Feng Shui Your Love Pad

What began centuries ago in China as a way of interpreting the natural world to create more efficient agricultural systems and even study astronomy to understand the passage of time is an age old institution named Feng Shui. Through the ages feng shui (pronounced Fung Shway) has evolved due to superstition and folklore into a belief system with five distinct components: Wealth, Health, Fame, Career and Love. By understand the basics, we can control these areas of our lives by choosing meaningful symbols and images which are related to these areas and placing these objects in very specific areas of the house. The key principal here is that everything is connected energetically which means that your thoughts, feelings and behavior are influenced by your surroundings. Feng Shui masters have got this down to an art form. There are so many details and specifics of feng shui that I would highly recommend getting a book on it for your own knowledge and because it is so fascinating. What is interesting enough is that I found it to be very similar to the Wicca beliefs that are practiced in the west. There are many people who swear by the benefits of Feng Shui in the home.

Lets get down to the fun part. You can Feng Shui your house for love. Turn that pad into the love shack to attract love, keep love going strong and keep the sex drive on high gear in the bedroom. What you want to do here is create good chi (good energy) and get rid of any sha chi (harmful energy).

The area of your house that represents your love life is the southwest corner of your home. According to the experts, if this corner has good chi, the marriage or love aspirations of the home dwellers will be positively energized but if it has bad chi, lets just say that you wont be getting any for a while; and that is putting it nicely according to these experts. The element that represents love is Earth and so putting a rock, crystal or boulder in the southwest corner of your home you will activate this good chi. Finally you need to energize this earth element with other objects in the love corner. These objects can be crystal (Rose Quartz is suggested), large and round decorative pots and jars, peacock feathers, silk or real flowers, a globe, a symbol of the sun, a Chinese love knot made of red rope which symbolizes undying love, love birds in a pair but never single or ducks in a pair but never single, rose oil and two pink or red candles burning which is known as the tantric twins. All of these objects have ties with the earth element but you do not have to use all of them. It is also said that wood is a harmful element to the earth element so no wood should be here. No dried flowers as well because it could signify the death of a romantic relationship. And just in case you are planning to buy a new house or rent a new apartment, there should be no kitchen or bathroom in the southwest corner of the house. If there is a bathroom, use plants to drown out the sha chi but a kitchen is a bigger problem since a kitchen in this area symbolizes infidelity on either side.

The bedroom can also be worked on. It should be well lit instead or dark and dreary. There should be no plants in the bedroom because plants will bring excess yang (male) energies to the bedroom which could increase his libido and cause a wandering and lustful eye towards younger women. There should be no TVs and no mirror by the bed as they cause an intrusion within a relationship. Hang a rose quartz crystal over the southwest corner of your bed. When looking for love, feng shui-ists say a man should decorate with more yin (femininity) in mind while a female should decorate with more yang. This causes a healthy balance and will attract the opposite sex.

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The Advice Diva has written three self-help guides on relationships and dating which can be found at http://www.advicediva.com. She also hosts an online advice column which is completely free of charge. The Diva does not claim to be an expert in any field. However, she has the ability to understand relationhips through past experience and her incredible insight. Aside from her website, the Diva also publishes monthly articles in two magazines and several notable websites.

7 Feng Shui Fundamentals for Children's Bedrooms

Feng shui is a very popular and intriguing concept in home design today. In addition to the life benefits it provides, it also offers a roadmap, so to speak, of not just how to decorate... but why. In short, it offers you, the homeowner, design with purpose. For a child's room this purposeful design is especially important.

Feng shui gives parents a guide for decorating your children's bedrooms, and perhaps more importantly, a reason for adding particular elements -- something standard decorating practices don't always offer. What does that mean exactly? Well, when it comes to a child's bedroom, feng shui dictates everything from correct bed alignment, proper bedroom choice, essential decorating and design elements, i.e., do's and don'ts (no vicious animals, etc.) for a child's room, even how to influence the child to be studious and well-behaved -- all things most parents would appreciate knowing.

The purpose of feng shui in a childs bedroom is the same as every parents objective in decorating their childrens rooms: to create a healthy, happy environment that fosters education, good health, happy relationships with parents and siblings, and respect for parents. Children and parents can enjoy success and healthy relationships if the environment supports them.

Naturally, children must feel safe, secure, and cared for to thrive. By putting interest and effort into your childs room, you are showing your child that you believe the childs space, and therefore, your child, is important. The tips presented here are some of the fundamentals of feng shui for children.

1.Place a happy picture of the parents in the childrens rooms.

This subtly exerts the authority and prominence of the parents as heads of the household. It is also one of the quickest and most effective ways to bring a problem child into line.

2.Align the childs bed to the widest part of the room.

Make sure your child can see the door from his or her bed easily, but is not in direct line of the door. Your child should also not share a wall with a toilet or see a toilet or bathroom from the bed as this can cause health problems.

Bunk beds are not advised. If possible, try to have a separate bedroom for each child. If this isnt possible, there are lots of decorative ways to create division and privacy within a room.

3.Create a space for study and accomplishments.

Having a dedicated space, including a desk and lamp where your child can study, demonstrates to your child the importance you place on education and your childs educational achievement. If this has been a source of problems, make the study position in the NE corner of the bedroom. Also make a place on a south wall, if possible, of your childs accomplishments. Doing so reinforces that you are proud of your childs efforts. Display drawings, crafts, awards, trophies, ribbons, or other special items, such as tests with good scores or letters from teachers. Place items here that have brought special recognition.

4.Make the childs room a healthy place. Water pictures, aquariums, or sounds of water that can be heard from the bedroom can create an unhealthy environment and may even lead to respiratory ailments. This is especially important if the child has any health problems, particularly asthma.

5.Clear the space so your child can rest and be creative.

Jammed closets and drawers, beds with boxes, shoes and other items underneath must be cleaned out. Creating space and visual openness helps your child to feel less pressured, and more likely to be imaginative and creative. More is definitely not more when it comes to kids. Give them a visual rest and clear out all the stuff they havent played with in a month or more.

6.Use light, color, and artwork in the room to make a happy environment.

A childs room should stimulate, not dampen, the childs spirit. Make sure there is adequate lighting for the desk, for a bedside table, and that windows can be closed off for privacy.

Rooms that are painted blue (unless its a bright or light-colored shade) or other dark colors can be depressing and create too much oppressive energy. Bright colors, such as yellows, light greens, purples and pinks are good choices, with yellow being the optimal choice.

Monitor the images your child sees being certain to eliminate images of ferocious or dangerous animals or violence. These are poor symbols for making a child feel safe in the bedroom. Select items for the room that inspire and intrigue a child to learn and that foster his or her sense of security.

7.Position children in the correct bedroom locations.

If possible, boys should be placed in the east or north bedrooms and girls should be placed in the south or southeast or west bedrooms.

Kathryn Weber is a certified master practitioner in feng shui and the publisher of The Red Lotus Letter, a FREE weekly feng shui ezine. Subscribe by logging on to www.redlotusletter.com. Her articles have been featured in Seventeen Magazine, Indy Star newspaper, and SelfGrowth.com, among others.

4 Fengshui Ways for an Unforgettable Door Appeal

Sell homes with Fengshui door appeal. Or, you could be missing potential sales and profit. The front door is the mouth of the chi. A handsome door brings good health, wealth, and longevity. Although houses come with many door, there is just one door which is use more often. Fengshui encourages the use of the front or main door. Passing the front door, you are leaving the outside world. Once you are inside, you can see the true color or personality of the home owner.

Positive Energy Flow

Without any clutter in front or back of the door, the positive flow can easily go inside. You may also check for obstruction on the door path. Door should smoothly open and close.

Make the Guardian happy

The guests must be able to clearly distinguish the front door. With a properly placed light, the front door tells the direction to go. Think of light as a guardian. And, remember to replace used up light bulbs. Or, it will ruin the positive energy. Consequently, it may lead to financial loss and illness.

Color Personality

The color of the door tells something about the home owner. A red door symbolizes fame and fortune. Although Fengshui recommends a red door, many doors come in a variety of colors. Yellow says friendly and cheerful home owner. And, blue says introvert and quiet home owner. Lastly, the green is simply the color of life.

Size Matters

The size of the door must conform to the size of the house. An extra large door leads to financial difficulty, while an extra small door leads to petty arguments. Additionally, the doorframes are the poles that support the family. A sturdy and straight poles increase the potential fortune.

Dennis Estrada is a webmaster of mortgage calculators which provide resources, and calculators for mortgage and real estate.

Creating Powerful Change with Feng Shui

The start of each year is a time of tremendous power. It's an opportunity to press the reset button on your life. Its a chance to look back on the previous year, set goals, create resolutions and wish lists. Unfortunately two weeks into the New Year many people can barely remember what those resolutions were. How about you?

Did you start adding exercise programs, prosperity goals, relationship goals into your life? Did you make space for them?

In designing the life you choose, first you must make space. In Feng Shui, clutter busting is the first step. If you place enhancements in your home or office without clearing the clutter, they will be ineffective.

The definition of clutter is anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated, disorganized. If all you ever do is remove the clutter from your environment and your life, you will be making space for who you truly are. In my experience, it is the single most powerful thing you can do.

The reason clutter affects you so greatly is that it blocks the flow of energy. If you surround yourself with things that are disorganized, or hold bad memories, or things that remind you of something you would rather not think about, theyll have an effect on your energy. Anything you are tolerating blocks your energy.

If you can bring yourself to clutter bust when you are feeling stuck, watch out!

Here are some of the things my clients have experienced:

- In clearing out her closet, within a few days a client had the urge to begin writing an autobiography she had been trying to write for 4 years. The secrets she cleared out of her closet allowed her to write about the secrets in her family.

- Clearing the clutter from her office a client gaining new clients that same week. This included clearing her filing cabinet and making space for new client files, removing a broken clock from her prosperity corner, and removing a painting from her relationship corner that didnt reflect the type of relationships she wanted with her clients.

- A client cleared out an office and discovered he had made space for a new career path he is much better suited to

- Doing a body cleanse which freed up the energy to gain clarity and to face relationship issues

- After having her condo on the market for some months, this client cleared the clutter in her home and the property sold within 2 weeks

- Another client cleared the clutter in her home, it sold within a week and for much more than expected

- A woman with chronic fatigue syndrome gained a noticeable increase in energy by having someone help her declutter her home, including getting rid of clothes that held memories of her life at the time she discovered she had chronic fatigue

Growth creates clutter. As you make changes within yourself, more of your belongings fit the definition of clutter. Having the urge to discard things in your home or office is a sign of you stepping more fully into yourself and your abundance. If you are growing and changing you are continually creating clutter.

Often its not until you clear your clutter that you realize how it has been holding you in the past. Clearing clutter is the fastest way I know to shift energy and create change.

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/