Friday, September 16, 2011

Our Next Art of Prosperity Class


Fall Shifts and Changes with Energy

You will learn how to bring in that shift with ease in your home and office.

Simple, easy to unde
rstand tools to make your home and office shine!

Bring a first time visitor for FREE

When: Thursday, October 6th
Time: 6:00 PM
Where: Shady Side Academy
423 Fox Chapel Road
(McCune Dining Hall
)
Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Cost: $25.00 Gourmet meal included







Thursday, September 15, 2011

FENG SHUI FOR THE VIRTUAL INBOX: How to write emails that generate desired feedback and flow in your personal and professional life


How to write emails that generate desired feedback and flow in your personal and professional life

Feng Shui is about feeling good. These positive vibrations are generated through the strategic placement of items, colors and shapes within space. What we call “positive flow” and “energizing” also created. Positive vibrations of color, shape and symbolic images or items are placed in areas that represent as well as actually hold the energies associated with different aspects of our lives, i.e. wealth, career, reputation, knowledge, partnerships, family, health, and offspring. There always are ways by which we can enhance or detract from these areas of our lives in a conscious or unconscious way. FS supports the enhancement of flow, and thereby, the enhancement of the positive.

FS is meant to simplify your life, so say what needs to be said to get your point across without cluttering the topic or the reader’s mind and leave it at that. Use bullets or indentations to streamline items or points, thinking about tone, but never overlooking the overall look of the email. Congestion and crowding is never good in FS and certainly an obstacle in any written material: think negative space. Allow for flow of thought and meaning by creating white space between lines, in margins and surrounding important details and thoughts. Consider the effectiveness and power in a well-placed pause; a moment to land and rest or punctuate a particularly important point. This dramatic effect also can be achieved through well-placed white space within an electronic communication.

Break up the monotony of a dense email or imbue an otherwise uninspired message with an interesting image easily found in online clip art or a search engine such as Google Images. When including a link or email address and phone number, double check for accuracy.

Make your subject header reflect the content of your message without being wordy or negative. Directive and warnings, although in rare circumstances of emergency necessary, are inappropriate in written correspondence headers. They can be interpreted as unnecessarily brash or commanding, which is out of place in an increasingly lateral workplace which no longer aligns with blatantly hierarchical approaches to management or information dissemination.

It’s important to be impactful without sounding dictatorial or one-sided. After all, the essence of FS is simplicity and positive flow; effective communication is never one-directional and neither is effective FS. It’s ebb and flow, to and fro’, that enlivens a message as well as a space. This approach engages the reader shift focus and tempo, thereby stimulating greater attention toward subject matter, temporarily relieving and refreshing the eye and mind-- important facets of FS-- freshness and focal points.

In FS we discipline ourselves to the items necessary and those that offer symbolic value in areas we wish represented and energized. The same goes for writing. Less is always more and being concise without being terse or blunt is the goal for good writing. Hold in mind your goal, both in content as well as audience. Although you may be separated by miles or dramatically differ in perspective, you must remember your intention as well as your reader. For any communication, despite the theme, your fundamental goal is to share an idea, request, requirement or support. Ask yourself once you have read aloud your message-- and always read aloud your messages before sending-- have I

• communicated clearly

• communicated respectfully

• communicated positively

• underscored the most important aspect(s) with effective language, symbols or, yes, an underscore

• invited a confirmation of understanding; an opportunity for questions; and further communication

• thanked the reader for his or her time, consideration and involvement

• “de-cluttered” my message to offer simplicity and conciseness while not sacrificing communicative tone

• created a message that will inspire the response required in the time frame necessary

• considered the bigger, long-term picture and allowed opportunity for future discourse

• truly represented yourself and your intentions through word choice, tone and appearance of message?

This last bullet is just as important as those which preceded it because it indicates the necessity of authenticity, and FS is about representing self in the clearest ways possible, creating goals and consciously shifting energies in a direction that supports who you really are and what you most want to enhance and offset to ensure your personal vision for your life is optimally achieved. In your communication, be authentic as well as appropriate, and watch how alignment to your truth serves not only your impact in written communications, but your entire life. Nothing on earth vibrates as perfectly as truth.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Feng Shui for the Spouse or Partner in a Military Family

The constant worry, separation anxiety and practical challenges of running a home that may be moved several times during the deployment of a military spouse is a chronic and cumbersome circumstance that befalls many of the millions of US armed service families. Transience, separation and loneliness compound the daily rigors of running a household in unstable economic times and fulfilling the overwhelming role of both mother and father to children who often worry about the safety of their parent serving and contend with the complexities of adjusting to multiple schools and living environments. All of these factors contribute to much of what cannot be controlled, yet influenced through optimization of environment and focusing awareness to space and the flow, or lack thereof, created within the home.

The head of the household will want to bring harmony and positive flow to the dining area where family members gather for mealtimes. Place a mirror on a wall above the table, being careful not cut off the heads of those seated there, in order to reflect togetherness and connection. Enhance the table with green accents, such as a tablecloth to inspire a sense of family as well as community. Use a circular mat, round bowl, or circular mirror holding candles in the middle to trigger health chi. The circle is a most auspicious form in Feng Shui and can be used in the center of a room in the form of a rug beneath the table.

For a calming retreat from stress, both the bath and bedroom are sanctuaries for escape and relaxation. Avoid blue tile or paint in the bathroom, as water can “drown” positive chi flow in a room that already contains an abundance of this element. Close the lid of the commode, add bamboo or framed images of such, or purchase some very inexpensive bamboo rods to offset the water element. Light some pink candles to energize relationships that may be challenged by distance or the strain of tours of duty and relax in a warm tub of bubbles.

In the bedroom, avoid all water elements, including fountains. De-clutter frequently and compensate for any sharp corners on dressers or tables with plants. Remove photos of children and family to another space in the home, pair similar objects, such as candlesticks and knick knacks together on dressing tables and night stands to reinforce partnerships and balance. See other ideas at www.creativecolordesign.com to lift energies and encourage flow and calm in the home.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Feng Shui for the Children in a Military Family


In the year of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the loved ones of all victims are brought to mind, as well as the military and their families, for whom sacrifice is a way of life.
According to the National Military Family Association, “There are nearly 1.8 million children of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve parents. Deployments are not new to military families, but since 9/11 many parents have been deploying, sometimes on multiple tours, to combat zones for months or more than a year at a time. Service members also frequently go on Temporary Duty (TDY), which can range from a few days to six months. Separation has become a way of life for these families.”

Feng Shui’s healing and supportive impacts create an atmosphere of calm and positive feeling regardless of whether the living space represents a familiar place or an entirely new living environment. Enhance grounding for young people who initially may struggle with a sense of belonging by considering the Earth element by using colors such as tan, brown, green or yellow. To activate stability, such items as rocks, nature art, sand and crystals add a dash of interest and texture.

Cultivating a helpful relationships at school and within the community and household by using the bagua map which can be found at www.creativecolordesign.com to find the right front corner of a room or house and using black, white or silver accents in that area to ignite supportive bonds and integrated experiences. Find the back middle of your space and add splashes of red to enhance reputation in the outer worlds of school and community, employing the critical fire element of Feng Shui practice. A lamp and items representing achievement, such as certificates and photos will further enhance positive flow in the areas of public profile and reputation.

Children of military families shoulder greater responsibilities, often sacrificing activities and study time to assist in the duties of running a household. They possess a unique life perspective of great breadth and depth. Creating a space for them that feels like their own while offering comfort, calm and stability can be accomplished through simple intention and the easy and accessible help of Feng Shui.