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Posts Tagged Feng Shui

New Beginnings in the Year of the Rooster

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

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Create a Feng Shui Office at Home

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

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Feeling Grateful…and Adding It to a Jar

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

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Back to School Feng Shui Style

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

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How Feng Shui May Help You Sell Your Home

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

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Bereavement Organizing with Feng Shui

On June 7, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
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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

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Feng Shui your Website – Integrate the 5 Elements for an Auspicious Design

On May 3, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
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flowers by computerBy Jessica Hoelzel

Many people have gravitated towards Feng Shui because of its versatility. Its principles can be applied to all areas of life and work – not just physical spaces. Feng Shui, in particular the 5 Element Theory, can prove remarkably useful when designing a website.

The natural world is made up of 5 forms of energy, according to the Chinese: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. When integrated into a space in a balanced way, it fosters positive energy. Chances for luck and success are therefore increased.

Why not apply this natural order to your calling card to the world? Thanks to the infinite space on the web, your website has the potential to showcase who you are in a big way.

Using the 5 Elements to create an effective website design, you can create a website that:

  • Reveals your depth
  • Broadens your reach
  • Enhances your fame
  • Confirms your foundation
  • Clarifies your message

5 Strategies for Creating a 5 Element Website

1. Integrate the Water Element: Reveal your depth

  • Make sure your site isn’t too busy. From stillness comes great wisdom
  • Offer food for thought, or profound quotations. Cut any “fluff” copy

Color: black and dark blue
Shapes: undulating forms/waves/spirals

2. Integrate the Wood Element: Broaden your reach

  • Branch out. Have outbound links to other pages and social media connection buttons
  • Grow your site content over time with regular blog content

Color: shades of green
Shapes: rectangles/columns

3. Integrate the Fire Element: Enhance your fame

  • Publicize your recognition – awards and what you’re known for
  • Ignite a spark through provocative content, lively images, and bold calls to action

Color: shades of red, orange, and pink; pops of other bright colors
Shapes: triangles, sunbursts
Images: photography and artwork

4. Integrate the Earth Element: Confirm your foundation

  • Let them know you’re solid. Highlight skills, background, expertise
  • Suggest a feeling of grounded-ness with a balanced layout, headers and footers

Color: yellow, shades of brown
Shape: squares, horizontal rectangles

5. Integrate the Metal Element: Clarify your message

  • Communicate who you are, and what you offer, succinctly
  • Organize site content in a way that makes sense, and keeps people there

Color: white, gray
Shapes: circles, arches

With this knowledge and your intention, you can be strategic about your website design. Follow the same theory as when applying Feng Shui to your home – by integrating the 5 Elements, you can achieve a harmonious design, and attract abundance with your space on the web.

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How Does Your Garden Grow? Elements of a Feng Shui Garden

On April 5, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
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FS Garden 2 By Carole Hyder

Whether gardening in a large space or a small patio, there are some elements to consider if you want to be able to call it a Feng Shui garden. Size does not matter, but intention and layout does.

Before starting, it is important you determine the overall intention or theme you want to express.

FS Garden 5

  • Do you want to use the garden for quiet-time?
  • Do you want to amble through your flowers to get inspired?
  • Is it your intention to create a space where friends and family can gather?
  • Do you want the area to be kid-friendly?

FS Garden 3

Even if your gardening efforts are confined to a very small spot on the deck, think about what you want to create. Fairy gardens are intended to be small but that doesn’t make them less engaging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some additional elements to consider when you’re designing your garden—-large or small:

FS Garden 61) Water. In line with the concept of wind and water, having water in a garden is a natural. If a pond doesn’t seem like the right fit or feels like it would be too much work, a fountain could be integrated into your garden. A bird-bath is also an option. Japanese gardens use rocks to give the illusion of water.

2) Place to sit. This doesn’t have to be complicated—-a rock or tree stump, a bench or hammock would work. You want a place from which you can absorb the energy of the garden.

FS Garden 13) Curvy Path. Your Feng Shui garden should provide an effortless direction of where to go—–a path of flagstones, chips, or round pavers or a foot-worn path where others have walked before. Making it curvy implies a slower pace where ambling and lingering are appropriate. If you garden is small, create a path that the eye will follow.

 

 

 

 

 

FS Garden 44) Ornamentals. The way to personalize and create a unique garden is with your ornamentals. Although this can easily move into the arena of clutter, a few carefully positioned objects around the garden will offer variety and interest.

These photos are all from our garden. Its exquisite beauty and strength come solely from the labor of my master gardener husband. It goes without saying that sitting in this garden has provided us hours of enjoyment and healing, which were the original intentions with which he guided this project.

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Living Room Feng Shui – Bring New Life to Your Living Room

On March 1, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   1 Comment
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Living RoomBy Jessica Hoelzel

What room in our homes do we not “live in”? All rooms are for living, right?

Ironically, living rooms can be one of the rooms with the least life. The living room, and formal living rooms in particular, have gone out of favor. With an inclination for casual lifestyle and entertainment, families have gravitated towards family rooms and rec rooms – places to watch TV, movies, or play games.

Living rooms have come to feel “stuffy” and go unused. With more space of high value to homeowners, leaving an entire room neglected does not seem wise. From a feng shui perspective, having a room in your home with no life is not wise either. Depending on where that room falls in your home’s bagua, the lack of life (or chi) could be having adverse effects on your life. And especially if it’s the first thing seen upon walking in the door.

If you’re not using your living room, the question is, why? Could it be a place you’d enjoy spending time in? If so, it’s well worth the effort to make it a place that calls you in.

Here are some ways to make the living room more inviting and functional:

  • Create a good flow. Place a table behind the sofa if it backs up to the entrance.
  • Make it homey. Add softness with rugs, throws blankets and pillows.
  • Add some personality. Display artwork and things with special meaning.
  • Bring life to it. Have plants, and décor with lively patterns for visual interest.
  • Create a reason to go in. Lay out magazines or stacks of interesting books; add music.
  • Make it suitable for entertaining. Add a coffee table with a purposeful tray, or a handy bar cart.
  • Set the stage for conversation. Group furniture at 90 degree angles, or around the fireplace.

If, after careful consideration, you’ve determined that a living room is just not a space that makes sense for your family’s lifestyle, is there something else you’re in dire need of? Maybe it would make sense to transform it into something new. With intention, it could go from unused (dead) space to a place of energy and life. Maybe a home office, playroom, music room, or library? You decide.

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Chinese New Year of the Monkey

On February 2, 2016   /   Feng Shui Articles   /   Leave a comment
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Chinese New YearBy Carole Hyder

The Chinese New Year begins on the second new moon after winter solstice—-this year that date is February 8. If you celebrated the western New Year, this could be a time for you to recommit to or revise your resolutions for 2016.

The Chinese put as much effort into the preparation of the New Year as they do to the actual celebration. You might find some of these helpful in your own New Year rituals.

  1. On days preceding the New Year, Chinese families give their homes a thorough cleaning. It is believed cleaning sweeps away any remaining bad luck from the year before and makes their home ready for good luck. The brooms and dust bins are put out of sight on New Year’s Day so that the newly arrived luck isn’t accidentally swept away.
  2. Painters do a booming business right before New Year, painting doors and window-frames with a new coat of red paint. Homes are often decorated with a set of couplets written on long strips of red paper (one on each side of the door) upon which have been calligraphy-ed a poem or a good luck saying.
  3. Purchasing new clothing and shoes is encouraged to symbolize new beginnings.
  4. Any haircuts are done before the New Year. The Chinese word for hair (fa) is also the word for prosperity so no one wants to cut short their prosperity.
  5. Businesses try to pay off all outstanding debts, and they send gifts to close business associates and family members.

On New Year’s Day there is often a lion dance to symbolize protection. In addition, people give out red envelopes to spread further good wishes for the New Year, which contains a coin for wealth, a piece of candy for life’s sweetness, and a wish for continued good luck and success.

However you may decide to bring in the New Year of the Monkey, make it a special and intentional celebration.

Happy New Year Chinese Characters
Xin Nian Kuai Le – Happy New Year

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