biting doors; a contrary door (where the door opens to the a wall), a blocking wall and any bed, desk or stove out of command.

Enhance Your Fame. Red is the color of Fire. Red is an energy source, a stimulator and a way of expelling bad Ch’i. If your reputation has been maligned, if you want to enhance your fame or if you desire to extend your reach beyond the city in which you work, paint a red wall in the Fame gua and set your intention accordingly.

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

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

Sacred Space Is Where You Find Yourself

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.”
Joseph Campbell

Beginning of June I made a reentry into the world of pigment, canvas and brush and I love it! It’s an online course from a remarkable painter. Listening to her I feel my excitement mount over the possibilities that lay before me as she extolled in her video, “The best painting, no, the most joyful painting, comes from a soul that is nurtured from the inside.” Her gentle encouragement has blown confidence into my heart and I feel a release of trepidation. In one short week I have learned, painting is not just what you put on the canvas but what you surround yourself with too. Who you are and what you love is right there in your composition of discovery, “Before you even pick up a brush, welcome what nourishes your soul into your space and you will find this nurtures your ideas and what flows from your brush onto the canvas.” Sounds a lot like Feng Shui? We are all creative, it’s what we have come here to enjoy. In a space that expresses all that you love, you foster your creative impulse. Your space is the threshold to your inner sanctum. Assigning time to cultivate what your soul desires, you champion what you came here to be.

You are the creator of your life, however life does not come without challenges. Oftentimes life changing events obscure your heart, your desires and what you love. They pull you off course and off balance: the death of a beloved; losing a pet; moving to another state; missing a promotion….These will and do come to you in life yet they need not define how you live the rest of your life.

Upon first meeting some of my clients they inform me they cannot let go of life changing events and are puzzled when they find clutter piling up when before there was none. Or they find they argue with their spouse, children, friends and coworkers for no apparent reason. Opportunities for career advancement passes them by. They may spiral into depression, lethargy and illness. If any of these resonate with you, if you are feeling disappointed, disconnected and distressed, it may be your soul’s S.O.S. to find yourself again.

I urge you to create a sacred space to renew your connection with your inner self, especially if your life is chaotic. Claim an area of your home, make it just for you. Size does not matter, it can be a room, a nook, even a chair in the corner of your bedroom. This space is for you to explore, to write, draw, paint, chant, sing or listen to Nature. It is your time to connect to the sacred and in doing so imagine a clear vision of your future. I encourage you to get started. To make it easy here are six insights for creating a sacred space.

Lighting The choice of lighting can set the tone for a room. More light is energizing, lower light is relaxing.

Mood This is your special area to invite stillness, to be silent, to be contemplative, meditate and pray. These methods engage an inner dialogue with your soul. Add pillows or a comfortable chair. Your body needs to be supported.

Decor Plants’ life force bring you into balance in an natural way. Flowers invite beauty. They add color, Ch’i and oxygen. Choose soft fabrics to hang or drape. Create an altar with candles, incense burner, essential oil diffuser and natural objects like feathers, rocks and shells. Choose what is meaningful to you. Consider placing an object that is related to your spiritual practice.

Color Purple transforms on a higher level. It relaxes the nervous system and has a calming mental effect. Pink opens the heart. Green refreshes your body and spirit. It can help you feel grounded, creative and calm. Yellow enlivens your health. 

Wall Art Display an image or images of the ocean, mountains, lakes, meadows, gardens, spiritual teachers, mentors, deities or angels and you’ll create an ambiance for harmony and reverence during this time of inner engagement.

Music Choose whatever inspires you. You want it to be soft and low, in the background so it is supportive of going inward. Select authors who arouse a sense of mystery such as Rumi, Hafiz and Emerson. Their words invite transcendence. And remember be selective with the words that live in your sacred space. You want them to summon contemplation and divine connection. 

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” (Joseph Campbell) Each opportunity to create reciprocity with your soul bathes your mind in clarity and rallies you to live the life you were meant to live.

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

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

Feng Shui Flowers That Whisper Good Fortune

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spring Power. It’s Easy Being Green.

Within each thing is contained all things. In the seed is the tree; in the tree is the forest…Each thing exists to nourish all others and in return to be nourished itself.
Vasant Lad and David Frawley, The Yoga of Herbs

At the moment I am writing, Nature’s Spring Power has bloomed all over the northern hemisphere. As if awakened by Prince Charming’s kiss, the sun’s radiance arouses the landscape, dissolving winter’s sleep. Green, vernal shoots burst forth and aromatic scents perfume the atmosphere where hungry bees buzz mightily ensuring that our summer tables are fresh with fruit. Everywhere is an intelligent, pulsating world of creation, nourishment and support.

If you are like me you may want to harness this Spring Power for now and when winter’s twilight comes early and the leaves have fallen. It’s definitely the way of Feng Shui. You see, thousands of years ago in order to align with the seasons of creation and decay, the philosophy of the Tao, Yin-Yang theory and the Five Phases evolved. The Tao is the governing order of all things. However to explain the Tao’s movement through time, the Yin-Yang Theory of opposites emerged followed by the Five Phases/Seasons which further differentiated its dynamism as exemplified by the five powers, Water (winter), Wood (spring), Fire (summer), Earth (late summer) and Metal (fall).

You can imagine in the waining days of the year how a burst of Spring Power could keep your system running at its optimum. The Wood element is represented by Spring. It is a creative season. It’s symbolic of new beginnings. Its meaning is to be on purpose and be the change. It is benevolence and compassionate understanding, qualities we find useful in certain stages of our development, our relationships and our careers. Building the Chi in your home with Wood cures gives you the drive to remove stagnate energy and finish projects that have been languishing.

If your bedroom feels devoid of life force, your health is suffering from too much Yin Ch’i, or you want to enhance the energy in your home, here are five BSTB Feng Shui cures that invest your home with positive energy that will take you in a new direction.

Spring clean any time of year. Whenever there is an excessive build-up of stress and frustration, it’s time to pull out the oranges. When Ch’i becomes blocked, oranges have a warm, sunny, sweet aroma that convey joy and positivity, dispersing moodiness and irritability (Gabriel Mojay, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit). To change the Ch’i and the fortune of you and your home, purchase nine oranges. During the hours of  11:00 p.m to 1:00 a.m. cut nine circles (zest only) out of each orange for 81 circles. Break these down onto a dinner plate and chant a mantra or say a prayer that invests the peels with the light of 10,000 Buddhas. Take a small handful of the peels and start in any direction. Every few steps, scatter the peels throughout the house until the plate is empty. Allow for them to stay for one night, three nights or nine nights. For a detailed version of the ceremony, send me an email (red envelopes requested).

Show your ‘face’ to the world. What story is your front entry telling? Does it represent who you are ? Does your door knob working properly and easy to grasp? This is how you grasped life. Do you have vital plants in and around your front door? Plants are life force. We are most aware of their rising yang energy in Spring but they are useful in balancing our Ch’i throughout the year. Your front door can be enhanced with healthy round leaf plants on either side. They lift your Ch’i and attract prospects. If sustainability is part of your philosophy, purchase native, evergreen plants that require little water as a green addition to the Feng Shui.

Transform worry into calm. Bamboo has a long and humble connection to the Chinese culture. If your children live away from home and you are concerned about them you can hang a bamboo drape in the Children/Tui gua of your home. If your child has a dangerous occupation, sport or hobby, hang a bamboo drape in the Children gua of your home because bamboo is symbolic of safety, it provides safety.

Work peacefully for money. 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). Its hollowness allows it to bow in the wind. The sound a bamboo flute makes is peaceful and it can drive away negative influences so it protects. If you wish to have money and work peacefully for it, hang a bamboo drape in the Wealth/Hsun gua of your home.

Double your happiness. To nurture a partnership that you have already created add the Spring Power of nine lush plants in the bedroom. The demands of work can deplete your energy. The plants’ life force will support your own and expand your mental focus so you can dedicate time to your partner. A nuance to this cure is place fruiting or flowering plants as they symbolize that your efforts will bear fruit.

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

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

Feng Shui Design For Your Best Life

photo credit: Paintzen

“Recent discoveries in Western Science now add to a growing body of evidence suggesting Beauty is a transformational power… Through our experience of Beauty, we’re given the power to change the feelings that we have in our bodies. Our feelings, in turn, are directly linked to the world beyond our bodies.”
Gregg Braden

Moving a bed to take command in the bedroom, painting a front door crimson red to expand opportunities, positioning a desk so a voice will be heard…these mini experiences create beauty and offer peace of mind but they also are thresholds that beckon something extraordinary to happen. When we correct the structural deficiencies in our home’s design Feng Shui’s subtle positive power not only releases restrictions in our life but reflects a bigger vision of who we might become.

That vision begins at the front door. To discover who we might become we need to uncover the story our entry tells. The Feng Shui design metaphor of the front entry reaches into our career, reputation, the people who help us and the health of everyone in the household.  “…so place something attractive here so when you first enter your home you enter through beauty.” Louise Hay’s perfect action step is a great reminder to appreciate Beauty because we all have storms in our life. 

Plagued by headaches? Do you feel confused or lose stuff? You can open your entry to vitality when you place plants just inside the front door. They embody life force and generate a positive impulse. Green is soothing and can be viewed for a long time without causing eye strain. If one of your family members has an illness, place nine potted plants in the front entry. 

Discord in your family could mean there is a split view when you walk into your home. A split at the front door can stimulate the brain unevenly, you may think more and act less or act more and think less. There is a potential for illness along the midline from the head to the kidneys. When your eyes cannot focus on one object, you may feel confusion and it becomes difficult to make decisions. Everyone in the house may become impatient, anxious, out of sorts and not accommodating to one another. You At home you want to feel relaxed not harassed. Hang a beautiful chandelier to lift your eyes upward. If your stairway is causing the split, mount a crystal finial on the stair’s post, it will draw your eyes to it. Or hang a faceted lead crystal from the ceiling.

Conflict in your heart that you can’t put your finger on and is difficult to express suggests your stairway leads straight out the front door. This feature not only affects all the eight guas, especially health and wealth, but it can create conflict that is burns your heart and never gets expressed. Anger could take over your life. But there is hope. A planter outside the front door will catch the Ch’i that is escaping out the door.

Lack of risers can steal the Ch’i from everyone who enters your home. You may feel tired all the time and just can’t handle your responsibilities. As simple as it may look, it’s impact is debilitating. Plants underneath delivers vitality or uplight the stairs.

Restriction in your career might be mirrored by a blocking wall as you enter your home. Hanging a mirror or a beautiful landscape can expand your entry and give you a wider entrée. But here is an additional piece not widely known–sound–hang a wind chime on the door will open up the space. It’s lyrical quality can awaken your senses and clear your mind.

Need a boost to your career? A bright light at the front door is good for the career of everyone in the household so the brighter within reason.

Accent your entrance with a splash of red directly across from it. This design treatment can improve your reputation where you work. Red symbolizes happiness, virtuosity, power and inspire you every time you walk through the door.

Spring is a pioneering time, a time of great energy, tender shoots are breaking through the hard ground. I feel inspired by the vernal season and I am excited that winter has ended. It’s time to take up a paint brush, hammer, ceremonies, cures and start designing my own reality. Hope you’ll join me!

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

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

Year of the Earth Dog. Unleash Joy. Master Success.

“You are all that you need to be inspired and living on purpose and the things that continue to flow into your life are just symbols of the unlimited abundance of your source.”
Dr. Wayne Dyer

You’re in for stability after all the speed from the last two years Fire energy. Doesn’t that feel great? Plus the Earth Dog year has the potential to bring lasting, positive change. Loyalty, fairness, justice and surpassing unbeatable odds will illuminate your journey. Together we mutually prosper when we to tap into our altruistic nature and help the greater good. Harmony will underly our endeavors. Life will feel on purpose. We will unleash our joy and master success. No longer will inequality be tolerated. Dog’s sense of fairness, empathy and kindness will weigh in on prejudice, bigotry and mistreatment of all beings. 

What can you look forward to? Relations will be your greatest asset. Developing strong family ties; loving friendships; community with like minded people; minimizing stress and maximizing comfort in your homes–these will support lasting harmony, good spirits and fulfillment.

What does Chinese Astrology have to say about the year? Here is a snapshot. Yang Earth sits on top of Dog (also Earth). These two elements are capable of great support to each other however we feel weighed down by the sheer density of the mountain when these two meet. Instead of an undulating surface that reminds us to be soft and nurturing there are stand offs and refusals to surrender. With the absence of Fire, our enthusiasm wanes in the face of challenges. Flexibility fails us when we need to bend with the wind. What we require is modulation in order to succeed.

Motivational guru, Tony Robbins’ “harmonic wealth” just may be the modulation to unleash Dog’s natural joy. It may add the confidence to handle the spectrum of events that inevitably will come your way. In Tony’s words, “Wealth is not just money it embodies five key factors: financial wealth, relational wealth, intellectual wealth, physical wealth and spiritual wealth.” Balance these five areas and you build wholeness and well-being.

Harmonic wealth gives you the stability of Earth without its stuckness. With stability worry dissipates, the heart becomes calm and the channel between the heart and brain expands. The brain will mobilize then magnetize the people, resources and events to manifest your intention and actualize what you came here to do–share your gifts. To help you set The Year of the Earth Dog in motion, I have chosen corresponding Feng Shui rituals that I believe will call forth the joy and success that is rightfully yours.

Financial
If you want money and you want to work peacefully for it, hang a bamboo drape some place in the Wealth gua in your home. One of the attributes of bamboo is to provide safety. If you travel often because of work you can hang a bamboo curtain in the Helpful People corner to keep you safe. If you wish to avoid legal problems that create afflictions for your family or if your family has been pulled apart by arguing because of money, hang a bamboo drape in the Family Gua.

Relational
If and your partner are deadlocked in your opinions, place a wind chime in the bedroom. It can help get the “sounds” of conflict and disharmony out of your system. Professor Lin shared a story about a husband and wife having outrageous fights. One day there was silence. The atmosphere was electric but no words were spoken. The next day the wife sent her husband a letter suing him for divorce. They consulted with Professor, he gave them this cure, the couple began to communicate again and did not divorce.

Intellectual
There is a lot in this world that is beyond our perception. When we take measures to develop our sensory organs we develop better perception. It helps us to see the yin side of life. We are better able to predict future events. We learn to look in a profound way. Practice the Astral Body Meditation and it will help you enhance your ability to make accurate predictions and to see the yin in the yang and the yang in the yin. (Nine red envelopes requested)

Physical
Strengthen your immune system by changing your furniture three times over a 99 day period. Or rearrange your furnishings every 27 days for three consecutive times (total of 81 days). It wakes up the Ch’i and removes stale or blocked energy.

Spiritual/Transcendental
If you find yourself in an escalating situation, calm your mind by chanting the Calming Heart Mantra: Gate, Gate, Paragate, Para Sum Gate, Bodhi Swaha nine or 27 times. You will come up with solutions not available to you before.

Get your leafy greens in The Year of the Earth Dog. Cultivate plants in your home. The vitality of the Wood breaks up Earth whereby generating movement and growth. The flip side Earth feeds Wood, so incorporating Wood by adding the color green in your home is essential in this Dog year. The second lucky color is black. Entertain the notion of wearing black or adding water to your environment to balance the surplus of Earth. Water feeds Wood, you are adding another layer to offset the surplus of Earth.

Take measures to watch your diet and digestion this year. The stomach/spleen are the paired organs related to Earth. Encumbered digestion engenders the urge for sugar and starch. You may vacillate between the urge to fill up and the discomfort of being too full. Avoid feast or famine cycles that speed stagnation and deprive you of diminished metabolic efficiency. Long lasting nourishment comes from complex carbohydrates, vegetables and proteins.

Carry a three dimensional Rabbit charm with you. It can be jade, boxwood or bone. Do not purchase a red resin Rabbit, it is a cooked rabbit. The Rabbit is the secret friend of the Dog. From Khadro Crystal Chu of the Black Sect Esoteric Feng Shui, ‘Chinese folk culture believes that when Rabbit and Dog meet, it will bring forth wealth and nobility.” 

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

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

January 17 New Moon. Trust The Magic Of Beginnings.

“And suddenly you just know it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
Meister Eckhart

Many cultures believe that birds are a symbol of eternal life and the link between heaven and earth. So I’ve chosen to highlight the Swan instead of the current Chinese Zodiac animal for the January 17 new moon because they walk on the earth, swim in the sea and soar into the sky. In essence they demonstrate freedom and that best describes my decision. I’ve enjoyed bringing Heaven’s message every month but this is my swan song new moon blog. I say adieu and trust the magic of beginnings as I trust you will too. 

Bite Into Spring! Lichun starts February 3 this year. The “Chinese 7-11’s are serving up chunbing, otherwise known as “spring pancakes,” chewy tortilla-like wrappings that are filled with fresh seasonal vegetables (ike luobo, radishes and jicai, shepherd’s purse). The snack is traditionally eaten on Lichun, a holiday that falls on the 4th and 5th of February, and marks the beginning of spring. The expression “yao chun” isn’t just savvy 7-11 marketing—it’s a traditional saying that refers to both embracing spring and using vegetable nutrition to prevent illness. It’s believed that once you “bite into spring,” you won’t feel tired for the rest of the season!”
– Juling He, The World of Chinese

February 4, 2018, make sure you have your radishes handy! Rat: it’s an auspicious six harmony month. Everyone in your household besides you will experience safety and auspiciousness. You have lucky stars and there will be joyful celebrations bringing good luck to your doorstep. You will have lots of Helpful People come to your aid. If you are in politics or actively employed expect a promotion. All your endeavors will be smooth and prosperous. Ox: misfortune and auspiciousness are of equal proportion this month. Events will not turn out as you planned but do not be demanding, this will only serve to increase your trouble. Be law-abiding and know your position while acting in accordance with karma then peace and abundance will be yours. Tiger: there will be a change in your political rank and elevation in social status. Wealth luck is abundant and you may expect a career advancement. There is an opportunity to start a new business. On the other hand there may be conflict in your interpersonal relationships and disputes within the family. Rabbit: be patient over cranky this month in waiting for a favorable time to boost your fame and fortune. Be conservative and maintain a conservative profile at work and in your investments. Do not make drastic changes. Perform one good deed a day and you will accumulate prosperity and virtue at the end. Dragon: it will be smooth sailing both domestically and in foreign places. Don’t be greedy nor arrogant. Modesty will lead you to success. Enjoy the good times but remember the bad too for balance. Be prepared for rainy days. Snake: it’s a three harmony month as well as wealth and blessings and all the things you desire. Be careful of financial loss and traps laid by scoundrels. Plan, treat people with sincerity and perform one good deed each day to enjoy the sweetness of the final result. Horse: it’s a confrontational month, be aware of unexpected disasters. Remain quiet and low key during this time. Maintain a calm mind and a harmonious outlook to avoid getting into arguments and disputes. Ram: the luck of the month is in direct conflict. Be safe, do not travel. Watch out for burglaries, traffic accidents and unexpected disasters. Monkey: good times are expected this month. Happiness is written all over your face. Make investments, start a new business, enter into a partnership or business with people. Seize the opportunity to achieve your life time goal. Rooster: you have a lucky star shining above you at last. You will enjoy auspiciousness, prosperity and blessings which will bring you fine and bright mood. Remember the Chinese saying, “If there is harmony in the family, everything can be accomplished.” Dog: there is equal auspiciousness and misfortune. Be careful of scoundrels! Maintain your objectivity and good judgement. If another person’s opinion make sense, adopt it. Don’t think you are the only smart person in the world. Pig: good-bye misfortune, hello auspiciousness! Your luck is changing for the better however  your body and mind are not in a harmonious state, you are easily troubled by trivial matters. To soothe you mood and Ch’i, it is advisable to chant The White-Robed Kuan-Yin mantra.

If you request a cure from this forecast, I will ask you to honor the red envelope tradition. Have a great month, Zodiac friends! 

Thank you to Khadro Crystal Chu, Black Sect Esoteric Buddhist Feng Shui for your unfailing command of Feng Shui and Chinese metaphysics.

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

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

Say Yes! To Abundance And Change

“There is only “yes” in the Universe!”
Abraham Hicks

Let’s start the new year with a big Yes! Big dreams manifest when you play with the design in your home! Design that nurtures, comforts, moves, attracts and manifests abundance. Feng Shui, is the game-changer and when we decorate our homes with beautiful decor, life force and lots of love (for love is Ch’i), prosperity flows right into our front door.

Are you ready for change? The Year of the Yang Earth Dog (why Chinese new year is celebrated ) begins February 16, 2018. Rumors promise it will be a year of harmony yet a mountain is a mighty big force to move. Eminent astrologers are predicting we can expect standoffs too. Maybe your parents, your spouse or your children will take on the stress. The month before the lunar calendar shift is a perfect time to prepare for the change. My method: measuring tape, deep breaths, chant a few mantras, then decorate for success. I want you to accomplish anything you set your mind to do, so I’ve included eight life designs I believe will inspire you to create abundance and manifest your dreams in 2018.

Function At Your Highest Potential Beginning the year in a mood swing only blocks our higher instincts. But we can eliminate self doubt, anger and fear with a qigong practice. Similar to an acupuncture treatment tapping opens the meridians in the brain and dissipates excess energy. The clarity helps us to get an objective distance on the internal conflict.
Tapping the Head.
If you have trouble sleeping this practice can restore energy, enthusiasm and reverse the downward spiral of pessimism. Also if you have a problem to solve the answer may appear spontaneously.
• Use the ends of the fingers of both hands, tap simultaneously on the the head at least 108 times.
• You may repeat this cycle two more times for a total of three times or 324 taps.
• Perform this exercise every morning, noon and evening.
• Repeat for 27 days.

Open New Doors Literally! If you never use your front door (only entering through the garage) this can cause a sense of suffocation in the house. It will create lack of Ch’i of all kinds: health ch’i, wealth ch’i, spiritual ch’i… When the front door isn’t used, there is a feeling of no place to go nor a sense of oneself – the Ch’i is stuck. It’s difficult to feel abundance, make money nor ask people for money. Use the front door at least once a month. Or open it nine times a month. Nuance: The front door represents Helpful People. Create a well-defined path with lush greenery, colorful plants and lighting. Add a bright light at the door and for greater emphasis an automatic sound that goes off or a light that comes on upon entering the home. We need for Helpful People have to know where you find us.

Counteract A Financial Downturn December 2017 the east coast of the United States experienced a supersize snow storm creating a supersize void in income. Staying home and playing it safe was important, but making a livelihood is too. This Feng Shui solution can turn our finances to flowing again. Keep in mind the stove is symbolic of our finances. A vent or microwave over our stove oppresses it. Applying green above our stove will lift the energy, creating more opportunities for money to come to us:
• easily
• without pressure
• relieves worry

Spin The Wheel of Fortune If your financial situation has you worried, place an image of a wind mill into Hsun, the Wealth corner, of your property or home. If a three dimensional wind mill is used, make sure the spokes move. The movement will get your luck with finances moving again.

Promises From Heaven If there is an image of the sky represented in a picture in the home, a mirror can be hung in your Wealth corner to capture and move the image to Hsun/Wealth. A clear, bright sky represents heaven. The mirror may allow the kingdom of heaven to penetrate the material world bringing prosperity.

Advise That Keeps The Pocketbook Happy We need Helpful People in our life. We need the right advisers. We need not find someone who will send us down the wrong path. The front right corner of our property is the Helpful People corner. Place something here that has weight like a statue of a deity, a bird bath or a rock from Mt. Tai Shan or a sacred site. Or place inside the home a statue of a green or golden dragon (never place a red dragon for the poor fellow is cooked) or a running horse. These animals represent the power of Heaven (from the I-Ching this area is called Tian/Chien/Chyan which translates as Heaven).

Solve Good Luck Problems Calling on abundance from Heaven and Earth. When there is more than one problem to be solved and we do not have the money to do many cures. Turn the Pre-Heaven Ba-gua (flat mirror is preferable but convex will work) upside down; place Earth (three broken lines) at the top, and Heaven (three solid lines) at the bottom and adhere to the door jam or wall over the front door. Heaven is below and Earth is above. This reversal of positions brings Heaven to Earth. This notion of Paradise derives from Hexagram 11 of the I-Ching.

Meditate To Access Your Inner Guidance There is a place within you that is totally connected with the infinite wisdom of the Universe. It has all the answers to all the questions you will ask. You can learn to trust your guidance when you create a consistent practice of meditation. It will keep you safe. Supreme Yoga Section One. (red envelopes requested)

Do One Good Deed A Day Do it with sincerity and wealth will come quickly. Perform one good deed a day for 27 days. Stop for three days and start again. Perform the cures and ceremonies visualize this is helping our neighbors, the community, the city, the state, the country and the world. Performing good deeds daily will help the cures to work more quickly and draw in abundance.

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

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

December 17 New Moon. Be The Difference.

Anything is possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
JK Rowling

December 17 new moon, enter Ox. Ox folks embody endurance, honesty and diligence. True to their strength, they take on hardship anytime and anywhere. We have the opportunity to glean from their Tao of resilience and fortitude for our own winter survival. And though we may be distracted with new year anticipation, let’s keep the tempo with Ox advice this December 17 new moon: keep your focus and be the difference! Always generous, Ox is gifting us with super-strength for our super power because as Ox would say, “The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”

In January we struggle between leaving holiday mode and new year work demands; it’s possible to be caught in a clash. But before you end up in bed this December 17 new moon try this cure to strengthen your immune system. Within a 99 day period change the furniture three times. Or rearrange the furniture every 27 days, for three consecutive times. When you do it that way it will take a total of 81 days. It wakes up the Ch’i and removes any stale or blocked energy. And if you are already drained from a difficult work environment try this method. Before going to bed, peel an orange in one piece. It gets you to breath deeply and focus so you don’t break the peel. After this visualize the room is filled with the scent of the orange. Oranges signify abundance. The citrus aroma cleanses your etheric field and releases stale Ch’i. The transcendental meaning: oranges bring good luck and good fortune for it (chéng zi) sounds like gold (Jin) in the Chinese language. Everyday for nine days, peel one orange and leave the peel somewhere in the room. At the end of nine days you can dispose of the peels. You can eat the fruit everyday. You can also do the cure in your car if you are distracted a lot of the time and your distraction created an automobile accident. Do it in your office to avoid petty people coming around. Put the peels in your office drawer. And always, always set your intention.

Happy New Year! Live your dream in 2018!

Chinese Lunar New Year aka Spring Festival is February 16. Until then we are steeping in winter so protect your 7th vertebrae (in Chinese medicine where illness enters your body) with a scarf and mind what’s happening to your Chinese astrology. This December 17 new moon take a fresh approach to work, enjoy! Rat: it’s a month of challenges, you might say, adversities. What you plan may not come to fruition. For the next 30 days be cautious when driving. Do not make investments either. Put extra effort into your work and you will see advancement. It is a time to focus on peace and harmony in the family. Ox: a lucky star shines on you, it is a six harmony month. You will find wealth comes easily and your plans will come to life. With the assistance from Helpful People your relationships will be flavored with auspiciousness. Perform one good deed a day and you will gain additional fortune and merits. Tiger: you will have on one had disaster and the other auspiciousness. You have a lucky star that will eventual transform any disaster into peace. Perform a good deed a day and both prosperity and wealth will exceed your expectation. For those who are trying there is a chance to conceive. Your interpersonal relationships will be harmonious. Planning will go smoothly. Rabbit: your luck is mutually offensive. Avoid disputes, this gives scoundrels an opportunity to undermine you. Monitor your spending with your income. Do not visit the sick and the bereaved and watch your mental and physical health. Dragon: this is a three harmony month. Expect good results in your business endeavors. If you are a employed you will receive get promoted and receive a raise. If you are an official your future looks bright. If traveling any distance, perform the BSTB Feng Shui cure “Walking on Six Feet of Red Cloth”. Snake: your talents and skills are being recognized. You are riding high because events around you are bringing in good luck but all the same be mindful and do not let your guard down. Instead strive for a higher achievement. Horse: this is a direct conflict month. You luck is on the low end. Though you may work faithfully and not complain, there may be expressed resentment against  you. Your emotions may be low this month. It is advised to practice, BSTB “Inhale Exhale Breathing Exercise” to relieve pressure and avoid physical harm. Ram: the luck of the month is most confrontational. There could be one stressful event after another. Be mindful of your health, there may be illness and injuries. Your emotions may be in turmoil too. Do not act on impulse and stay clear of disputes. Monkey: the clouds have parted and the sun is shining bright. Helpful People will come to your aid and your endeavors are moving with ease. Your mood is improved and you have a bright future ahead. Rooster: there is the possibility that you will be confronted with situations, meet them head on. Face it with openness when it doesn’t go your way. Don’t make a big deal out of it. Also don’t be impetuous or quick to judge. Dog: misfortune is dissolving with the clouds. Helpful People come to your aid and wherever you look, there is prosperity and harmony. During this time that your life is running smoothly focus on harmony indoor interpersonal relationships. Pig: the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. Your endeavors are going smoothly and your future looks bright. Cheer up!

If you request a cure from this December 17 new moon astrology forecast, I will ask you to honor the red envelope tradition. Have a great month, Zodiac friends! 

Thank you to Khadro Crystal Chu, Black Sect Esoteric Buddhist Feng Shui for your unfailing command of Feng Shui and Chinese metaphysics.

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

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

Live Your Dream In 2018

“The greatest gift you were given was the gift of your imagination. Within your magical inner realm is the capacity to have all your wishes fulfilled.”
– Dr. Wayne Dyer

I want you to attain your dream in 2018. With these few days remaining it’s a perfect time to close the days with gratitude and start the new year with one wish. Write down your dream on a beautiful piece of paper. Add color, stickers, make a drawing, paste a cartoon, use your creativity and imagination. Or it can simply be the words but most of all let it be fun. When it’s the way you want, place it where you will engage with it everyday. It could be the bathroom mirror as you get ready in the morning; the breakfast nook where you read the paper and drink coffee; the garage wall when you come home after work; or the night stand before you go to sleep. When you read your words, touch them too, feel your body smile and let your mind expand into the possibility of this wish as you conjure corresponding mental images. Give the ritual your heart/mind attention for 27 days (multiple of nine, the number of completion and peak accomplishment). Let me know what happens!

My dream is to talk about the importance of our homes. And it’s happening! I would love for you to join me, Tuesday, January 2, 2018 for a live interview conducted by All Business Media FM. The general theme is Health and Well-Being with emphasis on Home and the Environment. We’ll talk about how Feng Shui enhances not only our home but lifestyle too.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018 9:52 a.m. PST, 12:52 p.m. EST.  It’s an eight minute segment, click on this link, All Business Media or this link, All Business Media Radio.

Please share with your family and friends if you would. If you can’t make the live show, I will post the recording on my professional Facebook page, Your House Is Talking!

“Keep The Days Merry And Bright” Winter Special
From now through February 28, 2018, when you schedule a residential Feng Shui consultation by that date and complete the consultation by April 28, 2018, you will receive $25 off of your consultation fee. This applies to new clients or new residence to former clients. Onsite consults only.

Dandelion Symbolism
Healing from emotional pain and physical injury both
Intelligence, especially in an emotional and spiritual sense
The warmth and power of the rising sun
Surviving through all challenges and difficulties
Long lasting happiness and youthful joy
Getting your wish fulfilled
Flower Meaning 

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

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