Balanced Living, Inc.

Are You Living At The Right Address?

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 04:10:00 +0000

I just love it when I stumble across like-minded individuals who create awareness. I've been following Felicia Bender for some time now and really enjoyed her article on the number of your address.

Enjoy!
Michelle

Are You Living At The Right Address? Numerology For Your Home

By The Numbers / Numerology / Numerology Explained

Have you ever lived in a home where everything just feels right? Where your life flows and feels synergistic? And then have you ever lived in a place that just feels off – out of sync with you, your desires, and with your energies?

In Numerology, every address carries with it a vibrational matrix that becomes the home’s “personality.”

When you know the personality of your house (or potential home) you can understand if you’re a good match or not. It’s almost like dating – you want a partner (your home, where you spend a good deal of time) to be supportive and in alignment with your goals and energies, right?

Here is how to calculate the numerology for your house or apartment:

First, write down the full number of your house or apartment.

Next, add all of the numbers together to find the sum. Reduce the sum to a single digit.

For example: The house address is 1704 Bluff Boulevard

The house number is 1704.

You then add: 1 + 7 + 0 + 4 = 12. Reduce 12 to a single digit: 1 + 2 = 3

If you live in a house 1704 Bluff Boulevard, you live in a 3 house.

The most important element is the house number, not the name of the street.

If you live in an apartment, your most influential number is your apartment number – not your building number. 

Example: The apartment address is 266 North Street, Apt #28.

Now you calculate the apartment number, which is 28. 2 + 8 = 10; 1 + 0 = 1

Letters also have numeric value in Numerology. So you live in apartment 15A, you would take the numeric value of the letter A (see below) and add that to the apartment number.

In this example: 15A = 1 + 5 + (A = 1) = 7

1 = A, J, S
2 = B, K, T
3 = C, L, U
4 = D, M, V
5 = E, N, W
6 = F, O, X
7 = G, P, Y
8 = H, Q, Z
9 = I, R

Look to see what “personality” each number brings with it.

And this is a great thing to know: If you don’t have control over your house number right now and you feel that it’s not offering you the supportive energy that you want, in order to make it into a number you feel is more compatible with you, here’s a simple way to remedy the situation. It’s almost like a Feng Shui “fix.”

You can change the vibration of your home by putting another number inside your door.

Let’s say you live in a number 7 home and you’d rather live in a number 3 home.

Just add number 5 to the inside of your door and – wa-la! – 7 + 5 = 12; 1 + 2 = 3

YOUR HOME’S PERSONALITY . . . by the Numbers

1 HOME

The 1 home is a place to establish independence. It’s all about “#1” and its energy promotes innovation, individuality, ambition, drive, and leadership. The personality of this house supports self-employment or an active career. People living in this home will be encouraged to maintain their independence, autonomy, and personal freedom. Living here can teach you lessons about self-confidence, courage, determination, and failing forward.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a “soft and fuzzy” family environment, this is not the place for you. The 1 home fosters and focuses on independence to the exclusion of the give-and-take required for successful partnership. If your priority at this time in your life is to find a long-term intimate partner, you’ll find connecting and sustaining a reciprocal relationship challenging. If you’re a person who is sensitive to loneliness, this home can have too much “me/self” energy and might be a place where you spend time alone.

If your home adds up to 19 – which is a karmic number – the tendency might be that you feel unsupported and overloaded with work. [Find out more about the Karmic Number 19 here]

Upside: Great place for an active, outer-focused life. Perfect for finding success and establishing your sense of independence, individuality, and achievement.

Downside: This home is “all about you” to the exclusion of others. “One” can be the loneliest number.

2 HOME

The 2 home is a place devoted to love, family, and partnership. It’s all about inclusion, nurturing, and providing a loving and safe environment. Its energy promotes loving relationships, devotion to the group as a whole, and is a harmonious place to live. The personality of this house supports people who want to co-create a life together – couples, couples with kids, or best friends. People living in this home will be encouraged to be diplomatic and take everyone’s needs into consideration. Living here can teach you lessons about love, relationships, peace, harmony, and emotions.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a launching pad that’ll encourage you to present yourself dynamically to the world, this is not the place for you. The 2 home fosters and focuses on relationship to the exclusion of independence and individuality. If your priority at this time in your life is to get moving with your career or get out of a codependent relationship, you’ll find that putting yourself first will prove challenging. You might find that you’re extremely emotionally sensitive in this home and become enmeshed with those living with you. You can begin to feel emotionally needy. If you live here alone, you can feel depressed that you’re not sharing your life in partnership with another person.

Upside: Great place to create your nest. Perfect for creating and establishing loving relationships and is a great home to raise a family. This is a comfortable and nurturing environment for everyone.

Downside: This home can make you want to stay home and away from the “fray” to the point where you start living in your own little world. You can become enmeshed in the emotional lives of those you’re living with in the house.

MASTER NUMBER 11 HOME

If you live in a home that calculates to an 11 before digiting down to the number 2, you’re living in a home carrying a Master number. The Master numbers bring higher potential and also more intense challenges. [See this article for more about the number Eleven]

A Master 11 house is a powerful place to develop intuition. This is a wonderful home for anything having to do with spiritual healing and developing your own excellence in whatever you do. This is a warm and inviting home, yet it can make you feel a little more the “dreamer” than the “doer.” A home with a Master number supports achievement in whatever realms you’re focused on, as long as you’re tapping into your authentic self and helping and healing others. The 11 home is the house of “illumination.”

3 HOME

The 3 home is a place that’s full of joy and laughter and has an optimistic and upbeat energy. It’s all about communication, emotional self-expression, and creativity. Its energy promotes socializing, inspired and uplifting conversation, and artistic expression. The personality of this house supports people who want to start a family, engage in innovation and creativity – anyone who wants to live life fully and joyfully feels good in this house. People living in this home will be encouraged to be emotionally sensitive and tap into their creative expression. Living here can teach you lessons about communication, emotions, joy, and expression.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a solitary retreat, this is not the place for you. The 3 home fosters and focuses on social engagement and joyful expression to the exclusion of a more “serious” expression of life. If your priority at this time in your life is to have some unplugged “alone” time, you’ll find it challenging. The energy of this home is vivacious, yet it can lend itself to the occupants feeling scattered and unable to follow through with things (commitments, projects, that sort of thing). You can also find that money slips though your hands when you live here. Since the energy of the 3 is all about creativity and emotions, you might have a tendency to experience bigger emotional highs and lows in this house, not to mention bouts with self-doubt.

Upside: Great place to expand your creativity and communication skills. Perfect for hosting parties and get togethers with fascinating people. This is a comfortable and inspiring environment for everyone.

Downside: This home can be a place where you experience money problems. You can feel scattered and have trouble focusing and following through with things in your life. If you’re not open to expressing your creativity and living with joy, you can experience depression and succumb to cynicism.

4 HOME

The 4 home is a place to establish security and stability. It’s all about the slow and steady processes that produce security. Its energy promotes hard work, development and implementation of systems, organization, loyalty, and protection. The personality of this house supports growing a business, a family, or your solid investments. People living in this home will be encouraged to maintain conservative actions, hard-working endurance, and grounded practical activities. Living here can teach you lessons about service, practical goal setting, honesty, and security.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a free-flowing environment, this is not the place for you. The 4 home fosters and focuses on security to the exclusion of lighter, more creative, or more fanciful endeavors. If your priority at this time in your life is to bring out your fun-loving and freedom-seeking nature, you’ll find the energy of the 4 home challenging. This home supports hard work and concerted effort. It’s got a more “serious” vibration and feels very stable, organized, and well managed. This home is very “earthy” and benefits from a nice garden and does well with live plants in the interior of the home as well.

You might find yourself becoming a “work martyr” or getting too bogged down in your to-do list (just say no to micromanaging!), particularly if you live in a 13 home – which is a karmic number. [To learn more about the Karmic Number 13, click here] It’s important to make every effort to balance work with play and practicality with emotions.

Upside: Great place for you if you need to establish a sense of stability and security in your life. Perfect for slow and steady process meant to endure the test of time. Also conducive to knowledge seeking and study.

Downside: This home can feel “heavy” and supports continuous work and meeting of goals. If you don’t make a concerted effort to take some time off and lighten up, the energy of this home can feel oppressive. The energy here is all about discipline, structure, and order.

MASTER NUMBER 22 HOME

If you live in a home that calculates to an 22 before digiting down to the number 4, you’re living in a home carrying a Master number. The Master numbers bring higher potential and also more intense challenges. (See this article for more about the number Twenty-Two).

A Master 22 house is a powerful place to develop mental mastery. This is a wonderful home for anything having to do with spiritual healing and developing your own excellence in whatever you do. This is an organized and well kept home. This is a place where you’ll feel compelled to study and gain knowledge – this is a perfect home for a writer, architect, or any other profession where you’re changing the everyday lives of a large group of people for the better. A home with a Master number supports achievement in whatever realms you’re focused on, as long as you’re tapping into your authentic self and helping and healing others. Yet it will challenge you to step up and into this form of achievement. This isn’t a home for “slacking.”

5 HOME

The 5 home is a place to party and have fun! It’s all about fun, fearlessness, adventure, and progressive ideas. Its energy promotes versatility, flexibility, enjoyment of all things social, and freedom. The personality of this house supports developing your sense of freedom through self-discipline – it’s about the constructive use of freedom. People living in this home will be encouraged to live life to its fullest, tackle problems with fearless abandon, and make lemonade out of lemons. Living here can teach you lessons about acceptance, the focused use of freedom, dynamic change, and facing your fears.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a solid and steady environment, this is not the place for you. The 5 home fosters and focuses on freedom and pleasure to the exclusion of more serious or more conservative endeavors. If your priority at this time in your life is to get serious and build a solid future, you’ll find the energy of the 5 home challenging and counter-productive. This home supports variety and change, so it might not serve as a permanent residence for you unless you desire an ever-changing lifestyle. The 5 is the number of excess, so you might find that you (and your guests) overindulge in food, sex, alcohol, drugs. Any excessive behaviors are amped up under this vibration.

You might find yourself succumbing to addictions (if you’re prone to that) or alternatively becoming fearful to the point of seclusion, particularly if you live in a 14 home – which is a karmic number. [To learn more about the Karmic Number 14, click here] It’s important to implement light healthy routine and focused self-discipline, or the energy of the 5 can easily run amuck.

Upside: Great place for you want some fun and energy in your life. This is a great house for tapping into your versatility, meeting and connecting with interesting and off-the-beaten-path sort-of people, and just livin’ large!

Downside: The energy of this home can move very fast, which can feel as though you’re being knocked off balance sometimes. It’s an intense energy of fun, sensual pleasures, and constant activities. If you have children in a 5 home, they’ll probably be engaged in a bundle of extra-curricular activities. Just make sure you don’t get carried away with all the impulsive energy contained in this home.

6 HOME

The 6 home is a place of beauty and nurturing. It’s all about home and family and its energy promotes loving service, warmth, compassion, and is a superb home for children. The personality of this house supports running a business and raising a family. People living in this home will be feel nurtured and cared for – yet you must be careful not to over-give to the point of feeling drained. The energy of the 6 also has perfectionist tendencies, so be aware that you’ll need to loosen the reins on your need for control. This is a perfect home for your service-oriented business, especially something in the line of massage, energy work, counseling, interior decorating – anything having to do with making people feel better is in alignment with the energy of the 6. Living here can teach you lessons about service, trusting your visionary ideas, love, and acceptance.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a “no responsibility for me” environment, this is not the place for you. The 6 home fosters and focuses on service to the exclusion of more independent or individual endeavors. This home supports the value of home and family – it also supports the artist as well. The 6 is the “domestic” number and this home is your castle. It nurtures all who walk onto the premises. I can almost smell the homemade cookies baking! Make sure and take time to invite others into your world. The 6 home can become your own little resort of perfection, so make sure that you don’t turn a blind eye to the world around you.

Upside: This home is a nurturing and beautiful environment for families and for people who want to live in a house that feels like home. This is the place to nurture and be nurtured – it’s truly a sanctuary. Children and animals thrive here and it’s a home of taste and usually has an artistic and creative flair.

Downside: Since “responsibility” is the cornerstone for the energy of the 6, you might feel bogged down by responsibility in this home. The trick is to balance self-care with the care and loving service to others. You might also feel as though you want to just hang out in your little cocoon all the time and not venture out and engage with the world. Don’t cut yourself off from your engagement with experiences and people outside of your own family circle.

7 HOME

The 7 home is a place for introspection and contemplation. It’s all about spiritual seeking, taking isolated time for yourself, igniting your intuition, and refining your data-driven ideas. Its energy promotes tranquility, soul searching, knowledge gathering, and spirituality. The personality of this house supports developing your sense of truth. It’s a place you can really take the time to get to know yourself in a deep and profound way. People living in this home will be encouraged to find faith in themselves and in others, to take time to be by themselves, and to learn more about whatever you’re specifically interested in knowing more about. Living here can teach you lessons about trust, your own spiritual beliefs, how to develop and listen to your intuition, and uncovering the “real you.”

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for an environment that’s set up to move you forward in practical ways in the material world, this is not the place for you. The 7 home fosters and focuses on your “internal journey” to the exclusion of more practical and material endeavors. If your priority at this time in your life is to get your cash flow going and make your mark in a high-energy career, you’ll find the energy of the 7 home challenging. This home supports contemplation and intellectual pursuits, so if you’re in a relationship or marriage, you’ll have to make a special effort to connect and communicate clearly with your partner. Otherwise, the energy of the 7 is much more internally focused and self-directed, so you can confuse people when they feel you’re perhaps a bit aloof or stand-offish.

You might find yourself tempted to escape through addictions or living very much “in your head” to the point of feeling intellectually superior to others, particularly if you live in a 16 home – which is a karmic number. [To learn more about the Karmic Number 16, click here] It’s important to bring yourself back to earth in order to operate successfully in the world.

Upside: This is a perfect home for a writer, scientist, professor – anyone who is working at becoming an expert in an area of specialty will benefit from the intense energies related to the headiness of the number 7. This home is a refuge and feels private. You can gain miraculous insight when you’re living in the energy of a 7 home. To promote a tranquil feeling rather than a feeling of isolation, water features are beneficial.

Downside: You might have a tendency to feel like a loner in this home. If you enjoy a vibrant social life, this home won’t jive with you. Since the number 7 also loves to escape, it’s not the best choice if you struggle with drug or alcohol issues.

8 HOME

The 8 home is a place of power and prestige. It’s all about financial abundance and its energy promotes financial gain (and loss), control, authority, and achievement. The personality of this house supports you in getting ahead in the material world. People living in this home will tend to feel as though money and achievement are top priority – therefore it’s vital that you maintain a healthy sense of loving communication with your family members or they’ll feel neglected or second on the totem pole. The energy of the 8 is all about the mastery of money, yet it’s highest form is in giving back to others and doing business with the utmost integrity. This home is often a “show piece,” so be careful that it represents your values and doesn’t become a vacuous “show home.” Living here can teach you lessons about personal power, endurance, management, and organization.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a relaxed and low-key environment, this is not the place for you. The 8 home fosters and focuses on financial achievement and authority in the material world. If your priority at this time in your life is to contemplate the more spiritual or intangible side of yourself, you’ll find the energy of the 8 home challenging. This home supports abundance in all areas of your life. The 8 is the “money” number and this home is power central. This home usually has a certain degree of elegance or “reserve” about it. The energy of the 8 is all about appearances, yet make sure that there’s a heart to the home or it’ll feel superficial.

Upside: If you want a supportive environment for advancing your interests in the realms of money and achievement, this is the perfect environment to do it. This home usually feels as though there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Perfect for impressing business associates and it’s also a great place for running a business if it’s a home-based business.

Downside: The number 8 is all about money and abundance, yet it’s also a risk taking energy and usually attracts losses as well as gains. You need to understand that resilience is part of the package. You might find that you have a tendency to become a “hoarder” in this house – always getting more and more “stuff.” If you’re constantly upgrading the home for “show” purposes, it can become a money pit. People who live here can become workaholics. Make sure to balance work and play. Also understand that the challenge to the energy of the 8 is the opposite of power and abundance – therefore an 8 house might be a place that isn’t particularly opulent. Yet even if it’s a “regular” home, it usually exudes a sense of pride and refinement.

9 HOME

The 9 home is a place of humanitarianism. It’s all about charitable giving and its energy promotes creativity, spirituality, selflessness, and forgiveness. The personality of this house supports you in changing the world to make it a better place. People living in this home will tend to feel as though they want to give back to the world in a substantial way. The energy of the 9 is all about the letting go – so this is a place where you can heal yourself and others. This home welcomes everyone and people who live here often are (or become) spiritually evolved. Living here can teach you lessons about giving wise counsel, universal truth, charitable giving, and letting go of the past.

Glitches & Potential Challenges: If you’re looking for a place where your focus is more self-centered, this is not the place for you. The 9 home fosters and focuses on love, compassion, and acceptance of everyone. If your priority at this time in your life is to forge ahead in the world on your own terms, you’ll find the energy of the 9 home challenging. Your intuition will become highly developed here. Its likely that you’ll find yourself being contacted by people seeking your advice. People are drawn to your home because of the loving and giving energy. The number 9 is an “international” number, so you might find yourself traveling frequently or hosting visitors from other parts of the world. This is also a refuge for healing past wounds – you can count on having opportunities to forgive yourself and others for past indiscretions. The expression of feelings and creativity of all kinds is a must.

Upside: This is a wonderful home for supporting you if you’re on a humanitarian mission in life. This can be anything you feel strongly about sharing and giving to the world – as a teacher, artist, counselor, business person, musician, philanthropist. This is a magnetic home that supports spiritual growth.

Downside: This home is good for people who’re ready and willing to tap into their compassion, spirituality, and giving. Sometimes this home can be a home where “loss” occurs. The 9 is the energy of completions, letting go, and transformation. This is a place where you’ll experience personal and spiritual evolution – and that isn’t always smooth or easy.

Remember: You can create a different vibration by adding another number to the inside of your door, as I mentioned at the beginning of the article.

Also know that our needs shift and change as we go along – you’re often living in the energy that you need for this moment in your life. When you feel the impulse and need to shift that energy, you’ll instinctively know when it’s time to move. It’s useful to know what lessons you’re learning in the different places you choose to live.

http://www.feliciabender.com

Buddha Statues will Enhance your Chi Energy

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 07 May 2017 18:35:00 +0000

I’ve been collecting beautiful Buddha statues for various reasons. Be it to enhance the décor of a room or to remind me of my own inherent Buddha Nature. Images of the Buddha seek to reflect his peaceful expression and the great wisdom from within when desire, fear, and obstacles to freedom were overcome. The word Buddha literally translates to 'awakened one'.

As with any symbolism, it needs to hold a significant meaning to you for you to reap the benefit of the symbolism. I am sharing a great article about the meaning and proper use of Buddha statues.

It's always such a pleasure crossing paths with like-minded and Feng Shui enthusiasts. I recently had that pleasure of interacting with www.Buddhastatuesnow.com. As always my journey is to share the gift and the power of Feng Shui.

Blessings,

Michelle

Buddha Statues will Enhance your Chi Energy

Buddha Statues & Feng Shui
The Feng Shui philosophy is based on living in harmony with nature. As a result, there are common sense elements that will make your home or meditation room more serene and peaceful. For example, Feng Shui implementation would result in enhancing natural lighting and open spaces. Ironically, these things also enhance human happiness which leads to longer life and accumulation of wealth. However, natural light and adequate living space also have essential metaphysical benefits such as enhancing the flow of positive energy (chi).

How do Buddha statues play a role in the concept of Feng Shui? This is an excellent question! The compassionate attributes associated with Buddha will create a positive ambience in the surrounding environment. Therefore, a properly placed Buddha statue will enhance the flow of chi energy throughout the home. This unimpeded flow of the chi “life force” is what brings peace and tranquility into the human environment.

Proper placement of your Buddha statue is important for the enhancement of energy flow.
Therefore, we encourage you to be mindful of a few important considerations when placing your
statue.

Simple Implementation Rules:

1. The statue must be placed at least 2 1/2 feet above the ground on a table or cabinet.

2. Place the Buddha statue so it is facing the front door, This will attract positive energy and repel the negative energy which is the source of evil.

3. Never place the Buddha statue on the floor, in the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.

4. For placement in a study or home office ensure that the statue is placed in good light where it can be easily seen. This will encourage the flow of positive energy and enhance intellectual pursuits.

5. Please use a statue that includes the entire body of the Buddha, not only the head or hand.

6. Acquire your Buddha statue in a positive spirit and with confidence.

7. Statue embellishments such as gold plating and precious stones can attract positive energy because of the self sacrifice made in procuring the statue.

8. For meditation practice place the Buddha statue at eye level.

Click here to read the entire article

Feng Shui for Seniors

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:08:00 +0000

Me, Mom and little sister

This article is a re-post from last year and is a dedicated to my mom, who has recently made her journey to her next lifetime. She was so fond of Feng Shui and made sure her home was always in tip top shape. Much easier for her, as she had her own private consultant at her fingertips. May she continue to be my inspiration and guiding light as my journey continues.

I am excited to welcome back contributing author to the world of Feng Shui. Helen Gaynor, freelance writer, has gifted us with some fabulous Feng Shui advice. As we age, Feng Shui actually becomes more important to our well being - whether living alone, in a assisted living facility or a nursing home. Our physical environments affect us no matter what age we are and it is vital to our physical wellness and mental health. Enjoy!

Feng Shui can have an impact upon everyone, no matter what their demographic. The way in which our environment affects our lives is becoming an increasingly acknowledged phenomenon, scientifically and psychologically speaking [1] – something which practitioners of Feng Shui have known for generations. However, the increasing acceptance of many Feng Shui principles by the establishment is opening the discipline out to a greater audience. This is great, as there are many groups of people who can seriously benefit from Feng Shui. The elderly are one such group. Making the environment in which our seniors live can have some extremely beneficial effects. Here are just a few ways in which Feng Shui can be used to help the elderly.

Balance Out ‘Yin’ Energy

Due to a number of factors, including reduced income and mobility, the homes of seniors have a tendency to allow encroaching ‘Yin’ energies to predominate. The space may become dark, cold, cluttered, and generally uncongenial to health. This in turn can make seniors more vulnerable to issues like depression and substance abuse, to which they are already (sadly) predisposed as a demographic. An inability to afford things like heating and air conditioning ensures that air fails to circulate as it should and the life energies of the home become passive – stagnant, if you will. Sadly, it's also not uncommon for reduced mobility to result in a reduced ability to perform simple cleaning tasks, which may end up encouraging things like mildew - not good from either a Feng Shui or a health point of view! Doing things as simple as opening windows, going round with a duster, and freshening up the home with lighter curtains, live flowers and so on can help to restore the positive balance of energies – essential for preventing chi entropy. Keeping the energy within the home vibrant and balanced will help to ensure that your elderly loved ones have a better quality of life.

Clear The Clutter

We accumulate an awful lot over the course of a lifetime, and many items have precious associations which encourages them to keep them close. However, this does not mean that they have to be strewn haphazardly around our homes, or make our rooms seem crowded with 'stuff'. Furthermore, elderly people may become less able to keep on top of their homes when it comes to tidiness. It is essential that clutter is not allowed to get a hold on a senior’s home. Not only is a cluttered, messy environment profoundly bad from a Feng Shui perspective, it can also present a considerable health hazard. The older we get, the more at risk of falls we become [2]. Clutter puts the elderly at greater danger of tripping. Furthermore, it can actively reduce our ability to process information – not ideal if you’re trying to cope with age-related cognitive decline as well. If clutter becomes excessive, it can also put people in psychological danger – encouraging misery and depression. Of course, sometimes clutter can be a sign of something more sinister [3]. Compulsive Hoarding Disorder presents a huge variety of risks both mental and physical [4]. If your loved one is proving excessively resistant to de-cluttering, it may be worth getting them a psychological assessment, and perhaps some professional help.

Make Your Presence Felt

Filling the home of a vulnerable senior who lives alone with your vibrant, kind, human energy can be profoundly uplifting. Spending time with your loved one and doing your best to make their home a more positive environment can in itself improve things. Loneliness is a great scourge for the elderly people of today, so just being there for them and letting them know that you care will be a great help. If you can also use the time to clean up, tidy up, improve the flow of energy, and generally make the environment a more positive, balanced, and vibrant one then that is a bonus. At a time when many of us feel that we are losing control and losing touch, having someone to help bring the environment into line and spend time with us really can make all the difference to the way in which we live our lives.

[1] “How the environment affects mental health”

[2] “Important Facts about Falls”

[3] “When It Isn’t Just Clutter Anymore”

[4] “The Dangers of Too Much Stuff”

Feng Shui and Your Intentions

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 21:33:00 +0000

Once again, I am very excited to share an article written by a contributing author, Helen Gaynor. She has done such an amazing job capturing the essence of Feng Shui. Enjoy!

Practicing Mindfulness both Inside and Outside of your Home

Mindfulness is one of the most important concepts to come out of Buddhism, and has grown into a worldwide movement that many individuals use to help them to relax and unwind, whilst enriching their lives and their mental well-being.

The art of mindfulness involves ensuring that you are constantly aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions in any given situation, and that you take the time to connect both with your inner self as well as the world around you at any moment. Because mindfulness involves connecting with the world around you, as well as connecting with your inner self, it perfectly complements the concept of Feng Shui, and of being aware about how you can harmonize with the environment inside your home. Mindfulness allows individuals to live to their fullest potential throughout every aspect of their life, whilst Feng Shui enables that potential to be reached and appreciated within the sanctuary of the home. By combining the dual spiritual practices of both mindfulness and Feng Shui, therefore, you are enabling your mind the space and awareness that it needs to ensure you can become the best possible version of yourself.

Built on Shared Principals

Mindfulness and Feng Shui are both built on shared principals that can be adapted and applied to ensure success in both practices. Allowing natural air and light into your home, for example, are both key Feng Shui principals, allowing practitioners to allow nature to become a part of their daily routine and encouraging individuals to bring light and creativity into their lives. From a mindfulness point of view, having an awareness of the light around you and of the breeze on your skin is also incredibly important in order to truly focus on what your body is feeling and experiencing at any given moment. Having plants in the home is also a key Feng Shui principal and for good reason: they provide a myriad of health benefits, can help to reduce feelings of anxiety, anger and sadness, and can also help to make smaller rooms look more spacious. In mindfulness terms though, owning houseplants is also massively beneficial as they provide a metaphor for life itself, giving you something to nourish, care for, and focus on the survival of besides yourself. When your plants flourish you will feel a huge sense of positive wellbeing and success in your achievements: key to mindful living.

Declutter your Home. Declutter your Mind

There is a strong link between mindful awareness and overall wellness: whilst research into this subject is relatively new, the research that has been conducted shows that the more mindful you are, the more likely you are to have a higher level of general health and well-being. For that reason, ridding your home of clutter is an ideal first step to take if you wish to ensure that you home is as cleansed as possible. Clutter in the home is often representative of clutter in the mind: not ideal in an environment where either mindfulness or Feng Shui should be practiced. By ridding yourself of clutter, you are also ridding yourself of stress and of an emotional, as well as physical, weight that you simply no longer need to have in your life. Clutter doesn’t just disrupt the flow of your space and make your environment look and feel untidy. It also represents your own life, showing a lack of engagement with the world around you and a lack of desire to be mindfully aware of the home you are living in and the way that it looks, both to you and to those visiting.

Feng Shui and Mindfulness are both ancient arts that should be practiced and treated with respect. They are also ancient Eastern practices that can be comfortably practiced in conjunction to ensure that every aspect of your life is as calm, controlled and self-aware as possible. By letting Feng Shui into your home, you will find that the door is already open to letting mindfulness into your life, and that by doing so, you will find your life is more enriched than ever before.

References

http://www.kwikmed.org/mindfulness-simply-meditation/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1084/Getting-to-the-Power-of-Now-7-Tips-to-Feng-Shui-Your-Way-into-Present-Time.html
http://foreverconscious.com/feng-shui-basics-for-good-health-and-fortune
http://www.houseofplants.co.uk/healthbenefits.html
http://inhabitat.com/9-simple-tips-to-feng-shui-your-home/

Feng Shui for Seniors

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 02:22:00 +0000

Me and my Mom!

I am excited to welcome back contributing author to the world of Feng Shui. Helen Gaynor, freelance writer, has gifted us with some fabulous Feng Shui advice. As we age, Feng Shui actually becomes more important to our well being - whether living alone, in a assisted living facility or a nursing home. Our physical environments affect us no matter what age we are and it is vital to our physical wellness and mental health. Enjoy!

Balance Out ‘Yin’ Energy

Clear The Clutter

Make Your Presence Felt

[1] “How the environment affects mental health”

[2] “Important Facts about Falls”

[3] “When It Isn’t Just Clutter Anymore”

[4] “The Dangers of Too Much Stuff”

Turn Your Bedroom Into a Sanctuary And a Retreat

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 02:15:00 +0000

I am excited to welcome a contributing author to the world of Feng Shui. Helen Gaynor, freelance writer, has gifted us with some fabulous advice for creating a sanctuary in our Bedroom - one of the most important rooms in our homes. Connected to our physical well-being, mental health, self-love and of course our most intimate relationship, the Bedroom reigns!

Enjoy!

If you’re new to the art of Feng Shui, then you may find the concept of giving your home a complete Feng Shui makeover may seem completely overwhelming. However when you start applying Feng Shui principles to your home you’ll quickly find that you feel more relaxed, more calm, and more compassionate. Not sure where to start? The very best place to begin is in your bedroom, as being able to sleep and unwind in a calming and balanced environment is important, and this is the room that will have the biggest impact on your wellbeing once Feng Shui principles are applied. [1] Here are a few hints and tips for turnings your bedroom into a Feng Shui sanctuary where you will immediately notice your mood are sense of wellbeing are improved:

Breathe Deeply

You cannot have a good night’s sleep in a room that is stuffy or full of pollutants. To achieve good Feng Shui in your bedroom you should be mindful of the quality of the air in the room and ensure it is as clean and fresh as possible. [2] You can achieve this by opening the window as regularly as possible, or by investing in a decent air purifier to keep the quality of the air as high as possible. Although plants are great for improving the air quality throughout your home[3], it isn’t good Feng Shui to have plants in your bedroom., particularly if you have a relatively small bedroom. If you have a very large bedroom though, and are loathe to remove any plants that you love, then you can keep your house plants in your bedroom provided you keep them as far as possible away from your bed.

Immediately Improve Your Mood

If you regularly feel drained of energy and often express negative emotions then it could well be that the lack of Feng Shui in your home is affecting your overall well being. When you are experiencing these kinds of negative emotions, you are likely to struggle to show compassion for yourself [3] and even experience feelings of self-hatred and demonstrate seriously low levels of self-esteem. Learning how to show compassion for yourself can give you both an emotional and a physical boost, and you will find this much easier to achieve if you are living in an environment that has a well-considered Feng Shui balance.

There are several simple steps to help you achieve self-compassion; these include acknowledging when you make mistakes but then forgiving yourself and moving on, and simply cutting yourself some slack. Give yourself permission to move on to better things and to let go of the things that become unimportant to you or that weigh you down: this refers to both emotions and people, and also to your physical possessions too. Regularly decluttering your bedroom and removing anything that doesn't make you feel good or emphasis any positive affirmations is an important step towards having a bedroom that feels like a sanctuary and enhances your mood. You should also remove your computer, TV, exercise equipment and any other electronic equipment from your bedroom. These have no place in the room you choose to sleep in, and will destroy both your feelings of well being and the Feng Shui energy of the room.

Light and Color

As human beings, light is our most important nutrient so the lighting of your bedroom is very important. Because our moods vary so greatly, one kind of bedroom lighting simply isn't enough; to create a great Feng Shui energy in your bedroom, therefore, you should ensure you have a wide range of lighting options. Install a dimmer switch so that you can adjust your overhead lighting options, and purchase several toxin-free candles, as these are the very best form of Feng Shui lighting. [5] Light and Feng Shui go hand in hand, so getting your lighting right is the most important thing you can do to create a positive Feng Shui energy in your bedroom.

Just a few small tweaks can help to improve the Feng Shui energy of your bedroom and this will have a massive effect on your mood and energy force. Once you start the process of improving the Feng Shui energy of your home, you'll find that you love the way it makes you feel and you'll quickly want to do the rest of your home too.

Additional Reading

[1] “Feng Shui tips to turn your bedroom into a retreat”, Health.com, http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307149,00.html[2] “The perfect Feng Shui bedroom”, Feng Shui and Beyond,
http://www.feng-shui-and-beyond.com/feng-shui-bedroom.html[3] “15 houseplants for improving indoor air quality”, Mother Nature Network, http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/15-houseplants-for-improving-indoor-air-quality/a-breath-of-fresh-air[4] “5 Tips For Improving Self Compassion”, Recovery.org,
http://www.recovery.org/5-tips-for-improving-self-compassion/[5] “Lights in Feng Shui”, World of Feng Shui,
http://www.wofs.com/index.php/tip-of-the-month-regularfeatures-48/150-lights-in-feng-shui

Feng Shui Holiday Gift Giving

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 00:48:00 +0000

REGIFTING

Re-gifting is very Feng Shui-friendly because it removes things you do not want from your home and sends them to a place where they are welcomed.

Just be sure to avoid re-gifting if you have negative feelings about the gift or its original giver, since you might be passing along your negative thoughts to the next recipient.

GIFT GIVING

Looking for those perfect gift for your friends and family? The gifts you choose may have some hidden meaning in Feng Shui terms. Here are some gifts to avoid giving, and options for turning around the hidden message in these gifts if you receive them:

Sharp Objects

Knives, scissors, letter openers, or can openers as gifts represent cutting a relationship. If you are the recipient of any of these as a gift, hand over a coin to the giver to symbolize that you bought the object, and restore the bond between you.

Empty Wallet

An empty wallet, purse, or briefcase represents the lack of prosperity. Instead, fill it with dollars or coins to send the message that your gift will always be overflowing with wealth for the recipient.

Handkerchiefs

Gifts of handkerchiefs are also traditionally frowned upon. This is because a handkerchief is used to wipe away sweat and tears, which suggests a lot of sadness and frustration. Giving handkerchiefs as gifts suggest that you anticipate him/her to be doing much crying in the future. This generates such inauspicious chi.

Thorny Flowers and Plants

Never give cactus or other spiky plants, and avoid giving roses with the thorns still on the stem because these can pierce a relationship, if you receive roses be sure to remove the thorns to symbolize a smooth romance or relationship.

Stunted Trees

Bonsai trees or other miniature plants make poor choices as gifts since they represent stunted growth. Instead, choose full, healthy plants with rounded leaves that symbolize prosperity and long life.

Clocks and Timepieces

In the West, timepieces are, in fact, quite well-liked as gifts. These include: alarm clocks, wall clocks, pocket watches, or a wristwatch, etc.

Timepieces measure the passage of time and this indirectly suggests a limited lifespan, which is very inauspicious. In Chinese (Cantonese), to give a clock or "soong joong" sounds exactly like the Chinese term for attending a funeral, which is naturally very taboo.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

www.eastcoastfengshui.org

Feng Shui Holidays: Room by Room

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:00:00 +0000

THE FRONT DOOR

The front door and entryway are considered the "mouth of chi" where all positive energy enters the home. Make certain that the area is well lit, as light attracts good Chi, thereby increasing its flow into your house.

Holiday lights, vibrant colors and fresh aromas such as gingerbread, or cinnamon will be sure to welcome harmonious holiday energy.

Include elements of metal objects or round shapes, such as ornaments or holiday balls. Add the water element can be represented by wavy shapes, such as garland draped over the doorway or in the entry area. Hang a welcoming wind chime to help keep the positive Chi moving.

HOLIDAY TABLE SETTING

Dress the holiday dinner table by striking the perfect balance between the fire element of red napkins for a festive mood and the calming elements of green and cream colored linens.

Lighting white candles releases positive energy, along with having flowers on the table. The combination of the two creates a warm ambiance, opens the heart, and supports people in bringing their best selves to the table.

In Feng Shui we believe the proper seating arrangements are vital to reducing stress. In reality, all the unfinished relationship issues come to the dinner table.

Round or oval tables are the best for Feng Shui friendly dining. In fact, circular shapes are symbolic of eternal unity and intimacy. If you do have a rectangular dining table, to ensure that everyone gets along, set your table with a tablecloth to smooth the hard edges. Make sure your guests are not seated too close to the corners, caused by the cutting chi of the table edges. This can cause a feeling of agitation and being uncomfortably confined.

BEDROOM

During the holidays it's easy to feel out of balance, as our environment changes in such an extreme way. You need to recharge your mind, body and spirit in order to keep yourself healthy during the holidays.
Remove much of the electronic equipment from your bedroom and surround yourself with candles, scents, color, and soft textures in your bedroom.

LIVING ROOM

Place sofas and seating in your living room in a circular or octagonal shape which is conducive to easy communication. Try to avoid L-shaped arrangements that may cause an imbalance or where guests may feel cut off. Avoid placing a large coffee table in the center of your living room. Keep the center clear so that family members have a focal point where they may gather. By keeping the center clear you are freeing up chi flow.

THE KITCHEN

Remove sharp knives from the kitchen counter. By placing them out of sight you symbolically diminish the scope for irritability and family arguments. The kitchen is the hub of activity. No matter how large or small your kitchen is - it is the social centerpiece - as well as a clutter magnet. Clutter comes in the guise of gift paper, cards, party invites, decorations, candles, unwanted gifts and the list goes on and on. Try to keep a handle on what enters your home so that you avoid feeling totally overwhelmed by the experience.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

www.eastcoastfengshui.org

Feng Shui & Your Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Do the holiday gatherings create more chaos than harmony? Our homes may be overwhelmed with "human chi", created by visitors, neighbors, friends and of course our family. The most significant and meaningful relationships in most people's lives are with family members, both blood relatives and our extended family. And, with life's highs and lows, our family is most likely to see us at our best...and at our worst.

From a Feng Shui perspective, the addition of the abundant fire energy, adds an overwhelming level of stress, activity and high emotional sensitivity. This fire energy is created by a higher number of people [human chi] gathered together, more lighting and a lot of red colored decor.

However, there are ways you can prepare your home to make the holidays go more smoothly and create an atmosphere of joy and cooperation. Feng Shui has some easy, practical solutions for creating harmony for your home this holiday season.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The Christmas tree is a the focal point in your holiday décor in addition to a powerful symbol of abundance. There are three favorable locations to consider for your tree. First, is the east direction of your home, where it will promote family togetherness. The next is the southeast corner of your home, where it will encourage abundance and blessings. Finally, the south direction of your home can invite self illumination. If you need to place you tree in another area of your home, here are some guidelines to create some balance.

North: Make sure the tree has lots of water. Decorate the tree with blue lights and decorations or opt for very reflective ornaments such as those made from glass or mirrored. Use a black or very dark colored skirt around the base of the tree.

Northwest: Choose metal ornaments in gold or silver, tinsel, white lights, and metallic tree skirt.

Southwest/Northeast: Use ceramic or porcelain ornaments. Red, pink, yellow, or earth tones such as yellow or red lights or tree red skirt. Pass up the tinsel and metallic ornaments.

West/Northwest: Use Earth materials such as ceramics or metal items and the colors of white, gray or earth tones.

When decorating your tree, consider applying Feng Shui colors for beneficial results. Red is the most popular color for the holidays, but avoid overdoing it. Red is of the fire element and can bring about unwelcomed stress and anxiety. The color green represents the wood element that can be nourishing to your health. Blue is a water element color and can have a very calming and soothing influence.

Wishing you all a blessed holiday season.

Feng Shui and the Healthy Child

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art and philosophy that has been used for over 5,000 years to heal, balance and enrich people’s lives. Feng Shui reminds us that everything is connected, and that our physical surroundings have a significant impact on our mind, body, and spirit. Feng Shui, at its very core is a means of arranging all the things that you surround yourself with on a daily basis— to create the optimal and harmonious flow of vital life energy – chi.

How can Feng Shui help your children to grow and develop in a positive way that enhances their progress, development and behavior? Most parents don’t realize that there can be negative stimulation in the home that affects their child‘s behavior, their health and even their grades. This negative stimulation is invisible; however, it can be easily remedied using a combination of ancient Chinese wisdom, modern day science and common sense. Applying the practical techniques of Feng Shui and a holistic awareness to your home will help you create a balanced and nurturing environment.

Given that children spend a third of their life in their bedroom, it is critical that this space reflect their true personality. The most obvious aspect to consider is that they are growing, exploring, curious, active, and unique and evolving into their true potential. How can you begin to create a space which can reflect all these needs?

In Feng Shui, we work on creating balance in an environment based on the function of the room. As a general rule, all bedrooms should have a “Yin” quality. Yin, meaning quiet, calming, relaxing, and a nurturing energy. This is especially important in a child’s room, as in my experience, most children’s rooms are decorated in primary or bold, bright colors. These colors creates too much “yang” or active energy, thus the issue of them resisting the dreaded bedtime, lack of concentration or over stimulation.

Avoid using energizing colors like red and other bold, bright colors in the bedroom as they can cause tempers to flare during and too much hyperactive energy for them to fall asleep at night. It’s not their fault, as they are surrounded with too much yang (active) energy, they can’t relax or settle down. Your child’s sleeping habits will let you know whether their room is comfortable.

If you keep finding your child in bed with you, then their room is not working for them. Soft, comfortable calming colors are best for a child room – colors that make them feel secure and comfortable, such as soft greens, muted blues or earth tones. Bright colors are good for playrooms but bedrooms need to be more subdued.

Their sleeping arrangement is also a very important factor. The goal is to align the child's bed so that they are sleeping in a “empowered position”, seeing the doorway to the room but not in direct alignment with the doorway. This arrangement will give them the feeling of security and comfort. We do not want the bed to be in direct alignment with the doorway, as the chi (energy) comes into the room, hits them in bed and will disturb their sleep patterns and they will opt for a more secure place- i.e. crawling into bed with mommy and daddy.

Children adore bunk beds, but they are not the best solution for limited space. They feel like they are on an adventure, they tend to fight over who sleeps on top and who sleeps on the bottom bunk! If this is the only solution for the space that you have, make sure that the children interchange where they sleep regularly. Sleeping on the lower bunk gives a feeling of being under pressure and being in a cave. To soften this effect, consider painting the "ceiling" of the upper bunk a light color to give an impression of more space for the child who sleeps on the lower bunk. The bed should have its headboard against a solid wall, with the ability to walk around each side of the bed. Try not to push the bed up against one wall or use under the bed storage. We need the chi to circulate under and around the bed freely, bringing healthy, vibrant chi to your child.

If two children share the same bedroom, try to create some form of separation to allow them to personalize and individualize their own area of the room. Designate a specific spot for each child such as a dresser, shelf, closet, or table. This will help identify each child's chi and teach them respect for other people's belongings. Children, just like adults, all need their own space. Sleeping under skylights, beams and shelves loaded up with books and puzzles is certainly not ideal. The pressure from above can give them headaches and disturb their night's rest.

EMF’s (electromagnetic frequencies) are unforgiving energies emitted by electronic devices. They also decrease the body’s production of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates your sleeping patterns and moods. Arrange furniture so that your child’s body is at least 2 feet away from electronics such as computer, televisions, or gaming equipment. Better yet, store them in an armoire and close the doors during sleeping hours. In addition, television and computer screens are reflective surfaces and follow the same Feng Shui guidelines as mirrors. We prefer not to have mirrors in bedrooms, as they create yang energy, making the room too active. Additionally, if the mirror reflects them in the bed, they can become startled if waking up in the middle of the night. This will make them feel unsettled and once again will opt for the cozy comfort of squeezing between mommy and daddy.

Look at what your child sees every day. A happy family photo visible from the child's bed is comforting to see before they fall asleep and when they awaken. It reminds them they are part of a happy family when they are alone in their room. Posters of kittens, puppies and favorite cartoon characters are non-threatening and comforting for the little ones. Get to know the subliminal meaning behind the images in your teenager's room and play down any cool "negatives".

If your child is having an issue with focus or concentration, try to have their back to a wall when they are studying. This allows the child to have support so that he can sit there and study longer rather than a short attention span.

Make sure that nothing prickly, piercing or pointed is directed towards their desk chair or the bed. Even a poster with arrows or airplanes with weapons pointing towards them can create some unhealthy energy. Also, put the action figures and stuffed animals away at night. Children do need a place to store their stuff to keep clutter under control. If a child's bedroom is also their study room, they won't be able to focus surrounded by a lot of clutter because clutter is "eye noise".

Creating a comfortable, harmonious bedroom makes for a good night’s rest. And a good night’s rest makes for a refreshed, healthy child.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

The Energy of Travel

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 16:20:00 +0000

We all long to create an easy flow in our lives. One way to do this is to use Feng Shui, the ancient art developed by the Chinese to increase the flow of positive energy ("chi") in any environment. "Feng Shui" literally means "wind and water"... two elements occurring in nature that represent positive movement and flow.

You may have heard of using Feng Shui in your home or a room, but did you know its principles can also be used to promote a positive flow of energy during your vacation? Here are some Feng Shui tips that will help make your getaway the relaxing time-out you've been looking forward to.

One of the best things about Feng Shui is that it's portable. That's good news for people who travel on business. Just because you're leaving familiar surroundings doesn't mean you can't be comfortable on the road. If you'd like to reap the benefits of Feng Shui while traveling on business, try some tried and true tips.

When you travel whether for business or pleasure, don't invite chaos by leaving chaos behind. If you leave your home in chaos, you will attract the same energy during your travels. This can manifest as problems with hotel rooms, difficult airline connections or other snafus.

Before your leave home

To ensure a safe and stress-free journey, before leaving prepare your home for a welcoming return. Pay particular attention to the kitchen - give away or throw out any leftovers or outdated food, and be sure to empty all trash cans. Garbage of any kind is stagnating and reduces the flow of energy. Stock your cabinets, too, so you are greeted with a feeling of abundance when you get home.
If you will be away for more than a few days, ask a friend to care for your plants, open the curtains on the day of your return to let the light in to allow the house to be re-energized for your return.

The Energy of Travel

Let's face it, travel isn't quite the glamorous experience that it used to be --- "times have changed" ... and this certainly holds true with travel. It's not that people are traveling any less. In fact, statistics show that we are traveling more and further away from home. Travelers are seeking destinations that offer a unique cultural experience that hasn't been exploited yet. Feng Shui is all about energy and the balanced flow of energy. Can good energy affect the success of your trip? Absolutely! Today, it is more essential than ever before that we prepare ourselves for a trip. I have a number of suggestions that will make your travel experience more enjoyable, which in turn will create positive energy for yourself and for others around you.

Passport

The first step is to have what you need! When you start planning your trip and before you actually book it, take the time to locate your passport and ensure it is valid for longer than 6 months beyond your travel dates. If not, apply for a new passport right away.

Luggage

Be sure to love this essential. Check your luggage at least 2 weeks prior to your trip. Most scheduled airlines now allow 2 pieces of checked luggage (less than 50 lbs each). The bottom line is to travel light. Take only those clothes that you will need and love. How many times have you come home from a trip and notice that you only wore half of what you packed? Leave space for new things to come into your life. What colors do you love? Think of the colors that will attract what you desire - think about relationships, creativity and abundance.

Check-In

Start your trip well prepared and rested. Airlines are notorious these days for over-booking flights and you do not want to be the last in line to find out all the seats are taken. Arrive at the airport well in advance of your flight to avoid last minute panic.

Arrival

Look after your personal energy. Avoid specific time commitments for the first few days so you can ease into your new destination, allowing yourself the time to get over jet lag. One of the best ways to do this is to spend as much time outdoors during the daylight hours and avoid any naps during the day. The sooner you can get on local time the faster your jet lag will go away. Pamper yourself with a beautiful bath by candlelight or a relaxing massage.

Yin Accommodations

Book a yin hotel room early. Request a room far away from elevators and staircases and not overlooking a busy street. These areas of each floor will affect your rest periods. Once settled, you can transform your new home away from home into a tranquil space for you to enjoy. Once settled, use the space clearing suggestions to clear the predecessor energy. I also recommend that you bring fresh flowers into the room and light your travel candles to complete the transformation.

Enjoy

Put your positive intentions into your trip. Be prepared to open your mind to all the sights, sounds and experiences that you visualized while planning the trip.
Enjoy the energy of the local people and let this new adventure begin!

Air Travel

Good Feng Shui requires space for energy to circulate freely. Since space is at a premium on an airplane, it's a good idea to reserve a seat in an exit row. This will give you a little more room to stretch your legs. There's no better way to cultivate positive chi than taking steps to ensure a comfortable, smooth trip.

Travel Tips

Keep the toilet seat down & the bathroom door closed.
Open the windows as often as possible & allow natural sunlight into the room.
Booking a room with a balcony or terrace will offer you good opportunities for fresh air.

Lodging Tips

Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice of arranging space to achieve harmony, is now being used in hotels worldwide. If your hotel has a Feng Shui design, you should feel comfortable, relaxed, and welcomed immediately. When selecting a hotel, you can remember some of the
following Feng Shui tips.

The bed that you are going to sleep in should not be directly lined with the door. This will also expose you to light from the hallway and noise that will interrupt your sleep.

If you stay on the top floor, you won't have footsteps overhead. Higher rooms are better because there is less weight on top of you.

Lighting should be neither too bright nor too dim.

Sharp corners and exposed overhead beams can also disrupt the flow of chi. A protruding corner creates a direct hit of chi.

A heavy smell of air freshener may indicate that there are other problems with cleanliness. These air fresheners also add to the staleness of a room. If the window won't open, then the smell can become overwhelming quickly.

Make sure you're in a hotel with windows that can open. Stagnant air is unhealthy. Open the windows to let fresh air into your room when you first arrive. Getting the air moving is a great way to increase the chi. Take favorite scents from home with you, such as your favorite scented candle or incense.

Large mirrors make the chi more active, which keeps you awake. Feng Shui professionals suggest hanging a scarf over the mirror and the television to keep them from reflecting so much light and active energy.

Remember, a vacation getaway is all about relaxation and rejuvenation. If a hotel room doesn't meet your needs or standards, do not hesitate to ask for another. Bon voyage!

Lodging Essentials

Request a hotel room far away from elevators and staircases and not overlooking a busy street. These areas of each floor will affect your rest and tranquility.

Scents

Hotel rooms often have an impersonal feel. You can correct this problem by taking a small bottle of lavender essential oil on your trips. When you arrive at your hotel, dab two drops of oil on the light bulb closest to your bed. (Make sure the light bulb is cool when you apply the oil.) Then switch on the light. Within minutes, your room will be filled with the soothing scent of lavender. If you don't like the smell of lavender, try regenerative rosemary oil.

Poison Arrows

Large mirrors make the chi more active, which keeps you awake. Take some large scarves or pachminas with you to enhance your hotel room. Hang a scarf over the mirror and the television to keep them from reflecting so much light and active energy. Place a scarf over sharp corners of night tables or furniture, as sharp corners can disturb the flow of positive chi. Place a scarf over any image on the wall that is unpleasant to you. We want to surround ourselves with uplifting and inspiring images.

Healthy Chi

Make sure you're in a hotel with windows that can open, better yet request a room with a balcony or terrace. Stagnant air is unhealthy. Open the windows to let fresh air into your room when you first arrive. Getting the air moving is a great way to increase the chi. Take your favorite scents from home with you, such as your favorite scented candle or incense.

EMF

In your hotel room, make sure the telephone and alarm clock are on the floor and not next to your ears. Being awakened abruptly can chase your relaxed mood as well as keeping the pesky "electro-magnetic fields" away from you.

Lift the Chi

Flowers are an inexpensive indulgence that can really lift the chi to your hotel room. Each time you see them; they will remind you of your "blooming possibilities" and be grateful for a safe and pleasurable journey.

Empowered position

If you travel with your laptop for business, you should set it where it will empower you. Keeping your laptop in the far left corner of your hotel room will energize your prosperity corner. A screensaver depicting a green, leafy forest or a flourishing garden can boost your money-making prospects. You can also select an image that is directly related to your business.

Space Clearing

Space Clearing is a simple proven technique that immediately and profoundly cleanses and heightens the energy in an environment. The ritual of smudging can be defined as "spiritual house cleaning." In theory, the smoke attaches itself to negative energy and as the smoke clears it takes the negative energy with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy.

Do a mini space clearing to cleanse your hotel room, cruise cabin, or vacation property of predecessor energy and prepare your environment to accept your personal energy. Burning white sage throughout the space followed up with incense or your favorite scented oil or candle.

Road Warrior

If the ancient Chinese had driven motor vehicles, they would have used the principles of Feng Shui on them, no doubt! Clear negative energy from your car, increase a sense of clarity and protection, prevent road rage by encouraging serenity while you drive.

Clean your car

Those old papers, cans, bottles, and wrappers create chaotic, stuck energy. Don't forget your trunk, glove box and the other nooks where negative energy might accumulate. Have a trash receptacle, and use it. Clearing out the clutter will make you feel a positive difference in the energy inside your car.

Wash the windows

The windows are the eyes of your car.Clean windows allow good energy to enter from outside, besides making it easier to have adequate visibility!

Smudging or "space clearing" your car

Some traditions believe burning sage, sweet grass or a mix of sage, cedar and lavender in a bowl or abalone shell can bless and purify the space before you set off.

Sprinkle sea salt

Spread some sea salt on the floor of the car as it can absorb negativity, but make sure you vacuum it out regularly.

Make it smell good

Instead of chemical-filled scented trees, hang a container of essential oils from your rearview mirror. Lemon and ylang ylang are stimulating and can help keep you alert during long drives. Rosemary and lavender are soothing and peaceful, great to prevent road rage.

Keep water in your car

Drinking water clears your energy and mind. Water represents a smooth flow, when you're driving, you want a smooth, flowing experience. Water energy can also make it easier to cope with transportation woes.

Crystals

Hang a small crystal from your rear view mirror. The crystal represents the light of the sun, which is uplifting, and will also bring the colors of the rainbow into the car.

Choose your intention via your music

If you want to chill out, listen to relaxing music, such as jazz or classical. If you want to stay alert, opt for energizing music. Music stimulates your attitude.Part of Feng Shui is intention. What do you want to experience? Put on that kind of music.
Create protection: Place objects on your console such as a key chain of your spiritual guides to remove travel obstacles and protection you during your trip.

If the ancient Chinese had driven motor vehicles, I have no doubt that they would have used the principles of Feng Shui on them. Clear negative energy from your car, increase a sense of clarity and protection, and prevent road rage by encouraging serenity while you drive

The Mobile Excursion

Feng Shui is usually thought of for permanent homes and buildings. What about trailers - be they in trailer parks or even for travel. Don't these dwellings or temporary residences not deserve the benefits of the practices and disciplines of Feng Shui as well?

To benefit from Feng Shui all homes must have a connection to the earth, Mother Earth, which is well grounded and has strength as well as firmness. Traditional homes have a foundation to connect them to the solid earth. Obviously, this is what mobile homes lack. Most mobile homes have built-in stands and levelers to support the foundation - use them. In addition, you can place some kind of covering around the base of your mobile home. The key is not to have the underside of your vehicle open and exposed. By doing so you will provide another excellent way to provide a grounding element, otherwise energy will pass and move quickly by your life and travels. Providing some type of permanent or even semi-permanent foundation, travelers can enjoy the benefits of Feng Shui with all of its inherent luck and powers.

The goals of this whole exercise is get "Chi" into the front door of your home - be it a permanent fixture or highway bound. The front door to any home can be considered of primary importance - the very "mouth of Chi". Hence the front door, which is perhaps the only door on your wandering recreation vehicle, is a critical area when it comes to Feng Shui, and the practice and discipline of Feng Shui. This is where the energy enters - or worse - does not enter your home away from home.
Making a few changes with the wisdom and powers of Feng Shui can make all the difference in the world. No reason to live in a trailer, whether it be a permanent dwelling or mobile home, and not have these wonderful benefits to your life as well as the lives of friends and family.

One of the best things about Feng Shui is that it's portable. Today, it is more essential than ever before that we prepare ourselves for a trip. That's good news for people who travel on business or for pleasure. Just because you're leaving familiar surroundings doesn't mean you can't be comfortable on the road.

Make your travel experience more enjoyable, which in turn will create positive energy for yourself and for others around you.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

Feng Shui and the Lucky Bamboo

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Lucky Bamboo makes the perfect house or office plant. It needs little care - only about an inch of water and little direct sunlight to keep it happy and thriving.

Known for centuries as Lucky Bamboo, the plant is not a bamboo at all. The botanical name is "Dracaena sanderiana." It is a resilient member of the lily family that grows in the dark, tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia and Africa. Lucky Bamboo has long been associated with the Eastern practice of Feng Shui - or the bringing of natural elements of water, fire, earth, wood and metal into balance within the environment.

The Chinese Legend says a gift of Lucky Bamboo can bring good luck, prosperity, wealth, and happiness. This little indoor bamboo plant is considered lucky in Feng Shui when it combines and represents all five elements of Feng Shui.

Wood (the bamboo itself)
Earth (the rocks the bamboo grows in)
Water (the water the bamboo grows with or a glass pot)
Fire (most pots usually have a red ribbon tied to them)
Metal If the bamboo is planted in a pot other than glass, such as clay or ceramics, it will usually be round in shape - as this represents the metal element.

To enhance the intentional use of Lucky Bamboo, use a specific number of bamboo stalks:

Two (2) for Love & Marriage
Three (3) for Happiness
Five (5) for Health
Seven (7) for Wealth
Eight (8) for Abundance
Nine (9) considered a lucky number and is an overall good number for Good Fortune and Happiness.

Bamboo, since Confucian times, has been identified with strength and fortitude. Though bamboo may be blown down in the storms of life, after they pass, the resilient plant rights itself and goes on, just as we must do when faced with adversity. Lucky bamboo fits right into the Feng Shui system because of the old association with bamboo and the fact that green is a lucky color. It's a kind of lightning rod attracting positive chi your way. "It teaches the ultimate wisdom: how to be flexible and hollow (open) on the inside, so that the spirit can freely flow and heal your being."

Lucky bamboo enjoys indoor environment, and dislikes direct sunlight. Air exposure comforts its green leaves. All you need to do is to put it in clean water and change the water once a week. Tap water is fine but put the water in a glass or a bowl and let it sit for 24 hours before adding it to your lucky bamboo. The chlorine and fluoride in tap water will evaporate or neutralize during that time. Only use enough water to cover the bamboo roots. High water level may induce excessive roots.

Two problems occur on this dracaena. Spider mites can become a serious problem; sometimes building up to such high populations they cause webbing. Washing the leaves off can control them. The second problem is a leaf tip burn caused by either high salts or high fluoride concentrations in the water. Using rainwater to fill the container is a good way of avoiding these problems.

If your plant is yellow, change the water immediately, and do not give it plant food for a month. Once the stalk turns yellow, it is very difficult to reverse the damage; if it is clear that you cannot save that stalk, remove it immediately to prevent any plant diseased from spreading to the other stalks.

With proper care lucky bamboo plants can grow two or three feet tall, and last for years.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

Feng Shui Chi Enhancers

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 02:56:00 +0000

Chi (qi) is an ancient concept which teaches us of the existence of an invisible force or energy that is constantly flowing everywhere. Our quality of life can be diminished or improved depending on the way it flows in our environment. Whenever chi finds obstacles for circulating we will notice it since it will directly affect our lives.

Chi is the natural energy exchange which exists among everything on earth, and it shouldn't be blocked. In the practice of Feng Shui, chi should always be able to flow freely through any space in order to help us remain in balance with the elements surrounding us. Chi is what brings us positive energy and allows us to be prosperous in our lives.

Feng Shui Chi enhancements are objects that you can place in an area in your home to stimulate chi and provide an opportunity to "shift" or move the energy in your home. There are a number of different items you can use to "stir up the energy", depending on your preferred decor. Our goal is to manipulate the energy in your home so that it nourishes and supports you in manifesting your intentions.

Wind chimes

Wind Chimes should be hung where they can naturally catch the movement of chi. Wind Chimes made of high quality metal for the most pleasant sounds. They can be used to correct an element imbalance of metal when having 6 rods. Pictured is the Feng Shui Prosperity Wind Chime by Local Artist Jeff Hinkley Click here for more information on Jeff and his wind chime designs. Click to hear the wind chimes.

Mirrors

Mirrors are called "the aspirin of Feng Shui" because they are useful for so many different purposes, but how and when to use them can be a source of uncertainty and confusion.
In Feng Shui applications, mirrors serve three basic purposes:
• Expansion
• Reflection
• Deflection (Outside of the home only)

A few guidelines for mirrors: Not facing your front door, reflecting a cluttered area or in the bedroom.

Color

The use of color is the most powerful and easiest enhancement that you can make to your home. Placing an object or picture in a specific color in an area of your home can help to stimulate chi and attract good energy. Additionally, the color that represents the Bagua area in the home will be equally beneficial. As always, surround yourself with your favorite colors.

Lighting

If you are looking to add energy to a specific area of your life "light it up"! Add lighting to dark or neglected spaces to attract positive energy. Add a timer to a bedside lamp to bring romance energy to the Love and Romance corner of your bedroom.

Crystals

Besides their dramatic beauty, using crystals is one of the most powerful methods for improving the flow of healthy "chi" or deflecting unwanted energy in an environment. With so much to say about crystals, I've attached additional information. More info on Crystals.

Living Things

Living enhancements include plants and flowers and should always be well cared for and nurtured. The dead or ill leaves of plants and flowers should be removed immediately. I'm not a big fan of potpourri, although good quality silk flowers can also work as an enhancement. If it looks real to you, then you will feel that energy. Your pets fall into this category, as a wonderful addition of fire energy as well as keeping the chi "stirred up" with their movement.

Movement

Movement is a very powerful Feng Shui enhancement for stimulating and harmonizing chi. All water features need to have clean, flowing water in order to be effective. It's best to have the water flowing towards your home. Excellent enhancers for the Career (North) and Abundance (Southeast) area of your home according to the Bagua, but not in the bedroom, even if this room falls into one of the above mentioned Bagua areas. This includes aquariums, waterfalls, ponds and birdbaths.

www.simplyfountains.com

Artwork

When you surround yourself with beauty and harmony, life seems more enjoyable. Utilizing the Feng Shui principles with intention and placement, you realize your close relationship between your outer and inner worlds. Strategically placed and displayed images of abundance, relationships and auspicious symbolisms in your surroundings will enhance specific areas of your life. Carefully examine your artwork, posters and pictures that are in your environment. They are powerful manifestation tools to attract into your life your all of your hopes and wishes.

Personal Chi

The Tai Chi Symbol, also known as Yin Yang is familiar to almost everyone, although most don't know what it is or represents.The symbol illustrates the concept of yin yang - a reminder that the best results are obtained when in perfect harmony. Everything is composed of two opposite, yet complimentary energies, called yin and yang. Together these two energies form chi. Chi is a part of everything in the world, and because it is a living, moving force, we can influence how it moves, and thus, how we are affected by it. In Chinese lore, some minerals have the power to affect energy in positive and negative ways. Feng Shui Practitioners believe that mother of pearl (nacre) symbolizes good luck and prosperity, meaning that it has the power to attract wealth to the person wearing it. Black Onyx is considered as one of the powerful protection stones as it absorbs negative energy and promotes emotional well-being. In Indian traditions it is said to help people forego their past relationships bringing the person in harmony with the present. For More Information

Laughing Buddha

Laughing Buddha is also known as the Buddha of Happiness. Legend has it that nothing would make this Buddha happier then to see people's problems, worries and sadness transform into happiness. The Laughing Buddha is a well known symbol of wealth, happiness, innocent and contended joy. It is believed by rubbing his belly, which is said to contain much wealth, it will bring good luck and prosperity to all in the home and the bigger his round tummy, the more auspicious the image. This jolly deity is one of the most beloved of Buddha images. He can be seen in almost every Chinese households and restaurants throughout the world. The Laughing Buddha is also known as the Buddha of Wealth, usually depicted carrying wealth symbols such as pots of gold, large ingots and a sack believed to contain treasures.

Fu Dogs

These puppies sit right outside my front door!

These Chinese mythical guards are part dog and part lion. The male has his left paw resting on a sphere while the female has her right paw resting on a pup. They have fear-inspiring faces are believed to be protectors that ward off evil influences and spirits. It is their task to probe the mind and intentions of visitor entering your home.

It is said that people with good thoughts can pass by the Fu Dogs unhindered, but they see through bad people and refuse them entry. The Fu Dogs also nourishes Chi that enters the home or business premises and thus bring in good fortune.

Fish

The fish is a symbol of wealth, one that is widely used to attract wealth luck for its owners. Chinese word Yu, which means fish, phonetically matches the word for abundance, - therefore, the fish is an auspicious item to have since it enhances your Wealth and Career luck as well. The Arowana is a tropical fish reputed to be the world's most expensive freshwater aquarium fish. A decent size of certain varieties may cost up to tens of thousands of dollars. Because of its close resemblance of the oriental dragon - with its two 'whiskers', scales and the way it glides through the water, the Chinese character for fish, 'yu' means abundance and coupled with the dragon being the ultimate good luck symbol. The Arowana is a very powerful Feng Shui enhancer associated with wealth, luck, strength and power.

Cranes

An image or symbol of two cranes has great influence and impact on your love life according to many ancient Eastern philosophies. The Bird of Immortality, the crane is a very popular symbol that heralds longevity, marital harmony and wisdom and is believed to live a thousand years. The crane is the most favored of all bird symbols of good fortune in Feng Shui next to the phoenix. Place a image of two cranes in the Romance and Relationship area of the main floor of your living space or in that same space of the bedroom you sleep in. This symbol is particularly useful and effective in overcoming any problems surrounding your love life but most especially if those problems stem from differing backgrounds. Click here to read the Chinese Legend of Cranes.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

The Power of Crystals

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 15:30:00 +0000

Faceted crystals come in many different shapes, and even different colors. For use in Feng Shui, however, a clear, colorless faceted ball is the best choice. A faceted Crystal ball tied with red string is potent enough to maneuver and enhance chi wherever it is placed. Red is the most auspicious and powerful color in Feng Shui, as it represents the activation energy of the fire element. The string should also be cut in increments of nine inches, since nine is a potent number in Feng Shui, and it represents maximum power. Completely round crystals are better than prism-shaped or geometric crystals, since they allow the chi to travel equally around the sphere and into the entire room.

About

Crystals are used to add new energy to a space and to redirect energy in a more beneficial direction. They possess healing qualities and harness the positive energy of nature, protecting you from chaotic and negative energy. They also harmonize flows of energy, protect you by diffusing poison arrows and attract good energy to a location. It uses the principle of light deflection in a simple, practical and effective manner to create big changes in energy. When light sources hit the "leaded" faceted spheres, prismatic rainbows scatter beautifully through your space to add new energy to your space, filter off bad energy, harmonize chaotic flows of energy, protect you from poison arrows by diffusing such energy flow, empower visualization practices and attract good energy to a location.

Care

It is best to cleanse the crystals when you first buy or receive them as a gift. Cleansing your crystals resets their vibration to be receptive to their new owner and the new home.

There are many methods for cleansing crystals, some more elaborate than others. Hold your crystal under a stream of warm, clear running water. Submerge them in an earthen container with several teaspoons of sea salt. Rinse and wipe with a soft cloth. Crystals should be cleansed regularly.

Placement

Hang a crystal from the ceiling midway in long narrow hallways, especially those with many doors.

Hang a crystal over the bottom step of a staircase that ends directly in front of a doorway. This will keep the positive chi from flowing directly upstairs.

When a door is directly in line with a bed, desk, chair, or a place you spend a lot of time, hang the crystal between the door and, bed or chair so chi will slow down.

Hang a faceted crystal over the toilet of the bathroom, if it is situated over your front door or over the kitchen.

If you have a clear pathway from your front door to your back door, hang a crystal from the ceiling midway between the two doors.

To create a greater and smoother energy flow place a crystal in a window allowing sunlight to pass through, activating the chi in a gentle, yet powerful way.

Beneath a ceiling fan over your bed (or other key location, such as the dining table), hang a crystal to protect against "cutting" chi from the fans blades.

Since crystals are wonderful symbols of the earth element, hang the faceted crystal ball in the Southwest corner to energize your romance luck or in the Northeast to enhance education and knowledge energy. Use two faceted crystals in the Love & Marriage Gua of the Bagua to enhance the “couple” energy with a pair. They provide a great enhancement for the 8 Earth Prosperity star when applying Flying Star Feng Shui.

Are you curious what crystal colors mean?

Amber

The Happy stone. Helps you relieve depression.

Blue

A mentally and emotionally calming stone which helps you to release worry. It also brings your beliefs to the surface for release.

Clear

Mirror of your soul, representing your uniqueness and your journey towards clarity. In combination with other colors, it enhances their energy.

Gray

Helps you to separate your emotions from those of others. A grounding color which helps with your self-esteem.

Green

Considered to be the best all-purpose color, it is especially good for soothing your heart and emotions and for creating a feeling of balance and well-being.

Light Blue

Helps you to experience peace and serenity, especially in your communications.

Olive

Has a balancing and stabilizing effect. Helps your home to discover the roots of time and preservation.

Light Green

A mental color which helps you to release persistent and unwanted patterns of thought. It is particularly helpful with your thought patterns which have lodged in your emotional body, such as anxiety and worry.

Light Purple

The perfect choice if you feel over-stressed, overworked, or overwhelmed. It helps calm your home and bring forward a peaceful feeling.

Peach

If you feel overwhelmed by emotions, it helps to create emotional balance by harmonizing feelings with the higher self. If you feel out of touch with your feelings, it brings them into awareness.

Pink

Teaches us to love ourselves, thus opening you up to universal love; heals emotional wounds and gives comfort; helps you to overcome grief.

Purple

Helps you release your anger, guilt, and resentment; puts you in touch with your inner source of strength and light.

Red

Helps you to stabilize all aspects of your being; a stress-reliever which connects you and your home to a inner strength and flow.

Topaz

This color helps you to balance your energies and also lends a quality of inspiration and confidence to your live.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

Feng Shui: Windows and Doors

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 02:22:00 +0000

Windows and doors are the gateway for positive qi and opportunities to enter and circulate our environments. Doors are symbolic of an invitation to enter a space. The width and height and number of doors at the entrance are indicators of the occupants intention.

Windows

They say that the "eyes" are the window to the soul. In Feng Shui, windows are regarded as the "eyes" of the home and they bridge your inner environment with the outer world. They need to be large enough to allow enough light to infuse qi, but not too small leaving you feeling closed in. The condition, location and scale of the windows can impact how clearly you can see your life, opportunities, or obstacle and possible challenges.

When we enter a room, our intention is to be inside that space. If a window is directly opposite a door, our energy is pulled straight through the space and out the window.

The top of the window should be higher than the tallest person in the house or it will depress his or her qi.

Avoid slit-like windows, as they suppress the qi and "narrows" the residents perspectives or opportunities.

A house with too many window may be leaking vital qi, thus causing headaches to flared tempers.

Ceiling to floor windows draw our attention & the qi upward, thus not nourishing the living area of the room.

The Mouth of Chi (qi)

The main entry door is by far the most important gateway to your home or business. This is where all the positive energy (qi) enters. The quality of qi entering is dependent upon the entrance or doorway area.

I am asked this question time and time again. The main entrance is the door that was designed by the architect as the entrance to the building. Even if you enter through an alternative entrance such as a garage or back door. The main entrance is still the "Mouth of Chi".

Front Door: To do list

Entry pathway is clear & unobstructed.
Walkway is wide enough for two adults to fit across.
Is there a tree, telephone pole or other obstruction within 6 feet in line with your front door?
Beautiful, healthy foliage, plants and trees.
Is your house number clear, visible and easily identifiable?
Clean, wash or paint the front door every year.
Get a new doormat every year.
Does the door open easily & smoothly? Or does it drag on the ground.
Do the door hinges squeak?
Is the doorknob loose?
Does the doorbell work?
Does the outdoor light work? Light Bulb blown out?
Does the door clear an area rug in the foyer, or does it drag on the floor.
Do you store items behind the door or hanging on the doorknob on the interior?
When entering your front door, is here a straight pathway to your back doors?

All of these issues could have an affect on the quality of qi entering your environment. They could be creating a barrier to new opportunities, not having a "handle" on your finances or money leaving you as fast as it came in.

Front Door Colors

I cannot tell you how many times I am asked about painting the front door RED.

With regards to the color of your front door, many of us are guided by our homeowners association or standards with our community, but for those of you who have flexibility, you have many options. A color which enhances the house color, a color which appeals to you, or you can follow the corresponding elemental color associated with the compass directions. If using the compass directions, it is the direction your front door faces. (standing at your front door looking out)

South: (Fire) Red, Pink, Purple
Southwest: (Earth) Yellow, beige or brown
West : (Metal) White, silver, copper, gold or gray.
Northwest: (Metal) White, silver, copper, gold or gray.
North: (Water) Black or dark blue
Northeast: (Earth) Yellow, beige or brown.
East: (Wood) Green
Southeast: (Wood) Green

Double Doors

As a general rule, double doors at the main entrance convey the message that all are welcomed. To complicate matters, one of the two doors is often locked, even though there are two door handles. More often than not, a visitor will reach for the locked door - thus feeling rejected. Both doors should remain accessible.

Interior Doors

Conflicting or Fighting Doors

Conflicting or fighting doors exists when two doors hit one another if they are opened at the same time. This can create conflicts for the occupants in the house. If one of the doors in question happens to be a closet door, the conflict may not immediately be apparent. Also called clashing or bickering doors, they collide with one another which can cause conflicts and arguments within the household. Of course, where the doors are located will have an affect on that part of their life - consult the Bagua.

Piercing Heart, Centered or Off-Centered Doors

Piercing Heart

Piercing heart doors is illustrated when three or more doors centered in front of you as you walk forward. Similar to a long hallway, the qi rushes too fast through all of the doorways, which could result with some health issues.Hang wind chimes or faceted crystals to encourage the qi to pause and circulate.

Centered Doors

Centered doors are directly opposite one another. Be careful of the function of the rooms behind these doors, as the persons energy will be pulled towards the opposite doorway.
(Remember when you were a kid & your brother or sister wouldn't stay out of your room - thus the "Keep Out" sign on your bedroom door?)

Off Centered Doors

With off-centered doors the qi is interrupted or blocked. It's as if the person is being drawn into the opposite room, but also being blocked by the wall. Watch out for headaches or central nervous system issues. Hang a mirror on the wall directly opposite the open doorway.

www.balancedlivinginc.com
www.eastcoastfengshui.org

The Feng Shui Bathroom - Do's and Don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Courtesy of stebnitzbuilder.net

Do's

A toilet should be installed so it cannot be seen from the bathroom doorway, ideally it should be in its own alcove, or hidden by a screen or wall.
Mirrors should be as large as possible in the bathroom, without any visible joints. Mirrors must not face each other, or a door, as this increases the energy and speed of qi, which should be slow and calm. Avoid tiled or smoky mirrors. A mirror should not reflect the toilet as it duplicates the draining affect.

Windows should be opened on a daily basis, to allow the fresh air to circulate, this ensures that the qi remains buoyant, and that healthy so wealth and happiness flourish.

Doors and drawers to cabinets must be kept closed, so the energy does not move into the dark and stagnate. These cupboard areas must themselves be regularly refreshed.

The bathroom is often the first room we visit in in the morning. When we wash and prepare ourselves for the day, you need to have the biggest possible view of yourself at that time. Clean the mirrors as it reflects your self image. You don't need to have low self esteem, so clean your mirrors.

Clean out your medicine cabinet. Old, outdated medications are subtle reminders of unhealthy times. Rid your shelves of any expired pills, powders and potions. Keep only the ones you need, and stow those where they won't be the first things you see each time you open the cabinet.

Get rid of magazines and periodicals that you won't read, so that you don't clutter the our bathroom. Rid the space of fashion magazines or tabloids that make you feel that you'll never be rich, thin or beautiful enough. Replace them with books and journals that make you laugh, dream and rejoice.

Hide the bathroom scale, no need to constantly "judge" yourself.

Don'ts

Bathrooms and toilets that are off of the kitchen are another health concern. Always keep the door to the toilet closed so that someone in the kitchen cannot see the bathroom, and definitely not the toilet, from the kitchen. Even the visual thought of mixing wastes with food is distasteful and can have a negative health impact.

If the toilet can be seen from the dining room, this creates another health hazard. Block the view with a curtain or partition of some kind. If a toilet upstairs is over the kitchen or dining room, try to move the table or add lots of earth elements in the bathroom to "control the water".

Toilets should never share the same wall as the head of the bed. If a bed is against the wall and the toilet is against that same wall on the other side, then move the bed. This is very unhealthy. Likewise, you should never see or hear a toilet or bathroom from your bed. This can lead to respiratory problems and loss of wealth. Block the view some way and you will help your health and wealth.

Plumbing can be a threat to the vital qi energy, as it is the digestive system of the house. Keeping on top of the plumbing maintenance is important, dripping taps represent money being trickling down the drain, blockages (clogs) can represent income being cut off.

The toilet seat should always be closed, this is important partly because of its large opening, but also because of the association with a deliberate act of flushing substance away from the house.

Avoid sharp points and edges, as these represent a cutting knife or a disapproving finger.

Photographs of loved ones should not be placed in the bathroom. The energy in that space could weaken those relationships.

Ideally the bathroom and should not be seen immediately on entering the house, as the incoming qi exits before the whole of the house is energized. Where such a location is unavoidable, there are solutions

Would you like to learn more about your home? Join me for my ever popular "Feng Shui in a Day Workshop" or my Feng Shui Practitioner Certification Training Program.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

www.eastcoastfengshui.org

If Walls could Talk: Feng Shui your Walls

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 03:22:00 +0000

The placement of artwork on the walls of our homes and businesses holds powerful real estate and operates as the focal point of entrances and rooms. How, where and what we display on our wall, can have a significant effect on us. When dressing your walls with artwork and imagery, there are a few guiding principles to follow in order to incorporate both Feng Shui and design elements. The most important point to keep in mind is that we want create balance with the five Feng Shui elements of earth, metal, water, wood and fire, uplifting artwork that inspires and lifts our spirits. It should match your décor style and one that you resonate with on a personal level.

Entrance

The Entrance or foyer of your home is an incredibly public area of the home. Select artwork that reflects your true personality, as this is the 1st impression of your home. It sets the tone of the rest of the home and is reflective of its occupants. This is not the place for personal pictures, family portraits or personal religious beliefs – these are reserved for the more private areas of your home.

In a business, this area represents the journey of the company and is the 1st impression a potential client or customer experiences. Wall art should reflect the products or services the business offers and should be framed to reveal a sense of pride and dignity. As you move to the center of the business, hang framed art with the company’s mission statement, philosophy and values.

Hallways

Hallways are the arteries and highways of your home which should allow easy passage from one room to another. Hallways are great locations to showcase a gallery of photographs. If your hallway or corridors are small, narrow or dark, frame your artwork in metallic or reflective materials to give a sense of greater width and to boost energy flow.

Stairways

In Feng Shui, the main entrance is considered the “Mouth of Chi”, where all opportunities enter. When a staircase is directly facing the main door, the energy rushes up quickly, leaving the main floor without the Feng Shui energy or chi. A popular design feature is to line the walls of the staircase with pictures. Pictures should be hung on the wall straight across the wall, not graduated or angled up the staircase. This will create a sense of balance and stability.

Kitchen

If the first room you see upon entering your home is the kitchen - all the energy coming into the home is going directly into the kitchen, as well as your appetite. Try to create an eye-catching view in another direction when entering the home. Use directional artwork at the entrance to the home to draw the energy away from the kitchen entrance. A collection of beautiful artwork which reflects the personality of the homeowner is an excellent choice.

Adult Bedroom

Our bedrooms are our sanctuaries. They are places to recharge our batteries, escape from the outside world, and even indulge ourselves. The bedroom is meant mainly for self-renewal, rest, and relationships. The wall art should inspire relationship energy, displaying a set of matching pictures supporting the “couple” energy in calming relaxing warm earth tones. Use only accents of fire element - bright colors such red, orange or purple. A key location in the bedroom is the last place you see before you go to bed and the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning. This location should have manifesting symbolism and images to support your relationship goals.

Children’s Bedrooms

Be cautious of overly active artwork such as action heroes or very angular abstract artwork. We want to tone down the yang energy in a child’s room to create an atmosphere of calm and security. Even an image of a sword or airplane can have very sharp angle which would be considered a “poison arrow” in Feng Shui. If the image is directed where the child sleeps – it could interrupt their sleep and cause agitation and over activity. Instead, permit them to choose the artwork which allows them to bring their personality into their space with fun, creative, whimsical images.

Home Office

If you spend a large amount of time in your home office, this room will have a enormous impact on your business life. The walls of your office should be filled with inspiring images and symbolism to be reflective of your ambitions, career and business aspirations. Pay special attention to framing your awards, certification and recognitions. Give thought and consideration to framing, mounting and mattings to preserve these hard earned acknowledgements. Incorporate dark tones of black, navy blue or forest green to bring the element of water which supports us on our “life’s journey”.

Family Pictures or Portraits

Frame family artwork with wooden frames or with the wood element colors of green or blue hues. This will bring the supportive and expansive energy which will encourage family unity and harmony. Honor your ancestors and heritage with respectfully chosen frames to conserve these treasured heirlooms.

The most important aspect of imagery and artwork in our home is to ensure that we surround ourselves with life affirming, uplifting artwork which is supportive of our life’s journey. Look carefully at the powerful real estate of your wall and replace any distressing, depressing, or poverty provoking artwork with the energy that inspires, enriches and moves us forward in life.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

www.eastcoastfengshui.org

Lighting, Illumination and Inspiration: Feng Shui Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 03:30:00 +0000

Feng Shui is all about energy, and light is the strongest manifestation of energy. In fact, the light in your home - both natural and artificial lighting - greatly influences the quality of your home’s energy. Smart lighting and good quality air are the very basics of good Feng Shui, and should always be on top of your Feng Shui priorities for any space, be it home or business.

Your body reacts to everything around you, and you either get nourished or drained by the energy that surrounds you. I strongly encourage you to become aware of the quality of light in your home or office and its influence on your health and well-being.

Light is our # 1 nutrient and has been called the medicine of the future. Make a habit of paying attention to how much good quality light you actually enjoy throughout the day, as well as the quality and number of the indoor light sources in your home or office.

YIN & YANG

Yin Lighting

Yang Lighting

Feng Shui aims to achieve a balance of the opposing characteristics in the world around you, which are known as Yin and Yang. According to the yin and yang theory, everything in the universe consists of two opposing, but interconnected, forces: yin, which is feminine, and yang, which is masculine. Yin qualities are female, soft, passive, nurturing, dark, while the yang qualities are male, hard, active, aggressive, and bright. The theory of yin and yang is one of the ways you can use Feng Shui to balance your interior surroundings.

Lighting in the Kitchen

There are many benefits to having good light in the kitchen. As we prepare our food there and the amount of light determines how well we can see what we do. However, the quality of the light can also contribute a great deal toward how we “experience” the food and how we ultimately treat it. If you are working in a poorly lit kitchen, it is challenging to see the beautiful colors and quality of the food. The most vibrant colored meal will appear to be dull in poor lighting. What affect does that have on your mood? On the other hand, if the fruit, meat, or vegetables are glowing in a well-lit environment, they appear to smile at us and are proud to show-off. Wouldn't you rather eat a meal that looks happy instead of a meal that looks sad?

Working in a well-lit kitchen promotes healthy eating habits. It allows you to enjoy being in the kitchen, creates a positive eating environment, and therefore makes a valuable contribution to your health and increases your sense of well-being. In a poorly lit kitchen, the meals are unappetizing; we cook less, and then eat quickly and without much enjoyment. Who would have thought lighting could make such a difference to our health?

Lighting in the Bedroom

Lighting in the bedroom can be very influential on sleeping habits. Children may do well with overhead lighting as they can practically spring to life the moment they awake. Adults on the other hand need some time to fully adjust from the previous night's slumber. Table lamps and dimming switches have no better home than inside a sleeping chamber. Softer light is ideal for any intimate setting. Softer tones are also more relaxing and soothing making the transition from living a fast paced life to a peaceful night of rest. Soft light illuminates an idealistic venue for anybody to drift off to sleep. Bedrooms should be more yin – soft, soothing lighting.

Lighting in the Bathroom

Have you ever used a bathroom in a rest area or train station? It probably left an impression on you, but I doubt that it was positive. These facilities usually have a bluish-cold lighting that causes us to keep our visit as short as possible. On the other hand, if you have ever had the opportunity to use the restroom in a luxury hotel, the experience was, more than likely, the complete opposite. Chances are good that you felt refreshed by the golden light and golden tones of the mirror there.

Gold tone mirrors may not allow us to see things as clearly, but the light flatters our skin and surrounds us with a shimmer of warmth and a touch of elegance. The choice of lighting we use in our homes can determine how much we enjoy our visit to the bathroom. Use warm lighting and gold tone mirrors to create an environment of relaxation, warmth, and elegance.

Lighting in the Corridor/Hallway

In some floor plans, the hallway runs through the middle of the home or apartment and subdivides the remaining areas into different rooms. Hall lighting fixtures are usually sad creations without any illuminating power or esthetics.

YIN YANG

The center of any home corresponds to health, so hall lighting should be of the utmost importance. The light in the middle of the home has the function of a sun that wants to send power into all the adjoining rooms. The more radiant the sun, the greater the energy will be. Select a hall light that is bright and reminiscent of the sun at high noon.

Lighting in the Living Areas

You must experience a sense of well-being in the living areas. The light must correspond with the needs that you want in each respective room: quality lighting for watching TV, good and bright light for reading, and warm light for snuggling. However, the light should not be blinding. If you like halogen lamps, be sure to direct them so that no one is “blinded” when looking at them. Hanging lamps with bulbs that are not covered by lamp shades can also be changed and refined through the proper choice of a bulb.

Dead Corners

Every home has a “dead corner” somewhere. These are areas in which dust likes to collect. The energy cannot circulate freely in a corner and this area usually becomes limp. A standard lamp will work well in these areas, but using a crystal lamp is ideal. Add a few plants and a limp corner can be transformed into a comfortable retreat.

Treasures, Pictures, and Decorative Objects

Most of us have a few treasures and decorative items in our homes. Quite frequently, these precious things simply gather dust and their auras become weaker and weaker. You can use track lighting to showcase your treasures or create a space in a bookcase for a decorative object. When you additionally illuminate the object, you are activating the energy of joy. There are special lamps to install above the frames of pictures. Some rooms are completely transformed just by illuminating the pictures on the wall.

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice, which teaches an individual to live in harmony with one's surroundings, in order to increase the flow of positive energy and to have a positive state of mind. The followers of Feng Shui use a number of procedures to get an idea of the energy of the surroundings and then alter it to suit the people living there. This ideology can be used to ensure that energy or "chi" flows freely in the surroundings thus making the people in that place happier and more positive in their outlook. The principles of Feng Shui can be applied to lighting as well. Here are a few tips to follow to light your house based on these principles:

Shadows must not be cast while we read or cook food. So ensure that your study and kitchen is well lit with incandescent bulbs or halogen lights.
Paper and cloth lamp shades make the light appear softer and create a quiet atmosphere.
Metal shades or shades that reflect light create an active atmosphere. Use these shades in different rooms according to the mood you want to create.
Soften sharp corners of a room using accent lighting. Softening of sharp edges increases the energy flow and crates a relaxed atmosphere.
Use up lighting to light up dark corners and beams so that the effect of negative energy is reduced.
In rooms with irregular shapes place a lamp in the area that is missing to allow positive flow of energy.

Follow these simple tips to change the lighting of your rooms and there will be an increase in the amount of happiness and harmony in your house.

The Five Elements

Another important principle of Feng Shui is based on utilizing the Five Elements with the eight directions of the Bagua. There are four main directions (North, South, East and West) and four secondary directions (NE, NW, SE and SW). Each represents a different life aspiration. By activating a particular direction in your home with bright lights, you are in fact activating the chi of that sector.

Lighting courtesy of www.decorativecrafts.com

Earth = Square

Earth Element:

Square
earth tones
Southwest
Northeast
Center
Relationships
Trust
Commitment
Longevity
Harmony
Openness
Stability
Balance
Unity
Centeredness

Wood = Wooden

Wood Element

Tall and narrow

made from wood

Green

Health

Wellness

Elders

Opportunities

New Beginnings

Growth

Development

Movement

East

Southeast

Water = Black

Water Element

Black

Glass

Reflective surface

Mirrors

Crystal

North

East

Southeast

Career

Journey

Life Path

Wisdom

Ambition

Determination

Metal = Round

Metal Element

Metallic colors

round or oval

White or pastels

Rocks & stones

Metal items

Inspiration

Creativity

Completion

Manifestation

Synchronicity

Brillance

Self-worth

West

Northwest

Fire = Triangle

Fire Element

Lighting
Animal materials
Inspiration
Self-illumination
Achievement
Passion
Transformation
Warmth
Activity
Expansiveness
Insight
Pyramid shapes
South

1. Identifying the sectors to energize

The North represents your career and life path. The South brings fame and recognition. The East brings good health. The West brings inspires creativity. The Northeast is for wisdom & education. The Northwest is for making friends and mentors. The Southeast represents wealth and riches. And the Southwest is for love & relationships.

2. Working with colors

The energies are characterized by the five elements - fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Fire is red and associated with the South. Earth is yellow and associated with the SW, NE and center. Metal is white, and associated with the West and NW. Water is blue and associated with the North. Wood is green, and is associated with the East and SE.

3. Hard versus soft lighting

There is also hard (Yang) and soft lighting (Yin). Generally, direct light or fluorescent lighting can be considered hard lighting, whereas indirect and yellow lighting is softer. Hard lighting is better suited for offices and work/study areas in the home. Hallways, landings and porches are also best when brightly lit. However, when it comes to the bedroom and rest areas of the home, using lights that are too bright will infuse the room with too much harsh energy, making it difficult to relax.

When picking the lighting for your home, it is important thus to differentiate between these two different lighting effects, which can bring two very different and opposite feels to a room or space. If you are activating a corner within a room, it is best to use soft lighting in the form of a lampshade or lava lamp. Bright lights should be reserved for just the very public areas, or when used to widen a space such as a narrow corridor.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The energy of the home starts on the outside and flows indoors. If you have an imbalance outside your home, you can often use lights to remedy any issues. We have many choices of outdoor lighting from floodlights, landscaping or walkway lights, or wall sconce.

www.balancedlivinginc.com

www.eastcoastfengshui.org

The Feng Shui Kitchen Do's & Don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 05:11:00 +0000

Do

Do use your stove as much as possible. The stove represents your ability to maximize your potential. The more often you cook, the easier it will be to take advantage of opportunities for health, wealth and romance.

Do have a clear view of the entrance while you cook. Not only will you be more relaxed when preparing food, but you'll be better able to spot opportunities in other areas of life.

If your stove faces the wall, position a mirror so that it reflects the entrance. A shiny kettle on the stove can also do the job, since its reflective surface will alert you to any movement behind you.

Do keep fresh food out for people to enjoy. Displaying healthy food lets people know that your kitchen is a place to be nourished and nurtured. A bowl of fresh fruit will support your emotional and physical health.

Do keep one junk drawer in the kitchen. It's perfectly fine to have a drawer devoted to odds and ends in your house, and the kitchen is a sensible place to keep it. Just make sure that your junk drawer is well organized and can open and shut easily. Invest in one of those drawer inserts that has lots of different compartments for string, spare keys, batteries, super glue and whatever else you want to throw in there!

Do make sure your plumbing is working properly. Leaking pipes and dripping faucets are signs that wealth is being drained from your life.

Don't

Don't display knife blades and scissors in the kitchen. The cutting energy of these tools can create conflict and anxiety. Stow knives and scissors in a drawer.

Don't let clutter accumulate in your kitchen. Kitchen clutter can manifest itself in your life as excess weight. If you want to keep the pounds off, get the clutter out of your cabinets, cupboards and drawers. Organize your storage spaces, and keep the counters clear of any equipment that you don't use on a daily basis.

Don't store heavy or bulky items overhead. This will make you feel overwhelmed. If you have to store your pots and pans in an overhead rack, hang the rack in a place where you won't be working or sitting beneath it.

Don't leave water on the stove for long periods of time. This can dampen your passion for life. Empty the kettle when you're done using it.

Don't forget to create a comfortable seating area in your kitchen. The more accommodating your kitchen, the easier it will be for you to get the love and support you need to thrive.

The Number Nine

Since nine is a Feng Shui power number, and oranges symbolize good luck, you can bring good luck energy into the kitchen by placing nine of the biggest, roundest, most perfectly orange oranges you can find in a bowl in the center of the room, on top of the stove (yes, you can move them while you are cooking!), or in the far left corner of the room. Always keep some oranges on hand, so each time you take one from the bowl you can add another to keep the total number at nine. Be sure to use the older oranges first, so none of them rot or dry out; if it's not good to eat, it's not good Feng Shui!

Gratitude

The focus on human health and happiness is emphasized in many ancient cultures, and is a central point in Feng Shui work. Of course, we each have our own ideas of what makes us happy. In the essence, though, it all comes to the same ideals of enjoying good health, good relationships and living your life with a sense of discovery. One of the shortcuts to a happy home is to develop the energy of gratitude, as gratitude and appreciation is the only energy that helps attract more of what you love and are grateful for.

This energy is easy to spot in any environment, as it carries a gentle sense of beauty with it - happy family photos, healthy plants, harmonious colors, comfortable spaces, clean air. Your body will know it right away, as it thrives on the energy of gratefulness and appreciation for the gift and the sacredness of human life. Don't let another day go by without being grateful for the so many things you are blessed with. Make every day a grateful one, it is excellent Feng Shui.

www.balancedlivinginc.com
www.eastcoastfengshui.org

Your Feng Shui Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:50:00 +0000

#1 Tighten all door knobs & cabinet handles. This way you always have a good handle on things and a "firm grip" on your finances.

#2 Squeaky or stuck doors, impedes opportunities coming to you.

#3 Make sure mirrors are always clean, you need to have a clear image of who you are. Avoid tiled or smoky mirrors.

#4 Clean the Windows! The windows of your house are the "eyes of your home", giving you a clear view of opportunities. Dirty windows can cloud your judgment.

#5 Leaky faucets represent money and abundance dripping down the drain.

#6 Close the toilet lid and cover up or close drains to prevent loss of positive chi. The toilet is the largest hole in your house. Ever think about it? Water is connected to our prosperity. In the bathroom, all the water is going away from your house....Even better if the toilet is located in it own room.

#7 Putting your purse on the floor show a lack of respect for your money. Speaking of money, do you care for your cash? Crumpled up dollar bills in your pocket? Or to you organize your cash neatly in your wallet?

#8 Prepare and make room for a new love in your life. Clear out one draw from your dresser & an area in your closet with empty hangers. Razor, shave cream, toothbrush & deo for your overnight guest.

#9 Replace light bulbs - burned out light bulbs give you a "lack of vision" - being kept in the dark. Plus draining positive chi from your house.

#10 A clearly defined front entrance - the "mouth of chi" - so opportunities can find you. Make sure your house number is visible and nothing ill, dead or dying at your entryway. You want to attract healthy, vibrant energy.

Bonus Tip!
Move 27 Things: If ever you find yourself stuck in a rut and hard to initiate change. The power of number 27. To create or reinforce personal growth, move 27 objects that have not been moved in the six months.

The number 27 is regarded as the premier number. Because 2+ 7 = 9 in Feng Shui, it signifies the fullness and transformation of heaven and earth. The number 9 never changes no matter how many times it is multiplied by itself. Nine times anything always leads to nine. For instance: 9 x 3 = 27 and 2 + 7 = 9.

www.babalancedlivinginc.com
www.eastcoastfengshui.org

Feng Shui: Making Room for Love

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 17:45:00 +0000

If you want to attract a new romantic partner--or move a casual relationship closer to commitment--make sure there is space for that person in your home. Look at your closets, shelves, and dressers, especially in the bedroom; if they are all filled to capacity with your own stuff, making some room for your current or future partner a priority.

Aim to free up 25% of the space in your bedroom for someone else's things. When you are done, take a moment to visualize your loved one's belongings finding a home there.

One is indeed the loneliest number - even when it comes to bedroom furnishings and decor. Having only one nightstand or space on only one side of the bed to climb in and out is very symbolic of solitude, and can actually hold your single status in place.

Single people also tend to have accessories and art that depict solitude, [like] a single flower in a vase. Instead, if you're single and don't want to be, decorate your bedroom as if a partner is already there. Symmetry is key, so position nightstands and lamps on both sides of the bed. Accessorize in pairs or multiples, too: Place a bunch of flowers in a vase and hang art depicting romance and unity, which Feng Shui gurus say creates a "couples' energy" as well as a sense of balance and abundance in the room.Get rid of stuffed animals, dolls, and excessive pillows. These items send the message to prospective overnight guests that the bed is already taken. These items also restrict free and spontaneous movement. Place pairs of candlesticks, vases, and books in the far right corner of your bedroom which is the Love and Marriage area of any space. Decorate as if you already have someone to share your bed with by putting nightstands and lamps on both sides of the bed. The images with which you surround yourself can have a powerful effect on your love life. Feng Shui clients who complain of difficulty finding romance often have surrounded themselves with images of a person alone. Inappropriate imagery includes anything that represents solitude, loneliness, aggression, hard work, conflict, or disagreement in any way. Replace any art that represents solitary, companionless objects with art that portrays pairs, such as two people, two flowers, and the like.

Be sure to place romantic imagery in these two key places in the bedroom: the wall opposite the foot of the bed (where you naturally look when lying in bed), and whatever area of the room you first see when you enter. Beautiful, romantic artwork is always good, as are fresh or silk flowers and anything in pairs (such as birds, cherubs, candles, or decorative pillows).That old photo of your Dad when he was in the army may be a treasure, but the wartime energy it carries doesn't have any place in the bedroom; find another place to keep it.Make sure both the front door of your home and the door to your bedroom open easily and completely. Doors that stick, squeak, or that only opens part way because of all the stuff stored behind them are blocking the flow of romantic energy and opportunity into your home. A loose doorknob on your bedroom door could mean you're having a hard time "getting a handle on" romance; get out your screwdriver and tighten it up.When you exercise in the bedroom, or store your sports equipment there, you bring the energy of hard work and exertion into your romance space.

Do you want your relationship to feel like a tough workout? If not, move your workout stuff somewhere else; your relationship is likely to move along more smoothly.Go through your home--especially your bedroom--and remove anything that reminds you of past failed relationships; this could be an ex-boyfriend's old sweater you find in the closet, photographs of you with a previous partner, a gift that reminds you (unfavorably) of a giver with whom you are no longer in love--anything that reminds you of a love that went bad.

No matter how incurable a romantic you may be, do NOT keep old love letters anywhere in your bedroom unless they are from someone with whom you are still blissfully paired up.
Walk slowly from your front door to your bedroom, pretending that you are a gentle river of chi. Look for any areas where furniture or other belongings are stopping or slowing the flow of chi, or where chi is diverted away from the bedroom to other areas of the house. Clear a path so fresh chi can find its way to your bedroom and nourish your love life. Make sure all the lights along this route are working, replace any burned-out bulbs, and be alert for dark or dingy corners where you can increase the energy by adding more light.

In the Bagua, the far right corner is the "love center”. Whether you're single or coupled, consider building a "shrine to love" in that spot. Accessorize a table, dresser or shelf with a photo of you and your mate (or other art that depicts a happy couple), a pair of candles, a book of romantic poetry and a heart-shaped box. It becomes an environmental affirmation of your relationship goals. Silk plants or flowers are OK, but never keep dried foliage here, since their symbolism is obvious.

Another Feng Shui no-no: king-sized beds. Not only do they create a physical chasm between you and your mate, but they are split down the middle by two box springs, which create a symbolic dividing line between partners that can affect their unity. If you're not about to trade in your beloved California King, even for the sake of your other beloved, a red sheet placed over the box springs will help unify the two separate halves.

Feng Shui for the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 04:06:00 +0000

For years, researchers have been providing insight on how various work environments can have an impact on employee wellness and disposition. Feng Shui offers several benefits for the office including higher levels of concentration, stress reduction and an increase in creativity - all leading to greater communication and increased productivity.

The Mouth of Chi

In Feng Shui, the front entrance is called the Mouth of Chi. This opening might be the front door of the building, the door to your office, or the opening to your cubicle. Think of the Mouth of Chi as a mirror of your personality. Is the entrance to your workspace inviting or disorderly? Cluttered or easy to navigate? Cramming too much furniture or accessories into your workspace can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed and tense. Assess what you need and get rid of everything else.

Clutter

At the foundation of Feng Shui is the belief that we are energetically connected to everything in our physical environment. Feng Shui begins with clearing clutter. Clutter is a problem because it hinders clear focus, and aside from the distraction, it also blocks energy flow.

Interior Layout

The interior layout of your business should allow all the essential functions of the business to flow as smoothly as possible. It is helpful to imagine that you are chi energy that wants to visit every part of the office space.

Lighting

When an issue or work project becomes confusing, shed light on it. Without adequate lighting, no one function optimally. Ideally, you should have a combination of natural and artificial light available to you as you work.

Main Lobby or Reception

The entrance lobby should be well lit and appear spacious and welcoming. If a receptionist is assigned to the lobby, he or she should not face the front door directly, as this can prove to be intimidating to visitors. The lobby area gives a number of clues about your business. The color scheme, lighting, furnishings, temperature and smell all give information to your prospective clients.

The Power of Color

Color research shows that people are stimulated in specific ways by different colors. Feng Shui uses color as a cure to promote the appropriate energy for a space. That's why it's important to pick a color based on the tasks you will be performing.

Office Layout

Your office should be comfortable and reflect something of your personality. Make sure the door to your office is protected from shar chi (poison arrows) from outside the office. It is usually good to have an outside view, but glaring light from the windows can make it hard to work effectively.

Your Office has good Feng Shui if:

Reflects your personality

Supports your physical body

Provides interpersonal safety

Keeps you grounded in the present while opening future possibilities.

Arranging your Workspace

The placement of the desk is of extreme importance. You should sit facing the door. People who sit with their backs to the door feel uncomfortable and risk being stabbed in the back".

The desk should be as far away from the entrance to the room as possible to give you a commanding view of your office, as well as the door. It is just as important for other people to see you as it is for you to see them.

If you are tucked away in your office where no one can see you, then you are likely to be viewed as invisible.

Although you should face the door, you should not do so directly, as this can intimidate visitors. Position your desk at an angle to the entrance for best results. Different angles produce different feelings, so you should experiment.

Do not sit with a window behind you, if at all possible. This placement indicates that you are lacking in support and may not be able to get the help you need. A solid wall behind your back will give you the support your need.

General Offices & Cubicles

Special Feng Shui considerations are required with general office where many people work together in the same room.
If possible, everyone in the office should have a view of the main entrance from his or her desk.
Desk facing each other are not best either from a Feng Shui perspective because the position is considered confrontational.

A U-shaped arrangement of desks is not the best either because people in the long sides will be opposite each other. The arrangement is believed to cause friction & discord.

www.balancedlivinginc.com
www.eastcoastfengshui.org

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Top Ten Tips for the Living Room

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Reduce clutter - Newspapers, magazines and books or music.
Enclose electronic equipment in an armoire or cabinet with doors.
Avoid placing seating under beams, or sloped, vaulted ceilings.
Utilize a variety of lighting sources, appropriate for different activities.
Avoid over-crowding the room with too many furnishings. Make sure that there is enough space for you and the chi to move around the room easily.
Position your primary seating area, so that it has a view of the door (command position) as it gives a feeling of certainty.
Incorporate draperies or window treatments to create warmth and privacy.
The coffee table is a secondary symbol of health and therefore it should be clean and neat. Bring in nature by way of plants, flowers, or imagery.
Happy photos of family and friends.
Use warm, comforting colors.

2012 - The Year of the Yang Water Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:37:00 +0000

The Dragon is associated with the season of spring, so this means you need to get off to a fast start in 2012 as things are going to happen early in the year. If you have been paying attention, you most likely have been feeling some shifts in energy as early as November or December of 2011. Hopefully you used some of the quiet time of the peaceful Rabbit last year to plan for the dramatic dragon. Good luck and opportunities to make money could come very soon after lunar New Year.

The Dragon, however, is a reminder that everyone has dreams, and that the time to pursue them is now. Now is the time to take a chance, to reach for the proverbial brass ring, to not only dream but act on that impossible dream. The Dragon gives you the best chance to make it come true.

There is heavenly energy bestowed upon you and there will be people who will come to your aid - from near and far. The question is: will you reject them or will you accept their assistance? The problem is often not about not getting something we want, the problem is that we often stand in the way of receiving. We get in our own way even when someone is trying to help us. Vow to yourself that you will not only accept help, you'll offer it, too, in the year ahead.

Feng Shui your Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (East Coast Feng Shui) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Do holiday gatherings create more stress than harmony? The holidays may result with your home being overwhelmed with long lost relatives, friends you haven't seen in ages and a whole host of other visitors. We are never more aware of these facts than at the holiday season.

From a Feng Shui perspective, the addition of abundant fire energy, adds an overwhelming level of stress, activity and high emotional sensitivity. This fire energy is created by a higher number of people gathered together, more lights and a lot of red colored decor. However, there are ways you can prepare your home to make the holidays go more smoothly. Feng Shui has some easy, practical solutions for creating harmony for your home this holiday season.

Try some of these Feng Shui tips, and have a safe, stress-free holiday!
Wishing you all a blessed holiday season.

Sincerely,

The Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is a powerful focal point in your holiday décor. There are three favorable locations to consider for your tree. First, is the center section of the left side of your home, where it will promote family togetherness. The next is the far left corner of your home, where it will encourage abundance and blessings. Finally, the center portion of the far wall of your home can invite self illumination. When decorating your tree, consider applying Feng Shui colors for beneficial results. Red is the most popular color for the holidays, but avoid overdoing it. Red is of the fire element and can bring about unwelcomed stress and anxiety. The color green represents the wood element that can help calm your home as well as be nourishing to your health. Blue is a water element color and can also have a very calming and soothing influence.

Decorating with Plants

Living plants are providers of fresh, vital chi, and adding Christmas plants to a room is a wonderful Feng Shui cure. Mistletoe is thought to inspire calmness and a peaceful state of mind. This is believed by some to be a magical, healing plant. Holly is a sign of good wishes towards all. The Poinsettia represents love and passion. You might also include wood in your decorations such as a wreath, to help promote harmonious family gatherings.