Simple Feng Shui: Eight Quick Ways to Redecorate for Your Spirit

The ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui is making a comeback in the modern world. But is it really possible to change your attitude just by rearranging your living space?

Many people say yes. Feng Shui is an Asian philosophy that dates back some 5,000 years. Practitioners strive to find the proper arrangement of objects and furniture that will best suit your personality and lifestyle.

The goal is to arrange a home in such a way as to maximize feelings of safety and comfort, which will, in turn, positively affect your health, attitude, even your level of success.

Traditional Feng Shui revolves around placement and symbolism. More contemporary Feng Shui also considers a number of psychological factors, including the use of color, aromatherapy, and air quality.

A Feng Shui consultant locates the various energy centers of your home, suggests new arrangements, and may use crystals, mirrors, and chimes to achieve certain effects.

Like anything that’s been around for thousands of years, the practice of Feng Shui has a number of variations. While the ancient art is complex, many of the concepts appeal to common sense.

Before you call in a consultant, there are a few tricks you can try on your own.

-->Optimum Feng Shui occurs when the life force (or ch’i) is permitted to move freely around the house. Clutter is an obstruction to this life force. Finding a place for clutter may be first on your agenda.

-->People tend to feel uncomfortable--even unsafe--when their view is blocked. Does your home have any seats that don't allow you to see who is entering the room, or that block you from being part of what is taking place in another part of the room?

-->Feng Shui is about living in harmony with the earth. You can do this, in part, by changing your decor to reflect the seasons and by bringing natural elements inside. Plants, for example, can have a calming effect.

-->Annoying sounds, such as creaking doors and dripping faucets, can disrupt the ch'i (life force) of your home.

-->Feng Shui in the Bedroom
Your bed should be positioned so that you have a clear view of the doorway. Your headboard should touch the wall, many practitioners say. And don’t place the bed against the window or your ch’i might escape.

Some Feng Shui experts point the head of the bed north to induce sound sleeping, but different headboard positions produce different effects. For example, a headboard pointing west can make one lazy, while a headboard pointing south is said to worsen family arguments.

-->Feng Shui in the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home because of the link between food preparation and the nourishment of the body and spirit. Feng Shui practitioners believe, for example, that the flavor of food will change if the cook is startled, so they recommend placing a mirror nearby so you can see who is entering while you are busy at the stove.

-->Feng Shui in the Family Room
Attract more light in the family sector of your living space with crystals and mirrors. Position family room furniture so your guests face either south or east when sitting, and make sure no seats position your guests to stare at the wall.

-->Feng Shui in the Dining Room
Choose a round, oval, or octagonal dining room table because angles on tables create shars (negative energy zones). Feng Shui practitioners also say that these rounded tables create a more welcoming environment.

How to Buy a House with Good Feng Shui

Your surroundings can have a huge impact on your life – to the point of affecting your personal happiness, your prosperity, even the opportunities that come to you in your life — thus making your choice of home a very important one. Because most of the important moments in our lives occur in our houses, the house itself becomes more than just four walls where we eat and sleep. That’s why careful consideration is called for if you are thinking about purchasing another home.

So what do you look for when you are considering purchasing a new home? It comes down to two things: the tangible and the intangible. The tangible items include price, location, size, and condition. The intangible includes considerations such as location on a street, how the home is situated on the lot, its relationship to other buildings or homes, how the home flows inside, and situations such as whether the former occupants were ill, in financial trouble, etc.

These are the types of considerations that are taken into account when you want to assess the feng shui of a home. Of course, these are not all of the elements that make up a home with good feng shui, but these are some of the important considerations. Hopefully, this will serve as a guide for helping you select a home that is right for you and your family.

1. Buy a new house or “successful” house. A new home does not have a history, making these the optimal choice. However, if you are looking at a preowned home, buy one from someone who is moving into a bigger house, got a huge promotion and is moving, or has won the lottery and is buying a villa in Tuscany. Then, you are buying into good feng shui and positive energy.

Houses that are for sale from a divorce, a foreclosure, or where there is a serious illness, or other affliction are not the best choice. To purchase a home such as this can mean that you are buying those problems too. How so? The house might be the problem. Or, there might be a landscape or topographical element causing the difficulty. It’s best to avoid these kinds of homes.

2. Buy high or level ground. Houses that are situated on the side of a hill or where the back slopes away from the house are “losing ground.” Better also to buy a house where the lot is wider at the back than the front. Also, try to buy a regular-shaped lot. Square or rectangle shaped lots are especially good.

3. The inside story. Make sure bedrooms are not over a garage, kitchen, laundry room, or open space below. Also be sure there are no bathrooms over a dining area or kitchen. This can cause illness in the house. Look at the arrangement of bedrooms to bathrooms so that beds won’t share a common wall with a toilet.

4. Get support. It's best for land to either be level or have a rise at the back of the house. Land that falls away at the back of the house creates loss and difficulties getting recognition and promotion. If the house has a building or a hill at its back, then it is supported.

5. Open up. If the house faces open land or has a wide, open area in front of it, then it has the “bright hall effect.” This is extremely auspicious. Think of the White House in Washington with the large expanse of lawn in the front or the front of the grand Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina.

Make sure the house is not overwhelmed by landscaping. If there is a tree too close to the house, especially if it is in line with the front door, this is not good and will prevent opportunities for the homeowner. Consider removing the tree. Likewise, if plants and shrubs look like they’re taking over the house (either planted too closely or growing on the walls), consider removing these as well and replanting elsewhere. A house should not be smothered by the landscaping.

6. Look both ways before buying. What’s to the right and left of the house? Is there a house or building that seems to impose itself on this house? If the house or the land on your left is higher, this is good, as it is tapping the dragon energy. It is even more fortunate if the house to your left (as you look out of the house) is in the East. Is there a house with a pointed roof, a corner of the home pointed at your front door, etc., or aimed at the house?

Be sure to look at the approach to the house. Is it in a cul-de-sac? If the road ends at a straight line to the house, this is not good. Also, houses with a road behind and in front of the house suffer, and corrections can’t be made for these. Long straight driveways that end at the house, or roads that stop at the house, are another problem, but can be corrected with plants or mirrors.

7. What’s the situation? The house should be situated on the lot correctly, which means it should not be set back behind the half-way line of the lot. It is better to sit a little forward in the lot than too far back.

8. What is in the Southwest and Northwest? These are the two most important directions in a home. The Northwest should never have an open flame, such as from a gas stove or fireplace. If there is one there, move on to another house. This is feng shui taboo. To have a home such as this is to invite severe difficulties for the man of the house.

Also, look at the SW; this is the position of the woman or mother of the house. If there is a storeroom or bathroom located here, there could be marital difficulties and unhappiness. Consult with a feng shui practitioner about this if you just love the house, but it has trouble in the SW corner.

Feng Shui For The Garden

The main principles for good feng shui in the garden is curves and proportion.
Think of your house as the Yin aspect and your garden as the Yang aspect.

Yang is about light and space.

It is important to incorporate the five elements into your garden.

A pond or pool of water.

A sun dial or bronze statue for metal.

Trees and schrub for wood.

Plenty of red and orange colour for fire.

Earth for earth.

If your garden is overlooked by an unpleasant view use the mirror remedy.

The best shapes for your garden are octagon and circle.

Circular ponds are preferable.

You may also want to light up darkened areas in your garden.

Use light as a remedy in the south and in your fame enrichment.

Use sound as a remedy in the north west and in your friends enrichment.

Red is popular in the garden as it stimulates the flow of Chi.

Use colour as a remedy in the north east and in your children enrichment.

Use life as a remedy in the south east and in your wealth enrichment.

It is good to plant something delicate in your garden that moves in the slightest breeze.

The path to the front of the house is considered very important.

A horseshoe shaped drive or entrance allows the Chi to arrive gently and be channelled away when depleted.

Feng Shui For The Office and Shop

The best location for your office or shop is on a corner.
The entrance to your reception area should cut diagonally across your corner.

Be carefull of stairs and escalators directly facing the entrance that will allow Chi to flow out.

Be also carefull of tall buildings to the west that will cause unpredictable tiger Chi and may cause your business to fail.

Tall buildings to the north are good.

The reception area should have plenty of space.

Plants with rounded leaves attract customers.

Closed businesses and derelict buildings close by are bad feng shui.

A business in a dead end road will suffer from stagnent Chi.

Roads pointing directly at a business are not good as they accelerate Chi.

The best site is where two or three roads interesct and you have the corner position.

Keep the cash register and financial transactions in the wealth enrichment area.

Use lots of red colour in this area.

If several people share an office the desks should be arranged so that they form an octagon.

No sitting in the office should put people with their back to one another.

Any sharp corners should be rounded off with round leaf plants.

Feng Shui Around The House

Avoid loss of Chi by placing a screen against the entrance.
The bedroom door should not face the kitchen or toilet.

The bed should not face the door.

Always have a good space between the bed and the window.

The front door should not directly face a staircase.

Place a screen in front of the staircase.

The front door should not face the toilet.

Leave a good distance between the sink and stove.

Do not have the door to outside facing directly towards the kitchen.

The stove should not face directly towards the door.

The stove should not be placed against the sink.

Winding drive, circular drive and a generous drive is favourable.

Feng Shui Remedies

Adding remedies to an enrichment area can improve the flow of Chi and remove any problems.
There are eight remedies in total.

LIGHT :
This remedy includes lighting, mirrors and reflective surfaces.
Mirrors are the most popular.
The Chinese make great use of lights in their garden area.

SOUND :
The best here is wind chimes, bells, metal mobiles and bamboo tubes.
Wind chimes work by disturbing stagnent Chi through the swirls and eddies of sound in the air.
Harmonious sounds also attract lucky Chi.

COLOUR :
Colour, especially red and black can be used to stimulate the flow of Chi.

LIFE :
Any living object be it plant or animal may be used.
PLants are usually used for sharp corners or to fill areas without Chi.
Fish are considered living symbols of wealth.
This is why aquariums are close to the cash register in Chinese restaurants.

MOVEMENT :
Flags, ribbons, silk banners, fountains wind chimes and weather vanes are the best here.
They should however be made of natural materials.

STILLNESS :
This is for when Chi is flowing too fast.
Statues or large rocks are effective.

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL :
Traditionally this remedy meant machinery.
These days it is extended to include electrical equipment.
Electrical equipment stimulates Chi but sometimes too much.

STRAIGHT LINES :
It is best here to use scrolls, swords, flutes, bamboo tubes and fans.

Improve Your Love Luck with Feng Shui

Are you tired of looking for love without success? If so, the layout, furnishings, and energy of your home and bedroom could be part of the problem. When the areas of your home affecting your love life are cluttered, missing from your floor plan, or suffering from sha chi (harmful energy) it can be difficult to find and maintain a good relationship.


A key principle of feng shui is that everything is connected energetically. This means that your thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by your surroundings. A dark, untidy bedroom contributes to an atmosphere of fatigue and depression, which in turn makes it harder for you to find the energy to clean the place up. In feng shui terms, it also undermines your ability to attract and maintain a joyful and fulfilling romantic attachment. Feng shui problems can even affect your reputation, make it harder to meet new people, and lead to increased arguments and miscommunication -- all of which contribute to difficulties in your love life.

Improving your love luck with feng shui starts with understanding that attracting a partner is only part of the solution. For example, if a serious relationship has recently ended, you may need a period of healing and self-reflection before starting to date again, no matter how eager you are to connect with your next partner. Maybe you have no trouble finding dates, but can't seem to meet the right kind of person. Or perhaps you're seeing someone exclusively, but seem to be stuck just short of commitment.

Here are some quick ways you can apply basic feng shui principles to increase your chances of success in various stages of the relationship cycle:

When you need to recover from a break-up before moving on, your key task is to let go of the old relationship and reconnect with who you are as an individual. In feng shui terms, relics from past relationships - such as photographs, clothes, and mementos - hold you in the past. The stronger that old energy is, the harder it will be to move on to someone new. Remove anything that reminds you of a past failed relationship from your bedroom. This includes things that are out of sight in your closet, a dresser drawer, or under the bed. Pillows, mattresses, and bedding absorb your energy over time, so when a marriage or live-in relationship ends, it's a good idea to buy new sheets and pillows and even a new mattress if you can afford it, to help you make a fresh start. New bedding is also a good idea if you have been single and lonely for a long time. Pamper yourself during this stage, and try to do at least one thing every day just because it makes you happy.

When you are actively looking for a partner, your key task is to create space for a new romance. If your closets, dresser drawers, and bathroom shelves are filled up with your own stuff, there is no room on an energetic level for someone new to come in. That's why the best way to attract a new romance is to literally make space for it. Empty out at least one dresser drawer for your next partner's clothes. Make space in the closet, in the bathroom cabinet, and on bookcase shelves. Start with your bedroom, then move on to the rest of the house. Is there room for another person's DVDs and music in your CD rack? Where will your new sweetheart put his or her health supplements, exercise gear, notebook computer? Is there room for another car in your garage, or have you filled that space up with stuff? Make a list of all the areas of your home where your new partner might need some space, and try to free up at least 25 percent of it. If you can't clear 25 percent of the relevant spaces, just do the best you can; your strong intention to create room for a new relationship is the most important factor. When you do connect with your new love, you can look for a more spacious residence together!


When you have met a "likely prospect" and want to nurture that new relationship, your key task is to ensure that your bedroom supports romance. This is a good time to get rid of any clutter blocking the path from the front door of your home to the door of your bedroom. This will help keep the energy in your bedroom fresh and strong. In feng shui, the symbolism of what we see is very important, so make sure your bedroom says "romance" in some way. Focus on these areas: 1) what you first see when you enter the bedroom; 2) the wall across from the foot of the bed; 3) the relationship area of the room (the right-hand corner on the side of the room opposite the door, and/or the SW sector). Just about anything that means romance to you can be appropriate feng shui imagery for your bedroom. Traditional romantic symbols such as hearts, cupids, and pictures of happy couples always work well, as does a faceted feng shui crystal hung in the relationship area or over your bed. Look for opportunities to group objects in pairs, such as placing two pink or red candles or a bud vase with two red silk roses on your bedside table. Pale green is also a good color for new romance.

Although these simple steps are just a few of the many ways you can use feng shui to improve your love luck, they will do a lot to shift the energy of your home. As your environment becomes more welcoming to romance, your own energy will shift as a result. When you are clear in your heart about the kind of love you want, and take action to welcome it into your home, your dream of lasting happiness with a wonderful partner really can come true.

Feng Shui Tips for the Bathroom

Are you tired of looking for love without success? If so, the layout, furnishings, and energy of your home and bedroom could be part of the problem. When the areas of your home affecting your love life are cluttered, missing from your floor plan, or suffering from sha chi (harmful energy) it can be difficult to find and maintain a good relationship.


A key principle of feng shui is that everything is connected energetically. This means that your thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by your surroundings. A dark, untidy bedroom contributes to an atmosphere of fatigue and depression, which in turn makes it harder for you to find the energy to clean the place up. In feng shui terms, it also undermines your ability to attract and maintain a joyful and fulfilling romantic attachment. Feng shui problems can even affect your reputation, make it harder to meet new people, and lead to increased arguments and miscommunication -- all of which contribute to difficulties in your love life.

Improving your love luck with feng shui starts with understanding that attracting a partner is only part of the solution. For example, if a serious relationship has recently ended, you may need a period of healing and self-reflection before starting to date again, no matter how eager you are to connect with your next partner. Maybe you have no trouble finding dates, but can't seem to meet the right kind of person. Or perhaps you're seeing someone exclusively, but seem to be stuck just short of commitment.

Here are some quick ways you can apply basic feng shui principles to increase your chances of success in various stages of the relationship cycle:

When you need to recover from a break-up before moving on, your key task is to let go of the old relationship and reconnect with who you are as an individual. In feng shui terms, relics from past relationships - such as photographs, clothes, and mementos - hold you in the past. The stronger that old energy is, the harder it will be to move on to someone new. Remove anything that reminds you of a past failed relationship from your bedroom. This includes things that are out of sight in your closet, a dresser drawer, or under the bed. Pillows, mattresses, and bedding absorb your energy over time, so when a marriage or live-in relationship ends, it's a good idea to buy new sheets and pillows and even a new mattress if you can afford it, to help you make a fresh start. New bedding is also a good idea if you have been single and lonely for a long time. Pamper yourself during this stage, and try to do at least one thing every day just because it makes you happy.

When you are actively looking for a partner, your key task is to create space for a new romance. If your closets, dresser drawers, and bathroom shelves are filled up with your own stuff, there is no room on an energetic level for someone new to come in. That's why the best way to attract a new romance is to literally make space for it. Empty out at least one dresser drawer for your next partner's clothes. Make space in the closet, in the bathroom cabinet, and on bookcase shelves. Start with your bedroom, then move on to the rest of the house. Is there room for another person's DVDs and music in your CD rack? Where will your new sweetheart put his or her health supplements, exercise gear, notebook computer? Is there room for another car in your garage, or have you filled that space up with stuff? Make a list of all the areas of your home where your new partner might need some space, and try to free up at least 25 percent of it. If you can't clear 25 percent of the relevant spaces, just do the best you can; your strong intention to create room for a new relationship is the most important factor. When you do connect with your new love, you can look for a more spacious residence together!


When you have met a "likely prospect" and want to nurture that new relationship, your key task is to ensure that your bedroom supports romance. This is a good time to get rid of any clutter blocking the path from the front door of your home to the door of your bedroom. This will help keep the energy in your bedroom fresh and strong. In feng shui, the symbolism of what we see is very important, so make sure your bedroom says "romance" in some way. Focus on these areas: 1) what you first see when you enter the bedroom; 2) the wall across from the foot of the bed; 3) the relationship area of the room (the right-hand corner on the side of the room opposite the door, and/or the SW sector). Just about anything that means romance to you can be appropriate feng shui imagery for your bedroom. Traditional romantic symbols such as hearts, cupids, and pictures of happy couples always work well, as does a faceted feng shui crystal hung in the relationship area or over your bed. Look for opportunities to group objects in pairs, such as placing two pink or red candles or a bud vase with two red silk roses on your bedside table. Pale green is also a good color for new romance.

Although these simple steps are just a few of the many ways you can use feng shui to improve your love luck, they will do a lot to shift the energy of your home. As your environment becomes more welcoming to romance, your own energy will shift as a result. When you are clear in your heart about the kind of love you want, and take action to welcome it into your home, your dream of lasting happiness with a wonderful partner really can come true.

10 Sure-Fire Feng Shui Tips for More Romance

By Kathryn Weber

A central feng shui tenet is that marital or romantic happiness is an important element for a happy, well-lived life. And if you’ve had marital or romantic unhappiness, you know how true that is!

Of course, one of the keys to an effective partnership is having the relationship on a solid romantic footing. Why is this? Well, if you are in a union and have children, it demonstrates to the children your commitment to each other. It also shows the importance of your union to your kids, yourselves and everyone else.

And, don’t forget that as parents YOU are the source of the family and its well-being. If things such as jobs, kids, cars, pets, housework, bills, yard work, TV, golf, Tupperware parties, grocery shopping, shoe repairs, etc., etc., etc., comes before you and your mate, then you need to reprioritize your list to put you and your love first!

An important first step to creating a beneficial bedroom is to make sure you both agree to give your bedroom some extra attention and energy. Positive intention on both your parts goes a long way toward the desired result: more love and more romance. To get your romantic motor purring, just check the tips below. You are bound to see some ideas to help you create – or reignite – the passion in your relationship!

1. Look around. Is your bedroom a gender-neutral bedroom design that appeals to the both of you? Remember, men traditionally don’t like floral designs and if your bedroom is flowery, then your man could be experiencing resentment every time he enters the room. Likewise, if you’ve yielded to your man’s furnishing taste you, too, may also grow resentful.

What to do? Well, start from scratch, and if you can, clear out everything from the room (just like they do on those room makeovers on HGTV). Then look at the paint, drapes, carpet, etc. to see if these need changing. A good starting point is to look at the walls.

If you are considering painting, select a restful, neutral color, such as those of the color of skin, i.e., beige, taupe, brown, or rose. If possible, replace loud, flowery, or overly-austere furnishings with ones that are comfortable and make for a serene environment. And for those of you going to bed every night in those awe-inspiring white walls: did you know that the Chinese equate the color white with death? Now there’s a romance-killer! Get out the paint buckets quick!

2. The bed is where it’s at. Just like real estate, when it comes to the bed, it’s all about location, location, location. Make sure the bed is at the widest part of the room and the door to the room can be seen from the bed. This is a critical feng shui element. Bed placement is extremely important especially if the bed is placed on the same wall as the bedroom door. This will bring serious disagreements for the couple. The bed should also not face a bathroom, see a toilet, share the same wall as a toilet, or be directly opposite a door. It’s also best if the bed doesn’t face a closet or bookshelves of some kind.

Also, be sure to give yourself some support. Beds that have the headboard to a window give the couple little support. If this is the best (or only) position for the bed, place a wooden screen between the bed and the window to simulate a wall. And when it comes to your bed, it is always a good idea to have a bed that belongs only to you and your honey. Beds used in previous relationships bring those former relationships into your love life.

If this is your situation, but you hate to get rid of a perfectly good bed, then donate it to a charity. Take the write-off and then buy yourself a new bed and mattress and give it to yourselves as an anniversary present.

Remember, in your house, the bed is the No. 1 symbol of your union. Make it a nice one with luxurious pillows and comforters or spreads; it’s a good thing. And speaking of Martha (and your mother): Don’t go out without making your bed. A beautifully made bed makes you want to get in it, an unmade bed makes you want to leave the room. Now, what message does your bed send?

3. Look Up. Got a ceiling fan whirring above your bed? Lots of us do. This could be cooling you down… literally and romantically! Ceiling fans above the bed disrupt your body’s chi (energy) -- and your romantic chi. Rather than rip the fan out of the ceiling (unless you want to), try placing red dots on each fan blade. You also might avoid turning on the fan for a week and see what happens… who knows?

4. Look down. Do you have all kinds of junk under your bed? Maybe you just have dust-bunnies the size of Dallas lurking under there. Clear it out and place a crystal sphere at the foot of the bed. These are believed to enhance relationships. Or, if you have an amethyst geode, place it at the foot of the bed. These are also believed to be marriage enhancers. Get the spheres at design stores, and get geodes at nature stores or gem shops.

5. Look away… from the TV, that is. When it comes to building your romance feng shui, TV in the bedroom becomes just that: TV in the bedroom -- and nothing else. Television is a distraction to romance and it takes away from a room’s restful qualities because when it’s turned off, the TV acts like a mirror, reflecting you and your sweetie in bed. This disrupts your chi and can even cause insomnia. Still not convinced? Experts on insomnia also recommend that TV’s stay out of the bedroom because it sends a signal to the occupant(s) that this place is only for rest.

Remember, when it comes to your romantic bedroom, you should only be using it for R&R: rest and romance. Watch television in your family or living room only.
But be warned, girls, if you want to take the TV out of the bedroom that he’ll fight, he’ll cry, he’ll wail and gnash his teeth, but stand firm, and tell him you only want two things turned on in the bedroom: you and him. Now, if that’s not a convincing argument, I don’t know what is!

6. Change your sheets. But you already knew that, didn’t you? But did you also know that, just like the bed, if the sheets on the bed are brought to the marriage from a previous relationship, or worse, a divorce, that the old energy lingers here? Yuck. Used or inherited linens should also not be used on the bed. Adorn your bed only with new sheets and keep them reserved only for yourselves. Feng shui teachers say that pink sheets are the best choice because they have the “fire” from the color red. If you’ve got old sheets on the bed that are torn and tattered, what does it say about the emphasis you place on your romantic life? Treat yourself to some nice linens that feel wonderful and make you want to hop into bed!

7. Remove mirrors. Mirrors placed across from the bed or that can be seen from the bed can “divide” the couple and create insomnia. Mirrors should be kept in the bathroom or hallway and out of the bedroom. I really can’t stress this enough. Most of the time, you can use mirrors from dressers in other locations in the house. How about above the fireplace or down a long hallway? Both of these places can benefit from a mirror, so why not relegate the mirror to an area where it can be helpful instead of hurtful?

8. Decorate sparingly. Decorating the room correctly is important. Look at all the elements here to get more ideas about appropriate decorating for your romantic retreat.

Plants, water, and flowers: Take all plants, flowers, and water features out of the bedroom. The Chinese say that “rice sticks together when it is warm,” imparting the wisdom of keeping the bedroom romantic. Water and plants can drown the energy in a couple’s bedroom. Even pictures featuring water, ice, or snow are poor bedroom decorating choices. Flowers give off too much male energy, also making a poor choice for a restful bedroom. Dried flowers should be removed as they are dead energy.

Artwork and pictures: Does yours inspire passion or love? What do the items on your dresser or the art on your wall say about your love life? Hopefully, you don’t have one of those pictures of dogs playing poker. Now, if there is one place for erotic art, this is it. Tasteful nudes or statues of “The Kiss” are perfect here. (Is it me, or does this kind of art just never seem right anywhere else?) Take an extra critical look at what’s hanging above your bed. Is it inspiring? Bet you never gave your bedroom this much thought!

Consider other objects de amour in your room. Wherever possible, use pairs of objects. Two lovebirds, two vases, etc., are a good idea. Try matching prints for the bedroom or two photos of the both of you, one on each of your bedside tables. And while you’re at it, take a close look at the pictures in your bedroom. Are there photographs of your children, your grandparents, friends, or others in the bedroom? If so, these pictures are symbolically looking at you! Remove all pictures of people except for those of you and your love. Placing your wedding picture here or any other happy, romantic picture that you like. It will be a nice reminder in your shared space that the two of you are a couple.

Work, work, work: By all means, eliminate “work” objects. These can be treadmills or other exercise equipment, desks, computers, bookshelves filled with work-related books, or objects that remind either of you of something to do. Even hobbies and projects are not good choices for your love nest.

Know what else is a romance killer? Clutter. It reminds us of work. Remember, hotel rooms make us instantly relaxed when we walk in because they are spare.

9. Houston, we have a problem. Is your room in good working order? Is the carpet coming up or do the windows stick? Your room must function well on all levels. This includes making sure the door opens and closes correctly – and locks, too! Oil creaky door hinges. Privacy is important for couples. Having a lock – and using it, too – sends a strong signal that your romantic life is important, yours alone, and private. This also means making sure you have privacy measures, too. Blinds or other curtains to cover the windows should be working… and used.

10. Create your own love shrine. This is my favorite. Put a picture of the two of you, a dish with a rose quartz crystal or clear quartz crystal, a heart figurine, a candle, or a small lamp in the southwest corner of your bedroom. Dedicate this area for this purpose. Keep the lamp turned on at least 3 hours each day so that it can shine on the crystal. Place mementos in a box here, or anything that is very personal and significant to the two of you. Place a CD or tape player with music you both love here so you play it when you are alone together in the room. You can put anything here that is romantic and makes you think of love… maybe “The Kiss” statue I was mentioning earlier. Try to decide on items together, selecting the things that are meaningful for you both. I have a love shrine, and I am here to tell you that as soon as I put it together, it worked -- and continues to!

So there you have it, the 10 Tips as promised. These tips are all designed to foster a deeper, more loving and intimate relationship. Hope I haven’t given you too much to do, but just remember: this is for you and your love. Your union is important… make your room reflect the care that you feel for your relationship.

Feng Shui with Style! Working with Your Element Type

By Stephanie Roberts

When you begin to study feng shui, you quickly realize the importance of the qualities and characteristics of the five feng shui elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. This knowledge is essential to selecting appropriate colors, furnishings, and accessories for your home. You can also use your understanding of the five elements to develop a personalized feng shui strategy, based on the element that is reflected most strongly in your own style of living.

Metal energy is clean, simple, and detail-oriented. Earth is lush, nurturing and comfortable. Water is free-flowing, expressive, and intuitive. Wood is ambitious, forward-thinking, and practical. Fire is passionate, excitable, and changeable. Each of us has a unique combination of these five energies in our own personality, usually with one element dominating. This is reflected in how we decorate and use our homes. Some of us developed a strong style preference at a very early age, which continues to serve and suit us well. Others go through different phases as they progress through life. You may once have covered anything that didn't move in chintz and ruffles, but now find yourself appreciating the clarity of a more sparsely decorated space - or vice versa. During an earlier phase you may have been happy with few possessions and a minimalist lifestyle, only to find greater comfort now in the abundant colors and textures of a more lavishly decorated home.

The element that is strongest in your personality right now will influence your current decorating style, housekeeping habits, and your approach to feng shui. Your experience will be more fun and more comfortable when you tailor your feng shui strategies to your element style. Let's begin by seeing which of the five descriptions below most closely describes you:





Neat Freak (METAL): I hate clutter! My home is always immaculate, with everything tidy and well-maintained, and I am very thoughtful about what I bring into my space.


Pack Rat (EARTH): I love my stuff, and can't get rid of anything. My house is so full of clutter that when something is broken I can't even get to it to fix it.


Free Spirit (WATER): I'm too busy being me to clean up! If something's a mess, I just toss a shawl over it. People say my home has lots of personality, and I am constantly redecorating and moving things around.


Go-Getter (WOOD): Housekeeping? Home décor? Don't ask me; that's what the maid and decorator are for. I just want things functional and practical, and I need a quiet place to come home to at the end of a busy day.


Whirlwind (FIRE): Enough of the quiz already! I have a million things to do and a short attention span-just tell me how to feng shui my house!



Many people are a combination of styles, so it may be hard to choose just one answer. If you're not sure, ask a few relatives or close friends for feedback; if you're a true Neat Freak, you may think your house is a mess even when it's immaculate by other people's standards! You may also find that you live one style, but secretly crave another. As a dyed-in-the-wool Free Spirit, for example, I regularly break the feng shui rules of good housekeeping because I'm just too busy creating, writing, and living to keep things as clean and organized as I would like them to be. But whenever I visit a Neat Freak's home, my soul goes "ahhhhhh." The trick is to be aware of what type of space you are really, truly most comfortable in. As much as I like visiting pristine, zen-like spaces, I know that I don't really want to live in one -- that if I did it would soon look just as lived-in as my current home.

Here are some guidelines, based on the element-affinities described above, to help you develop a personalized feng shui strategy:

NEAT FREAK
Your home is so neat and tidy that it may be a little rigid, sterile, or monochromatic. You tend to like the minimalist look, and are the most likely type to have all-white decor. If your furniture has been in the same position for years, look for ways to get chi moving without making more change than you'll feel comfortable with. Live plants and flowers will bring natural energy and color to your space. You may also need to add more personal touches here and there. Find a place to display a few favorite photographs of friends and family members, so there are some human images around you. Your love for clean, simple spaces and attention to detail mean you are probably on top of any maintenance or clutter issues, so focus on creating a good flow of chi through your home, counteracting any negative influences, and activating your power spots. Your clean and tranquil home is a wonderful environment for self-nurturing methods such as meditation and qigong.

PACKRAT
Your biggest problem is clutter! Closets are overflowing, you have three sets of everything, books are stacked two deep on every shelf, you've saved every greeting card you ever got, and all the flat surfaces in your home are piled with stuff. You might still be able to breathe, but your space isn't getting any chi at all! Create some breathing room in your home before you do anything else, or you'll just activate all your clutter into even greater chaos. Chances are you've been feeling a little stuck lately, so focus on getting rid of the old to make room for the new before you do anything else. Once you've cleared out enough stuff to get a good look at your house, make sure you've got a good flow of chi through the space and address any maintenance issues before making other feng shui changes. Your own chi will shift a lot as you clean out your home, so be sure to practice some grounding and balancing techniques as you go along.

FREE SPIRIT
You've been feng shui-ing your space since the day you first got your own bedroom, even if you didn't know to call it that. You are the type most likely to want to work on everything at once, so be sure to define some priorities before jumping into making changes. Your enthusiasm for creative décor may lead you to overlook basic maintenance issues and allow clutter to pile up. Take care of those first, then make sure that you are applying your individuality to your power spots rather than scattering it randomly about the place. Of all the types, you are boldest in your use of color, so get out the brush and roller and have some fun with feng shui color-theory. Make sure that you haven't overlooked any negative influences that should be corrected, and use your creativity to develop your own unique feng shui enhancements. You've probably tried a lot of different personal renewal methods over the years, but may not have kept up a consistent practice. Make a commitment to pay as much attention to the inner you as you do to your surroundings.

GO-GETTER
Your house is probably beautifully furnished and well maintained, but you may have delegated so many of your home-maintenance chores that you no longer have a strong energetic attachment to your space. Make sure you don't delegate all your feng shui tasks, too, or they won't have much power behind them. Find small, simple things you can do yourself and be sure to put some of your own energy into enhancing your key power spots. If you arrange for someone else to take care of other feng shui chores, it will be especially important to perform the body-speech-mind empowerments on each one when the work is done. Throw practicality out the window for a moment and choose one unique and unexpected item for your home that expresses the inner you others so rarely see. Chances are good you've been pushing yourself pretty hard for a long time, so be sure to make time for balance and renewal. A candle-lit aromatherapy bath will help you relax so you can enjoy your beautiful home.

WHIRLWIND
You're usually moving too fast to pay much attention to your house, but once you get into feng shui you'll want to get it all done in one afternoon. Do some planning before you begin, or you'll jump from one unnecessary embellishment to another without getting to the important stuff before you're distracted by the next exciting idea. You want to start with the wind chimes and water fountains because they look like the most fun, but if you skip over locating your personal power spots you won't know where to place them. And leaving the household maintenance tasks for later could sabotage your other efforts. You'll benefit from the discipline of empowering your changes with a daily ritual-it's an essential part of the process, and the thing you're most likely to skip! Promise yourself a massage when you're done, and splurge on a big bouquet of flowers as a centerpiece for your home, so you remember to stop and smell the roses from time to time.

10 Feng Shui Tips for your Office to Boost your Prosperity

by Vicky White

Feng Shui (fung-shway) is the study of arranging your environment to enhance your life. Every minute of every day your environment is either supporting you or draining you. Feng Shui teaches you to join forces with your environment to make living your best life effortless.

Not only does your environment reflect your consciousness, but also the flow of energy in your home and workplace determines the overall quality of your life and its outcome.

By balancing the energy in your environment, your own energy will be in harmony, and you will draw to you, people and opportunities that reflect this balance. Your environment indirectly determines the type of relationships, finances, career opportunities, etc you attract.

Because we spend so much time in our workplaces, these spaces have a huge influence in our lives. These feng shui enhancements will support you in creating prosperity and balance in your work.

1. CLEAR THE CLUTTER IN YOUR OFFICE
Clutter is anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated or disorganized. When you clear your clutter you create space for new things and your energy and creativity will increase.

Clutter is like emotional constipation - it bogs you down. Filing cabinets need to be regularly purged and desktops kept clutter free.

2. PLACE YOUR DESK IN THE ‘POWER’ POSITION
The ideal placement for your computer and desk is in a position that allows you to see the door of your office. If this is not possible, you can restore good Feng Shui by arranging a mirror that gives you a clear view of the door. A small convex mirror designed for use on car side mirrors can be purchased and stuck to the edge of your computer. cost – about $3.00.

3. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING AT YOUR DESK ALLOWS YOU TO BE COMFORTABLE
A good combination glare screen/radiation filter to prevent headaches and eyestrain, a comfortable chair that doesn’t squeak, comfortable keyboard and arm position, a mouse that fits your hand etc. Anything that causes you discomfort will drain your energy.

4. KEEP YOUR COMPUTER CLUTTER-FREE
How is your Inbox? If you see hundreds of emails when you open your Inbox you will feel overwhelmed. Create Folders to file emails you want to refer to. Go through your folders regularly to delete emails no longer needed. Once a week empty your Delete folder.

Is your Desktop full of shortcuts to programs from a past life? Do you have programs on your computer you never use? Computers are great clutter collectors, and like us, they work better if we keep them decluttered.

5. ENHANCE YOUR PROSPERITY CORNER
As you enter the door of your office, the far left hand corner is your Wealth and Prosperity corner. What do you have there? Clutter here will definitely be affecting your prosperity.

This would be a good place for a small tabletop fountain, a valuable item or even an affirmation. Blues, purples and reds are the colors of prosperity. Can you include these colors in something that makes you feel prosperous?

6. CREATE A NOURISHING VIEW
What do you see when you look up from your desk? If you see a brick wall, this could explain why you feel stuck! Paint the wall a color you love, hang a favorite painting or poster. Make sure what you see as you are thinking, uplifts you and nourishes your creativity.

7. CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS, DUST AND VACUUM
What do you see when you look out your window? Do you look at the world through a murky lens? Regularly cleaning your office, and emptying garbage bins daily will keep the energy fresh.

8. BUY A HEALTHY PLANT
A plant will bring life into your workspace and will also absorb toxins in the air.

9. SEPARATE YOUR WORKSPACE
If you must have your workspace in your bedroom, try to partition it off with a screen. Work and sleep are two conflicting energies and having a relaxing sleep will enhance your work time.

10. REPAIR OR REPLACE BROKEN OBJECTS
Anything that isn’t working represents a block to the flow of energy. For example, light bulbs, clocks, doors that don’t open smoothly – why risk not being at your best?

By consciously creating your environment, your environment will in turn create a quality of life to support you in reaching your potential. Feng Shui has a powerful effect in your life and you can use these enhancements to create a flow of prosperity, energy and creativity in your work life.

Feng Shui Wikipedia

Feng Shui literally means "wind and water." Pronounced "fung shway" or "fung shoi" (but often mispronounced in English as "feng shu-i"), Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. The practice is estimated to be more than three thousand years old.

Traditional or classical Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese belief system that addresses the layout of cities, villages, dwellings, and buildings. It is erroneously identified as geomancy, an unfortunate misnomer courtesy of 19th-century Christian missionaries.Traditional or classical Feng Shui always involves the use of a Luopan compass and a systematic method involving iterated steps. The New Age versions Black Sect, Pyramid, Fusion, Intuitive, etc. typically do not. The Black Hat Sect school of Feng Shui, which began in the 1960s, heavily flavored by the New Age movement, explains Feng Shui as the arrangement of objects within a home to obtain an optimum flow of qi; however this qi has never been observed and many believe that certain, corrupt interior designers have abused this concept to profit from naÔve consumers. During the same time, Pyramid Feng Shui began a western adaptation of classical Feng Shui to assess how an individual experiences his environment.

In its original expression:


Wind that which cannot be seen - invisible.
Water that which cannot be grasped - elusive.
Feng Shui has its roots in the Chinese reverence for nature and belief in the oneness of all things. The assumption is that the key to living a harmonious life is to reflect the balance of nature in their daily lives. This is most easily understood by the following concepts: Yin and Yang, qi, and the Five Elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. In rural China, however, according to recent fieldwork by Ole Bruun, qi flow is rarely mentioned. Nevertheless, Feng Shui is used to increase wealth, health, and harmonious relationships.

Classical Feng Shui began as an interplay of construction and astronomy. Early Yangshao houses at Banpo were oriented to catch the mid-afternoon winter sun at its warmest, just after the solstice. (Some tribes in southern China still refer to this month as "House-building Month.") Professor David Pankenier and his associates performed retrospective computation on the Chinese sky at the time of the Banpo dwellings (4000 BCE) to show that the asterism Yingshi (Lay out the Hall, in the Warring States period and early Han era) corresponded to the sun's location at this time. Several hundred years earlier the asterism Yingshi was known as Ding. It was used to indicate the appropriate time to build a capital city, according to the Shijing.

The grave at Puyang (4,000 BCE) that contains mosaics of the Dragon and Tiger constellations and Beidou (Big Dipper) is similarly oriented with cosmological accuracy along a north-south axis.

The tombs of Shang kings and their consorts at Xiaotun lie on a north-south axis, ten degrees east of due north. The Shang palaces at Erlitou are also on a north-south axis, slightly west of true north. These orientations were obtained by astronomy, not by magnetic compass.

All capital cities of China followed rules of Feng Shui for their design and layout. These rules were codified during the Zhou era in the Kaogong ji (Manual of Crafts). Rules for builders were codified in the Lu ban jing (Carpenter's Manual). Graves and tombs also followed rules of Feng Shui. From the earliest records, it seems that the rules for these structures were developed from rules for dwellings.

The oldest known Feng Shui device consists of a two-sided board with astronomical sightlines. Liuren astrolabes have been unearthed from Qin-era tombs at Wangjiatai and Zhoujiatai. These devices date between 278 BCE and 209 BCE. Today Feng Shui practitioners can select from three types of Luopan or Feng Shui compasses: San He (the so-called "form school," although the compass name means "Triple Combination"), San Yuan (the so-called "compass school," although the compass name actually refers to time), and the Zong He that combines the other two.

Classical Feng Shui Classical Feng Shui is still considered important in some segments of modern Chinese culture, especially Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is less common among educated Chinese in the People's Republic of China as it is often thought of as peasant superstition. Since the mid-20th century, it has been illegal in the PRC because of the propensity for fraud. This all came about because of the Cultural Revolution that set about destroying most of the old culture of China. It has been kept alive in books and practitioners in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the 1960s, Feng Shui was introduced in the West. Regardless of the country of practice, East or West, businesses typically use Feng Shui to increase sales and boost morale. Homeowners have come to use Feng Shui in an attempt to bring peace and harmony to their surroundings.

Feng Shui promotes the searching for places where Chi forms or accumulates as these places are perfect to live happy, prosperous, successful lives. In Feng Shui winds are noted as being bad as they scatter Chi rater than accumulate it, so when searching for a site bypass any that are wind swept.

Post-modern revival

The Getty Center in Los Angeles, the best articulation of 1990s style feng shui influence and theory on the American west coast.

With the opening up of China to the west, principally first from Hong Kong and Macau, feng shui became increasingly known and also practiced by western "hongs" or trading companies to satisfy local business communities, and also to encourage luck in business. Feng shui masters have always influenced the great buildings in Hong Kong - both for good and bad ends - the famous Bank of China building in Hong Kong Island with its spikes was said to wish bad luck on the English community. Still, western scholars and new-age spiritualists rediscovered feng shui and led to a dramatic and often erratic revival of the practice on the North American west coast California and British Columbia from the early 1990s.

Countless architects, landscape designers, restaurant designers, and Hollywood stars have embraced feng shui and it has had a strong influence on newer buildings, architects, and designers globally. This was done as a way to rebel against the concrete and glass absolutism of the Bauhaus pragmatists or the inflexibility of Le Corbusier and his fixed immoveable housing, and so add more natural and people friendly calming features to interior space.

Feng shui vernacular includes: fountains, the use of curves rather than hard straight lines, alignment of entrances with the best views, natural materials, and is best seen in such buildings as the Getty Center in Los Angeles by Richard Meier which stands as the best articulation of 1990s style feng shui influence and theory on the American west coast.

The Pa Kua

One important Feng Shui formula concerns the eight main life Aspirations, corresponding to the four cardinal Directions and the four inter-cardinal Directions of the compass (Lo Pan).

Each of these Aspirations is symbolized in the octagonal shaped Pa Kua, one of the most basic Feng Shui tools, which identifies where the particular Aspirational locations lie in your home or workplace, allowing you to energize them as required.

This will stimulate positive chi (life force) flow and create good Feng Shui for you

FENG SHUI

Feng Shui (also known as "geomancy") is an ancient Chinese art used to promote such things as health, happiness and prosperity. The words literally mean 'wind' and 'water'.

Feng Shui, also called the Chinese Art of Placement, is a technique that is thousands of years old for bringing balance to one's home, business and the land that surrounds them. It looks at many areas of one's life (health, wealth, family, relationships, career, friends, fame, children, and knowledge) to determine blockages within the home or business, that might cause some type of problem, and then at the different types of "cures" that can be used to alleviate the problem. The methods for analyzing a space and the "cures" to correct the problems can vary from esoteric modalities used for centuries to technological solutions of our current timeline. Both must blend in harmony to created balance in one's life.

The purpose of life is to create balance in all things allowing your consciousness to evolve beyond time and emotion, the duality of the illusion. Healing and working on yourself - is part of the equation - as all things are created by mathematical design / the blueprint or architecture of our consciousness program in third dimension - Sacred Geometry. When you are in a space where feng shui has been used to create balance - you will experience it in all levels of your soul's awareness ... then you will understand.

Lights in Feng Shui

Lights and feng shui go hand-in-hand, for there's no better enhancing agent than fire energy... and lights represent just that. Whenever you illuminate an area with light, you are activating the area and imbuing it with precious Yang Chi. All you need to know then is HOW TO IDENTIFY the areas you should enhance, and WHAT KIND OF LIGHT is best suited to the purpose you are using it for. Here are six easy-to-use tips on how to work with the lighting in your home to create auspicious and good fortune Chi.

1. Identifying the sectors to energize
Much of feng shui is based on the Pa Kua and the eight directions within the Pa Kua (an eight sided symbol representing the eight directions). There are four main directions (North, South, East and West) and four secondary directions (NE, NW, SE and SW). Each represents a different life aspiration. By activating a particular direction in your home with bright lights, you are in fact activating the luck of that sector.

The North represents career luck. The South brings fame and recognition. The East brings good health. The West brings descendants luck. The Northeast is for education. The Northwest is for making friends and mentor luck. The Southeast represents wealth and riches. And the Southwest is for love. So if you are looking for, say, love, install a bright light in the Southwest sector of your home and keep it turned on for at least 3 hours a day. This will bring many romantic opportunities your way and attract a soul mate into your life.

2. Working with colours
When you've found which sectors you want to enhance, you need to know what kind of lighting to use. The most conservative lights to use are colourless or white lights, for white embodies the whole spectrum of colours rolled into one. However, if you want to be more imaginative with your decor, or you want to be more focused in your activation, pick a colour that harmonizes with the energies of the sector.

The energies are characterized by the 5 elements - fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Fire is red and associated with the South. Earth is yellow and associated with the SW, NE and center. Metal is white, and associated with the West and NW. Water is blue and associated with the North. Wood is green, and is associated with the East and SE. When working with coloured lights, make sure you either use white light (which contains the energies of all 5 colours) or you use a colour which is associated to the element of the sector.

3. Hard versus soft lighting
There is also hard and soft lighting. Generally, direct light or fluorescent lighting can be considered hard lighting, whereas indirect and yellow lighting is softer. Hard lighting is better suited for offices and work/study areas in the home. Hallways, landings and porches are also best when brightly lit. However, when it comes to the bedroom and rest areas of the home, using lights that are too bright will imbue the room with too much harsh energy, making it difficult to relax.

When picking the lighting for your home, it is important thus to differentiate between these two different lighting effects, which can bring two very different and opposite feels to a room or space. If you are activating a corner within a room, it is best to use soft lighting in the form of a lampshade or lava lamp. Bright lights should be reserved for just the very public areas, or when used to widen a space such as a narrow corridor.

4. Symbols and sculptures
There are many symbols and objects that can double up as feng shui enhancers. When coupled with lighting, the symbol is then given even more energy and power to attract good luck into your life. Auspicious symbols range from the very esoteric such as three-legged toads, dragon-tortoises and Chi Lins to the more ordinary, such as birds, horses, elephants and crystals.

The list of auspicious symbols with feng shui meanings is indeed a very long one (too long to list here) but as long as you avoid sharp pointed sculptures, wild animals and scary looking motifs, you should be quite safe. But feel free to be as creative as you want when it comes to mixing and matching symbols and sculptures with lights. What the light does is to fill the object with additional energy to create auspicious luck for you.

5. Sectors to avoid illuminating
Although using clever lighting is a fine way to improve your feng shui, there are certain sectors, which should not be given prominence through illumination. These taboo areas include toilets, bathrooms, storerooms and kitchens. When you are not using these areas in the house, they are best kept low key, with the doors leading to them kept shut. This doesn't mean you cannot light them up - it is indeed absurd to go to the bathroom in the dark! It just means that you should not make these areas in your home more prominent than other areas such as the living, dining and family rooms, which are more important to highlight.

6. The annual afflictions
And lastly, don't forget that feng shui has a time dimension. Each year, you need to know where the annual afflictions are so you can avoid enhancing their unlucky energies. In 2005, the Five Yellow, which brings misfortune, has flown to the Northwest sector. So avoid lighting the Northwest of your home with lights that are too bright. Another way to control the Five Yellow is to display a 5-element pagoda in this area. The other affliction to avoid is the illness star, which also gets awakened with light. This is in the East this year. This affliction can also be controlled with a metal wind chime, but try to avoid lighting this sector with excessively bright lights, to protect your family from falling sick.


"Feng Shui World (July/August 2004)".

Feng Shui Tips for Your Dining Room

by Stephanie Roberts

In ancient cultures, "breaking bread" together, whether as a family or with strangers, was a honored way to build community. More recently, potluck dinners, pancake breakfasts, and company picnics have continued this tradition. We haven't done so well at maintaining this important ritual in our homes, however.


Today, the dining room is often one of the most neglected rooms in the house; either it is a formal space that is rarely used, or it has been taken over for use as a home office or projects space. Busy schedules and multiple-careers can make it almost impossible for families to share dinner together on a regular basis. From a feng shui perspective, we are missing out on an important and once-sacred aspect of life. Paying attention to the feng shui of your dining space can help to remedy that.

A cramped dining room can create a feeling of pressure in family relationships and interfere with good digestion. Too much heavy, dark, old furniture - especially when it is squeezed into too small a space – also creates a heavy, dark feeling and blocks the flow of chi. Boxes and bags of clutter have a similar effect. The older the clutter, the more stuck the energy will feel. De-cluttering your dining room is an important first step in improving the feng shui of this space.

The dining room is an exception to the feng shui guideline of aiming to leave some open space in the center of every room. Here the dining table itself should occupy the center position, with equal space on all sides (if possible), and plenty of room for each person to sit down at and get up from the table.

The flow of energy through the dining room should be gentle but not stagnant. It's good to have two doors to the dining room to allow chi to circulate, but if doorways on opposite walls are directly in line with each other chi will move straight through the room too quickly. A faceted crystal ball or crystal chandelier over the center of the dining table will help to balance chi in the room, and also helps people with eating disorders embrace healthier habits.

A mirror is also helpful for improving chi flow in the dining room. Make sure that the mirror reflects something attractive: a nice piece of furniture, a view out a window, or painting or other artwork. A mirror that reflects what's on the table visually doubles your food, and symbolically doubles your money. Keep in mind, though, that if your dining table is covered with clutter or unfinished projects the mirror will doubling the mess and workload.

If your family is managing to dine together but the conversations tend to focus on the past rather than sharing current issues, try clearing all old objects from the dining room. Boxes of old papers and photographs especially will contribute to holding the energy of this room in the past. Getting rid of them will encourage your family to open up about what's happening in their lives right now. If you want to keep a few ancestral treasures or portraits in the dining room, place them together in the Family sector of the room rather than distributing them throughout the space.

EATING IN PEACE

The dining room should be a calm and peaceful place. Warm, soothing earth tones such as soft yellow, peach, and beige are good colors for this room. Curtains soften the cutting chi of mini-blinds, and a thick rug or carpet adds a soothing texture that helps to absorb sound and keeps the atmosphere of this room tranquil. If you don't have a formal dining room, do what you can to make the area where you have your meals as separate and quiet as possible.

Lighting is an important element in creating a good dining atmosphere. Use candles, lower wattage bulbs, or a dimmer switch to bring the energy level down a little, especially at the end of a hectic day.

If your evening meals often feel rushed or if time pressures from the day carry over into the dinner hour, try removing all clocks and calendars from the dining room and reposition those in other rooms so they can't be seen from the table. This will help you slow down and enjoy a calmer dining experience.


At least once a week turn off the TV and allow yourself to enjoy the process of physical nourishment without any distractions other than conversation with your family. Good manners dictate turning your cell phone off when you dine at a restaurant; why not apply this rule at home, too? Treating the dinner hour as a special time for relaxation and nurturing is a good feng shui practice, and will help both your mood and your digestion.

Your beautiful table linens and good silverware should be used from time to time, so you can enjoy them in the present instead of always waiting for some future date. Plan a special sit-down-together dinner with your partner or family one night a month (or more often, if you can). Making this a regular event reinforces how special your loved ones are to you. Using a tablecloth, rather than individual placemats, encourages closeness among family members.

Take a moment before beginning the meal to give thanks for the abundance on your table and for the family and friends who are sharing the meal with you. Saying grace before the meal - in whatever form you choose - fills the dining room with the energy of love and appreciation.

Excerpted from “The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui” by Stephanie Roberts (Alpha Books, 2004)

Copyright © 2004 Stephanie Roberts

Feng Shui for the Heart of Your Home

by Stephanie Roberts

The kitchen is sometimes called "the heart of the home," and with good reason; in ancient cultures the hearth was a sacred place representing the life-giving sustenance of Earth's bounty. Feng shui recognizes the kitchen as one of the most important rooms in the house because it is where we connect with the energies that nourish us physically (food), financially (money), and emotionally (family). It reminds us to see the kitchen not just as where we put the groceries away and dish up dinner, but also as a place where we receive blessings and express gratitude for the gifts of life, health, and prosperity.

The kitchen should be bright and sunny in feeling, evoking the warmth of the sun and hearth. Reds and earth tones are good here, while green accents add wood energy to feed the stove's fire, and touches of purple help to support prosperity. Dark, cramped kitchens can be transformed with warm white or pale yellow paint, brighter light fixtures, and cheerful accessories that bring reds and yellows into the room. A kitchen with lots of black and chrome appliances and fixtures will benefit from touches of green, purple, and red to support health and prosperity.

When you come home from the store and put your groceries away, think about the health and vitality these foods will bring to you and your family. As you reach for a snack or prepare a meal, take a moment to focus on how fortunate you are to have this nourishment at your fingertips. Visualize your kitchen always filled with nature's bounty, and say a quiet "thank you" for the food that sustains you and your family. This moment of awareness and gratitude will help to keep the chi of your kitchen supportive and strong.

One easy way to improve the chi of the kitchen is to make sure that everything involved in food preparation and serving is attractive and pleasant to work with. If you are cooking with pots that you don't like, eating from dishes that you do not love, or using paper towels for napkins because the good ones are put away in the back of a closet, each seemingly minor incident is detracting from your ability to enjoy and benefit from your meals.

Get rid of the stuff you never use, start using the things you love, and fill your kitchen with accessories that you really enjoy. This is feng shui in action, and it's a wonderful way to transform the energy of your kitchen so you can receive the support and comfort that the heart of your home should provide.

Feng shui reminds us that in order to prosper, we need to be healthy. The feng shui of your kitchen - especially the stove - can have a big influence on your financial situation, even if you rarely or never cook.

In feng shui, the stove is your "wealth generator." It is the most important symbolic factor in your ability to prosper financially, so make sure it works the way it should. Any problems with the stove can indicate problems with money or limitations to your ability to bring home a good income. A burner that doesn't heat could be a sign of fruitless effort, and an oven that runs too hot could be burning up your money. Dirt and grime are also signs of negative energy, so be sure to keep your stovetop and oven clean.

One easy way to activate money chi is to use your stovetop at least once a day, rather than always relying on the microwave to boil water for tea or heat up a cup of soup. Vary which burner you use, so that all are used regularly. If you don’t use your stove, or use the same one burner all the time, symbolically you are limiting your ability to benefit from financial resources.


When the stovetop is not in use, put all pots and pans away. Unused pots stored on top of the stove can squash prosperity chi, especially when they cover the rear left burner; if you visualize the ba gua over the stovetop, with career in the center front, the rear left burner is in the Wealth position.

To support prosperity, place something that symbolizes wealth or abundance in the Wealth area of your kitchen [the back left corner of the room if you are standing in the doorway], such as a basket or bowl of fresh fruit. Purple and green grapes are especially good abundance symbols for the wealth area.

Another good feng shui tactic is to keep kitchen canisters and other containers more than half-full as much as possible. Every time you see these containers, your subconscious mind will register plenty rather than the implied lack created by an almost empty jar. Get in the habit of restocking your food supplies before you run low, and you will fill your kitchen with the energy of abundance.

Excerpted from “The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui” by Stephanie Roberts (Alpha Books, 2004)

Copyright © 2004 Stephanie Roberts

Feng Shui and EMF Pollution

by Stephanie Roberts & Taraka Serrano

As a feng shui practitioner and author, I counsel my clients and readers to find auspicious ways to arrange the furniture in their homes, and help them to avoid souces of "sha chi" (negative energy) such as is created by overhead beams and sharp corners. The ancient masters recognized that exposure to sha chi increases stress, undermines good health and equanimity, and leaves us more susceptible to disease and fatigue. While the immediate impact may be subtle, over the long term sha chi is a powerful enemy to good health and vitality.

Today, one of the most prevalent and potentially dangerous forms of sha chi is something that ancient feng shui masters never encountered: the harmful EMF (electromagnetic frequency) pollution generated by electrical appliances and wiring in our homes and offices. We may position our desks for optimal feng shui, then spend many hours a day exposed to EMF radiation from our computers, fluorescent lights, and air-conditioning units, and then wonder why we suffer from headaches and fatigue by the end of the day. And then there are the mobile EMFs to which we are exposed to for more hours every day from our cell phones, and which surrounds us in our cars.

The levels of microwave and EMF emitted from cordless phones and cell phones are millions of times above the levels of corresponding, naturally occurring background EMFs. Furthermore, unlike natural EMF, which has random properties, these modern devices emit continual bursts of microwave and EMF pulses. These specific forms of EMFs are called "non-ionizing radiation." In the past, it was thought that non-ionizing radiation was essentially harmless, but recent epidemiological studies have generated a substantial body of evidence linking EMF exposure to impaired brain function and behavioral disorders -- symptoms like headaches and fatigue, an increased risk of cancer, and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Scientists now recognize that strong, multidirectional electromagnetic fields disrupt normal cell polarity and blood functions. The natural electromagnetic pulses from the brain that regulate our bodily systems and manage health and well-being are disrupted by the EMFs from man-made devices. Recent studies indicate that cellular telephone radiation, in particular, tremendously impairs membranes of the circulatory and nervous systems that ensure the normal chemical setting in the brain and repel toxins - and that children who use cell phones are especially at risk. Furthermore, EMF exposure can lead to defective cell metabolism, which over time can lead to a multitude of health problems. If you have ever noticed feeling drained and exhausted after a long session in front of your computer, or have had a sensation of heat or buzzing in your ear after using your cell phone, you are experiencing this for yourself.

The basic form and elements in your living or working space may be feng shui-correct, but unless the EMF issue is addressed, you are not in the clear. And if you use a cell phone - as most people do - you are carrying a powerful source of sha chi with you wherever you go, and holding it close to your brain every time you use it.

We believe that addressing the dangers of EMF pollution - especially from cell phones - is critical to anyone interested in optimal health and wellbeing, and that it is an essential component of the modern practice of feng shui. Fortunately, new technologies are emerging that are specifically designed to neutralize and harmonize harmful electro-magnetic frequencies in homes and workspaces. One small "chip" the size of a coin can dramatically reduce the harmful effects of cell phone use, for example.

We hope you will include EMF protection as part of your overall feng shui strategy for success and well-being, and encourage you to learn more about the dangers of - and solutions to - EMF pollution.

Copyright © 2005 Stephanie Roberts & Taraka Serrano

Feng Shui Money Tips

by Stephanie Roberts

Do you know where your financial "power spots" are? The contemporary methods of feng shui associate prosperity issues with the back left corner of any space. Stand at your front door facing into the house; your wealth area is at the back of the house on the left-hand side. There's also a wealth area within each room: facing in from the doorway, it's the corner area in the back of the room on the left-hand side. Where are the wealth areas within your office, living room, kitchen, and bedroom? Now that you've identified your money power spots, here are some quick and easy ways to apply feng shui to these spaces:


1. Clear out any clutter from these important areas. Clutter is a sign of stagnant energy, and clutter in your money power spots can clog up your cash flow. Getting rid of clutter is one of the most powerful ways to shift the energy of your power spots into high gear.

2. Fix things that are broken. Anything that doesn't work as it should is a sign of something wrong in the area of your life that corresponds to that part of your space. Examine each of your money power spots to look for anything that needs repair. It's time to do something about that loose doorknob, non-working light switch, stuck file drawer, or clock that doesn't keep correct time, to name just a few possible examples. Remove items like these from your power spots or fix them so they work properly.

3. Enhance your power spots with symbols of prosperity, such as a bowl of coins (add your loose change to it every day), a "lucky bamboo" plant, or anything that symbolizes success and prosperity to you. There are lots of Chinese luck symbols available, but you don't have to use them unless you want to. A picture of your dream house, or a model of that luxury car you long for, is an effective money symbol because it has personal meaning for you.

4. Accent your money areas with the colors green and purple. Green symbolizes vitality and growth, and purple is the color of wealth. Place a bowl of green and purple grapes (real or artificial) in the wealth area of your kitchen, to symbolize abundance filling your home. If you use real grapes, it's okay to eat them, just add more from time to time so the grapes remain fresh and the bowl is always more than half full.

5. Pay attention to how you handle money every day. Do you keep paper money neatly sorted in your wallet or money clip, or is it jammed in there any old way, or crumpled up at the bottom of your pocket? Clean the clutter out of your purse and wallet, and start handling your money as though you value it.

6. If you neglect your money, it will neglect you, so be sure to balance your checkbook regularly and pay your bills on time. Put your checkbook in an attractive cover (choose green, purple, red, blue, or black) and keep it in the wealth area of your desk - that's the rear left corner again -- or in the wealth area of your office.

7. Live generously. Money is a form of energy, and it needs to flow through your life, not just into it. Hoarding and scrimping work against more coming in, while giving generously within your means makes space for even greater abundance. If you don't yet have ample money to share, give as generously as you can of your time, energy, compassion, and appreciation.


8. Take a few moments every evening to think about all the good things that happened to you today and to express your gratitude for what you have received. Small things count, too, so it's okay if there's little of the spectacular on your list most of the time. It's not what happened that's important; it's getting in the habit of focusing on the positive side of things every day that matters. The more you notice, appreciate, and express gratitude for blessings received, no matter how small, the more good things will come your way, including money.

A true experience of prosperity is determined not by how much money you have, but by how well you notice and enjoy what is already present in your life. The formal name for the wealth area is "fortunate blessings" - as you de-clutter, repair, and accessorize your money power spots keep this broader meaning in mind. When you celebrate being rich in friends and family, or rich with laughter, or the richness of your spiritual life, or even being rich in air and sunshine if nothing else seems to be going well for you today, material blessings will come to you more readily as well.

Copyright © 2005 Stephanie Roberts

Feng Shui and the Command Position

by Stephanie Roberts

One of the most important feng shui guidelines is to place your bed and desk in what is called the "Command Position." In this position, you face the door from the far side of the room but are not directly in front of the door; usually the part of the room diagonally farthest from the entry offers the best Command Position.


In the Command Position, you are able to benefit from the chi that enters and flows through the space, while being far enough removed from the doorway that you are not exposed to chi that is too strong. A true Command Position also provides a solid wall behind you for support. Using this position puts you in visual command of the space, and allows you to face life directly, both literally and symbolically.

If you can't see the door from where you sleep or work, this implies that life can sneak up on you, that you tend not to face issues directly, and that you are easily startled and constantly dealing with unexpected events. Sleeping or working directly in line with the door also exposes you to excessive chi, which can contribute to stress, irritability, health problems, and feelings of overwhelm. Use of the Command Position removes you from these negative influences and puts you in control of your space and of your life.

The objective of using the Command Position for the bed and desk is a key factor as well in the feng shui guideline that says not to have your home office in the bedroom. While the main reason for this is that the energy of work (desk) and that of rest (bed) are incompatible and should not be housed in the same space, it is also highly unlikely that you will be able to place both the desk and the bed in the Command Position if you try to use both these important pieces of furniture in the same room.

These are fairly straightforward guidelines, but as so often happens, in any particular space there may be other factors involved that need to be taken into account. Although there are often several potential places to put a bed or desk that will meet the Command Position criteria (the larger the space, the more options you will have), usually one or more of these will be less than optimal for some reason. For example, placing your desk with a good view of the door may require sitting with your back to a large window. Not only does this imply lack of support in your career, but if you work at a computer (as most people with desk jobs do) glare from the window can also be a problem.


Other potential problems to be avoided include overhead beams, the low side of a slanted ceiling, sharp angles from interior corners, and an overhead fan in a room with a low ceiling - to name just a few. Any one of these factors may make a potential Command Position less than desirable. You should also keep in mind what is going on in the neighboring rooms as well as outside the building. For example, what may seem like the perfect Command Position location for your bed is not so perfect if your bedroom shares a wall with your kitchen or bathroom, and the toilet, shower, stove or refrigerator is right on the other side of the wall behind the bed. Another example would be a bedroom in the front of a house very close to the road. Here the Command Position might indicate placing the head of the bed against the exterior wall, where nighttime traffic may sound like it's driving right over your pillow and make it difficult to get a good night's sleep. In this case, you may find that placing your bed so it is in the Command Position relative to the road, rather than the doorway, is the better option. In many cases a review of the pros and cons of a space may indicate that the best location for your desk or bed may be one that is not in the Command Position, but that protects you from other influences.

The best possible furniture placement in any room in your home often involves a compromise between several different feng shui guidelines. The more you know about how the different features of your home affect your space, the better able you will be to make the placement choices that are best for you.

© 2005 Stephanie Roberts Serrano

4 Easy Steps to a Good Feng Shui Office

Integrating feng shui into your office environment can prove to be one of few instances you get to design a space specifically for you. Through use of materials and furniture layouts, all the way to the use of furniture pieces, we should not only introduce a new dimension of feng shui design but that of an ergonomic system. Taking the principles of feng shui and mixing that with the knowledge of interior design, we can select materials, colours and lighting schemes that suit you. The aim is to create a space that is not only beneficial to the user, but also envelops design flair.

For those of you with the opportunity to play around your work surroundings, here are some useful tips to consider for your home or office. Determining which directions are good for you is easy. Based on your year of birth, you can determine which group (East or West) you belong to and from there calculate which directions are beneficial for you.

Apply this with the annual and flying star charts to further analyze which sectors within the office are auspicious and how to arrange your work area for the year to come. Here is an example of how you can design an office situated within an East 1 facing Building for a West group person in 4 easy steps.

STEP 1
Determine your best direction
The first step is to determine your auspicious directions. You should always aim to sit facing one of your auspicious directions. In the case of a West group person, your good directions are West, Northwest, Southwest and Northeast. Once you have your good directions in had, find an area on your office floor plan where you can locate your worktable such that you sit facing your good directions at all times.

STEP 2
Determine which sectors are favorable based on the flying stars
The second step is to superimpose the flying star natal chart of the building onto your office floor plan to determine which sectors are auspicious. Based on a Period 8 East 1 chart, the double 8 star combination in the East corner is seen to be the perfect location for your worktable.

The center stars are of the 1,6,8 star combination, representing great intellectual and commercial luck, suggesting the need for an open plan concept to allow this center grid to be dominant. The ideal location for the door is the North sector with the lucky 6,1 star combination, where financial luck is identified.

Based on the small tai chi of the room, identify where the unfavorable star combinations are located and consider the use of interior furnishes such as cabinets or decorations to exhaust the bad luck effects of these stars. The 2,5 and 5,2 star combinations in the Northwest and South can cause extreme bad luck or misfortune and requires metal energy to exhaust these malicious earth stars.



Other areas to take note of are the sectors with the 9,7 and 7,9 combinations. In the new Period of 8, the number 7 transforms to its evil nature of theft and robbery. Other less favorable but not so severe sectors are the regions with the 3,4 and 4,3 star combinations, which symbolize stress-related problems if work is done there, unless appropriate solutions are in place.

STEP 3
Calculate how the annual stars may affect you
Double-check the annual star afflictions to make sure that your table arrangement is not in direct conflict with the direction of the annual Three Killings and Grand Duke Jupiter directions. This year, the Three Killings has flown to the South, so make sure you do not sit with your back to the South. The Grand Duke is located in the West-Southwest direction indicating that for 2004, you should avoid facing this direction when seated at your desk. Locate a Pi Yao in this corner to appease the Grand Duke Jupiter.



Note that the annual #3 argument star is placed in the East sector for 2004, so while sitting in the East corner is good due to the double 8 stars, the #3 annual star can pose problems at work. For the year, use metal energy to exhaust the #3 star or plenty of fire energy such as light to burn up this annual wood star. Lights will also help to create yang energy to activate your double 8 combination in the East.

The center grid contains the 1,6,8 combination which is lucky, but in 2004, the unfortunate 5 Yellow pays it a visit, so place elements of metal in the middle of the room. Use the 5-element pagoda or hang a 6-rod metal wind chime to not only exhaust the 5 Yellow but to activate the 1,6 flying stars as well.

By having your table placed in the East sector of the room, we are able to face all the 3 West directions (West, SW and NW) by having a curvilinear table form. The table seen here is ideal because it allows you to tap into not just one but three good directions, it also allows expansion of tabletop space.

STEP 4
Decorating your office

Use of Materials and Colours
When deciding on materials and colours in your interior decor, a good way to incorporate feng shui is to work with the 5 elements. You should aim to use the element that would either activate or exhaust a specific corner depending on whether the star combinations present are lucky or unlucky.

Furniture designs can range from contemporary to modern. Wooden furnishings can represent the wood element, while units containing glass can represent the earth element.

Frosted glass is a wonderful medium to work with if you want to incorporate auspicious or personalized motifs around your office. Or you could go with lacquer finishes for an oriental look. Stainless steel pieces represent metal energy and can take any form from your basic flower vase, cabinets to your main worktable.

If working with materials proves difficult, you can also work with colours. Determine which element you need in each space and paint that area in the colour you need, or introduce cushions, a painting or vase that incorporates the relevant colour.

Use of Lighting
Lights can also play an important role for both aesthetics, as well as usefulness, of the space. From a feng shui viewpoint, they represent a source of fire or yang energy. But our choice of lighting can affect the way we work. Light that is too harsh strains the eyes causing fatigue, while light that is too dim creates lethargy and laziness.

All these elements can be cross-referenced to the ergonomics of working environments. In creating a healthy office space, we need to understand that our experience within any space is determined by how our human form interacts with what is around is. Incorporating feng shui into any space thus does not have to compromise aesthetics, architecture or ergonomics. In fact, it compliments them.