Sell Your Home Faster and More Profitably with Feng Shui

 

From determining pricing to having to keep a home in "showhome condition" marketing a house is always a challenge. Just like a hangnail most homeowners want to get the sale over as quickly as possible.

Here are a number of Feng Shui tips to move the house sale along

First engage the senses . Prospective buyers must be engaged in every way possible . Use these ideas to engage the senses of buyers at your home.

Make sure that your house looks good. Use lots of horizontal space. Make sure you clear off the tops of everything ( dressers , counters , shelves etc.)

Draw your eye to the corner diagonal to the door of each room. This will make rooms seem and feel larger .

Next make sure that all entries and rooms can be entered easily and comfortably. Make sure as well that there are no mirrors that are opposite doorways. It is always a good idea to have some motion in the house - that it is not "dead still". Ceiling fans can accomplish this well.

Believe it or not where you place your "for sale "sign carries weight. Since the karma is to place the sign on the right hand side of the house (facing the front of the home). It makes sense as most people are right handed and lead with the right side of their body.

Your house should be welcoming to newcomers and visitors.

The table in the foyer or front of the house should be inviting offering literature, business cards and a bowl of chocolates or cinnamon candies. As well a smaller vase of fresh flowers always give a nice feeling.

You should remember that the kitchen is the new family room,

Rather than being the area reserved for the lowly servants kitchens are now the meeting and sharing rooms that many families wish to have fond memories of.

Again keep counters clear, clean and nicely organized.

Keep the panty nicely organized - it shows attention to detail and the care afforded by the homeowners. However it never hurts to again place lush plants on the counter alongside a homey jar full of home made cookies. Bathroom doors should be closed.

It is always good to have sounds that are pleasant to the ears.

Place a fountain close to the front of the house or keep music playing at all times especially in the northwest corner of the house.

According to feng shui , earthly scents are the most appealing to the widest range of people. Choose cinnamon and pine scents rather than floral or vanilla scents

Remember that first impressions are lasting ,

The front door is the most important area of the house . Keep in more than immaculate with soft lights turned on in the foyer area , a new doormat , and have something flanking either side of the front door , such as two pots of lush , very healthy plants and flowers.

You should be ready to move mentally as well as physically when you sell home.

Don't dilly and have second thoughts . Don't lay a stumbling block in front of the buyer by making extra demands.

For both your mental health and to reassure the new owners you can even buy them a new gift - such as a new door mat or keychain.

Now it is your turn to start moving out promptly , thoroughly and efficiently. You might even move furniture and large items out sooner rather than later to a rented storeage space. Again this is as much for your mental health as to reassure the new owners.

You will be the ideal role model for the realtors in your area. It makes for more space- prepares you mentally and packing will be half done.

Remember by leaving things to the last moment you limit your options. Everything will be rushed . Things will go wrong. Remember Murphy's Law that what disasters can happen will happen.

You are going to move anyways . The decision is made . So why make it harder on yourself . In addition you will be in a much better bargaining posituon for vendors such as movers and carpet cleaners.

As in life preparation is everything in selling your home.

Hopefully you are moving along for good positive reasons rather than misfortunes in your life.

Amy Goodmann Senior Analyst Substantial Incomes frxforex@yahoo.com www.forexforexforexforex.com www.substantialincomes.com

How To Bring Balance and Positive Chi Into Your Home with Feng Shui

 

It is taking the world by storm. That?s right, more and more people are joining the new age revolution and seeking out the help of Feng Shui to change their lives and bring balance into their world.

Meaning literally wind and water, Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement based upon a philosophy of the movement of chi or natural energy through our environments. While much of the art was recorded by Choo-he of the Song dynasty, it is thought that Feng Shui has much deeper roots. By following the patterns of nature, a Feng Shui practitioner will advise on the placement of everything from an individual object in the home or workplace to the positioning of a building upon property. Feng Shui shows us how to support the flow of energy in our lives to improve one?s health, financial situation and love life.

How does it work?

Feng Shui works in a multiplicity of ways. At its very core however is the notion of properly locating manmade structures and objects in their natural environment so that man and nature work in harmony to optimize the universal energy. The idea is that you take inspiration from the world around you to better your inner self and the circumstances in which you live.

Improving your life with Feng Shui is easy. To start this life changing journey, you first need to consider the basic framework, shape and structure of your home. Houses are all built differently, however, their form tends to resemble one of four basic patterns namely: a square, rectangle, L-Shape or U-Shape. The idea of Feng Shui is to transform your home into a square or rectangle.

Before you start any physical amendments to your family home, it is best that you sketch a blueprint of the changes you have in mind. You want to make sure that your home is going to benefit from Feng Shui in the fullest way possible. Once you make changes they will be difficult to reverse. You need to be organized in preproduction to ensure you get it right the first time. Remember, you are changing your house and life for the better, not the worse.

On a large sheet of paper, draw a sketch of the home you wish to Feng Shui. Include any areas that jut out, such as a garage, or a greenhouse. Make note of any areas that cut into what would make a perfect square or rectangle, such as an alcove. Note where each room is when you make your drawing. All areas under a common roof are considered part of the house. And note where the front door is located.

If you live in a U-shaped or L-shaped home, you will need to make some adjustments because chances are you?re not fully experiencing some area of your life. The goal of Feng Shui is to restore balance and harmony, and one of the ways you can do this is by completing the square. To overcome the missing areas, you can build an arbor in the space, landscape with large potted trees or add a sculpture or wind chimes. This will help symbolically fill in the missing area.

Completing the square

In order to complete your square, you?ll fill in any area missing from your L-shaped or U-shaped drawing with dotted lines so you create a complete square. If you already have a rectangle or square home, you don?t need to do anything to complete your drawing.
Once your house sketch is in the form of a square or rectangle, divide it into nine parts. Split the length into thirds, then split the width into thirds.

That is all that is required in sketching your own plan. Now you?re ready to begin the process of Feng Shuiing your home or work space.

Some general tips

Once you have ?completed the square? of the general lay-out of your home, there are plenty of smaller internal adjustments that will optimize the flow of good energy in your house. Here are five introductory tips to bringing feng shui into your home.

1) Indoor water features can be very powerful ways to enhance your life. By installing an indoor water fountain in your home and placing it in an open, central position you can attract the good things you want into your life.

2) Make sure shoes are not left lying outside your front door. It is important that the main door to your house is clear and open. If shoes, boots or slippers are left in the entry to your home, wind is likely to travel past the shoes, catching unpleasant odors, bringing bad energy and potentially illness into the home.

3) In the kitchen, make sure your stove is not positioned opposite to refrigerator or washbasin. Likewise your stove should not be opposite a washing machine or toilet. If it is, try to move it. The conflict between fire and water will lead to arguments and disagreements between couples and family members.

4) Remove television sets from all bedrooms. Televisions bring an unwanted further dimension to your room, which will absorb good energy.

5) Make sure there are no mirrors opposite your bed or at the side of your bed. Mirrors that are placed opposite your bed are thought to attract a third party into the relationship.

Feng Shui is gaining popularity in the Western world. Taking time to research this art to bring it into your home is certain help you find the harmony you need.



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Improve your Feng Shui: Understanding Chi

 

First, let's say it out loud: chee. (If you've been saying "chai," don't feel bad-most of us did at one point or another!)
Easy to say, harder to understand. Chi is one of those words that, like shalom in Hebrew, has many different meanings in modern English. It can mean energy, life force, or breath. It also means vapor, a nice metaphorical variation of its basic definition. That said, we instantly see why this concept is so very important to the study of feng shui.
But chi also has a larger meaning, one that is very much more than the sum of its parts. Chi is a "breath force" of energy-unseen but very much felt-that radiates life into and through all living things.
As Such, chi is a focal point not only of feng shui and other Asian disciplines, but of Chinese medicine as well. Whereas Western doctors typically treat a symptom, Chinese doctors seek to cure or realign the body as a whole in order to have the body perform at its peak and to eliminate one or more medical issues at any given time.
Anyone who has had acupuncture or shiatsu massage already knows about chi. These practices are both based on the existence of a network of meridians running throughout the body-meridians that must flow unblocked if chi is to function maximally and we are to feel our best.
While blood carries oxygen and nutrients, chi carries thoughts, ideas, emotions, and dreams. What you think-and the way that you think - has a great deal of influence on outcomes in our lives. This goes way beyond the rather hackneyed idea of the "power of positive thinking."
How is this so? Because chi is much more than a concept; it is actually an energy force that pervades both living things and inanimate objects. Thus, manipulating our chi has everything in the world to do with the success or failure, happiness or sadness, which we experience every single day of our lives.
What are the effects of disharmonized chi? Here are three prominent examples.
? Negative chi, caused by excessive light and artificial energy (such as air conditioning), can cause mental and physical exhaustion.
? Strong chi (like that produced by dampness and drafts) can result in two polarized attitudes, depending on the person: either excessive emotion and overexcitement, or depression and lack of direction.
? Fast-flowing chi (which you can feel on very windy days) can make one over talkative and paranoid, fearful of personal attack
Just as placement and position have everything to do with achieving the best flow of chi in our physical environments, so too does our physical countenance. How we dress and wear makeup, and even the food we eat, have a direct result or our chi.
And, why, precisely, is our chi so important? In Chinese medicine it is the unencumbered flow of chi that is seen as a prerequisite to good health. Unlike Western medicine, which treats individual health symptoms, Eastern medicine treats the body as a whole Thus, doing whatever necessary to unblock our chi is of prime concern to our physical and psychological health.
What does chi have to do with Feng Shui Chic? Almost everything, as it turns out. How we dress and wear makeup, and even the food we eat, have a direct result on our chi. To learn more about how to change your life with feng shui and to buy the book Feng Shui Chic visit
Carole Meltzer?s website.

Carole Swann Meltzer is a world-renowned Asian-trained feng shui master who is widely quoted in major consumer and trade magazines. She has appeared on national television shows such as The View. Visit her website at carolemeltzer.com to learn more about her products and services.

Feng Shui --the Myth And The Marvel

 

It is possibly the most ancient design movement known and yet has made itself an avant-garde design craze. Although, over three thousand years old, the idea of Feng Shui has received much attention in modern day. Surf the net or the local bookstores and you will find numerous resources on the subject. It has taken the Interior Design industry by storm and has found a way into university classrooms all over the world. It has been revered as an art. It has been shunned as superstition. It is controversial, which means it is interesting. So let's take a brief look, shall we?

Feng Shui ("wind-water") is an ancient Chinese practice dealing with the arrangement of a space and its elements to bring balance to the environment and those who dwell within, more basically, living in harmony with your surroundings.

This ancient philosophy says that being in tune with the elements and energy around you will bring you the most balance in life. These elements are Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, and Wood. The energy is Ch'i (pronounced 'chee').

Ch'i is the life force, and it is present all around us, all of the time. The purpose of incorporating Feng Shui into our homes is to attract Ch'i and to raise positive energy levels. The Chinese have utilized this in the construction of large buildings and homes, aligning the corners of the structures with the corresponding directions of the four cardinal directions--north, south, east, and west. The ancient Chinese tended to build their homes according to the directions and meaning of each.

Astrology is incorporated as well. Depending on the individual?s year of birth, each direction has different meaning. Those dealt with include positive directions (prime, health, longevity, prosperity, etc.) and negative directions (death, disaster, the six shar, and the five ghosts). According to Chinese life principle, there is no getting around the negative directions. Though, it is believed that utilizing Feng Shui in your home can keep the Ch'i in balance, and the positive and negative in harmony.

In this day and age, not many of us have the option of choosing our land so freely, as we have settled down already or dwell in apartment buildings. Unfortunately, we can't very well pick up and turn our homes to suit our individual Ch'i. This is where Feng Shui designers have found their calling. Placement of furniture, certain deco, as well as color use are considered imperative factors in the Feng Shui culture. Here are a few interesting and random examples.

Furniture Placement:

- Move the bed to face your health and longevity direction.
- Always have a bed against one wall, as this gives the individual stability.
- The oven and the sink should have space between them, as they represent opposing elements; water and fire.
- The living room is the central gathering room and where most families spend their time. Try to put the main area of focus (television, sound system) in the corner that represents health. This way, when the family lounges together, they are facing a positive direction.
- The Chinese believed that no matter how big the family, there should always be at least eight chairs at the dining table. If more or less, the number must always be even.
- Face the desk that you work at towards your creative direction.

Decorations and Accessories:

- If one of your positive directions lie in the South, and there is a Southern wall with no window in your home, add a mirror. This gives Ch'i room to flow with no ending point.
- The bathroom of your home is the place for Ch'i to pool--and in its most negative environment. Bathrooms are typically small, and are associated with destruction. Mirrors, and house plants should be abundant in this area.
- The living room or bedroom are good places for oil paintings and art, as these are objects of prosperity.
- The study, or the area where you do so, should be filled with objects of creativity. Fill the area with artwork, pottery, and house plants. If there is no window above your desk, guess? Add a mirror!
- Round objects represent money. So, in the living room, and study, try round rugs, tables, and coasters.
- Wind chimes, wind chimes, wind chimes! Anything associated with wind will help Ch'i flow freely.

Color:

The central colors of importance to Feng Shui include green, red, yellow, white, and black. Although the meaning and directional significance of each differs depending on your source, each color represents one of the five elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, Wood).
- It is important that the color of your bedroom correlate with your element. Mine is water, which seems to be associated with white or blue.
- The kitchen is the one place in the house most susceptible to hazard. Green is the safest color to use here.
- The study is an important area for free air, and open mindedness. Yellow or white will keep the area amicable.

For more information on color use, check out the Quick Guide to Color Effects and Meanings blog.

Whether or not you take the ancient art of Feng Shui on board, it is quite an impressive subject as well as vastly immense--I have only just touched the bare minimum here. Aside from the apparent mysticism, its principles touch upon the chic mannerism of modern design as well. More and more designers and clients are designing with meaning and with spirituality. In my opinion, this is wonderful!

Every type of art has spiritual root and meaning--it's the artist that makes it distinct. As always, my best design advice is to understand what touches you and manifest it into your space. Peace be with you and may your Ch'i flow free!

Breiana Cecil of OverstockArt.com graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor Degree in Interior Design and in Studio Art. Breiana is an avid enthusiast of the art and design world and intends on continuing her contribution to the industry. Talk to Breiana on the ArtCorner Blog today!

 

Life Reading Vs Feng Shui, Which is important

 

Should we focus more on Personal Life Reading (Heaven Luck) or Feng Shui (Earth Luck)? This has always been an argument.

Which is more significant? Heaven Luck or Earth Luck?

To start off, let's first talk about life reading.

Now, is life reading really 100% accurate? The answer is no. Many have had the misconception that life reading is able to 100% predict past & future events. Life reading tools is a tool used to forecast what is supposed to happen based on one's heavenly given luck; the Heaven Luck that follows you along your birth. It is calculated based on the assumption that there are no presences of any other external factors of influences around you.

Yes, it is definitely in its way accurate based on given Heaven Luck. However in this real world, we can't deny the fact of the presence of other external factors. Your residing and working environment, your education received, people to people relationship and etc will all have direct impact over your life's achievement. And they are especially so when it comes to your home (the Earth Luck) and your relationship with people around you (the Human Luck). It is these factors, which often result in the difference you experienced from that of your predicted luck from Life Reading Analysis.

For example, your predicted luck period may be bad. But on the other hand, your home Feng Shui and nevertheless its surrounding environment is good. Given such a scenario, you will often realize that your luck is not exactly that bad as what was predicted and at times even better.

Now, why is this so? Let's answer this question. How much time do you normally spent in your home? On the average, half or more of each day? And that explains why. For most of the time, you are actually in a good environment, receiving the beneficial Qi from a good Feng Shui environment, having improving and enhancing on your Earth Luck.

Now, what is the purpose for getting your personal life reading analysis? May we assume is to better avoid the unpleasant and improve your overall luck?

To be advising, by getting your life reading analyzed is not enough. It is just like going for a health check up. What should happen if one should misfortunately be diagnosed with some health problem, some unforeseen cancer? He or she can't just wait to get well on his or her own. The necessary treatment or operation has to be arranged. And similarly, it is not possible to wait around and expect your luck would be tremendously changed and improved on its own. By discovering your life reading analysis, you are only advised on how to avoid the unpleasant but do note, your luck has not in anyway been altered.

What can you do?

Let's take for another example. Based on your annual life analysis, you are advised not to be involved in any major business investment for the year. Besides being cautious and avoiding, what else should you do? What if you are running a business? You can't possibly be pushing away all business dealings?

This is the time where Feng Shui would come into place to improve on your wealth luck, which at the same time minimize and prevent any unnecessary losses. It is a tool on its own which always bring about beneficial improvement.

To get the best out of things, the combination of different and functional tools should be used. With the accurate analysis of your personal life reading, you can better be avoiding the unpleasant. And with the further correct application of Feng Shui, you can very much improve on your luck. Complementing one another, they would certainly be beneficial aids in enhancing one's life achievement. Now, isn't this getting the best out of both worlds? Getting both the cake and the pie?

To be answering the question again, one should focus on both Heaven and Earth Luck and not also forgetting our own actions, the Human Luck.

Jon Sim Geomancer & Feng Shui Master of http://www.art-of-fengshui.com, Art of Asia Classical Feng Shui. NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information and all live website link as above.

 

Feng Shui In The Home - Is It The Right Style For You?

 

The use of feng shui in the home is the source of some debate for many would-be home decorators. Some people believe in its healing powers while others think it's nothing more than the lastest hyped up fad.

However, if you are like most people and don't have a strong opinion either way about this subject, then allow me to shed some light. Below is an explanation of what feng shui is and what it represents. But more importantly, you'll be able to determine if it right for you and whether you should you use feng shui in the home.

Feng shui in the home can be a source of relief for some people and disbelief for others. Some home decorators swear that balancing the five elements (wood, water, fire, metal and earth) creates warmth and harmony.

One key aspect of this balancing act consists of using colors and shapes that represent the elements and rearranging furnishings to complete the effect. Other decorators, however, are more skeptical and see feng shui in the home as just hogwash. They don't believe it is neccessarily to have all the blancing in place to create a beautiful room.

So, which side of the fence do you come down on? Does feng shui in the home have any appeal to you? If so, are you drawn to it because you feel that you need balance in your life? Or do you simply seek a new creative twist for decorating your home? Either way, feng shui may still be worth trying.

Feng shui stresses creating an enivironment of harmony in the home. By melding the five elements together in a productive and harmonious cycle, you just might enjoy their pleasing characteristics. Feng shui advocates say that, if your home is dominated by only one or two of the elements instead of having them all represented, the home's level of "Chi" will be weakened. This, in turn, could result in problems for those living there.

So what do you think? Does this have any appeal to you? If not, no problem, but you could be missing out on something that could also be a lot of fun.

Whether you're looking for spiritual counsel and view feng shui as a possible answer, or if you're simply tired of the way your home looks now and desire a more flowing design, feng shui could help. Of course, some feng shui advocates believe that, if you are not seeking balance in your life, you should bypass feng shui decorating all together.

There's certainly no reason to take that advice. While feng shui may not serve its original intent, it can still result in absolutely beautiful rooms. The rooms in your home can flow seamlessly and seem more uniformed, instead of looking like a messy garage with items and accessories all jumbled. The great thing about feng shui is that it can help bring a finished and polished look to rooms that seemed disorganized.

So, is feng shui the right style for you? It your choice, but I think it's more than worthy of a try.

Michael Holland is the creator of Home Decorating Made Easy.com. His web sites offers lots of FREE decorating tips and ideas for decorating your home.

How to Predict 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners Using Feng Shui

 

The Chinese 5 Elements Feng Shui Principle can be applied to predict all 2006 FIFA World Cup Matches. With the Chinese 5 Elements system, you can predict every FIFA World Cup Match with more than 70% accuracy.

To predict, you need to know the Chinese Feng Shui 5 Elements. The Chinese Feng Shui 5 Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. When these elements interact with each others, they create the constructive and destructive forces. There are only 4 interaction probabilities. Therefore, the methodology is rather easy to master.

1. The Producing Cycle.
(Wood Produces Fire, Fire Produces Earth, Earth Produces Metal, Metal Produces Water and Water Produces Wood)
When Wood produces Fire, what it means is that the Fire element is at an advantages position compared to the Wood element. On the other hand, the Wood element is at a disadvantage position.

2. The Weakening Cycle.
(Fire Weakens Wood, Wood Weakens Water, Water Weakens Metal, Metal Weakens Earth and Earth Weakens Fire)
The Weakening Cycle is the reverse expression of the Producing Cycle. Fire weakens Wood means that Fire consumes Wood as fuel and thus the Fire element is at an advantages position. Since the Wood element is being consumed, therefore, it burns itself out.

3. The Controlling Cycle.
(Wood Controls Earth, Earth Controls Water, Water Control Fire, Fire Controls Metal and Metal Controls Wood)
The Controlling Cycle is also known as Destructive Cycle. Fire controls Metal means that Fire has the power to overcome Metal. What it means here is that when Fire is being applied on Metal, Metal will go deformed and thus can be shaped into any other shapes. In this case, Fire element is at an advantages position and Metal element is at a very bad position.

4. Matching.
(Wood Matches Wood, Fire Matches Fire, Earth Matches Earth, Metal Matches Metal and Water Matches Water)
When Fire Matches Fire, it means Fire brings luck to Fire. In this case, both teams bring luck to each other. Therefore, we must find other comparison methods (Producing Cycle, Weakening Cycle and Controlling Cycle) to draw a better conclusion.

Since every team has got uniform; uniform has got colors; colors have got the elements. Therefore, we are able to predict all the 2006 FIFA World Cup matches using the Interactivity of the Chinese 5 Elements.

But before we start, you have to know the colors and their elements.
Wood element: Green and Chocolate
Fire Element: Orange, Red, Maroon and Red Purple
Earth Element: Yellow and Brownish Tan
Metal Element: White, Silver and Gold
Water Element: Blue, Gray and Black

Since every match has got two sessions, therefore the shirts represent the first half of the match and the pants represent the second half of the match.

For example,

Team A has the following uniform:
Goalkeeper: Blue Shirt (Water Element) / Black Pant (Water Element)
Players: White Shirt (Metal Element) / Red Pant (Fire Element)

Team B has the following uniform:
Goalkeeper: Yellow Shirt (Earth Element) / Green Pant (Wood Element)
Players: Orange Shirt (Fire Element) / Blue Pant (Water)

In the first half of the match, Team A Players' White Shirt vs Team B Goalkeeper's Yellow Shirt. It is Team B Earth Produces Team A Metal. Therefore, Team A will very likely to score a goal. Then, we compare Team A Goalkeepers' Blue Shirt vs Team B Players' Orange Shirt. This is Team A Water Controlling Team B Fire. As such, Team B Players are not likely to score a goal. As a result, Team A's luck is stronger than Team B in the first half of the game.

In the second half of the match, Team A Players' Red Pant vs Team B Goalkeeper's Green Pant. The is Team B Wood Produces Team A Fire. Therefore, Team A can score goal(s) again. Then, we compare Team A Goalkeepers' Black Pant vs Team B Players' Blue Pant. It is Team A Water matching Team B Water. It is not conclusive. In this case, we need to compare both Team Players' pant colors. When we do the comparison, It is Team B Water Controls Team A Fire. Therefore, Team B can also score goals due to the weak defense of Team A.

In the first half of the game, Team A has stronger luck than Team B; Meanwhile, in second half, it is considered an equal. In overall, we can judge that Team A has more advantage than Team B and thus the winning chances are higher.

If you wish to know the predicted results of every match, you can go visit: http://www.winning-soccer-prediction.com/worldcup_prediction/

You can also download "How to Predict 2006 FIFA World Cup Winners Using Feng Shui" Report. The listing price is $27. But You can download the Report for FREE before July 4 2006. To download the Report, just go to: http://www.winning-soccer-prediction.com/worldcup_prediction/

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

Pa-Kua Feng Shui Basics

 

FENG SHUI BASICS

Feng Shui (literally "Wind and Water" in Chinese), is all about balance and harmony between us and our environment. Just like the Yin and Yang energies, Feng Shui is about balance. Where there is light, there will always be darkness; where there is fire, there will always be water; and so forth.

Feng Shui teaches that every individual interacts differently to their environment. Sometimes, a particular environment - such as a house or office - is so suited to you that you find that everything in your life is great. However, if you have troubled relationships or financial woes, it is quite likely that there is some discord or imbalance between yourself and your environment, manifesting in your daily life.

By subtly modifying your environment, you will be able to restore this balance, and consequently improve your life. Modifying your environment can be as simple as changing the angle or position of your work desk, or by buying Feng Shui items such as mandarin ducks and placing them in proper locations in your home or office.

There are many systems of authentic classical Feng Shui. This article describes the Xuan Kong (pronounced "Shu-en Kong") system. Xuan Kong (literally "Mysterious Void" in Chinese) is a complete system which includes complicated formulae to calculate optimal positioning and composition of an environment.

EIGHT MANSION (PA-KUA) SCHOOL OF FENG SHUI

There are a few sub-schools within the Xuan Kong system, including the popular Flying Stars school. The descriptions in this article are based on the Eight Mansion school, also known as the Pa-Kua school. In the Pa-Kua technique, the compass is divided into eight directions, each of which is depicted by a trigram. Each of these directions have different significance. For example, one of the Pa-Kua directions is the personal or relationship direction, which will be of the most interest to someone with troubled relationships. Furthermore, the significance of each direction differs for each individual.

To find out how each Pa-Kua direction affects you personally, you will need to calculate your Kua Number. You can do this by using the Kua Calculator at:

http://www.mandarin-ducks.com/dragongate.html

The calculator will provide you with your Kua Number, and more importantly, what each Pa-Kua direction means to you. In short, four of those directions will be positive and favorable to you, while the other four will have negative connotations for you.

The eight Pa-Kua directions can be briefly summarized as follows:

Sheng Chi (Life Generating) - This Pa-Kua direction is your prosperity and wealth direction. You would focus on this direction if you are interested in financial strength.

Tien Yi (Heavenly Doctor) - This direction is your health direction. You would focus on this direction if you are interested in health and physical matters.

Nien Yin (Relationships) - This direction is your relationships direction. You would focus on this direction if you have troubled relationships and would like to improve your love life and/or your marriage.

Fu Wei (Stability) - This direction is your stability and knowledge direction. You would focus on this direction if you want to achieve tranquility and knowledge.

Ho Hai (Mishaps) - The first negative Pa-Kua direction is your accident or misfortune direction. You would focus on this direction if you want to reduce unforeseen accidents or loss.

Wu Gwei (Five Ghosts) - This direction is your financial loss direction. You would focus on this direction to prevent theft and other financial woes.

Liu Sha (Six Killings) - This direction is your "evil" direction. You would focus on this direction to ward off malevolence against you.

Chueh Ming (Total Loss) - This direction is your loss and death direction. You would focus on this direction to reduce physical loss and death around you.

For more information on the Nien Yin (Love and Relationship) corner, you can read:
http://www.mandarin-ducks.com/love.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.