Feng shui (traditional Chinese: 風水; simplified Chinese: 风水; pinyin: fēng shuǐ; pronounced /ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ/ foong-shoy in Chinese Mandarin, "fheng-schway" in American English) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive Qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (traditional Chinese: 堪輿; simplified Chinese: 堪舆; pinyin: kānyú; literally: Tao of heaven and earth).

The words feng shui literally translate as "wind-water" in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin Dynasty:

Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water.

Traditional Feng Shui practice always requires an extremely accurate Chinese compass, or Luo Pan, in order to determine the directions in finding any auspicious sector in a desired location.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Using Feng Shui When Cleaning Your Home

When you need to do some serious house cleaning, you may find that it is hard to move forward without a plan, and this is where Feng Shui can come in. Feng Shui is the practice of arranging your home so that a positive flow of energy is encouraged. If you are interested in both thorough house cleaning and in maximizing the flow of positive energy through your home, take some time and make sure you incorporate some important tips from this energy positive philosophy into the cleaning of your home.

When you want to put some positive energy flow into your house cleaning, start by taking all the clutter out. If you have trashy lying around or clothes that need to go to a charity, now is the time to get rid of them. This is essential when you want to make sure that your home has an opening and welcoming look, so take some time and make sure that you consider what you need to get rid of. This is something that many people neglect to do, and at the end of the day, you will discover that it can keep your home looking much tidier than it did before.

If you are going to be moving you furniture so that you can clean underneath it, it might be a great idea for you to consider moving it around a little bit. Make sure that you do not have any furniture that is blocking the doors, even partially. Look at the way that people move through your home. Can they move in straight lines or do they need to take detours around poorly placed furniture? This is something that can make a huge difference in the way that you clean your home, and at the end of the day, you will find that simply rearranging your furniture so that you can access the room more comfortably can make a big difference.

When you are cleaning your home, consider anything that you have hanging up. One fairly common Feng Shui trick that you can use involves using wind chimes to bring positive energy into your home. However, if you allow your wind chimes to become dull or cluttered, or if you find yourself in a place where you need to think about how dirty they are, you need to change it! Make wiping down your wind chimes part of your regular house cleaning and your fortunes are sure to improve.

Finally, if you want to keep your home looking bright and fresh, look into how bamboo and other plants can liven it up. Plants are a great way to freshen up the air and you can bet that they will help open up the look of your home. Take some time and consider how you are going to place them, and once they have grown, remember to take good care of them and to trim off any wilted parts immediately.

Consider how helpful Feng Shui can be when you are house cleaning and take some steps towards including it in the way that you take care of your home!



Autor: Marli Paes

Marli Paes has been cleaning homes in the Greater Boston Area since 2002
http://www.MarlisCleaning.com
781-443-5682


Added: November 16, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Three Feng Shui Secrets to a Welcoming Entrance

In feng shui, a door can be a symbol of change and transformation. For many of you, your business is all about creating a space through health or education where people can transform themselves. But first they need to either literally or figuratively walk through the door to get your services.

Making the outside of your building attractive entices people to your business. Even if you work from home you'll want to create an entrance to your home workspace that your customers would be attracted to. Here are three secrets to creating a welcoming transition into your business from the outside. Eliminate Mixed Signals. Sometimes we send mixed signals with the design or signage at our front entrance. We've got everything set up beautifully and then a big "Closed" sign turns people away. It would be better to have an "Hours of Operation" sign instead. Are there other items you can find at your entrance that say "go away"? For example plants with spiky leaves or a fountain that flows away from the entrance. The plants give people a "prickly" feel when they approach and the flowing water encourages people to head away from the door. Take the time to eliminate or reposition items that may be unconsciously turning people away. Balance the Five Elements. People are attracted to spaces that are balanced. If you have items that represent metal, water, wood, fire and earth your entrance will have great energy. For example:

  • A black door (Water)
  • Metal hardware and concrete steps (Metal)
  • Green doormat (Wood)
  • Ceramic planters (Earth)
  • Red flowers in the planters (Fire)
There are thousands of combinations to create five element balance. Have fun with that! Make Sure Everything is in Good Repair. Peeling paint, doorbells that don't work, and unfinished projects hanging out at your door can cause people to wonder about your business. If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, make sure you make time in your schedule for maintenance and upkeep. If you are not, find a good handy-person and schedule them to come periodically to take care of projects at your entrance and everywhere else.

Follow these simple secrets and enjoy the benefits of feng shui at your business.



Autor: Ann Kucera

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Feng Shui Practitioner Ann Kucera, "The Feng Shui Coach", publishes the ezine; 'Creating Healing Spaces: Your Guide to a Space that Promotes Health, Abundance and Harmony'. Get more great articles on feng shui and healthy homes at http://www.The-Feng-Shui-Coach.com.

Ann Kucera is passionate about helping people initiate change and transformation through the use of feng shui. She offers home and office feng shui consultations and is also available for custom designed classes and speaking engagements. Her mission is to transform buildings into spaces where people thrive. Ann began her feng shui studies in 2001 with Terah Kathryn Collins at the Western School of Feng Shui in San Diego. In addition she has a Masters in Library Science and over 15 years of experience organizing people, events, data systems, books and homes. She is the Chapter Director of the International Feng Shui Guild - Michigan.


Added: November 15, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Friday, November 13, 2009

8 Feng Shui Bedroom Tips to Ensure a Deep Sleep Every Night

Innumerable studies have shown that a good night's rest is vital to happy and healthy living. By applying these 8 Feng Shui Bedroom Tips don't be surprised if you find yourself sleeping better, and feeling more rested and refreshed than ever before.

These Feng Shui bedroom tips are all about attracting and channeling energy through and around the room. Done correctly this energy will work toward a health restoring, restful sleep experience.

Feng Shui understands that all aspects of life contain levels of energy. Science, within several independent studies, agree that "all matter in the universe is connected on the subatomic level through a constant dance of quantum energy exchange."

In other words what scientists have discovered within the last few hundred years, the Eastern practice of Feng Shui has known and applied for 1000's of years.

So, let's get started on creating the positive energy effects of getting a good night's sleep by applying these Feng Shui bedroom tips.

Bedroom Tip 1: Rearrange Your Bed

The foot of the bed should not point directly to the door.

The door is the entry way for Feng Shui's life energy. Blocking or stopping that energy with objects or doors will only create limited access or stagnant air pockets.

The goal is to allow the positive energy (known as Sheng Chi in Feng Shui) to easily move around the room and over your body as you sleep.

Position the bed in a way you can easily see but does not block the door.

Bedroom Tip 2: De Clutter

The fewer items you have strewn around the room the more conducive your room will be to peace, rest and sleep. Surface clutter goes beyond Feng Shui in that the subtle emotional reactions will agitate your inner space. But, with Feng Shui in the bedroom clutter acts as a energy breaker or blocker.

Imagine your room as a road. If you have to constantly maneuver around objects such as rocks, tree limbs, or animals...the drive becomes exhausting. If you can cruise down a clear country road for miles without distraction, the drive is relaxingly enjoyable. Chi energy works in the same way, when the space is free of clutter. Don't forget to clean and clear under the bed. Though a great storage area, stuff under the bed will block energy from circulating properly.

Bedroom Tip 3: Use Soft Edged Furniture

Anything with "points" is understood to generate Sha Chi energy which is the negative counterpart of Sheng Chi.

This type of energy drains and weakens. It's the place of depletion, sickness and poverty. If you are experiencing feeling of depression or general malaise, it is understood by the followers of Feng Shui that you are under the influence of Sheng Chi energy.

Pointed edges from furniture, head boards or anything in the room that is pointing toward you as you sleep are referred to as "poison arrows".

Evaluate the rooms layout and either replace your furniture with softer edged ones or reposition those points so they are not facing you as you lie on your bed.

Feng Shui Bedroom Tip 4: Close the Master Bathroom Door

Water is full of moving energy, when a master bathroom door is open it will attract and pull any positive energy quickly through the room and down the toilet.

Think of this as acting like electricity. Electricity always takes the path of least resistance, so will Feng Shui in the bedroom if you do not keep the bathroom door closed.

Bedroom Tip 5:Move The Electronics

Keep computers, telephones, televisions, cell phones at least 5 to 6 feet away from the bed. These items give off electromagnetic fields (EMF) which will take a toll on your overall health and well being over time.

If you cannot move these due to a small spaced bedroom, try to separate or break up the path to these EMF waves by using a portable wall divider or large floor plant.

Bedroom Tip 6: Remove Activity

A desk with a computer or an exercise treadmill is a constant reminder of work or exercise. Remove any items that do not create the attitude and expectation of rest and sleep.

Once again if there is no room in the rest of your house, find a way to block or divide the visual awareness of these items also by using a large plant or room divider of some sort.

Bedroom Tip 7: Paint the Walls

Color effects your mood and emotions. By painting your walls a soft robin egg blue or warm neutral, the mood in the room will invite peace and slumber. Accent the walls with soft edged paintings with further soothing colors. Do not include mirrors as a wall design accent.

Bedroom Tip 8: Open Those Windows

If at all possible circulate fresh air through the bedroom each night. By circulating air you are circulating Cheng Shi in your Feng Shui in the bedroom.

These are just a few important steps to inviting the positive life changing power of Feng Shui in your bedroom.. By implementing these simple steps to bring Feng Shui into your bedroom you are well on your way to experiencing more success, improving your health and of course, getting a superior nights sleep.



Autor: Sue E Krippner

Sue Krippner is a Free Lance Artist, Home Staging and Redesign Professional. She is attracted to "all things beautiful, especially as it relates to interior decorating and design.
Visit http://frugalhomedesign.com to see samples of her art and find plenty of professional design, tips hints and secrets to help facilitate your personal interior design goals with money saving frugal flair!


Added: November 13, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/