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4/23/12                                        Be Grateful: Spring is Here!

   It would be very predictable, almost cliché of me to write a springtime article about spring cleaning. While I have learned some fantastic Feng Shui cleaning and organizing tips over the years, and I believe it is imperative to do some deep cleaning this time of year, I think springtime is also the best time to express gratitude. I know what you are thinking: “That’s what we have Thanksgiving for!” Yes, by its very name Thanksgiving is the official day to be thankful, but realistically, in our very busy lives where time just seems to slip out from under us, we need more than just that one day to be reminded of all we are grateful for.  Here we are, almost 6 months later, the holidays have passed, winter is but a faint memory and re-birth and growth is all around us. Are you still giving thanks? I didn’t think so.

   Represented by the wood element, the only of the five elements that embodies inherent growth energy, springtime is a time of renewal. Just as a seed develops into a tree, wood stands for new growth, new beginnings and expansion.  Physical growth is only part of it though. I would like to suggest thoughtful  GRATITUDE as an aspect of inner growth, year-round.

   For a tree to grow, it must have good, fertile ground to root into. Gratitude is that foundation for the non-physical facet of our lives. When we dwell on what we do not have, it’s like a tree not getting enough water. It will exist, but not flourish. But if we express and actually feel the genuine gratitude that we have for the people, experiences and things in our lives that bring us joy, more of those things will begin to come to us. It’s like watering the tree with Miracle Gro. It will strengthen and thrive, and so will you.

   Feeling true gratitude is also emotionally beneficial. According to Psychology Today, “Traumatic memories fade into the background for people who regularly feel grateful…troublesome thoughts pop up less frequently and with less intensity, which suggests that gratitude may enhance emotional healing”.  In addition, it has been proven that those who feel grateful and express thanks to others regularly have overall better health with less anxiety and depression, sounder sleep, a higher long-term satisfaction with life in general and are less likely to turn aggressive when provoked (New York Times).

   So make a point to pass it along. Say “thank you” and give a smile to the check-out girl in the grocery store, your mail carrier and co-workers. It not only benefits you, but them too, and it will be passed on and on and on. What a wonderful world it would be if every one of us expressed a little more friendly gratitude each day.

   I’d like you to join me in one of two exercises I’ve already committed to. It’s easy, takes only seconds each day and is proven to make a world of difference in your life. Pick the one that resonates more with you and your family:

1. Start a gratitude journal. Keep a pad of paper and pen next to your bed or carry it with you throughout your day.  When something pops into your mind that you feel warm and fuzzy about,  jot it down. That’s it! Just once a day (ok, more if you really want to).
2. Designate a gratitude box or bowl in your house. Keep a pencil and small strips of paper next to it and tell your family that whenever they get the true feeling of gratitude, for anything at all, they should write it down and put it in the bowl or box. Do not read them though, give everyone their privacy. After a month, count them all. You can recycle the paper or take it outside and in a safe,  ceremonial way, light the papers on fire and watch the smoke take off imagining that all of that gratitude is manifested towards your neighbors, your town, your state, your country, or the world.

You can write anything:   I am grateful for that car letting me cut in so I could get off at my exit; for my neighbor bringing up my garbage pails for me before they blew away in the wind; for the few minutes I was able to spend outside at lunchtime; for the photos from our vacation that make me smile when I look at them; to have an employer that values me; for this sunny day; etc…. Once you get started, you will find it easier and easier to come up with things you are truly grateful for.

   This spring, while you are cleaning out your kitchen cupboards - wiping down the surfaces and reorganizing with only the things you use or absolutely love and discarding or donating the things you don’t - think about what you are grateful for. It will add intent and purpose to all of the cleaning, organizing and de-cluttering. The harmony and balance you are creating for yourself and your environment is what Feng Shui is all about. Remember, gratitude opens doors to new possibilities. No better time than springtime to begin a healthy, new routine and relish the benefits of abundance and good fortune!

3/15/12                                    Mercury Retrograde

What is Mercury Retrograde you ask? I read on www.rulingplanets.com that it is considered “Astrology’s Cosmic Monkey Wrench”. I love that! It’s so true.



For every yearly rotation around the sun for Earth, Mercury has just over four rotations. Both planets move in the same direction around the sun, Earth just rotates at a slower rate. So from our perspective, there are times when it APPEARS that Mercury is moving backwards, or “retrograde” in relation to the Zodiac laid out in the stars. This appears to happen for about 3 weeks at a time, 3 times a year.



Unlike Feng Shui Flying Stars that tend to decrease in potency on the first and last days of its cycle, Mercury is actually at its strongest during these days. What that means for us here on Earth is that we need to be careful and mindful of certain mishaps, and allow for them in our lives as there is not much we can do about it!

Mostly it is just minor annoyances. Computer glitches are very common during the weeks of Mercury Retrograde, so anything relating to computers, email, phones, or any of our other daily electronic uses may go awry. Travel is another area where we need to take precautions. Expect delays and mishaps.  Your astute communication skills might be sapped as misunderstandings abound and relationships are strained as a result.

What to do?

Plan for extra time while commuting or travelling.  Bring something to do during delays so frustration does not set in. If it does, remember there are communication problems as well, so don’t make matters worse by complaining about it. Try to keep a sense of humor.

Confirm appointments, check and re-check your electronic calendar to be sure nothing disappeared. This is a good time to back up files, making sure nothing gets lost or erased. Give people space, don’t be confrontational or take things personally during this time.

Take a tip from the planet Mercury! Retrograde is a time to “RE”: Rewrite, reconnect, reorganize, redo, reread, reenergize, renew, research, refresh, reminisce, etc….

Fear not, this Retrograde only lasts until April 4.  There are two more this year however, July 14 through August 8, and November 6 through 26.  

1/26/12

Good things are coming in the Year of the Dragon!

I am getting this website ready to sell beautiful Feng Shui products!  I will recommend a few special things each month that will protect you from monthly afflictions with Flying Stars as well as help with health, wealth, happiness, career and relationship issues.  I'm really excited to be able to offer these quality items at such great prices. 

Twitter and Facebook pages are also in the works, so watch for that in the next couple of months too!

Even more news that I am uber-excited about will be happening this year and I will let you know about all of it as it gets closer.

1/10/12

Happy New Year to All!

 I wonder how many people still make New Year’s resolutions. I personally do, and have for every year I could remember. Of course, like most people, I have not always been successful at reaching my goals. I would usually default on them very early into the new year. So instead of being very specific, like “I will lose 10 pounds by summer” I simply vow to try harder to do so. Takes the pressure off.

I want to tell you how using feng shui makes it easier and easier to keep those annual promises you make to yourself. The practices and cures implemented in my home and office – particularly those made for the new year - have helped me to be a better person all around, and I am honored to have been able to show so many of you these tips and tricks that bring out the best in you and your living space. Every individual and every space is different, but here are some universal tips to help you into the new year.

Feng Shui allows us to “kick up” the energy it takes to make things happen for us. These are the most basic, easily implemented tips I could give you without knowing your individual situation, evaluating your home or sending you out to buy stuff.

The following are the top 5 resolutions I’ve been told by my clients with my most basic cures.

Resolution #1: Lose Weight

Start in the kitchen! De-clutter like crazy because all that extra stuff in your kitchen is all that extra weight on you. Give it a thorough cleaning from top to bottom, get rid of the junk food and stuff that just takes up space. If you could paint your kitchen, for weight loss it is recommended to make it blue, green, or a neutral not in the red family. Display images of vibrancy, health and happiness throughout your home. Finish off by clearing out closets all around your home.

Resolution #2: Get Better Grades

So many students out there don’t even realize there is help in this area! In the west corner of your home, place anything that signifies metal - a metal sculpture, picture frames, electronics, circular items and the colors white, silver or gray. Avoid the fire element here (colors in the red family, triangular objects or candles). A globe is a great help, especially if you have a crystal globe. Don’t sit facing a wall, sit facing into the room when studying.

Resolution #3: Make More Money

Beef up the Southeast! Wood is the element associated with the southeast and this is represented by plants, trees, flowers, the colors green and blue and upright rectangular shapes. Avoid or remove any metal or fire elements you can from this area as it weakens wood. (See some metal and fire characteristics above in Resolution #2.) I don’t like to overlook the north when it comes to finances either. North is ruled by water, so by placing a water fountain, fish tank, anything black, dark blue or with wavy lines will enhance the water here. Avoid the earth element (crystals, pottery, yellow/earth tones, or square/cubed shapes).

Resolution #4: Find True Love

I believe finding love in yourself attracts better quality people to you. Aside from working on this, you can enhance the southwest area of your home, and also the southwest area of your bedroom. Make sure it is clear of clutter and dust. Remove electronics, exercise equipment, and work-related items from your bedroom. Use items that mean love to you. Two of just about anything works as a love cure. Position your bed so that you can see the door with your head on the pillow. Your bed should not be on the same wall as the bedroom door, nor should your feet point directly out the door. Keep your bedroom warm with color. It is a yin room, so too white or bright is not advisable. Use a pink light bulb in your night light.

Resolution #5: Be Healthier Overall

The center of your home is the heart of it, so this is where you enhance your health. This area in particular must be kept clean, clutter-free and dust-free. Keep it bright here too, and use objects in the red family as well as crystals, rocks, shells, etc. Using yellow or earth tones enhances the center. Get rid of unhealthy plants inside, or trees outside the home. Everything must be lush and healthy.

May 2012 be full of love, prosperity and good health!