1/24/05
EMPTY NEST SECTOR
A woman who had tried to get pregnant for some time asked us if we thought that the Feng Shui of her home could be a contributing factor in her lack of fertility. Of course, our first suspicion was the Children/Creativity sector of her home, but we couldn’t determine in the off-site reading what was wrong there. “What the Love sector?” we asked. She showed me on her sketch that it was a small part of vast living room. There was something about the way she said “vast” that triggered our next question. It sounded so wistful. When we asked her what was there, she said, “It’s empty!” Another question, “As in barren?” The light went on! “Yeah. Barren. For heaven’s sake!” We talked about metaphor at length and finally we pointed out that the Love sector isn’t just about romantic love. It's also the sector that relates to mother. We’re waiting to hear that she’s pregnant, but it’s only been a week!”

1/17/05
PICTURES ON THE UP AND UP
Lots of us like to put pictures on the wall of our staircases. So is it good or bad Feng Shui? Well, it could be either. First of all, stairs represent what can go up and down in our life, so if you have stairs in the center of your home, it’s your health that can fluctuate. If you’ve all been healthy since moving in, don’t worry. It’s not effecting you. Because stairs go up at an angle, it’s best not to hang your pictures on that same vertical rise. The Ch’i on stairs should be slowed down a bit by hanging groupings of pictures on the horizontal. You can have several “hangings” all the way up, but each individual group should be level horizontally.

1/10/05
RINGING IN THE NEW
Bells are a wonderful Feng Shui cure. Their sounds stimulates Ch'i, or energy, helping to bring in good energy as well as clear negative energy. Whether you use an expensive Tibetan temple bell or an old cow bell, your intent carries a lot of weight. If there is a strange feeling in a room that normally feels fine, ring the bell with the intent to clear the space. Or perhaps you want to send out prayers or good thoughts to a loved one or victims of a disaster. The vibration of the bell will help carry your intent outward. Sound is a very powerful tool. The Bible starts, "In the beginning was the word." I always took that to mean that the first manifestation of energy was SOUND! What do you think?

6/13/04
A NEW KIND OF INSURANCE
Here’s a neat trick for you money conscious people out there. If you tend to worry or just like to feel secure, take a hundred dollar bill and place it in a red envelope. The amount is just a suggestion and should be relative to your financial stature. Put it into your purse or your wallet with the intent that the red envelope protects it and ALL your money. You will never be broke if you refrain from spending “the sacred money,” and it remains an affirmation of your abundance. Putting the envelope in your purse or wallet is not essential. It could be anywhere that makes sense to you. If you spend a lot of time at your desk, perhaps it should be taped to the bottom of a drawer. Perhaps it should go in the Wealth sector of your home or business. Just don’t put it in such a clever place that you forget where it is. That would be a bummer. When I was little I hid quarters all over my room. When we moved, I could only find a few of them. Can you believe it still bothers me?

6/6/04
EATING BY COLOR
Twenty years ago I studied Iridology and Naturopathic Medicine with Dr. Bernard Jensen. As a naturopathic physician, he had studied octogenarians all over the world in an attempt to see what kept people healthy. Among his ideas was one of eating by color. I thought it was a pretty amazing concept at the time and, as a painter, one that made sense. Imagine my surprise when Gayle told me that she had studied the very same thing in Integrative Acupressure. The ancient Chinese system of the five elements broke down foods by color. Then we got together on Feng Shui and it came up again. So if you go to the Ch’i Sheet for the references to body parts, you will see that red (Fire) foods like shrimp, tomatoes, and red bell peppers, are good for the heart. Dark leafy greens (Wood) are good for the liver, and so on. Dr. Jensen felt that orange foods were good for depression. He even recommended taking a bath in oranges and grapefruits. And now our favorite skin cream over the last two years is from Origins and called Gloom Away. It is made from grapefruits. You are what you eat! And don’t forget that what goes on your skin is absorbed so it might as well be edible.

5/30/04
REAL ESTATE VOODOO
This is one for the Feng Shui version of the Guinness book of world records! I just heard from someone who was trying to sell his house for three years. It just sold two hours after doing a Feng Shui cure. I suggested that he do it in the dark of night so as not to freak out the neighbors. Not only did he get a good offer that very evening, but he got a second offer the next morning after accepting the first one. When he told me of his ordeal of closings that had fallen through, it was clear to me that he needed to attend to Helpful People. I remember saying, “Well, that sounds pretty strange even from me, but what can it hurt?” So what did I suggest that turned things around? Okay, here goes. I told him to bury a flashlight in the Helpful People (near right) sector of his yard, and bury it ON and pointing UP like a beacon! Even I was impressed with the speedy results. But was I surprised? NO! I love the power of INTENT mixed in with a smidgen of ancient Chinese “voodoo”!

5/23/04
REIGNING CATS & DOGS
We’ve talked in the past about the teenager who has taken control of the home, but what about the family pet? So often we hear from folks at our lectures who recognize with a giggle or two that the dog’s bed is in the Wealth & Power sector of the whole home. We don’t always recommend that the bed be moved, especially if you are happy with your pooch being is such a ruling position. What if that dog is a show dog and makes a ton of money? If so, then you pooch is perfectly positioned. But if you aren’t happy with life revolving around your dog or cat or toucan, take a look at where you’ve put your critters.

5/16/04
RECYCLEABLES, LITTER & OTHER GARBAGE
Like your toilets, your waste baskets, litter boxes, puppy training newspapers, and things waiting to be recycled need to reside some place. So where should they go? First of all, if you can’t put these things behind closed doors, they should be camouflaged or made to look more appealing than they are. As for whether to trash Love, or Health, or any other sector, that should be an individual choice. If you follow the “do no harm” philosophy, where you DON’T put it is more important than where you do. If your health is suffering, keep these unsavory items out of the middle one ninth. If money is the problem, avoid the middle left or far left sectors. The point here is that these items are akin to clutter and should not be allowed to further confound the areas of your life that are stressed. If love is going well, maybe that’s the best sector for the litter box. And watch that these items are not always in the same sector in every room. If the recycled newspapers stand in wait in the Wisdom sector of the whole home, the litter box is in the Wisdom sector of your bathroom, the kitchen garbage and compost are in the near left of the kitchen and your training your puppy in that sector of the downstairs playroom, you’re just asking for trouble!

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5/9/04
BUDDHA & OTHER MENTORS
A mentor is someone who has helped in some way. Often a mentor is associated with education, but the Helpful People sector (near right one ninth of any building or room) is more inclusive and a great place for pictures of those who have helped you. Whether it’s a picture of your grandmother, your father, best friend, Buddha, Mother Mary, Bette Midler, or Winnie the Pooh, you subconscious brain will associate those faces with assistance, pleasure, good times, or at the very least, not having to do everything yourself. This sector is where to put your gray things, metal things, and anything white, round and/or metal. It is associated with Father in the Chinese tradition of the breakdown of family members into individual guas or sectors.

5/2/04
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW
Windows are metaphorically the eyes of a building. If there are obstructions like a telephone pole, a tall thin tree trunk, or the corner of a neighboring building that looks as though it is attacking, eye problems may result. We noticed years ago that such a young maple tree was perfectly situated in the middle of our daughter’s bedroom. I thought back to when she first needed glasses and it was within six month of moving her into that bedroom. Once we noticed and made the connection, we chopped down the tree. If your windows are always dirty or the seals have failed and there are streaks between the layers of glass, it may be that “seeing clearly” can become an issue. This morning I noticed a gleaming spider web outside our dining room window. As it shone so beautifully in the morning sun, I wondered if it’s clinging to my window was good or bad Feng Shui. Since I like spiders OUTSIDE, and the web represents weaving stories, I decided that it was good luck. As it gets old and filled with carcasses, I may change my mind.

4/25/04
THE SOUND OF MONEY
Cash registers used to have a wonderful sound when you made a purchase. Remember the saying, “ring up a sale”? Now our purchases are followed by electronic beeps and sputters and whirrrrrrs! There was something so affirming in that old ka-ching ring. Perhaps we could all make a sound when we make a “sale” or achieve a success. In my office I have an ancient set of Tibetan bells that I tap together every time a check comes in the mail. Tarot clients who come to my office are so used to me putting their money on the amethyst slice and ringing the bells when we are finished that they don’t wait for me anymore. They ring the bells with such a wonderful grin! So whether you sing out with spontaneous joy and gratitude or ring your chimes with intent, enjoy the audible affirmation and remember that sound is one of the nine basic cures in Feng Shui.

4/17/04
CRYSTALS, CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
It is often said that mirrors are the aspirin of Feng Shui. They can cure just about any ill. Well, that’s what Steven Post, author of Modern Feng Shui thinks of crystals. Those leaded glass prisms, often Swarovski, that catch the light and send rainbows all over your walls are what he is referring to when he says, “Multifaceted spherical crystals are used to adjust the direction of ch’i flow. The crystal ball takes a linear flow and diffuses it in all directions.” That is why a crystal can be used to disperse the negative energy coming off a sharp edge or bring more ch’i into a dark corner. It is often placed under a fan to disperse the “chopping” effect of the blades. Gayle has been spending much of the last three months working on designs with Swarovski crystal. She has made sun catchers, chain pulls, door hangings, even walls, and is experimenting with them all over our house. More will be written as the results are felt!

4/10/04
BY THE YARD
This is the time for burning permits where we live, and it’s a mad rush to gather all the clutter from the yard to burn before it rains again or before the permits are nixed until next year. So we’ve been raking, pruning, and gathering fools. And it FEELS SO GOOD! De-cluttering the yard is important because as the weather gets better, we begin to move outside. So as you begin to locate hammocks, volley ball nets, trampolines, love seats, grills, waterfalls, trees, shrubs and vegetables, remember that the yard should be divided into nine equal sectors. We have our yearly burn pile in Fame & Recognition where it can do the most good. The green hammock is in Family. The fountain in the perennial garden is also in Family where Water supports the Wood. So take your Ch’i sheet outside!3/29/04
METAL BED FRAMES
While brass beds are sexy and romantic, they may not be a good idea if you are sensitive to electromagnetic stress. As many of us know by now, it’s important to keep computers, electric alarm clocks, answering machines and other such devices a good six feet or more away from your head while sleeping. If you get headaches at night you should certainly consider that you may be sensitive to these emissions. I have long since opted for the old-fashioned battery operated alarm. There are some wonderful ones. I had the Goofy alarm complete with the hammer and bells. Of course, if your sensitive to loud noises, this could be rough on the wall you throw it at. But I digress. That metal bed frame is an excellent conductor of electricity. So if you aren't sleeping well, try someone else's bed for a while. If you’re interested in more on electromagnetic stress, Karen Kingston devotes a chapter to it in Creating Sacred Space With Feng Shui. That would be a good start. Or you could go visit our teacher Eric Dowsett’s site for even more in depth information.
3/22/04
WE’RE BACK!!!
Life got complicated, and it became too weighty to email thousands of you. But we’re back! And instead of emailing all of you, we will now post these tips here on a weekly basis, so you may want to bookmark this page. Which brings me to Internet clutter. With Spring cleaning already underway, this would be a great time to look at Computer clutter. There are some programs and simple preferences that you can use to keep out the unwanted emails and pop ups while you are surfing the net. In redesigning our site, we’ve done so with an eye towards clutter. We hope that you find what you want easily and maneuver with little or no difficulty. We’re still looking for a search engine that will search just these pages, but until we find one that works, you could copy all these and paste them to a word processing program that has a FIND function. That way you can get quick references to anything we have said about “mouth of ch’i” or “purple” or whatever else you want to know. It’s good to be back offering you these little snippets of advice.

7/19/03
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
It's been a few weeks since we've sent out a tip of the week and on reflection, it seems like a good time to get back to some basics. The bagua is a template which can be placed over any physical space. That yard, building or room can now become an implement of change. The bagua is made up of nine equal parts, or guas. Each gua relates to life issues, compass directions, body parts, family members, seasons, time of day, colors, shapes, materials, elements, and numbers. And these are just what is understood to date. As we study our environment, Feng Shui masters will add to the list. Whether you want to jump start your career, end a relationship, strengthen a part of your body or improve a situation of any kind, you can use your environment as a tool for manifesting what you want. Many of you already know that the middle one ninth of any space is where you look when you have health issues, but did you know that this gua is also a "catch all" location for questions and issues that don't seem to fit into any of the other eight guas? This is also the part of your home or business to tend to when you are looking to create more balance or openness. So if you life is crazy upside down, it's time to tend to the heart of your space. This is where you want to use earth tones, yellows, reds, square things, pointed things, terra cotta, brick, clay, candles, sunlight and fireplaces. It's not beneficial to utilize greens, tall rectangular things, wood, tall or woody plants or flowers. The number associated with this gua is five. It relates to the transition between seasons.
6/1/03
WHO’S IN CHARGE
If your teenager’s bedroom is in the far left part of the house upstairs, then it’s no surprise that the family revolves around her. She’s in charge. Just like the boss in the back left office, this child’s room in the Wealth corner helps her take command. The obvious solution is to move her out. But if you and your spouse enjoy the comforts of the bigger bedroom, start by rearranging her room. Move her bed to a place in her room where she cannot easily see the door while lying down. This may need only to be temporary. As for directions, make certain that while she sleeps her head is not facing South as this is the most energizing direction. Colors should be more Yin pastels, and accent with blues to help her make better choices. It will also help her focus on her studies rather than controlling the family. Don’t forget to consider her place at the dinner table and in the family room. In this way, you can use Feng Shui to help enhance control as parents.
5/18/03
HOW TO LOSE 50 POUNDS IN 5 HOURS
“Been reading Karen Kingston’s book on clutter. It’s feeling great to get rid of all this old stuff, but I broke my paper shredder.” MD in NY
We loved this feedback from one of our ‘Tips’ people. Her enthusiasm for getting rid of what she no longer needed impressed us and brought a big laugh. Now she needs to fix or get rid of the broken paper shredder. Getting rid of the stuff we don’t use can lighten our life. Keeping broken things carries it’s own negative charge. Broken stuff piling up because SOMEDAY you’re going to fix them all can bring on guilt. Saving too much because SOMEDAY you think you may need something can weigh you down. Things are attachments. Some can even be emotional attachment that sap your energy. Clutter on the floor can actually cause confusion because it is hard to walk around, not to mention dangerous. And it causes you to look down more often than up which can eventually contribute to depression. Someday you may pick up that ugly but expensive vase from Aunt Minnie and realize that you are tired of dusting it. Perhaps it’s time to take a look at the things that have been around so long that you barely notice them.
5/11/03
ALL THAT GLITTERS
This week’s tip is coming late for a wonderful reason. Gayle and I spent the weekend at the International Gem & Mineral Show in Marlborough, MA getting back into the crystal business. I remember leaving with our bags and boxes of beauties thinking my eyes hurt from all the glittering gold, silver, quartz, colored glass beads and faceted gems. We hand selected stones and beads for Ch’i activators, pendulums, and jewelry that will be on our web site in the future. We are excited about bringing together colors, shapes, and materials from the gem and mineral world with an eye for bringing Feng Shui concepts into our creations. Gayle is particularly excited about making necklaces based on Chinese astrology and individual birth dates. Stay tuned!
5/4/03
SPRING GREEN AGAIN
I have been so impressed with the colors this Spring. Maybe it’s just that things were so white for so long, but these colors seem to be effecting me more than any other year. I love the deep hot pink of the azaleas, the soft red buds on the trees, the whitish pink blossoms, and the yellow of the daffodils, but the best color of all for me has been that vibrant Spring green of early buds on trees. Green is the color of Family relations, basic money, the element Wood, and the direction East. It is a color that represents a new day, new growth, and vibrant living. So if you’re starting a new business, trying to turn over a new leaf, or just want to feel fresh, use SPRING GREEN! Wear SPRING GREEN! And if you’re wanting to paint a room, Martha has a whole bunch of variations on SPRING GREEN!
4/27/03
PSYCH 101
So many of you wrote to say that you enjoyed last week’s tip about the body that we thought we’d help you psychoanalyze yourselves this week by bringing you the concept that each sector of the bagua is linked with psychological qualities. Thunder, which is associated with the Family sector, is about stimulation and impulses. So if your life is a snooze, it’s time to think about the middle left parts of your home, office, and each room. What can you do to encourage yourself to be more inspired and excited in this sector. To the contrary, if your three year old lacks impulse control, you might want to check to see if the bed is in the middle left over stimulating him while he sleeps. Also check to see if there’s too much green stuff, wooden stuff, or tall things in his room. The middle left is also associated with the past and with our ancestors. We could have a field day with that, right? So if you feel stuck in the past, struggling with parental issues, or wanting to connect with your matriarchal or patriarchal lineage, look to the middle left sector. And when you do, keep the destructive cycle in mind remembering not to overload this sector with metal things, white things, or round things because metal chops wood.
4/20/03
BODY PARTS
Not only is each sector of the bagua associated with colors, shapes, materials, and nature’s wonders, they are also linked with parts of the body. So if your gall bladder is galling you or your back was better a week back, look at your home as both the potential problem as well as the cure. We’re not guaranteeing miracles here, but it’s worth a look. Here’s the gua by gua breakdown. Hips are Wealth; eyes, heart, and small intestines are Fame; reproductive organs are Love; stomach and spleen are Health; mouth is Children; head is Helpful People; ears, kidneys, and bladder are Career; hands are Wisdom; and feet, liver, and gall bladder are Family. Even more interesting is the analogy of the back and the roof line of your house. Imagine your head at the front door and your tailbone at the back. That means that you’re crouched in froggy pose with your feet to the left and right of the back of the house. If your front and back doors don’t align, you might end up with a few extra unwanted twists and kinks. Plumbing problems can effect the intestines and bladder. Electrical messes can foul up your nerves. So tell us what you think and e-mail us a little “bio” feedback.
4/13/03
SPRING GREEN
Spring has sprung the grass is riz, I wonder where the mountains is...why it’s in the Northeast, or as our Black Hat students know, the Wisdom sector. This is associated also with late winter. Unfortunately we in the Berkshires are certainly vacillating between Spring and late Winter. Our crocuses have croaked once already. The earth element associated with Spring is Thunder and is linked with the Family sector along with green things, tall things, and wooden things. Linking the “fundamental conditions on earth and in the cosmos” is something that Master Lam Kam Chuen emphasizes in his book Feng Shui Handbook. In integrating all of life’s elements, Feng Shui reminds us to live in harmony with our surroundings and to “go with the flow”. So as we invite Spring into our hearts, we need to look to the East and fill our lives with Spring green, or as a clothing chain calls it “frog kissin’ green.” Bringing green into our homes and offices can help with family relations and basic money. Just don’t overload the middle sector where wood metaphorically uproots the earth.
4/6/03
R.D. CHIN
One of the first Feng Shui books I clutched to my heart and couldn’t leave the store without was Feng Shui Revealed by R.D. Chen. What a thrill to be studying with him this weekend. Usually it’s just Gayle who attends the seminars working towards her certification through the New England School of Feng Shui, but this time I just HAD to go with her. The topic last night was Feng Shui and money, and all day today was Feng Shui in business. Tomorrow we will go on site to a local business to do a consult with him. I’m sure you’ll be hearing more next week regarding what we learned and what we affirmed. He’s big on INTENT as we are. And he’s enthusiastic about making the cures fit the client’s taste. That is sooo important! No point in painting your office red to enhance your fame if you don’t like the look. You don’t want the cure to be more problem than the problem!
3/29/03
CHI 101
Gayle likes to think of Ch’i as water. Since I’ve experienced a house flood or two, I prefer to think of it as wind. In nature wind and water take the path of least resistance. Sometimes we see that one of our clients doesn’t seem to be getting the concept. We will ask them to imagine BEING Ch’i. Whether it is Ch’i in the yard, home, office, or even a closet that we are addressing, it is important to visualize how energy comes in, how it energizes or feeds what is there, and how it goes out. We can tell a client that it would be a good idea to put a plant here, a crystal there; but if that person can actually see or feel why we make the suggestion it is much more powerful. Our favorite book that illustrates this is Lam Kam Chuen’s Handbook to Feng Shui. He has used water color washes over floorplans, city streets, and such to illustrate how Ch’i moves. So go to your front door or your protruding corners or your overhead beams and BE the wind or water. See for yourself how it moves and whether it feels good or bad.
3/22/03
WIND SECTOR
As most of you know, there are sectors or guas which refer to life situations. The Wealth Sector, which deals with extra money and power, is associated with Wind. If you have gastro problems, look to the Health sector. By wind we refer to the natural elements that are associated with the different guas. The other natural metaphors are thunder, mountain, lake, heaven, earth, water, tai ch’i, and fire. The far left sector isn’t just about wealth and power. It’s about strong rootedness, upward growth, and abundance of all kinds. The Wealth Sector is nurtured by purple, green, tall things, and wood. Think of the wind in the trees and you’ll have a good sense of the ancient Chinese link to this far left one-ninth of any space. Other associations with this gua are the number four, the direction southeast, early summer, late morning, eldest daughter, and the hips. Each gua is wonderfully intricate and multifaceted.
3/15/03
BLOW THE STINK OFF
This weekend Gayle and I are in Leominster studying personal clearing with Eric Dowsett. Last week was space clearing and now it’s time to clean up the practitioners. We are learning how to clear the air so to speak in our own etheric, emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual bodies. It’s exciting work. As long as I can remember I have done some sort of clearing/centering before doing a Tarot reading or any other kind of healing work. The first time Gayle did acupressure on me, I “peeked” and saw her with her eyes closed talking to her angels. How can we do the work if we’re cluttered with ego and disconnect from Source? Try starting your day with a cleansing ritual, even if it’s just a few seconds where you ask that your day come from your Highest Possible Self.
3/8/03
WINDS OF WAR
It’ll all blow over, winds of change, winds of war, blew me away, blows my mind, clear the air, an ill wind, big bag of wind, gentle breeze, gust, zephyr, gale winds...these are only a few of the metaphors associated with a natural phenomenon that is, if nothing else, unpredictable. We can create wind with fans when all is still, hide from a tornado when it threatens to fling us skyward, use wind to create our electricity, and listen to the wind when we need guidance; but like water, we are powerless to control it. We must try to live in harmony with it, knowing that one day friend may become foe and back to friend again. War is a natural phenomenon just as is peace, and those who were friends can quickly turn against us and back again. Is it ours to understand? Is it ours to try to change? We must all decide for ourselves where to stand when the wind beats at our door and where to stand when it all dies down again.
3/1/03
MARCH WINDS
The Ides of March, the Winds...March sometimes feels like an ominous month. But if you think of the power of Wind, you may want to invite that energy into your home. Think of cleansing the air in your environment after a long hard winter of closed windows and forced hot air. Open some windows. Leave the door open just a little longer as you enter. Imagine curtains gently blowing in the breeze. Not only is it cleansing, but it’s romantic, a good activator of Ch’i, and refreshing. Remember that Feng Shui interprets as Wind and Water. In the Compass School, Wind is associated with the Southeast which is the Wealth/Power sector in Black Hat. So open the windows and let in some power!
2/22/03
TALK TO ME
As a Western Astrologer, I have been aware of many oppositions in the last two weeks. Without boring you with all the details, suffice it to say that relationships and communication have been taking a hit. So if you’ve been bickering lately, it’s not ALL your fault. But what can we do? From a Feng Shui perspective, the Love sector, far right, is about communication in any relationship. We explained this to a business manager once. We told him that if he just needed to fire someone, keep them in front of the desk with their back to the door. But if he needed to get a good employee to understand the way he wanted things done, take them away from the desk to the two chairs we moved to the Love sector. Since his desk was in the Wealth/Power sector, back left, AND facing the door, he was in a very powerful position. An equal relationship was difficult with him sitting there. So where ever you are when communication breaks down, suggest that the conversation be moved. Find a place where you will be in the far right sectors where both of you can see the door. And of course, that’s an ideal seating for a romantic dinner out.
2/16/03
LOVE'S IN THE BEDROOM
Sure it would be peachy keen if your bedroom were the far right corner of your home or apartment. But that isn’t always the case. If you have relationship issues you must also look in the bedroom. Whether it’s in Wisdom, Children or Wealth, it still is a part of considering love in your life. You may love being single! In which case the Love Sector and the bedroom should be a shrines to onesies. If you’re in a relationship and want to maintain it or not in one and want one, the bedroom should become a place to worship twosies. Neither the bedroom nor the love sector is the place for three candelabras or three fancy pillows on bed. So if your bedroom isn’t the far right corner, you have two places in your home to look at and manipulate love. What an opportunity!!!
2/8/03
OLD FASHIONED LOVE
In the old days, really old days, the caveman and woman went to the back of the cave to sleep because it was the furthest from the entrance. It was a matter of safety. The further in, the more time to respond to danger. And because the majority of the population was right handed, they headed for the back right of the cave. Thus today when we enter any space, the back right one ninth is considered the love sector. It’s the place to create relationship and the best place to communicate one on one. It’s a nice place for a bedroom, but don’t think it’s bad Feng Shui if the kitchen or something else is there. Putting things in pairs is great here. And when you go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, head for the back right of the restaurant and see if it makes the evening just a little more romantic.
2/1/03
COUNTING SHEEP
Happy New Year all!!! Yes, today with the new moon begins the Chinese New Year, and the energy is rather sheepish. If you’re thinking of making all your dreams come true by being pushy and aggressive, this will not be your favorite year. Success will come to those who rely on gentleness, introspection, planning, and preparation for the following year when dynamic Monkey will shine on doing. 2003 is a very YIN year. You should try to be cool, calm and collected. Even though you will respond to the year according to your individual birth elements, this overview of the year should still be a distinct consideration. Good luck! And do take out tonight!
1/25/03
PRIDE & PROTECTION
Have you ever gone around the block a few time trying to find and read the numbers of the house you need to find? Not only can big bold numbers relieve the stress and confusion of visitors, they can make you feel proud of your address. Big brass numbers are my favorite because of the reflective quality. Not only can they mirror negativity away from your door, they can act as a beacon saying, “HERE I AM!” Beginners often read that a bagua mirror should be placed at the front door. This most powerful and sacred tool should not be used lightly. If you have crabby neighbors, the bagua mirror is uncalled for, but if they’re trying to spread viscous rumors or poison your dog, the bagua mirror is surely needed. If you are at the end of a “t” or a cul-de-sac, you may also need the bagua mirror to protect against the constant bombardment of traffic. Remember that your front yard and front door are most important first impressions. “Curb appeal” is a popular phrase and is indeed something to consider when are for good Feng Shui.
1/18/03
WINDOWS ON THE WORLD
When I was little I would stare out the window endlessly. Nosed pressed to the glass, I would look in awe at my lake, my mountains, my sky. Just as it did then, that staring still stimulates dreams and wonder. Windows are the eyes of your home. If you follow the metaphor of home as body, you should examine your windows if you have eye problems. The “char ch’i” or attacking quality of a telephone pole, a single thin tree trunk, the corner of an adjacent building, all have the power to create eye strain, especially if it’s outside a bedroom window where you are spending hours and hours. The ideal vista is vast and beautiful to you. Obstructions like a telephone would be seen as a momentary attack on the eyes not to mention your dreams and aspirations. You have to think to look past it for your eyes to land on what you want to see. The ideal cure would be to have at it with the chain saw, but the phone company might disagree. So if you can’t remove the offending object, hang a faceted crystal to disperse the negativity.

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1/11/03
IN AND OUT
Doors are the way in and the way out of cars, yards, buildings, and rooms. How they move out of our way is important. If a door is sticky, creaky, or wobbling on it’s hinges, we will sense that we are not welcome or even safe entering a space. If the door does not open fully because furniture or boxes of stuff is crowding it, we are likely to react to the obstruction by feeling blocked in our lives. If an entry door is too big, it might make us feel overwhelmed. If it’s tiny, we may feel cramped and unsafe. A cat uses it’s whiskers to judge if an opening is big enough to pass through safely. If one door opens onto another which isn’t exactly across from it but off by a foot or more, the eyes can send chaotic signals to the brain. So pay attention to your doors. Are they setting you up for failure or success, chaos or comfort? Whether you have to oil the hinges, tighten screws, move things, trick the eye, or do construction, fixing door problems is a first step to creating “doors” of opportunity in your life.
1/4/03
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
As we move about our environment with cell phones at our ear, granola bar breakfasts on route, picking up car keys, and leaving notes for our kids and partners, our subconscious brains are dealing with simpler matters. Green’s for go. Red’s for stop. Doors are for entering and exiting. Windows are for staring out at our world. Walls keep us from falling out. The ancient or reptilian part of the brain is that simple. It sees sharp things and steers the body away from harm. It sees soft things and feels gentle. Everything is a symbol, a signal of some sort, and in this world of constant metaphor, our immune systems are in a state of fight, flight, or peace. It is the conscious understanding of the effects of our environment and the positive manipulation that makes us feel powerful, tranquil, and able to keep up with our lives. Try noticing the things you don’t notice for a day or two. Doing so will require a tremendous concentration on every little aspect of what you are doing, seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling. You may be surprised at what you notice and how it makes you feel. Let us know what happened.
4/20/02
WHAT’S THAT SMELL?
Years ago when my daughter was trying to decide which of two colleges to attend, I took advantage of a well known fact about her. She has always had a sensitive nose. So I reminded her that the college she was wavering on was in a very stinky town (no name!). “Remember when we go to the Cape,” I reminded her. “And about a third of the way, you always complain about the smell?” That was that. She was off to Boston. Fragrance is one of the many “cures” of Feng Shui. If something isn’t quite right or needs to be activated, fragrance is a wonderful possibility. We New Englanders are just now waking to the smell of Hyacinth, and roses aren’t that far away. If you have a romantic corner where you go in the evening to sip wine together, why not assist the experience with the deep aroma of Midnight Madness Petunias draping from a hanging basket. Perhaps a potted Heliotrope nearby would be pleasant. And who could deny the lovely smell of roses in a bed below. If the breezes are just right, that fragrance will be there to enhance the romance. Incense burning can be a powerful cleansing fragrance. Likewise, the Native Americans use sage to cleanse a space, cedar for forgiveness, and sweet grass to open the heart. That first glass of wine just beckons you to sniff it. Conversely, be sure to empty the garbage, bring out the compost, and close the bathroom door.
4/13/02
HOTEL HOCUS POCUS
Who says you have to put up with the Feng Shui bloopers that well meaning hotel decorators have foisted upon you while you’re out of town? What color is your luggage? We’re taking a three-day rest and renew in Albany. How wonderful that the reservation clerk “knew” to give us a room with a left hand entry. We will be stimulating spirituality and wisdom every time we go in and out. Both black suitcases went in Career to the right of the door. A gray backpack was tossed in Helpful People, and my black computer bag could have stayed next to the suitcases in Career, but why not support Family and Basic Money by putting it in the left middle one ninth? The red cooler went in the far middle, which happened to be in the bathroom. That will ensure our impeccable reputation while we’re here. Unfortunately, Fame AND Love is missing because of the bathroom being in that far middle and right sectors. Hey! It’s gotta be somewhere. Luckily I brought a hot pick tee shirt. My reading glasses are hot pink and green and our cell phone is red. We placed them on the nightstand in the love sector of the room with intent. We said out loud, “May this weekend bring harmony and love to our stressed lives.” No matter where you go, use your imagination. Look around your temporary space. Use what’s there as well as what you brought to support your hopes for your time away. And even though your on vacation or even on an important business trip, watch the clutter. And remember, while you’re away, the good Feng Shui that you have done at home supports you no matter where you are.
4/6/02
GAYLE’S BIRTHDAY
As we prepare to celebrate Gayle’s 46th birthday tomorrow, the one she almost missed, we are deeply grateful for her courage and perseverance since June 3rd. Surviving a head on collision with a truck that caused 123 breaks and fractures takes a lot of help from others, too. And Gayle got plenty! From the lady who was out in her yards with her cell phone who ran when she heard the crash and stayed until help came; from the two off duty EMTs who were the first to get hit but not hurt who began the rescue process; from all the police, fire, and ambulance personnel, from all the emergency room doctors and nurses; from her lawyer, insurance people, and social workers; from all the known and unknown who prayed and continue to pray for her; from all her family and friends who came to be with her, help, and support her over the many months; from all the medical staff, aides and, yes! even the cleaning people at the hospital and the nursing home; and from all those who helped in many unseen ways. Thus, it always pays to keep the Helpful People sector (near right) of your yard, your home, your office, and each individual room, in good order. You never know when you’re going to need help, so go clean, clear and activate!
3/30/02
SPOOKS & OTHER MEANIES
Did you ever walk into a house and get the creeps? Have you ever met a person that made your skin crawl? Ghosts, entities and bad energy is a fact of life. Sure, Hollywood has made a bundle on spooks and other meanies. That kind of publicity makes it difficult to believe that such things aren’t just in the overactive imagination of some screen writer, but energy, or ch’i, can be measured electronically. Scientist interested in testing Feng Shui have hooked people up to Biofeedback machines and noted the time that the machine spiked. It was the exact time that someone was on the outside of the house gouging the siding with a knife. Often we are more sensitive to energy than we know. Children almost always know when a ghost is in the house or when Grampa Joe, who died before they were born, stops by for a visit. Entities can manipulate Ch’i in good or bad ways. When I taught Yoga years ago, I quickly became aware of a spook that hung around our studio. When I asked one of the other teachers, I was told that “Robert” was stuck because a desk of his had been given to relative that her disliked. Since Feng Shui deals with energy, as consultants, we must “test” the premise in question for entities, lay lines, and other disturbances. I have heard many stories at the Dowser’s Convention in Vermont about lay lines. Often generation after generation of individuals sleeping in one particular bedroom have come down with some illness. It is usually because of a negative “river” of energy that runs under that room and not the other bedrooms. Gill Hale has much to say about lay lines and why certain flowers won’t grow in certain places no matter how many times you try. Apple trees won’t thrive around a negative lay line, while elder trees will flourish. There are many ways to deal with negative energy. Cleansing with sage or a strong incense like Nag Champa is a good first step. Sweeping every morning is a wonderful metaphor for cleansing the energy. Sometimes the meanies will disappear gently. But if you’re still getting goose bumps, or weird things are happening hire a professional.
3/23/02
MONEY MATTERS
There are two sectors in the Black Hat School of Feng Shui grid that deal with money. One is Family, which governs over the money it takes to make your monthly bills. The other is the Wealth sector which deals with the money it takes to go away on vacations, eat caviar, and drink thirty year old Champagne. Don’t activate the Wealth sector until you’ve got the basics covered. The Family sector is the middle left one-ninth of any space. Make sure there are not a lot of metal objects, white things, or round things. Remember to remove all reminders of poor times, throw away broken or tattered things, clean up, and de-clutter. Then you should bring in tall, green, and/or wooden things. Add a touch of water, black, and undulating shapes. But if you think you are done, you’re not. One of the most important things to check for is leaking pipes. The metaphor is that your money can be leaking out of your life. Spend the money to fix the plumbing. It will be worth it. If your basic needs are met and you’re looking for wealth, do the same in the far left one ninth. This is where the tall, green, wood things work well. Don’t put water here. It’s too close to Fame and could water down the fire. You can use red, pointy, fiery things, but how about GOLD & SILVER things? Think of putting your most expensive items in the wealth sector of the whole house/office building as well as in that sector of each room. Or how about pictures of your dreams for the future? And if the bathroom is in the Wealth sector, make sure the lid is down and the door is kept shut. Bring in some purple towels and some expensive gold accessories, but don’t go overboard. The bathroom is not the place to over decorate. And don’t bring attention to the toilet! Are you done? Not quite. Now go outside and lay the grid over the property. The mouth of Ch’i is the front walk to the front door. Are you composting in Wealth. Did you create a huge metal windmill in the adult ed classes over the winter and place it proudly in the middle left sector of your yard. Move it to the middle right or front right. Just remember that there can be things holding you back outside as well as inside.
3/16/02
GREEN, GREEN, AND MORE ON GREEN
So when the Irish relatives hit tomorrow for corned beef and cabbage, where ya goin’ to be puttin’ all them green things? Why in the Family sector, of course. And maybe a few shamrocks in Wealth and Fame, too. Green is the color of money, and although it doesn’t grow on trees, it certainly comes FROM trees. And trees are tall things. So now you got the scoop on the Family sector. It loves green things, tall things and all shades of green. So if your brother dissed you or you’re having trouble paying the electric and the mortgage, look to fixing the middle left one-ninth of all your spaces. What you should look for here, are round things, white stuff, and an excess of metal objects. Metal chops wood. Besides the main elements mentioned above, you can support the family sector with watery, undulating, and black things. Water feeds the roots of the trees. But those roots have the power to uproot the Earth. That’s the middle one-ninth of any space. So keep the tall, green, wood things to a minimum here. Now lets get off green for a moment. Look at the metaphors. The family sector is not where you want anything that represents poor times, or stress around family matters. So if you and your sister argued over who’d get the big armoire from great aunt Harriet, it shouldn’t sit in the family sector. It’s a reminder of past rifts with your sister. You can put it in the Wealth or Fame sectors since they are supported by Wood and expect it to do less harm regarding family relations. Remember to move the offending objects with INTENT. Say what you want to accomplish as you make your changes.
3/9/02
NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T
Gayle is famous for telling the folks that come to our weekly lecture at Canyon Ranch that you don’t have to see it for it to work. We know this is true in the negative for sure. You can’t see the bad emissions coming off your computer screen, or the radon rising from your basement, but you know it effects you. And Gayle couldn’t see the yellow squares I stuck to the bottom of her foot splints in the hospital, but I know they were working their magic. Since yellow squares are supportive of good health, it’s a great idea to place a yellow or earth colored napkin or scarf between the two mattresses. Since Health is the middle one-ninth of everything, place the material dead center. If passion is what’s missing, place a hot pink nighty between the mattresses. Put it in the far right LOVE section of the bed, or right under you partner’s side. You’ll know every time you crawl into bed that you did something with intent and will be more apt to receive the passion you are looking for. Many times we find that clients don’t like the color that represents what they need to enhance in their lives. Let’s say, God forbid, that they hate purple. If they decorate the far left area of their home in purple, it might make them quite uncomfortable. We would suggest that a piece of purple paper be put behind pictures, or a swatch of EXPENSIVE material be placed under the gorgeous pink and green sculpted carpet will work just as well. You won’t see it, but you’ll know it’s there. Our home is missing much of the Wealth sector. I buried a wish box outside where the corners would intersect if the house didn’t jut in. I put Monopoly pieces in a “wish box”. A week later I was given an unsolicited raise! Now that’s great Feng Shui!! Remember that intent is the important thing here. These actions become a powerful physical affirmation. So be creative, and see what you can dream up for yourselves.
3/2/02
MARCH WINDS
Last week when the winds blew so hard that our yard was rearranged by morning, I knew that March was soon to be here. Wind or simple movement of air is usually a good Feng Shui cure, but too much wind can be destructive. I wasn’t thrilled with the neighbors clutter that had blown into our yard. Feng Shui translates to wind and water. We cannot live without either for very long. Think of the wind that you may already have in your home/office. Ceiling fans, air purifiers, stove fans, dryer vents, hair dryers, wind chimes, wind instruments, photographs and paintings of blustery days, even your dog running through the house creates wind as well as those curtains billowing in an open window. Wind cleanses. In Bali, the residents make a ritual of sweeping the streets, their homes and porches. That’s a lot of movement. Things get stirred up and CHANGE is in the air. The only place where it isn’t good to stir things up too often is under your bed. A little dust there is better than constantly energizing the place where we want to settle in and rest. This is true too of your altar. Don’t be fussing with it. Think of Ch’i as wind coming into your front door. Ch’i is energizing and we want to invite it in, allow it to move smoothly throughout our home/office, and nurture our belongings, ourselves, and our lives. That is why it it important that the front door, or mouth of Ch’i, be large, can open wide, is not obstructed or met with stairs too soon. Like favored guests, how would you like them to move from the front door? This is how you want Ch’i to move. When Ch’i meets overhead beams, sloping ceiling, and piles of clutter, like the wind it take an unexpected up or downturn. That is a potential disturbance. That is why a Feng Shui consultant pays such close attention to structure and arrangement. These are the things that will direct the flow of Ch’i in positive or negative ways. The illustrations in Master Lam Kam Chuen’s Feng Shui Handbook are exquisite. A watercolor wash has been laid over the illustrations of floorplans, rooms and city streets. This allows you to see the movement of Ch’i clearly. Try an experiment. Stand outside your front door, feel the energy, then walk into your home/office pretending that you ARE Ch’i. Notice how you are pulled in one direction or another. Feel what obstructs you. Move through the whole home/office, and when you are done you should have a good idea of how Ch’i moves and what it does or doesn’t nurture. Fix it!
2/23/02
BALANCING ACT
We try to balance our work with our family and friends, our need for money with our spirituality. Yin and Yang is the philosophy of balance. Yin is feminine. Yang is masculine. Whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s important to strike a good balance between your masculine and your feminine sides. Red is a good color, a powerful color, but a house full of it is a house out of balance. Red is very Yang and is for enhancing Fame. It helps Health, but it destroys Creativity. If your house is a wood frame house with lots of fancy wood furniture, gleaming wood floors, and intricately carved wood trim, it may feel comfortable to Paul Bunyan, but his health may suffer. All that wood will tend to uproot the earth which is necessary for good health. Everything in balance! If you have a high stress Yang job, you want to come home to a more calming Yin house. Perhaps you need to be greeted by a gentle waterfall first thing in the door. Soft colors and soft edged furnishing would help relax you. But you don’t want it to be too Yin. Everything in balance! If you work at an ashram and meditate all day, you may want to jazz up your home a bit. Bright colors and hard edged designs may balance the overly Yin surrounding at work. In every case, think of balancing warm colors with cool colors, places that are full of stuff and places that are more spare. Create cozy warm spaces for intimate conversations, but also space to dance free. Mix bright lighting with dim light or candle light. Another way to keep things in balance is to use all five elements. Remember that you have at least three ways to represent the five elements. You don’t have to have a wood table with a lava lamp sitting on a ceramic tile with a copper bowl of water nearby. You could simply have a wood table painted red and yellow with a three black stones. The elements only need to be represented in some way even if by color.

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