10,000 Blessings Feng Shui Blog

In Front of My Office Feng Shui Altar

 

Here's our cat, Buddha, in my husband Gregory's arms, having a little prayer in front of my altar for my clients in my office...

Feng Shui Adventures in Seattle

Spent some most-wonderful days in Seattle recently as I was checking out some places and spaces for a Feng Shui VIP day as well as a celebration for Lady Buddha Kuan Yin.

Here are some of my favorite haunts when I visit:

 

When I arrive, I always have to have a ritual bowl of "Seven Element Soup" at Wild Ginger which always feels like medicine, mmm!  www.wildginger.net

 

A wonderful way to get a huge chi infusion is receiving reflexology.  I love getting the African Foot Rub at the Ummelina Spa (ask for Nana from Ghana, he's the master!) and always wish it would never-ever end! www.ummelina.com

 

Another must-do ritual is a vist to the Korean Baths (www.olympussap.net) full of the Five Elements and the extraordinary healing of water, heat and herbs.  A wonderful place to restore life-force through rest and purification.

 

The Pan Pacific Hotel won me over with it's gorgeous zebra wood, soaking tubs, shoji sliding doors, wonderful staff and still-fresh chi.  The event rooms are gorgeous (inlcuding a roof-top garden overlooking the city) and hope you'll be joining me there for some Feng Shui!  www.panpacific.com/seattle

Rejuvenate, Renew and Replenish this Spring with Feng Shui

 

Flowers are blooming, birds are splashing in baths and sunlight is sparkling (here and there!).  I love the heady fragrance and the palpable REJUVENATION of life-force in our body, mind and spirit.

To renew the energy in your home:

• De-clutter
• Use an aromatherapy cleaner when you clean (I love Mrs. Meyer’s lemon verbena)
• Bring in some fresh spring color and décor with a new accent wall, curtains or pillows (or do a “re-design” and just freshen up your placement of things without spending a penny)
• Create a spring nature centerpiece with birds, butterflies and blossoms
• Have bouquets of scented flowers or plug in aromatherapy diffusers for happy scents
• Open the windows each day and bring in fresh air
• Hang wind-chimes and bird-feeders around the home
• Increase the light with clean windows and mirrors and hang faceted Swarovski crystal spheres in front of windows to refract the light

The element associated with spring is WOOD—which governs our enthusiasm for living, growing, expanding and taking action towards our desires and dreams.  It offers flexibility and strength (like bamboo), warmth, generosity and expansion.  It is the element of water that helps wood grow (which is why you often find water features in wealth corners); and metal that destroys it (like an axe to a tree).

You can increase the wood element by adding:

• Wood décor such as vases
• Fresh, healthy, fecund round-leafed plants, especially in groups of 9--great in your bedroom or in a path from the front door to the bedroom
• A wall mural of bamboo or forest (I love the site www.designyourwall.com)

The color of spring is GREEN so you can infuse your life with this green chi by:

• Wearing the color green or carry a green purse
• Eating lots of leafy green foods
• Hanging green Swarovski crystal spheres in your windows
• Painting a light green accent wall (very soothing in the bedroom)

Spring and wood have relationship to the liver and gallbladder meridians in Chinese medicine and so it’s a natural time for CLEANSING to help bring the free flow of “chi” (or “qi”) in the body, harmony to our emotions and preventing stagnation.  Liver disharmony, by the way, can play out as anger, stress, depression and frustration.

You can encourage healthy chi by:

• Doing a liver cleanse
• Receiving some acupuncture
• Rising early with the sun
• Taking brisk walks

In your home or business you can enhance the Family and Ancestors (“Zhen” or “Jen”) area of the Bagua (the middle left side of your room or building as you stand in the doorway facing inward) with healthy green plants, green or clear Swarovski crystal spheres and green paint or décor.  Also, remove any excess metal elements which can "cut down" your wood.

You might wish to put a green folder on this same Bagua area of your desk with a list of all the projects you wish to ‘grow’ this spring.

If you’re feeling stuck, blocked, stagnant or heavy, it’s a great time to have a Feng Shui consultation and blessing ceremony to welcome your spring intentions and new beginning!  You can ring me at 503.747.3463 to schedule an appointment with me.

I can also set you up with crystals and wind-chimes, please drop me a note at info@10KBlessingsFengShui.com

NOW, use that spring chi and choose ONE ACTION to take this month!

A Place of Refuge and Quiet with Feng Shui's Five Elements

 

 

 

The above photos from Myles of Style on HGTV (www.hgtv.com); Kabuki Springs and Spa (www.kabukisprings.com) in San Francisco and Shibui Spa (www.shibuispa.com) in Bend offer inspiration how you could create your own at-home refuge and sanctuary using the Five Elements (earth, fire, wood, water and metal) to create a place to restore and replenish your life-force.  One Feng Shui note, though, if you're deciding to do something like this for your bedroom, please don't use any running water here as it disrupts sleep.

Feng Shui Your Dining Table with a Spring Centerpiece

 

 

 

 

In Feng Shui, the dining table represents the bounty of the household it's important to create a tableaux of abundance and beauty, full and lush with fruits and flowers.  You can also hang a gorgeous mirror across from the table to symbolically 'double' your prosperity.  Now is the time to use the symbols of spring, renewal and birth such as birds, butterflies, eggs and the color green.  Have fun!

Feng Shui Your Computer

 

You know how I’m always saying you can Feng Shui everything?  Today it’s your precious computer’s turn!  It’s very important to give your computer some regular energy tune-ups not only because its performance affects our own energy (ever have a crash?!) but also because it’s a wealth generator for so many businesses and solopreneurs.  When your computer runs quickly, easily and joyfully, so does your work!

Here are some quick tips to get—and keep!—the chi moving in a positive way:

1.  Have a Helpful Person you can turn to who is an expert in  maintenance and repair.  (If you need someone in the Portland metro area, let me know, I have a fabulous guy I can refer you to).  A fast-running computer and internet service.

2.  Clear stagnant chi by deleting unwanted and unused files, programs and emails and make some room (physically and metaphorically) for wonderful new opportunities, customers and clients.  Tidy up your cords beneath your desk.  Keep your screen clean just like windows in a building to help you have the clarity to ‘see’ more clearly where you’re going in your work.

3.  Just like the protection cures for our homes and businesses, don’t forget to put some in place for your computer: anti-virus programs, firewalls and so on.  Just think of them as Foo Dogs for your computer!

4.  Use uplifting and meaningful imagery for your screen-savers so you can have some visual Feng Shui pictures for your dreams and goals--waterfalls, deities, oceans, honeymoon with your spouse, dream home and so on.  And don’t forget energy-attractive passwords.

5.  Hang a 40mm or 50mm clear faceted Swarovski crystal sphere on 9” increments of heavy red embroidery thread from the ceiling (use a cup hook) over your computer or networking stations and visualize problem-free moving chi.

A Feng Shui Perfect Contemporary Crystal Chandelier

 

This photo of a most-wonderful modern Feng Shui perfect light cure--a Swarovski crystal "Star Nebuli" chandelier took my breath away when I saw it in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood shop called Collective (with a lovely Feng Shui-loving owner named Gail).

This would be ideal for folks who need a crystal or light adjustment in their home or business but with contemporary design.  For shopping details please visit www.collectiveinballard.com

Feng Shui of the Present Moment

 

Feng Shui supports the yin energy of quiet, inward contemplation and reflection.

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently,

as if this activity is the axis

on which the whole earth revolves.

Live the moment.

Only this actual moment is life."

Thich Nhat Hanh

Excellent Feng Shui to Increase Sales for Your Shop, Restaurant or Service Business

 

 As I’m out and about shopping, eating out or receiving services, I see some recurring themes that are actually repelling energy, customers and sales.

The first is a negative and stagnant PYHSICAL ENVIRONMENT.  You’d be surprised how often places are dimly lit, so over-packed with product you can’t actually see anything, the air is stale, the shelves are dusty, the bathroom is dark and dirty, the flowers are dying or dead, the owner’s desk is an absolute nightmare and there’s so much clutter around the cash register there’s no place for me to even pay you.  Ugh!  Even if you’re in a trendy or upscale neighborhood with hip modern décor, bad Feng Shui is bad Feng Shui.

The second is lethargic, disinterested or plain mean HUMAN CHI.  When your head is buried deep into your computer and being on Facebook is more important to you than a live customer’s presence, you’re really inviting sales.  And please don’t even hire employees who are snooty, negative or lethargic—human chi is incredibly important to your sales.

And the third is inconsistent BRANDING.  So often there is a confusing lack of unity with your product or service and your physical environment, marketing materials, how you dress, the music you play, the events you host and so on. Instead it’s a big mish-mash of conflicting colors, imagery and aesthetics.

Here’s a check-list to quickly and simply uplift the energy of your business and get those sales going!

1.  Cash register drawers clear of clutter and clean?  Enhanced with healthy green plants and 3 Feng Shui Coins on Red Ribbon?

2.  Owner’s desk clear of clutter?  Wealth corner of desk enhanced?

3.  Entire business clutter-free and deeply cleaned?  Including bathroom?

4.  Fresh décor?  Stylish and updated?  New art?  Merchandise regularly rotated?  Beautiful flowers and plants?  New shopping bags?  New business cards?  New website?  Refreshed menu?  Music on the cd player or ipod new and joyfully upbeat, not too loud?

5.  Is there actually space to see what you’re selling?  Same on a menu, is there some space so it’s not overwhelming (think black calligraphy on a white canvas)?

6.  Showing appreciation for your clients and customers with specials, hand written thank you cards, events and parties, stellar concierge service?  Hosting lots of live events during and after-hours so there is continually live chi filling your business?

7.  Cash register visible from the front door?  Not too far away, sitting in the Commanding Position?

8.  Attracting walk-bys with a stunning front entrance full of beauty and movement (water feature, wind-chimes, flags or banners)?  Incredible displays in your windows?

9.  Every single employee expressing joy, appreciation, positive and welcoming energy to each person who comes through the door?  Walks them to the car with purchases?  Offers them refreshments? Holds the door open? Makes people feel like an honored guest?  Sincerely says ‘thank you’ when folks leave? 

And now it’s time to book your Feng Shui consultation to learn the Feng Shui adjustments and secret cures to really increase your cash flow and customer stream; shine a light on your visibility, fame and marketing; and increase the benefactors and helpful people around you!  You can contact me at info@10KBlessingsFengShui.com

A Beautiful Balinese Tropical Bathroom: Water and Wood Elements

 

Here's a wonderful Balinese style bathroom full of bamboo screens, a koi pond, healthy green plants and a jetted tub--a wonderful refuge of beauty and relaxation.  It's NOT good Feng Shui, however, with no door separating this room from the master bedroom--a Feng Shui no-no.

Enjoy the video!

http://www.hgtv.com/videos/rain-forest-bathroom/2397.html

 

Money Magnet Feng Shui Coins: Part 2

 

Some ways to use the three coins on red ribbon…

·        Always carry in your purse and wallet so you’re always carrying wealth energy with you

·        Place in all four corners of your home and office

·        To increase your business fortune, place on/in all of your check-books, cash boxes, cash registers, safes, invoice books, important client file

·        Place on your computer, phone and fax machine to activate in-coming business

·        Hang on the inside doorknob of your shop or business Mouth of Chi (or front entrance) symbolizing that prosperity has already entered. On the outside doorknob of your shop's main door, hang a pair of bells attracting Good Fortune chi to enter your business announcing forthcoming good news and prosperity.

Lift someone’s spirits (and your OWN!) and give them the symbolic and energetic gift of “money is here”…

·        Client thank you

·        Employee recognition

·        Birthday

·        House warming

 

If you’d like to order coins, please drop me an email at info@10KBlessingsFengShui.com

 

The prices are:

27 loose coins for $13.50

108 loose coins for $54.00

3 coins tied on red ribbon $3 each

 

Money Magnet Feng Shui Coins: Part 1

 

Feng Shui Coins are considered to be symbolic magnets for prosperity and you can use them loose in groups of 8, 9, 27 or 108 or tied by three’s onto red ribbon.  Some folks consider the three on red ribbon (symbolizing Heaven, Earth and Human) as powerful that it’s the same as having the presence of a Wealth God in your home or business.  They should always be placed with the yang (active) side up (the one with four characters):

Here are some really fun ways to instantly lift your money chi with loose coins…

·        For building, renovation and remodels, embed the coins in the floors and walls as well as the front door.

·        Place in corners of home or business in earth before foundation is poured

·        Place with the Money Frog and Wealth Deities

·        Put inside a Lucky Red Envelope along with real money and place in your rice urn

·        Place 108 in Wealth Bowls and Wealth Vases

·        Fill up wealth ships

·        Place beneath the pavers going to your Mouth of Chi

·        Mix with birdseed and sprinkle from the street to your front door (one of my favorites!)

·        Fill metal wealth box and bury in your Benefactor area of your garden

·        Put in special vessel underneath your bed

·        Add to water fountains, aquariums, waterfalls

·        Tie on red ribbon and attach to your desk chair

·        Activate your vision boards, journals full of affirmations, goals, wishes, gratitude books

Kuan Yin's Birthday Party

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some photos from  Kuan Yin's birthday last month--some of the offerings for Her altar and then a picture of our cat Buddha and my husband Gregory in front of my 10,000 Blessings Feng Shui altar.