Tag Archives: feng

Feng Shui And The Environment

By Juliana Abram

In our modern world, concern for the natural environment has been escalating on a global scale. Most people are now aware of the problems associated with the different type of wastes disposal, the greenhouse effect, depletion of the ozone layer, the dilemmas created for our wildlife due to the felling of our old forests and the dumping ground our oceans have become. It is becoming more widely accepted that should this assault on our environment continue then it will at the very least, compromise life as we know it and also undermine our attempts to improve conditions for the millions of other people ravaged by war, poverty, hunger and illness.

Whilst individuals and various cultures have varying attitudes toward the natural environment, more people are becoming aware of the importance of re-evaluating the way in which we view nature and in so doing, how we’re going to deal with it.

I was at a function recently and during one conversation I was stunned that the view espoused was that humanity was separate to nature. Also, that science can determine all aspects of nature having the ability, through scientific evaluation to predict and manipulate the environment with little or no consequential impact should science desire this to be the case.

Science generally encourages the belief that its current explanations of nature are the absolute truth. Western science is considered to describe physical reality with absolute precision – as a result, the ancient and traditional theories of other cultures such as Feng Shui, is ridiculed as being merely superstition. An authentic Feng Shui consultant encourages an attitude of respect and caution towards nature and would never make recommendations based on superstitious beliefs. As I’ve mentioned before – Feng Shui came about as the result of lengthy and committed study of nature by the Chinese.

Feng Shui has traditionally played the role of fine tuning the relationship between humanity and nature by allowing environmental modification only if it was considered to not disrupt natural balances and harmonies. Feng Shui encompasses the assessment of water courses to a given environment, soil stability and fertility, vegetation, aspect, animal life etc… It was a joy to work with a young couple recently that shared this view – wanting to build on 80 acres and showing due respect for the environment by taking extreme care with the placement of the home ensuring the most minimal change to the environment.

In Feng Shui, the environment is considered to be a highly intricate living whole and includes humanity. All parts of this whole are inherently connected and the balances between them are delicate to say the least, consequently harmony between all elements of nature must be protected. In Feng Shui the fundamental attitudes towards nature are respect and caution recognising that an interpretation/analysis of the natural forces at play within a given environment may change over time and in view of any new evidence. With all this in mind Feng Shui may be able to give us insight, possibly even solutions, to the environmental problems we are experiencing both at home and on a global scale.

About the Author: Juliana Abram is one of the leading Feng Shui consultants in Australia having been traditionally trained in Hong Kong by Chinese Feng Shui Master Raymond Lo. Juliana specialises in ‘Flying Star’ Feng Shui and the Four Pillars of destiny. Juliana runs her own Feng Shui consultancy ( see http://www.fengshuicentre.com.au ) and her own online Feng Shui store ( see http://www.fengshuishop.com.au ).

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=152931&ca=Advice

Excerpt from: Feng Shui And The Environment

Feng Shui : Confused Enough ?

By Kerry A. Francis

As you move into the world of Feng Shui you will find that is not one simple system to apply. Over the centuries, different schools of thought have developed.

For example the “Form School” relies on a great deal of intuitive insight and places great emphasis on the shape and contours of the landscape. Next the

”Compass School” is more concerned with the magnetic effects of the earth’s gravitational fields. , the movement of Qi , and utilizes the eight trigrams of the I Ching.

Solutions within these schools vary as well, as if you were not confused enough already with the concepts and practice of Feng Shui. Within the Compass School, some practitioners use a compass to find their ideal orientations to determine the health relationships or career corners; while others calculate their personal lucky and unlucky areas according to their birth dates.

Each of these systems helps you work out which part of your home need to be balanced. With the help of the concepts of “Bagua” as well as finding your own lucky and unlucky directions. You can further work to balance your own home as well as your life and its directions and stability.

As you apply the concepts of Feng Shui and learn to look at the different approaches that the compass, you will find that these are interchangeable in terms of their shapes and that these are simply and merely different ways of depicting the eight compass directions. Of north, northeast, southwest and northwest and the areas of life that these directions govern.

The ideal site for Feng Shui is said to be the where the descending heaven qi meets the ascending earth qi. There is no hard and fast rule about the perfect site. However there are some general conditions that you can look for.

Generally halfway up a hill facing the sum is considered good feng shui because you will get cool summer breezes and warm winter ones.

Next the ideal Feng Shui spot for a house is called xue or shu. It has an open space in front, the “bright hall” or Ming tang, with four mythical animals or spirits surrounding it. The red bird is the distant front view; the black tortoise is the protective hill at the back; the azure dragon is to the left and the white tiger to the right. Ideally you should have a stream flowing in front of the sine because water is regarded as a source of food and means of transportation. It is also believed that the heavens qi descends down the hill and is contained by the water.

As well in your quest to understand the concepts and complexities of Feng Shui that the idea of this protective, armchair shape can be applied not only to the site of your home, but to the Feng Shui of a particular room, where chairs are placed so that the backs are protected and there is an open space in front of you, or to your garden, where you can plant protective trees at the back if there is not a hill. After all feeling safe and secure is a large part of being happy. Feng Shui!

About the Author: Kerry A. Francis
www.fortunacooks.com
www.sellyourmanitobacottage.com
www.2241glasses.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=150997&ca=Home+Management

The rest is here: Feng Shui : Confused Enough ?

Are You Interested In Feng Shui?

By Kevin Lloyd

In the 1980s, many people’s lives were filled with things-cars, home, vacations, stressful jobs. Then in the 1990s, something wonderful happened to many of those same people. By middle of the decade, the insatiable desire for more and more stuff began to subside. People signed up for yoga classes, books on spirituality became best-sellers, and many former yuppies realized they needed more meaning in their lives. People began to analyze everything and try to improve their lifestyles by adding a better balance.

Not surprisingly, feng shui became extremely popular around the same time. Feng shui addresses the relationship between a person and his or her environment, emphasizing harmony. This ancient Chinese philosophy is said to have been around for three thousand years. Now, the masses are more than ready for it, and it has become a commonly used term.

Crucial to feng shui is the concept of ch’i. Ch’i., in Chinese culture, is an energy that’s in everything you find in an environment. If you have good feng shui, your environment is kind of like a spring breeze–everything flows nicely. But sometimes ch’i gets stuck or depleted. Ch’i also enters and leaves through doors and windows (opened or closed). So in a room with awkward corners or furniture blocking your path, the ch’i is not good because there’s no flow.

If you want to dabble in feng shui on a budget, here are a few low-cost ideas to get you started:

– Add mirrors. Mirrors are used widely in feng shui, and if used properly, they can help your environment immensely. Mirrors should be usable by the tallest member of the family and reflect at least six inches of clear space around your head.

– Clear it out. Is there a chair that people always seem to trip over? Are there corners that are so blocked off that they are rarely vacuumed and have layers of dust weighing them down? Move things around so the air (and people) can circulate effortlessly.

– Remove clutter. Clutter makes ch’i stagnate, so haul off your piles of junk by recycling or donating items, and your reward will be even greater.

– Get even. Don’t use one candlestick or three–two or any other even number will feel better and more balanced.

– Pitch it. If it makes you sad, get rid of it. (You know, like that vase your cheating ex-boyfriend gave you or that bedspread you hate but bought because it was on sale.)

For more Apartment searching and living tips visit Memphis Apartments at http://www.MemphisApartmentstv.com and Nashville Apartments at http://www.NashvilleApartmentstv.com.

About the Author: Kevin Lloyd writes Apartment searching and living tips about Memphis Apartments
Memphis Apartments at http://www.MemphisApartmentstv.com and Nashville Apartments
at http://www.NashvilleApartmentstv.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=140468&ca=Real+Estate

Read the original: Are You Interested In Feng Shui?

Feng Shui & Symbology

By Juliana Abram

Symbology is very special to my heart. In fact, one of the more precious gifts I received is from my husband. It is a piece of artwork depicting in white jade, the Chinese dragon and phoenix. This hangs proudly in my office and for me, represents what I try to achieve daily for myself and others – the balancing of yin and yang.

The Orient has always had a particular penchant for looking at objects and interpreting their hidden meaning. This is revealed by the prolific use of symbols and that these symbols are like a secondary language, rich in nuances that penetrate all communication.

Not all Westerners are aware that in Chinese, each written character represents an entire word which is in deep contrast to our alphabetical text – where a sequence of individual letters signifies a word. This means that more or less every word in the Chinese language is represented by a different symbol so it is not unrealistic to consider that whenever pen is put to paper or in carvings it can also have some mysterious, abstract or obscure meaning.

Symbols are generally categorised as either auspicious or inauspicious and can be viewed as conveying the unseen messages of good or bad luck. All Oriental artworks are viewed as symbols, and their characteristic themes – water, clouds, flowers, trees, animals, rocks even colours – portend not only themselves, but also something beyond themselves – there is meaning far beyond the visual experience. There is virtually nothing in all of nature or any artefact that is not seen as being imbued with particular significance.

I simply love the meaning of things!!! On my first journey to Singapore back in 1986 I purchased a silk painting and it’s always been dear to my heart and this painting still hangs in a special place within my home. I was told that this beautiful piece of art depicts the story of the Eight Fairies or as I first came to know them – the Eight Good People of the world. Now these Fairies or immortals are on a special journey travelling the world dispensing good fortune to everyone they meet and each one of these ‘good people’ has a special object that they always carry with them. These items still carry auspicious meanings as they have done over the ages and generally, they can be hung anywhere in the home. They have also come to play a symbolic part in Feng Shui.

There is much controversy as to exactly when the eight immortals came to be however most stories and artworks can be dated back to the Song, Yuan and Han dynasties. I have listed the items carried by the ‘eight immortals’ and I hope that you will be able to put at least one of them to good use for yourself in your own home or place of business.

The gourd:- This wonderful object can be placed around the knob of your bedroom door as it symbolises good health and longevity. It is one of the items carried by Li Tie-guai, one of the most recognisable of the eight immortals as he is lame. One of several legends has it that he would frequently leave his body to wander the land and heavens. On one particular day whilst his spirit was wandering around the mountains his body was found lifeless and he was subsequently pronounced dead. In keeping with the custom of the time he was cremated so, upon his souls return he could not find his own body and therefore he had no option but to take refuge in the first available body. This happened to be the body of a crippled beggar and so it was that Li Tie-guai continued his existence supporting himself on a crutch or staff and is therefore always depicted as a lame beggar. The gourd is said to contain the holy nectar of the Gods, therefore, it is a popular accessory of many Buddhist Deities. In art a gourd decorated with arabesques and roses signifies the wish that ‘spring may last for ten thousand generations’. In other words – this is a wish that your family lasts forever.

The Fan:- Fans first appeared in China during the 10th Century AD and these beautifully painted fans have been a specialty of the great Chinese artist ever since. One of the eight immortals, Zhong Li Quan, who is said to have lived during the Chou Dynasty around 112-249BC, is the chubby chief of the immortals and recognisable by the Fan which he uses to revive the dead. Many other Gods also use the fan to drive away evil and as a result, from a Feng Shui perspective it has been said that fans have the power to deflect negative ‘chi’ or energy that has been directed your way by a hostile source.

Lotus: As the symbol of purity modesty and love, the lotus enjoys a unique importance in Chinese folklore and it seems that this is largely due to the influence of Buddhism. The lotus comes out of the morass and yet is not itself tainted. It is inwardly empty, outwardly upright. It has no branches and smells sweet. There are two Chinese words for lotus: lian and he. Lian is to love, bind, connect uninterrupted as in marriage and also means modesty. A lotus bloom with a leaf and a bud means ‘complete union’ whilst a boy with a carp beside a lotus means abundance year in year out. He Xian-gu was the immortal carrying the lotus and was brought into the group by Lu Dong Bin after he rescued her from a demon by using his magic sword.

Castanets:- Cao Guo-jiu is the finest dressed of all the immortals. He is always depicted in court dress and is often seen holding an official sceptre or castanets. So, for those budding thespians ensure you have this deity around you to help you on your way.

Flute:- A patron saint of musicians, this happy immortal is always depicted carrying or playing the flute. It is said that Han Xiang-Zi could make flowers bloom at will and soothe wild animals with his music. He is said to be the great nephew of the statesman and philosopher Han Yu who lived AD 768 – 824. There are many types of Chinese flutes, however; the vertical flute which has only five holes in the upper part and one in the lower section with only one end open is played mainly by women. In Feng Shui a pair of flutes is often used to divert the negative flow of energy.

Sword:- A demon slaying sword is the attribute of Lu Dong-bin (born around AD 755) another of the eight immortals. There are many legends regarding swords and their magical properties. In fact, it is said that an ordinary sword can be turned into one that will repel demons by going through a special ritual and then reforged. In Feng Shui terms there is the sword of coins. Coins are usually associated with prosperity, however, they were also used as protective charms. So it came to be that a cluster of coins were strung with red cording in the shape of swords. These were then worn around the neck to ward off ‘sha chi’ directed your way by a hostile source.

Bamboo cane: Zhang Guo-lao is the immortal that is always shown carrying a long bamboo cane, the so called ‘Fish Drum’. Inside the cane are two rods fitted with hooks, and the whole piece can be used as a means of making various sounds and music. Legend has it that he flourished around the late 7th and early 8th centuries and is always accompanied by a donkey on whose back he would sit backwards and could cover a thousand miles a day.

Basket of flowers: Lan Cai-he is one of the eight immortals and is represented by a basket of fruit or flowers. A decorated basket of flowers represents riches and therefore the motif has been a popular one used during the New Year period.

There are many, many items in varying degrees of styles that can evoke a significant value for another person. So………. why not consider giving a gift for Christmas with substance, one that has an important meaning to someone you care about. Perhaps it will reflect the gift of wealth, good health and happiness or even………..love.

About the Author: Juliana Abram is one of the leading Feng Shui consultants in Australia having been traditionally trained in Hong Kong. Juliana runs her own Feng Shui consultancy ( see http://www.fengshuicentre.com.au ) and her own online Feng Shui store ( see http://www.fengshuishop.com.au ).

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=133760&ca=Culture

Go here to read the rest: Feng Shui & Symbology

What Is A Feng Shui Life?

By Charles Chang

Many people have heard of Feng Shui, and have wondered what having a Feng Shui life consists of. Some believe it is but silly superstition or ancient fairy tales. In fact, Feng Shui is the knowledge that comes from studying and understanding how the environment around you impacts you and your daily life.

In the Chinese language, Feng (fung) means “wind” and Shui (schway) means “water”. These two basic elements are considered to be the fundamental elements for life to exist. Feng Shui dates back over 3,000 years, and continues to evaluate how ch’i, Chinese for “energy,” flows in one’s environment and the impact that this flow has on one’s life.

At it’s inception, the art and science of Feng Shui focused on the arrangement of the home for optimum safety, comfort, and security. One’s bedroom would be positioned properly for the deepest and most restful sleep. Doors would be placed in such a way as to provide security from negative energies. Every detail was accounted for, including the stove’s proper placement to ensure that the rice would be cooked properly, each and every time.

As the years have passed, Feng Shui masters have developed more sophisticated ways of evaluating the impact of our increasingly complex environments on ch’i. These methods include the measurement of magnetic flow based on compass direction, and the natural real world effects of color, shape, and the conglomeration of elements in a person’s living space.

The common misconception many people have is that a Feng Shui life brings with it wealth and almost magical tidings. For better or for worse, this could not be further from the truth. A Feng Shui life is really about creating an environment for opportunities. It allows you to make good use of the understanding of nature and life together. This understanding can effectively help you make the most of the opportunities that come before you, and hopefully open you to more of those opportunities.

The modern Feng Shui life must continue to evolve in order to address contemporary problems. Environmental factors such as the effect of electromagnetic radiation, indoor plumbing, and other innovations have the potential to clutter the environment and can have a hand in obstructing ch’i flow and disturbing the delicate balance of life.

Many people who work to live a Feng Shui life stress the importance of embracing other life-enhancing factors as well. Since Feng Shui is a holistic lifestyle, it is reasonable that consideration must also be given to the quality of food that we eat, the quality of cosmetics or personal hygiene products that we put into our bodies, and the choices we make concerning products that may or may not use toxic elements so that we may continue to support the environment.

With our world constantly moving and changing, you can never have the best of circumstances all the time. With day there must be night, and times of good luck must come with times of bad, this is one of the primary principles of Yin and Yang. A Feng Shui life can help to manipulate the influences in your life and make it easier for you to be able to meet and handle these changes. It can allow you to make wise and effective decisions which, in turn, can help you achieve wealth and success.

A Feng Shui Life is certainly not some fairy tale or superstition. In fact, Feng Shui is a profound life tool that can be used by anyone to make life better and more harmonious.

About the Author: Charles Chang has been working with Feng Shui for many years. He enjoys helping others achieve positive energy flow through his website at http://www.feng-shui-pro.com .

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=121251&ca=Entertainment

Read more here: What Is A Feng Shui Life?

Feng Shui Your Home

By Jeena Anderson

Feng shui in Chinese means wind and water. In other words, it is an art of positioning objects, especially furniture, based on a belief in yin and yang, that in Chinese philosophy mean the beginning of femininity and virility, and the flow of chi. Feng shui offers to place objects so that they could bring harmony to the environment.

Feng shui

In order to get harmony, energize and improve your life, it’s strongly recommended to follow basic feng shui principles. Firstly, tell the Universe how you want to change in your life and what you want from your life. Then you need to apply Bagua, which symbolizes nine building blocks of life – health, love, wealth, career, wisdom, reputation, children, helpful people and center of chi. It is like a Bagua map, that you have to apply to your home, room or work place.

Systematically apply Bagua map to your living or working place:

1. Make a plan of your room; divide your floor plan into nine equal squares. Decide which room relates to each Feng shui area.

2. Now you know which rooms relates to every Feng shui area. It comes time to place specific objects, symbols that will enhance power of Feng shui. For example, in the love and marriage corner at your room place you wedding picture, a book of love poems and etc.

Feng shui tips

Here are some feng shui tips that will help to improve you life:

1. Add mirrors to increase a size of a small room

2. Place the bed where you have the biggest view of you room and do not place mirror above it.

3. Throw away dried flowers and replace them with fresh ones.

Feng shui products

Feng shui specialists recommend to place symbols, statues and other feng shui products in nine Feng shui areas. Here are some popular products:

1. Energy balls – an ancient Chinese way to good health;

2. Feng shui money bag of Abundance – symbolize money flowing in your life

3. Windchime – the most popular tool for many Feng shui situations.

The information above is only the small part of great Feng shui secrets.

About the Author: More information is available on http://feng-shui.doubleget.com website.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=75088&ca=Home+Management

Read the original: Feng Shui Your Home

Feng Shui To You!

By Kerry A. Francis

What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui ( which is pronounced properly “FEIING SWEE” in the Cantonese Chinese dialect” is a way and means of creating harmony between humans and their environment to enhance well being. An ancient Chinese theory of design and placement, Feng Shui grew from observations that people are affected – both positively as well as negatively by their surroundings. You may well have noticed that some places seem always to impart luck on their environments whereas some people seem to always have happiness and health imparted by their surroundings.

In your home and environs, good Feng Shui helps create harmonious family relationships, fosters good health, revives energy and enthusiasm and even encourages fertility and good sex drive. In business it encourages prosperity and success. By changing your surroundings Feng Shui allows you to change your life for the better.

Because there are so many elements contributing to your environments, applying Feng Shui may initially seem to be a complex matter. However there are some basic, time honored remedies which will not involve anything more than simple efforts and little expense.

In some cases Feng Shui can be as simple as moving furniture around, changing the colors of your d

Feng Shui Beginners: How to Use Feng Shui to Enhance Your Luck

By Lynn Lee

Feng Shui is not a dish best served warm with some oyster sauce. It is the art of tuning you in with Mother Nature, so that she may notice you, stroke your head gently and impart upon you all of nature’s secret energies of wisdom, love, power, luck and wealth. People all over the world, including Chinese people have turned into the more antiquated recesses of history and have been using feng shui to enhance their prosperity and ensure their longevity. This is some literature for those not in the know, a feng shui for beginners so to speak – instructing all on how to use feng shui to enhance your luck.

Feng shui is using the power of colours, arrangement and design structures to make any living or working space sort of a tuning fork or sponge that can absorb as much good energy as it can to give you prosperity, luck and wisdom. Adversely, you could be stuck in a situation where the reverse is true, bad colours and odious arrangements make for the ‘scarecrow’ effect – driving away ‘Chi’ or good energy.

What we are concentrating here is on luck and I will explain a bit on that as well. Ancient masters of old China, well schooled in the arts of feng shui have divided luck into three bite sized and packaged portions. ‘Tien’, also known as luck of the heavens, ‘Ti’, a luck spawned from earth and ‘Ren’, the best luck of all, created from the tools of humanity and the individual.

Now Tien is the preset luck, it all depends on time of birth, location and family history. Ti and Ren however are entirely up to you. Ti or Earth Luck is the one you have the most control over. This luck is resonant with the energies of nature and they flow within the world we live in at every turn. This is also where feng shui is most applicable because these are the very energies or ‘Chi’ that you must tune to enjoy a lifetime of good luck and prosperity. The totality of the approach is this, what colours you use and how your house is arranged will decide how much and how often these energies will call on you and make themselves comfortable in your abode.

What you put in your house is also very important. Dried flowers, fake plants or anything with thorns or sharp jagged edges may just cut a swathe into the good energies and chase them away. Feng Shui identifies eight segments of life – career, relationship, health, travel, children, family, education and fame. Each of them has a place in any living and working space and anyone can use what they have or Feng Shui specific objects like crystals and stones to augment and control the amount of ‘Chi’ travelling through the house as well as balance the yin (masculine) and the yang (feminine) energies of the house – maintaining a balance that is ideal for wealth, luck and prosperity to grow. So use this feng shui for beginners guide as your first step towards enhancing your luck today.

About the Author: Click Here to get Free Tips on how to improve your life with Feng Shui Decorating. Lynn Lee is a celebrated authority on Feng Shui providing valuable advice at http://www.whatisfengshui.net.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=308476&ca=Home+Management

Go here to read the rest: Feng Shui Beginners: How to Use Feng Shui to Enhance Your Luck