5 Fengshui Ways to increase Curb Appeal

 

Curb Appeal makes you stop the car. And, take a look at the house. On the path to the house, the buyer already knows if they want to buy the house in 30 seconds or less. Fengshui creates a positive energy, and welcome feel to your home. Ming Tong in Fengshui means bright place and refers to curb. The curb must be inviting and promoting to stay longer.

Stimulate emotions with colors

Colors play an important factor in our emotions and senses. The warm colors (reds, yellow, and orange) build fun, and excitement, while the cool colors stimulate peace, calm, and relaxation. To warm up the curb, you can add colorful flowers in the garden, varnish any wood around the house, and paint doors and window with red accent. Too cool up the curb, you can add more grass, shrubs, and trees.

Glossy means healthy

Look at the trees, plants, shrubs, and flowers if they have panoramic colors. You can tell the health by the shine, and color. Trimming the dead plants, leaves, and flowers, you promote the healthy lifestyle.

Fast Energy

A direct path to the doorway creates fast energy. On the other hand, the meandering path slows and relaxes any potential buyer. A water fountains, fish ponds, pathway lights, special step stones, and beautiful flower slow down the energy and builds interest. The buyer can stop, and admire for a while.

Obstacles and Clutter

Obstacles and Clutters decrease the welcome feel of the home. You may consider organizing the porch, cleaning the path, moving the garbage bin, and trimming the plants.

Feed the senses

Appeal to the senses by adding sound and fragrance. With healthy garden, wildlife comes to appreciate your garden. The birds serenade the buyer and guest. And, the flowers sends heavenly aroma.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators which provide resources, and calculators for mortgage and real estate

Feng Shui

 

Feng Shui is a Mandarin phrase meaning - Force of Wind, Flow of Water. As old as Chinese culture itself, the name originated around 6000 BC. Feng Shui is described in classical texts as ?Auspicious heavenly influence, beneficial topography, and harmonious human actions.? In essence, it?s a means of superimposing divine, archetypal order on the earth, and living in accordance with the Tao, or Way of Heaven. Ultimately, it aims at maximizing the positive environmental forces, or Qi, molding the landscape if necessary to enhance the flow thereof. Its other purpose is to divert, and neutralize the negative Sha Qi forces. Chinese alchemy, especially as outlined in the Secret of the Golden Flower, when applied to Feng Shui, aims to ultimately transcend the inter-death state by building the imperishable diamond body.

More mundanely, Feng Shui considers our residences to be a direct extension of ourselves. It provides the means of living in harmony with nature, and how to benefit from the positive energy, or Qi, in our living environment.

Many Feng Shui Schools have developed over the millennia, reflecting the multi-faceted nature of the discipline, however, most are a combination of the Form, and Compass Schools.

Feng Shui Schools

The Compass School based on the 8 trigrams of the I Ching, known as the Pa Kua, which, in turn, is based on the eight compass directions. Each direction being associated with a season, and a specific energy or ?element?, (more correctly, 5 stages of change).

The Form School, is based on the morphology of the landscape: topographical features, soil quality, and watercourses. The ?Regulating the Qi? school was concerned with finding the ?the Feng Shui spot?, and made detailed studies of the land, and watercourses, and concerned itself with locating the ?dragon pathways?, the ?Dimai? or arteries , and veins of the earth.

Eight Mansion/ House Feng Shui, is based upon an individual?s Kua number. Initially, the male householder?s Kua number is utilized to bring the house into harmonic balance. Each person has auspicious and inauspicious directions, discoverable from the birth-date. The auspicious directions relate to success, health, romance, and development, while the inauspicious directions relate to bad luck, obstacles, illness, and destruction.

Nine Star Key uses the stars to establish lucky, and unlucky days. Astrology dictates when, and whom to marry. Each year, the Nine Star Key reveals what astrological house holds sway, and how best to live in accordance with its principles.

Black Hat Sect, relies on the Ba Gua diagram, which is an orientation device. It allows one to pinpoint the 9 areas of the home: prosperity, fame, relationships, family, health, children, knowledge, career, and patrons.

Flying Star is based on a combination of numerology, and astrology. It allows one to avoid continuing sickness, arguments, bankruptcy, legal problems, loss of wealth, relationship problems, health problems, and accidents.

Four Pillars, based on Chinese astrology, delineates the individual relationship with the zodiacal animals relating to the year, month, day, and hour.

There is much interchange of concept, and methodology between each of these schools. The best way is to experiment personally to find the most temperamentally suitable.

Feng Shui in the home

 

The Feng Shui masters have provided you with the technical know-how for evaluating your home. Implementing the Feng Shui Design and cures in your home has a profound effect on your life. Based on the ancient knowledge and practices, Feng Shui is a spiritual way of life that helps you to imbibe the positive forces of the universe. All the spiritual principles of the Feng Shui also have a strong scientific foundation underlying it.

When you first start looking around spaces in your home you would not be in a position to decide what changes to make, or there can be many areas that you might wish to change; especially if you live in a larger house. But when you let Feng Shui in the home it only tells you where to start, it also tells you the significance of doing so. Bringing Feng Shui in the home design is just not about making physical changes, it is about giving significance to each and every object in your home so that it has positive effect (or positive Chi as it is called in Feng Shui) that particular space, your home and off course your life.

A Feng Shui house is a house where all the objects are in perfect harmony to each other whether we talk about the Feng Shui Elements contained in them or the particular colors that have been used to enhance the space. The Feng Shui is about balancing energies, of animate with inanimate and that of the soul with that of the universe, so that you get the positive energies of the universe flowing through the entire spaces in your house.

Believe it or not, every single household or decorative object in your home is just as imbued with life energy as the natural wonders beyond your front door and it has a scientific basis for it.

Bringing Feng Shui in the home does not ask you to throw out all your furniture, renovate your home, or move to new living quarters as you may have perceived the Feng Shui would lead you to. In quintessence to The Spiritual Feng Shui such upheaval could actually create turmoil rather than correcting imbalanced energies. Similarly trying to fix everything at once is a recipe for confusion and chaos, because in that case you will be throwing the relationships between objects out of whack.

Remember, Feng Shui is all about the connections and energy flow between objects and people, so proceed gradually, in stages, testing out how each small change influences the Chi of the space. Before practicing Feng Shui in your home try to understand its principles, its essence and most importantly its spiritual nature; then and only then you can envision and bring about the specific changes in the objects, environment and quality of life that you desire.

Each area of your life (health, reputation, family, travel, and so on) is strongly associated with various parts of your home. These associations may be determined using the bagua map.

The beauty of Feng Shui is that it suddenly makes visible to us all these things in our home or home design that we have been living with for years, and that have gone unnoticed. We tend to get tunnel vision, so that we are accustomed to our way of life and don't see how it could be any different. But when we view our homes through the lens of Feng Shui, we begin to see the ways in which our surroundings, different objects or the clutter in our house are placing a burden on our spirits. The Feng Shui helps us to be able to identify and pinpoint specific areas in our home that have been letting us down. The spiritual Feng Shui opens our spirit to the whole universe and we learn to recognize elements that have remained invisible to us for so long.

A Feng Shui house is a house where any change that you make, any cure you introduce into your home or home design is a conscious and deliberate (and well thought out) action that you have taken specifically with the intent of improving your life. It is important know that Feng Shui in home works only when the practitioner puts full mindfulness into each task along the way. A careful Feng Shui Study.

Before making any changes in the home design the Feng Shui beginners have to first know about the various Feng Shui Elements, Feng Shui Color and then start practicing Feng Shui in the home design.

When you get the insight into what is Feng Shui you are able to balance the negative energies of the elements that may be present in the objects of your home with using Feng Shui in home design. Similarly practicing Feng Shui in home using color and other enhancement allows the positive Chi to flow through your home and let you have a better and happier life.

The author Andrew Jones is an expert author on Feng Shui related topics. For Details visit:Feng Shui in the home

Feng Shui Guidlines for Storage Spaces

 

Feng Shui Guidlines for Storage Spaces

Professional organizers and helpful-hint sources often recommend storage solutions such as shelves above doors and in corners, hooks on the backs of doors, and peg-board or tools and small appliances. They are masters at maximizing every square inch of a closet with bins, baskets, shelf dividers, and multiple hanging rods. What they don't realize is that, from a feng shui perspective, these techniques can cause as many problems as they solve.

For good feng shui, it's important to leave some of your storage space unused, for doors to open all the way, and to aim for visual simplicity. As you work toward achieving the organizer's dream of a place for everything and everything in its place, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Spaces that are completely full block the flow of "chi" (vital energy) into your home and your life. Full file drawers block the flow of new business; full bookcases block the flow of new information and knowledge; a full bedroom closet can block your ability to attract a new relationship, and so on. Wherever possible, keep 20-25% of your storage areas available for new ideas, relationships, and opportunities to flow your way.

• Storage units hung from the ceiling create oppressive energy that presses down on whatever is underneath them. Anything stored overhead can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, and overwhelm. A pot rack hanging over the stove is considered especially bad because it "weighs down" your finances.

• Shelves over a door, or on a wall beside your bed or desk have a similar oppressive effect, and can lead to headaches, poor sleep, lack of energy, or muddled thinking.

• A hook on the back of the bathroom door is fine if all you hang on it is a summer-weight robe and PJs. If the hook is piled with three terry robes and a few extra towels, so the door no longer opens all the way, that's a feng shui no-no. Never use hooks on the back of the main door to your home or on bedroom doors; it is essential that these doors open freely and completely, with nothing stored behind them. (That means removing anything stored on the floor behind the door as well.)

• Vinyl-coated wire shelves on the inside of a door can be a good way to keep lots of small items tidy; however, they should only be used on closet, cabinet, or pantry doors.

• Avoid under-bed storage if you can. If you must use this space, use it for extra bedding and for soft, seasonal clothing such as sweaters. Never store any kind of sharp objects, information (books, videos or DVDs, paperwork), or exercise equipment under the bed; you may have trouble sleeping or feel exhausted no matter how much rest you get.

• As much as possible, store things where they are accessible but out of sight. Peg board and open shelving create visual clutter, so limit these to the garage, workroom, or pantry where they won't affect the energy of the rest of the house.

• Be thoughtful about how much stuff you display in a room. Filling the den with knick-knack shelves so hubby can have his entire collection of sports memorabilia on display creates visual overwhelm. From a feng shui perspective, it's better to invest in closed storage such as drawers and cabinets and have only a few treasures on display at a time. Change the selection every three to six months, and with each rotation you'll rediscover old favorites. By displaying fewer items at a time, you'll actually enjoy and appreciate your collection more.

• Another common problem is family photos and snapshots scattered lavishly throughout every room and wall in the house. Select a dozen of the best ones, frame them attractively, and create a mini-gallery on one wall in one room or hallway. Store the rest or put them in albums. (Okay, okay, you can stick a few on the fridge, too!)

• Aesthetics are as important as functionality in feng shui. Keeping earrings and small jewelry in an ice-cube tray or egg carton works, but it's cheap-looking, cheap-feeling, and will drag your energy down every time you use it. It's okay to be budget-conscious, but appearance counts, too. A small plastic storage box is more attractive than an ice-cube tray and you can get one at your local discount, craft, or housewares store for less than three dollars. They even come in pretty colors so you can choose one to match your bedroom dcor.

With these easy guidelines in mind, you can choose storage solutions that will keep your space tidy and create good feng shui in your home. For even better results, remember to get rid of clutter before you put things away. Why waste time and money finding clever storage solutions for stuff you can do without?

STEPHANIE ROBERTS is a feng shui consultant and writer in Maui, HI. She is the author of the popular "Fast Feng Shui" book series and the "Clutter Free Forever!" Home Coaching Program. For more tips and information, visit her websites at http://www.fastfengshui.com and http://www.clutterfreeforever.com.

stephanie@fastfengshui.com

is Feng Shui, and How Does It Work?

 

is Feng Shui, and How Does It Work?

Feng shui (say "fung shway"), often called the art of placement, could just as accurately be called "the art of flow." This ancient Chinese practice, literally translated as "wind" and "water," aims to maximize the beneficial movement of chi--the universal life force present in all things--through an environment.

Just as fresh air and clean water nourish our bodies, so does fresh, clean chi nourish our homes and our lives. When the flow of chi through our space is blocked, weak, or misdirected, our relationships, cash flow, creativity, health, and career can suffer. Chi wants to meander gracefully through a space, like a gentle breeze or a winding stream. When it flows too strongly, it becomes like a hurricane or flood. We are likely to feel tossed about by winds of change, unstable, prone to crises, struggling to "keep our heads above water." Where chi is blocked it becomes stale and stagnant, like a pond choked with algae and fallen leaves. We may feel tired, run down, depressed, unable to focus, hampered in our efforts to move forward in our lives.

In a corporate environment, poor feng shui can result in miscommunication between managers and employees, conflicts among team members, and lack of support for key initiatives. Individuals may be overlooked for promotions or deserved raises, suffer damage to their reputation in the company, or even lose their job. The company may have difficulty attracting or keeping key customers.

In a retail store, feng shui problems can block the flow of customers into and through the store, contribute to theft and staffing problems, and have a negative effect on the amount and size of sales.

Feng shui provides tools and guidelines for analyzing and correcting the flow of energy into and through our space. It uses the arrangement of rooms and the placement of furniture to create a smooth pathway for chi through a home, office, or retail location. Blockages and other forms of negative chi are removed or counteracted in order to welcome in opportunities and encourage progress. Colors and shapes associated with the five elements-wood, fire, earth, metal, and water-are used to create movement, balance, or protection, depending on the needs of the client. Imagery and objects such as paintings, photographs, statuary and other accessories are chosen and placed to enhance and reinforce the client's intention.

Feng Shui reminds us that everything is connected, and that our physical surroundings have a significant impact on our mind, body, and spirit. It teaches us to be mindful caretakers of our environments, so that we may be mindful caretakers of our lives.

Stephanie Roberts

Stephanie Roberts is a feng shui consultant in Maui, Hawaii, and the author of the best-selling "Fast Feng Shui" books (rated 5-stars by Amazon.com readers). To find out how you can use contemporary Western feng shui to help you achieve greater success and happiness in your life, please visit http://www.fastfengshui.com or subscribe to the Fast Feng Shui newsletter at mailto:subscribe@fastfengshui.com and receive free feng shui tips by email.

stephanie@fastfengshui.com

Feng Shui Your Love Pad

 

Feng Shui Your Love Pad

What began centuries ago in China as a way of interpreting the natural world to create more efficient agricultural systems and even study astronomy to understand the passage of time is an age old institution named Feng Shui. Through the ages feng shui (pronounced Fung Shway) has evolved due to superstition and folklore into a belief system with five distinct components: Wealth, Health, Fame, Career and Love. By understand the basics, we can control these areas of our lives by choosing meaningful symbols and images which are related to these areas and placing these objects in very specific areas of the house. The key principal here is that everything is connected energetically which means that your thoughts, feelings and behavior are influenced by your surroundings. Feng Shui masters have got this down to an art form. There are so many details and specifics of feng shui that I would highly recommend getting a book on it for your own knowledge and because it is so fascinating. What is interesting enough is that I found it to be very similar to the Wicca beliefs that are practiced in the west. There are many people who swear by the benefits of Feng Shui in the home.

Lets get down to the fun part. You can Feng Shui your house for love. Turn that pad into the love shack to attract love, keep love going strong and keep the sex drive on high gear in the bedroom. What you want to do here is create good chi (good energy) and get rid of any sha chi (harmful energy).

The area of your house that represents your love life is the southwest corner of your home. According to the experts, if this corner has good chi, the marriage or love aspirations of the home dwellers will be positively energized but if it has bad chi, lets just say that you wont be getting any for a while; and that is putting it nicely according to these experts. The element that represents love is Earth and so putting a rock, crystal or boulder in the southwest corner of your home you will activate this good chi. Finally you need to energize this earth element with other objects in the love corner. These objects can be crystal (Rose Quartz is suggested), large and round decorative pots and jars, peacock feathers, silk or real flowers, a globe, a symbol of the sun, a Chinese love knot made of red rope which symbolizes undying love, love birds in a pair but never single or ducks in a pair but never single, rose oil and two pink or red candles burning which is known as the tantric twins. All of these objects have ties with the earth element but you do not have to use all of them. It is also said that wood is a harmful element to the earth element so no wood should be here. No dried flowers as well because it could signify the death of a romantic relationship. And just in case you are planning to buy a new house or rent a new apartment, there should be no kitchen or bathroom in the southwest corner of the house. If there is a bathroom, use plants to drown out the sha chi but a kitchen is a bigger problem since a kitchen in this area symbolizes infidelity on either side.

The bedroom can also be worked on. It should be well lit instead or dark and dreary. There should be no plants in the bedroom because plants will bring excess yang (male) energies to the bedroom which could increase his libido and cause a wandering and lustful eye towards younger women. There should be no TVs and no mirror by the bed as they cause an intrusion within a relationship. Hang a rose quartz crystal over the southwest corner of your bed. When looking for love, feng shui-ists say a man should decorate with more yin (femininity) in mind while a female should decorate with more yang. This causes a healthy balance and will attract the opposite sex.

For questions and comments contact The Advice Diva at thediva@advicediva.com

Please visit http://www.advicediva.com for more articles by the Diva

The Advice Diva has written three self-help guides on relationships and dating which can be found at http://www.advicediva.com. She also hosts an online advice column which is completely free of charge. The Diva does not claim to be an expert in any field. However, she has the ability to understand relationhips through past experience and her incredible insight. Aside from her website, the Diva also publishes monthly articles in two magazines and several notable websites.

thediva@advicediva.com

Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees

 

Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees

A feng shui money tree is an indoor plant used in order to attract prosperity and wealth into any space. The feng shui money tree's botanical name is Pachira, and its care requires the average sun light and watering that any other indoor plant would need. Its height can reach to as much as seven feet while it can reach to be as much as three feet wide.

The shape of these plant's leafs represent the five main elements of feng shui, wood, water, earth, fire and metal, and this is what makes the feng shui money tree so symbolic. When an element is missing, or the elements in a space are not balanced, a feng shui money tree would help adding what is missing harmonizing the elements.

Since feng shui money trees bring or increase wealth, they are ideal to place near a place where money is kept or near the cash registers in businesses. Prosperity and wealth, as well as elements harmonization should come after placing this plant at those spots. Any other place where money and wealth is needed can be a good place for a feng shui money tree as well.

Feng shui money trees can also be strategically placed according to the house areas indicated by the bagua map. The bagua map northwest corner corresponds to the prosperity area of life, and this could be an ideal place for a feng shui money tree to be. Since it brings prosperity, you can also help attracting this factor to any other area of your life by placing the feng shui tree at the house area which corresponds to it.

If you would like to have a feng shui money tree but don't know where to find it, there are many stores selling it online which would allow you to buy it through their catalogues. You would easily find them by typing feng shui money tree at your search engine, and they would allow you to see them in pictures as well as provide you with details about it.

As you can see, feng shui money trees symbolism can have many different applications as well as having decorative properties. I can also help you enlightening a dark corner and help chi flowing better. Whether you are thinking of buying an indoor plant for yourself or giving it as a present, a feng shui money tree can be a great option.

By Jakob Jelling

http://www.fengshuicrazy.com

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com. Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips you'll ever need!

Feng Shui Fertility: Six Ways to Create More "Baby Chi"

 

Today, feng shui is used for everything from arranging office cubicles to gaining more recognition at work to helping aspiring writers become more prolific. But what if what you want is a baby? When you are trying to conceive, feng shui can be another tool in your fertility arsenal.

Fertility is such a delicate thing because it can be affected so easily. This is where feng shui can come help. Feng shui can help create a more balanced, harmonious and relaxed environment for conception to occur.

Obviously, the first place to look at is the home. Perhaps there is some kind of energy blockage. Another consideration is the personal feng shui are the parents. This is the feng shui that is related to gender and birthdate.

Unlike western thought, feng shui for parents places the most emphasis on the father and not the mother. The father must have what is called descendants luck. This is where personal feng shui can be called upon to help improve this type of luck.

Renowned feng shui writer, Lillian Too, credits every book to her daughter Jennifer, whom she says was conceived after a feng shui master visited her home and saw that a tree was blocking her front door. The master told her that once the tree was removed she became pregnant.

True to his prediction and after nine infertile years of marriage Lillians daughter was born. This was also what launched her full study and practice of feng shui.

When it comes to enhancing fertility with feng shui, though, it would be wise to address both parents as well as the home. This way, a complete approach will be taken and nothing is overlooked. Fertility feng shui can't create miracles but it can create a positive environment in which miracles can occur.

6 Tips for Improving Fertility Feng Shui

1. ACTIVATE THE DESCENDANTS LUCK DIRECTION.

The northwest (NW) is the direction of descendants luck. It is also the direction of heaven according to feng shui (and arent all babies heaven-sent?).

By positioning the man to sleep with his head pointed in the northwest direction, sit at work facing the NW, eat facing the NW, etc., this will activate his descendants luck.

It might look odd, if necessary, couples should turn the bed so that the man is sleeping with his head pointing NW. If this makes the mans head point toward the door or sleep with his back to the door, then try another method.

Another way to activate the descendants luck is to install a metal oscillating fan in the bedroom. Placed in the NW corner and turned on during the day, the fan produces a generous helping of descendants luck in the bedroom. Be sure to turn it off while sleeping, though, or this luck will be scattered and unable to attach itself to the couple sleeping in the room.

2. USE PERSONAL FENG SHUI.

Personal feng shui is a powerful method for creating good descendants luck. To calculate your personal feng shui directions, go to http://www.redlotusconsulting.com/KuaCalculator.html

Based on the KUA number, you can determine the mans personal descendants luck direction. The man should work, eat, and sleep facing this direction if the NW direction does not work for him.

KUA NUMBER

1 South

2 Northwest

3 Southeast

4 East

5 Northwest

6 Southwest

7 Northeast

8 West

9 North

3. REMOVE ANY BLOCKS TO THE FRONT DOOR.

It worked from Lillian Too, so it might work for you. Be sure that there is an open space out the front door and that there is nothing in direction line with your front door, such as a tree, street, or other object. The front door is considered the mouth of chi and is where all energy enters the home. Make this area clean, auspicious, and beautiful.

4. ENHANCE THE WEST SECTOR.

The west is the sector associated with the children. For that reason it is best to avoid having fire objects here, such as candles or bright lamps. Earth objects, such as vases are excellent fertility enhancers. Enhance this portion of the house, living, and bedroom with metal objects, such as fans, stereos, or other electronic or metal items.

Lastly, be sure to address problem areas in the west sectors of the home (and the west corner of your bedroom and living room) such as crowded closets or junk rooms. Work at getting these cleaned out to allow new creative (fertility) energy to enter your life.

If there is a bathroom in this sector, make sure bathroom doors are shut and to keep a bright light on in this room.

5. OBSERVE PROPER BEDROOM FENG SHUI.

Bedroom feng shui is extremely important when you are trying to conceive. Beds should never share the same wall as the door, a bathroom, or a kitchen. Televisions, work objects such as computers, mirrors, plants, and exercise equipment should be removed. Rest and romance should be the only activities in this room.

6. USE FERTILITY SYMBOLS AND ENHANCEMENTS.

Feng shui uses a number of symbols, many of which are thought to enhance fertility. Some of these would include:

Dragons: Placed on the side table of the mans side of the bed, the dragon can add a little extra oomph in the bedroom. Make sure the dragon is small, otherwise, it will create too much yang energy in the room and make rest difficult.

Elephants: Place a pair of elephants on either side of the bedroom door. Elephants are associated with pregnancy. Or, place one statue of an elephant in the living room. Placed prominently in the bedroom, elephants are said to produce male children.

Double fish: The double fish is a symbol of marital union. Display this in the southwest corner of your bedroom.

Single piece of hollow bamboo: Place this in the north sector of the bedroom to enhance fertility. These are said to aid conception.

Red paper lanterns: hung on either side of the bed, these are believed to bring excellent yang (creative)energy to the bedroom.

When you are trying to conceive, it's always worth taking a comprehensive approach. Fortunately, feng shui can help you make sure the environment supports your endeavors to bring that new addition to your family.

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of The Red Lotus Letter feng shui E-Zine. For more information or to subscribe, go to http://www.redlotusletter.com

kweber@redlotusconsulting.com

Feng Shui for Your Health and Vitality

 

How many of us wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, happy and full of energy? How many of us, after a few hours in the office, still feel full of energy? Why certain environments uplift our spirits and make us breathe deeper, while others drain our energy? We seem to have forgotten how deeply connected we are with the space we live in and how important is for our well being to live in a balanced environment.

As our lives are certainly not getting easier, the need to create a healthy and vibrant home environment cannot be overestimated. We have to have a safe, peaceful and energetically balanced space where our bodies can let down the daylong protective shield and focus on regenerating and self-healing.

Feng Shui is an ancient art and science that has been used for over 5,000 years to heal, balance and enrich people’s lives. It is a very complex body of knowledge that reveals how humans are connected to their environment and shows numerous ways to change specific aspects of one’s life by changing the living or working space.

Being aware of this deep connection and its influence on all aspects of your life, it would be wise to employ feng shui knowledge in your home (and business!) to improve your health, vitality, and general well-being.

One of the main theories of Feng Shui is the theory of Five Elements, which are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. The elements are the five manifestations of Chi, or universal energy, and are represented in your environment by colors, shapes, textures, smells, taste, etc. They interact with each other in certain ways, the basic cycles being Constructive (where each element supports the other) or Destructive (where one element destroys the other). Understanding this theory and its applications in your life can be a very powerful tool indeed. In order to experience high vitality levels and an increased level of well-being, feng shui masters recommend living in a place that supports and nourishes your birth element.

Each of us has a predominant element, which is calculated by the year of birth. (You can find out your own element from specific tables in many feng shui books or by visiting our website) Once you know your own element, look around your place and see which element is predominant in it. Yes, any specific environment also has its own predominant element. For example, if your living room has purple curtains, art with predominant red-orange colors, lots of candles, a fireplace, objects in triangular, pointed shapes etc; the energy in the room is predominantly Fire.

If your birth element is Wood, and you live in a Fire environment you will tend to experience headaches, inability to relax, have constant arguments with you family, often feel “burnt out.” As Fire burns the Wood, you need to focus on reducing the element of Fire in your environment, thus improve your well being. To remedy this situation, you may want to bring some of your own element (Wood) and/or the element of Water (which puts down the Fire.)

Wood element can be brought into your environment by colors brown and green, plants (green bamboo is especially powerful!) objects in rectangular shapes, actual wooden objects and other. Water can be represented by actual water (a fountain) or images of water – oceans, lakes, rivers; as well as mirrors, wavy and curved shapes, colors black or deep blue, etc. The scenario described above will also be true for a person whose birth element is Metal, as Fire melts the Metal. However, an Earth or Water person will feel very good in that environment, and you can easily guess why. Both of these elements are not overpowered by the Fire energy.

An old Chinese proverb states that feng shui consultants double as doctors. And for a good reason. The art and science of Feng Shui has a wealth of recommendations, cures, solutions for every person and virtually every space, be it home, business, garden, etc. Just like your body has a specific anatomy, the space you inhabit also has its own anatomy, with its own “do’s” and “don’ts.” Specific areas of your life, as well as specific body organs relate to specific areas of your home. For example, East is the area “responsible” for Family and Health. The element of East is Wood; therefore it is wise to avoid the placement of objects representing either Fire or Metal in this area of your home/business. If you suffer from certain body ailments, you can choose to place in the East area a picture, or any other representation of a medicine plant particularly healing for you (for example dandelion for liver problems)

Here are some feng shui remedies to improve your Health and increase Vitality:

• Keep the center of your House clean, clutter free and open. This is considered the Heart of the House and is a sacred area in many old cultures. No heavy objects should be placed here. The center of your space is a very good place for a fountain, some crystals, bells/chimes with a harmonious sound, happy pictures of your loved ones, or any other items that speak to your heart.

• Reduce or eliminate metal objects from your Bedroom, as metal conducts electricity. Work on reducing the electromagnetic fields in your bedroom. Provide an ideal space for your body to regenerate, replenish and heal itself during sleep. Do not sleep under beams or sloped ceiling. Do not sleep with your feet in line with the door. Have a good, supportive headboard. Choose a natural mattress.

• Become aware of the quality of air in your space. Aerate your home often and use essential oils like lavender, chamomile, sage, frankincense, bergamot, etc to purify the space, uplift the spirits and improve your sense of well being. Consider using an air ionizer should this be necessary. Have specific plants that purify the air, such as peace lily, boston fern, spider plant, etc. Color green is very healing.

• Have a pleasing welcoming entrance. It should be well lit, spacious and have uplifting energy. If you face a wall or stairs, apply specific feng shui cures or your life could be stuck in unnecessary struggles.

• Surround yourself with objects you love and people that uplift your spirits. Try to spend some time in nature at least once a day. Make your home a healing refuge from the stress you encounter during the day by applying various feng shui cures and reducing the internal pollutants present in most homes.

By following these simple, basic feng shui recommendations you can greatly improve your sense of well being. You can bring healing beauty and harmony into your life and create an environment that is fully supportive of you and your loved ones.

Rodika Tchi, MSc, is a professional feng shui consultant. Her Vancouver-based company offers feng shui information, services and products. She can be reached at www.TchiConsulting.com

RODIKA Tchi, MSc, has been a researcher and practitioner of the field of feng shui for over 8 years. She has several feng shui certifications from the International Institute for Feng Shui and Geobiology based in Germany and happy clients in many countries. Raised in Europe and educated in the US, Rodika lives in Vancouver, British Columbia and consults internationally. She can be reached at www.tchiconsulting.com
rodka@tchiconsulting.com

Usng Feng Shui to Harness the Power of Your Intention

 

Master Lin Yun, founder of Black Hat Tibetan Feng Shui, has stated that making Feng Shui enhancements without intention, is only 10% effective. However, add intention and you'll get a 120% improvement!

If you listen to successful people talk about what makes them successful, one of the elements is being clear about what they want. And it's not just a vague idea, like to be happy, or to be wealthy. Their goals are SMART goals, they are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. So, what's the outcome you are going for? How will you know when you reach it?

Everything around you affects you. Whether it's a pile of clutter, a relationship that is dragging you down, or a broken doorbell - everything is part of what you are creating, whether you are conscious of it or not.

Learning about Feng Shui will give you a heightened awareness of how you interrelate with everything in your environment. That's quite a responsibility. So, the question becomes - do you want to go through your life hoping things work out, or do you want to design a fulfilling and passionate life for yourself? Do you want to be the cause or the effect?

Applying Feng Shui with intention will set your life on an altered course. You're making a commitment - it's powerful. I've seen clients begin Coaching, or Feng Shui, feeling stuck in an aspect of their lives, and within one week had several options magically open up to them. They unleashed a series of opportunities and opened up a pipeline to possibility. It's also about focus. What you focus on expands, and when you move from focusing on feeling stuck, to a wider view of focusing on outcomes, the Universe steps in to support you.

And why not go for some BHAGs? they are Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. Live your life as a daring adventure. You have the opportunity to create whatever you choose for Your life, so think big!

The clearer you are about what you're choosing to create, the greater the chance of having what you want, and the more effective the Feng Shui. Clearing clutter, or placing enhancements with intention is extremely powerful. It's the difference between making a 10% improvement or making a 120% improvement.

Maximizing the Power of Your Enhancements

Use these tools to create an environment of success that will support powerful outcomes for yourself. Make your self a priority and design the life of your dreams.

1. Get clear and very specific about your desired outcome, and write this down.

2. Remove the clutter and clean the area.

3. Choose an enhancement - something that represents the change you would like to create, and place it in the appropriate area of your home or room.

For a visual representation of the Bagua Map and how to find where different aspects of your life are represented in your home go to:
http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/BaguaMap.html

4. Visualize or imagine your outcome as if its already happened - how does it feel?

5. Speak your desired outcome out loud, in the present tense. Always add, 'this or something better, for the Highest Good now occurs'. An example is: I now have 2 new clients who are a perfect fit for me. This or something better, for the Highest Good now occurs.

6. Start taking action towards your outcome.

Sometimes your Higher Power, sees a much bigger picture than you do, so don't place any limitations on what you might receive.

Feng Shui will move you towards the next step in designing your life. http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/

Vicky White is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and Life Coach who works with clients both locally and internationally. Get your FREE 7-part e-course Your Secret Weapon: Powerful Feng Shui Tips To Give Your Business The Competitive Edge at http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/

Do Feng Shui Remedies Really Work?

 

THE PREMISE

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that has been practised for thousands of years. It is based on the idea that there should be a "balance" or harmony in the world. Everything around us has its proper place. If something is out of place and the balance is disturbed, this disruption can materialize as a feeling of uneasiness in the people around it, or as violence or lack of prosperity in the area.

Feng Shui, in all its various forms, acts to restore that balance and harmony. This balance can be in difference ways, such as health, prosperity, wealth and love. And a lot of it really works. The cities of Hong Kong and Singapore are prosperous capitals compared to their neighbors because they are located in places where the Feng Shui is perfect for a bustling metropolis. Even the house of Bill Gates, richest man in the world, is said to be located in the perfect location in the hills to bring its owner great wealth.

But why does Feng Shui not work for some people? In order to answer that, we need to look at its history.

THE HISTORY

Feng Shui originated from ancient China, a land that developed other skills and arts such as medicine, martial arts and the origins of chemical warfare. The knowledge of these skills were highly priced, and the masters of these skills understandably did not want their secrets to be known to others, for fear that the knowledge could be used for wrong purposes, or that the masters would lose their status and prestige once the knowledge became commonplace.

It is therefore expected that the masters might not have handed down all of their knowledge to their students. These students might have compiled whatever knowledge they had, and guessed the remainder that they did not learn from the masters. Some of these students were geniuses, able to replicate the miracles their masters had performed. Others were not so skilled, but used whatever knowledge they had to make a living for themselves. This scenario, when applied to Feng Shui, explains the various schools of Feng Shui that exist today. Some schools do work wonders, but there are also those that produce very little tangible effect.

There are many people who call themselves Feng Shui masters these days, more so now with the growth of the internet. So how do we tell which ones can really help you? Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do. After all, someone can say they are a master of a reputable school of Feng Shui even though they are merely charlatans. The best thing we can do is to find someone who has had their lives improved via Feng Shui, and get the name of the Feng Shui practitioner who helped them.

THE FAITH

However, another important aspect of getting Feng Shui to work is your belief in it. Just like the idols of the ancient Aztecs and the Cross of the Christians, Feng Shui figurines and artefacts act as "focuses". It will work if you believe in it.

For example, in modern pharmaceutical tests, the researchers always say that a drug is successful because it worked on a large percentage (say 75%) of their test subjects. But what about the other 25%? If the drug really works, why didn't it work for them? It could be that their body's physiology was different. But in most of the cases, the reason is psychological. If you truly believe that the medicine will not cure you, it won't, no matter how good it is. "It's all in your mind", as the psychologists like to say.

The same goes for Feng Shui. If you buy a Feng Shui figurine but think it's just some voodoo magic that probably won't work anyway, I can assure you that it won't work for you. You need to have faith in it. If you believe that Feng Shui can help you improve your life, it will.

For more information on Feng Shui, you can visit this Feng Shui page:
http://www.mandarin-ducks.com/fengshui.html

Steven maintains the Mandarin Duck Feng Shui website at http://www.mandarin-ducks.com. It provides information on how mandarin ducks are able to help improve relationships using Feng Shui principles.

webmaster@mandarin-ducks.com