Closets in Feng Shui

by Vikki Anderson

What can we do with closets, you may ask?  You can do a lot of great things with them, so read and learn.

First, I would de-clutter.  I know, you knew I was going to say that.  It’s true…anything that hasn’t fit you or that you may not like any longer, it is time to give to friends, family or a charity.  The Lupus Foundation (Lupus.org) will pick up your clothing from your home and use the money for research.  You can arrange the pickup date on line, so how easy is that?  Keep the clothes you like, want and fit into and start from there.

Everything should immediately be taken off of the top shelf. We usually throw junk up there that is rarely used.  Because the closet’s top shelf in Feng Shui represents your future, you want it clean, clutter free and filled with your business cards, marketing tools, money and anything else you may wish to attract in your future.  You can always add specific colors and items from the specific gua that you are trying to enhance, i.e., the wealth area, partnership area or health, etc.

If it is the wealth area, be sure to place red envelopes filled with money in the future area of your closet.  If you want a new job, put job offers, job listings, or anything that would represent a new position for you up on the top shelf.  Yes, you may store things up there too, but give your desired enhancement a chance to work by giving it lots of room to grow.  Use purple, green and blue in this area.

If it is in the partnership area, put things that remind you of the two of you: photos, remembrances, movie tickets, souvenirs, etc.  Be sure to also put items in pairs.  Pairs, of course, represent couples.  Place the color pink in the upper part of your closet for the partnership gua.

For health issues, be sure the area if well illuminated and painted in a bright or pastel yellow (or earth tone) and place things that remind you of good health in that area, such as a good blood work report, a picture of you when you were very healthy and happy, a picture of you on vacation hiking or jogging, a health magazine or book, etc.  Be creative and I know you will find tons of things to remind you of good health.

The middle of the closet or where you hang your clothes, represents your present.  This area should be well organized and clutter free.  Remove clothes that do not fit you or that are outdated.  If you do not, you will have situations that don’t fit in with your lifestyle or hopes.  The same is true for outdated garments…your ideas may be outdated for this time in your life and you will be overlooked for some important position, or perhaps even for an opportunity that you were waiting for because of “something” that is outdated or out of style.

The bottom of the closet is the past, so to be safe, place items here if you just do not know where else to place them.  The past can’t hurt you.  It’s done.  No more negative energy can stick to a completed task or project.  Again, this area should be organized and clutter free and filled with wonderful photographs or memories of your past.  If you do not wish your past (ex-spouse or partner, ex-job, etc.) to follow you into the present, you should keep those items in large Rubbermaid tubs and seal them so they are safe from infecting your present.  Also, if old wedding albums of an ex or old invitations to your wedding (which did not work out) are stored in the top of your closets, you will never be free of the negative energy of that relationship, and will continuously attract that same energy into current relationships, etc.  You no longer need that energy around you so get rid of stuff that you just don’t need to be reminded of any longer.

These are just a few ways to help you arrange your life by organizing your past, present and future areas in all of your closets in your home and office, thereby attracting appropriate energies to help you achieve the goals you want and desire.

Copyright (c) 2009 www.Fengshuimoon.com.

Book Cases

by Vikki Anderson

Many of us have large book cases filled with hard and soft cover books that we have read many years ago or the ones that we have yet to read.  Have you thought about donating your “read” books to your local library or your school’s library?   What are you really going to do with them anyway?  Once you have read a book (and sometimes you may read it twice or thrice), it becomes a dust collector and another bit of clutter.

Once your “must have” or “must keep” books are in your book case, try a little variety.  Lay some down horizontally and others in the vertical position.  This will balance the yin/yang energy in the room.  Horizontal books bring in quiet and laid back energies (yin), while vertical books bring in active and energetic energies (yang).  You may also wish to put various colored book covers on your cherished items — these colors should be appropriate to the area of the gua in which the book case(s) are located.

If your book case is filled with old magazines, donate them to a nursing home or doctor’s office OR you can give them to friends who may not be able to afford a subscription to the magazines you currently order.  An easy way of de-cluttering is to throw them out as soon as you’ve read them or just cut out the articles of interest and put them in a folder.  I actually put a folder such as this in the car so that when there is traffic or any type of delay, I can pull out these articles and get something of value completed instead of just waiting around and getting angry.

This is just another example of decluttering your home a step at a time to find the positive opportunities and voluntary simplicity that we all long to have in our lives.

Chinese Feng Shui Horoscope (for fun!)

This is a Chinese Feng Shui horoscope.  Take a moment to take this test!  If you are honest this tells the truth, it’s pretty accurate.  Write your answers on paper.  Find out your horoscope at the bottom.

1.  Which is your favorite color: Red, Black, Blue, Green or Yellow?
2.  Your first initial?
3.  Your month of birth?
4.  Which color do you like more, Black or White?
5.  The name of a person that is the same sex as you?
6.  Your favorite number?
7.  Do you like California or Florida more?
8.  Do you like a lake or the ocean more?
9.  Write down a wish (a realistic one)

When you are done, scroll down.  Don’t cheat!

ANSWERS

1.  If you chose:
Red – You are alert and your life is full of love.
Black – You are conservative and aggressive.
Green – Your soul is relaxed and you are laid back.
Blue – You are spontaneous and love affection.
Yellow – You are a very happy person and give good advice to those who are down.

2.  If your initials are:
A-K You have a lot of love and friendships in your life.
L-R You try to live your life to the max and your love life is soon to bloom.
S-Z You like to help others and your future looks very bright.

3.  If you were born in:
Jan-Mar: The year will go very well for you and you will discover that you fall in love with someone20totally unexpected.
Apr-Jun: You will have a strong love relationship that will last forever.
Jul-Sep: You will have a great year and will experience a major life-changing experience for the good..
Oct-Dec: Your life will be great, you will find your soul mate.

4.  If you chose:
Black: Your life is about to get better.  You are more than ready for the change.
White: You have a friend who completely confides in you and would do anything for you, but you may not realize it.

5.  This person should be your best friend.

6.  This is how many close friends you will have in your life time.

7.  If you chose:
California : Y ou like adventure.
Florida : You are a laid back person…

8.  If you chose:
Lake : You are loyal to your friends and your lover.  You are very reserved.
Ocean:  You are spontaneous and like to please people.

9.  This wish will come true if you send this to 1 person in one hour.  Send it to ten people and it will come true before your next birthday.

Be peaceful to others and to yourself.

Sent to me via email, so I am not sure who wrote this, but I thank them and must say that it was interesting!  You’re right, I didn’t type this, but I did adjust the spacing…LOL

Feng Shui for Spring Time

By Rev. Vikki Anderson

Spring is a wonderful time to start cleaning out the yard, opening up the windows and letting the new fresh air of spring inside of your home and life.

With the new energy of the season, it is important to clear out the old stale energy from the winter and breathe new life into your environment.

Here are a few ways to bring in positive energy into your yard and home.

1. Put up a small bird bath or water fountain near the front entrance.
2. Hang beautiful chimes from trees, your deck or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you.
3. Hang up whirl-i-gigs to promote positive chi to circulate around your property and remove any stagnant areas of dead or dying chi.
4. Plant bulbs, annuals, perennials in bright colors.  To correctly place the right color in the right area of your yard or garden, follow the ba gua colors (see www.VikkiAnderson.com under Feng Shui).
5. Burn white sage throughout your home, closets, bathroom, cellar, attic and around the house to ensure negative energy or negative chi is removed while keeping your windows in your home open to allow the negativity to escape from your surroundings.
6. Place 60 MM aurora borealis crystals in windows that get the morning sun so that rainbows will dance on your ceiling and walls.  Each room should have many colors in it for balanced energy.
7. Get rid of things you no longer need, want or like, so that you will have a clutter free space to enjoy and come home to each evening without feeling overwhelmed by the clutter.
8. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your space and your mood.  Choose the proper color for the area of the ba gua you are painting; if you can’t, add a few decorative touches like pillows, books, candleholders, statues or paintings with the required colors in them.
9. Let the light into your home.  Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and feel re-energized.
10. Purchase a few Himalayan salt lamps, candle holders or prosperity bowls so their medicinal powers (helps with allergies, headaches, insomnia, depression and many more illnesses) and place them around your home to ensure your family’s continued good health.

A full assortment of Feng Shui cures will be available on the site soon. For a private Feng Shui consultation, call Vikki at 973-492-3110 or email her at Starscape50@aol.com or visit her website at www.fengshuimoon.com.

Bedrooms

by Vikki Anderson, Certified Professional Advanced Feng Shui Consultant

Bedrooms should have very yin energy – dark, quiet and calm energy.  This is where we renew ourselves after a hard day of work (or play) and we need a nurturing environment to help us receive the required sleep to function perfectly.  The bedroom should only be used for two purposes – sleeping and making love.  If you have computer or gym equipment in your bedroom, remove it as it is distracting to the two functions.

Dim lighting and setting aside an area in the bedroom where you (as a couple) could talk with your partner would be ideal.  You may even wish to have a seating area to read your book or have a nighttime snack before bed. Everything placed in the bedroom should be relaxed, liked or appreciated.  No loud art work or sculptures in this space.  Do not put   mirrors in this room;  however, a good sized mirror over the bureau or dresser is fine as long as it does not reflect the bed or you. Do the colors match the colors in the Bagua for this room?  If not, you can add accent pillow or afghan to make the flow of energy smoother and calmer. Are they refreshing to your soul?  Does everything feel comfortable?  Do you feel as if you can relax in your bedroom at the end of the day and leave the troubles of the world behind?

Note to those who are single and wish to marry or have a significant other…place two nightstands in your bedroom as well as two chairs to invite a partner into your life.  Place two lamps, pairs of anything such as geese, flowers, stars, hearts, etc., to help love find you.

Be sure that both of you like the wall color, curtains and bedspread.  If one of you does not like the colors, it would not be a comforting place for him or her to spend their evenings.  Compromise and enjoy your bedroom getaway.

Be sure your bedroom nourishing place for love, health, abundance and joy.

Copyright 2009 www.fengshuimoon.com.

Bathrooms

by Vikki Anderson

Bathrooms are very important in Feng Shui since they hold the largest drains in the home.  Money is represented by water whether it is a stream on your property, a leak in your pipes, a fish aquarium or a running fountain.  Water running down the drain means that money is draining out of your life or being flushed down the toilet.  That does not sound like a good prospect for the financially savvy person.

So men, close the lid to the toilet seat.  The intent is to keep the energy/money in the home, not losing it by letting the water run down the drain.

Keep shower curtains/doors closed at all times.

Place a bagua (eight sided mirror) outside of the bathroom door.  It could be placed above the trim of the door or on the door if it is secured.

A large beveled mirror can also be hung on the outside of the bathroom door reflecting the energy (chi) back your living space or office and in many instances, it gives the appearance of a larger more continuous space.

Another wonderful Feng Shui cure is to put a 60 mm round leaded crystal on the ceiling between the bathroom door and the toilet.  The intent is to deflect the energy from running down the sink or toilet and bouncing it back into the home.

A simple cure would be to keep the door closed at all times; however, it might be difficult to know when someone is using it.

Depending upon which gua your bathroom resides in, you may wish to use the colors of the specific area to amplify the positive effects of the bagua area.

Keep items in the area color coordinated with the area of the bagua.  For instance, if your bathroom is in your fame area, (the red colored and triangle shaped areas), you may wish to have red towels and coordinate it with red items with points such as gnomes with their red hats, red stars, red butterflies and how about a pointed leaf pattern on your shower glass door or a stained glass snowflake?  You can use this method for all the nine areas of the bagua.  You may also wish to keep red candles in this area since the element that governs this area is fire.

Do yourself a favor and get rid of old or mismatched bathroom towels and face cloths and have a unified look in your bathroom.

With these simple cures, you can be assured that your finances will be more secure and more prosperous opportunities will be available for you.

www.Fengshuimoon.com, copyright 2009.  You may reprint this article with appropriate acknowledgement of author’s name and website.

Helpful People, Travel and Masculine Energy

by Rev. Vikki Anderson

This is the last section of the ba gua. It is immediately to the right of the front entrance if the entrance is directly in the middle of the structure. This is the white, gray and black area which represents the Helpful People, Travel and Masculine Energy gua. This is the second gua that is ruled by metal. It correlates to the head in the human body. This area suggests a circular or round shape for optimum energy and positive chi.

This would be the perfect place for your office so that helpful people can assist you in developing your projects or business. This would also be a great travel area. Perhaps you travel for your business or wish to travel more for your business, then fixing up this area would be in order. Because this area is so close to the front door and the front of the house, many people will find you and bring in business. Never put any type of office in the rear of a home or building as it would take people a long time to find you. You want to be as close to the public or people as possible.

You can use white or different shades of gray as your metal filing cabinets. You can also use gray metal desk accessories. You can use those colors for your walls or accent colors. A tweed rug would help add texture to this area.

If you wish to travel, place travel posters, photos or paintings of places you would like to go or people you would like to meet.

A bookcase would be appropriate in your office space as well. Remember, books placed horizontally in a bookcase will bring in yin energy (calming energy) and placed vertically in the same bookcase will change the energy to yang energy (energizing energy) depending upon which energy you need for that area.

This is a forceful area bringing in masculine energy so make the most of this energy and accomplish your goals.

This area of your home or office should be organized, structured, uncluttered and well lit for optimum positive energy and opportunities. A round leaded crystal could be placed in the middle of the room hanging from the ceiling or in a window so that when the sun shines through it, you will have all the colors of the prism in that space – your ultimate goal.

Article by www.VikkiAnderson.com. Copyright 2008. Do not reprint without permission.

Feng Shui Results

I have been actively teaching/lecturing and practicing Feng Shui for over twelve years now; I had probably started in this field as it was sort of partially popular, but now everyone knows about Feng Shui or at least has heard of it.

Clients call back usually within a week or two and let me know how things are going after some of the changes or I give them a call in case they have questions about where to hang something or about a position of a piece of furniture, color or shape they wish to add or remove.

Intent is a very important part of Feng Shui.  You put out an intent that you want to have better health, improve your child’s  study habits, you want to have a romantic partnership which is in both partners’ best interest, that you need more abundance which will sustain you and your family, or to bring in more business.

Here are some of the results I have heard over the past two months from some of my Feng Shui consultations and these are paraphrased, but I just wanted you to get an idea of what the results could be.  I am giving you some of the obvious cures that we did to change the energy; of course, many other cures were also put into effect.

I need you to Feng Shui and bless my new pizzeria.  After you did the last one, with all of the problems and issues, I am happy to tell you that I am opening up another one in the middle of June, so I need you to bless this one too.

I HAD GIVEN SOME SUGGESTIONS OF CUTTING THE ENERGY FROM CEILING TO FLOOR MIRRORS ON BOTH WALLS SINCE ENERGY WOULD BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH CONTINUOUSLY SO PEOPLE WOULD JUST STAY IN THE PIZZERIA FOR HOURS AFTER ORDERING ONE PIZZA OR MEAL.  WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY.  STAINED GLASS AND A MENU BOARD WAS PUT UP OVER THE MIRRORS TO DEFLECT THE ENERGY AND BUSINESS PICKED UP.  OF COURSE, OTHER FRONT DOOR CURES, MIRRORS, FLOWERS IN THE REST ROOMS, RELAXING ART WORK, ETC. WERE ALSO USED.

You came and Feng Shui’d my construction business a few weeks ago.  If you remember, I wasn’t getting along with my partner and even though we just opened a new office, there was no business. But after your visit, I am booked for the next two months — thank you.

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A NEW BUSINESS, THE ADDRESS HAD THE 9 UPSIDE DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A SCREW MISSING AND IT LOOKED LIKE ANOTHER ADDRESS.  ALSO, THE DUMPSTER WAS IN THE WEALTH AREA, WHICH WAS MOVED, AND A DILAPIDATED SHED FILLED WITH GARBAGE WAS IN THE PARTNERSHIP AREA.  THESE WERE FIXED AND MOVED TO OTHER AREAS OF THE YARD.  WE ALSO REMOVED A SHEET COVERING THE FRONT WINDOW WHICH PREVENTED ENERGY FROM COMING INTO THE BUSINESS.

My 4.5 acres of property is doing well now since you gave me instructions on where to put the pool, the patio, the BBQ, the evergreens and other plants.  Things are going well and when the house is finally completed, I would like you to come back and bless the house as well.

THIS WAS A LARGE YARD OF A CONTRACTOR WHO WAS BUILDING A VERY IMPRESSIVE 8,000 SQ. FT. HOME AND WAS HAVING A COMMUNION PARTY ON SATURDAY AND IT WAS WEDNESDAY!  HE HAD GREAT IDEAS FOR HIS PROPERTY, BUT NEEDED GUIDANCE FOR THE EVERGREENS, LARGE TREES WHICH I SUGGESTED NOT BE PUT IN LINE WITH THE FRONT DOOR, THE PATIO WAS IN THE WEALTH CORNER WITH THE HARD FINISHED POOL (BEST PLACE FOR A POOL) AND WE MOVED THE BBQ FROM THE WEALTH AREA WHICH WAS EATING UP HIS PROFITS AND MONEY, TO THE FAME AREA BUT IT WAS ALSO GOING TO BE SURROUNDED BY VERY SOFT FOLIAGE IN RED (THE COLOR OF THE FAME AREA).  WE PUT UP TONS OF CHIMES AND BELLS, A MIRROR ON THE HOUSE TO REVERSE THE STREAM’S POSITION ON HIS PROPERTY AND APPARENTLY ALL IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY.

I did not have a date for 2 years and when you removed the 8 dead plants from my partnership corner, as you know, I started getting dates again.  How cool is that?

THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS EATING DINNER WITH HER.  A FRIEND FROM TWO YEAR’S PRIOR WHO JUST STOPPED DATING HER WITHOUT EXPLANATION, CALLED BACK TO GO OUT ON A DATE.  IT WAS ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR AFTER WE THREW THE PLANTS INTO THE DUMPSTER.  SHE WAS HOPING THEY WOULD REVIVE, SO SHE LEFT THEM THERE, BUT I KNEW THEY HAD TO GO.  SHE IS DATING AND HAVING FUN NOW.

You helped me pick out room colors, rugs, hang pictures, move furniture and fix up all the areas of my life that you thought should be fixed; however, I am not totally satisfied with the Feng Shui consultation that you did on my home.  I wanted to be back in the dating area and we did start to fix the partnership area.  I wined and dined a woman and when I brought her back to my home, she didn’t want to come in.  She wanted to wait before going to bed.  That was disappointed.  I wanted to get laid and nothing happened.

THIS WAS THE MOST SHOCKING STATEMENT OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I AM SUCH A SPIRITUAL PERSON.  I HAD DONE SO MUCH TO HELP THIS PERSON WITH HIS BUSINESS AND NEW TOWNHOUSE AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID TO ME.  I GUESS HIS INTENT OF “GETTING LAID” WAS NOT IN LINE WITH A TRUE POSITIVE INTENTION.  I HAVEN’T HEARD FROM HIM IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS, BUT I HOPE THINGS HAVE IMPROVED OR HE UNDERSTANDS THAT HIS INTENTION NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO A MORE PRODUCTIVE ONE.

My health was steadily declining and after the health area in my apartment was decluttered, things started to get better.  I felt more energy and feel much better than I have been in a very long time.  I am not 100% but I haven’t felt this good in twenty years.

GETTING RID OF CLUTTER, GETTING RID OF THINGS SHE NO LONGER NEEDED, USED, FIT INTO OR LIKED WAS THE EASIEST THING TO DO.  ALSO, WITH ALL THE CLUTTER, SHE WAS UNABLE VACUUM OR DUST REGULARLY AND HER ALLERGIES BECAME WORSE.  SHE WAS ALWAYS AT THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE AND ALWAYS SICKLY.  SHE HAS TREMENDOUSLY IMPROVED.

I needed more money into my life.  You were right, I was not going to become a millionaire by changing the wealth area, but I now have enough to pay my bills and live comfortably, just like you said.  Bless you.

I GAVE HIM A MONEY CURE AND DISCUSSED INTENTIONS FOR THE FUTURE.  HE SAYS THAT THINGS ARE MORE STABLE AND HE IS MORE IN CONTROL OF HIS FINANCES THAN EVER BEFORE.

I can’t believe that putting statues together would help our marriage.  Once you saw that all of our male/female statues were separated and you asked if we were thinking of separating, I was so amazed.  We were going to give it another try after a year’s separation and we immediately put all of the statues together touching each other as you suggested.  Our marriage is alive and well and we wish to thank you for your input.

HUGE HOUSE, LOTS OF EMPTY SPACE, THIS HOME FELT LIKE A COLD HOTEL.  WE GOT THE STATUES TOGETHER, PUT THINGS IN PAIRS ALL OVER THE HOUSE AND GOT RID OF RELIGIOUS STATUTES IN THE BEDROOMS (VERY DISRESPECTFUL TO THE DIETY).  WE ADDED MORE COLOR, REMOVED AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF PILLOWS FROM COUCHES AND THE COUPLE’S BED (WHICH INDICATES THAT YOU DON’T WANT COMPANY OR A PARTNERSHIP AS THERE IS NO ROOM FOR IT) AND THEY REPORTED THAT THINGS HAVE TREMENDOUSLY IMPROVED AND THAT THEY ARE DOING WELL.

I’m so glad that you told me to take off those partitions in our windows.  It made the world of difference.  As you said, our life was fragmented and disconnected and now that we “see the whole picture”, things are better, more fun and our lives flow much better in a positive way.

MANY NEW HOMES HAVE PARTITIONED WINDOWS.  MY FATHER USED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM WHEN HE HAD TO PAINT THEM AS A PAINTER AND CARPENTER, BUT NOW MANY OF THEM COME INSIDE OF THE WINDOW AND YOU PAY TOP DOLLAR FOR THESE.  THIS WOMAN WAS VERY LUCKY AND THESE SMALL PARTITIONS ON EACH WINDOW THROUGHOUT HER WHOLE HOME POPPED OUT OF THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW EASILY.  WHEN YOU HAVE PARTITIONED WINDOWS, YOU PARTITION YOUR LIFE.  THINGS DON’T RUN SMOOTHLY.  YOU ONLY GET HALF OR A PART OF THE STORY, OR THE MONEY, OR THE FAME OR THE LOVE….IF YOU HAVE PARTITIONS BUILT INTO THE WINDOW, AT LEAST PUT 60 MM ROUND LEADED CRYSTALS IN THE WINDOWS TO BREAK UP THAT RESTRICTIVE ENERGY.

What Inspires You To Use Feng Shui?

by Vikki Anderson

I was approached by a columnist to talk about Feng Shui and what could possibly inspire one to, say, redecorate a house.  She asked, “Can you be inspired by a photograph, a color, a picture, furniture or lighting fixtures?”  I thought about her question for a moment and decided that these are not the mundane things that inspire me to fine tune Feng Shui in my home.

I told her, “No.  I think people should be inspired by wanting to better their relationships with their partner or family members.  Perhaps they would be inspired by needing to fix their wealth area so that they can make more money on the job, or work smarter and not harder.  If health is an issue, I would imagine people would like to fix their health area so that their health would improve easily and stay stable.”

Thinking about her statement and my response was interesting.  I am not sure she got it.  Inspiration can be received by doing many things.  In my field, I think inspiration comes by wanting to help those who need assistance in a particular area(s) of life.

The nine areas that I work with which are listed from top to bottom in the bagua are as follows:

Wealth area – far left corner of your space from the architectural front door.  Keep blues, purples and reds in this area to keep your wealth in good shape.  This area need rectangular shapes.  It also represents the hip and bones in the human body.  This area’s number is 4.

Fame/Good Luck area – this area is the middle wall of the back of the house as you enter the architectural front door.  This is a red or fire element area.  Candles or pointed sculpture, pictures, etc. should be in this space (butterflies, stars, snowflakes, etc.).  It represents eyes and heart in the human body and can many times also encompass the joy in your life.  This area’s number is 9.

Relationships/Marriage – this area is the right hand corner of the back wall as you enter the architectural front door.   This is a pink area which also needs square shapes and is an earth element.  It represents the abdomen and organs in a human body.  This area’s number is 2.

Ancestors/Family – this area is to the left middle of your space as you enter the architectural front door.  This is a green and wood area which also represents the feet, throat and buttocks in the human body.  It does also represent kindness (given and received).  This area’s number is 3.

Health/Well Being – this area is in the absolute center of your space and can sometimes be parts of two rooms.  It is a yellow/earth tones area and is represented by a square shape – also an earth element.  It also represents the stomach and spleen in the human body.  It does also represent calmness.  This area’s number is 5.

Creativity/Children – this area is to the right middle of your space as you enter the architectural front door.  This is a white and metal area.  The shape needed in this qua is round or a circle.  It also represents the mouth, head and lungs and does also represent courage.  This area’s number is 7.

Knowledge/Education – this area is to the immediate left of the architectural front door and may sometimes be behind the front door as it is open.  This is a black, blue, green area and is represented by earth and a square shape.  It represents the hands in the human body.  This area’s number is 8.

Career/Business Success – this area is as soon as you open the architectural front door if your door is in the middle of the outside wall.  The colors needed here are black and dark tones.  It is a water area and the shape is abstract, wavy or unusual; a shape that is not represented within the other guas.  This gua also represents the ears, blood and kidneys in the bagua and also correlates to gentility.  This area’s number is 1.

Helpful People/Travel – this area is to the immediate right of the architectural front door.  This is a white, gray and black area and represents the head in the human body.  The shape for this area is circular and the element is metal.  This area’s number is 6.

If you are having a particular problem with your job, family, career, or whatever, you should determine which of the guas need your immediate attention.  Get rid of clutter.  Organize the space.  Keep it clean and neat.  Make sure it is well lit and a 60 mm round faceted leaded crystal hanging from the ceiling (especially if you have a ceiling fan which cuts up health, wealth and happiness) would be auspicious.  If you would like to hang a crystal in at least one window in every room of your house, you will be inviting all the colors to be represented in every room, which is your goal.  With each color comes the energy of that color to help balance your space.

Inspiration for Feng Shui?  How about better health?  How about a stable and secure job?  How about improving family, friends or colleague relationships or if you don’t have a relationship, how about inviting one into your life and how about just wanting your life to be stress free and more conducive to your being constructive, happy and allowing all the positive opportunities to find you?  That’s the true inspiration, isn’t it?  Let’s make our lives much better – not by being inspired by a piece of art or a possession, but by ideals and ideas of happiness, family, love and intelligence and a stable financial future in which we could all flourish and grow.

If you have any questions about this area, please feel free to email me at Starscape50@aol.com or visit www.Fengshuimoon.com.

A Consultation Above and Beyond

by Vikki Anderson

I had recently taken a class at Caldwell College, given by Feng Shui Designs out of California, for the Advanced Feng Shui Practitioner. This was the third such certification course I had taken with Feng Shui Designs because I find them to be outstanding teachers, very ethical and they give their students the tools they need to have a successful Feng Shui Consultation/Teaching practice. So, as usual, thank you Helen and James Jay. (My Feng Shui book entitled, Feng Shui This! A Guide to Health, Wealth and Happiness — which is almost completed — is dedicated to them).

As we were sharing stories of our Feng Shui consultation experiences, one young woman in class told us of her ordeal in Tahiti. She lives in Hawaii and was chosen by a Hawaii resident who was the sister of a group in Tahiti. The reason I bring this particular story to your attention is (for all new consultants) that a practitioner or consultant can go above and beyond what is normally expected of a Feng Shui consultant and this particular woman certainly did. (She asked that I not use her name, but had permission to write his abbreviated version of her story).

Her consult was going to be for a two week period. Her airfare was paid but many of her other expenses were not. She was given a place to stay on the property so was at the mercy of her clients. As time went on, she had learned that it was a much bigger piece of land with more than seven structures or farms, as I recall, on them. At one point, she had to swim in a lagoon about 500 meters to get to the other side. The people with her were clapping their hands loudly and she didn’t know why, but later found out that the water had small sharks in it and the noise “usually” kept them away! Her clothes were carried in an ice chest that one of her helpers brought along. I kept suggesting that she advertise: Feng Shui Consultant Who Is Willing To Swim with Sharks! That in itself was unbelievable and we were all glad there were no accidents or attacks.

As we talked on about this particular consultation, we learned that she had stayed in a room on one of the farms with the family who owned the property. She told us later that her room had rats in it. She ate meals with the family — so again was at their mercy because one never knows what someone is going to serve for meals and if you would like it or not, especially being from Hawaii and then America. We all have our own likes and dislikes and it would be easier if you could be in a hotel where you could order from a menu according to your tastes. The most disturbing thing was that her day started at 6:00 AM when she got up and then left the farm at 7:30 AM and the day ended at 11:00 PM because she was with this family and had to go according to their schedule. (By talking with her, it did seem as if they were taking advantage the whole time she was there, but this is my opinion).

She had to tell the owners of the property to buy 100 pounds of rice which had to be transported by wheel barrow. Rice is fairly cheap; however, the outdoor blessing took a few days and she actually mixed the ingredients for the blessing one bowl at a time! She also personally paid for the countless packages of realgar (a very expensive ingredient in yard or house blessings) and took that fee out of her total consultation fee.

The more we heard about this consultation, the more we had known that our fellow Advanced FS Practitioner had been taken advantage of. Although she did manage a $15,000 fee for the two weeks, after deducting many expenses which were not paid for by the client separately, she figured out that she may have gotten $10,000-11,000 out of the deal. Yes, this sounds like a lot, but for the amount of time she had put into this assignment, plus the never ending additional assignments that followed and was included in same consultation, she had been taken for a ride – or should we say Swim?

Then she informed us that the people kept emailing her with never ending questions when she returned home and wanted this to be considered as part of the original fee for her two weeks’ work. We had to inform her that it was not part of the original fee or agreement and to tell the client she was busy and that they could set up an appointment for an hour at a set fee and she could answer all of their questions then.

The point I am trying to make is that as consultants, we need to be covered too. I have come from a corporate background where I worked for a lawyer twenty out of the thirty years with the same Fortune 50 company. I cannot stress the fact enough that we all need contracts with specific hours, specific tasks that we will accomplish during our consultation at a specific fee. The word here as you may have noticed is SPECIFIC. Have a contract so both of you know what is expected of you and vice versa.

You don’t have to swim with sharks or sleep with rats. You don’t need to sleep in your client’s home eating food that you may not like AND you need your own space to reflect, meditate, or do something on your own time. This is not slave labor, we provide a valuable service for a reasonable work schedule. We can work a regular 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM day or as many consultants prefer, limit your consultation to six hours per day. This is draining enough without going on into the wee hours of the night and/or morning. Long hours are ridiculous especially if this is in a foreign country — wouldn’t it be nice to see the local scenery and meet some of the natives on your own and not be inundated with never ending questions which totally drain your energy and health?

Don’t be taken advantage of if you are a consultant; if you are a client, do not take advantage of your consultant as most will not stand for it and the ones that will – well, we are trying to teach them to be more assertive and build up healthy boundaries that everyone can respect.

All in all, the class was wonderful, but this story was a real eye opener. I will always remember the woman who swam with sharks…

I later wondered if I would ever be that dedicated?

Absolutely not!!

Certified Advanced Feng Shui Practitioner Vikki Anderson will Feng Shui your home, office or yard by appointment only. Also available for staging projects for quick home sales and for presentations to realtors, corporations, organizations and charities. www.VikkiAnderson.com. Call for an appointment or additional information: 973-492-3110.