Feng Shui

Most people who are just starting to practice Feng Shui know that their bedroom and

their living room are very important and they focus on balancing those two rooms.  Most Real Estate Agents can tell you why—people spend more time in the bedroom and the living room than all the other rooms in the house. So it’s natural that the practice of Feng Shui makes it clear that those rooms play a vital part in determining how well peace, prosperity and harmony flows into our lives.

But although those rooms are important, there is another part of the house that is just as important, but almost always overlooked:  the entry way. Ch’i enters the house through doors and windows and the major part of Ch’i enters through the front door (or the main entrance).  The entryway, how it’s constructed and how it’s arranged and/or decorated determine the quality of Feng Shui that is experienced by the entire household.

The entrance to your house plays a huge role in creating an environment of peace, prosperity and harmony. It’s the first thing you experience when you enter the house and the last thing you touch when you leave the house. Many of the oldest religions recognize this. Judaism uses a Mezuzah on the doorframe to demonstrate that their home is a sanctuary in miniature of holiness. Catholics use Holy Water at the entrance of their churches so people can anoint themselves before they enter the sanctuary.  While the exact reasons may vary, it’s clear that the entryway is thought of as a portal of peace and harmony by many different cultures and religions. Most probably, Feng Shui, was taking advantage of this idea thousands of years before Judaism and Christianity.

The idea of Feng Shui is to create the flow of positive energy (Ch’i). Unless you pay attention to where that flow begins, it will be impossible to control that flow. Even worse, since the entry way is the largest portal for Ch’i, it literally determines how much positive energy comes into your home.

Given the importance of this topic, the next few articles I write will explain how to create an entry way that is conducive to bringing peace, harmony and prosperity into your home.

The first consideration you’ll want to make is where the entrance is. Most homes have two main doors: one that was built by the architect (the front door) and the side entrance, which is usually an entrance from the side of the house or the garage.  Most often, the occupants prefer one of the other for reasons of convenience. So the first rule is to pick one.  Decide on which entryway to use and make sure all occupants use that one exclusively.  Of course, using the other door occasionally is fine if you’re emptying the trash or if the door leads to the garden. Once you’ve determined where the portal is, then it’s time to consider how to use it in order to maximize its potential to attract and channel  the positive energy that is vital to helping you create a life and an environment that’s charged with peace and prosperity.

In the next article we’ll talk about the primary element of the entrance: the door and how to make sure it’s harmonious with everything good that you want in your life.

Wealth comes to you in Many Different Ways

Before you jump into the Year of The Water Snake, you have to understand that the ancient Chinese had different ideas of what Wealth and Prosperity meant. To them, the terms had a much wider scope than they do now.

Your concept of wealth depends on your level of satisfaction and varies depending on your personal priorities and belief system. Although wealth does imply material gain, it’s important to note that people’s needs are different. In general, the ancient Chinese felt wealthy if they had an abundance of food, shelter, and livestock. Prosperity not only included health, family and love it also indicated an increase in resources.

For example some might feel wealthy as long as they have enough food on the table and a protective roof over their head. Others only feel wealthy if they can buy a Porsche. Examine yourself and determine what wealth means to you—careful introspection will tell you where you may need to make adjustments. However you measure Wealth, it’s important to make sure it does not become a prison that locks you away from generosity and love.  Self-cultivated and enlightened persons are aware that money is not the purpose of life.

A simple life of contentment is true wealth.

The concept of Prosperity has a wider scope. Although it can refer to increasing your material possessions, its main focus is health, family, love and personal growth.  To prosper means to gain much more than material possessions. It means having the things that money cannot buy. Almost often Prosperity brings a feeling of security and contentment.

Remember that the Element this year is Water, so many of the symbols for Wealth & Prosperity are related to water. However there are sub-meanings as well.

Here are three of the many relevant symbols:

Goldfish— not only because they live in water, but also because having plenty of fish to eat was something the ancient Chinese considered to be evidence of prosperity.  The Goldfish do not have to be live; you can have pictures or a likeness of them in art.

Fountains— flowing water represents Wealth and Prosperity flowing into your life. Clean drinking water and water for agriculture was a necessity for the ancient Chinese, so the availability of it was a large part of what the ancient Chinese considered prosperity. Flowing water brought abundant crops and health. Fortunately these days you can purchase a miniature fountain that is practical for almost any living space. 

Plants and Foliage— successful agriculture was essential to the concepts of Wealth and Prosperity to the ancient Chinese.  Water was and is essential to having an abundance of food. Additionally, the complimentary element to Wealth & Prosperity is wood, so you’ll want to include some objects representing the wood element as well.

The contemporary methods of Feng Shui associate Wealth and Prosperity issues with the back left corner of any space. If you stand at your front door facing into the house your wealth area is at the back of the house on the left-hand side. Face any room from the doorway of the room and the wealth area is the back left corner. These are usually the places you’ll want to pay attention to this year.

Finally, there are things you can practice and actions you can take that will help you maximize the opportunities the year offers.

Eliminate clutter in your house. Clutt

er represents stagnant energy and disorder—two things that will inhibit any opportunities for Wealth and Prosperity. Although you should keep a clutter-free and orderly house, pay particular attention to the Wealth and Prosperity areas of each room.

Fix things that are broken—especially the Wealth and Prosperity areas. Anything that doesn't work as it should is a sign of something wrong in the area of your life that corresponds to that part of your space. 

Organize your finances. Think of this as removing financial clutter. Clean out and organize your purse and wallet. Start handling your money as though you value it. Keep your checkbook balanced and pay your bills on time. If you neglect your money, it will neglect you.

Practice generosity. Wealth and Prosperity needs to flow through your life, not just into it. If you don't yet have ample money to share, give as generously as you can of your time, energy, compassion, and appreciation.

Finally, remember that it’s too easy to focus on financial and material increase than it is other forms of Wealth and Prosperity. Unfortunately this is largely due to our current culture’s concepts than the ancient truths of Feng Shui. If your family is safe, secure, healthy and happy you may already be Wealthy and Prosperous.  In that case, practicing Feng Shui correctly can not only help you keep that, it could even increase it!

Chinese New Year Tips - Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Chinese Lantern Festival Shanghai

Chinese New Year starts on February 10, 2013 and lasts for 15 days. This is China’s most colorful and important event of the year. This year it is named “The Year of Water Snake.” There are a total of 12 animals and they rotate throughout the years. There are many activities that happen during this time. On the first night of the celebration, there are fireworks to let go of the old and bring in the new, just like we do here in the USA. Also, on this night, they open all the windows and all of the doors in the house to allow the old year to go out! They have large parades and the lion dancing sways back and forth to the beat of the drummers. On the 5th day of the New year is the Chinese Lantern Festival and it is very colorful and beautiful. You will see paper lanterns made of the animal of the year and also large lanterns that are displayed in their parades.

1. Clean your house well in advance of the New Year. Do not sweep or clean on New Year’s day or it will represent you sending your wealth out the door. All brooms need to hidden and not visible. 
2. Wear red since it is believed to be a happy color and symbolizes a bright future.
3. Give red envelopes filed with crisp dollar bills to children.
4. Decorate your home with nuts and sweets on a beautiful tray. You can also add chocolate gold coins to this mix as well.
5. Entertain your friends and laugh and enjoy the evening.
6. Open every door and every window on the stroke of midnight to let out the old year.
7. Clear your mind of “clutter” this day and keep your thoughts bright and optimistic for the coming New Year.
8. Don’t scold your children or cry on this day, for if you do, it will symbolize how your coming year will play out for you.
9. Postpone washing your hair this day as you will be washing out your good luck.
10. Display large bowls of oranges on the tables to give to your friends and family as gifts. 

Lillian Too has shared her traditions with students and followers of Feng Shui during her training sessions. She has told them that early in the morning of the New Year, she brings in a truck full of oranges and she rolls them from the front door straight through her whole house. She is creating her own luck by following this ancient tradition.

Author: Yvonne Phillips
Yvonnephillips1@aol.com 
www.fengshuipublications.com 
www.fengshuiabc1.com

Feng Shui Event

 

What will the year of the Water Snake bring to you in 2013?

The year of the Chinese Dragon was an intense year for all of us!  It was either intensely good or intensely bad, there was no in between.  However, the year of the Water Snake brings good fortune to all of the animal signs.  This only happens once in 9 years, so that is an awesome start for all of us.  This is the year to make your strategy big for your personal and professional areas of your life.  

Lots of good news this year with 2013 having all of the five elements present, water, fire, earth, wood, metal and fire.  You have the chance to make things happen quicker and easier.  Now is the time to get your thinking cap on and figure out what is most important to you at this date and time. 

We are very fortunate this year with the energies bringing forth more a sense of calmness, not like the Dragon energy of 2012.  You can now refocus your goals and intentions easier and with more success.  The young will be focusing on new ways of achieving their goals and creating a different world in how they work, communicate and interact with each other.  The older generation will be looking at how to create and keep their wealth and they also will be more focused on strengthening their previous way of life to fit in successfully with the younger generation.

Feng Shui Grandmaster Lillian Too says, “The year’s outlook will be balanced, bringing harmony and fewer problems and obstacles.” We should all breathe a sigh of relief and create the year that we want by focusing and strategizing our business plans with creativity and harmony.

She also explains the elements and their meaning this year.  The Wood element is representative of the Wealth Luck which means for all of us new wealth coming in this year.  

Earth is the element that represents Resource Luck which means support for your projects and goals.

The element of Metal indicates good fortune to all of the animal signs and things will be manifested very easily.  This is the BEST news for 2013. Add a little extra of this element and it will support your health and vitality for the year. The balancing of elements in your home and office spaces is what attracts good fortune.  

Since the “Boomers” are the generation to be reckoned with at this time, the power element of Fire will be very good for them.  This is the generation that will benefit the most as they are considered the older, wiser generation. They are the ones that will benefit greatly at the beginning of the year with this great, new, energy.  

Now for all of the young people, the element of Water comes with an Intelligence Luck in 2013.  The best ideas and creativity will come from this generation, as it should be, to move the generations forward.  Their visionary abilities will be the best at the end of 2013.

I will be studying with Grand Master Lillian Too in January and will be sharing her wisdom on the art of Feng Shui for the Chinese Year of the Water Snake in February.   Stay tuned for dates and times of her yearly Chinese Animal updates.

Feng Shui for House & Garden

Lots of stones, not too many stones; more trees, fewer trees so many questions arise when someone wants to apply Feng Shui to their yard. To begin, orienting oneself with the Bagua will ground you in your approach www.creativecolordesigninc.com.

Determine the entry to your yard. Stand with your Bagua so that the bottom of the map is at the entry point. In general, this is the most auspicious location for your vegetables and flowering garden. You should fill it with a variety of vegetation and budding plants, as variation is a key element in FS. To your immediate left, you will want to add blue, such as cornflowers or yellow in the form of flowering bushes, sunflowers, varietals or shrubbery. Morning Glory and Hyacinth work perfectly. This placement will energize the flow of energies to allow knowledge to grow and your spirituality to increase.
The area to your right inspires helpful people and travel. Silvers and whites should adorn this area of your yard, as you want to energize this area. You may wish to locate your dog house or bird feeder in this area. Add metallic silvers of all kinds to this location in your yard, including wind chimes, sun dials and statuary.

The very entry to your yard or garden is the career spot. Remove any and all obstacles from this area. Cut all low hanging limbs and add dark blues and blacks to this area with embedded pavers, reflecting balls or windsocks. Water is essential to career as it represents life, flow and counters stagnation. Locate your bird bath or water feature in this portion of your yard. Avoid locating jagging plants such as black berry or raspberry bushes in this area.

In the middle and to your left side of your yard, plant a tree or add a wooden picnic bench, for wood is the essential element of family. Green should envelope this region. This area should be filled with lush grass. Toss a table cloth down here from time to time and share a family picnic in this spot.
In the center of your yard or garden, you want to foster the energy of self. Gold and yellow should decorate this area. Earth is the energy we are enhancing in this region, so allow it to remain as open and clear as possible. A small grouping of yellow tulips or marigolds is all you will need.
To your immediate right, fuel your creativity and create positive energy for your children. The metal element should be added. The whites and silvers of the travel area should carry over into this region of your yard. Add sculpture and perhaps a swing to this portion you your yard.

Wealth energy is encouraged by the color purple. According to the Bagua, your wealth area is directly to your left across from the family area. Add crawling vines such as Clematis along with wooden lattice and wealth energy will cascade.

Directly across from the entry point to your garden, place your fire pit. Fire element feeds fame and reputation energy. Add hedges as the backdrop and allow red plants to dot the landscape. Salvia, Japanese maple, or a red rose bush would be perfect to promote your reputation energy. Also, do not be afraid to get creative and sculpt round and square shapes in your hedging; this too fuels the fame energy.

Love is in the air directly to the right of the fame and reputation corner. Love grows from the earth element. Enhance its energy with Wild Hyssop, encircling a couple of cherry trees would maximize pink which encourages love energy. Focus on grouping your plants and trees in twos in section of your yard. Though it may be tempting to add a wooden glider rocker for two to this region – avoid it if possible – for love is of the earth element and as much earth as possible should remain open.
Energy will flow freely through your yard. You have not merely maximized the energy of your yard; you have maximized the energy of your life, mind, and soul. Have a tall, cool glass of lemonade and soak in all you have created.

Feng Shui for Your Landscaping

Creating an Outdoor Oasis of Beauty and Balance

As spring invites us to get outdoors again and spruce up our yards, why not consider going beyond the usual habits of gardening, and instead work with your landscape in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui?

With the summer months our yards can become an extension of our living space, and the garden allows us to feel connected to nature. Since the effective application of Feng Shui techniques do wonders for shifting the energy of interior spaces, it makes sense that the same principals apply to your yard and garden. A well designed Feng Shui garden landscape appeals to all the senses, delights visitors, and provides a calm and restorative environment to fully enjoy the summer season.

Landscaping that is energized with the flow of chi will bring life to your home, and attract an abundance of birds, butterflies and a feeling of wellbeing. By incorporating representations of the elements, you can make your garden a retreat oasis in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui.

•Remove clutter, weeds, dead plants, objects to trip on such as tools and hoses, and other strewn debris in order to clear the space and let the energy (chi) flow.

•Don’t overwhelm the environment with every dazzling color in the book, but choose a selection of uplifting colors such as orange and yellow, and calming colors like blue, purple and white.

•Steer clear of items with sharp and pointed angles; rather choose smooth rounded corners to all objects, decorative pieces, flower pots and furniture.

•Avoid placing a fence or large object in the middle of your yard or garden, as it will block the flow of energy and disrupt the positive chi.

Elements of Feng Shui in your landscaping:

•Earth - Keep the soil fertile and the flowers, trees and grass well maintained, as this enhances the earth element. Place round stones as a border around spaces, or as appealing and calming decoration to enhance the grounding balance of the earth element.

•Wood – Choose wooden planting boxes, or adorn your landscaping with decorative wooden pieces such as a carving, bench or bamboo pieces. As a lucky Feng Shui cure, bamboo is used to attract health, abundance and happiness.

•Metal - Place something metal in your landscaping to encourage the properties of that important element, such as wind chimes or planters.

•Water - Include still or slow flowing water such as a fountain, bird bath, pond or pooled water from a stream. It’s not encouraged to have a fast moving stream or river through your property, as this carries the positive energy away from your home, akin to “peace or abundance flying out the door”. Instead, have pooled or slower flowing water which can collect beneficial chi to stay in your yard.

•Fire - For the final touches of balancing the elements, fire can be represented in various ways such as candles or lanterns, or a fire pit.

You can easily create a feel-good and ambient garden patio with pillows, blankets, and outdoor music.

Just a few extra touches and working with the surrounding landscape brings restorative benefits and balance to the energy flow around and through your home. You’ll feel the difference and savour your time in the yard even more.