A Touch of Feng Shui in the Garden

From the beliefs, culture and mythology of China, Feng Shui was born.

It is an ancient belief in the art of placement.Literally translated, Feng Shui means wind and water symbolizing the two major forces of nature. Feng Shui promotes a scientific and philosophical approach to design and site a home, public building and spaces to maintain harmony with the nature. This harmony is believed to allow light from the spiritual realm to shine upon those who believe and adopt the principles to their home and environment.

Interpretation of this belief has expanded into many directions. Over the past few years, Feng Shui has swept through the Western world/ culture according to what's practical, adaptable and suitable.

This is the wonder of Feng Shui- it allows for differences, and innovation according to the beliefs of a particular culture. It inspires personal perspective and creativity.It fosters harmony between man and his environment.

Adapting some of the principles of Feng Shui encourages a gardener to create a place which radiates more than beauty to please the eye. It is the visual attraction of a garden that draws people to it. But be aware of unseen and subtle energies taking place in the garden.

Today, a garden is an extension of the living space of a person or a family. It offers a place to entertain, a respite from the busy and chaotic world, a private space to relax and reflect, at times, a place to seek healing.

Sans the tools, a touch of Feng Shui, can enhance and actually generate positive vibrations outdoors and into the inner sanctum of the gardener.

With intuition, common sense and dedication,simple rules of Feng Shui can be applied. It promotes a garden that is friendly to Nature and ultimately infuse creative and vibrant energy and ensures the positive flow of chi.

Balance

Balance is a very important aspect of Life. It is the Yin/Yang in practice. It is opposing yet complementary.Tidbit: public parks exhibit the yang space, a private garden shows the yin.

A garden design that incorporates a balance of plants, ornaments and furniture is appealing to look at. If it's visually attractive, and it feels good, it is a gardener's pride and joy. The energy must be vibrant.

The Elements in Feng Shui

A little attention to the elements in a garden provide an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

Fire Color: red, and purple Plants with pointed leaves Structures/ornaments: pyramids, obelisks,lights trellis/ support for plants This is a powerful element, don't let it dominate the area.

Wood Color : green. All plants are wood element, it is the shape and color that suggest other elements. Trees and shrubs strongly represent wood element. Structures/ ornaments: decking, planters, logs, and furniture

Earth Color: yellow, orange, and brown Structures/ornaments: soil, rocks, stones, walkways, fences A walkway or fence that dominates the garden slows down the flow of chi.

Water Color: dark blue, black Structure/ornaments gravel, meandering paths, water features, glass.

Metal Color: white, silver Structure/ornaments: bowls, domes, and hammock.

Working with the elements

The natural world beckons. Gardening has ignited passion for creating a magical world of plants, colors, ornaments and design, with Nature as the canvas for the artist. A garden fills a space that would otherwise be void and saturated with stale energy.

It is with the shapes, colors and garden ornaments and structures that spells balance and introduce the elements to bring out positive energy.

Ponds are popular features, Perhaps unknowingly,ponds represent the lake, rocks and pebbles stand for the mountains. Water symbolizes wealth and a good collector of chi, so long as it is not stagnant. Careful choice of ornaments can create a balance of the elements in a pond.

Take a cue from Nature- it tries to achieve balance between shape and color. Whatever feature you add, proportion is important.

There are ways to remedy existing structures. Add some pots along a straight walkway to give it a feeling of meandering. Add a splash of colors to make it look interesting.

Appeal to the senses

Sight A visually attractive garden touches upon the sub-conscious .It is leaves an impression that can impact deep into the psyche. Clutter anywhere is annoying. It hinders the flow of chi. In the garden, it is important to keep it free of debris and clutter.

Arrangement of plants, mixing plants with a variety of color and blooming periods, and giving thought of the flowering season adds balance to a garden.

Sound No one wants to live in a noisy neighborhood.There are sounds in the garden. Bees and birds bring about welcome sound. Gurgling water can be soothing. A bamboo wind chime sends out gentle sounds resembling the rustle of leaves.Leave the leaves for a little while and listen as you crunch through in the fall.

Smell The natural sweet scents from a garden is superior to the most expensive perfume.Enjoy the fragrance from your garden wafting through the air, especially with the evening breeze.

Touch My four-year old great niece fascinates me when I see how carefully she touches things around the garden- from the little animal ornaments the leaves.and flowers. She does not pick the flowers, she tries to feel the softness with her little fingers. I have little colored stones at the bottom of a bowl that glimmers under the sun, she approaches these quietly as she timidly dips one little finger to feel them.No, nothing bites her little finger. She does this with so much concentration that anyone who watches her has to experience the sensation of "touching."

Other suggestions:

For focus, use smaller potted plants in a group or one large pot For abundance, fountains and water features

For illumination, lights for particular features

For stability use urns, large pots, rocks and stones

Show off your achievement or passion with art collection

Wind chimes to stir up energy and create movement

To receive gifts of the earth and the Universe, empty pots, dishes and urns.

This article barely touches upon the basics of Feng Shui. But, it's a start.

Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and motivate her readers to reach deep within their hearts and soul to find more meaning to Life .Visit her website: http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com

Feng Shui Guide - Safe and Tips for Repairing or Remodeling your Home

Most projects for home improvement are extremely dangerous. A lot of tasks call for sharp tools or power tools that can cause damages. If you were careless on the home improvement projects, it can't be successfully fix or repair. With a little careful organization and forethought, even the most difficult home improvement tasks can be conquered safely and successfully.

Read the instruction manual from top to bottom for your power tools, make sure read the manufacturer's safety cautions and follow it. Before you manage a tool make sure that the guard is working and tighten any corrections. Plug up them into grounded electrical outlets plus the power tools must remain dry. Be careful not to scratch the power cord. Don't ever store when the power tools are still linked to the power supply.

Stay away from a power blade so that your fingers can't be hurt. Clamp small pieces of wood before cutting them, rather than holding them. Wear gloves necessarily while working the rough hard materials such as wood, glass, or metal. After that, take out the gloves when using the power tool and you can control totally while working. Wear the suitable eyewear to shield your eyes while using any kind of power tool. When doing some maintenance like changing the blade or cleaning, the power saw must not be connected to the outlets. As soon as you cut it with a power tool, discover on how to properly support a board and so it doesn't kick back towards you during use.

When doing operational with the electrical wiring, always totally shut off power or water. Homeowner knows where the shutoffs are to be found. So it should be ask where its located.

Maintain the body weight involving the sides of the ladder and while working on it but do not lean out to both sides. Perhaps, it takes longer to get off the stepladder and move it to make it farther, just value your time. The majority sources of injuries in the home are falling.

You might get hurt yourself or injure your muscles when you're not applying the physical element of doing construction, remodeling, or repairing work. You will know the strain or pains in your muscles when you wake up in the next morning. Don't do too much yourself when carrying weighty objects. You should need more workers to help you on the work and take some breaks if you are exhausted. Understand the condition of your body and know it if you are tired already. It would be nice to know that you discover a huge fulfillment and satisfaction that you're able to safely and successfully complete repairing, remodeling, and reconstruction around your house as long as safe and keep yourself organized, alert and on task.

Jack Moundon is the owner of Feng Shui Guide , stresses all the basics of feng shui, including the advantages of each type. It also offers some tips for both home and office applications.

Feng-Shui enhancers and cures for your relationship

Although fate, may help you to find a suitable partner, feng-shui can certainly have a strong influence on how your relationship turns out.

When moving in with someone, often the nature of a relationship changes in totally unexpected ways. Areas of your life such as career, family or health, might change for no apparent reason. If both partners move into a new home, then both may be affected.

If the partnership feng-shui is placed correctly and stimulated then the happiness and longevity of the relationship are enhanced and chances of either partner embarking on an outside relationship will be limited.

Feng-shui can cause problems as well as solve them. One of the classic simulators of chi is the fish tank or fountain, but if this is placed on the right-hand side of the main door, it can increase the sort of energy which attracts other women to the husband. It is for reasons like this that the manipulating of feng-shui should be done carefully or get the help of an authentic feng shui consultant .

Good feng-shui in the bed room.
Traditional symbols of romance such as red roses or heart shapes, in the south west sector of the bed room is beneficial. Red is symbolic of fire and fire produces earth. The south west sector is the earth sector, so the color red will help produce more earth and stimulate this sector. It follows that red lights or anything red, particularly in pairs is useful.

Things to avoid
No mirrors over the bed. It will create a double image of the relationship.
Keep the space beneath the bed free of clutter so that the chi may flow freely.
Do not place the color green or live plants in the south west sector. Green is symbolic of the wood sector and destroys earth.
Remove all mementos of past relationships from the room.

Applying these principles of feng-shui will lead to positive changes in your relationship.

Mrs. Lynn Ristich is a Psychic and Feng-Shui consultant,for more than 25 years. http://www.asklynn.net
Author and lecturer, seen on CBS Morning News. Writer of Ask The Psychic in the Chicago Suntimes,and recently published in "Crain's Chicago Business".