Feng Shui, One Man's Self-Discovery

In this time of stress and fear of the unknown, with companies imploding and war and terrorism all around us, it's important to have good tools to remain centered and focused.

I had heard a lot about Feng Shui, it sounded interesting but was skeptical. I went to my neighborhood Feng Shui supply store to see what I could learn. I met a rather knowledgeable woman named Fee Lo Mee, she obviously wasn't Asian. She said the name helped her online sales of Feng Shui paraphernalia.

After she got a little background on me she determined the most important thing was to get a Chinese Dragon and a little water fall. I was to display this in the Southeast corner of my room to bring me maximum wealth luck. Also, since I need all the side income I can get, she advised getting a three legged toad and put him on my desk. She also tried to get me to buy windchimes and some fish figurines, but I told her I wasn't so concerned with career luck I just wanted more money.

As we chatted about her online business, I mentioned I wrote for a website. When she heard that it was all I could do to escape the store with just a small crystal globe. You see a crystal globe brings great success, wealth and recognition in literature, publishing, media and communications. I guess that sums up what I do--especially the literature part--so I was sure to put one in my shopping cart.

I hope the wealth luck works because the merchandise was over $100, which included a few I-Ching coins tied with red and gold thread to keep in my pocket for added luck.

At this point, I must admit, I was pretty excited to get home and properly place my new "energizers" in my home and office. But Ms. Mee was not done with me. She pulled aside and softly mentioned, "Feng Shui is not only about symbols and placement, it involves the whole person, including their dress." I looked at my clothes and looked back at her and she nodded slightly with that "yes I'm talking about you" look in her eyes. So I let her begin.

First thing, never ever wear faded or worn jeans like I did, it attracts poverty and bad luck and she let me know it (oh so that's what the problem's been!). Next, make sure you're always well groomed. You don't have to dress fancy, but make sure it's balanced and harmonious. And of course dry your clothes outside in the daylight to absorb purifying yang chi energies.

She started to tell me about kua numbers and elements and colors and shapes and how I should add these into my wardrobe. I told her I was pressed for time and I'd come back again to pick up that information. I really had nowhere to go, but I felt I had all the feng-shui information I could handle for one day.

Well it's been a few days since my trip to see Ms. Mee and everything is properly placed. I feel excited about the new me. Of course nothing has really changed, like anything I have to give it time. Now I'm thinking about learning about how to feng-shui my whole house. I don't really know anything about it, but I hear it really is great.

Feng Shui Bathroom Wealth

Feng Shui has tried, true, and time tested wealth strategies that integrate theories based on Feng Shui Elements. Feng Shui colors and tools such as the Feng Shui Baguato provide followers the secret keys to lasting prosperity. If you did a Feng Shui Study, you would be fascinated by the relationship Feng Shui establishes between the bathroom and wealth. Read on and you will not only help you discover new ways to improve prosperity but will also provide to deepen your understanding of this popular practice which has strong spiritual and scientific basis

Even if you're a Feng Shui beginner, you're probably familiar with Feng Shui bagua (Feng Shui map of a space), and know that family area is a good place for the living room, or that a Feng Shui office is best placed in the knowledge, wealth or career sectors. You may also know that Feng Shui bed room is best placed in the marriage corner of the Feng Shui house. But do you know where the Feng Shui bathroom should be located if you're seeking wealth? Probably not but that's o.k. This article on Feng Shui bathroom wealth was written specifically to highlight the importance of a 'Feng Shui bathroom ' -- how it can increase or decrease wealth in your home.

As most of the Feng Shui practices have strong scientific basis, there are two important rules of thumb that you need to remember when deciding the location of a bathroom. First you need to know that, the bathroom and toilet are primarily governed by and driven by the element Water. In Feng Shui, Water is associated with wealth, prosperity, career and good cash flow. Secondly, you should keep in mind that bathrooms are associated with elimination and waste. With these two considerations in mind, it is easier to understand the main rules that apply to the layout and location of this space.

Without a clearly marked out space in Feng Shui bagua, the bathroom is a little out of place anywhere, but thanks to the time tested Feng Shui wisdom, you can easily identify problems with your bathroom (cash flow blockages, drained finances, etc.) that are detrimental to your wealth (it can block your cash flow, drain your finances, and add to your financial stress). Although some of locations are more troublesome than others, one of the best Feng Shui tips to keep in mind here is that a defective bathroom plumbing has a draining effect wherever it is located.

According to traditional Feng Shui some bathroom locations which can have negative effect on your wealth. These locations include:

Bathrooms next to or above the front door. Bathrooms on the second floor directly above the kitchen or front door Bathrooms in the center of the office Bathrooms under the stairs

It may seem restrictive but the reasons are sound when you reason using Feng Shui principles. For instance a bathroom in the front hall, close to the door, or a bathroom at the end of straight hall way can drain Chi away before it has a chance to circulate through the rest of the house.

Wang's aim has been to create a total system for anyone interested in Feng Shui--not just the physical aspect of it, but also the promise of universal harmony, of spiritual contentment. http://www.thespiritualfengshui.com website is more than a mere website on Feng Shui. Wang has major emphasis on wealth and prosperity through feng shui by placing it at right position in office, bathroom etc.

Feng Shui Baby Names

There are various ways to pick a baby name. The ways vary from different Feng Shui schools. Feng means wind, while Shui means water. Feng Shui Masters found a way to relate Feng Shui with baby name.

Chinese astrologers use Feng Shui on how to pick a baby name. The name at birth is very important to the baby and couple. A good shape name brings good luck to the holder of the name.

Kua Numbers

The astrologers determine the Kua number of your birth year. Kua number tells whether the name is auspicious, or inauspicious. The Kua number calculations vary between female and male. The general idea is to add the last two digits of the birth year until you produce a single digit. Then, you subtract to 10.

For example, 9 is the Kua number for 1973 birth year for male. First, you add 7 and 3. You will get 10. Then, you add 1 and 0. You will get 1 which is a single digit. You subtract 10 by 1. And, the Kua number is 9.

For female, the calculation varies slightly. You add 5 after you add the last two digits of the birth year. For example, 4 is the Kua number for 1973 birth year for female. First, you add 7 and 3. You will get 10. Then, you add 10 and 5. You will get 15. Next, you add 1 and 5. You will get 6 which is a single digit. Finally, you subtract 10 by 6. The Kua number is 4.

Eight Characters

The eight characters are more commonly known as Ba Zi. The astrologers look at the eight characters to tell the useful element. There are three commonly way to use the eight characters. First, the astrologers find any lacking element to complement another element. For example, the wood is a lacking element. The astrologer finds a name that is associated with wood such as timber, branch, forest, and bark.

Second, the astrologer finds the required element. For example, the word requires water and earth. The water is a missing character. The astrologer supplies a character associated with water.

Lastly, the bad baby names are used to ward off evil spirits on the old days. They believe the evil spirits lose interest with a bad baby name. For example, rat, and snake are good example.

Yin and Yang

The Chinese characters compose of strokes. In Feng Shui, the total number of strokes also matter. Depending on the school, Feng Shui master tells you the correct number of strokes. The Ying is the even number of strokes, while the Yang is the odd number of strokes.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of unique baby names, origin of baby name, and baby names meaning where you can find the stories, origin, and meaning of names and babies.

Home Office Feng Shui for Telework

What is Feng Shui?

Feng shui is an ancient art that incorporates principles of balance and the flow of chi or vital energy. For about 4,000 years, the Chinese have been using feng shui to ensure good luck, health, and prosperity in their lives.

In this article, we will attempt to provide a Feng Shui primer to telecommuters in a home office.

Chi

Feng shui practitioners generally believe that chi must flow freely throughout a home or building. This energy flow can be enhanced to take advantage of its beneficial effects in all aspects of home and business life. If the chi is blocked, it can manifest in illness, loss, or failure. Problems can be ?cured? to release the energy, usually through the right design or placement of furniture, or the use of colors or symbols.

Because it is believed that the flow of chi affects the productivity, efficiency, and the overall success of a business, practitioners use feng shui in offices and commercial centers. The principles of feng shui can also be applied to home offices, especially with the rise of telecommuting.

Feng Shui for Telecommuters

If you work at home, why not try these simple tips and see what happens:

Home Office Location

Choose your location. Take advantage of the energy coming from the front door by situating your home office towards the front of the house, and on the same level as the entrance or even above. If you are a telecommuter, keep your work area separate from your sleep area. If your office is in the bedroom, use a screen to hide the office at night.

Furniture Placement

Pay attention to desk placement. The placement of your desk will affect how you feel while you work. The best place for your desk is facing the door but not directly across it. You will find that sitting with your back to a wall or a corner will give you a feeling of stability and security rather than with your back to a passageway or to a door or a row of windows.

Color

Use color wisely. In feng shui, colors are associated with certain activities. Telework will certainly be easier if you use the right colors for what you do. Surround yourself with blue-green colors if you are a writer: they soothe you yet keep the creative juices flowing. Yellow promotes discipline and enhances mental clarity. If you work with a team, try using orange or warm desert colors to aid collaboration.

Conclusion

Feng shui is quite simple and practical. Principles such as surrounding yourself with plants and fresh air, keeping your home and office clutter-free, and placing quality items in your home and office can make sense to anyone without knowledge of feng shui. When using it in your home office the bottom line is comfort, creativity, and productivity.

Feng Shui and Real Estate - Why Feng Shui is important to Today's Real Estate Agents

How can the ancient art of Feng Shui be helpful to Real Estate Agents? With the diversity of the market, you will want to know what your clients may be looking for in their new homes and addressing these issues ahead of time will put you ahead of the competition.

A basic knowledge of Feng Shui is important for all real estate agents. Feng Shui is a widely held belief of many cultures where potential homeowners will look to see if a home will ?support? them in all the areas of their lives. For example, the front door is very important as many consider this area the ?Mouth of Chi,? a place where all good energy enters. Checking to see that the pathway leading up to the front door is clean and unbroken as well as having an immaculate front door will help a sale right from the beginning. In Black Sect Feng Shui, all doors are considered the ?voices? of the occupants. They should all be able to open freely without squeaking or knocking into each other.

What other things will your clientele be likely to be looking into? They are very aware of what we call ?missing pieces:? When a home is not in a square shape, depending on where the area is, they will determine this is a missing piece and will affect a certain area of their life depending on where it is missing. For real estate agents, having a simple understanding of The Bagua can help you to understand why they believe this. Feng Shui consultants who are trained in Western method as well as some of the other forms can make all corrections simply and inexpensively; they never believe a home won?t support the new occupants.

New homeowners are also looking at the new home in relation to the street or outside energies that are surrounding it. They are unfavorable to homes in Courts (where energy can sometimes pool) or T-Junctions where streets will cross-sect into their homes. Again, using Western methods these are relatively simple issues to address.

The number ?Four? on a home is probably the least likely of all of the other areas that will deter a potential buyer. For many, the number ?Four? sounds like ?death? much as like the number 13 is considered here to be unlucky. This is a difficult area to address though some have suggested painting the house numbers in a circle to ?contain? this energy.

They may well want to know a history of the home and something about the previous owners, so you may want to prepare for that was well. It is important for them to dispel the ?predecessor? energy of those that have lived there before.

These are just a few of the ideas you can arm yourself with when selling a home in today?s market. It might be wise to enlist the aid of a Feng Shui consultant who is familiar with various methods of Feng Shui including Western methods to dispel their fears and help you, as their real estate agent, sell the homes, knowing that someone who practices from a positive perspective will not deter the sale of a home.

Feng Shui Expert Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since 1997 and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island, providing quality consultations for all of Long Island, Queens, New York City and Online for those at a distance for Homes, Businesses, Offices, Renovations, New Construction and Corporations. She also works closely with Real Estate Agents to help support sales of homes. Carole is a keynote speaker for large and small corporations including Fox 5, Nordstroms, The Long Island Board of Realtors and is a published author. She seeks to make consultations affordable to all. Please visit her website at http://www.FengShuiLI.com or email her at FengShuiLI.com

The Feng Shui of Procrastination

What does procrastination have to do with Feng Shui? Actually, everything! Feng Shui is about the free flow of energy in your environment and in yourself. Its also about creating environments that support your success and pull you forward.

Whats the biggest thing that prevents that flow of energy? Clutter. And what creates clutter? You've got it - procrastination! You can procrastinate about anything - things that seem difficult, and things you enjoy, such as writing or taking that time to nurture yourself.

Do you have people to call, letters to answer, things youve been putting off? Maybe you think they will be difficult, or take a long time. Maybe you wonder if your voice will make a difference if you don't like something your politicians are doing. How about your business? Most people have at least one idea they havent got around to that if put into action would make a difference to their bottom line.

Procrastination puts you out of integrity with yourself. In Feng Shui the Fame and Reputation area is about integrity. It's how you are seen in the community - and that comes right back to whether you walk your talk. Do you do what you say you'll do? Are you being true to yourself and your values?

When you dont follow through on your ideas and intentions energy blocks are created. It takes energy to avoid taking action, and it takes energy to deal with the consequences.

Clutter is delayed decisions. It's procrastination. Its stress. It's the same thing as putting a piece of paper in that pile on your desk, telling yourself you'll deal with it later. As the piles grow, your energy becomes clogged. Next thing you know youre spending time looking through your piles for information you've lost because you didn't file your papers where they belonged - in files or in your recycling bin.

There's a fine line between procrastination, and letting the dust settle while you give yourself space to take inspired action. And if you listen to that small voice within you, you'll know which you are choosing.

Committing to action is a very different energy from procrastination.

Tips for Creating an Environment of Action and Abundance

1. Get real about your procrastination habit. Can you take a step back and even laugh at it?

2. Are you telling yourself you don't have time for that project? Is it something you really want to do? How much television do you watch? Is there something you need to remove from your environment to have your life reflect your priorities?

3. Make a commitment to others. Commitments have power. By stating your intention to important people in your life you will be making yourself accountable and creating an environment of support.

4. Become a person who keeps their word. The Fame & Reputation area is directly opposite the Career & Life Purpose area on the Bagua, which means passion, authenticity, flow, integrity and visibility are all connected. Where is your energy blocked? What are you not following through on with others, or in a promise to yourself?

5. Are you waiting for the eleventh hour somewhere in your life? This could be a project due on a certain date, a commitment made to someone, or a dream you are assuming you have forever to live. Make a start now. Starting is often the hardest part and you will be setting something in motion.

6. Schedule time for planning. Instead of wondering where to start on a project you will know exactly what to do next. Break it down into small pieces, put them in your schedule, and give each a time limit so it doesn't expand out forever.

7. Create a physical environment that reflects who you are. Live with colors, items, clothes you love, and of course clear the clutter. A clear desk and office space will support your creativity and prosperity.

8. Hang out with successful and positive people who uplift you. You become like the people you are with, so it's important to create an environment of people who will support your success.

9. Take a renewal day each week to make space for nourishment and inspiration. This is a day for you, with no work, emails, or errands. You're making space for inklings and synchronicity to emerge and for you to hear them.

10. Work with a Coach who will support you in bridging the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. Having a Coach in your corner enables you to be, do and have so much more.

To discover where different aspects of your life are represented in your home or office, See http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/BaguaMap.html

2003, Vicky White. All rights reserved. May be duplicated with attribution and copyright notice intact. http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/

Vicky White is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and Life Coach who works with clients both locally and internationally. Get your FREE 7-part e-course Your Secret Weapon: Powerful Feng Shui Tips To Give Your Business The Competitive Edge at http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/