Tag Archives: Feng Shui Design

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.

Chinese New Year Rituals. Renew Abundance.

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“We not not only nurture our sacred relationships through ritual, but we are nurtured by them as well, in ritual, we move and we are moved.”
– Alison Leigh Lilly

Here we go again! Another turn of the wheel to begin anew. Chinese New Year is around the corner. This significant event has the agency to deeply move our Ch’i and elevate our life force. Customs, practiced over thousands of years by millions around the world, reset our homes and renew our abundance for the coming year. It’s a hopeful moment when create an advantageous start with Chinese New Year rituals. You and your family will certainly enjoy the delectable foods, fireworks, laughter and fun. Host a reunion dinner and invite friends to bring a good fortune dish that everyone may take home good luck.

The Year of the Yin Water Rabbit begins January 22, 2023. January 21 the rituals begin. Chinese New Year rituals include color, plants, fruit, foods, good luck clothing and auspicious decorations to enliven home and human Ch’i. These rituals’ power lie in the repetition and sincerity in which they are performed. They are simple and most of all easy. Choose as many or as few as you like. There are some that are new to the list this year.

Begin with your front entry. Design it for success and good health. What you display here influences the entire house so add a red item. Red in the Feng Shui metaphor means: happiness, courtesy, respect, power and strength. Your front door represents career and reputation. With that in mind visualize the red object activates your Fame Ch’i.

Traditionally Chinese knots were expected to ward off evil spirits and act as good luck charms. At Chinese New Year Chinese knot decorations are seen hanging on walls, doors of homes and as shop decorations to add some festival feel. Their significance is deeply rooted in Buddhist and Taoist tradition. The Pan Chang knot, for example, is inspired by the Eternal Knot, the Buddhist symbol of the ultimate unity of everything, and one of the “Eight Auspicious signs.” Just like the Eternal Knot, Chinese Knots are made with one single thread; are symmetrical in all directions and have no distinctions between head and tail. Though they are often consider folk art, they embody the fundamental principles of Chinese’s aesthetic and philosophy: symmetry, balance, unity, and interconnections. These qualities are auspicious to bring good fortune into your life.

Display a bowl of oranges in your home and money will come easily. The word for orange (Chengzi) sounds like gold (Jin) in the Chinese language.

Place a platter of tangerines on your dining room table for the saying, “Da ju da li” translates as “May you enjoy an abundance of fortune and profits.” In Asian countries it’s auspicious to place two tangerine trees at the entrance of a home or business but adding the tangerines to your dining room table stimulates your income for the table is the secondary source of your income.

Surround yourself with colorful fruit so that you will have a fruitful year. Pomelos are large pear-shaped grapefruits which mean “to have”. Pineapple sounds like wealth but its real strength is fame, promotion and excellent fortune. You can display the fruit at the front entry, the dining room, even the kitchen.

Brighten your home and your luck with narcissus (daffodils). The Chinese affirm that daffodil and Narcissus bulbs when in bloom during the New Year, bring good fortune and luck to a home. They enliven our Ch’i through the sense of smell. This adjustment calms the nervous system. With a clear mind we gain clear access to our decision making center (intuition).

Prepare a reunion dinner on Chinese Lunar New Year’s eve. The image of the circle is used in food dishes like fish balls. The circle is associated with family. This creates unity, support and continuity. This sense of family unity is called Yuan and underlies all festivals. Yuan means roundness and it suggests the attainment of the Five Fold Happiness (good luck, prosperity, happiness, wealth and longevity). Veggies embody the freshness of “evergreen” and store good fortune in their roots. Support your vitality in the Year of the Water Tiger when you include them in your first meal of the new year. Make a feast and have left overs because left overs symbolize that you’ll have money rolling into the next year. Add a little laughter! Shrimp in the Chinese language sounds like Ha, Ha, Ha and translates as merriment and well being. Joyfulness brings a future of limitless possibility. Cook a whole fish and leave some. Serve longevity noodles and eat them in one long strand (try not to break one or it will shorten your life). Add lettuce for it translates as “growing wealth”. Dumplings, jiao zi look like golden ingots. They promise wealth and prosperity. Serve nian giro, a sticky rice pudding cake which is symbolic of helping people “advance toward higher positions and prosperity step by step”. Make the evening uplifting and happy; include music and play games with your children, tell jokes and laugh.

Serve an even number of dishes (like eight) to bestow “double happiness” on the family.

“Avoid cutting the luck of the year” by putting your knives and scissors away before Chinese New Year eve evening, January 21. Schedule a hair trim or mani/pedi before Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Refrain from cursing on New Year’s Day because letting your tongue fly will affect your luck for the entire year. One day of restraint could mean you’ve mastered your impulses and that can bring more opportunities than you might realize. However if you do inadvertently curse say “Tong yen woo chi!” to reverse the affect.

Slumber not before midnight on Chinese Lunar New Year’s eve to ensure good luck will cross your threshold. The sound of sleepiness in Chinese is similar to trouble. Sleepless means no trouble in the coming year.

Keep the Goddess of Poverty away  “Fu” means “good fortune” or “happiness” and is represented both as a Chinese ideograph and its homophone, a bat. Placing the image of a bat (Lan Su Garden in Portland, Oregon was constructed with five bats roof tiles) or the image of “Fu” at your front entry clearly sets the intention to invite good fortune into your life.

Bring one new item such as furniture, décor or art into your home and business to stimulate prosperity Ch’i and to compound your sheng Ch’i (beneficial energy). In addition give away one item or more. This leaves both physical and symbolic space for good fortune.

Throw away china, crockery or glassware that are broken, chipped or have hairline cracks, these augur bad luck.

Break a cup or plate (or anything) during New Year say “Fall to the floor and burst into bloom!”

Dress in “up-beat” clothing or buy new clothes for the first day of the New Year.

Carry newly circulated bills: whatever your pocketbook will allow, either nine new one dollar bills or nine new twenty dollar bills.

Purchase a new bill fold for man or a new pocketbook for a woman. In BSTB tradition, black symbolizes water which is equivalent to money. Red is also auspicious to carry. Add a bit of green that stays in the item so your money doesn’t burn up.

Benming Nian – meeting your zodiac year.
One would think that your zodiac year would be a good one. On the contrary, Chinese traditional belief is that your benming nian is going to be full of bad luck. So if it’s your year (Rabbit. Dragon and Rooster are in offending positions to the Year God so they will benefit too), you need to take a few precautions to ensure that your year  is not a bad one.

To ward off any dangers that might befall you in your benming nian, it is traditionally believed that it helps to wear the color red. Red is one of the luckiest colors in Chinese traditions, standing for loyalty, success and happiness. You’ll see red all over the place during traditional Chinese festivals and particularly Chinese New Year: red lanterns, red envelopes, red paper hangings. When it comes to decorations, just about everyone is red and ornamented in gold.

If you believe in this, wear red every day, all year long. You can go big: add red accessories to every outfit. Or you can play it simple, wear a cute bracelet made of red interwoven Chinese knots around your wrist tow ward off bad luck.

Make amends with anyone with whom you’ve had a row or falling-out.

The first New Year Day everyone dines on a vegetarian meal to honor one’s ancestors. Then the family dresses in their finest clothes and visits older family members, paying respect, taking along gifts of Mandarin oranges and sweets of all kinds generally offered in a “tray of togetherness”. It is also customary to hand out hong bao (red envelopes with new bills or coins) to family members and friends of any age, who are single and unmarried.

The devoted Dog is the Hare’s secret best friend. In the Year of the Yin Water Rabbit it is auspicious to carry a three dimensional Dog with you. “Chinese folk culture believes that when Rabbit and Dog meet, it will bring forth wealth and nobility.”
– Khadro Crystal Chu
The ardent Dog favors jade, boxwood or bone. Enjoy the inspiration this match brings!

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.

Feng Shui. The Gift of Helpful People.

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“Success is never accidental.”
– Jack Dorsey
21 years ago the Bagua spoke to me about my life’s journey and what it would look like through my home’s design. Its principles spoke of my values, my relationships, my soul’s purpose, my karma, my life story. Like a vision unfolding inside a sorcerer’s crystal ball, it revealed how I would handle situations, lose money, make money, create opportunities, find mentors, fall in love and develop my career. It paved the way for me to learned that intentional decorating with sacred objects generates a vibrational pattern that attracts the people and events that would bring to me satisfaction and success. I discovered I enjoy being a Helpful Person. Giving to others fits seamlessly with my sensibilities, sense of purpose and love of being a conduit for positive change.

Do you wish you could find an expert mechanic? Desire a business network that mirrors your dream for growth? Yearn for a massage therapist who can penetrate to your knotty spots or a wealth advisor who can astutely guide your financial plans? Cultivating the Helpful People sector not only gives you a sense that you will manage life changing events but also create:
• Good timing to grasp opportunities right when they happen.
• Increase synchronicity in your daily activities.
• Know there is help when you falter.
• Confidently pursue what matters to you most.

Let’s explore the meaning of this area which will give clues as to why it will benefit you to activate it. Helpful People/Travel’s domain is Heaven, the Creative Principle, where ideas and desires haven’t yet taken form. The Creative is the underlying energy that initiates momentum. If you have something you wish to manifest like purchasing a new house, it first exists in the subtle realm before it becomes manifest in the physical. When it’s an idea, a dream, it’s intangible and this is where you take it to the Helpful People to initiate what you wish to materialize. This area of the Bagua represents the father, males and in the human body it is the head (look in this area if you experience headaches). It will help you find the experienced realtor, the gentle dentist or the mentor – friends, experts and professionals who make life easier. When you immerse yourself in this energy, flow, serendipity, synchronicity and luck are ever present. Reasons enough to add a sacred object here to set this principle into motion.   

What is in the front right corner of your home? What do you see? Is it even there? Could be missing? Is there a bathroom? Is there a garage? Are there stairs? Do you see clutter or calm?

Design Details
Missing area
There is no place to draw Helpful People into your sphere. You are not able to access all their benefits. No one may come to your aid.
• The color of the gua (gray for Helpful People), painted on the wall adjacent to the missing piece, can push the wall out to give back the missing piece.
• Or if you live in a home, then make the adjustment on the lot. Install a light pole or add a water fountain, bird bath or tall rock at the intersection of the missing corner.
• Or place a convex mirror and like the paint, push the wall out to give back the missing piece.

Extension
Folks would call you lucky and fortunate. You can invite more Helpful People to shape your life as you see fit with an adjustment.
• Hang an image of a place you love to travel or have traveled, a deity, a mentor, a time piece like a large clock (do not accept a clock as a gift or if you given one, do the following). When the giver gives a clock it sounds like “to bid farewell” – to see someone to his or her death. Collect a red envelope with money in it if you give a clock as a gift.

Bathroom
One of four inauspicious places in the home. The bathroom is symbolic of our expenses and our internal plumbing. As a result it affects the luck, health and wealth of the occupants of the home. The Helpful People gua is opposite the Wealth gua and the two of them work together. A bathroom in Helpful People gua will deplete that gua. It can drain away the Helpful People in your life. Helpful People bring you money and pay you money for the work you do and help you with your career.
• Mirror outside of the bathroom door. It brings to the bathroom door the reflection of whatever is opposite the mirror. It will appear the bathroom is no longer present and that it has become something else. Even if you leave the door open this adjustment is still effective.
• Or place a round mirror on the ceiling above the toilet. You can use a flat, convex or Sun Moon mirror. Do not use a concave mirror. The mirror counteracts the energy leaving through the drain.
(A bathroom in an extension to a Helpful People gua will deplete or negate all the good fortune of the extension).

Garage
Not an issue.
• Enhance this area with a power animal like a five-toed Imperial Dragon (but do not choose a red dragon because that is a cooked Dragon) to draw to your aid the power of Heaven. In ancient times, emperors wore garments with dragons on them. A civilian was not allowed to wear such garments. The leader’s ch’i was infused with the ch’i of the dragon which is symbolic of power. If you use the dragon design in business, you may attain both wealth and power. 

Fireplace
Helpful People represents the Metal element, Fire melts Metal. You may find it difficult getting your ideas off the ground or attracting the right kind of folks who will support your creativity.
• Place a mirror over the fireplace, allowing the Water (symbolized by the mirror) to put out the Fire.
• Add water near the fireplace.
• Add the color black (also symbolic of Water) near the fireplace.
• Add wood, or the color green (symbolic of Wood), so that the fire burns the wood and not the family resources.
• Add an Earth element to put out the Fire. (the color yellow, a square bench, or a potted plant.)

Stairs
Stairs anywhere are a fluctuating energy. Helpful People could be unreliable. Your father might have an unstable personality. You might manifest opportunities only to have them disappear quickly.
• Lift the Ch’i with a mirror at the top of the stairs, a wind chime or a faceted crystal.

Life Situations
A Run Of Bad Luck
Activate Helpful People in the bed, the bedroom, and the office.

Intangible Stress
If there is something you can’t quite put your finger on, you feel pressure and you can’t quite understand what’s causing it.
• Make an adjustment in Helpful People sector. It could be in the house, the office, the bedroom or any Helpful People gua.

Heavenly Aid
If you are working on a project which requires lots of Helpful People.
• Make an adjustment on the lot, the house and the bedroom (all three). Some of the ancient images associated with the trigram Heaven, the trigram for the Helpful People gua, are: dragons, horses, lions, elephants, geese, fruit trees, meadows and plains with a prominent sky, the famous, the elderly, a dignified ruler, a dome and a clock tower, a skyscraper. For example, where there are horses there is success and a fruit tree displays its bounty in the season of Heaven, autumn (Five Elements).

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.

Diwali 2019. Bliss And The Blessings Of Light.

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“A warm Diwali wish for every happiness. May the warmth and splendor, that are a part of this auspicious occasion, fill your life with happiness and bright cheer and bring to you joy and prosperity, for the whole year.”
–Diwali Blessing

The house is cleaned and the diyas (lamps) are lit. These simple rituals are the basis of good fortune in the Hindu tradition of Diwali, the Festival of Light. In tribute to Vastu Shastra, the origin of Feng Shui, I invite you to be part of the celebration of gathering in goodness, joy and heaven t0 bless you and the ones you love for celebrating the Light not only raises your energy but the vibration of humanity and cultivates eternal bliss. This year it culminates on the new moon, October 27, 2019.

Diwali is about celebrating the sweetness of life and a time of reflection too. Those who practice this festival entertain the changes they will make to improve the upcoming year. The following customs are practiced with sincerity to raise the pulse of all human beings, everywhere. Maybe all it really takes is to remove some bits of dust and light the corners in our homes to magnetize an auspicious year.

Forgive and forget Forget the wrongs done by others. It’s a cleansing process that lifts the air with festivity and friendliness.
Rise with radiance Waking up an hour before sunrise is a great blessing that promotes health, ethical discipline, efficient work habits and spiritual development.
Merge and meld Mingle with others and find your commonality. Share greetings of love to create an atmosphere pungent with kindness.
Accomplish and advance Merchants open their account books and pray for success and a prosperous year. You can do like the citizens of India: purchase new clothes. Homes are cleaned and decorated and lit with earthen oil lamps. Perform good deeds. The poor are fed in massive numbers.
Polish your inner self The Hindus believe there is a light of lights that steadily shines in the Tao of your heart. Sit quietly and focus your thoughts like a laser beam on this supreme brilliance that illuminates your soul.

A well designed space allows you to access positive energy at all times. Call upon 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.

2020: Your Soul In Focus

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“Sometimes life is about risking everything for a dream that no one can see but you.”
– Enrique Iglesias

2020 is the year of conscious living. What this means is there will be a pronounced shift from operating via our intellect to living from our heart. We can take real advantage of this incoming energy when we marry our soul desires with our purpose. This alignment is the kind that incites our joy which creates good timing, prosperity and abundant opportunities. If you want to realize your dream for 2020, here’s your opening to envision “your future you”.

Beginning is not so difficult when you understand that physical reality is not fixed but malleable and can be manipulated for positive change. Now through the end of the year is a perfect incubation period for imagining, setting intention and seeing all the details. Explore the dynamic, prosperous person you are, first in the subtle realm, by writing out your day to day activities. See all the elements of the work you’ll be doing. Imagine what your good health looks like. Envision the high value relationships you will attract and muse over the opportunities you want to see happen. Invest in this daily and you will create a solid foundation for your future you.

Master this shift with four areas of the Bagua that enhance personal development. Blend Feng Shui design with self discovery and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the alchemy. Isn’t it time to go for what you want?

Knowledge/Self Cultivation
Self awareness is the foundation to understanding your potential. The Knowledge area, Gen, of your home (front left corner of the house) is referred to as the Mountain. It is the time to strategically withdraw and muse over your experiences. Hiking up a mountain trail and resting at the summit is a form of contemplation. The fresh mountain air stimulates deep breath and this activates the brain, opening the channels for your intuition to directly access your cognitive functions. Which means your decision making is direct, fluid and connected to your desires. Literally this may be achieved with spiritual breath work like the Nine Step Breathing. In Feng Shui design, place an intentional object in this area. It can be a wall hanging of a mountain you love; or paint the room or a single wall the color of this gua (blue, teal, turquoise); or hang a clear, faceted crystal for clarity. With proper visualization, anyone of these adjustments will encourage mental reflection and remind you to perform daily meditation. The gateway to your success is your intuition and meditating helps you connect to the world through it with a calm mind. Dedicate time to ponder your behavior, your choices and your experiences. You will be in sync with your goals and confident to release beliefs and behaviors that will not serve you in 2020.

Helpful People/Travel
Heaven is the complement of Earth, the Yang of the Yin. The duality of Yang and Yin creates balance. You can bless your endeavors with the help of Heaven. You can manifest your intentions with the ease of Helpful People. Chien is in the front right corner of the house. This area symbolizes the head. If you are experiencing fuzzy thinking, distraction, confusion, obfuscation and you really want a shift to occur, place an image of a person who is helpful. It may be a public figure you admire, a mentor who has helped you or a deity whom has assisted you in times of need. Set the intention to amplify a ‘clear head’ and laser focus. Also pay attention to a streak of bad luck with contractors, vendors or service people. If it’s taking longer for the work to be completed or materials are misplaced or stolen, this drama consumes your valuable time where you could be doing something else. This is another opportunity to place a cure in this area. But remember do not place two.

Fame/Reputation
In the central back area of the house is the Fame gua. Its Chinese name Li means ‘clinging’ but it also signifies ‘brightness’. The sun and the moon cling to the heavens brightening the world. Grass and trees cling to the earth prospering the world. The I-Ching (from which the Bagua derives) describes the intention of Fame/Li in the following. “It is advantageous to persist to clinging to the right object; then what is intended can progress smoothly. When clinging to the right object, one must act with tenderness. i.e. remain steady with it and nourish tenderness….(iching123.com).” In the Bagua metaphor the eyes symbolize (the light that shines through them) Fame. If you are stymied by inaction, if you are ruminating and cannot access what your heart is telling you, if you are searching but your eyes cannot perceive what you truly desire, place an adjustment here to carry out your aspirations for 2020. The color is red and the triangle shape represents Fire. Remember this is the area where your reputation shines onto your community.

The Center
As you prepare for a transition in your life, call upon the Center of your home to provide support. It is the center of your Universe. It is your domain, your place to collect yourself, poise your thoughts and absorb life events and to pull it all together. In the transcendental sense it is mental, emotional spiritual and physical health. When you are experiencing a shift or growth, life may feel unstable. Create firmness here. Add yellow (orange or brown work too) if you need to feel safe and trust your ideas. When the fruit of our labor have been harvested we are ready to push on. Place an adjustment in the center for a harmonious conversion to the next stage. With change disarray may suddenly appear. Go to the Center, pause and let Earth support you as you move through the life lesson. Because the four sides are equal and it lends soundness, the shape is the square.

We all carry the initiative to awaken our heart and identify our purpose which lifts everyone on this planet. My hope is you find this time insightful, fertile and rewarding for however you choose to fulfill your potential.

Want to get started right on designing your future you? A well designed space allows you to access positive energy at all times. Call me, 503-232-2543 and I will help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation https://shenmenfengshui.com/services/consulting/ or for an hour telephone conversation, Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

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

Magic Is In The Details

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photo credit: Shutterstock

“Believe in your heart that you’re meant to live a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

When Heaven Ch’i and Earth Ch’i conjoin there isn’t anything Human Ch’i can’t do. Such is the case with the July 31 celebration of the new moon entering Leo. The major themes are: broadcast big love, lead with heart and allow your creativity to soar. This is as good as it gets! Now would be the time to anchor this new paradigm into your home with Feng Shui design. You will enjoy the benefits well into the future.

Not only is the western zodiac playing host to Leo (rules the Heart), in Eastern cosmology the Fire element is lighting up the sky. Correspondingly in the Feng Shui Bagua the Heart is connected to the Fire element and its placement rests within the Fame gua, (the back of the house and center). Its Chinese name is “Li” meaning bright or radiance. This is your reputation, how you are known in the workplace, your neighborhood and community. The intention in Feng Shui design is to activate this area so you can broadcast your divine spark because the world needs to experience your gifts. For example how do you shine your light and encourage others to shine in their unique way too? How do you lead others to connect with their passion, their charisma, their warmth and interface with others? This gua is referred to as “rising yang”, the quality of expansiveness. How will you stimulate new ideas and expand your creativity in your profession, intimate relationships, family and friends?

I believe the magic is in the details so I’ve gathered five adjustments to help you anchor this paradigm into new awareness.

Activate the power to move with confidence
Hang the Chinese zodiac animals (three dimensional carved jade animals strung with a red cord) in the Fame gua. Visualize forming amicable bonds and correcting disharmonious relationships. This will help you build trust among coworkers, siblings, family and friends.

Minimize conflict and arguments
If there are a lot of doors in a small space in the Fame gua, (includes any place in the house) it can create conflict where family members or co-workers may quarrel. “It is a “noisy” place because all the “voices” of all the doors are “speaking” at once.” Bring quiet to the doors by camouflaging them or hang a crystal in the center or a light fixture with crystals.

Empower your leadership style
A home office or a family room in this gua is the perfect area to use color to quicken your reputation. Paint the back wall red. Red is symbolic of happiness, righteousness and virtuosity. According to H.H. Lin Yun, red is like “a red sun rising from the East.” When it first emerges over the horizon, it is red hot. It is the source of energy of the universe. Red is a very powerful color for it is an energy source; a stimulator; and a way of expelling bad Ch’i (Interior Design with Feng Shui). Benjamin Moore’s (Affinity line) Moroccan Spice has been a successful color with my clients.

Freshen the energy
The bright energy of an orange peel ceremony instils a more positive attitude and smooth handling of events. It’s warm sunny, sweet aroma conveys joy. Cut nine circles out of nine oranges and break those into smaller pieces onto a plate. As you break the pieces down see the orange pieces filled with positive Ch’i and spiritual light. This intention will bring blessings to your home and remove stagnate and predecessor energy. Say a prayer for posterity. Leave one or three days. Remove all the pieces and place in a folded red piece of paper. Compost or throw into the trash. You can use lemons instead, the smell should be strong and bright.

Clean and be clear
Windows are symbolic of the eyes. In the Bagua there is a direct link between the eyes and the heart. Clean your windows often and expand your vision to include acting on the messages from your heart.

Ritualize your intentions
The new moon is empty and ready to receive. Perfect time to promote blessings, to summon, to decide and to forge your intentions. To marshal your forces sit at your altar, light three sticks of incense and meditate on the themes present at this time: beauty, leadership, expansion, love and creativity.

Let the magic begin!

A well designed space allows you to access positive energy at all times. Call upon me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation or for an hour telephone conversation, Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

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

A Guide To Anchor Abundance In Your Home

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“Abundance can be had simply by consciously receiving what already has been given.”
–Sufi saying

According to Chinese philosophy, Heaven Luck, Earth Luck and Human Luck are the cosmic trinity that shape the course of our lives. July 12th big Heaven luck becomes available to all of us and into the coming weeks. “The solar eclipse will be in the area of the sky called Punavarsu in Vedic Astrology, which means “return to the light”. Endless improvement and new possibility abound within the star. This is a star that promises renewal and new growth, even against impossible odds. Punarvasu holds the shakti of wealth and substance and is symbolized by a quiver of arrows.

This eclipse has to the potential to accelerate motion…if there are places in your heart….money, time and emotional labor weighing you down; this solar eclipse can shoot the arrow of positive transformation into motion.”
– Kari Field   

It’s the perfect time to make use of your unlimited ability to create the good in your life and your home is a powerful vision board to support that good. Beginnings have magic. Start on this solar eclipse, infuse your home with new energy and you will magnify the momentum that the stars have initiated. Reinventing your home enables you step into more of who you are. So in the spirit of supporting positive change and abundance, I have created this quick guide to open heaven’s gate to help you receive the good you desire.

Front Door/Chi Kou. Your front door invites into your home the ch’i of health, wealth, heaven, helpful people and opportunities. Its position favors your career, your future, your reputation, your head and your health. Take an assessment. Is it bright when you enter? Is there a pleasant fragrance or sound? Do you feel welcomed? If not then you are not expanding your abundance. Elevate your energy with the vital, life force of one, three or nine vital plants depending on the size of your entrance. If your entryway is dark and small, hanging a large mirror will expand the space. Put the spotlight on you when you install a light to come on or a chime to sound as the door is opened. Create a focal point! Place something opulent here, hang a crystal chandelier, an antique vase with peonies, a glass bowl of oranges (in the Chinese language oranges sound like gold). Red is a joyful color and auspicious. Add a red framed picture of person, place, animal (yes, red flamingo) or calligraphy that puts a smile on your face.

Helpful People Gua/Chien. Helpful People are those who make life easier. This is the realm of Heaven in the I-Ching. The Helpful People position in the house is in the front right corner. When you place an adjustment here, it stimulates movement in its opposite gua, Wealth. Images associated with this area are fruit trees, a prominent sky, the famous, a dignified ruler, dragons, lions, elephants, geese, horses and deer. Deer are deeply connected to prosperity and often replaced the God of Prosperity in ancient Chinese paintings and images because the words for deer and prosperity sound identical. An image of one hundred deer represent ‘prosperity one hundred times over.’ A simpler option is to display a painting or sculpture of a deer in your home or office and visualize the qualities of status, honor and advancement. These qualities are on the same vibration as abundance.

Wealth Gua/Hsun. The Wealth corner in your home is in the far left back corner of the house. Movement represents this gua. Water gliding along miniature rocks in a celadon green fountain, grasses blowing in the wind within gold frame, eight red fish surrounding one black fish painted on a scroll or a mirror that reflects the limitless sky. A classic Feng Shui wealth adjustment is imagine the wide array of possibilities such as an inheritance, winning the lottery, a monetary gift from a friend when you hang a convex mirror in this area of your home.

Center/Tai Chi. Your health is your wealth. The Center of your home represents health. If there is a lot going on here, it will “grab you in the gut”. If this is Grand Central Station you may experience digestive issues. A bathroom can deplete all areas of your life. Stairs manifest fluctuation in your finances. But if no specific design detail as mentioned is in this area that depletes this area, come to the center to set your life straight. Color lifts moods and feelings. One of the colors that represent the Center is yellow (gold too). It stands for power which is why the emperor of ancient China donned gold robes. Yellow gives a sense of tolerance, patience and wisdom gained from past experiences. Enhancing your personal power with yellow or gold, lifts your personal abundance and enables you to deal with any life situation with grace, flexibility and ease. Gold sconces, a golden statue, a golden light fixture, a yellow or golden circular rug, any one of these will focus your energy. Remember to add your intention.

Family Gua/Jen. Family harmony is foremost in the attainment of the Five Fold Happiness–an important concept to achieve: long life, wealth, peace, virtue and honor. When you honor the beginning of a season (such as the solar eclipse), career or project, you draw more luck to it. Placing an adjustment to honor family sets the tone to create good luck. The Family gua is the middle left side of the house. The Chinese Dragon is looked upon as the ultimate symbol of good fortune. It represents fertility, immortality, happiness, power and wealth. Fire up the untapped dragon within you by placing an image of a green Dragon in this area of your home. Green symbolizes hope, freshness and spring growth and the implementation of this enhancement raises the good healthy earth ch’i in your home.

Today, July 12, is an auspicious day. The energy generated from performing one cure will create a quickening, I hope you take the opportunity to start the magic of abundance.

photo credit: Jonathan Adler design. Simon Doonan photos

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.

How To Build A Fire Under Your Reputation

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“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.