New vs Antique

I read an interesting segment on furniture in the book, Practical Feng Shui for Business, by Simon Brown. It is a completely different school of thought from the Classical Feng Shui that I practice, but there is some information that is definitely applicable in any case.

In the book, Mr Brown discusses the merits of furnishing your home with new vs vintage or antique items. Here are some of the merits of each.

Antique and Vintage Items

These items carry a solid, grounded energy. Think stable, sturdy, lasting. Too many antique items can sometimes create a stagnate, stale type of energy.


New Items

These items carry a fresh, new, inspired energy. Think new ideas and concepts, change. Too many new items can create a sense of upheavel or unrest.


Balance is always good. If you feel good in your space, there's no need to change your furnishings. If you're seeking a more grounded energy, you can try adding a few older items to your decor. More inspiration, bring in a few new pieces.

A different kind of Certificate

In my last post, I talked about hanging your diplomas and certificates on the walls and the value of this. Now I'd like to talk about a different kind of certificate. This is not one you would necessarily hang on the wall, but is equally as powerful.

Are you ready to retire? I am, at least, in certain areas of my life. Does it matter how old I am for this? Not really.

When I was training in classical Feng Shui, one of the class segments was titled "Inner Feng Shui." This was a surprise to me. I was prepared to learn formulas, work on diagrams and otherwise get to know the process of evaluating a building for energy flow. Our instructor, a very wise man who I respect immensely, believes that inner work is important to a Feng Shui practice and that being clear emotionally can only benefit the client. I would have to concur.

One of the things he recommended was for us to look at  our lives, and decide in which areas we were ready to move on. He told the story of Japanese soldiers found in 1970s and 80s who were unaware that WWII had ended. Japan held a ceremony to retire them with honor, so they could finally move on.

So, to repeat the question with more information now, are you ready to retire from anything? After taking this class, I decided it was time for me to retire from my role as the "Hero Eldest Daughter" in my family. After years to trying to hold things together within my family of origin, and make things okay for everyone, I decided I was tired, really tired, and it was time for me to live more authentically for me.

My certificate stated: In recognition of a job well done in the role of family hero, savior and otherwise fixer of all problems. You are now retired from duty.

That was nearly three years ago, and this is a process, but I have taken huge steps in the direction of living for me, not selfishly, but with the knowledge that the more I live by my own lights, the more brightly I can shine for others.

This is the year of the Metal Tiger. Great info about this here. Metal Tiger creates restless energy and supports change. It may be time to retire from your current career and embark upon a new one, from any role in your life that no longer suits you, from excessive worry, from low self-esteem, from a relationship that's not working. This very simple process can have such powerful results. Intention is a powerful tool, and the support that lines up when you set your intention can be amazing.

Don't Be Shy...

If you have diplomas, awards, or other career related certificates, frame 'em and hang them in your office. Sometime's called an Ego Wall, don't let this term stop you from sharing your success. It's excellent Feng Shui to decorate the walls of your work space with symbols of your success in your field and can stimulate more positive energy flow toward your career.

More on diplomas soon!

Make Changes Slowly

Feng Shui can have a powerful impact in our lives. Sometimes something as simple as rearranging a few things to create better flow, hanging a crystal in front of a sharp corner, or placing an important symbolic piece for support in a specific area can create powerful results. While house hunting last summer and having little success, I took a look at our current residence and realized I had forgotten to hang an important cure in the living room. I hung it, and about 2 weeks later we found our new home. Sometimes the effects are more subtle and less specific, a general feeling of ease results from a new placement, or you notice you seem to be sleeping better after making some changes in the bedroom.

Because these results can sometimes be so strong, it's important to make Feng Shui changes slowly and incrementally. When first learning about Feng Shui, there can be an impetus to make lots of changes quickly, but this can stir things up too much at times. Changing your home or work environment has been likened to making dietary changes. Too much, too fast, can send your body into fast detox, or a "healing crisis," which may be more than your body is ready to easily handle, and which can often be avoided when changes are made more gradually. The same applies to the spaces we occupy.

A good rule of thumb is to make a change, then live with it for a few days or a week or so, and see how you're feeling. If all is smooth, then continue on to the next change, and proceed in the same fashion. If things feel a bit stirred up, or the change is something you feel a bit uneasy with, live with it for a little while longer let things settle down and allow yourself to adjust to the change before continuing on to the next change.

In general, the longer you've lived in a house and with a certain arrangement, the slower your changes should be. I would advise someone who had lived into the same house for 30 years to make changes much more slowly than the person who moved into their home in the last few months.

But most of all, let your feelings and instincts guide you. Although we've been in our new home only 5 months, we are only the second owners of the 60 year old home, and my gut tells me to proceed slowly with changes, so that is what we're doing. And it feels good.

Your Personal Kua Number

Did you know that each of us has a number associated with the year of our birth? Specifically, our number corresponds with the placement of our birthdays within the Chinese Lunar Year.

The formula for calculating your Personal Kua Number is fairly simple, but if you were born in late January to early February, you must know when the Chinese New began in the year of your birth to determine which year to use in your calculations, as the Chinese Lunar New Year begins on a different day each year.

For simplicity, there are many websites you use to plug in your date of birth and gender, and get your Kua Number easily. A good one is here.

One of the uses for your Kua Number, is to determine what your best sitting and sleeping directions are.

If your Kua number is 1,3,4 or 9, you're an East Group person
If your Kua number is 2,6, 7 or 8, you are a West Group person

The number 5 in classical Feng Shui is called the void number, or a number which carries no energy of it's own. Females with the number 5 can substitute an 8, and males with the number 5 can substitute 2.

The following list, by Kua Number, gives recommended best & worst directions.

For sitting, this means sit facing one of your lucky directions. This is primarily useful for places where you would d sit for a significant amount of time, such as a desk or a chair you use regularly for reading.

For sleeping, this means lying with the top of your head pointing in one of your lucky directions. You can choose them based on what you'd like to enhance in your life, provided this works with the layout of your space.

It's important to note that although in Classical Feng Shui we consider Kua numbers to be significant, too much emphasis should not be placed on them, as they are only one factor influencing the energy in your space. In many cases, our home and business layouts do not allow for the practical use of you lucky directions, and this should not be a cause of fear or stress. Always, in Feng Shui, I seek a balanced approach, and recommend working with the elements you can, and letting go of the others. Also, trust your own feelings and instincts, and know that you'll know if something really feels off and needs changing.

Kua Number 1
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – North Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – East Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – South Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng Chi –South East Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – West Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – North East Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – North West Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – South West Very poor luck

Kua Number 2
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – South West Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – West Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – North West Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – North East Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – East Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – South East Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – South Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – North Very poor luck

Kua Number 3
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – East Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – North Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – South East Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – South Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – South West Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – North West Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – North East Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – West Very poor luck

Kua Number 4
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – South East Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – South Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – East Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – North Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – North West Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – South West Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – West Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – North East Very poor luck

Kua Number 6
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – North West Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – North East Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – South West Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – West Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – South East Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – East Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – North Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – South Very poor luck

Kua Number 7
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – West Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – South West Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – North East Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – North West Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – North Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – South Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – South East Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – East Very poor luck

Kua Number 8
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – North East Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – North West Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – West Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – South West Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – North Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – South Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – South East Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – East Very poor luck

Kua Number 9
Lucky Directions
Fu wei – South Growth, personal development, advancement luck
Tien yi – South East Health & longevity luck
Nien yen – North Love, marriage, & family luck
Sheng chi – East Wealth & success luck

Directions which are considered unlucky
Ho hai – North East Mild bad luck
Wu kwei – West Troublemakers & harmful people
Lui sha – South West Bad Misfortune
Chueh ming – North West Very poor luck

Let the Chi Flow!

As Spring approaches (oh thank goodness!), remember to keep the chi flowing in your house.


When it's warm enough, open doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate and stir things up a bit. Those of us in wintery climates can especially use this at this time of year.


In general, during the day, keep all the interior doors open to allow the chi to flow. The only exception to this would be the bathroom door, which, if possible, should alway remain closed. Read more about bathroom treatment here.


Spring is a good time to think about decluttering.Piles and stacks and too much stuff slows the flow of chi to the point where we need to be concerned about stagnation. Remember, chi should flow meandering gently, not moving too quickly and not getting stuck. More about decluttering can be found here and here.

Happy almost Spring!

Feng Shui for Pairs

With Valentine's day is just around the bend...a post on enhancing love seemed in order.

In general, when we look at love and relationshop in Feng Shui, we look at the bedroom. If you're wanting to attract a relationship into your life, or enhance the one you have, there are some fairly simple things you can do.

1) Things in pairs are good!

Place decorative items in pairs around your bedroom. Two matched candles, two paintings on the wall in matching frames (pictures depiciting love, hearts and happy couples are great here), matching perfume bottles, etc.

2) Balance is key to a balanced relationship
Look at the physical balance in the room. Can the bed be accessed as easily from both sides? Matching nightstands with matching lamps here are best. Do both partners have equal space in the room?

3) If there's not currently a partner in your life and you want one, make some space in your space! Clear out a closet, make some space in the medicine cabinet, set up some room in your room for a lover to join you...sometimes simple steps in making space physically can really open things up and allow new experiences and people in.

Happy Valentines's Day! May we all love ourselves so richly and deeply that that love cannot help but overflow to everything and everyone!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: December 2009

Have you ever noticed that hotels often have pineapples as part of the decor, often built in the the structure of lamps or other decorative items?

Did you know that the pineapple is a univeral symbol of welcome and hospitality? I just learned that last week while traveling.

We've talked about symbolism a lot over the last few months, and I was thinking that ending the year on that note would work well.

Placing a pineapple, real or decorative, where it can be seen when guest arrive is a warm symbols of welcome, particularly during this busy holiday season. Bowls of peaches symbolize health and longveity and bowls of oranges bring prosperity. Both of these can be placed on the dining room table.

All cultures have symbolism that is significant and can be incorporated into the decor of your home. If there is something meaningful to you, use it. If you're interested in learning more about specific placement of a symbolic item, leave me a comment and I'm happy to help.

Wishing you a safe, warm, loving, healthy and prosperous season.

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: November 2009

I've been thinking a lot about the theory of Feng Shui vs the reality of working with a home or workspace.

There's what's recommended, and there's what works. Sometimes they're the same, sometimes, they're really NOT.


So my tip of the month for November, to keep it simple since the holidays are approaching and my life is overfull at the moment, is just this.....



Keep it Real



And by that I mean, despite what is recommended, it still has to work for you, your space, your life, the intricate little things that make you, well YOU, and influence how you interact with your space.

In my April Tip Post, I talked about how to handle the bathroom in your home, and one of the key things with the bathroom is to keep the door shut.

When I first began using Feng Shui, keeping the bathroom door shut was a bit of an adjustment, but something that was fairly easy to do, and it's become enough of a habit that I tend to do it wherever I go now and have for about 6 years.

Enter, Luna Flowers....my daughter's Christmas kitten from 2008.

Luna will only drink fresh water. Period. Water sitting in a bowl for even a short period of time just won't do. In order to break her of the habit of jumping onto the counters to help herself to the sink, we comprimised. Luna drinks from the tub.

As a result of this, we no longer keep the bathroom door closed at all times. We fill the tub a bit and Luna drinks for several minutes. So we leave her in the bathroom, with the door open, to finish her refreshment.

I was so used to shutting the bathroom door behind me that I locked her in a number of times before readjusting my routine and leaving it open, at least when she's around. Her loud meowing to be freed, sometimes in the middle of the night, quickly broke me again of the habit of shutting the door.

This is NOT good Feng Shui, and I could tell you all the reasons why it's not. But it works for our family, so we don't sweat it.

That's the way I believe Feng Shui needs to be approached. You do the best you can to apply what you can, and you'll get good results. Where it doesn't work, skip it and move on to the things you can work with.

Have a Happy November, and a very Happy Thanksgiving. I have many blessings to be grateful for this year, and I hope you do as well.

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: October 2009

To get back a bit to the topic of Symbolism, here's one for relationships.

To attract a new relationship, or enhance an existing one:

Place a pair of mandarin ducks on a small table or alter in your bedroom. Ideally, place them in the southwest corner of the bedroom. If this is impractical, at least place them on the southwest corner of the table. Have their tails pointing toward your Nien Yen direction. Rose Quartz ducks are my favorite. The stone carries a very pure energy. It is said to resonate with the heart chakra, and to clear negative energy.

You may ask, what the heck is a Nien Yen direction, and how do I know what mine is? The Nien Yen direction is that which is associated with good fortune in Love, Marriage and Family relationships. This and other positive and directions to be avoided for an individual are associated with the year of your birth. Google "Kua Number Calculator" and you can easily find sites where you can enter your birthdate and sex and they will determine your personal Kua number and the directions considered most positive for you.

Mandarin ducks mate for life, hence their use as a relationship symbol. There is lovely Japanese folktale about the mandarin ducks that is fun to read. Katherine Paterson has written a lovely version which we were able to get at our local library.

Feng Shui Tip: September 2009

Fall is just 2 days away. I can't believe how quickly this year is speeding by.

The approach of Autumn seems a good time to revisit de-cluttering your space. How have you done with that task?

For me, it's still a work in progress. I have pared things down a bit, more can be done on that front. We'll be moving in a few weeks, so that will give me another opportunity to re-evaluate my possessions and determine what still fits, and what needs to go.

This can be a very sensitive subject. The stuff of our lives carry memories. I had a recent conversation with an acquaintance about something he was selling, something that no longer fit, but had sat around for quite awhile before he was ready to part with it. One of the comments he made, which was really poignant for me, was that he was concerned that the memories associated with the item would go with it. That the visual stimulus of seeing it triggered those memories, and without it, the memories might fade.

In my March 2009 Part A post, I touched on the idea of letting the things in your space be those the evoke positive feelings. I'd like to talk a little more about that this month.

Several years ago we received a gift from some friends, some artwork. It didn't resonate with me. There was nothing especially wrong with it, I just didn't like looking at it. I even had it framed and hung it for awhile, but it bothered me when I saw it. I finally got around to asking my husband how he felt, and as he was indifferent, we agreed to let it go. I'm happier when I walk into the room now (our home office) and the artwork I see is pleasing to me.

As we move into the fall season, and for some of us, that means a lot more indoor time, I invite you to talk a slow walk through your house and notice how you feel about the things you see. Do it when you have some time to relax and look with fresher eyes upon the things that you see every day. Are they pleasing, do you like the arrangement, the contrast? Is there anything that causes you any distress when you see it?

Sentimental items, though emotionally valuable, can sometimes carry heavy emotional energy with them. If you encounter anything like this on your journey through your home space, take some time to consider whether you could let it go. Or perhaps, just pack it away, so that you can take it out occasionally when you're feeling strong and need to revisit that time, place or person. Be gentle with yourself as you think about the memories and feelings that an item may evoke, and consider carefully what would feel best.

The goal of Feng Shui is to optimize the lives of the occupants of the home or other space. This is a very simple, but powerful thing that you can do to create better energy in your dwelling. I want my home to be a place to rest, to play, to be inspired, to join with friends and family, to create. I want to same for you.

Happy Autumn 2009.

Feng Shui Tip: August 2009, Back to School!

Doesn't the feel of back to school time affect you, even if it doesn't actually impact you directly? It certainly does me. I'm not in school, and will be homeschooling our daughter this year, which does include a certain back to school energy even if the time frame isn't as strict for us. But it's all around me anyway. Living near a big college town, I'm aware of the return of the students from their summer away. The roads are fuller, the grocery store shelves are emptier as everyone restocks. Signs of "Welcome back Students" are all around. Back to school supplies are everywhere.

Some are already back to school, others are about to be. So, in honor of all of that energy, I thought I'd talk about some specific symbolism for educational success.

In classical Feng Shui, the North East direction is associated with knowledge, education, and learning new skills. Placing specific symbolic items in the North East segments of your home can support these learning endeavors.

Here are some items that can be used to support learning:

The Tribute Horse

The Tribute Horse is associated with the rapid achievement of goals. It can also be used to promote career success and legal success. The Tribute Horse carries strong yang energy, bringing with it strength, authority, energy, movement and perseverance.

Running Horses Statue

The Running Horses Statue is also associated with the rapid achievement of goals. You'll see various numbers of horses together in statues like these. I happen to have an examples with 3 Horses (which belongs to my daughter). If aiming specifically for educational success, I would choose a statue with 8 horses, as 8 is the number associated with the North East and with Education.

To use the either the Tribute Horse or the Running Horses statue for educational success, place it in the North East portion of the room. If you can, place the desk or other seating arrangement in the North East segment of the room. If this is impractical, don't worry about it. Just place the horse statue on your desk or other area used for studying. Place the statue on North East portion of your desk or table. You can also set up a small table in the room used to study, and place the statue on the North East portion of that table, or place it on a shelf.

Here's the key detail: Make sure to position the statue so that the horse appears to be entering the room. This is the critical piece. Once you've located the horse on the table, desk or shelf, the tail of the horse should be pointing toward the door, so that the horse is entering the room, not leaving it.

Other symbols which can be used for this purpose include the Cicada, an Abacus (specifically for studies in math or computing), Carp on Waves statue, Books, Globes, Diplomas, pictures of the school or university, and anything else related to the field of study.

Here's to a successful 2009-2010 school year for us all!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: July 2009

Use Symbolism for Health

After last month's introduction to the topic of Feng Shui Symbolism, I thought Health was a great place to further expand the discussion. Many of us dream of increased prosperity, of finding the right partner to share our lives with, but without health, we can't properly enjoy anything else.


In general, the bedroom is where we focus our attention when looking at enhancing health with symbols. The bedroom is where we rest, recharge our batteries and generally spend the largest amount of time in one single place (hopefully we're all getting our 8ish hours in each night).

One of the more popular symbols for Health is the Chinese Bottle Gourd, or Wu Lu.


This can be set on your nightstand, or hung on the wall near the side of the bed where you sleep.

The peach tree or the peach is also a symbol of health and longevity. A photo or painting of a peach tree could be hung on the bedroom wall to bring in this energy. Place a bowl full of peaches on the dining room table to signify health for the family.

East is the direction associated with health and longevity. Locating your health symbols either in the east section of a room or of the house can increase their potency.

Until next month (only days away!), to your health!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: June 2009

A recent conversation inspired this month's topic, but more about that later....

Use Symbolism to Bring Specific Kinds of Energy and Luck into your Life

Symbolism works on multiple levels. Symbolic items carry energy or chi, which can charge your environment with the type of energy you want to bring into your life. Placing symbolic items in your environment can also work on the subconscious level, helping you subtly focus on that which you desire.

For these reasons the strategic placement of symbolic items are an important part of the practice of Feng Shui. This is a simple, and at times very powerful way to bring about changes in your life.

A very popular symbol is the 3 Coin Prosperity Energizer.

These are used to attract money, and can be placed in many locations. Carry them in your wallet or checkbook, attach them to your cash register, computer, phone, fax machine, or to anything associated with how you generate income.

The coins used here are old style Chinese reproduction coins and the color red signifies life giving energy.

They can be found in Chinatowns and through many online sources. The wonderful instructor I trained with has them in his online shop.

I'll get more into symbolism for the home over the next few months, but until then, enjoy the last few days of June!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: May 2009

May is nearly over already as I write this...life has taken a dramatically positive twist for my family, which has absorbed a lot of time of late....

Tip: Avoid poison arrows in places where you sleep or sit often.

First of all, what the heck is a poison arrow?

Poison arrows in Feng Shui, are simply defined as sharp edges that point at sitting or sleeping places. The reason to be concerned about these are that energy, or chi, which moves everywhere in your space, tends to gather along edges and then shoot in the direction of that edge. This energy is much too sharp and direct, and can be destructive when pointed at you.

Some examples of where you'll find these are: where you have two walls coming together in a point, and along the edges of furniture where to pieces are joined and create a 90 degree angle.

Poison arrows are common throughout your home and work space, and in most cases do not present a significant problem. They are, however, an issue when they point directly at your bed or regular sitting place. To determine where the energy is pointing, follow the point from a 45 degree angle out. If it intersects your bed or chair, you'll want to take steps to break up that flow of energy.

Some simple cures are:

1) In the case of a sharp point where two walls join, hang a faceted crystal or windchime from the ceiling in front of the corner. This will difuse the energy that is pointing at your place of work or rest.

2) Place a large vase or plant stand in front of the corner to block the flow

3) Tack a piece of fabric from the ceiling down to the floor in front of the corner to block the flow of energy.

4) Drap fabric over sharp edges of furniture that point toward your bed or chair. In bedrooms especially, using furniture with softer, more rounded edges is ideal. Round nightstand tables are highly recommended.

Enjoy the last few days of May, I'll be back in June!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: April 2009

April's topic: Feng Shui Bathroom Etiquette

While etiquette is not really in the realm of Feng Shui, dealing with our bathrooms appropriately is an important Feng Shui topic.

Because the drains in the bathroom deal with waste and are therefore, of necessity, strong, they can become culprits for the escape of good energy from your dwelling as well.

To avoid this, keep your bathrooms doors closed and toilot seats down when not in use.

Because energy drains quickly in the bathroom, it's not an appropriate place to locate good luck symbols or other important decorative items. Bathroom decor should be kept simple.

Ideally, bathrooms should not be above bedrooms, kitchens, or front doors, and should also should not face the front door.

Happy April....Spring is coming, really!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month:March 2009 part B

And, for part B of our Spring Cleaning segment.....


Have you finished clearing out your clutter yet? I haven't, it's an ongoing process, but I'm making progress. Once you've cleared the physical clutter, at least to a point,

2) Do a thorough Space Clearing

Space clearing is a way of cleaning out the energetic cobwebs. Space clearing is a technique used within many spiritual traditions to clean out old, stagnant energy and make way for new beginnings and desired outcomes. My husband and I included a space clearing as part of our marriage ceremony, clearing the way for a beautiful life for us together.

There are many techniques for space clearing. It can be as simple as opening the windows and burning some sage or incense in each area of the house, or as complex as using sage, salt and rice and leaving it overnight before vacuuming up.

If you subscribe to a specific religion or spiritual practice, you might research and incorporate a method used in that tradition. Below are some links to articles that give some good information on space clearing techniques.

"Feng Shui Principles for Space Clearing" by Valorie Sands-Budelis

Excerpt from "Clear Your Space, Change Your Life", By Amanda Slaz on planetbonsai

"What Space Clearing Can Do for You" by Stephanie Roberts

Space clearing can be done anytime you feel the energy in your space or life needs some freshening up. Here are some specific times when it's recommended:

• After an illness (like that nasty stomach flu that went around this winter)
• When moving into a new home
• When someone moves into or out of the household
• With each new season
• During any difficult time in life
• Before making significant Feng Shui changes

If your having a hard time getting through the decluttering process, it can be helpful to do a space clearing first. Sometimes when subtle blocks to change are occuring within us, something as simple and beautiful as setting the intention to clear the space and performing the steps to do so can help get things moving again in a postive direction.

I've requested some books from the library on the Feng Shui of clearing clutter....I'll be back to review them as I have the chance to read them.

Until next time, enjoy March, fickle beginning of Spring!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: March 2009 part A

In honor of spring's arrival in just a few short weeks, I'm going to recommend some cleaning, on a couple of fronts....

1) Declutter your space

The Feng Shui rationale for this is fairly simple. A very cluttered space inhibits the flow of Chi, creating a stagnation of energy which can, in turn, cause stagnation in various areas of life.

• Clutter in the bedroom can cause health and relationship stagnation
• Clutter in dining room can create financial stagnation
• Clutter in the living room can create stagnation in friendships and family relationships
• Clutter in the office (home or outside work space) can cause financial or career stagnation(this is an area I need to put some attention to)

Early Spring is a good time to clear out and take stock of what's really needed. I'm absolutely itching to get outside right now, but, at least in this climate, the weather is iffy at best, and cold and uninviting at worst. So it's a great time to take a final look at our indoor spaces before the warm weather calls our attention outside for awhile.

The goal, with Feng Shui, is always balance, and this applies here too. While we do want to avoid clutter, having an extremely stark space gives the energy of the space nothing to meander around, therefore sometimes causing rushing Chi, or Chi that moves to quickly and can cause as many problems as stagnation.

But for the purpose of this month's topic, we're focusing on the over abundance of items in our living and working spaces.

The things in your space should, ideally, uniquely reflect the occupants living there, and bring pleasure to them. Have things in your space that are beautiful and useful, and if sentimental, then let them be items that evoke positive sentiments. Anything else should be either packed away or let go of.

My daughter and I are working with the concept of letting things go. At 4, she gets the reason behind parting with clothing that no longer fits, but letting go of toys and other items is still difficult, and I choose not to push it, but let her find her own way around this. But I do like to remind her of another reason why we do this....

Several years ago, after visiting with some friends who had a great little climbing cube with a slide, Helena mentioned to me that she had "nothing fun to play on outside." Knowing what she was referring to, I said, "do you mean like the slide?" "Yes," she said. "Well," I said, "we don't have one right now, but I'm sure, if it's important, we can find one." She was satisfied with this.

Not even a week later, I was driving home from my Feng Shui course and happened to have my husband's pickup truck, since he and Helena were out and about in my car. Several blocks from home, beside a neighbor's driveway, was the very same slide with some other items, and a big sign stating "free." I quickly backed up and loaded it and brought it home, much to Helena's joy. I'm perhaps revealing my bent for the Law of Attraction, but that's a topic for another time.

The moral of this story, is that letting go of clutter can free up things in many ways, and allow the flow of abundance of the things you want into your life. And maybe, just maybe, that item you're tripping over and no longer using, will make someone else's dream come true.

Stay tuned...this month's topic has a part B.....

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: February 2009

Greetings from San Diego, where my family and I are vacationing and visiting friends and family.

I had intended to do a Valentine theme tip this month (and may still), but while traveling I was inspired in a different direction.

We're staying with some good friends who have generously given us there bedroom and are sleeping in the smaller guest room. The bed we're sleeping in is positioned directly below a large window, and I have not slept soundly since arriving. So here's the tip:

Have your bed located against a solid wall

There are several reasons for this.

First, which probably explains what I'm experiencing, is that chi or life energy, enters your home through doors and windows. Sleeping beneath a window places you much to close to that stimulating energy, which can interfere with quality sleep.

Second, it's important to sleep with the support of a solid wall behind you, because energetically that support is transferrred to you, possibly manifesting in ways such as supportive people in your life, and a feeling of support from the source, God, or universe, if you will.

To increase this feeling of support, having a solid headboard is wonderful. If resources or space won't allow for this, you can acheive the same energetic affect by tacking a heavy piece of cloth or a tapestry behind your bed.

When considering Feng Shui, particular attention is always given to any place you spend a significant amount of time, so the bedroom is of vital importance.

If, due to layout you have to place your bed under a window, keeping that window always curtained or shuttered can minimize the stimulating energy entering there and add a feeling of support. The heavier the fabric the better.

Here's to your good rest. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed soon!

Feng Shui Tip of the Month: January 2009

So, now that I've given some of my background, on to the tip of the month.....

This may sound like a no-brainer, especially to those of us living in winter climates, but I think the topic bears some discussion:

HAVE A SHOES OFF POLICY FOR YOUR HOME

Many people already do this. It saves wear and tear on flooring and cuts down on the need for cleaning. There are some other good reasons to do this.

It can be a symbolic way of leaving the rest of the day at the door, and entering your own space free from everything except that which you truly Want to bring home with you.

Energetically, it has the same effect. Removing your shoes can help you avoid bringing unwated energy into your home.

Getting out of your shoes and getting your feet on the ground can be a grounding experience, and help you feel Home.

From a practical stand point, it can require some adjustment, especially when it's cold. I have learned to drop my groceries inside the front door and other items that need to be unloaded, and I keep my slippers waiting to welcome me home near the front door as well.

So Happy January! When I have a moment, I'll post a bit of a description of classical Feng Shui, but for now, stay warm!