Call us: 612-823-5093

Wind & Water School of Feng Shui Articles

New Beginnings in the Year of the Rooster

On February 7, 2017   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

By Carole Hyder

Lao Tzu said,

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”

Year of the Rooster (2)For many of us, the Year of the Monkey can be done already. But rather than shaking off the monkey pranks of this past 12 months, perhaps we could look at how they’re defining the upcoming 12 months.

The Year of the Rooster began February 3rd at 11:49 PM, but its influence was being felt some weeks before that. The Rooster is just plain more predictable. There’s less drama and fewer surprises with the Rooster—for which I think I can safely say we’re all pretty much relieved about that.

The Rooster energy stays close to the ground (although a Rooster has wings it doesn’t really take to the skies), pays attention to details (pecking around for food requires a keen eye), and is image-conscious (no argument that their feathers are quite beautiful).

There aren’t too many people I know who haven’t been stretched this past year—-personally, professionally as well as politically. The monkey-shenanigans have been tiresome, cruel even, but they’ve taught us about being resilient and about being vigilant.

It’s a perfect lead-in to the time of this Rooster—-a fire Rooster. Bringing the Fire element to the Rooster is going to sustain the need for resilience and vigilance but without as much wild drama we’ve just endured. We’re a practiced bunch in how to ride through the tempest so we’ve got this going forward.

We can expect some additional turmoil in 2017 but it’s nothing we can’t handle. The Rooster could bring some opportunities we might not ordinarily embrace and our new-found determination could propel many of us forward.

It’s not the time to hold back just because we came off a challenging year. Rather it’s a time to spread some wings, strut a bit and crow.

Happy Year of the Rooster everyone!

 
P.S. Want to know some specifics about the Year of the Rooster?

Check out a webinar Lisa Janusz and I did about this very topic.

Back to Top

Don’t Forget; Feng Shui is about YOU

On January 3, 2017   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , ,

candle-and-heartBy Lisa Janusz

There is a lot of turbulence in the world right now. With the recent election results, people are either elated or terrified. Without getting into political debate here, I think we can all agree that there is quite a bit of uncertainty facing us as we head into 2017. That is why, no matter where you stand on the subject, this will be a vital year to make sure you are taking care of YOU.

Two ways to support yourself in these high emotion times are by creating a sacred space and ensuring you have a meditation/relaxation practice.

There are entire books written about these topics, but here are a few tips to get you started.

Create a sacred space

  • This should be a place you can retreat to relax, possibly meditate and find inspiration
  • Choose a space that you are comfortable (like a favorite room/or place to sit)
  • Make it yours by adding personal photos or other mementos or special items
  • Make it useful with a table, pen and paper for journaling
  • Make it inviting with a comfy chair and a blanket or scarf
  • Make the “scenery” supportive by being aware of what you are looking at when sitting there (e.g. looking out a window versus looking at a work desk)
  • Adjust it until it feels right. Trust yourself that you will know
  • Utilize this space in the months to come whenever you feel unbalanced

Begin a meditation practice

  • You can do a quick web search and find out the many benefits to meditation. This is another area you can start with a simple process
  • Pick a spot to be reflective; maybe it’s your sacred space if it’s a quiet area
  • Schedule time during the day (at least in the beginning) to practice
  • Set a timer (e.g. for 5 min to start) so you don’t have to track and your mind can relax
  • Find a mantra you like or sit in silence. Visualize a broom sweeping your mind to remove the mental clutter
  • Focus on your breath and just “be” for those few minutes

Now that we’re officially in the Western New Year and the upcoming Chinese New Year (Fire Rooster) is coming quickly, this is a great time to renew. Make a commitment to yourself for the coming year to figure out how you will support yourself. In times like these, we must focus within to support our outer selves.

Back to Top

New year, new energy. Welcome the Fire Rooster.

On January 1, 2017   /   Free Webinars, Speaker Series Events   /   Leave a comment
New year, new energy. Welcome the Fire Rooster.

FREE Webinar

January 11, 2017 – March 31, 2017 •

Carole HyderThe Year of the Rooster replaces the Year of the Monkey in January for the Lunar new year and February for the Solar new year. For many, this is a relief; for others it’ll offer some interesting challenges.

In this FREE webinar, Carole lets you know what to expect – which animals will see benefits and which may experience challenges. Find out what might be lying ahead for you and what precautions you can take to make this a spectacular year.

Webinar was recorded.

Watch it Here

 

*Qualifies as 0.5 credits toward re-certification for graduates.

Back to Top

Create a Feng Shui Office at Home

On December 6, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , ,

feng-shui-home-officeBy Carole Hyder

Because more and more people are working out of their homes, creating a home office that is efficient and productive is important.

Regardless of whether a client comes to the home or if the business is totally reliant on sales/emails/fax, requiring no physical interaction with clients, there are some important Feng Shui considerations to assure success and focus.

The biggest issue with a home office is that it is easy to relax its professional potential. This may be even more so when the office is housed in what used to be a bedroom or if it must share the space with sporadic guest accommodations. Sleeping and working are exclusive of one another.

The office color should be reflective of a business, not a color left-over from when it was a bedroom. You don’t want to look up and remember when your little boy played with his trucks in that room. Those memories, although precious and unforgettable, may not be inspiring to you in terms of getting work done.

Here are 3 additional tips to help you create a Feng Shui office at home…

  1. Use a high-backed chair. Making decisions, calling on clients, paying bills are all activities that can require you to feel like you need all the assistance you can get. A tall chair supports you.
  2. Sit so you can see the entry. To feel strong and empowered, sit in the office so that you can easily see anyone coming into the space. If you have your back to the door, you may be caught off-guard or be side-swiped by some unexpected event.
  3. Keep your work in your office. To set healthy boundaries, don’t make a habit of bringing your work into other parts of the house. Keep the door to your office closed when you’re not working and set business hours. Although you may love what you do, a balanced life is a more wholesome one.

Following these few ideas will help you on your path to being productive. If the office looks and feels professional, prosperous and productive, the business will align with that as well.

Back to Top

Feeling Grateful…and Adding It to a Jar

On November 1, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,

gratitude-jarBy Lisa Janusz

The season of giving thanks is here; we start with Thanksgiving and then move into Christmas. While this can be a time of activity (and stress), the basis of the season is to be grateful for what we have and show appreciation to others. I realize it doesn’t always work out that way…

Several years ago I was going through a rough period and I came across an article about gratitude jars. I decided to try it; maybe focusing on the good each day would help lift my chi.

And research supports it. In one Harvard study people were asked to write a few sentences each week about either being grateful, being irritated or just an event in general. The results: “After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.”

It helped. A lot. So I’m encouraging you to do the same. You know we’re all about energy with Feng Shui and a gratitude jar is a good way to do some reflection and remind yourself to be grateful.

It’s a simple set up. (And DO set it up so it’s easy to do.)

  • Grab any jar (not too small!) and decorate it (simple is fine)
  • Cut pieces of paper or buy a small pad
  • Add a pen or colored pencils
  • Commit to writing either every day, every other day or at a minimum every week
  • And those times when you need your chi lifted, write something for – or read something from – the jar

Some days were easy, while others were more of a challenge. But I did it and it made a difference. And I still add to it, just not as regularly.

So if you think you might need a little extra help remembering the reason for the season, think about adding a gratitude jar to your life. Rest assured, you all made it in mine -I’m grateful for YOU and this community.

Back to Top

Using the 5 Elements to Keep Your Body Healthy

On October 1, 2016   /   Free Teleseminars, Speaker Series Events   /   Leave a comment

warren-king

FREE Teleseminar with Warren King

Thursday, November 17, 2016 • 7 p.m. Central •

Your body has a lot to say; are you listening? That was the premise behind our speaker series event with Warren King, natural medicine practitioner and acupuncturist. He talked about the relationship between your organs and the five elements. By knowing more about how your organs work, you can use the five elements to affect your health.

Understanding the language your body speaks, so you can make sense of its symptoms, is an empowering message. – Warren King

Teleseminar was recorded.

Listen Here

 

*Qualifies as 1 credit towards re-certification for graduates.

Back to Top

Back to School Feng Shui Style

On September 6, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , ,

Back to School

By Lisa Janusz

It’s that time of the year: back to school! This is a time for families to transition from the ease of summer to the more structured time of the school year.

From a Feng Shui perspective, you can help your kids create a supportive environment at home to help them ease back into school and set them up for success.

  1. Clear the clutter. Look at every item in their room (toys, furniture, clothes). Reduce the “noise” by clearing out clothes that no longer fit, toys that are no longer relevant and furniture that is no longer needed.
  2. Look at decor. Is it age appropriate? Does it meet their needs? (For example, adding a desk for an older child.) Whatever changes do occur, be sure that they have significant input. It’s their room after all.
  3. Set up a system. Mornings can be hectic and can set the day off with challenging energy. Create places for things to go: a bin for papers (homework, permission slips), a hook for coats and backpacks, baskets for shoes, a place for sports equipment. Don’t get caught up in what others are doing – design one that works for your family. This will enable you all to start the day with a more relaxed, focused energy.
  4. A place for homework. Have a proper place for school work. If it’s in their room, try to set it up so they can see the door. If elsewhere, make it a place that promotes studying (large enough for books and papers). Designate a space that is quiet and has enough room to spread out while they are working. Also make it a daily habit to clear off that space to enhance their ability to have clear vision in the morning and each night as they sit down to work.

There is usually so much enthusiasm at the beginning of the school year that this is a perfect time to create a space that supports their endeavors and is open for growth and possibilities.

Back to Top

How Feng Shui May Help You Sell Your Home

On August 2, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

By Carole Hyder

home exteriorRealtors often use the term “curb appeal” when getting a home ready to sell. It means that the home should look attractive from the minute someone gets out of their car. The reason is that a good first impression can positively impact the rest of their experience with the home.

Yet from a Feng Shui standpoint, we want a home to have curb appeal all the time. It shouldn’t just be cleaned up for a quick sale but should have the following aspects in place at all times:

  1. The front door is visibly obvious. If a potential buyer (or visitor) has to assume where the door is located because they can’t actually see it, there is a potential for confusion that permeates throughout the rest of the property. If the door is tucked behind a garage or in an out-of-sight corner, place “signposts” that guide the visitor—-flowers, a bench, or windchime.
  2. The front door should stand out from the rest of the space. This isn’t just about being visible, but about being outstandingly so. A colored door, a wreath, or a flag are a few ways to make the front door the central focus.
  3. The walkway to front the door is inviting. The path to the door should be enticing and an experience all by itself—-no cracked pavement or pieces of sidewalk that could trip someone up. But an enjoyable jaunt leading to the entrance.
  4. All plants and flowers are thriving, especially those that are around the front door and the path leading to the door. If they’re not thriving, remove them.
  5. For those who ARE selling their home, place the “For Sale” sign in the Helpful People area of the lot (front right corner as you face the home). This area can elevate the possibilities of a helpful person coming along to buy the home. Put the sign here only if it makes sense and is visible from the street.

Obviously curb appeal is just the beginning of the sale. The same amount of care and consideration should occur once the potential buyer (or visitor) gets inside. Otherwise, the message is an inconsistent one which will leave the guest wondering why something doesn’t feel quite right.

Back to Top

Understanding the Chakras through Feng Shui Principles

On August 1, 2016   /   Free Teleseminars, Speaker Series Events   /   Leave a comment

cyndidale_jan2014_04

FREE Teleseminar with Cyndi Dale

Thursday, September 29, 2016 • 7 p.m. Central •

What do two apparently different life-changing energy systems have in common? Registrants found out during this free call with internationally recognized healer, intuitive and author Cyndi Dale. They learned how to positively affect the energy of their body and the energy of their space using a 9-part Feng Shui and chakra system.

Attendees found out how these systems dovetail and what it means for their life.

Teleseminar was recorded.

Listen Here

 

*Qualifies as 1 credit towards re-certification for graduates.

Back to Top

Bereavement Organizing with Feng Shui

On June 7, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
Tags: , , ,
clothes closet (2)

By Su-Yoon Ko

On Sunday, Sarah and her husband went to the doctor since he had been under the weather for a while. “Pneumonia,” the doctor said, giving him some medication, “don’t go to work for a few days.” On Thursday, she called home from work to see how he was feeling. He didn’t answer. On her lunch break she went home to check on him. He was already dead.

When someone passes away, someone else inherits their belongings. In these kinds of situations, there are a lot of emotions, a lot of questions, and often, a lot of stuff. Bereavement organizing is helping with situations like this, helping the inheritor with the things they have received.

Personally, I’m comfortable with death in a way that not everyone is. My comfort with death, along with seeing the need within my own life, has made my work in bereavement organizing a natural fit for me.

In Feng Shui, an important principle is that everything is energy. I’ve come to understand that our things affect us energetically on a conscious and subconscious level.

A few months after the funeral, I visited Sarah. All of her husband’s belongings were exactly the way it had been the day he passed. She was still in shock, grieving. But when she was ready to deal with his things, she had a lot of questions: What do I keep for our young son, for me? What do I donate, sell, or just throw?

Bereavement Organizing Tips

  • Find a few things to save that you love – that really represent your loved one to you and have wonderful memories attached
  • Let go of things that have a bad memory for you (in Feng Shui, things with a negative memory attached can lower your energy, consciously or subconsciously)
  • Take a photo of an object to honor the person, their memory, or that of an event to help you let go of the physical object
  • Give yourself permission to let things go that you do not love or do not fit your life

These tips may help when organizing or decluttering a loved one’s belongings after their death, but know that there is no right or wrong way to do this – only what is best for you and your family. Honor the person and honor the process.

Su-Yoon KoSu-Yoon Ko is a WWC Feng Shui Master, professional organizer, and elemental jewelry maker based in the Twin Cities. As a professional organizer, she specializes in bereavement organizing, working with clients who are attending to belongings they have inherited when they’ve lost someone. More at www.declutteringkey.com

Back to Top

Address

Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 751-3828

info@windwaterschool.com

Search