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!

 

Front Door Feng Shui

I went to a GreenDrinks event the other night at a new restaurant in Syosset, Sagamore Steakhouse. The building was light up beautifully, great outdoor spaces, wonderful interior ambience, valet parking for convenience, and a grand entryway from the parking lot (seen here – taken with my cell camera – sorry for poor quality).

Grand front entryway

But, as you walk through this entryway, you quickly realize that the two doors directly in front of you are mirrored and there is a bench seat in front of them. Where is the front entrance to the building?

There is no indication on which way to turn. I stood there for a few seconds wondering which way to go – confusion!  Not a good feeling while approaching a retail location for the first time.

Is your business maximizing its opportunities by using good Feng Shui principles?  Do your clients and prospects feel welcomed coming into your space? Contact me and I’ll help you optimize the flow of good energy into your space, increasing prosperity and abundance of clients!

Feng Shui 101: Make the entrance attractive (which they did) and easy to navigate, instilling a sense of anticipation and welcoming.

 

Beautiful Home…Poor Feng Shui

On my usual walk with my dog, we pass a large home built at the turn of the last century by architect Stanford White, of McKim, Mead, & White. It sits high up on a hill, overlooking the harbor. The central part of the home is shaped like a pentagon, with 5 sides.

 

Wetherill House by Stanford White

A long time ago, as a child, my family and I passed this house on our usual Sunday drives. We were so intrigued by the house then, as it reminded us of one of the grand mysterious homes in the television show “Dark Shadows” with its widow’s peak on top. I found out through a real estate friend when it was sold a few years ago, that the central stairway is falling down and taking the house with it. It seems that, when the house was built, the hill was not high enough for the owner so they had added landfill.

 

Interested to see what Feng Shui would say about this predicament, my real estate friend asked. In Feng Shui, the hill (or mountain) should be behind the house protecting it, not on top of it. This represents a lack of security. Plus, the act of creating a higher hill is against the laws of nature and is really like “puffing” oneself up; making one’s place of importance higher than it really is. In addition, the landfill creates a very insecure foundation for the entire structure (hence it is falling) and symbolically translates to a collapse of fortune and luck.