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One of the fundamental aspects of Feng Shui is to promote the harmonious flow of energy (chi) and opportunities through our environment. This can best be achieved by the simple act of clearing clutter. By releasing items that no longer serve us, we are symbolically creating room for new, beneficial energy to come into our lives and enabling us to think more clearly as clutter is associated with worry.
When you clear clutter, you invariably experience a huge shift in energy, bringing many new things your way.
What is Clutter? - any equipment that is broken or doesn't work properly
- clothes that no longer fit
- old magazines and newspapers that are accumulating dust in a corner/on a bookshelf/in a box
- excess items that you don't use (how many mugs do you really need?)
- things that you hang on to becuase they might come in handy one day
- gifts you have received and kept even though you don't like them
- items of value that are no longer fashionable or you don't use but are "too good" to throw away
- old baby clothes and toys (especially if your youngest child has commenced school)
- any other item that you haven't used for over a year
Hmmm, sounds like my place.... where do I start?
Rome wasn't built in a day so tackle the task one room at a time. What do you think needs the most attention? If things are stagnant in your relationship, then you may wish to start by clearing out your bedroom (don't forget to look under the bed). It is also good practice to fix or remove any equipment or machinery that doesn’t work properly as they represent dysfunction in your life. There are many ways of getting rid of your clutter. Some things may go to St Vinnies, some may be saleable on ebay or at a garage sale, some may go to a friend or family member and other items may simply be headed for the bin. So have several boxes ready to go when you start decluttering so you can allocate things accordingly.
Don't wait for Spring, clear your clutter now! You may even find you walk with more of a spring in your step! Just remember, once your home is uncluttered to only bring new things into your space that you really love or really need.
Wishing you luck with your de-cluttering and hoping it clears the way for many new and exciting opportunities in your life!
Traditionally, water features were something associated mostly with the gardens of affluent homes but over the past five to ten years, they have become popular in many Australian homes and gardens. From a Feng Shui perspective, they are regarded as quite auspicious - if placed correctly... as water represents wealth. No surprise than that they appeared mostly in the gardens of wealthy homes!
However, with the rising popularity of water features and growing public interest in Feng Shui, many people now know to ask "Where is the best spot for me to place a water feature?" The answer can be simple if you wish to follow basic Feng Shui Compass School principles. You would place it in the North sector of the home or garden as this is the only sector associated with the water element. As the North sector represents Career, it would help to stimulate your career energy/prospects. It is also considered auspicious for water to eneter your property from the East.
However, for those of you who wish to stimulate your wealth energy, the answer is a little more complicated. An analysis of your home by a Feng Shui consultant, taking in to account the age of the home and an exact compass reading of the facing direction, is required to determine where your current wealth energy lies.
Water features include aquariums, ponds, pools, bird baths and of course a myriad of different ornamental creations ranging from small bench top features right through to artistically designed, uniquely sculptured pieces that may be the main feature in your garden.
If you currently have or are planning to install a water feature, ensure you always keep the water clean and clear to encourage a positive energy flow. Stagnant water may lead to stagnant energy. If you've seen the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?
you will also be familiar with the concept of "the memory of water". In which case you would want to ensure the water in your water feature is clean and pure so that you can "program it" with positive affirmations, if you choose.
Another important thing to consider when installing a new water feature is that it doesn't waste water. Some water features splash water over the edges and if you are keen to do your bit to conserve water, you may want to check out how much is lost through it's operation; obviously some will always be lost due to evaporation which is unavoidable.
Wishing you luck with your water features and hoping they stimulate your full financial potential!
Many Feng Shui enthusiasts reading this newsletter (especially those who have had a personalised consultation or attended a workshop with me at some stage) may be aware that the Chinese Solar New Year (February 4th) brings with it a slight change in Flying Star energies affecting the home. This doesn't involve major changes to the way your home is currently arranged but can help you or hinder you in certain areas of your life, depending on whether you choose to address them.
To help you prepare your home for both the good and challenging Flying Star energy that 2007 brings, here is a quick summary of the areas of your home you may wish to address.
Challenging Energies for 2007The most challenging energy represented by "Flying Star 5" will be affecting the North East sector of the home. This energy represents catastrophe, misfortune and accidents. Therefore, it is especially important to reduce it's effect if your home's main entrance, a bedroom or home office is located in the North East sector. To reduce the effect, you need to bring in the metal element. This may be a string of bells hung from a door knob, a wind chime located outside the window in this sector or positioning a chiming clock in this area of the home. Your selection of "remedy" will depend upon the practical use of the room. You can further reduce this energy by using metallic colours or white in this area. Avoid the fire element which would actually enhance this energy. Therefore, avoid the colour red and if you happen to have a fire place, or BBQ in this area of the home, avoid using it this year.
The next most challenging energy is represented by "Flying Star 2" which will be affecting the heart or centre of the home (also known as the Tai Chi sector). This energy represents sickness, particularly of the digestive system and abdominal region, so it is especially important to remedy this area if a bedroom is located in this part of your home. As this energy also requires the metal element to reduce it's influence, use any of the remedies mentioned above for Flying Star 5 to reduce it's effect and avoid the fire element here too, if possible. Beneficial Energies for 2007The most beneficial energy represented by "Flying Star 8" will be affecting the South West sector of the home this year. This energy represents a gradual increase in wealth and fame and should therefore be supported and enhanced. Primarily, this area of the home should be kept clean and clear of clutter at all times to allow this energy to flow through. To support this energy, you can use the earth element. This means the colours yellow, brown and terracotta would be beneficial. Also, objects and building materials made of pottery or clay would be beneficial here. You may also use the fire element to feed the Flying Star 8 energy. This means the colour red and any shade or tint of red is beneficial here. Also, the use of candles, heaters, a BBQ or fireplace would be beneficial in this area of the home, if possible.
The next most beneficial energy is represented by "Flying Star 9" which will be affecting the East sector of the home. This energy represents success and promotion and is particularly great to enhance if this is something you wish to attract this year. Use the fire element to support this energy (see recommendations for the fire element under Flying Star 8 above). You can also use the wood element to feed this energy. This means using the colour green and placing items made of wood in this area of the home.
Placed with intention, these remedies can help you to create or maintain the energetic balance in your home. Please be aware that there are many other energies at work including the significant 20 year period Flying Stars that operate on a 20 year cycle; so they can also affect the balance of these annual influences!
If you would like to know more about how Feng Shui energies can be modified for your benefit in your home or business, Living Energy Feng Shui offers personalised consultations (7 days a week) and various workshops. Our next workshop focusing specifically on colour, is coming up later this month. Other Feng Shui-specific workshops are coming up soon after. For full workshop details, visit: http://www.living-energy.com.au/?page=workshops
Advance bookings are required.
Interestingly, this is the number one reason people request a Feng Shui consultation! "Ever since I moved in to this home, I have watched our money flow out the door!" This is one of the most common statements I hear from people. And that's if it ever made it in to begin with... There are many hints a home can give you as to whether it will be financially good for you or not; such as whether the land slopes up or down, whether there is a prominent water course (big swimming pool, river, creek, lake) in an auspicious area nearby, the location of the front door and may other aspects to take into account.
For starters, lets look at what sloping blocks of land may mean for your finances and lifestyle... Have you ever been in the market to buy a home and noticed that those located on the "low side of the road" are normally cheaper or take longer to sell? This is often the case as most people are not naturally drawn downward and this includes their approach to coming home.
From a Feng Shui perspective, homes on the low side of the road are considered inauspicious for wealth, the further down you head from the road, normally the more difficult it is to attract wealth and it can also indicate that the occupants work very hard or very long hours. The way to help boost your financial situation in this case, is to ensure that there is a strong backing made up of tall trees or some other tall barrier at the rear of the property to "catch" and contain your flow of wealth. However, the trees (or barrier) need to be tall enough to be seen from the front of the block - hence, taller than the home. This is a remedy you can plant or build if your home happens to be located on the low side of the road - not always easy to achieve.
One thing to note though, is that even if you have tal trees at the rear of you property, the occupants may still work very hard or very long hours, but at least they are normally enjoying a healthy level of financial success. So the next time your in the market to buy a property or secure a rental property, may I suggest you look for one on the high side of the road - just a gentle, managebale upward slope. Too steep is not considered good Feng Shui either as you then have to really push to get up to your home and you may find similar issues to the downward slope!
Other issues affecting the financail prosperity in your home can be related to significant water placment, the position of your front door and the "Flying Star Chart" of your home - this can be likened to the information often gleaned from an astrological chart prepared by an astrologer, only we it relates to the changing energies affecting your home. To read more about Flying Star Feng Shui, click here
