“Out of Work” Feng Shui Tips

Everywhere I go lately, I find that there are a lot of people recently laid off: networking meetings, workshops, and even on Twitter!  Although this is definitely an undesirable situation to be in, I do believe events have a purpose.  Many years ago, I was laid off with the rest of my department. It was a very emotional experience, but the irony didn’t evade me.

Just a few months before, I became totally disengaged from my work there. I had no passion, no enthusiasm any more. My mind would wander and I was not an effective employee.  I had entertained leaving the organization, but wasn’t bold enough to do just that. Instead, I was “rewarded” by being laid off and receiving six months severance – which I surely would not have received had I quit!

Perhaps you weren’t really happy in your work or were not compensated fairly. Perhaps, as one Twitter friend just shared, you had a  horrific work environment (he had electrical cables running everywhere on the floor and even under his desk chair and he had a dead plant on his desk!  Talk about “bad” Feng Shui – for another article to come!).

So here are some real-life stories and Feng Shui tips that generated opportunities for work:

(You can download a colorful copy of the Feng Shui Bagua here: The Feng Shui Bagua)

Determine where your Career area is on all floors of your home (This area is usually where your front door is, or middle third of the front house, or for the property it is in the middle third of the front) – When I was laid off, I was currently studying Feng Shui and realized, with horror, that the Career area on the 2nd floor was an bedroom used for storage in my home.  This storage was a hodge-podge of my old work stuff and my husband’s stuff that was just thrown everywhere, without much organization. I immediately (and I mean the next day!) announced to my husband that I was clearing out the clutter. A half hour later he joined me and we threw out a lot of unnecessary work stuff that was keeping me tied to the past. In addition, the remaining items were neatly organized and the room looked and felt terrific!  I also felt uplifted and energetic, which typically happens when you de-clutter. With mindful intention, we de-cluttered the space and finally honored this area of the house that represented Career. Within that following week, I received a phone call from an old colleague that had an opportunity that kept me employed for nearly 2 years while I was completely my Feng Shui studies.

Locate Helpful People (to the front right of the home or property) -  Helpful People represent anyone in your life that will support you. Support can be friends and acquaintances looking out for jobs available for you, recruiters, etc.  This client was in need of work. Her front door was in Helpful People but was dark and dreary. In addition, part of Helpful People was missing.  We added lighting and placed a large mirror by the door to “fill-in” the missing space. Within a couple of weeks, she obtained a lucrative assignment in her industry.

Where is Fame in your house? (Fame is at the back middle part of the house or property) – Fame is the area that represents word-of-mouth referrals, and being top of mind.  This client had been unemployed for several months, lacking any opportunities. When we toured his house, there were no glaring indications for “Feng Shui fixes.”  That was until we visited his yard, which sloped downward in the back.  In this situation, energy or chi is said to “drop off.”  The occupants are not able to maintain opportunities in these areas of their life: Wealth, Fame, Romance (any or all of which can be effected).  I recommended he place shrubbery in the central part, before the slope, to keep the chi in.  Within a month, he had several  good job offers.

Feng Shui Tips in Summary

• Pay special attention to these areas of your home and property: Career, Helpful People, and Fame.
• If there is clutter, de-clutter, clean and organize to keep this space tidy
• If one of these areas is “missing” in your home, a large mirror on one of the walls adjacent to missing area inside the house can serve to “fill in” this missing area. Outside the home, you can place a large object to anchor the chi that would create the full square or rectangle shape (when you draw 2 lines from both sides of the house, the intersection of these lines is the anchor point). Some ideas are a large boulder, shrub, statue, or a seating area.
• If the yard slopes away in one of these areas, “keep in” the chi by placing something substantial, again to anchor the chi. Ideas are the same as the above. In addition, look to the bagua for the missing area and get inspired by the natural element listed for that Bagua area. (Career – water; Fame – fire; Helpful People – metal).
• As always, be sure that all lighting, doors and windows are in good working order, especially in these 3 areas.

Feng Shui won’t move mountains, but it will help you in your search for good employment. Have any questions on how you can create work opportunities or stories to share? Post them here!

 

Feng Shui Your New Bathroom

Bathrooms can be a difficult room in Feng Shui. Since they have a lot of water and drains, they can represent diminished energy in an area or multiple areas of your life that correspond to the Feng Shui Bagua (a tool used by Feng Shui practitioners with nine boxes that correspond to life’s main concerns that align to a building – see diagram below). For instance, if you determine that your bathroom is in the wealth area of your home, you will probably experience issues with having wealth and abundance in your life.

So, if you are looking to renovate your bathroom you may wonder how you can make this space as beneficial as possible, perhaps even make an enhancement in that life area. If this possible?  Why, yes, it is!

Essentially, the way to do it  is to incorporate the element that is dominant in that life area of the Bagua and be sure that this element is dominant in the space.  A great way to do this in Feng Shui is the use of tile. In my recent bathroom renovation (nearly complete!) I was amazed to see the variety of tile available. See below for great ideas on incorporating the Feng Shui elements into your space.

Wealth/Abundance or Family – If your bathroom is located in the back left corner or along the left middle wall of your home, the Wealth and Family areas, respectively. This area is represented by the Wood Element. You want to be sure that essence of Wood dominates the space.  Because this tile has a great wood look and basket weave design, it would be a great addition to your room.

Fame – If your bathroom is located at the back center of your home, it’s in the Fame area. This area is represented by Fire. Fire is red, which may not be everyone’s first choice for tile. However, you can incorporate the triangular shapes, that are also a Fire characteristic, shown in this tile.

Partnership, Health, Knowledge – If your bathroom is located in any of these areas, shown on the diagonal on the Bagua, the Earth Element dominates. It is especially important to be sure that a bathroom located in the middle of the home (Health) is dominated by the Earth Element, as this can affect the health of the occupants of the home. This tile is a great example of how you can incorporate Earth. The material, of course, if earth-based, as well as the shape (horizontal shapes) and color (earth tones).

Creativity, Helpful People – These two areas are located on the right side of your home (creativity is right middle wall of the home, while Helpful People is the front right of the home). The Metal Element dominates. Incorporating tile with metallic hues are a hit!

Career – And finally, the front center of your home represents the Career area and Water is the predominant element. The colors of water and flowing lines are contribute to the Watery feel of this tile. In addition, it is made of glass, which also represents Water.

These examples are a but a few that are available to help make your bathroom a wonderful Feng Shui enhancement to your home! Check out the variations and have fun. Be creative!  These tile photos are courtesy of www.homeportfolio.com.

I would love to hear your questions about Feng Shui bathrooms. Just comment on this post. Enjoy!

 

First Feng Shui-Designed Development in Australia

A beautiful newly-opened Feng shui-designed community has just opened in the Gold Coast of Australia. Called “Harmony Broadwater” by the Zen Property Group it looks like a vacation paradise you can call home!

Harmony Broadwater is Australia’s first integrated feng shui development.  It houses 119 units across five residential buildings. On a 1.8-hectare property, all the homes have a view of the botanical oasis in the center of the development or of adjacent channel and the Pacific Ocean. The oasis represents 60% of the property dedicated to open space and nature, creating a calm central focus.

Feng Shui expert, Dr. Jirong Zhang (aka Master Z), was consulted to ensure that its residents would have access to the beneficial effects of Feng Shui. Master Z participated in every aspect of the development from siting the buildings to retain some 20 mature trees, to design of the oasis with various natural elements and water features to the consulting on the design of the five residential buildings representing the five Chinese elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

If anyone reading this can visit the property, please email some photos and let me know what you think.

 

 

 

City Hall of London’s Feng Shui

Feng Shui masters use a variety of complex principles and energy-dynamics to aid in designing or evaluating the built environment. But one of the more powerful tools is simply symbolism. What does the building “look like” symbolically? How does it make you feel? What does it seem to represent? In addition, good Feng Shui will support the mission of the building.

In this case, this building definitely has an avant-garde quality. It’s a more feminine, softer structure in a world dominated by masculine shapes. Being situated on a river, it certainly mimics the quality of water with its glass façade and fluidness. The interior spiral staircase gives a wonderful view of London and the Thames and there is an observation deck at the top. These are but just a few of the many wonderful qualities of the building.

However, the building is simply off-kilter. There is an immediate sense of imbalance, falling over. Some have said that it looks like a pile of coins that is poised to tip over.  I can’t help thinking that it would feel ominous to be in the park on the back side of the structure, with the building leaning towards you. It cannot be a comfortable space to be in.

This building might get away with its unevenness if perhaps it was a cultural arts center. But it’s the City Hall in London!  The structure not only does not support the mission of the “business” of the building (imbalanced money!), it seems to actually drain energy through its imbalance.

 

Feng Shui Master Bathroom Renovation – Day 3

Watch the video of our major renovation on 2nd floor of our home. Using Feng Shui and eco-friendly principles as a guide.

This video discussses recycling and re-using materials.

 

Feng Shui Master Bathroom Renovation – Selecting a Date

Watch the video of our major renovation on 2nd floor of our home. Using Feng Shui and eco-friendly principles as a guide.

This video explains how to select the best date for construction to begin and what to do if you cannot start on that date!

 

Feng Shui Master Bathroom Renovation – Day 2

Watch the video of our major renovation on 2nd floor of our home. Using Feng Shui and eco-friendly principles as a guide.

This video shows demolition and bump-out of the Romance & Relationship corner of the house.

 

Feng Shui Master Bathroom Renovation – Day 1

Watch the video on Day 1 of our major renovation (or, demolition!).

See the floorplan of our home as it is now and how we plan on expanding it, using the Feng Shui bagua as a guide.

 

My Master Bath Renovation – Calm Before the Storm

We’ve lived in this house for 12 yrs and have renovated nearly everything. It’s a great 1950’s home built in the Swedish farmhouse-style. Well we’re finally going to redo the master bathroom. It’s a 1950’s original, which, anyone who knows me, knows that I’m into vintage and retro. But, it’s falling apart. I am very eco- conscious, so to pour bottle after bottle of Liquid Plumber into our drains has been a hard one to deal with.

We need to replace our roof (7 layers of shingles isn’t a good idea!) so we’re adding a few other things to the list. Like make my daughter’s closet bigger, bump-out my son’s room so he can have an east-facing window in his north-facing room. And, while we’re at it, let’s make a walk-in closet in the master bedroom!

We’re approaching this with Feng Shui principles in mind, of course. According to Chinese philosophy, our property (homes, lots, businesses) are mirrors of our bodies.  Whatever we do to one, has an effect on the other. Tearing down walls can lead to health issues.

So, it’s most important that to begin this project we look to the calendar to plan the best day to start. And, unfortunately, sometimes work schedules do not align with most beneficial days, so I have made sure we are not starting on a “bad” day for construction, and will start the demolition between 11am and 1pm (most auspicious times of the day). Before construction begins, I will bless the walls that will be torn out.  This is a process that I do for my clients, commercial and residential alike.

Upstairs hallway

In the picture to the left is our hallway that leads to a window. There are two large storage closets in this space – great for storage, but not great for Feng Shui. These closets were our depositories for all items that we didn’t know what to do with. Since this area is in the Romance and Relationship area of the Bagua, this can have an impact on those areas of our lives. In addition, the Romance area was not complete. Once we tear out the closets and bump out the back of the house a few feet, this area will be complete.  Our master bathroom will be in this space, once we tear out the closets and bump out the back of the house a few feet.

Below are several photos of the master bathroom. Really funky and cool, but has to go!

Shower/bath

Sink/vanity

Aren't these drawers cool?

Check back here often to see how we are doing. Demolition just started!

 

The Feng Shui of Trees

Trees….I’ve always had a thing for trees! Taking a walk today at Avalon in Stony Brook, I came across this magnificent tree. I can’t guess how old it is (200 yrs old?), but it’s far older than most of the trees in the preserve. It’s just down the yellow/blue trail from the parking lot.

Beautiful Tree!

I believe trees have consciousness, so I acknowledged the tree and gave gratitude for its presence.
Trees have tree-mendous (ha!) positive energy and help uplift our energy fields.  They also will absorb our negative thoughts, anxieties and fears. Just stand near the tree, outstretch your hands onto the trunk and download all of your junk. Don’t worry about “hurting” the tree. Trees feed on “lower” vibrations from the earth and this download actually feeds the tree.

A symbiotic relationship. Perfect Feng Shui. So, don’t delay. Go out there and find a tree this weekend!