Tag Archives: intuition

Take Your Dreams To Heart

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“One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world.”
– Buddha

You have an amazing heart and for that I have a special blog for you this month because I know it’s been a big job to hold strong, to have faith, to practice your best self when Covid-19 has pulled the rug out from under your plans and your future feels hijacked. You’ve got this and I want you to get more. I want you to know there is a benefit to the reality that is shifting before your eyes. These are fertile times for personal illumination and destiny is calling us to live our dreams through our hearts. 

Recently I have been enjoying a beautiful meditation by Gregg Braden. It opens the heart to the extraordinary feeling of bliss because this is the space from which dreams come true. And I am supplementing this opportunity for expanded intuition and creativity with four Feng Shui adjustments that correct and enhance “Li” the gua related to the heart.

Gregg shares we have 40,000 brain-like cells,  ‘sensory neurites’, concentrated in such a way that they are called the ‘little brain in the heart’. They can learn independently from the neurons in our brain. They can think and remember independently from the neurons in the brain. They communicate separately to us from the neurons in our brain…When we marry the heart and the brain together, when we harmonize the heart and the brain together, this extended neural network makes us different from all other forms of life. This is where our deepest empathy, compassion, intuition comes from. When we harmonize the little brain heart with the big brain in the head we can process information very quickly. Really fast information recall. Here is the reason why: when we access with our heart, using our intuition we don’t go through the logic and the fear, self esteem and all the doubt that we have in our brain which defends with ego resistance nor are we slowed down by our mental functions.

Our heart doesn’t work that way. Affirmations are powerful tools to implement change in our lives at any time. They are especially potent when we are communicating with our subconscious in a language that our subconscious recognizes. When we harmonize our heart and our brain, this is the hot line to our subconscious. Our affirmations of our perfect relationships, our healing, our dreams begins in our bodies. Extraordinary states of deep intuition are available through harmonizing the heart and the brain. There are three steps to creating this harmonious awareness that come from ancient traditions. (This can be performed just as you awake or go to sleep because these are excellent times for intention setting and opening the channel to the subconscious. Enhance the meditation with background music, lighting a candle, burning incense to clear energy, diffusing sandalwood or frankincense essentials oils. – Bette Steflik)

• Simply and gently place either one finger or your hand or your palms or the prayer mudra on the sternum of your heart. Your awareness will always go to the place in your body where you feel the touch, the sensation. Allow your awareness to move there.

• Slow your breathing. Five seconds on the inhale. Five seconds on the exhale. This sends a powerful signal to your body, from your mind to your heart that says I am turning my attention inward. You are telling your body that “I am safe”. That frees your body to let go of the stress hormones and the feelings of stress. When that happens the healing chemistry begins….Now the body is awakening to its powerful immune response and anti-aging hormones. Breathing slower you are telling your body it is safe.

• Create a feeling in your heart where you feel the touch. Feel one or some combination of the following four feelings: care for anything or for anyone. Appreciation or anything or for anyone. Gratitude or anything or for anyone. And compassion for or anything or for anyone. Researchers have found these four key words will trigger the experience between our heart and our brain to create that coherence .1 Hz. To the best of your ability feel those feelings and breathe from your heart center. Do that for 60 seconds. This ritual is ancient and primal. It is the key to the deepest truth of who you are in this world. The positive vibration you created will hold for six hours after you open your eyes. 

Why do this? This is where the super learning comes from. Or when you are working to solve or create something new: a book, poetry, music. Your creativity comes from this deep space.
– Gregg Braden

In the Bagua formation, Li, the Fame gua is connected to the Fire element of the Five Elements. The heart which is known as the Emperor in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the organ that represents this phase. When standing at the front door facing into your home, the location is the central back section of your house. It rests between Hsun, the Wealth gua to the left and Kun, the Partnership gua to the right.

If this area is missing or depleted by a design feature such as a bathroom it may be difficult to excel in your career, pass examinations, receive recognition for a promotion, improve your status, and connect with networking groups that can enhance your visibility and that affects your sense of esteem and well-being. Physically you may develop eye disorders. Mentally your clarity, whether it’s your goals, being self directed or your vision of your future, may be obscured. A side note when Fame is enhanced this activates and improves your career. Want more name recognition? More heart in your relationships? More joy in your life? Here are four Fame tips to increase your influence.

Correct A bathroom in the Fame gua depletes this area (see above). Place a mirror on the outside of the door. It will reflect whatever is in front of it and the bathroom will transcendentally disappear. The nuance from Professor Lin the door may remain open and the cure still works.

Color Red is associated with Fame and Fire. Color may be used to fill in a missing area. Painting the wall red with the visualization that the color is pushing the wall out will transcendentally correct the missing area of the house. The added bonus is you’ve added your “Wall of Fame”.

Center Stage Li means “bright”. When you project yourself from a place of courtesy, professionalism and regard, you raise your esteem and others will view you as confident, considerate and connected. This place of power raises your status. Activate this area with diplomas, awards, and recognitions. The triangle shape is associated with this gua. Animals that represent Li are the tortoise, crab, pheasant (from The Form School) and shellfish. Illumination is a quality of this gua. A framed sunset or a rainbow are suitable for this gua as well.

Credit Believe in you, find your mantra and light your fire with an empowerment. Place an affirmation in this area, such as “I am so grateful and happy that I am now…(fill in the blank) or I am endlessly abundant with talent, skill, intelligence and joy that I utilize everyday. 

If you are looking to build a new home, remodel, plan a wedding, purchase a home or sell one, when you begin has tremendous influence on the outcome of your event. Beginning on the right foot with an auspicious date and time will bring success to your endeavor. Contact me, bette@shenmenfengshui.com for details of how I can assist you with getting started.

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.

De-stress The Holidays With Full Moon Rituals

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“The moon does not worry….It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.”
– Taoist Master, Deng Ming-Dao

Not only is the year ending in a few weeks, but this month closes the decade. Questions are likely distracting you. Will I get it all done? Can I afford the expense of the holidays? Will my family make demands? Will my in-laws get along? There is a light on December 12, a full moon light that has the potential to shift you out of any anxiety and transform that anxious state into bliss; to bring heaven to earth allowing you to enjoy the season with family and friends.

The numerology of the December 12 Full Moon (1212) signifies something has changed for the better and you have gone through some type of portal or gateway. It means “Have faith in your dreams. You are on the right track.” If you read my blogs you are familiar with my message: Feng Shui is a portal through which you can advance your development by consciously designing your space. To access the auspicious full moon energy, I have included four methods to add to your Feng Shui toolkit. These rituals will help you enhance your savvy, establish a mindfulness routine and unleash the power within you because in your being you’ve got this.

Cool down
Full moon light clears your thinking. We are all innately wise but how do we access it at will? The wise men of times past would consult the Heavenly bodies to heal their hearts and minds. If they needed a remedy, a healing, a purification, they consulted the moon or the sun. The December 12 full moon light can bathe you with its restorative power. If you feel fuzzy, distracted, angry or overwhelmed, walk out into a clear space like a park or a field, free from electrical wires. Stand facing the moon. Open your arms to receive. Feel the cool, yin energy. See your body, your mind, your spirit relax and the moon’s essence washing over you. Neither Motrin nor Benadryl have the power like you to put the pieces back together when life is out of balance.

De-clutter
Full moon energy increases your attention to detail. Marie Kondo’s simple and gentle advice for releasing the physical things that no longer serve you is a wonderful full moon ritual. Begin days before the full moon. Take fifteen minutes. Hold the object in question. Ask yourself does it bring me joy? Do I feel love? If not, thank it with sincerity for the time it served you and find it a new home.

Release
Full moons highlight endings. This is an opportune time to purge emotions, trauma, grief (if you are ready), suffering and what has been blocking you. Purchase a new white candle(s), find an area where you will not be disturbed. Best times are 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. If this is not doable, December 12 is an auspicious date so you can perform this ritual at any time that is suits your schedule but ideally you want to see the moon when you look out the window. Orange or lemon essential oil is perfect for purifying your space. Pour a few drops onto the burning candle or use a diffuser. Or cut circles out of the zest of an orange or lemon and sprinkle around your room. Visualize the light of the full moon encircling you. Write down what you want to release on several slips of paper or just one page. Say out loud what you want to let go. Throw the paper into a small fire-proof cauldron or cooking pot or let the candle burn them. Feel the burden lift off of you. Feel your breath deepen in your tan’tien (belly). Feel the transformation in your heart. You have exited one portal and entered a new phase of your life.

Amplify
Full moon power can increase your intuition. Performing rituals illuminate your senses, not just your mind. They have the capacity to activate a full body awareness. This advanced awareness accesses your subconscious which can annex universal information/super knowledge, the source of all creativity (Edison accessed infinite intelligence to create his inventions. Mozart wrote his music note perfect the first time. He said when he sat down to write the entire opus, it would come into his mind and he would simply transcribe it onto paper). If you need an answer to a difficult problem, give it to your subconscious at bedtime and it will download a creative solution. But you are not limited to sleep to source your creativity, you can do this at any time of the day. Maintaining a daily meditation practice is key. It helps you focus on your goals and inspiration will come to you more easily. If you do not have a mediation practice contact me and I would be happy to discuss what BSTB meditations might work for you.

Full moons expand human consciousness. We are in need of big compassion this time of year. His Holiness, Grandmaster Lin Yun gave us a secret to a successful life: perform a good deed every day. By helping another person, you shift, not only their reality, but yours as well. A kind deed will improve your luck, circumstances and income. Kindness is the antidote to the economic down turn. For emphasis do nine good deeds a day and if you need to really shift energy, twenty seven good deeds in one day. But remember that your sincerity is the most important part.

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.

photo credit: Old World Witchcraft

Design Your Life Around Your Purpose

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“Your life has purpose. Your story is important. Your dreams count. Your voice matters. You were born to make an impact.”
– Author unknown

When you make a decision you’re dynamic and you are powerful (thank you Abraham Hicks). This mindset immediately creates a field that surrounds you with positive intent where everything moves in cooperation with what you’ve asked for and supports your alignment with your desires.

When you are in symmetry with your desires (this is where Feng Shui comes in) the design of your home, the arrangement of your furniture, the position of your desk, bed and stove, the alignment of Ch’i and the accents to the front door maximize the wish-fulfilling energy coming into your house. This positive Ch’i creates worlds. So you may want to consider this: envision the walls in your home, the shape of your furnishings, color and lighting in your rooms, less as physical, finite objects and more as you’re composing a directive to assemble the people, places and events you desire to experience. Consciously putting your home into order yields the good fortune (luck, money, love) that blesses you.

For my September blog I am offering a secret enhancement to design your life around your purpose. This cure is from Professor Lin’s infinite body of Feng Shui wisdom. But before I give you the secret cure, consider implementing these practices, they are 99% on the mark to help you succeed.

Professor Lin recommends that meditating daily has extraordinary benefits: it calms your mind, you develop the focus to act with discernment and it broadens your inspiration, all of which help you master your life. Allow meditation to have a place in your day to access your inner voice, your intuition, it has wise messages for you. Add journaling and chanting to encourage self-esteem and self-reliance. Include a personal mantra or Buddhist mantras to transform your inner dialogue so that you recognize what you nurture, you become. Then this cure will be the most effective and powerful.

Place the bed, desk and stove in command position (you can see the door but not be in line of the door) because these areas are your command centers. You make more powerful yet meaningful Feng Shui adjustments when you understand how lack of command hinders your ability to stay aligned with your desires. The necessity for command position influences your sense of safety; you may experience lack of opportunity; anger and mood swings. In the case if the bed is out of command heart trouble, insomnia and illness along the midline (among other health issues) may arise. When your desk is out of command you may have an outdated perspective, unable to see both opportunity and trouble coming and experience lack of support. If you cannot see what is going on while you are at the stove, this suggests a downturn in finances, diminished good luck and heart trouble. Referred back to the 27 Bedroom Concepts for how to place your bed in command, it will apply to the desk too. If you have a question about command position I am happy to answer your inquiry. Please contact me bette@shenmenfengshui.com (I follow the Red Envelope Tradition). In Feng Shui Matters To Your Heart, I share a list of design features that affect your focus and clarity. The list can be useful when you are wanting to make a change.

Ba-gua Formation
Choose either your house or your lot, but do not mix and match them. Perform this sequence for either the house or the lot not both. It’s like saying you do not trust the cure’s effectiveness. These specific adjustments mentioned are meant to be suggestions. Please be mindful of the character and qualities of the gua you are enhancing. If you go your own way, your cure could be less effective and then you may conclude the cure does not work.

Perform this cure between the hours of 11 pm to 1 am (Zi hours) or 11 am to 1 pm (Wu hours). You will complete this cure in eight days. If you miss a day you must start over at Helpful People.

Day One
Begin with the Helpful People (Chien)Gua. It is located in the front right corner of the house or lot. Outside you can place a tall rock or a bird bath, a statue of a Buddha. Place something that has weight. Inside a photo of a travel destination you love. A mirror will expand this area with the proper intention.

Day Two
Move clockwise to Career (Kan). If you know a blessing ritual from the Black Sect Buddhist Feng Shui perform that. An image of water or an actual water feature or a photo of your ancestors or an affirmation for your career are appropriate.

Day Three
Next move to Knowledge (Gen). It is located in the front left corner of your home or lot). Hang a wind chime or place an image of a mountain or a pathway or archway. Something that leads you into contemplation.

Day Four
Continue clockwise to Family (Jen). Hang a wind chime to encourage good luck for the family. Or plant bamboo. It bends in the wind; it bows in the wind and implies having the flexible Ch’i to get along with family members. Or hang an image of bamboo in this area of your home.

Day Five
Move to the back left corner to Wealth (Hsun). It is related to Wind in the I-Ching and also the Wood element. Water is usually depicted here. Hang an image of grasses blowing in the wind. Or place a convex mirror to expand the various resources to receive money.

Day Six
Continue on to the back center of the house or lot. This is the Fame Gua (Li). It means Radiance or Clarity also Clinging (as Fire clings to whatever it is burning). A spot light here to shine the light on your reputation or a crystal to add radiance to your visibility in your community.

Day Seven
Move in a clockwise fashion to Partnership (Kun) which is in the right back corner of the house or lot. This is an Earth gua. Containers, pottery, a bench, or a wheelbarrow are appropriate. Add pink roses in the house or plant roses in the yard in this area.

Day Eight
The last enhancement. This area is the Children Gua (Dui). It is mistaken for Creativity, creativity belongs to all the guas. A white statue for the lot or place a metal statue of children playing. Something hand made by a child like a drawing would activate the Ch’i. 

A home that is not a complete rectangle may have a missing area or in some cases like an L shape home, an extension. These need an adjustment before you begin the Bagua Formation cure.

Want to get started right away? Design your life around your purpose? Let’s get started! 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 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.

Welcome To Good Fortune

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“At least once a day, allow yourself the freedom to think and dream for yourself.”
– Albert Einstein

Opportunities for good fortune are everywhere and those who are prepared seize the moment. Preparedness is when your heart and mind are in coherence with what you wish to accomplish. At the heart of the simplest success story is the alchemy of clarity and focus. These attributes are the building blocks for that momentum which fulfills one’s goal.

It’s no secret that wealthy people understand that focus, clarity and preparedness combined are the daily strategy for good fortune. These folks listen to their inner voice and keep a consistent attitude. They believe in their self worth; it is the hallmark of their success. They are alert, innovative and turn over every stone when it comes to generating new ideas. They ‘think outside the box’.

If you are looking for inspiration in your career or want more time to enjoy life’s pleasures or desire to increase the good fortune in your life, now might be the time to reflect upon where to expand your thinking. Who better to turn to than Albert Einstein for some pithy insights. I also included four ‘uncommon’ Feng Shui adjustments that may help you broaden your perception about how our environments influence our ability to make and keep money.

Have holy curiosity
Persevere in every endeavor
Use your imagination
Make mistakes
Create value
Spend time alone 

BTB Feng Shui Money Cures

Lift the Ch’i of the House A fan (the type that can lay on its side) on top of the house can save you from serious financial difficulty. Take an old fan and place it on top of your roof, horizontally not standing up, so the wind will blow it. Make sure it is connected and works. You do not have to hooked it up electrically. You do not have to keep it running. But you need to be able to turn it on so make sure it is set up properly. It raises the Ch’i not only of the house but of everyone in the house. That’s the yin piece of the cure. Place it on the tallest part of the roof.

Capture the Winds of Change If you are suffering from financial loss place something associated with a wind mill into the Wealth corner of the Bagua. Or place it into the Career gua to generate money from your career. Or place it in the Family gua so all the members of your family will make money. Or if you need a new beginning in your financial life you can place a windmill or an image of one in the Family gua. Good fortune will soon arrive.

Pray to the Divine When you want to make a decision about money and you have difficulty deciding what to do such as buy a house or not buy a house; if you are unclear or cannot focus on a course of action to take… choose a Buddha as your deity. For example pray to Acala Buddha, also referred to as the “Immovable Buddha”. He is the Buddha of Roosters (in the Chinese Zodiac astrology). Praying to this Buddha will help you decide on a course of action or focus, in this case, on the issue of money.

Cultivate Intuition “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift…”(Albert Einstein). The yin of wealth consciousness is practice connecting to your intuition daily whether it’s spiritual breath work or meditation. A half hour of this type of inner work, what Tony Robbins coined your ‘30 minutes to thrive’, will increase your ability to make accurate decisions when dealing with money. If you do not have a special room to practice, check out my June 2018 blog, Sacred Space Is Where You Find Yourself  for how to create a space of your own. 

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.

May 6 New Moon I Realizing Your Own Good!

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“Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words.”
– Alfred Adler

New moons are invitations to create your own good. May 6 New Moon, Snake, the sixth animal of the zodiac, takes the spotlight. Snake’s steadying influence may offer order during this thrilling yet chaotic Fire Monkey ride. Both Monkey and Snake embody wisdom and native intelligence. Where Monkey may pounce on what immediately attracts its attention, Snake contemplates its strategy and when ready strikes to assure success. Realize your own good by aligning with the refined energy of Snake. As Yasha Jampolsky shares “thoughtful precise movement undertaken with grace will receive much support.” Here are seven action attributes to create “wise grace” and help you shape a successful month. 
• Eliminate unnecessary stress by slowing your movement down.
• Listen to your inner voice.
• Make situations that have gone off track right with deep thinking.
• Employ wisdom, not knee-jerk responses, to complete prolonged and difficult projects.
• Engage in metaphysics or study spirituality.
• Allow your intuition to expand.
• Look your best during Snake month and get noticed.

What does this lunar month hold for your Chinese Zodiac animal? Read on and realize what you can do for your own good. Rat: it’s a Six Harmony month. Helpful People are at your assistance “From within the family there breeds a hundred kinds of prosperity; from outside the house, there attracts a thousand ways of good fortune.” Ox: this is an auspicious month. The Star of Wealth is on the horizon. Jubilation and joy are ever present. Make use of favorable opportunities to invest, buy real estate, commence construction, sign contracts, relocate and travel abroad.  Tiger: this is a Mutually Offensive month. It is not advisable to make investments or purchase real estate, change jobs or move. If you are in love, something unforeseen may happen; if married potential for quarrels. The White-Robed Quan Yin mantra is advisable. Rabbit: it is a favorable month for money luck. Good time to purchase real estate, make investments or enter into joint ventures. You may have good fortune with relocation and taking trips abroad. Helpful People will come to your aid from far places. Dragon: bad luck has flown the coup. Expect prosperity to be readily available and Helpful People will come to your aid. Maintain a calm mind and peaceful disposition in all situations. Just go with the flow of things. Snake: expect both good and bad fortune. Though it seems money and profit are coming your way, you won’t be able to collect them. There is disharmony at home with disagreements. Perform the Twelve Zodiac Cure – a harmonious family leads to success. Horse: there may be sorrow hidden in happiness and beware of minor wealth losses. Don’t blame others, avid risky investments and don’t bet the farm. Ram: you will have new business opportunities and your investments may show returns. There is the potential for sickness so avoid individuals an institutions associated with death. Stay cautious, traffic accidents may be likely. Monkey: you are both in a Six Harmony and Mutually Offensive relationships. Expect a  lot of good luck with very little misfortune. Money luck is very good with your career progressing with ease. If there is an opportunity, don’t delay, seize it! Rooster: it’s an auspicious Three Harmony month with Helpful people at your side. You will experience accomplishment at work. Do not flash your wealth. Be cautious of theft. If you accumulate good deeds, fame and profit will come naturally. Dog: your luck is fair. If there is an opportunity to relocate or get a new job, but only do so only if the conditions are favorable to you. There may be turmoil in the family and disharmony with your friends. Speak less to avoid conflicts. Pig: luck of the month is in Direct Conflict. Be conservative in your actions and decision making. Do not make investments or purchase real estate. Do not get involved with joint ventures or take trips. Car accident, illness and money loss are potential hazards. You may experience mood swings. Practice the Six Stage Uplifting Ch’i. 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.