EVERYDAY FENG SHUI Newspaper Articles

As I sit to write my April column on Fame and Reputation, it occurs to me that I have now written over 90 articles for various newspapers in the past 8 years.

All these can be found on my website www.fengshuibymaria.com  click on “Articles”

They are listed under a table of contents under the headings:

Feng Shui Basics
The 9 Bagua Areas
Feng Shui in the Home
Lunar New Years
Also by date

Feel free to browse and download any that will help you enhance your home to benefit your life.

You can contact me with questions, or to request a home or business consultation, whether physically or virtually depending on where you live.

Blessings

Doors - The Feng Shui Mouth of Ch'i

Doors are very important in Feng Shui as they are considered “The mouth of Ch’i” to your home or a room. The life force energy (Ch’i) enters through the front door and meanders slowly breathing life into every room.

The front entrance is one of the most important areas of your home because it is meant to “En-trance” your guests and the Ch’i therefore keeping it uncluttered and beautiful is imperative to your well being.

Below are a few suggestions for making your doors enhance your space:

• Painting a front door a shade of red is considered to attract prosperity.

• Avoid having doors lined up directly across from other doors or large windows. If that is 
        the case, if you can’t place something substantial in-between you can hang a round faceted
        crystal from the ceiling midway between them to help circulate the Ch’i.

• Make sure all doors open smoothly and that nothing is stored behind them.

• Repair any door that is broken in some way.

• Ensure that areas around doors (especially the front door) are well lit.

• Hang an attractive piece of art directly in front of a door so you see something
        beautiful  when you walk in.

• Keep doors to bathrooms closed, if you can see the bathroom from your bed.

Enjoy the circulation of nurturing, revitalizing Ch'i in your home.
Blessings

In Feng Shui Choose Love When Creating a Harmonious Home

In times of stress always choose LOVE! By loving your home, and working to make it a place of harmony you allow love's energy to expand in  the lives of all who live there.

In a recent article, Madisyn Taylor stated that,  "At their best, our homes act as our sanctuaries. They are the nests we return to for rest and nourishment before we venture out once again to spread our wings and fly. But there are times that we may feel quite differently about our homes--times when we feel surrounded by turmoil rather than harmony, or mired in chaos rather than immersed in peace. It is at these times that we have the power to decide to bring more love into our homes. 

 When we choose love, we are choosing to begin within. With a deep breath, we close our eyes and ask that when we open them again, we will see where we can make shifts to create greater harmony. These may be inner shifts, such as accepting others' personality traits and working with them rather than against them. Or they may be changes we can make with items around the house--removing the ones that cause frustration and displaying things that make us feel good. Then, we reach out to the people with whom we share our homes--whether they are family members or another combination of people who share our space. We can help to shift their perceptions toward the positive by asking each person to think about their ideal living situation. After allowing some time for reflection, gathering to discuss each person's ideas may lead to the discovery that there are conflicting concepts about what your shared home should provide. Once this information is out in the open, we have a road map for creating balance and harmony from seemingly disparate desires. Together, agreements can be made to enable all to take the steps needed to create a unified vision. 

When we have consciously chosen to make our home a place of harmony, then love's energy can expand throughout the lives of all who live there. Each person will be nurtured, allowing them to take that peace and serenity with them into the world, sharing it with whomever they may encounter; and making every space they enter a warmer and more loving place for everyone."

This philosophy reflects that of Feng Shui. Surround yourself with love and beauty and life will return in kind.

Blessings

Begin the New Year With the 31 Day Feng Shui Decluttering Challenge

Feng Shui, which has been practiced for over 3,000 years in China, is the enhancement of health, prosperity, and happiness. The belief is that that your vitality, resources, and loving connections flourish and grow best in harmonious, uncluttered environments. 

An organized home can have a calming effect on you, your family and guests. This does not have to be difficult; in just minutes you can begin to make changes that can turn your home into a comfortable, peaceful haven.

                                 

What works is balance. You can begin to transform your home from chaos to paradise with the “few minutes a day technique”. I call it the “Salami Method of Time Management”, taking one slice at a time.  Organizing possessions and eliminating clutter can be viewed as an adventurous mission that opens portals to harmony.  By getting rid of the things you no longer want or need, you revitalize your home and make room for what you really DO want to flow into your life; you enhance your happiness, clarity and peace of mind. In Feng Shui everything counts, so your storage areas are as important as the most lived-in areas. In other words, if your room is orderly because everything is stuffed into a closet, you are not practicing Feng Shui. 

       

                                     

With the New year upon us, what better time to commit to more positive energy and a decluttered environment.

I encourage you to take the 31-day decluttering challenge from a magazine article I found by Jennifer Lifford:

Spend just 15 minutes a day (you can even set a timer) in each of the 31 days in January following the recommended guidelines. You will feel the difference as space clears for renewed energy and positive opportunities to come your way.

In each area create 3 piles – 1) toss, 2) give away, 3) relocate in its proper place.

Day 1 – Paperwork – Go through a pile of bills, receipts, other papers, tossing, shredding, filing.
Day 2 – Front entry and coat closet
Day 3 – Purse
Day 4 – Cleaning supplies
Day 5 - Fridge and freezer
Day 6 – Pantry and food storage
Day 7 – Free for all – Catch up day for any prior areas you didn’t complete
Day 8 –  Kitchen cabinets
Day 9 -     Medicine cabinet
Day 10 – Dining area
Day 11 – Entertainment area
Day 12 – Magazines and books
Day 13 – Junk drawer
Day 14 – Free for all – Catch up day
Day 15 – Desk
Day 16 – Bathroom cabinets
Day 17 – Linen closet
Day 18 – Make up
Day 19 – Jewelry
Day 20 – Bedroom closet
Day 21 – Free for all – Catch up day
Day 22 – Sock and underwear drawer
Day 23 – Nightstand
Day 24 – Kid’s toys
Day 25 – Kid’s closets
Day 26 – Craft space
Day 27 – Laundry room
Day 28 – Free for all – Catch up day
Day 29 – Basement or shed
Day 30 – Garage
Day 31 – Car

You’re done!!!! Welcome to February with a more organized space, more energy and opportunities!!

A Practical Feng Shui Guide for Holiday Decorating

The holiday season is upon us. This is a time when families get together to celebrate traditions passed down from generation to generation. It’s also a time of decorating, which helps to enhance your home and your life.  

Holiday Decorating Enhances Your Ch'i

Holiday decorations usually include the colors green, red, blue and bright lighting.  Whether you decorate with a Menorah or Christmas Tree, the objects you bring in to your home for the holidays will represent energy. Menorahs add fire to any room, Christmas Trees represent growth, and all the bright colors, lights, garlands, and traditional objects create 5 element displays which make the home’s energy flow easily and create an environment for family gatherings.  As you decorate think about using the Feng Shui Bagua to help guide you in placement. You can use the Bagua on the whole house, or for the main room where you will be entertaining. Place the Bagua over the entry of the room and use the attributes of each area to guide you in  altering  that room’s energy  by selecting the areas where you place your decorations: Green for family growth, red for action, pink for relationship, white or metal for intuition, purple for abundance, blue for knowledge and yellow for centering and good health. 

The conical shape of the tree and all the bright lights, which represent the Fire Element, make it a perfect location for the Fame and Reputation area of your home (Back Center) which is governed by the Feng Shui Element of Fire. 

The Fire element is represented by the hearth and when in balance enhances excitement, enthusiasm, leadership. In the Feng Shui Cycle of the elements the Wood Element feeds Fire, therefore adding representations of Wood, such as Christmas trees would feed the fire of your dreams, enhancing your opportunities and achievements.  

Sometimes your holiday decorations don’t fit exactly in the Fame sector of your home, or the Fame area of your living room or den. If that’s the case any of the other Fire sectors also work nicely; Wealth and Prosperity or Love and Marriage.  Christmas trees also work well in Knowledge, Family and Health, but because of all the colors, lights, garland and ornaments can represent all of the elements and act as five element displays wherever placed. This is a win – win! Menorahs representing fire enhance any of the three fire areas, but like the Christmas tree, depending on the colors and what it is made of they can also hold all of the elements. You really can’t go wrong with holiday decorations; no matter where you place them you are activating the Ch’i (life force energy) and positive energy will come your way. 

Important Feng Shui Tip 

Clear the clutter from the room before you begin decorating, and keep it clutter free. This will help your calm, holiday energy flow and prevent your holiday communications from being “messy.”

I wish you a holiday filled with family, friends, harmony, happiness, excitement and enthusiasm!

The Zen of Flowers in Feng Shui

Did you know that flowers bring nature into your home, enhance your health, help calm your mind and improve your attitude?  

When I work with flowers on a weekly basis in my Flower Arranging classes I immediately feel energized and more centered. Walking into the room with 15 people creating arrangements; taking in the scents and viewing the array of colors brings joy to my life. Then I have the added benefit of displaying a gorgeous flower arrangement in my home on an ongoing basis.

Flowers are among the strongest of the Feng Shui enhancements because they are directly related to the Health, Friends and Family Area of your home (left middle area). If you are dealing with health issues, you want to put fresh flowers or floral representation in art or fabrics in that area.

Flower arrangements can easily contain colors, shapes and attributes of all 5 Feng Shui elements, creating powerful 5 element displays used to uplift stuck energy.

* Wood - flowers themselves

* Water - glass or black vases, water

* Fire - The color red

* Earth - The color yellow, ceramic and rectangular vases

* Metal  - The color white, metal and round vases

The possibilities are endless!!!

                                               

They are the quintessential Ch’i enhancers for our homes; providing us with the beauty and wonder of nature and helping us stay connected and grounded to the natural world. Another alternative to fresh flowers is silk and plastic flowers which have the same uplifting effect.

Just like everything in Feng Shui flowers can uplift the Ch’i if beautiful and healthy, or deplete it if sick, dusty or depleting. If your plants begin to wilt and look sickly, move them on and replace them with vibrant healthy ones.  Artificial plants always need to be kept clean and dust free to have the same uplifting effect.

                                       

Orchids are the ultimate flower Chi enhancer; bringing positive energy to every area of the house. I always give people fresh orchids as housewarming gifts to help bless their homes. Think of the qualities of the Bagua areas you want to enhance and use flower colors to enrich the enhancement: Red flowers at an entrance for Career, white for the Helpful People or Children and Creativity areas, yellow for the Center, pinks or reds for Love, purple for Wealth. Use the beauty of nature to paint a palette of colorful enhancements in your home.

Yearning for Fame - Look to Feng Shui and the Fire Element

We just returned form a popular fine art festival, where we purchased a beautiful hand blown glass garden art flame. Looking at it, we knew exactly where to put it since the red color and flame shape represented the fire element. We put it in the FAME area of our garden, right next to the arbor with twinkle lights. I say that in Feng Shui there are "no random acts of decorating", everything can be placed where it can have the most benefit. 

One of the Feng Shui principles is that everything is connected – So if you ask yourself: Can changes I make in my home really affect my fame and reputation? – The answer is ABSOLUTELY.

So, how can the energy in your home help you bolster your positive reputation? 

Begin by mapping your home using the Feng Shui Bagua Map, locate the Fame and Reputation area in the back middle of your home, then use the enhancement recommendations below to begin creating magic. 

In the Feng Shui  Bagua (Ba-gua) Map, represented  as a grid of nine sectors, the Fame and Reputation area is located in the center back  of your home/office/business. The Bagua comes from the Chinese philosophy, “The I Ching,” and literally means “eight trigrams” , with the center for grounding. In the “I Ching” the Fame and Prosperity area of your home or business is called “Clinging Fire” because one of the attributes of Fire is that it clings to whatever it is burning. Whether good or bad, our reputation is very difficult to shake off.  It clings tight, either warming or burning us into the hearts and minds of others. Therefore cultivating a good reputation helps friendly relations to spring up all around us, creating the best chances for a happy and secure future. 

                                                                                            

Enhancements in this area are particularly helpful if: You would like more recognition at home or at work, you want to establish a good reputation in your community, or you want to be well known for something you do.

The element for this area is Fire, and the color is anything in the red spectrum. Red is one of the most powerful colors in the Chinese culture. It represents fame, fortune, joy, festivity, longevity and protection from bad luck. Representations of this element can be used inside and outside of your home or business. 

Enhancements for enhancing the Fame and Reputation area inside your home or business:
* Personal images and symbols of fame; diplomas, awards, trophies and acknowledgements
* Things made from animals, such as leather, feathers, wool and/or bone
* Posters, paintings, collages, photos and figures of animals, people, fire, sunshine and favorite
   celebrities; vision boards that represent your dreams for the future
* Cone, triangular or pyramid shapes
* Items in the red spectrum
*All pleasant lighting, including sunlight, candles, electrical lights and oil lamps
* Quotes, affirmations and sayings pertaining to Fame and Reputation

Enhancements for enhancing the Fame and Reputation area outside your home or business:
* Items that represent the sun, fire, stars
* Fire pits and BBQ grills
* Items, flowers, plants in the red color spectrum

The Elements of Fame:

Of the 5 Feng Shui Elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal) the Wood Element feeds Fire, therefore adding representations of Wood, such as plants or items made of wood would help feed the fire of your dreams, enhancing your opportunities and achievements.  Avoid the Water element in this center area, as Water extinguishes Fire.

A Missing Fame and Reputation Area:

If your Fame and Reputation area is missing from your floor plan, you can anchor the area by doing one or a combination of the following cures:  Anchor the missing area  structurally, such as building a trellis or deck, planting flowers in a flower garden or planter boxes in the red  spectrum, planting a tree with red leaves, such as an ornamental cherry tree,  adding a  seating arrangement with red pillows and umbrella or garden art representing stars, or celebrating figures, adding up- lighting, twinkle lights or tiki torches.  If the area outside is not accessible, you can symbolically anchor from the inside by hanging a 30 mm round faceted crystal, placing a mirror, and/or a picture representing fame  on the wall by the missing area.

A bathroom is especially important to enhance when it is in your Fame and Reputation area. Always remember that ALL drains and toilet lids must be kept closed when not in use, to keep the flow of fame from “pouring down the drain.” Using the enhancements stated above, you can turn your bathroom into a beautiful shrine to your fame.

Bring more fire to your fame area and watch your reputation grow!!