Feng Shui Chinese » House

Feng Shui Interprets Exposed Beams

admin — Sun, 20 May 2007 04:40:47 +0000

What constitutes a balanced room according to feng shui theory involves not one, but several aspects. Some of those aspects are non-obvious while some aspects are immediately palpable, such as the flaw of a room which is chronically dark or cold.

The look of exposed beams can be architecturally stunning, but when large looming beams hover over a person’s bed, they can create an unbalanced flow of chi (air currents) within the room. This can have a predictable affect on the person sleeping below. For example, if a large exposed beam hovers over your waist, it could undermine fertility or cause digestive problems. A large beam that crosses over the knees could trigger or worsen knee problems. When the beam travels length-wise over the middle of the bed, the couple sleeping below can feel divisive. It is as if an invisible curtain divides the connection between the two people.

Feng Shui is a 3,000+ year old metaphysical practice, originating in China, but relevant to everyone since it deals with energy, nature, laws of physics and the environments we all create. The harmful effect of exposed beams is well-documented and a basic feng shui principle is that flat, beamless ceilings are much healthier to sleep under.

What do you do if you have exposed beams in your house? Well, if the room is big enough to handle a four-poster canopy bed, the fabric draped over the frame can work as a faux ceiling and deflect away the downward pressure of the beam. Some people are actually able to drop the ceiling in a remodel and thus eliminate the exposed beams entirely. This is only recommended if you will feel comfortable with the lower height of the ceilings.

Exposed beams in other rooms of the house, such as a den or dining room, should not be a concern. The beams are only a potential problem if you sleep under them or work long hours under them.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui And Apartment Living

admin — Thu, 10 May 2007 04:40:01 +0000

People often ask whether or not apartments apply the same Feng Shui principles as houses. The answer is, yes. Another popular question is whether or not apartments automatically have bad Feng Shui. The answer to that is, no.

What makes apartments more challenging to enhance or correct than houses: There is no land or outside environment to remedy or control. Sometimes the most effective remedies for health and prosperity are things you do to the space just OUTSIDE your home. With an apartment, the focus has to be totally with the interiors.

There are some limits with apartment living when it comes to your neighbors. Sharing walls with people can subject you to sounds and smells that you would have an easier time separating yourself from in a house (although not necessarily!) Clients in houses have told me numerous upsetting stories about neighbor disputes from all sides.

Some ideal Feng Shui remedies involve structural changes. These too are usually limited or not allowed at all in apartment living. Sometimes it doesn t hurt to ask. When I was married and in our first apartment, we had a very dark entrance at the top of the stairs. My husband asked the landlord if he could install a skylight at our own expense and the landlord agreed. It was easy and cheap for my husband (the architect) to do, and the landlord knew it was an improvement to the property.

APARTMENTS ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAN HOUSES

The front and back of any structure has to be identified before complete analysis can be made. In Feng Shui, we call the front side “facing” and the back side “sitting.” This is not always obvious. In fact, most of the time, an apartment FACES its window side. The brighter, more yang side of the apartment is often looked at as the face and windows the eyes looking out.

Apartments often have less than ideal entrances. They are usually dark (coming from the building s interior hallway). In small apartments, the kitchen is sometimes the first room you see when entering. It is generally better when the kitchen is not the first room you see because of a Pavlovian effect. It is also better when a kitchen has an exterior window.

Aside from some of the things just mentioned, apartments can have just as good or better Feng Shui than a house, depending on other compensating features. Is there a lucky floor you can choose in a multi-level building? Feng Shui numerology suggests picking a floor that matches your personal Trigram. (Based on your birth date) Since I value practicality over everything, my suggestion is to be as far away as possible from the garage entry gate or the building s trash dumpster! The top floor will have the best views and this can make the same size apartment feel bigger. This is one reason why they are more expensive.

MORE FENG SHUI MYTHS EXPOSED:

If you have heard that you should never put a fountain or an aquarium in the kitchen, this is incorrect. This misinterpretation of the elements is that the presence of water will extinguish the fire that a kitchen symbolically represents and somehow this will destroy your prosperity.

Sometimes the kitchen ends of being a good location of the house for water and it can benefit the whole house. Remember, any advice which says “always do this” or “never do that” is going to be general advice at best, and sometimes totally irrelevant to your unique space.

ANOTHER MYTH:

“When your fish die in your aquarium, it means that they absorbed something negative that would have happened to you.” I doubt this! I think it means that you didn t take care of them properly.

AND ANOTHER MYTH:

“Don’t keep books in your bedroom they are too stimulating.” This is another pseudo-FENG SHUI nonsense theory.

AND YET ANOTHER MYTH:

“Don’t place your bed’s headboard against a wall shared with a bathroom.” This is another New-Age pseudo-FENG SHUI recommendation. Don’t take seriously.

MYTH #345

“Don t have a skylight in your office as it provides a way for wealth to leak out of the room.” Not true. Why would a skylight leak wealth any more than a window? Chi actually glides along all surfaces: floors, ceilings, and walls. Skylights can be great additions to spaces that would otherwise be too dark (yin). That in and of itself is counter-productive to creativity and prosperity. The preceding FENG SHUI myths came directly from a little book which was written by a well-known FENG SHUI practitioner in Southern California. It is a veritable gold mine of trash FENG SHUI and I am so grateful to the author for putting so much bad advice all in one organized book from A-Z. As I write my own book, which will expose all the fake FENG SHUI being perpetuated, I don t have to rack my brain to remember all the myths I have heard over the last ten years. This little book has helped me enormously in my research!

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Macro Feng Shui Verses Micro Feng Shui

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:39:08 +0000

When it comes to apartment buildings, they are often more complicated to analyze than a house. The house generally has one family inside or an extended family and the whole house is viewed as one unit, having one orientation. Then, each room can be micro-managed as a smaller version of the house whole house. As an example, if we discover that the northeast section of someone�s house happens to be very positive in their particular house, then the northeast section of each room in that house would have a small dose of that good quality. Simple and straightforward.

But what about an apartment building with any number of occupants? Does the chi (energy) have an intelligence to understand that these tenants are not related to each other? Should the apartment building be viewed as one giant house, where everybody inside is just occupying a room that happens to be their individual apartment? Or should each apartment be viewed as its own universe, with its own distinct orientation? These are the kinds of questions that feng shui practitioners have different opinions about. The distinctions in the analysis can include whether or not the apartment building has one big main lobby or entrance that everyone uses or in the case of certain condos and townhouses, where each person has their own separate entrance from outside. And would a common parking garage matter?

I have always taken the approach, where I make a mental note of where someone is within a building (the big picture) and then I help the client micro-manage their own apartment, with its own unique orientation, especially since this is all the client has control over. Feedback from clients confirms that often similar types of people will occupy the same building. Creative types might be an example. Perhaps you are a chef and the person who lives above you is a kitchen designer!

It is valid to note where someone�s individual apartment is within a building. If I can use the metaphor that the building is like a state or country and the individual apartments are like cities or towns. You will have the greatest potential to succeed and be healthy and happy if you are in the cleanest and most prosperous city, as opposed to the most polluted or poverty-stricken town. Over and over again, I have clients confirm for me that the people who occupy the best part of a building are doing better than those in the worst parts of the building. If I discover that my client is in a bad part of the building with no practical or affordable way to move, I try to see if they can make better use of the best parts of their individual space.

On the consulting side, it is very funny to see the range of priorities and expectations that different clients have. Some people explicitly say, �Don�t tell me anything bad about my place or I will just focus on that!� Others say, �Don�t hold back to be nice, I want to know all the flaws!� And when house-hunting with a client, some will request, �Don�t let me even put an offer on a house that isn�t naturally excellent feng shui� and others will say, �We love this house; please tell us that if there is anything wrong with it that it can be fixed!� There is an old Chinese expression often used by feng shui practitioners when our clients give us ultimatums: The words are �Oy vey.
About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui for Children

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:39:37 +0000

Children respond to their environment in very objective ways. What may be considered good feng shui in general will definitely apply to kids as much as adults. Since children often sleep 8-10 hours a night, their bedroom is quite important. The location where a child chooses to study will also affect their ability to concentrate and be productive.

Over the years that I have been consulting, I have seen with total predictability that some bedrooms encourage creativity and the children who sleep in those rooms are quite precocious, talented, studious, musical or artistic. A bedroom where the feng shui is negative can make a child afraid to sleep in their room, be moody, depressed, chronically ill, or hyperactive.

But what may be perfectly acceptable for a child could be too chaotic for an adult. Many children like their rooms to be colorful and very “yang.” In the same way that kids like loud, grinding music and lots of stuff around them (neon posters, lava lamps, etc.) This same active energy could send an adult into a migraine.

Their bedroom is their “studio apartment” and like adults, children should avoid:

� Large mirrors in their bedroom, including mirrored closet doors.
� Sleeping under a low window.
� Sleeping with their bed aligned directly with the entrance door.
� Having their bed aligned directly with a toilet somewhere in the house.
� Sleeping under beams or very low, slanted ceilings.
� Sleeping in a bad direction based on their birth date.

Children should be taught at an early age how to be clean and tidy. I have seen bedrooms of children and teens that looked like the inside of a dumpster and this doesn�t help anyone. Often, a really good closet system can help a child keep stuff off the floor or crammed into tight spaces.

Children who have problems with ear infections, glandular or urinary problems are often in bedroom where the water element is not strong enough. Metal strengthens water, so the parent should place some heavy metal pieces in the room, even under the bed for safety’s sake.

Children who have difficult digestion, menstrual problems or perpetual loneliness may have a bedroom with too much earth energy, which can also be reduced with hefty amounts of metal. A metal bed frame counts for metal also.

Children who have frequent episodes of muscle, joint, or bone problems, including hand injuries need to have more fire in their room, such as red color.

These are just a few examples of how children can benefit from feng shui adjustments to the most important space they occupy.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui in the Kitchen

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 04:38:34 +0000

The kitchen is still sometimes referred to as the “hearth of the home.” In older, traditional floor plans, it indicated the back part of a house, literally as well as from a feng shui perspective. Although that is not always true anymore. Kitchens are now often prominent in the front part of a house.

In the olden days, wealthy people would leave the kitchen relatively raw. The wealthier they were, the less time they would be in the kitchen themselves; rather, servants would do all the food prep. Nowadays, people spend thousands of dollars remodeling kitchens that they barely use!

Since the stove is an integral part of the kitchen, it represents the fire element and the location of a kitchen for feng shui purposes can indicate some of the family dynamics.
As an example, the direction of northwest is associated with the metal element. Fire (from the stove or oven) can symbolically melt metal; therefore, the kitchen in the northwest part of a house (or apartment) can put pressure in that area�which emanates throughout the entire house. What it can do, specifically, is cause the father in the house to have a lot of pressure on him and/or his children may be disobedient or rebellious.

When there is a kitchen in the center of the house, it will excite whatever kinds of energies exist there. The vast majority of houses should not have the fire element in the very center of the house.

At the same time, there are a lot of “feng shui kitchen myths,” which have made people panic for nothing. Some of those superstitions include:

� Having a sink opposite a stove is a clash of water and fire. FALSE. While it is true that water and fire clash, the sink is not really the water element most of the time. Their proximity to each other in the kitchen layout should not be cause for alarm.
� The kitchen should only be in the south part of the house. FALSE. This is too rigid. It is true that the direction of South is inherently related to the fire element, but that does not at all mean it is the only good direction for a kitchen. Each house is unique.
� The cook should not have their back to the entrance of the kitchen. FALSE. While this myth almost makes sense from a practical standpoint (the cook should not be disturbed or surprised from behind them=accidents), I have yet to correlate anyone specifically having frequent kitchen accidents just because of this common floor plan arrangement.
� If you put a mirror on the wall that the stove is up against, it will reflect double the food being prepared and that brings wealth. FALSE. I have had a number of clients try this, only to be frustrated with the amount of grease splatters on the mirror, looking weird and not increasing their wealth.

The truth is that there is no rigid formula regarding where a kitchen should be located or what color scheme it should adhere to. What is generally true however, is that the immediate sight of a kitchen upon entering a home can lead to a Pavlovian response to eat whether hungry or not.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Mirrors and Feng Shui

admin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 04:37:53 +0000

In the world of Feng Shui there is a lot of talk about mirrors. Some say they can be used to send back bad energy. Others say they can be used to bring in good energy. And then others tell us we can use them to double or even triple our customers walking in the door. There are countless other mirror �remedies� such as putting a mirror under your bed if you sleep in a room over the garage, or placing a mirror in such a way to complete a �missing corner� or to keep toilet sha from entering your sleeping area. Well, we don�t have enough room in this column to explore all of it so I will give you the benefit of my years of experience working with mirrors.

Mirrors in bedrooms more often than not create sleeping problems. They cause the qi to bounce around (think of geometry) and become too active for such a yin space. Qi moves on its own accord and when you give it something as reflective as a mirror as well as round objects then it will bounce and spin much like a ball set in motion on a pool table.

Mirrors do give the illusion of more space. If a mirror is placed on a wall that is opposite a window that has beautiful flowers or lovely scenery outside, then you have a reflection of that beauty inside. However, if the area on the other side of the wall on which the mirror is hanging is full of clutter then you may have that energy coming through the back of the mirror as well, so the beauty is then diminished. Also, it is important to know what kind of qi is in the wall. Think of it this way, if you like chocolate and you are given chocolate then you are happy about it. If you don�t like chocolate and you are given chocolate then you will be unhappy about it. When you are unhappy, it�s probably that others around you will become unhappy too. So it is a good idea to find out what kind of qi is in the mirrored wall and how well it likes the reflection being brought to it. There is some qi that has a very negative reaction to red roses or a green lawn, while there is other qi that loves the red roses or green lawn. One rule of thumb in feng shui is that when the qi is happy, the people are happy. Yup, it�s just that simple.

Mirrors can help move good qi around to other spaces in your home. Back to the ball on the pool table example � if you have really good qi coming in a door you can place a mirror so that it sends the qi to other parts of the house. Slow moving fans are good to help with this, too, as is color and use of pathways.

I have experimented with ba gua mirrors for years under many diverse conditions. I have found that placing ba gua mirrors to ward of bad energy coming from a neighbor is more likely to cause problems than cure them. If you have a sharp pointing roof coming to your home it may not be as bad as you think. If it is doing harm then there are ways of landscaping or ornaments that can diffuse the qi. Another rule of thumb in feng shui is to consider how to use the qi rather than trying to suppress it or send it away.

In the old days mirrors were really highly polished metal pieces. Today we have glass with silver on the back. The silver wears away over time leaving the mirrors less clear than when they were new. It is said that the image and some energy of every person that passes by or looks into the mirror is held in the silver backing. Fact or superstition? I don�t know for sure. I do know that after removing old mirrors from my home and replacing them with new ones I experienced an instant relief. �Clearing� mirrors in public places such as department stores and hair salons has helped impact the well being and happiness of people working in those places. I have actually seen the mood of customers become happier after the mirrors were cleared.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

The Main Door

admin — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 04:37:23 +0000

The front door of a house is very important since it lets in qi that can be beneficial or harmful to the occupants. If the qi is beneficial then it is good to use the door often. The area around the outside of the door should be beautiful with lovely flowers and a winding walkway to the door. The porch or outside entry should be kept clean and swept. The more beautiful and clean the area outside the door the happier the qi will be when it comes inside.

The area inside the door should be welcoming and uncluttered. It is best if there is an entry space that allows guests to place their shoes on a rack and hang their coats, hats and a place to put their purses upon entering. The qi will come in with the people and as they stand in the entry placing their belongings the qi will have time to collect before being moved into the other areas of the house by the people.

The door should be in good proportion to the size of the house. If it is too small the occupants are more likely to engage in arguments over petty issues. If it is too large, then the finances may suffer.

The door should be hung so that it does not stick. When the house settles the door may begin to stick. This is the time to adjust the door so that it opens and closes with grace.

Keep an eye on the door frames so they can be replaced should any rot occur. Bent, broken or rotting door frames can have a negative impact on the occupants� fortune.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Yin and Yang of Trees and Plants

admin — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 04:36:43 +0000

Creating a Feng Shui garden is one of the most enjoyable areas of my career as a professional Time-Space Feng Shui consultant. Before Feng Shui I loved gardening and I have been fortunate to encounter great gardeners to help me along my journey to have healthy, growing plants wherever I live, whether it is in an urban apartment, the desert, lovely northern California, west Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, or central Texas. Combining this knowledge with Time-Space Feng Shui tm distinctions bring greater joy and more effective results.

Willow trees represent grace and are yin. A beautiful willow planted beside a front yard pond with a waterfall gives a lovely balance of yang and yin. Planting a willow tree in an interior courtyard would be too yin for the space.

Pear trees represent longevity and are yin. These lovely trees can be used in a back yard that might be too yang. The trees provide shade when they become mature. Their flowers are beautiful and the fruit is delicious to eat.

The Peony is associated with wealth and is yang.

The idea is to balance yin with yang and add components that suit the energy you are interested in cultivating in any particular area. Of course it is not wise to depend entirely on the loquat and peony to bring wealth. The other factors are to be considered:

Place your water feature according to the flying stars chart. Activate the water star 8 and/or 9 with the pond or fountain. If that area is in the southwest or east during this period (until 2024), it is most fortunate. � Maintain a good attitude. � Stay awake and aware so you can see the opportunities and make proper judgment about which ones to take advantage of.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui For The Real Estate of Your Dreams

admin — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:36:16 +0000

When Feng Shui first began, thousands of years ago, the practitioner was looking for an ideal ancestral burial site. Location, Location, Location still is the focus; it’s been going on for more than five thousand years. Presently, most practitioners use a directional compass when searching for an ideal location for homes and businesses.

The traditional Feng Shui compass of the east is called the Lo P’an; it is so complex, that most practitioners living in the west now rely, simply, on a western compass; therefore, when looking for real estate, equip yourself with one. It can be purchased in any sporting goods store or most department stores. Take a compass direction of the energy that you will be facing. A facing position is found by standing with your back to your front door, looking out toward the other side of the road or street. Today, roads and highways are synonymous with rivers. A large, trafficked area has fast-moving energy and equates with a large, fast-moving river or even a rough ocean. That�s why businesses do well on high volume roads, but a home in the same area can cause many woes for the people living there.

A young couple, just starting out, may want to consider buying an eastern-facing home. This signifies new beginnings and new projects; while, an elderly couple may want to consider the more quiet and peaceful energy of the west. A southern energy is very dynamic; though, the energy of the north is placid and contemplative. Northeastern energy should be avoided, unless the individuals living there like a whirlwind of chaotic energy. Northeastern energy can be very draining on slow-moving and methodical inhabitants. Think about the storms coming out of the Northeast, the Nor�easters. If you buy a home facing in this direction, at least you’ll know what you�ve gotten yourself into.

When searching for your dream home, it should not have overgrown trees and bushes blocking the front door. The entrance is called the Mouth of Ch�i, also known as the Ming Tang, the inner and outer space found at Chinese gravesites. The inner space is an area adjacent to the dragon’s lair; the outer is bright and welcoming. Ming Tang translates in Chinese as Bright Hall.

In the same respect, I have coined the three w’s are an easy way to remember that a pathway to the front of a home should be well-groomed, winding and welcoming. This keeps the entrance bright and hospitable. The house should be well maintained, with no loose shingles, or if it is made with brick or stone, loose mortar. A fixer-upper needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The color of the roof, sides, front and back equate with specific energies and these factors should also be analyzed, so that they may enhance the inhabitants own energies. In the backyard, this area should be supported with the dark tortoise hills by planting bushes or trees on the perimeter, toward the back of the home. On the sides, bushes, flowers and small trees could augment the property. But, the east side of the home should have plants and bushes larger than on the west side. The dragon of the east rests higher than the tiger of the west. Adding foliage is the equivalent to the �U� configuration, an arm-chair-effect that was first used in Form Feng Shui. The armchair is supported in the back by the dark tortoise, on the sides by the azure dragon and white tiger. The red bird hovers in the front. If the home is in the city and has other homes next to it; this is considered protection on both sides. But, the back would still have to be enhanced and grounded. Yet, there�s one caveat� make sure you know who you�ll be living next to, before you purchase that home. Loud neighbors can mean that the dragon and tiger are always animated or angry.

For those of us who are thinking about purchasing a property on the side of a mountain, no matter how breathtaking the view, this can be iffy and is not optimal Feng Shui. Mud slides happen, as well as earthquakes, avalanches and sometimes even volcanoes. The back of the house should be situated, far enough, away from the mountain. The view of the mountain�s beauty can still be captured, but the mountain should not endanger anyone living on it. City dwellers should keep in mind that large buildings are synonymous with mountains.

Remember, when you finally purchase a home, this is where you will live, eat and sleep each day of your life, so practice beneficial Feng Shui.
About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui and Real Estate

admin — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:13:44 +0000

Whether you’re searching for a home in Beverly Hills CA, or Moorhead, MN, acquiring a property is one of the most important decisions anyone can make in a lifetime. Buying or selling real estate can be so overwhelming, especially, when you don�t know what property to choose or what to do when searching for a new home. Selling a home, scouting out a new location for a business, or buying multiple properties is when you should, not only hire a qualified real estate agent, hire a Feng Shui expert as well. Yet, the optimal time to call in a Feng Shui expert is even before a home is built.

Some people say, they have a gut feeling when they find the right property; they just feel like they�re home. But, why not have some basis to form that feeling. Your gut is probably a good indication that you�re on the right track and the property is the right choice for you. Yet, the placement and direction of the home or business, in question, can be analyzed before a purchase is made. This gives you more than a gut feeling; it gives you choice information.

An energy analysis can also be done, to make sure that the property is compatible with its inhabitants. Water, tree, fire, metal and earth are the elements that are contained in the Chinese five-element-theory. This theory goes hand-and-hand with Feng Shui concepts. It is the core of Feng Shui. Why not use this knowledge to purchase or sell a property. The Chinese have been doing it for thousands of years; they thought enough of their ancestors to hire a Feng Shui practitioner. It all began by looking for the best location for a grave site:

When Chinese pictorial writing began about 5,000 years ago, it is believed that Form Feng Shui was being practiced. This was about the same time, in Puyang, a Chinese city located in northeastern Henan Province , that constellations, depicted in mosaics of a dragon and tiger, were discovered at the burial site of a six-foot-man. On the floor, at the base of the tomb, made from cowrie shells, a white tiger was placed in the west and an azure dragon in the east.

Cowrie Shell

The mosaics that were found relate to, two of the four, Celestial Animals used in Form Feng Shui. The dark tortoise of the north and the red bird of the south are the other two. Form Feng Shui was the first school, of many, with principles relating to this ancient art of placement. Yet, the term Feng Shui wasn�t mentioned until, about the later part of the 5th century A.D.; it was first referred to in the Chinese Book of Burial.

When a Chinese family needed expert advice for a proper burial site, they’d hire a Feng Shui practitioner. The practitioner knew how to observe the directional energy of the land and its surroundings and surveyed the perfect plot for the family�s ancestral, burial ground. The family of the deceased believed that burying their loved one, in this select site, would bring wealth and auspiciousness to all living relatives. This is how Feng Shui was launched and literally translates as, �Wind, Water�.

The Chinese looked to nature and noticed how Ch�i (Chee) meaning energy, or the dragon�s celestial breath, was in the drift of the �wind�. They also studied the flow of �water� and how ch�i settled there as well. Since the azure dragon was revered in their culture, they knew that this was the wealth of their surroundings; harsh winds and rapid waters drove ch�i away.

The people observed the lay of the land. In the east, the rounded, lush mountains, like the dragon�s curved spine, kept them safe. The dark tortoise mountains, of rich black earth, protected the backs of the ancestor�s graves from the harsh winds of the north. And, the white tiger-hills, of the west, were the guardians from the storms of nature. In the south, the red bird was the warmth of the knolls that faced into the sun; while, the meandering rivers, by the frontage, signified the wealth and prosperity of the land and its inhabitants. The dragon’s breath, at last, was peaceful and calm.

Even back then, the people were wise to hire a Feng Shui expert. Location, location, location was the family�s treasure in locating the best grave site. Now, when using Feng Shui, the same premise should be applied–but for the living as well; find the best location, and that doesn�t necessarily mean prime real estate. Although, even without knowing it, most prime estates have many Feng Shui principles incorporated in their structure and grounds. Still, purchasing a property on the side of a mountain, no matter how breathtaking the view, is not optimal Feng Shui. Mud slides happen, as well as earthquakes and volcanoes. The back of the house should be situated, far enough, away from the mountain. The view of the mountain�s beauty can still be captured, but the mountain should not endanger anyone living on it. A home does not have to be a mansion, but it can be your own harbor of respite and joy.

Lo Pan

As thousands of years passed and Feng Shui was being practiced widely in China ; about 1200 A.D., Yun Sung, the forefather of modern Compass School , enhanced Form school by introducing directional energy. He used a compass. In Traditional Feng Shui the compass is called the Lo P’an.

When looking for real estate, equip yourself with a western compass. It can be purchased in any sporting goods store or most department stores. Take a compass direction of the energy that you will be facing. A facing position is found by standing with your back to your front door and looking out toward the other side of the road or street. Today, roads and highways are synonymous with rivers. A large, trafficked area has fast-moving energy and equates with a large, fast-moving river or even a rough ocean. That�s why businesses do well on high volume roads, but a home in the same area can cause many woes for the people living there.

Ming Tang

In the same respect, a pathway to the front of a home should be bright, winding and welcoming. The house should be well maintained, with no loose shingles, or if it is made with brick or stone, loose mortar. A fixer-upper needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The color of the roof, sides, front and back equate with specific energies and these factors should also be analyzed, so that they may enhance the inhabitants own energies. In the backyard, this area should be supported with the dark tortoise hills by planting bushes or trees on the perimeter, toward the back of the home. On the sides, bushes, flowers and small trees could augment the property. But, the east side of the home should have plants and bushes larger than on the west side. The dragon rests higher than the tiger. Adding foliage is the equivalent to the �U� configuration, an arm-chair-effect that was first used in Form Feng Shui.

The armchair is supported in the back by the dark tortoise, on the sides by the azure dragon and white tiger. The red bird hovers in the front. If the home is in the city and has other homes next to it; this is considered protection on both sides. But, the back would still have to be enhanced. Yet, there�s one caveat� make sure you know who you�ll be living next to, before you purchase that home. Loud neighbors can mean that the dragon and tiger are always animated or angry. Remember, when you finally purchase a home, this is where you will live, eat and sleep each day of your life, so practice beneficial Feng Shui.

The Chinese knew it all along; Feng Shui is the best way to choose where you will live, now, and possibly to the end of your life. Feng Shui and real estate make the perfect couple, you and your energy-enhanced home.
About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shuiing Your Refrigerator

admin — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 16:20:44 +0000

Thousands of years ago, when Feng Shui was devised, refrigerators were nonexistent. People kept things cold in the snow or in the coolness of caves. Back then, Feng Shui focused on keeping a stove clean; the stove was the clan�s wealth. But today, because of modern technology, a refrigerator plays a significant roll in daily living and Feng Shui. It is just as important as the stove. I believe it signifies your health.

In 1748, the first known artificial refrigeration was discovered. So, only in the last 256 years have refrigerators become the utmost of importance in our society. Refrigerators, as we know them today, with sections for frozen food and chilled food, were introduced and mass-produced by General Electric, back in 1939. In the 1950′s through the ’70′s manufacturers where not far off the mark and Feng Shui correct, when they introduced many different colors for refrigerators. For those of us who remember, turquoise blue and petal pink, avocado green, harvest gold or coppertone, we will be giving away our age. Unless you have a custom made refrigerator, they are usually white, bisque, (an almond color) black, the same wood facade to match the cabinets, or stainless steel. Now, some companies are offering refrigerators, in a variety of colors; panels of color that can be added to the front of the refrigerator for a personal touch.

Some very interesting statistics show what refrigerator shades people prefer:

- Black is purchased in the West, more than in the East.
- Bright or Bold colors speak to younger consumers.
- Nostalgic People like retro colors– soft yellow and petal pink are making a comeback.
- More men than women prefer black or metal finishes.
- White is the most popular color.

When choosing a refrigerator color, get out your compass for the enrichment of directional energy. If you don’t own one, you can purchase a compass in any sporting good store. Using a compass will show the direction your refrigerator is facing. A refrigerator facing east, may be green, or the same wood-facade to match the cabinets in the kitchen — placed in the southwest, black– in the northwest, stainless steel or white–centralized in the home, a yellow or golden tone –and facing northward, black, blue or bisque. If your refrigerator faces south, you better call a custom designer; red or purple is the best color. Hartland Appliances offers a wide variety of primary and pastel colors. And Viking Range Corporation supplies an array of savvy colors, Burgundy, Lemonade, Mint Julep, Cobalt Blue and Eggplant, to name a few. Appliances with designer colors can add beauty to a kitchen, as well as enhancement Feng-Shui-wise. When designing the kitchen, never place a stove or refrigerator next to each other; the water element of the refrigerator diminishes the fire element of the stove.

Choosing a refrigerator synonymous with compass colors, for a specific direction, will enhance your fridge’s energy, in the space where it is placed. Many families have two refrigerators or more. Some are housed in the garage or other areas of the home, including laundry rooms and basements. Colors will certainly enhance a specific energy to a specific space. But by far, the most important criterion is the cleanliness of your refrigerator. You bathe daily, so why not clean your refrigerator more often. It houses the food that sustains your very being. And Feng Shui-wise, it enhances your life.

If you have purchased a used refrigerator or have stored it for a period to time, it is very important to thoroughly clean, not only the inside and outside, but also the racks, shelves, drawers, gaskets and coils as well. Make sure you vacuum the coils on the back and periodically clean the underside as well. To clean a used refrigerator, or one that’s been in storage, use a mixture of equal parts of � bleach and � water. Bleach can irritate your hands, so wear gloves when sanitizing. Begin by washing or scrubbing the walls, including the freezer compartment. Next, wipe the shelves, racks and drawers. Be sure to get into the tiny holes and crevices. This will kill any mold or microbes that have set up home, inside your fridge. It’s easier if you place all the extraneous parts in the bathtub and clean them there. After cleaning the parts and the inside, rinse with clear water and wipe with a lint-free, clean cloth.

If an odor remains in the refrigerator, put an open box of baking soda or about � pound of activated charcoal in a dish, to absorb smells. Activated charcoal can be purchased in aquarium stores, health and nutrition stores, or online. If you would like to give a sweet scent to your frig, you may add one part lemon or orange peels to one part sea salt. These are all great deodorizers. Place any of these combinations in a small dish, on the middle shelf of your frig. Feng-Shui-wise, this is the central location and the health area. Make sure you remove the baking soda, charcoal, salt and citrus peels on a regular basis, especially the peels. Set up a schedule, or mark your calendar on a set date, to replace them with new deodorizers. The peels should be replaced every week, the rest about every six weeks. When discarding the old peels and salt, or baking soda, they may be placed in your garbage disposal to give it a clean scent.

Always, keep the temperature in the refrigerator at 40� Fahrenheit and your freezer should be set with the proper climate control below 32�. Do not over pack your freezer. Mark packages with a date and clean out the freezer on a regular basis, at least every three months. Most frozen food can be kept for that period of time. If any frozen food is freezer-burned, throw it away. After initially cleaning your refrigerator, start a regimen of a once-a-month cleaning. Clean with � cup of baking soda to 1 quart of water and 1 tablespoon of lemon. Wipe down the inside to keep the smell in your fridge springtime- fresh and clean. A new refrigerator should also be wiped down before using.

Make sure food in containers is held for no more than three days. See if the produce drawers are clean and vegetables or other items there are crisp and fresh. If food has been sitting out for a period of time, throw it away. Always look in the back of the refrigerator; foods there usually go unnoticed. Basically, keeping your refrigerator clean will keep you from warranting unnecessary health problems. The outside surface of the refrigerator should be wiped regularly. The handles, door and ice dispenser compartment, if there is one, should be sanitized. Glass cleaners work well but on the ice dispenser area, clean with warm soapy water and rinse well. Do not get harsh cleaning products on places that may mix with ice or drinking water.

Notice where the door opens on your refrigerator, is it left or right? Double doors have two directions. This symbolizes east and west; the top is south, the bottom north. Fame can be enhanced, if the top of your fridge is clutter free and clean. Placing chackras there is not a good idea, unless it is done tastefully. Your career can be enhanced, if the bottom or underneath of the refrigerator is dust-bunny-proof. Doors are an eyesore, if they are heavily covered with magnets and papers. Use these items sparingly. Feng Shuiing your refrigerator can be cool, or just as hot as Feng Shuiing your stove. So be happy, healthy and wise, keep your refrigerator Feng Shui, squeaky-clean.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Home Feng Shui

admin — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:17:50 +0000

Feng Shui questions and answers for the House.

Q: How do you recommend that we clear old energies from our house? We keep experiencing weird ghost like events and suspect that the man who lived here before us is still around even though he died here 12 years ago. Also are there other kinds of negative energies to deal with in a house that can be dealt with from a Feng Shui perspective?

A: The energies that you are talking about are called “Ling” energies in Feng Shui. These are like lingering energies according to the Ling theory of evolution. According to this philosophy when someone dies their Chi (life force energy) leaves their body and goes into the astral plane for possible reentry into another human body usually as a new born child. Often however this process of the Chi leaving the body at death is not complete and part of the Chi lingers as Ling energy. This Ling energy often returns to its familiar territory as in the example of the old man returning to your house.

To some this is perceived as a pleasant event and for others it can be quite disruptive. In either event it can be confusing and intrusive to one’s own Chi to be visited by the Ling of a deceased being. Furthermore when a being leaves part of it’s chi earth-bound it tends to keep it from completing it’s soul’s journey into the astral plane in preparation for it’s next incarnation. So it is my view that it is appropriate to lovingly invite these Ling particles to return to the light for completion of their soul’s journey.

The way that we do this in Feng Shui can be complex however, depending on your awareness. It may be possible for you to clear these energies on your own. First you need to learn the expelling mudra: hold two middle fingers with your thumb and flick both fingers in both hands ( see diagram) as you walk around the house. At the same time visualize that the Ling energy is lovingly returning to the light for completion of it’s souls journey. Sounding also helps if you know how to make sounds that are helpful to clear old energies. Lastly visualize that your home is filled with loving light and that only those energies that are harmonious to your being are present in your home.

Additional techniques that you can use would be to burn candles, smudge with incense or sage, play chanting music, chime bells, or just sing, dance hoot and howl your way through the house with the intention to clear all old energies! Above all have fun and don’t be afraid of these Ling energies.

These same techniques can be used to clear other energies as well. Examples would be what we call predecessor energies as in the energies left in a house from those who lived in your home previously. This can be subtle and then again not so subtle but rather intense. For those who are sensitive to energy you could walk into a room after there had been an argument and you would feel this predecessor energy as an angry agitated energy. If the predecessor had experienced much depression and trauma this kind of energy could remain in the house for the successors.

Above all else claim your home as if it were a sacred part of you which it is.
Q: Please explain the Feng Shui theory of the use of colors?

A: Feng Shui has much to say about colors. According to the teachings of Feng Shui color is everything and color is nothing which is similar to the Tao teachings and Yin /Yang philosophy. Every color has a unique vibrational frequency and the objective is to bring them all into balance with each other and all other energies in the environment. The frequency of colors goes from one extreme to the other with red at one end and purple at the other not unlike the chakras which start at the base as red ,then orange, yellow, green, blue , purple, and then iridescent at the crown. This pattern can be used as a reference for one way in which you can select colors for your interior as well as exterior. In other words, have a representation of each of the chakra colors in your home with none of them over-powering and you will probably have a balanced color pattern in your home.

Another way to use colors is to use the colors of the five creative elements in Feng Shui which would be Green (wood), Red (fire), Yellow (earth), White (metal), Black (water). According to this theory you would incorporate one of each of these colors in each room. This could be in the form of a picture frame , rug , bedcover, wall color etc.

Pay attention to the exterior colors also. If you had a brown roof, brown siding, brown trim, brown door your house would not be in good color balance. The solution in this case would be to paint the trim another color and then the front door could be painted another contrasting color. White exterior and interior walls are O.K. because you can then add other colors to complete the colors. All in all there is much that can be said about colors but not enough space to write about it all here so if you wish you can purchase a new book called “Living Color” by Professor Lin Yun and translated by Sarah Rossbach to learn more.
Q: How are mirrors supposed to be used in Feng Shui? I hear all sorts of conflicting information and I want to be sure I understand correctly. Thank You for your help.

A: Mirrors are used in Feng Shui to redirect, attract, or move certain energies. For different applications different kinds of mirrors are used such as round, square, or octagonal. In addition we use a special kind of mirror called a BaGua mirror for extra powerful solutions. This is a mirror within an octagonal frame with the Chinese trigrams displayed, special colors red, green, and gold, and the wood element as it’s frame.

We use the BaGua mirror to re-direct intrusive energies such as a road pointing right towards our front door, a cemetery next door, or an intrusive neighbor. Simply point the BaGua mirror with loving intention towards the intrusive energy and it will loving re-direct it back to the source of the intrusion.

When we want to attract certain energies a mirror can be helpful. An example would be the placement of a mirror in a place within your environment where you want to attract more of something. One often used place for a mirror is behind the stove to attract prosperity and symbolically double the quality and production of the food. We also use mirrors in retail stores to attract more traffic into the store.

To move energies as in a situation in which there is a wall close to the door upon entering, then place a mirror on the wall directly in front of you upon entering. Make sure this mirror is positioned so that your head is fully visible from the mirror. You want to avoid having your head cut off high or low due to improper positioning of the mirror. A mirror used in the front entrance will help expand your Chi and hence your opportunities in life.

Avoid over-using mirrors randomly placed because they are powerful remedies and can cause chaotic energies when misused. In most cases the bigger the mirror the better but in some cases a very small mirror is sufficient such as when you want to stop the Chi from going down the stairs too quickly with steep stairs. In this case you would place a small square mirror at the bottom of the stairs facing you as you come down the stairs.

Use solid clear mirrored glass panels as opposed to mirror squares for all of the applications mentioned above. In some cases it is possible to use reflective material such as foil paper, shiny wallpaper, shiny tiles, stainless steel etc. An example for this would be when you are looking to place a reflective covering above the lower bunk bed to expand the constricted Chi (see previous Earth Star Feng Shui Column).

We used to say that mirrors were the aspirin of Feng Shui, but now we have evolved. We now say that mirrors are the homeopathic remedies of Feng Shui! Use them wisely and they will help you to create balance and harmony in your environment.
Q: So much is said about Feng Shui in homes but rarely do I read about apartments. I am wondering how to use Feng Shui to find a good apartment in Cambridge. What do I need to look out for so I can be sure to find the right apartment? C

A: Pay attention, as you look for an apartment, to your inner knowing (intuition). It will tell you everything you need to know. If you are hesitating and compromising in the choice then perhaps this is telling you that there is something about it that is not harmonious to your being. On the other hand when you find the right apartment it will sing to you, making you happy and satisfied.

On a more practical level, look at the neighborhood to see that it is peaceful, quiet, healthy animals etc. Next look at the building. Does it seem healthy, pleasing, balanced? Walking in the lobby pay attention to smells, sounds, first impressions. What do the people look like as you pass them in the lobby. Is the lobby well lit and secure feeling? Upon entering the apartment is the doorway clear, well lighted, easily accessible with room to stand freely upon entering? What is your first impression upon entering? Can you sense what the previous tenants were like? Is the floorplan of the apartment even with most areas fitting into a square or rectangular configuration or is the apartment L-shaped? Look out the window and check for powerless or transformers near the apartment. Avoid these as they emit electronic pollution.

Check the plumbing to make sure they drain properly and that there are no dripping faucets as these represent the digestive/elimination in the body. Electrical should work properly also. When running an electrical appliance if the power dims then the electrical is inadequate. This represents the neurological system in the body.

Make sure that ceiling clearance is adequate so that your Chi is not compressed. Colors affect environment also so avoid dark colors in an apartment except in isolated instances. Check the sun orientation of the apartment. Best not to be facing North as this is the cold side with relatively less sunlight.

Ask about your neighbors also. Who are they and what are they like? The energy of neighbors does not stop at the walls and does affect abutters so it is helpful to know what you are getting into.

There is so much to share from a Feng Shui perspective but these will help. Lastly, once you decide on an apartment be sure to do a clearing of the environment when you first move in. Many blessings in your next apartment.

About the Author

By Stanley Bartlett. http://www.bartlettdesigns.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

No related posts

Ideal Building Site for Period 8

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 16:17:17 +0000

According to the teachings of Xuan Kong Feng Shui, if you are planning on building a new home or business premise, locating a perfect site is of the utmost importance. Since the site is the foundation, following all the guidelines will be the most logical approach.

There are three types of Qi involved when a building is being constructed:

Heaven Qi – the Time Factor, which is Yang and supported by Water
Earth Qi – The Space Factor, which is Yin and supported by Mountains
Man Qi – The Human Factor, which is a combination of Yin & Yang
Qi also comes towards us from all eight directions, in order to locate the Yin Qi; we use the Earth Chart, which is also known as the Luo Shu Numbers/Magic Square as follows:

For Yin Qi, the Zheng Shen (ruling Qi) is located where the ruling Star is. For Period 8 (February 4, 2004 to February 4, 2024), it is in the northeast. Zheng Shen is also defined as the most vibrant Mountain Dragon. If a mountain is located in the Zheng Shen direction of a house, the people living in the house will be healthy, have good relationships and capable of giving birth to babies.

To locate the Yang Qi at a site, we place the ruling star 8 White in the center, where the 5 Yellow Star is located, which is the other ruling star, and is known as Ling Shen. Ling Shen is also defined as the most vibrant Water Dragon. If a body of water is located in the Ling Shen direction of a house, the people living in the house will have wealth and prosperity.

According to the above guidelines, for building within this Period 8, the site is most auspicious if it has Zheng Shen in the northeast, which is supported by the existence of a natural Mountain, and Ling Shen in the southwest, which is supported by the presence of natural Water, which could be in the form of a lake, ocean or river.

About the Author

By Teresa Hwang, FSRC Senior Practitioner and Lecturer. http://www.teresahwang.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Move-In Date or Completion Date?

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 16:03:29 +0000

To define the Heaven’s Heart is the most important step in Flying Star Feng Shui. Yet this is one of the many topics Feng Shui masters cannot agree on. There are at least three versions. The first version is that the current period is to be used no matter when the house was built. The second version is that the completion date is to determine the period star at the center. The third version is that the move-in date of the occupants is the deciding factor.

Master Jiang Da Hong is the authority in Flying Star Feng Shui who talked a lot about yang houses. Authentic Xuan Kong Feng Shui practitioners must base their practices on his teaching. The problem is that the same teaching may have a variety of interpretations and Feng Shui masters all agree to disagree with each other’s interpretation.

Master Jiang did not teach explicitly the flying stars method. It was Master Shen Zhu Reng who interpreted his teaching to make Xuan Kong Feng Shui known to the public. Of course there are a lot of people attacking Master Shen’s teaching as he did not learn from a master.

In Shen’s Xuan Kong Xue, he included Master Jiang’s important article: “Ba Zhai Tian Yuan Fu” with his annotation. Here is a paragraph that gives us some hints about the controversy of the completion date versus the move-in date to define the star chart of a house.

If a house is large, then the power it invites is far and wide. If the house is small, then the qi it receives is feeble. In any case, it is the leading qi that is the key issue. The real direction must be examined with care to see if the stars fly forward or backward. (Shen’s annotation: This talks about the thickness of the qi received by large and small houses.)

If a door is changed, it will turn withering into flourishing. If a pathway is moved, it will distinquish between fortune and misfortune. If a part of the house is demolished and a new room is added in its place, it is important to decide whether the east part or the west part be chosen. The auspicious and inauspicious locations must be known before renovation takes place. (Shen’s annotation: This talks about the method of renovation. For a yang house, qi comes in through the door. Even if the site is out of the cycle, changing a door will remove the inauspiciousness. For a site in the current cycle, if a declining door is chosen, the fortune will be greatly diminished. It makes great differences within a foot and an inch. Therefore, we must be very careful. Whenever a door is to be opened, we must ask when the house was built. Then use flying stars to examine which location is most appropriate for the door in order to receive the vibrant qi. The vibrant qi must be the most vibrant qi of the current period in order to remove inauspiciousness. If we only know the door is in the vibrant location but according to the construction period, it is in fact in a location where the qi is weakened or depleted, it is actually evil. Therefore, changing a door is most appropriate to have it in the vibrant location with vibrant qi.)

To explain this in even simpler terms, this paragraph tells us that the location of the door is most important in a house. A house can be made fortunate by renovation. First of all, we must know when the house was built. Then we can plot the flying star chart according to the construction period. (It is the construction period and not the move-in period we seek to know, according to Master Shen and implied by Master Jiang.)

For example, let us consider a house built in Period 6 facing Bing (S1) with the main entrance at Wu.

The water star at Wu is 5 which is sha qi in Period 7. Now it is suggested that a new door be installed in a vibrant location. In period 7, the most vibrant location is in the Dui Palace. However, the water star in Dui is 3, which is also sha qi. The location that has the most vibrant qi in the current period is in the Kun Palace where the water star is 7. The door should be located in Kun.

This example clearly indicates the beauty of Xuan Kong Flying Star. I have no intention to try to convince anyone that the construction completion date is to be used to define the flying star chart. I just want to quote the two great masters Jiang Da Hong and Shen Zhu Reng to support my view.

About the Author

The adoption and application of the advice or information offered is solely the readers’ responsibility. Feng Shui Research Center and its Associates are not responsible or liable in any manner for any loss or damages caused by following the suggestions in our articles, readings and other services. http://www.astro-fengshui.com/

Joseph Yu

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

So You Want to Build a House

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 15:54:19 +0000

So you want to build a house! Congratulations. This article is written to give you some tips on the order in which to progress toward accomplishing your goal. Although nothing takes the place of a qualified Time-Space Feng Shui consultant to assist you in building your dream home (however grand or modest), these suggestions come from feng shui principles that have been tested over millennia.

There are two important factors to consider first, Location and Direction of the house. Next to consider is the shape of the house and the location of the rooms.

We can glean the classics for consistent information on these factors. One of these classics is the Ch’ing-Lang Hai-Jiao Ching by Guo Pu written during the Chin Dynasty during 265-420 CE. He gives us a powerful description of how qi manifests in rivers and mountains. These descriptions give us the criteria for finding the best locations for homes and any other structures we are building. The text is beautiful but I will condense it here for practical purposes.

The location must have good qi, good energy. It is best if the location is fed by good quality mountains or hills that cradle the site on three sides and water on the fourth side. This allows the location to be fed good active qi as well as having the ability to retain the qi while keeping it moving. The land must have spirit. The power of the qi must be strong and fertile. The site must be more yang than yin. Good mountains will take care of the people while good water will take care of wealth.

In Qing Master Jiang Da Hong�s Yang Zhai Zhi Nan we learn that we must examine the natal chart of the house. This is direction. We use the compass to determine the best direction for a house to be built so that it gives a good natal chart. The flying stars must work well with the forms for people to be happy, healthy, and prosperous in the house.

The same classic gives us the best shape of the house and principles on location of the rooms. He tells us that the house is beautiful if it is regular and symmetrical. The yang rooms should be located in the yang part of the house while the yin rooms should be located in the yin part of the house. So, you can see how important it is that the good yin qi should be in the back of the house while the good yang qi should be in the front of the house.

Although this formula is simple it does require research, exploration and thoughtful design. When a house is built according to these principles the people live much easier lives than those who live in other types of houses. The same is true for businesses.

Enjoy your dream home. Life is too precious to live with bad feng shui.

About the Author and Permission

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui Mistakes to Avoid in the Bedroom

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:39:57 +0000

While considering each individual’s best sleeping direction and avoiding his or her “Lonely Pillow” direction. (Both are determined by your year of birth in relation to your gender.)

There are several environmental factors to consider when choosing the position of your bed, such as:

Large MIRRORS – aren’t recommended in the bedroom, because they aren’t conducive to a restful nights sleep. Mirrors reflect light… light is Yang Qi, which is active energy. By reflecting light mirrors stir-up the Qi in the bedroom, where you want the Qi to be more Yin / still and restful. Besides, mirrors could reflect your bedroom activities to the neighbor. This wouldn’t create a feeling of security and safety in the bedroom. Plus, if the mirror is in your “Lonely Pillow” direction, it will cause you to be single.

Headboard against a wall! The wall provides stillness of energy to provide a restful nights sleep. You want the Qi to be still at top of your head. If you angle your bed in a corner, there will be too much movement in the Qi at the top of your head for you to have a good night�s sleep. When there is a window above or behind the head-of-the-bed, be sure the window is closed when you are in bed, because a closed window stops the movement of Qi. After all Qi moves with Wind & Water.

Clear view of the bedroom entrance… without being in-line with door. If you’re in-line with an OPEN doorway, you’ll be hit directly by the Qi coming through the OPEN doorway. I emphasize OPEN, because the majority of Feng Shui books fail to mention that a door must be OPEN for the Qi to move through it. After all doors, like windows, stop the movement of Wind & Water. So if you have no choice but to sleep in-line with the door… CLOSE the door, or at least keep it ajar to direct the Qi away from the bed.

Bathrooms mustn’t be seen from the bed. With bathrooms it is a sanitation issue. Keeping the door closed or at least ajar is the simplest solution. Moving the bed would be another solution.

Sharp corners , caused by oddly shaped rooms, pointed directly at the bed or bedroom door are considered an ‘Angle or Metal Sha’. These cause instability and insecurity to the relationship as well as health problems. Some remedies for this type of sha (negative affect) are rounding the sharp edge off the corner, concealing it with molding, or positioning the bed in another location.

Avoid large exposed beams above the bed , which cause various problems depending on their position. Move beds and other occupied furniture out from under exposed beams. If it is impossible to move the bed, conceal them with an actual flat ceiling or use thick multi-colored tapestry-type fabric by stapling the cloth as if it were an actual ceiling over the bed.

When the beam is chopping across the body, health problems in that area of the body will develop. Once again we are dealing with the harshness of a direct hit of Qi, which is being directed downwards off the sides of the beam.
Beam dividing bed between two pillows , from head to toe, the harmony of the union is in jeopardy. The Qi coming down from the sides of the beam could cause separation or divorce.
A bed positioned between two of the unseen energy patterns. To find these unseen energy areas, divide the width and depth of your entire home by three creating a tic-tac-toe type grid. If your body is divided you will have health problems in the region where the two energy patterns bisect your body. When a bed is divided from head-to-toe between the two pillows by an unseen energy grid line, the occupants are sleeping in two different energy combinations… which cause relationship problems. A couple described it best when they said “it’s like we’re sleeping in the same bed in different rooms.” The solution is to move the entire bed into one section of the house grid. Hopefully, the section with the best energy combination.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

P.K. Odle is an internationally respected instructor for the renowned American Feng Shui Institute and founder of The Feng Shui Advantage. To learn more about Classical Feng Shui and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.FengShuiAdvantage.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 15:53:36 +0000

’8 House Mirror,’ the title of one of the oldest classical Feng Shui books, refers to the 8 trigrams / directions of the Yi Jing and how the Xuan Kong calculations reveal the potential of a building as clearly as if it were reflected in a mirror. The mirror metaphor in the title and the fact that ancient Feng Shui Masters used mirrors as a METAL element remedy are most likely why recent books suggest that mirrors are Feng Shui “cure alls.”

Unlike ancient mirrors, which were made of thick pieces of highly polished metal…our modern mirrors have no more metal in them than an aluminum can. Classical Feng Shui neutralizes sabotaging energies with one of 5 elements. Metal remedies have always been and will always be the most used of the 5 elements. Where the Xuan Kong calculations of your home reveal that you do require Metal remedies, today you�d use a key-wound clock or a metal piece of furniture or art that blends with your d�cor.

The 8 trigrams and 5 elements of the Yi Jing are commonly represented in an 8 sided layout, which in Chinese is called a BaGua…which simply means 8 portions. There�s nothing magical about a “Ba Gua” symbol, mirror or anything else that has 8 sides. Hanging a BaGua symbol (with or without a mirror) over your door or laying it over your floor plan is not the intended use of a BaGua diagram. The traditional BaGua diagram is more of a teaching tool, similar to a textbook with encoded information about universal energy patterns� not the energy patterns of every building.

The Yi Jing teaches that all energy patterns are different and constantly in a state of change, which is why…there are NO �one-size-fits-all� answers or remedies in classical Feng Shui or in Acupuncture, which is another complex Chinese science with the same roots as Feng Shui.

Unfortunately, the majority of popular Feng Shui books are written about folk beliefs, which vary from book-to-book and are very confusing. As in any culture, Chinese folk beliefs vary from region-to-region and generation-to-generation. These folk beliefs are meant to do no harm; however in certain years because they are attempting to over-simplify a very complex science, they can backfire and actually cause harm.

Today the only Feng Shui use of our modern mirrors is to make a small space appear larger or to reflect more light into a dark area. However, there are still a few Feng Shui reasons to be cautious where you place mirrors in your home�

In classical Feng Shui, much emphasis is also placed on the Yi Jing�s Yin/Yang Theory. For example, a very Yang environment / room that�s excessively bright causes headaches, quick temperament and easily troubled emotions. On the other hand, a room / environment that�s too Yin or dark results in desperation, pessimism and fatigue. To avoid such problems, you want a balance between Yin and Yang in your inside and outside environment.

Yin is by nature cold and passive, while Yang is hot and active. In terms of physics, Yin is the internal pulling force and Yang is the external pushing force. Cold or Yin objects often possess a contracting ability. Hot or Yang objects generally maintain an expanding ability.

LARGE MIRRORS in your bedroom expand or stir the Qi which keeps you awake. Mirrors reflect light, which is a Yang or active energy. By reflecting light mirrors make the Qi in your bedroom more active. However, you want the Qi in your bedroom to be more Yin or still, and therefore, restful. If you have large mirrors in your bedroom, when you turn the lights off at night� you�ll toss-and-turn until the Qi becomes still enough for you to sleep. For a good nights sleep, you want to cover or remove any large mirrors in your bedroom.

To avoid triggering the �Lonely Pillow Syndrome,� which causes you to remain single or sleep apart from your mate� you need to keep mirrors out of your 15� �Lonely Pillow� direction / section� from the exact magnetic center of your whole house/unit and from the magnetic center of your bedroom. Large mirrors or mirrored closet doors in your bedroom increase the chance of activating your �Lonely Pillow�.

When a mirror is in your �Lonely Pillow� direction, either remove the mirror or cover the glass of the mirror so it�s no longer reflective. Over the years, I�ve taught over 1,500 clients their �Lonely Pillow� directions and they have come up with many creative ways to cover their mirrored closet doors. A client who�s an artist used water-based paints to paint a beautiful multi-colored mural over her mirrored closet doors. Other clients used double-faced tape to attach rice paper, wallpaper or anything that complements their d�cor to cover their mirrors. One client, who had part of a mirror in her master suite bathroom in her �Lonely Pillow� direction, used double-faced tape to cover that part of the mirror with her young child�s artwork.

In some instances, there might be a reason you want to sleep alone. Then, of course, you can choose to activate your �Lonely Pillow� direction. For instance, you could hang a mirror in your child�s �Lonely Pillow� direction to encourage them to focus on their education instead of finding a mate. Get the idea?

There are several other circumstances that trigger the influence of your �Lonely Pillow� direction, which will keep you from having long-term intimate love relationships or cause you to sleep separately from your partner the majority of the time. Many of my clients over the years who have suffered from �Lonely Pillow Syndrome� were relieved to discover an outside influence was keeping them single� and that they could escape its influence.

You won�t find this personalized information in any of the popular do-it-yourself Feng Shui books. In fact, barely 5% of Feng Shui professionals have the knowledge necessary to calculate ALL of your birthday / gender derived 45� and 15� �Personal Directions,� including your �Lonely Pillow� direction. After teaching over 1,500 private clients how to work with ALL their �Personal Directions� since 1997, I�ve developed the first personalized program to teach you how to identify and work with ALL of your �Personal Directions.�

Each of your �Personal Directions� has a Chinese name, however I refer to them collectively as your �Lifetime Keys,� because the influence of these magnetic directions are with you throughout your entire life. For all the details of what�s included in The Feng Shui Advantage�s one-of-a-kind� �Lifetime Keys Personal Direction Self-Mastery Toolbox� visit: http://www.fengshuiadvantage.com/directions.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

5 Feng Shui House Types

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 07:37:05 +0000

Feng Shui is a Chinese environmental science as complex and personalized as Acupuncture. Classical Feng Shui’s ancient calculations use the exact compass orientation of each building with the date of construction to determine the building’s precise energy blueprint. These repeatable energy patterns have predictable consequences on the occupants.

4 House Types in Classical Feng Shui… The best House Type is “Wang Shan, Wang Shui” in Chinese, which literally means good for mountain and good for water. In Feng Shui what is good for mountain is good for people and what is good for water is good for money. Therefore a Wang Shan, Wang Shui building is most desirable because it is good for people and good for money.

The other three types of buildings are only good for people, only good for money or bad for both. When a building is only good for money, occupants have trouble with health and/or relationship matters. Occupants of buildings that are only good for people experience career and financial troubles, which is worse if it is a business location. The worst is a building that is bad for both people and money because you feel like you are swimming upstream in all aspects of your life. When the proper elemental remedies are placed correctly outside the building the negative influences become neutralized.

5th House Type… a LOCKED House… Any of the original 4 House Types will become a Locked House, from time to time unless they have the necessary elemental remedy to prevent it. Many Chinese refer to a Locked House as an Imprisoned House, because when you are imprisoned your movements are restricted. A building can be Locked on either People or Money… or in rare cases Locked on both. When a house is Locked on Money the flow of money to the occupants is restricts, which is what happened to L.A.Gear when they relocated into one building in 1993. If L.A.Gear had known, they could have installed the remedy and would still be manufacturing their own products today.

Occupants of a building that is Locked on People will experience continuing health and relationship problems. It is very difficult to conceive in a house with a People Lock. A business in a building with a People Lock will have difficulty keeping employees and attracting new customers.

Timing is Everything… Classical Feng Shui utilizes the Chinese SOLAR calendar, which starts on the 4th or 5th of February each year. All buildings experience Annual (one year) Locks and Construction Cycle Locks, which last for 20 years. Most families and businesses can survive an Annual Lock, however it is very difficult to survive a 20 year Lock. The building L.A.Gear moved into when I worked for them has been in a 20 year Money Lock since 1984. The Lock on that building will lift on Feb. 4, 2004, because we are beginning a new Construction Cycle.

Millions of buildings will Lock or Unlock on either People or Money on Feb. 4, 2004. This explains why entire neighborhoods will begin to improve, while others will begin to decline. It also explains money, health or relationship troubles that occur in a cyclical pattern when you occupy the same building for decades. When you are aware that your building is approaching a Lock phase you can implement the remedy before hand to prevent the Lock’s negative affects, which is what I did to avoid an Annual Money Lock a few years ago.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Feng Shui Tips for the Kitchen

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 07:35:37 +0000

From a Feng Shui perspective, the Kitchen represents a place of sustenance and nourishment for the entire family. The smell and taste of freshly baked cookies and the sight of succulent fruit displayed on a Kitchen bench invoke strong feelings of nurturing and support. If a Kitchen is generally cluttered and neglected, the occupants will tend to eat out more and risk losing a vital part of the relationship dynamic that stimulates harmony when the family dines together.

The placement of the Kitchen door and oven are an important Feng Shui consideration. Ideally, you should avoid having the Kitchen or oven door facing directly towards the main door, back door, a toilet/bathroom door or a bedroom door.

You should also try not to locate the Kitchen within direct view of the main door (or most frequently used door), or food will tend to be the first thing people think of when they enter the home. A Kitchen is best located more towards the back of the home, rather than at the front.

Ideally, the stove should not be positioned beside or directly opposite the sink or fridge, in order to avoid a potential clash between the fire and water elements. When a fridge and stove are placed directly beside each other, you will often find one or both of these appliances will not function to their full capacity and you are more likely to experience problems with temperature control. If your kitchen already has this unfortunate arrangement, you can add the wood element (ie a healthy pot plant, timber divider or green mat) between them to help balance the energy flow by bridging the fire and water elements with wood.

When applying little tai chi to the Kitchen, (ie placing the xuan kong natal number chart for the entire house over the Kitchen, using the centre of the Kitchen as the centre of the chart), try to avoid placing the oven where there is a 2, 5 or 7 chor sin/mountain star energy. The 2 and 5 earth stars bring a higher probability of illness and misfortune, while the 7 chor sin can bring an increased risk of fire hazard if combined with a 2 or 9 natal, monthly or annual energy influence.

�Fire at Heaven�s Gate� can occur if the oven is placed in the Northwest sector or on the 6 chor sin/mountain star energy, and indicates a potential fire hazard, as well as a potential weakening influence over the general health and prosperity luck of the patriarch (or eldest male) living in the home. This influence is increased if your stove utilises gas cook tops (ie an open flame).

If practically possible, try to orientate the oven mouth (ie oven door) so that it faces towards a positive direction according to the Kua of the main bread winner of the home. The elements water and fire are automatically present in most Kitchens due to the sink, fridge, oven and stove top. A bridging element that can bring harmony to this combination is wood, so timber flooring and/or cupboards are generally very suitable for a Kitchen environment.

You should also endeavour to keep your Kitchen mould free and well ventilated; uncluttered and well organised. Keep the Kitchen bin out of sight and remember to empty the bin regularly and dispose of stale and out of date food.

By Derelle Ball
www.CentaineConsultants.com.au

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Choosing Exterior House Colours According to Feng Shui

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 07:34:33 +0000

Whether you’re building your dream home, planning a renovation or simply looking to smarten up the exterior paint job, it’s a good idea to consider harmonising exterior colour combinations with the feng shui of the building itself.

The Sitting Trigram of your home is determined by the compass orientation of the building, and this in turn helps us locate the favourable elements associated with harmonious exterior colour choice. To find the compass orientation, you need to first locate the �facing side� of the building, and use a compass to determine its magnetic orientation. You can�t simply try to determine the compass orientation of your home via observing where the sun rises and sets, and you can�t determine it via road maps that use �True North� rather than magnetic North.

OK, so you have your compass ready, now you need to work out the facing side of the building. The facing side is the front or �face� of the building. It�s also the side that is directly opposite the back wall of the property.

Now if you have the main door located on the wall facing towards a busy main road, and the land at the front is an open front garden area which is lower than the land at the rear of the property, then it�s pretty easy to determine the facing wall. However, in some cases, you may enter the home from a side door, or the house may be orientated with the main door on one side, with the main living areas, large windows and balconies on the opposite side, facing towards an open and expansive view of land or water. When in doubt, it helps to walk around the exterior of the building and get a feel for the surrounding landform and how the building was designed architecturally. Imagine the building is an arm chair. Which side would constitute the back and front of the chair? The front of the chair analogy is the facing side.

It�s not always easy to determine the facing wall of a building. If this is the case with your home, then the chi (energy) may be confused and it will be more difficult to tap into positive siang sin/water star locations for attracting abundance opportunities. If in doubt, check with a qualified Xuan Kong Feng Shui Practitioner before you spend money on paint or renovation materials. The facing orientation (along with the construction/renovation date), determines the Natal Probability Chart of the premises, and you need to be absolutely sure of the facing orientation in order to determine the correct Natal Chart and its corresponding feng shui.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you determine the facing wall of your home:

The facing wall will usually have a clear, open space or expansive view in front of it.

The facing wall often corresponds to the wall that is closest to the living room and contains the largest number of windows and balconies.

The wall facing towards a busy road is usually the facing wall.

The facing wall is usually opposite the back yard.

Once you have determined the facing wall of the building, hold your compass at waist height and stand outside facing directly towards the centre of the facing wall. Make sure you are not wearing a metallic buckle, standing directly under power lines or too close to any other metallic objects that may affect the compass. Take note of the compass bearing that you are facing directly towards when facing directly towards the facing wall of the building. If you�re not sure how to use a compass, go to a camping store and ask someone there to show you how to use and read it.

The compass bearing that you are taking is known as the Sitting orientation for the building. It is this bearing that determines the building�s Sitting Trigram. Look up the compass bearing for your building (ie the compass bearing taken while standing outside facing directly towards the facing wall of the building) in the table below and it will tell you the corresponding Sitting Trigram.

157.5 � 202.5 degrees (South) = Li Trigram

202.5 � 247.5 degrees (Southwest) = Kun Trigram

247.5 � 292.5 degrees (West) = Dui Trigram

292.5 � 337.5 degrees (Northwest) = Qian Trigram

337.5 � 22.5 degrees (North) = Kan Trigram

22.5 � 67.5 degrees (Northeast) = Gen Trigram

67.5 � 112.5 degrees (East) = Zhen Trigram

112.5 � 157.5 degrees (Southeast) = Xun Trigram

Each Trigram corresponds to one of the 5 elements, so your colour choice for the exterior of the building will be most harmonious if you use a corresponding colour that either matches or enhances the element of the Sitting Trigram, according to the productive cycle of elements. Look up the Sitting Trigram for your home in the table below, and it will provide you with harmonising colours and materials for the exterior surface of the building.

LI TRIGRAM: use fire and wood colours and forms (ie all shades of red and green, timber finish, columns, pot plants, planter boxes and rectangular or triangular shapes)

KUN TRIGRAM: use earth and fire colours and forms (ie stone, brick, clay, terracotta, ochre, natural earthy tones, any shade from the red spectrum, image of the sun, bright exterior lighting, square or triangular shapes)

DUI TRIGRAM: use metal and earth colours and forms (ie all shades of white, gold, silver, grey, reflective surfaces, metallic surfaces, stone, brick, clay, terracotta, ochre, natural earthy tones, square shapes and/or curved, domed or spherical shapes)

QIAN TRIGRAM: use metal and earth colours and forms (ie all shades of white, gold, silver, grey, reflective surfaces, metallic surfaces, stone, brick, clay, terracotta, ochre, natural earthy tones, square shapes and/or curved, domed or spherical shapes)

KAN TRIGRAM: use water and metal colours and forms (ie all shades of blue, black, white, gold, silver, grey, reflective surfaces, metallic surfaces, wavy, curved, domed or spherical shapes)

GEN TRIGRAM: use earth and fire colours and forms (ie stone, brick, clay, terracotta, ochre, natural earthy tones, any shade from the red spectrum, image of the sun, bright exterior lighting, square or triangular shapes)

ZHEN TRIGRAM: use wood and water colours and forms (ie all shades of green, blue or black, timber finish, columns, pot plants, planter boxes, rectangular or wavy shapes)

XUN TRIGRAM: use wood and water colours and forms (ie all shades of green, blue or black, timber finish, columns, pot plants, planter boxes, rectangular or wavy shapes)

Article by Derelle Ball www.CentaineConsultants.com.au

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Locating and Draining Potential Illness Chi from Your Home

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:33:45 +0000

When examining the Xuan Kong Natal chart of a home, each compass sector contains a combination of 3 numbers, representing the inherent energy potential residing in and around the home.

A qualified Xuan Kong Feng Shui Practitioner will examine these numbers in conjunction with the current time period, annual flying stars, the surrounding doors, windows, walls, colour scheme and exterior landform features to see how strong particular energy characteristics will be and determine how they may affect individuals who may be sleeping or working in the affected sector.

For example, if a bedroom contains a chor sin (mountain star) energy 2 or 5, then there is the potential for illness, misfortune, relationship issues and/or a gradual decline in health occurring for the occupants, especially if their bedhead is against an exterior wall containing the negative 2 or 5 energy.

Chor sin/mountain star 2 and 5 earth energy relates to your health potential (ie physical, financial, emotional and/or mental health), and this type of energy resides in the walls. It is strengthened by solid, heavy furniture, red colours, crystals, earthenware and exterior landform in which there is a mountain, boulder, higher ground or any other shape representing a �mountain� effect.

If there is a pool, fountain or large pond outside in the chor sin 2 or 5 sector, with clean active water, then the negative energy may be significantly disbersed and reduced. If the exterior wall in the chor sin 2 or 5 sector is mainly made of windows which are often opened, then this too can help reduce the effect of this type of energy.

A popular remedy which helps transform the potential sickness chi of the chor sin 2 energy is to have a real or brass Gourd (also known as a Calabash or Wu Lu) in the room. This is a protective symbol of health and vitality which helps transform some of the negative chi from the affected area. If you use a real Gourd, cut a hole into the top section of the Gourd or cut the top off completely. When I travelled through Kenya in the early 1990′s, I was fascinated by the many Gourds I saw there – particularly in the more remote regions around Turkana. They were used mainly to store grain, water and medicine, and many homes had Gourds hung near the main door with a hole in the top of the Gourd.

Keep your Gourd in a room that is affected by a natal 2 chor sin energy, as well as an annual or monthly 2 energy. If you use a brass Gourd, simply place it in the room and keep it shiny and polished. Personally, I have at least one Gourd beside all the beds in our home to help transform and lessen the potential effects of sickness chi from the monthly 2 energy whenever it visits each sector of the home.

A popular remedy which helps appease the potential sickness/injury chi of the chor sin 5 energy (in combination with the sound of metal) is the display of golden yellow.

The metal element is used to help drain the negative 2 and 5 stars, so it also helps to increase metal element colours (ie white, grey, gold or silver) to the affected room as well as objects and furnishings made of metal, (ie 6 I-Ching coins, a string of 6 brass bells, a 6 rod metallic windchime, the sound of metal via a chiming pendulum clock or harmonious piano music, protective symbols made of metal such as a metallic Happiness & Prosperity Talisman and any other metallic objects that are curved, domed or spherical in shape). The number 6 = �Big Metal�, hence the common use of 6 metallic objects grouped together when draining an illness earth element influence.

Red colours, bright lights, triangular shapes and candles represent the fire element which can increase the illness and misfortune chi of the 2 and 5 chor sin stars, so the very worst thing you can do in a bedroom or office containing a chor sin 2 or 5 in the natal chart of the home, is to decorate the room with predominantly red colours, leave a light on in the room all day or paint an entire wall containing the chor sin 2 or 5 red.

The annual 2 Black Monarch of Sickness star is currently located in the East sector. The annual 5 Yellow/Wu Wang star currently resides in the Northwest sector of your home and office. They will both remain in these compass sectors until 3rd Feb 2006. Add additional metal element colours and objects to these areas during 2005 (until 3rd Feb 2006) and cleanse the space with Sage Smudge Sticks and/or Sandalwood Incense every couple of weeks. It’s also very important to avoid substantial digging and/or cutting down trees in areas affected by the annual 2, 5 and Tai Sui each year as this can stir up very negative chi that can affect the entire household. As mentioned previously, the annual 2 energy currently resides in the East sector, the annual 5 energy is in the Northwest sector and the annual Tai Sui resides in the centre of the West sector this year (until 3rd Feb 2006).

OK, so now you�re probably wondering how to locate the compass sectors within the Natal Chart of your home that contain the chor sin 2 and 5, so you can start draining the potential illness and misfortune chi with metal. To find the affected sectors, you need to do 3 things.

1. DETERMINE THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH YOUR HOME WAS BUILT

The year in which your home was constructed or substantially renovated determines the Time Period in which your home belongs. Time and luck are cyclic, and every 20 years, new probability factors emerge in the various compass sectors of your home. Once your home is built (with the floors, walls and roof secured in place and the occupants have moved in), the current time period energy governing the probability factors in your home’s Natal Chart have been set and locked into place. These probability factors will remain the same throughout any number of new time periods, unless your home is substantially renovated during a different time period, during which a fresh surge of new energy and probability factors will affect the home.

Your home’s Natal chart tells us which compass sectors contain a predisposition towards harmonious relationships, abundance opportunities, potential illness, legal problems, quarrelling, and so on. These probability factors remain the same indefinitely unless the home is renovated into a new time period. For example, the Period of 7 began on 4th Feb 1984 and finished on 3rd Feb 2004. Any home that was built or substantially renovated during that time period belongs to the Period of 7. It could have been built in May 1984 and then substantially renovated in January 2004, and it would still belong to the Period of 7.

Simply repainting the house, internally renovating the Kitchen or Bathroom etc won’t necessarily change the Time Period of your home. To begin with, you must first move out of the dwelling as it is renovated and remove all your furniture as well. In order for the new time chi to flow in and take effect, there must first be adequate space for it to flow in and settle. The act of moving back into your home after the renovations, (including moving all your furniture back in), helps with the energy changeover process. There needs to be substantial banging, hammering, changes to the flooring (ie sanding, polishing, recarpeting etc), alteration to the roof that allows chi to enter the home from the outside into the interior, as well as changes to the walls and main door. The more the home is structurally altered, the more likely it is that you are affecting a true changeover in chi flow. These changes must occur while the residents and their furniture are out of the home, and during a different time period to when it was first built, to constitute a time period changeover in the Natal Xuan Kong Chart of the home. Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking, this is what is required to change the construction time period of your home.

If you remained living in the home during renovations, but over a third of the overall home was structurally changed (including lifting off part of the roof and ceiling and changes to the external walls and floor), then this may be enough to effect a time period change over. If in doubt, we draw up two natal charts for the different time periods and examine each chart in conjunction with the monthly and annual flying stars and the occupant’s bedroom, home office and birth details to see which probability factors are now affecting them.

2. DETERMINE THE FACING WALL OF YOUR HOME

The Facing (yang/active) Wall of the building is ALWAYS located directly on the opposite side to the back (yin/quiet) wall of the building. Sometimes the Main Door is located on the side of the building, while the Facing Wall is on another side, facing towards the front yard, a busy road, an expansive view, lower ground or an open area of land. The side of your home that contains the most windows and balconies thus letting in the most light, the side where the main living areas are located, and/or the side facing towards an expansive view is usually the Facing Wall.

3. TAKE YOUR FACING COMPASS BEARING

Once you have located the Facing Wall, stand outside, in the centre of this wall (with your back to the wall), facing straight out away from the wall. If the Main Door is also located along your Facing Wall, stand in front of the Main Door and walk 3 steps out from the door (keeping your back to the door and facing wall). Remove all metallic jewellery etc from your body that may interfere with the compass reading. Hold your compass at waist level in front of you, making sure that you have your back to the Facing Wall, and you are facing directly out away from this wall.

If using a compass with a movable face plate, you will first need to orientate your compass so that the needle is correctly aligned with the north/south axis (usually indicated by lining up the coloured end of the needle, which indicates North, within a red arrow on the fixed part of the compass). Record the bearing number that is facing directly out from you (ie the direction you are looking directly towards). For example, if you are facing towards the Northeast, then the compass bearing will be somewhere between 022.5 � 067.5 degrees. If using a compass that has no movable face plate and is filled with fluid, you simply need to stand with your back to the wall, facing straight out, and record the compass bearing that is in line with the direction you are facing directly towards.

Now go to the back of the building and stand near the centre of the back wall, (which is directly opposite the Facing Wall) and stand facing directly towards the back wall. Take another compass bearing showing the compass degree facing straight out in front of you. It should be similar to the first compass bearing you took.

If you have never used a compass before, and really don’t have a clue – then purchase one from a camping store and ask the store owner to show you exactly how to use it.

If you live in an apartment or unit within a large building, take the compass bearing at the Facing Wall of the entire building itself, (ie stand 3 steps out from the Facing Wall of the Unit/Apartment Building with your back to the Facing Wall). Remember, the Facing Wall of the Unit/Apartment Building will be directly opposite the back wall of the building.

If your apartment has a large balcony or a large expanse of windows looking towards a view, (that does not correspond with the facing wall of the entire building), then you will need to take a secondary compass measurement from this wall as well. It may then be necessary to apply both readings and experiment with your charts to see which facing direction applies to your apartment. If you have a large main balcony, (usually attached to the main Living Room), which faces towards a different direction than the facing wall of the entire building, stand on your Balcony facing straight out towards the view (ie with the apartment behind you) and record the compass bearing that you are facing directly towards.

If your apartment contains no balcony, but it does have a large expanse of windows facing towards a main view (usually attached to the Main Living Room) which is different from the facing wall of the entire building, then take another compass bearing from outside, with your back to the wall containing the large expanse of windows from your apartment. Stand 3 steps out from this wall, with the windows from your apartment behind you, and record the compass bearing that you are facing directly towards.

Now that you know the facing compass orientation of your home and the time period in which it was built, you can check the following Tables to see where the chor sin 2 and chor sin 5 reside in your dwelling. The first Table applies to all Period of 7 homes (ie any building that was constructed or substantially renovated any time from 4th Feb 1984 until 3rd Feb 2004). The second Table applies to all Period of 8 homes (ie any building built or substantially renovated any time from 4th Feb 2004 until 3rd Feb 2024).

Ideally, you should try to avoid having anyone�s bedhead (especially young children) against an exterior wall of the home containing a chor sin 2 or 5, as it can gradually weaken their immune system and make them much more susceptible to illness and misfortune whenever an annual and/or monthly 2, 5 or 9 star flies into the affected room. Kua 1 Water and 9 Fire individuals tend to be the most susceptible to the energy of the 2 and 5 stars. If it is unavoidable to have your bedhead against a chor sin 2 or 5 exterior wall due to available and practical room and wall constraints, then keep a real or brass Gourd beside the bed (personally, I�d have one on each side of the bed if I had to sleep there), and avoid decorating the room with tones from the red spectrum. Aim for whites, grey, gold or silver.

It is interesting to note that many Period of 8 homes contain sectors with a 2+5 or 5+2 combination (ie the chor sin and siang sin probability factors both contain a 2 and 5 in the same compass sector). You�ll find an �*� marked next to the affected compass sectors in the second Period of 8 Table below. If your home contains a sector with a 2+5 or 5+2 combination, make sure you do not hang any noisy windchimes or bells in that compass sector and NEVER conduct s�ances there or you may inadvertently attract potentially negative and disturbed energy. Use yin/quiet metal (ie metallic furniture and ornaments predominantly and white, grey, gold and/or silver colours) in combination with harmonious piano music played on a silver or gold coloured CD or the sound of a chiming pendulum clock and try not to sleep in or have your home office located in a sector containing these numbers combined. Ideally, any room with a 2+5 or 5+2 combination should be used as a bathroom, WC, laundry or store room.

TABLE 1 (PERIOD OF 7)

If your home was constructed or substantially renovated any time from 4th Feb 1984 until 3rd Feb 2004, then locate your facing compass bearing in the left column and the corresponding compass sectors will tell you where your chor sin 2 and 5 stars are located. Each compass sector radiates out from the centre of your home like 8 big pieces of pie. Note: the chor sin 2 sector is listed first, followed by the chor sin 5 sector.

022.5 � 037.5 degrees NE1: West and Southeast sectors
037.5 � 067.5 degrees NE2&3: East and Northwest sectors
067.5 � 082.5 degrees E1: West and North sectors
082.5 � 112.5 degrees E2&3: East and South sectors
112.5 � 127.5 degrees SE1: Southwest and Northeast sectors
127.5 � 157.5 degrees SE2&3: Northeast and Southwest sectors
157.5 � 172.5 degrees S1: Southeast and West sectors
172.5 � 202.5 degrees S2&3: Northwest and East sectors
202.5 � 217.5 degrees SW1: Northwest and South sectors
217.5 � 247.5 degrees SW2&3: Southeast and North sectors
247.5 � 262.5 degrees W1: Southwest and Centre sectors
262.5 � 292.5 degrees W2&3: Northeast and Centre sectors
292.5 � 307.5 degrees NW1: South and Northwest sectors
307.5 � 337.5 degrees NW2&3: North and Southeast sectors
337.5 � 352.5 degrees N1: Centre and Southwest sectors
352.5 � 022.5 degrees N2&3: Centre & Northeast sectors

If your Bedroom, Main Door or Home Office is located in one of the above sectors, some recommended symbolic metal element cures are: a real or brass Gourd (also known as a Calabash or Wu Lu) a 6 Rod Metallic Windchime hung outside under an eave (but avoid a noisy windchime if the 2+5 are combined in the same sector), a string of 6 I-Ching coins, a string of 6 Brass Bells, a Safety & Protection Bell, a Brass Metal Element Cure, House Protection Disc, Metallic Happiness & Prosperity Talisman (round shaped and made of metal plus features positive calligraphy), Lion Shield or Brass Ingot. Melodic piano music played on a gold or silver coloured CD (ie metal element music, shape and colour combined) or a chiming pendulum clock (with metallic pendulum) are also useful metal element remedies that can be used inside to help disburse negative health energy emanating from the 2 and 5 stars.

TABLE 2 (PERIOD OF

If your home was constructed, is still in the process of being built or about to be substantially renovated any time from 4th Feb 2004 until 3rd Feb 2024, then locate your facing compass bearing in the left column and the corresponding compass sectors will tell you where your chor sin 2 and 5 stars are located. Each compass sector radiates out from the centre of your home like 8 big pieces of pie. Note: the chor sin 2 sector is listed first, followed by the chor sin 5 sector. The sectors containing a 2+5 combination in the same area are marked with an �*�.

022.5 � 037.5 degrees NE1: Northeast and Centre* sectors
037.5 � 067.5 degrees NE2&3: Southwest and Centre* sectors
067.5 � 082.5 degrees E1: Northwest* and South* sectors
082.5 � 112.5 degrees E2&3: Southeast* and North* sectors
112.5 � 127.5 degrees SE1: West and North sectors
127.5 � 157.5 degrees SE2&3: East and South sectors
157.5 � 172.5 degrees S1: West* and Southeast* sectors
172.5 � 202.5 degrees S2&3: East* and Northwest* sectors
202.5 � 217.5 degrees SW1: Centre* and Southwest sectors
217.5 � 247.5 degrees SW2&3: Centre* and Northeast sectors
247.5 � 262.5 degrees W1: South* and Northwest* sectors
262.5 � 292.5 degrees W2&3: North* and Southeast* sectors
292.5 � 307.5 degrees NW1: South and East sectors
307.5 � 337.5 degrees NW2&3: North and West sectors
337.5 � 352.5 degrees N1: Southeast* and West* sectors
352.5 � 022.5 degrees N2&3: Northwest* and East* sectors

As you can see from the asterixes in the Table above, there are many sectors open to potential paranormal activity in homes built or substantially renovated into the Period of 8, especially if activated regularly by yang/active metal. Use yin/quiet metal (ie metallic objects, symbols and colours that make no noise) to help drain the strong illness chi from the 2+5 and 5+2 sectors and try to avoid sleeping in one of these sectors if possible.

Whenever you have a combination of 2′s and 5′s grouped together within a compass sector of the home or office (ie via a combination of the natal 2 or 5 plus an annual or monthly 2 or 5 star), then the probability of illness and/or misfortune occurring for anyone predominantly sleeping or working in that sector becomes much higher. For example, if you are sleeping in the East sector of your home, then you’ll need to be wary of the annual 2 sickness star residing in this sector of the home until 3rd Feb 2006. If you also happen to have a 2 or 5 star in the East sector of your home’s natal chart, then this area contains a higher probability for potential illness occurring. Whenever a monthly 2 or 5 star enters the East sector (ie 6th June – 6th July 2005 and then again on 7th Dec 2005 – 5th Jan 2006), then the probability factors are increased significantly.

You should also be mindful of the monthly 9 star entering a sector containing a natal and/or annual 2 or 5 energy, because the fire element associated with the 9 feeds and enhances the earth element of the 2 and 5. For example, the monthly 9 star flies into the East sector (thus combining with the annual 2 sickness energy residing there this year, plus the numbers in the natal chart of your home), during 8th August – 7th Sept 2005.

Our monthly Feng Shui Tips Newsletter provides you with the monthly flying stars and advice on how to remedy afflicted sectors if you happen to sleep or predominantly work in an affected area.

Note: From a Western Astrological perspective, if your Sun is in Pisces, you should also be extra health conscious from now on, because Saturn is moving into your 6th house of health and work routine this month, where it will remain for the next couple of years. If you have been neglecting your health and burning the candle at both ends via work overload etc, Saturn will send lessons forcing you to be more health conscious over the long term, encouraging you to seek balance between work and play via effective time management, delegating, sharing the load and focusing on your physical, mental and emotional health.

Article by Derelle Ball www.CentaineConsultants.com.au

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Mirrors Part 2

admin — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 07:32:34 +0000

A mirror, when becoming a feng shui mirror, can be used to many more things than allowing us to see how we look. Feng shui teaches how a feng shui mirror can be used in order to solve many different problems, and we will describe some of these uses through the next few lines.

One first way to use a feng shui mirror is to send something negative away. By placing the mirror facing whatever is negative to your space, the mirror would reflect it back not allowing it to affect you negatively. Therefore, if you have an object or a shape which disharmonizes, then you can neutralize its effect by placing the feng shui mirror facing it.

A feng shui mirror can also be used when you have a low ceiling and it has a pushing down effect on you. In this case, you should place a mirror facing the ceiling in order to make it reflect it. The mirror should be placed at some spot above your head level so it reflects the ceiling back before its pushing effect reaches you.

Another use a feng shui mirror can have is when your bedroom or any other room in which you need to be relaxed is placed above somewhere with machines or a garage. In these cases, placing a mirror on the floor and facing down wouldn’t let the machines energy and the disturbances have a bad effect on you.

Sometimes there is an object or element which you may need at a specific spot but you can not actually place it there, when this happens, a feng shui mirror can be the solution. If you need the presence of things such as an object or a color and you can not place it where you need, you can put a feng shui mirror reflecting it in order to have it represented through that reflection where you need.

By using a feng shui mirror, you can also bring elements which are outside your house and belong to the nature. In order to achieve this, all you have to do is place the mirror inside your house facing that element through a window and that reflection would be as if that natural element was into the house.

By Jakob Jelling
FengShuiCrazy.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Is Your House Healthy?

admin — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 07:31:19 +0000

It’s no coincidence that the health and wealth sectors of the bagua are next to one another, and that the health sector comes before wealth. That�s because you cannot truly be a wealthy person if you do not have your health.

Health is not just the absence of disease. It is also vitality and robust living that creates true health. Likewise, good health also incorporates a healthy mental state. We all know how important it is to maintain a healthy weight, get plenty of rest, eat healthfully, and make time for fun and relaxation. But, what if we already do all that? Is there anything else can we do to improve our health? You bet. You can use feng shui.

What�s more, we can help those we love with their health, too. Perhaps you have an older family member who lives with you and could use better vitality. Or, maybe you take care of a family member who is sick. If so, you�ll especially want to take note of the following feng shui tips for health. Ask yourself the following 8 questions to see if you are living in a fit or unfit house.

1. Do you suffer from low energy or vitality?

Cleaning and rearranging is the remedy. Rearrange your furniture, clean out the closets and garage. Next, tackle the kitchen, cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer, and then cleaning the oven and stove thoroughly. Lastly, clean out from underneath the bed. This is a poor storage location. Make sure your bed should is also clear underneath. These few changes will get the energy in your house — as well as in yourself — moving again.

2. What�s in your line of sight?

What do you see when you walk into the house? If it is the kitchen, you could have trouble with your weight. If it is the laundry room, you could have problems with low energy. The room you see first impacts your health the most. What do you see when you are in bed? If it is a toilet, sink, or some type of water, then your health — and your wealth — will be drained away.

3. Do you have good color and light balance?

If your house is too dark, it has too much yin and you could suffer from allergies, respiratory problems, and colds. You can also suffer from depression. If it is too bright, then the house is too yang and you will be nervous, angry, and unable to relax. Work on bringing the home into balance. The same is true with colors. If your room has too much blue, it will be yin. If too much orange or red color, it will be yang.

4. Do you know your personal tien yi or health direction?

After you have determined your kua number, make sure you sleep with your head pointing in your tien yi direction, particularly if you have had illness. If you or a loved one are ill, you may wish to sleep in an East room (the direction of health) and position the bed so that your head is pointing in your tien yi direction.

Kua number Health Direction

1 east

2 west

3 north

4 south

5 west for men, sw for women

6 northeast

7 southwest

8 northwest

9 southeast

5. What�s going on in your health sector?

The health corner of the home is located in the east sector. Is this a storage room for junk? Is there a bathroom there? If so, you will want to make it as clean and clear as possible. If it is a bathroom, you have a few options. One, you could place a large boulder in this room or place a mirror above the toilet to keep too much energy from draining away. Alternatively, you can place a red light in the bathroom or other bright light. Another remedy is to hang a 5-rod hollow tube windchime in the toilet. This is an effective cure in any toilet!

6. What�s going on in the yard?

Even if your house is in perfect �feng shui shape� the yard could be causing you problems. Because of this you will also want to check the east corner of the yard. What�s there? A wonderful idea would be to plant �health and longevity� plants in this sector. The Chinese believe that certain plants are healthful and promote longevity. These would include bamboo plants, pine trees, and peach trees; all symbols of longevity and long life.

Want even more beneficial health luck? Plant an assortment of plants that mimic the outline of a dragon. You will want something tall for the head, perhaps the pine tree, then a bulky plant such as a shrub for the body and then finish with a flowing plant, such as bamboo, for the tail so it can wave in the breeze!

7. Do you observe proper bedroom feng shui?

The bedroom is one of the critical areas of the house. Make sure the bed is positioned correctly and not facing a door or can be seen from a mirror. Eliminate water, views to the bathroom or toilet, televisions, and plants. Take out all work-related objects. Clear off surfaces, making the room as clean and clear as possible. This is where you are invigorated with sleep each night. Make this room as healthful as possible.

8. Are there health symbols around your house?

The Chinese believe certain animals and symbols promote longevity and good health. These include deer, cranes, and peaches. Even pictures that feature the elements mentioned above, pine trees or bamboo are considered to be auspicious health symbols.

Likewise, make certain you have clean fish tanks or fountains. Dirty water equates to poor health and vitality, stagnant chi, and it can affect your finances, too! Place health and vitality symbols in the East sector of the home and in the East portion of your living room for an extra boost in your vim and vigor!

�Kathryn Weber
Publisher, The Red Lotus Letter
www.redlotusletter.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Pets

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 07:30:01 +0000

Every space needs active energy and love. Pets give us both. And pets allow us to express our love, too. Pets are often looked on as members of the family, and as such, should be considered when you are reviewing the feng shui of your home.

Pets are good Feng Shui

This is the most important thing to remember. Their energy and liveliness means we have an active home even when we aren�t there, making our homes more �yang.� Dogs, for instance, also provide protective energy for our homes helping us to feel more secure and safe.

When dogs bark and wag their tails happily, they give us lots of exuberant joy. And petting and caring for any animal gives us and them great feng shui energy — and displays of love are always wonderful feng shui. This is the best case. But when are pets not good feng shui? There are some instances when the feng shui of your home is disturbed by pets.

The worst case scenario is when pets are not cared for properly. If the fish tank isn�t clean and clear, the fish don�t do as well � and neither do you. Fish represent success in feng shui and wealth, and if the water is dirty, then both may elude you.

Furthermore, in feng shui, dirty water can also lead to health problems. One of the worst situations I ever saw was a fish tank so dirty you couldn�t even see the fish at all. The couple who lived in this house were dead broke and divorced after a short time. I could feel nothing but sorrow for those poor, poor creatures.

What must have other visitors thought — and what did this nasty tank do the psyche of everyone in the home? Or, what was the message to the child who saw parents who cared so little for these fish that they wouldn�t even provide them with clean water?

So, while it�s nice to have a pet, the first priority must always be the pet�s health, safety, and care. If you don�t have the proper space or time to care for the pet, then it�s better not to have them because, simply put, having animals in poor condition(s) is very bad feng shui.

If animals live in the house, it�s important to make sure that proper hierarchy is observed. I can�t tell you how many pet horror stories I see that range from romantic difficulties to health problems because the pets have dominance over people. Remember, you are the master of your domain, and it should remain this way. Also, good feng shui is about balance.

While there are cases where animals are not cared for properly, i.e., given the right conditions, treatment, too little interaction or stimulation, or care, it�s very often the case that the pets are in a position superior to the people in the house. This means the house is out of balance, and if this is the case, the feng shui is impacted. The end result means that life is not as good as it could � or should � be.

Try to observe some simple feng shui pet rules:

1. ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON FURNITURE � unless it�s furniture specifically for them. This puts them on equal footing with people.

2. ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE BED, particularly for couples. This divides the couple and gets in the way of romance, and sometimes, the relationship. It would be better if the animals were not in the bedroom of a couple, but if it comes to choosing between pets sleeping in the room on the bed or the floor, go with the floor, never the bed.

3. PETS SHOULDN�T BE THE FIRST THING SOMEONE NOTICES ABOUT YOUR HOUSE. Pets should enhance a home, not dominate it. If your kitty litter box is the first thing you see � or smell � when you enter someone�s home, then there�s a problem � and it�s not just mean the smell. If this is the case, you will find that this is a house where the occupant(s) is usually struggling.

Maybe you have a dog that barks, jumps on, scares or threatens people as soon as they enter your home. Well, then, you have a situation where every time someone comes in, fear comes with them. Is this the kind of environment you want to live in?

If this sounds like your pet(s), then at the very least, they should be secured in another room when someone comes to visit. The fear they inspire will create a yin environment. If this is your situation, then you have a home where your energy is dragging and motivation is low.

One homeowner has a very large aggressive dog that he thinks is sweet and wonderful. However, this dog scares visitors. This dog definitely rules the roost and he knows it.

What�s worse is when a pet is given full reign of the house and its owner thinks it�s �cute.� One such homeowner struggles on a number of fronts, particularly with relationships. This is definitely a situation where the animal comes before the person, and makes one wonder if the dog scares away potential love relationships. Authority should be re-established with this pet so that the home is allowed to draw people (or a new love interest?) to it.

4. YOUR DOG/CAT/BIRD/ETC. SHOULDN�T COME BEFORE ANYONE ELSE. If Fido or Fluffy do, this, too, is a problem. Feng shui is all about balance. If pets are completely superior, then balance doesn�t exist. For example, one woman had pictures of her dog all over the house. She struggled with finding a romantic partner and was very upset about being over forty with no love prospects in sight. She even had an expensive oil painting of the dog over her bed.

Well, how could a romantic partner come to the house when 1) the dog barked and jumped on everyone coming in the door; and 2) the dog was �top dog� to the extent that she symbolically slept over her master every night?

Despite being advised to move the picture and make other enhancements to help her love life, but she would not part with the picture and remains single to this day. Pets should not come between people.

5. YOUR HEALTH SHOULDN�T SUFFER FROM HAVING PETS. I am constantly amazed at people who suffer from all kinds of health complaints, but yet they have eight indoor cats and swear it�s the pollen outside that�s bothering them. The cats are all over the furniture and the kitchen counters. This is not healthy, not to mention a turn off to visitors. Cats, in particular, are yin animals. Offset their yin energy by keeping lights on and music playing to keep your home active and energetic.

6. DON�T MAKE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AVOID YOUR HOME. If you have to use a lint brush on friends and family before they leave your house, this could make others avoid coming over. The fur clinging to them is very �yin� and will make them feel depleted or dirty when they leave your home. This energy then makes your house feel yin, too.

If your house isn�t sociable, visitors rarely come by, or people leave right away, then think about revving up your environment with bright colors, sunlight, music, or other active enhancements. It may be that the environment is too yin.

7. USE YOUR PETS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE WITH FENG SHUI. Simply having a loving pet is good for you. But, the pet must also be good for the entire home to the extent that the pet is friendly, clean, and not bothersome to your relationships or visitors to you home.

Dogs are wonderful for infusing a home with lively energy, fish bring success, turtles symbolize longevity, and cats are symbols of financial luck (i.e., lucky cats seen at Asian businesses). So, as hard as it might be, take a long look at your pet situation to make sure that your pets aren�t harming your feng shui and are enhancing your life.

�Kathryn Weber
Publisher, The Red Lotus Letter
www.redlotusletter.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Home-Buying with Feng Shui

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 07:24:08 +0000

Buying a home is a stressful experience. So much rides on a new home because this is where you relax, have fun, sleep, eat; in short, it’s the place central to so much of your life. Plus, you also way a home that you find pleasing on many levels: aesthetically, financially, and spatially. It can be very stressful, because you want to be sure that you are purchasing a home that will benefit you, rather than burden you. But, how can you be sure you are not making a mistake?

Arm yourself with knowledge

Well, the truth is, you can�t. But, you can be armed with knowledge so that you will feel confident about your decision. The information provided here can help keep you on track so that you remember to weigh the positive and negative points about the space in an objective manner, rather than getting carried away by a single feature of the house that you just love (a beautiful kitchen, nice yard, pretty fireplace, etc.), to the point that you overlook the negatives of the house, and thus, make a poor decision.

Look at the space with �feng shui eyes�

When you are looking at a house � or any space for that matter � and considering whether to buy it, it helps to look at it with �feng shui eyes.� You will want to do this once you have considered all the other objective aspects of the house, such as square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, living areas, location, price, etc. The next step is to run down a checklist of the subjective feng shui considerations that will help you make a feng shui assessment.

Check the comprehensive list provided below for some of the most common feng shui problems in houses. Even if you aren�t house hunting, this list can give you some important information that might be very revealing about the house you are already in!

Exterior

 Street: Cul-de-sac, dead end or T-junction?

Topography. Is lot flat or sloped? Avoid yards that slope down toward the rear. Select home with rise at the rear.

Landscape. Is there a tree or pole directly in front of the front door? Dead trees or shrubs? Dead lawn?

Garage. Is it ahead of the house or front door?

Neighbors. Is this house smaller than houses on either side? Do neighbors� houses have sharp angles pointing at this house?

Views & proximity. Can you see or is it close to church, temple or other house of worship? Can you see or is it close to funeral home, cemetery, hospital, police station, sewage treatment, abandoned building or run-down house?

Water. Is water, lake, river, ocean at the back of house or too close to front?

Lot. Regular or irregular-shaped? House sits too close to the front of lot?

Paths. Driveway ends at house instead of garage? Walkways end straight at door?

Interior

Style. Split or bi-level or center hall colonial?

Front. Front door lines up with back door? Does front door face stairway?

Structure. Overhead or exposed beams? Ceilings too high or are they low and slanted? Skylights over sleeping areas or kitchen? Foundation cracks or problems? Serious plumbing or electrical problems?

Entrance. See toilet/bathroom door from the entrance? See the kitchen/stove from the front door? See the dining room from the front door? See the bedroom from front door?

Toilets. Located in NW, SW, center, or corners of the house? Bedroom, dining area or kitchen located under or over toilet?

Staircases. Spiral staircase? Staircase interrupted with landings? Staircase stops at front door? Split or scissor-style staircase?

Hallways. Too long? Divide the house into two sections? Too dark?

Bedrooms. Over garage? Over bathroom or laundry? Have empty space below, i.e., patio area?

Fireplace. In the NW sector or corner of house?

Major locations. Problems with or missing sections in NW (man), SW (woman)? Bathroom, laundry, kitchen in center location?

Odor. Smells musty, smoky, putrid?

Subjective Considerations

Appeal. Does this house appeal to you? Do you like it? How does it �feel� to you?

Signs. Do children misbehave or cry in the house? Children are more sensitive to negative energy before we are. Is there a nice breeze? Are birds chirping outdoors? Click for information on feng shui signs.

First sight. What do you see first upon entering home from back and rear doors that will most likely be used to enter the house after returning home? First sight should be pleasant. First sight from entry doors should not be bathroom, laundry, or kitchen.

Enlist a professional

Still not perfectly confident that this is the home for you? Well, a home is a MAJOR purchase and we must always consider that important point. Most people take a used car to their mechanic before buying it � and its purchase isn�t as important as a house. So, if you�re still confused or just want to proceed with the sale in confidence, why not talk to a feng shui specialist about looking about the prospective house?

A professional feng shui consultant should be able to tell you what you can expect from this location, such as good financial or business opportunities. Or, maybe you�ll find out that buying this house means your health will suffer, you�ll discover an afflicted portion of the house, such as a toilet in the SW sector. Give serious consideration to hiring a professional.

�Kathryn Weber
Publisher, The Red Lotus Letter
www.redlotusletter.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Sleeping Better

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 07:08:59 +0000

If you are having problems at the time of falling asleep or you simply wish to improve your sleeping, you should follow the feng shui tips we will detail in the next lines and let this ancient Chinese wisdom help you. It is very important that we pay attention to our sleep due to the fact that it affects all the activities we do during the day as well as it has a direct impact on our health.

First of all, it is very important to avoid sleeping with the head towards the door. According to feng shui, the proper position in which to have the bed and to sleep is in such a place that allows us to see the door but without being right across from it. This way, you should always avoid sleeping with your feet right in front of the entrance.

It is also highly recommendable to avoid sleeping under a window. Sleeping right under a window would have a bad impact on your chi as well as it might cause you to loose some of your positive energy by dispersing it. Also, if your bed is right under the window, any bad chi which could enter into the room through it would go directly to you and therefore affect you. If you can’t avoid sleeping under a window, then you should hang a curtain which doesn’t allow bad chi to enter.

According to feng shui guidelines, it is also recommendable to avoid having pictures of water in the bedroom. Keeping pictures of water in the bedroom can cause insomnia as well as attract bad luck to those who sleep into the room. Therefore, if you do have a picture of water in your bedroom you should remove it or at least make sure it is as far from the bed as possible.

It is very important to make sure that there isn’t any poisoning arrow pointing towards the bed. In order to find out if there are poisoning arrows, you should check for any edgy element or corner which might point towards the place where you sleep. If you find any and you can’t get rid of it, you can neutralize its bad effect by covering it or by placing a plant in front of it.

By Jakob Jelling
FengShuiCrazy.com

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Kid’s Room

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 07:07:50 +0000

The Feng Shui Bagua Map is probably one of the most helpful tools you can have when beginning to implement your kid room decorating idea. When looking at a Bagua Map, you will notice that it is square in shape (although the traditional shape is that of an octagon) and broken down into 9 smaller boxes that are color coordinated and explain the different life attributes each is associated with.

With Bagua map in hand, stand at your kid room door. You will enter through one of three areas on the Bagua Map indicated where it shows the “three door Bagua”. These are either the Wisdom area at the far left, the Career and Life Journey area in the middle, or the Helpful People and Travel area at the far right. We’ll consider each of these three areas along with the other six areas to find the perfect kid room decorating idea to fit your goals and your style.

The Wisdom, or Self-Knowledge corner represents the learning area. This is where you would want to foster your child’s learning experiences, school, sports or anything else that involves self-education, self-knowledge or wisdom. It’s also an ideal location in which to enhance your child’s memory, and activate good study and homework skills. The kid room decorating idea utilizing this space would be to set it up as your child’s personal “office,” arranging their books, computer, desk and chair in the most advantageous areas according to the Bagua. Include some items in this area that are either dark blue or black as these colors represent the elements of the Wisdom corner. A terrarium may also be a good idea, as Wisdom is associated with the Earth element.

The next area, The Foundation, Family and Ancestors corner on the middle left of the Bagua, is the area where your family could spend time together. This would be a great place for a sofa and table on which to do puzzles or play games.

Hanging pictures of relatives or your family geneology chart might also be a fun thing to include in your kid room decorating idea for this area. Since The Foundation, Family and Ancestors corner is ruled by the wood element all things representing upward growth are enhanced in this area. How about putting a yardstick on the wall here to measure your child’s ever-changing height? Green painted shelves would be a wonderful kid room decorating idea for this area, or even a green plant, especially if you have a window in that area.

Moving on to the Abundance and Prosperity corner. For adults area is where you would deal with your personal finances, etc., but with your children, this corner is where you could use these this great kid room decorating idea: Put a big piggy bank in this area for allowance money. This would also be a good place to have discussions with your children to teach them the value and responsibility associated with money.

In the rear center of the room is the Illumination and Reputation section. This will probably be one of your child’s favorite corners. This is their “show off” area. Here’s a thought for the kid room decorating idea for this space. Let your child display his or her trophies in this space, their A+ papers, papers with gold stars, awards they’ve won or pictures of them in the school play. Basically, whatever makes them feel special about their accomplishments! You could use red shelving here to make use of the color red this area of the Bagua is connected with.

Our next corner to enhance with a great kid room decorating idea is the Love and Relationships corner found in the upper right of the Bagua Map. This area, for children, is the corner that relates to friendships and close relationships. This can be a family-oriented area, but more likely will be filled with drawings of friends, pictures of friends and things that the child or children like to do when they have friends over to play. It’s a great place for your children to put a picture of that first boyfriend or girlfriend or posters of his or her teenage idols! Pink and red are the colors of this section of the Bagua, and it is governed by the earth element. If you choose to add something additional to enhance the area, it should be something that speaks of the romance of the heart or anything your child identifies with love.

The Creativity corner in the middle right section on the Bagua Map is next. Show off your child’s artistic and creative nature here. The kid room decorating idea for this area would include placing a piano, other musical instruments, an art box, colored paper or anything else that would inspire your child to be creative. It is the location that best represents anything that is born of their creativity. This corner is ruled by the metal element. If you happen to have a window in the vicinity, place a set of wind chimes here in the open window. The soft, sounds of the chimes will relax your child and stimulate creativity.

Helpful People and the Travel corner can be found at the near right of the Bagua Map. Place letters of encouragement from coaches or report cards from teachers here, since they are mentors and helpful people for your children. Anything that represents the help your children receive from others can be used to add to your kid room decorating ideas in this area. Because this is also the travel corner, include pictures of happy vacations or a visual map of dream vacations.

The kid room decorating idea for the front, center section of the Bagua, Career and Life Path reflects any aspect regarding the child’s perception of “who she wants to be.” It’s a great location for a visual map. No child wants to just be a fireman, he wants to be a fireman, a vet, a businessperson and in the army all at the same time. Help him dig through some magazines and find pictures of professions or people he aspires to emulate. Encourage him to create a visual map and tell you about it. In this way you are encouraging him to hold a clear vision of where he would like to go in his life’s path. As time progresses he can add to or remove aspects on the map and clarify his direction.

Finally, The Health and Unity section, the absolute center of the Bagua is the center of your child’s room. The final kid room decorating idea for this area is one of uncluttered and uncomplicated calm. It is the eye of the storm where peace prevails. Your child can help you by making sure this area stays clear of toys, papers and other clutter. This is the area of the life force being generated and being able to move freely throughout the room.

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Love and Feng Shui in the Bedroom

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 07:07:15 +0000

Feng Shui in the bedroom is the area in your home representing your intimate relationships, partnerships, and love. It is also the main place in the home where you spend most of your time. A good sleep is necessary to recharge your batteries, so it is crucial that the bedroom be restful, intimate, and inviting.

- Make sure your bed faces the door but is not in line with it and that neither you nor your partner�s feet are pointing toward the door of the room. In China, this is called the death position and allows for the soul of the deceased to escape. You should have a view of the whole room when lying in your bed; this will lead to your gaining more insight into your relationship.

- Be sure there are no mirrors in the bedroom in which you can view yourself when you are in bed. If there are mirrors in the room, cover them with a drape during the night.

- Keep pictures of family, friends, children, pets, etc. in other parts of the house. Your bedroom should only have pictures of you and your mate. If you do not currently have a mate and are looking to attract one, place beautiful pictures of couples in your relationships corner. You can also place a pair of mandarin ducks or other objects d�art of twosomes in the relationship corner.

- To locate the relationship corner of your Feng Shui Bedroom, stand at the main door of the room. Look to the farthest right hand corner, this is your marriage or relationship corner and the one to be enhanced with any adjustments you are making.

- Activate your relationship with pairs of statues, or lovebirds in your relationship corner. You can also place a cozy pair of chairs, a green plant, fresh flowers or a crystal in your relationship corner. If it is alive and you are watering the plant, then you are growing your relationship and making it healthy too.

- Your colour scheme further enhances intimacy and love. The bedroom is best enhanced by rosy shades and colours like warm terracotta, apricot, soft greens that nurture and open the heart to love. Reds are good in moderation as they bring in the passion. Use them in candles and accents, but go lightly here as it can bring in too much chi and cause arguments.

- Are the furnishings warm and inviting in your Feng Shui Bedroom? They should feel safe and intimate and give you a sense of being hugged upon entering and when you are spending time in the room.

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Indoor Fountains

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:06:24 +0000

We’ve all seen them, the ubiquitous ‘Zen’ fountain. They sell everywhere from department stores to drug stores, from garden centers to grocery stores. But, where do you put an indoor fountain? Where do you NOT put an indoor fountain? Where can an indoor fountain help you the most? Here is some basic information about indoor fountains, including information about fountains themselves, examples of good fountain choices, and some basic fountain do�s and don�ts.

1. Make sure that your fountain is large enough to hold enough water that it can go a day or two without refilling.

2. Keep the water in your fountain clean, clear, and flowing.

3. Use distilled (best choice) or bottled water ONLY in the fountain. Minerals, rust, and bacteria in tap water can corrode pumps and make the water nasty. At about .65 a gallon in the grocery store, it�s worth it to buy water. I only use about one gallon a week in my tabletop fountain.

4. Consider cannibalizing a fountain that runs out of water too quickly (which most boxed fountains are guilty of doing). Take out the pump and put it in a ceramic bowl that can hold a good amount of water.

Most of the time, the fountains that are sold only hold about 8 or 10 ounces of water and require refilling up to two times a day. Save yourself the headache of refilling by putting the pump in a large ceramic bowl (about 10� across by 5 or 6 inches deep) with some rocks and then fill with water.

Do�s and Don�ts

Do put your fountain in the North sector of your house, office, or living room.

Do put your fountain at the front door, especially if it faces the North, East, or Southeast.

Do put a fountain in the East or Southeast portion of your home as these are compatible directions to the North, the direction of water.

Don�t put a fountain in a bedroom as this can cause problems with breathing, colds, and other ailments.

Don�t have a fountain where you can hear it from where you sleep. Shut your door or move the fountain so that you do not hear it while sleeping. To do so could cause you to have colds or respiratory problems.

Don�t have a fountain under a stairway. This can cause illness or other misfortune to come to the children in the house.

Don�t put a fountain in a bathroom.

Don�t have a fountain directly below a bedroom. Sleeping over water is not recommended.

Don’t put a fountain to the right of the front door as you are looking out of your house. This can cause extramarital affairs for the man of the house.

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese:

Indoor Water Features

admin — Sun, 29 May 2005 07:05:47 +0000

Water is used to activate or slow down Ch�i in a room, being highly beneficial for health, wealth and relationships. Indoor fountains copy the natural flow of water in a harmonious way creating the energy of Ch�i.

Placing a tabletop fountain in your home or office is the easiest way to add Ch�i into you life and will significantly enhance the desires you are working for. They can have an amazing effect on your wealth, romance and general well-being. To enhance your wealth and prosperity, position your indoor water feature in the southeast element of your home or office. For career luck, place in the north.

Fountains also add the relaxing sound of a babbling brook to your environment and are recommended for homes that have central heating, as they increase the humidity level which in turn decreases dust, pollutants and static electricity. Flowing or moving water also increases negative ions in the air. Excessive amounts of positive ions (which are created by pollution and other factors) can result in sickness and depression. Water Fountains can help by balancing the negative and positive ions in the air.

Wealth & luck = south-east. Good marriage = south-west. Career = north. Helpful friends = west. Good health and family relationship = east. Study & education = north-east

---
Related Articles at Feng Shui Chinese: