Train with Carole Hyder – Create Change for yourself and Others

With training from the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui, YOU can create life-changing environments for yourself and others. Small adjustments in your living and working spaces can result in BIG changes. Founded by international expert, Carole Hyder, in 1998, the Wind and Water School offers beginner and advanced classes based on the theories Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui. Through our programs and classes you will: 

• Learn about small changes with big impacts
• Align your space with your goals
• Discover key areas of your home and what they mean
• Change your challenges into advantages
• Connect with yourself on a deeper level
• Have the option to become a certified consultant
• Have access to continuing education through a Master’s program 

Whether you join us for a single class or our 9-month program and beyond, you will benefit from the years of Feng Shui expertise of our founder and faculty members. If you are looking for a change in your life, rely on the power of Feng Shui and our curriculum to help you successful achieve your goals. 

The Wind and Water School of Feng Shui is a Gold Member School with IFSG.

Click here for more information!

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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Study with Terah Kathryn Collins

For 16 years, the Western School of Feng Shui’s Essential Feng Shui® Practitioner Training has included a week of intensive in-class study, necessitating travel and time away from home… Now, Terah Kathryn Collins has transformed this training into eight interactive weeks of video classes and live face-to-face conference calls that include every minute of the in-class program and much more. This means that you can receive all the training you need to become an Essential Feng Shui® Practitioner… @ Home!

Imagine curling up on your couch with a cup of tea, and on your computer is Terah sharing with you the foundational principles of Feng Shui. You are taking notes in your Practitioner Notebook and something she says inspires a question. You write it down, knowing that you can ask it during the next live, face-to-face conference call with her. Since the calls happen once or twice a week for an hour or more, you know that there will be plenty of time to explore the answer to your question…  

Click here to learn more about the Western School of Feng Shui.

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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It’s finally starting to get warmer here in New York City. My plants are loving it! I made a little instagram collage of the plants around my apartment here in the Lower East Side. It’s a great time to start giving your house plants some special attention.

House plants improve the overall indoor air quality. The Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science has studies online that prove this to be true. They also add natural beauty to your home, bringing some nature inside. On a Feng Shui level, plants bring in the wood element – for new beginnings, kind-heartedness, and fresh life energy.

This past weekend I spent some time giving my house plants some extra care. My mother-in-law and her husband, Shabari Bird and Hugh Lovel, teach biodynamic farming techniques all over the world, their website is Quantum Agriculture. Their agricultural research looks at the entire environment holistically. On their website they say:

“Basically this means that everything in the universe is vibration…By working with the rules of quantum mechanics using combinations of self-organizing patterns, such as the biodynamic/homeopathic/ remedies we can accomplish seeming miracles of reducing agricultural inputs while increasing crop quality.”

Hugh recommends the following:

EM-1 Organic Soil Conditioner : general conditioning for all my house plants. They recommend one ounce per gallon of water for all plants. I use this whenever I water my plants.  Hugh explained that EM-1 creates healthy microrganisms that would in particular help one of my potted trees with some chlorine poisoning.  The edges of the leaves of a tree I have were turning brown (thus his conclusion was that the plant had chlorine poisoning).

Infusion of Horsetail and Nettle : to strengthen my plants from the inside out. This was in response to the white flies I have on my flowering maple ‘bella’. This is one of my favorite plants. It’s so delicate and the leaves look like mini maple leaves. Hugh told me that the horsetail and nettle would make my plants healthier, in then in turn be unattractive to pests like white flies. He also told me that the infusion should be a handful of each herb, with a big pot of water. Bring it to a simmer for 30 minutes (not boiling). Then I would add some of this infusion in when I water my plants, approximately a two ounces per gallon.  This also makes a healthy tea for humans!

Geranium Essential oil spray : as a general pest repellent. While I wait for the Horsetail and Nettle infusion to take effect, a few drops of Geranium essential oil in a spray bottle of water will help repel the flies that are attacking my flowering maple bella. I adore Geranium. It’s especially uplifting and balancing in the daytime. I often use it for aromatherapy when I’m getting stressed out and about to sit down to do a lot of work. Alternatively, it’s very relaxing mixed with Lavendar. As an aside, Jivamukti Yoga has this heavenly Organic Aloe And Lavender Aroma Lotion with a touch of Geranium.  It’s really wonderful!!

On a final note, my husband’s late step-father Christopher Bird, co-author of The Secret Life of Plants wrote:

“…that plants move their bodies as freely, easily, and gracefully as the most skilled animal or human, and that the only reason we don’t appreciate the fact is that plants do so at a much slower pace than humans.”

I interpret that as, plants are just like us — they just happen to move much slower.

by Anjie Cho, member of the International Feng Shui Guild

Article Source:  Refresh Your Indoor Plants

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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Holistic living is being more and more embraced with conscious eating, preventive and alternative medicine, and simplicity. Holistic implies being ‘whole’ or looking at the ‘whole’ picture by looking at our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing as a whole, not in parts.  Historically, in the West, we have put a priority on physical health, while in the East there has been a focus on spiritual health.  Both are now being embraced and united with a holistic lifestyle.

And now our home is becoming to the forefront as another component of living holistically.  More and more people are realizing that their home can be a source of healing – a place of essential change.

Our home is second to our body as our physical dwelling on Earth.  It is so closely related to our mind and body that the two have oftentimes throughout history been used interchangeably in religions, architecture, and in dream analysis.

And this I know is not coincidental.  For the last four years, I have gone to people’s homes to help them with energy flow, clutter clearing, and even color selecting.  And what I realized early on is that our home is a mirror of ourselves.  And as we make changes to our home, we are making changes to ourselves.

The energy patterns within our self – physically, mentally, and emotionally – are also present within our home.  Have you ever had a great massage or bodywork where you left feeling great.  And upon returning home, you fell right back into your old patterns – maybe your shoulders started to slump forward again or your breathing returned to being labored.

If the energy flow in your home is ‘off’ then the energy flow in your body will be off. Energy flow in your home can be affected by furniture, accessories, clutter, and the quality of energy.

Here are a few things to consider to make your home part of your holistic lifestyle.

1. Furniture blocks: For the best feng shui, you want the energy to ‘meander’ through a space.  So imagine yourself as energy (because you are) coming through your space.  Do you bump into any furniture? Do you hit corners sticking out? Are there tight places that feel constraining?  Too much furniture can be major blocks of energy.  And if they’re in your house, then they’re in your life in some form.

2. Emotional Clutter: Clutter is stagnant energy.  So if you feel stagnant in any area of your life, then there’s probably clutter lurking somewhere in your life that has taken form.  If it’s your love life that’s stagnant, then clear out stuff from past relationships.  If it’s your career that’s stagnant, clear out your office. If it’s your body that’s cluttered, then clean out your cupboards, fridge, and clothing closet.

3. Inventory Your Accessories: Like a great outfit, accessories are essential. They can make an outfit.  But if overdone, they can ruin an outfit.  So is the case with accessories in your home.  Take inventory of the accessories in your home.  You should love everyone of them.  Don’t use accessories to distract.  I find that people who use too many accessories in an outfit are subconsciously trying to distract the attention away from them personally and to their clothing instead.  Don’t let your accessories distract you.  Love everything in your home, including yourself.

4. Clear the Energy:  No one likes to sit at a table in the restaurant before it’s been cleared by the people who sat there before. And no one certainly wants to live among the energy of the previous owners of their home. You don’t want to be subjected to the energy patterns of those before you.  If you have never cleared the energy in your home, now is the time!  It’s quite simple and effective.  Sage smudging is the most common method by which you light the end of a sage bundle and waft around your house.  Add your intention to the mix as well.  You can also try my hand-blended Smudge Spray which is quite effective as well and smells fabulous.

So as you become more conscious of your diet, exercise, spirituality, and so forth, become conscious of your home as well.  As you love your home, you will love yourself.

by Tisha Morris, member of the International Feng Shui Guild

Article Source:  Four Ways to Create a Holistic Home 

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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• Help eliminate odour and cleanse negative chi

• Cleanse your mind, body and energetic field of anxiety, depression and nervous tension

• Lift your chi

• Restore your chi after the anguish of losing a loved one or attending a funeral

• Support you while going through a particularly bad astrological month

With each of the following procedures, please visualize, feel and believe that you’ve succeeded in removing all the inauspicious chi and bad luck from your space, body and mind.

1.  Wash three kaffir limes (available at Whole Foods and Asian groceries) and cut into 6 halves.  Squeeze the juices into a basin for bathing.  Pour a scoop of water from the top of your head down.  Repeat two more times.  Wash now with your regular bath soap.  Then use the remaining lime water in the basin to wash away any negative chi.  Dry yourself with a fresh, clean towel and get dressed in fresh, clean clothes.  Try to stay out of the bathroom for three hours at which time, pick up the skins and throw them away.

2.  Use a drop of the essential oil kaffir lime on a clean white cloth to wash your altar.

3. Use a couple of drops on a tissue and place in your car when you drive.

4. Use a few drops of kaffir in a basin of water and use as a final rinse in your shower.

5.  Take a kaffir lime, wash it and cut in two halves.  Squeeze the juice in water and drink. Now take the empty halves and rub over your entire body.  Toss the peels.

6.  If you’ve been a victim of lies, gossip or another kind of a negative attack, here’s a way to cleanse your aura.  Take two juicy limes but don’t wash them.  Hold one in each hand rolling them in your palms as you say to yourself “All of the bad intentions, vibrations and harmful thoughts, words and actions of {person’s name} are pouring into these limes.”  Keep rolling them for about 10 minutes and then throw them into a river or other source of moving water.  Toss one over your right shoulder, the other over your left. Don’t look back!  Go back home and end with a sea salt bath.

7. Place about 9-12 drops kaffir lime oil in a pail of purified water and clean the whole house, especially the main door.

8. Take a footbath with freshly squeezed limes or kaffir limes in warm water.  Soak for about 15 minutes to help remove obstacles and open up your luck.

9. These can also be part of cleansing and blessing ceremonies.  Take kaffir lime leaves plus the juice of 9 limes and/or kaffir limes and squeeze into a pail of clean water.  Clean all the chi entry points in your space, beginning at the Mouth of Chi them all other exterior doors and windows followed by the bedroom doors. Visualize washing away any inauspicious energies and welcome fresh, new vital beginnings. Pour the remaining water down every drain in your home washing away any ill chi then grind the peels in your garbage disposal.

by Gwynne Warner, member of the International Feng Shui Guild

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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This before photo shows work about to begin – before 2008.             

After  

From summer 2009 – When looking at landscape changes, be sure to consider the future and not just the now.  There is a tendency to over-crowd plants in the beginning to provide that “finished” look immediately.           

Let Nature take over as shown in the NOW photo below!  

Photo Source:   Zen Soul-You-Tions  

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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Along the way as we were reaching up pretty high with our dreams, she paraphrased a quote that Steve Jobs said at the Stanford Commencement address.  I went home, looked it up, and found it to be at the basis of effective and powerful Feng Shui.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path.”

Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Adress, 2005

Feng Shui is not only about helping people thrive where they are and be fulfilled in their present situation, but it’s also, and perhaps more importantly, about helping people set up their space so that it pulls them into the future—into the life they’ve always wanted. The hard part here is to be able to access the dream about their ultimate life experience, not just concentrate on the next step, out of context with the big picture.

Here are some ways to help you dream bigger so you can change your home into the life you’ve always wanted. . . . .

1. Don’t plan on thinking about your ideal life.  You have to create it.  In other words, you need to dance it out, or paint it, or make a vision board.  From these activities you’ll capture the feelings that will let you know where your heart wants you to go.

2. Don’t ask how you’re ever going to arrive at your dream life or start to second-guess the process (“This will never happen.”  “What is wrong with me?” Truthfully, how it’s going to unfold isn’t any of your business.  Your job is to create it.

3. Don’t use friends or family as a sounding board unless, like my friend Julie, they provide you the net to do all the spins and twirls you’re inclined to try, won’t rain on your parade, burst your bubble, or laugh in disbelief.

~You won’t forget the details of your dream;
~You can tweak it from there;
~You must make sure it’s what you want.

4. Don’t let the dream stay in your heart—-write it down!!  Anchor it into a physical reality.  The importance of this is:

5. Don’t forget to implement the dream in your Feng Shui adjustments.  As you infuse the physical adjustments you make in your space with your ultimate dream, you will see how your home or your office will gently but steadily move you forward.  Some steps will be huge, others will be almost negligible.  Either way, you’re connecting the dots to the expansive and fulfilling life you are meant to experience.

I doubt Steve Jobs knew about Feng Shui (but who knows?), however, he did know about dreaming big.  He started with the end in mind and worked backwards—-so did Edison—so did Ford.  Working backwards is different than going backwards.  Get your dream out there—make it even bigger—and then work backwards as you move forward.

by Carole Hyder, member of the International Feng Shui Guild

Article Source:  Connecting the Dots  

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.  

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Moving into a new home

This is the most obvious time to do space clearing, to clear out the predecessor energies of previous occupants and land yourself energetically in your new home. Until you do this, it will never be truly yours. There will always be residual energies from the past affecting everything you do there.

If you move into a completely new building that no-one has ever lived in before, you might think this wouldn’t apply, but in my experience space clearing is still very helpful. It clears out any energies left by the builders and harmonises the space after the disruption of all the building work, so that it immediately starts to feel like a home. Without space clearing it can take much longer for this to happen.

For a home that has had a very chequered history, either because of problems during the building process or because of the history of previous occupants, it is best to call in a professional to do the first space clearing for you, and definitely do this if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, not in good health, or do not feel confident to do space clearing yourself. Most people can do annual space clearings to maintain the energy of their home themselves by carefully following the steps in my book. It’s the very first space clearing that is the most challenging to do and the most essential to get right.

When you feel stuck

Another important time to do space clearing is if you feel stuck in some way in your life. When you feel like this, there will also be a corresponding stuckness in the energy in your home that has been building up for some time. A good space clearing practitioner can tell by sensing the energy of your home what is happening in your life without you even needing to tell them.

Because you are energetically connected to the place you live, space clearing your home is one of the most effective ways to get your life moving again. Where there is stagnant energy there is often an accumulation of clutter too, so clutter clearing done in conjunction with space clearing is usually the most effective combination for this situation.

When you’re going through a major life experience

This can take many forms. It may be the beginning of a new relationship or the end of an old one, starting a new job or leaving an old one, a birth, a death, a wonderful success, a traumatic loss, or any other significant life-changing event.

Space clearing your home creates a supportive environment that will help you to move through a major transition with more clarity and ease. You can do this type of space clearing for yourself, but it’s at times like this that the skills and objectivity of a trained professional are so valuable. All the practitioners I train know how to conduct a space clearing ceremony without projecting their own opinions or agendas onto clients. They will never tell you what to do, but they are very skilled at opening a space for you to be able to see the higher possibilities for yourself so that you can make your own decisions from a more perceptive standpoint.

by Karen Kingston, member of the International Feng Shui Guild

Article Source: The Three Most Important Times to do Space Clearing

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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It was a wonderful experience which reinforced many lessons for me. I’d like to share some of them.

•  No virtual world can come close to the real world. Meeting people in person adds a tangible quality to your relationship which simply cannot be created over the internet. Wherever possible, connect in person.
•  Flexible chi is essential, especially when working in groups. Being able to go with the flow is a valuable quality. Letting go of your own needs and ideas is essential to work toward a common goal.
•  Having said that, recognize your own strengths and be sure to speak up when you are absolutely certain that you have something of value to add. Don’t let the brilliance of others dim your own special and unique light.
•  Step out of your comfort zone. Although having a design background gave me an advantage in this particular project, many needed to step up and try something that they were not as familiar with. The results were amazing!

•  Feng Shui really can be implemented in a space in a beautiful and subtle way. We included about specific 5 Feng Shui cures in this room and I doubt that most people would know that it was a part of the design.
•  Color is beautiful. Neutrals are king in the design world but color is powerful and beautiful. It is an under-utilized Feng Shui tool.
•  Ceremony is essential. Taking a few moments to be in gratitude, to be open and to celebrate what is right and what is possible can make all the difference.
•  Each of us plays a part. Some of us designed, some sewed, some painted, some created art, some fixed things and some did whatever they were asked to do. Every single person on this planet plays an important role. We create beauty and solve problems when we combine our talents to work together.
•  You need just a touch of male energy when you have a group of females. The balance is helpful.
•  Kindness is easy and it is fun. There are so many wonderful groups of people who come together every day to do nice things for others. If you have the time, find one and join them, you won’t be sorry!

by Mia Staysko, professional member of the International Feng Shui Guild

Article Source:  A Kindness Project

Photo Sources:  Pinterest, Project photos

The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.

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Do you rarely wake up rejuvenated, energized, and ready to take on the day? Restful sleep is imperative for attaining more energy and slowing down the aging process. So, if sleep is something that troubles you, make it something you can finally look forward to with these alternative remedies.

From Feng Shui and plants to remedies and meditation, these ideas may provide you with solutions to getting a peaceful night’s sleep.

See more from The Doctor Oz Show.

 
 
The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as a result of any information in this publication. The IFSG serves as a reference and source for our members and the public.
 

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