Enerch'i Sisters

A Garden Gathering

2008-07-24T08:33:00.012-05:00

My dear friend, Jane, and I set an intention several years ago to have a progressive garden tour of our two gardens. Our primary purpose was to have an occasion to gather old friends we don’t often get to see. You know them, the people you frequently think about and say to yourself, “I really must call so and so and get together” but, despite your best intentions, it doesn’t happen. The second purpose was to share our gardens with them. Jane and I have both enjoyed creating our gardens over the years and decided that it would be fun to share the results of our labors. We settled on a date and sent invitations in which we promised food, flowers and friends.

Today the practice of Feng Shui is more commonly associated with buildings and their interiors, but its original focus was the outside world, the land. Gardening and landscaping lend themselves naturally to Feng Shui. The Feng Shui of our home influences our personal life; our landscape and gardens, the outer aspects of our home, influence the more public aspects of our life. In order to attract positive chi into your home, the outside, regardless of whether you have a single pot of flowers or acres of gardens, must be attractive and well tended. In Feng Shui, the garden is a symbolic representation of what you want to accomplish in your life. Wow! Think about that! Someone once said, “A garden is a partnership with nature.” I love that, for that is indeed how I feel.

While I have studied Feng Shui, Jane has not. But like so many creative people who follow their passion, she has intuitively incorporated Feng Shui aspects to her garden. Thus, intentionally and intuitively we have enhanced the chi of our property, each in our own way.

Feng Shui considers water on your property auspicious. I have added fountains and a birdbath; Jane has a stunning waterfall in her front yard. Coming upon something unexpected and delightful definitely lifts your chi. I tucked a charming fairy statue in among the hosta; Jane added a freestanding blue door in one area of her property. In front of that door, she placed a blue bench and a glass coffee table, essentially creating an outdoor “room”. It is indeed unexpected and delightful. Sound is an important component to the chi of a garden. It is present in the gentle gurgle of our water features, the melodious sounds of our wind chimes and from the happy songbirds attracted to our birdfeeders. There are mobile sculptures and soft grasses that dance in the wind creating gentle movement in the garden. Our approach to adding light to our gardens differs because of the nature of our spaces. Jane cut back tree limbs to allow for more sunlight to dapple shady areas. I added miniature pink and white impatiens under larger plants to brighten the dark areas. To balance active energy with still energy, I used large rocks to anchor and define the garden beds. A statue of Buddha contributes to a sense of stillness on our patio. Jane’s placement of several beautiful large ceramic pots in her gardens provides that same feeling. And, of course, colors, textures and varying heights of plantings were an over all consideration.

After lots of work and planning, the day finally arrived. I was anxious about the weather, but after threatening us with rain, Mother Nature cooperated, providing a cloudy, humid-free day. It was a lovely time to be in the garden, and we were able to keep our promise. Of course, the best chi of all was the conviviality of good friends.

Get Your Head in the Feng Shui Game

2008-07-22T08:28:00.006-05:00

Photo: Maxppp/Barcroft Media

To commemorate this year’s Beijing Olympics, Dr. Wei Sheng stuck himself with 2,008 needles, beating his previous Guinness World Record of 1,790 needles (done in 2004). As I looked at the photo, all I could wonder was if it hurt…even a little bit? I’ve had acupuncture and did not have any pain from the needles, but then again, there were a LOT less of them.

Maybe he prepped himself for this event by ensuring that his Feng Shui was extra-cushiony? If so, he may have focused his efforts on the area of the bagua that corresponds with the head: Helpful People. This area, which is the front-right hand corner of a space, is a prime place to look if someone has frequent headaches, depression, not being able to think clearly or other related “head” issues. Interestingly, the element for this area is metal (needles anyone?).

Once you’ve looked at the area, you might see something that you’d like to change. For example, clearing clutter in that area may help regain some clarity around thoughts. A previous client of mine was affected by depression and in his Helpful People area was a large (somewhat imposing) staircase leading to the upstairs of the house. It was plain; no pictures, wall color, etc. So, not only was it an uphill climb every night, it wasn’t a pleasant trip. After introducing some color and pictures (happy ones!), he experienced a positive change in his mood.

When there is a specific issue, be sure to check out the corresponding area and see what is going on there. You may need to shift the energy to activate or balance, depending on the issue. Sometimes it’s a glaring change and sometimes it’s like finding a needle in a…head-stack.

From One Owner to the Next

2008-07-18T13:25:00.001-05:00

We love our house. It has been the perfect home for my husband and me and, for a few years, my stepson. We love the size, the location, the garden----well, everything. Okay, we do wish we had a two-car garage sometimes, but other than that it has been the best house for us. There’s one major reason this house is so special.

Many years ago we were lucky enough to have bought our home from a friend. We knew her when she lived in the house, witnessed her change in life-plans, bought her home when we realized we needed a bigger place, and now live here ourselves. In case you’re wondering, this amicable torch-passing is very good Feng Shui. We knew her reasons for leaving, what happened while she lived here, and knew the Feng Shui specifics of the space. Once we became the owners, we could shift the energy that needed to be transformed and keep what we wanted to build on.

It might be helpful for realtors to realize how important this was to us----not only buying from a friend, but also keeping her up-to-date with regard to the changes we made. I realize some previous owners would have a fit if their "perfect" home was altered by the new owners. But not in our case. Our dear friend rejoices in each and every change, no matter how big or small. And we’re always so excited to show her what we’ve done when she comes back to town. It’s as though we want her to approve and bless the changes. After all, she is an integral part of the legacy of our home.

It’s too bad old and new owners couldn’t become friends, help each other through the transitions of moving out and moving in, share the intricacies of the home, relate stories of what took place in the house. Instead the buyers and sellers often don’t even meet for fear some sort of fight will break out. I’m concerned when someone has bought a new/different house but in the process legal problems and animosity arose between the buyer and the seller. This is a predecessor issue which could plague the new owners for years to come.

Perhaps our story is unrealistic in today’s world. For the first few years we owned the house, we all referred to the house as "our" home. We’d tell her about something we’d changed or done, referring to it as "our" home----acknowledging her ownership and keeping her as part of the experience. She’d ask how "our" house was or "our" garden. I loved it. Recently I received an email from her when she referred to the house as a temple that had been handed from one owner to the next. We didn’t create that temple alone, I can assure you. In the work that she did and the infusion of Feng Shui energy she put in the structure, she had as much a part in how this house is functioning today as we do. For this we thank you, dear friend, and "our" temple continues to thank you.

Dog Days of Summer

2008-07-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

I know I’ve told you about my sister, Joyce, animal lover and pet sitter extraordinaire!

She began her pet sitting business about 3 years ago, but has loved all animals since she was a toddler. Her business has grown dramatically. Her clients’ pets tell them how much they love having my sister care for them in their owners’ absence. Some of the owners have even called and told Joyce that she needs to stop over because their pet(s) are lonely for her!

While she is thoroughly enjoying this business, she complained to me during one of our recent phone conversations that her schedule wasn’t allowing any time for exercise. She was busy from morning to night. Of course, what would her Feng Shui sister remind her? Sounds like a perfect opportunity to set an intention in the Health area of your home, I said. I couldn’t tell by her response if she was going to “go there” but I had at least made the suggestion.

About a week later, Joyce called. There was excitement in her voice. “You’ll never guess what happened!” Music to Feng Shui ears! She explained that she had just received a call from a new client who asked if she could take on a permanent pet-sitting job. My sister asked what the client had in mind. ‘I would like you to walk my two dogs five days a week over the noon hour”. How perfect! Joyce would be doing what she loved and getting her daily exercise without fail. And she will be getting paid for this exercise time as well. No lack of progress during these Dog Days. I couldn’t resist asking if she had set an intention as I suggested. In her sisterly Texas accent, she responded, “Ya’ll better believe it!”

Eat Some Feng Shui...Or Rice Crackers

2008-07-08T17:34:00.010-05:00

Earlier today I had finished meeting with someone and stopped in the grocery store for a few minutes on the way back to my office. As I was standing in line at the deli, I looked down and did a double-take of what was before me: Feng Shui Rice Crackers. This brings up a good question: can you eat Feng Shui?

And the answer is “yes.” Although these were clearly a brand name – further investigation on the web led me to several “Feng Shui” food products – there are ways to incorporate Feng Shui theories into your eating habits.

One way is to think about food in terms of the elements represented, much as you do with your space. For example, if you feel sluggish, you can add “fire” to your external environment by adding a red candle. You could also add fire to your internal environment by eating a spicy red sauce. I think sometimes we’re intuitive on doing this. I notice that often after traveling (when I've eaten heavier foods and have been on the go) I eat lighter fare for a few days. It helps me rejuvenate and refuel.

Another way to eat Feng Shui is through organic and locally grown foods (read Carole's post about her local farm). Our food’s energy changes when chemicals are applied - both through adding a barrier (chemicals keep pests away) and by adding a level of toxicity. I am currently trying to eat more organic and locally grown foods, while still weighing availability and affordability.

In the end, Feng Shui is about balancing all the energies that surround you on a daily basis - both externally and internally.

Back to Nature

2008-07-05T15:10:00.005-05:00

In teaching and living the principles of Feng Shui, I am acutely aware of how disconnected we’ve become from the influence of nature. My husband and I are city folk and, although we have an ample yard, the shade trees and squirrels derail any efforts to grow our own vegetables. So last year we joined a community supported farm in order to bring some fresh food into our kitchen.
There is an abundance of these farms around here (and I’m sure everywhere) who grow organic, pesticide-free produce. Those of us who have paid into their efforts receive a weekly bag beginning some time in June containing whatever is being harvested. As anyone who has ever taken part in these community farms knows, it’s not unusual to get some mystery things, but our farm sends an accompanying sheet explaining what is all included and some recipes for its use.

What I love the most about this experience is the dirt. These vegetables come with the dirt and mud still caked on them. The eggs may still have some straw stuck to the outside of the shell. It’s almost as though I’ve dug the veggies out myself or gathered the eggs from under the chickens with my own two hands. I realize how important that is to me when I have to buy produce in the store, after the farm has closed up for the year. The potatoes are all washed and neatly stacked; the lettuce is in similar sized bundles, freed of any offending dirt. The eggs are in cartons. There’s something not natural about that.

Of course, we go to the farmers’ markets around our home. For the most part those vendors aren’t afraid to leave the dirt on their vegetables either. But the difference is that the vegetables we get from our farm were harvested with us in mind----not specifically us as in my husband and me, but all of us who support them. Without us, they wouldn’t be boxing up those vegetables that end up in our kitchens.

The other advantage to having this food show up on our doorstep is that it gets us cooking. Not wanting to waste this precious source of ch’i, we cook together, look for other recipes, try different combinations. I like to call this generational Feng Shui—where one intention brings one change, but leads to another one that hadn’t even been considered. Buying organic food to help out the agricultural community and to have good food leads to us to spending more creative and quality time together. That illustrates the true flow of nature.

Transformation

2008-07-03T07:18:00.006-05:00

I am an avid gardener and find working in the soil to be both a form of meditation and a source of energy for me. When I moved into my town home 18 years ago, I left beautiful gardens I loved. My town home had no gardens; rather rocks and shrubs surrounded it. That same landscaping was repeated in the fenced in patio area, however, five small evergreens and a beautiful, mature crab tree added interest to an otherwise uninteresting landscape. I loved those trees. As they grew they provided privacy and were a wonderful haven for birds. That is until about eight years ago when our homeowner’s association elected a new president.

Suffice it to say that he was unhappy that trees were planted inside my fence. The first of many letters began arriving telling me that the evergreens had to be cut down. I was given no recourse. My sense of outrage and grief for being forced to remove beautiful, healthy trees was huge! It was essential to me that they be removed with respect and intention. I talked to each tree, telling it what had to happen. I thanked each for the beauty it provided. Then, one November day, dear friends came to chop them down. Each took a tree home to decorate as their Christmas tree for that year. Seeing those trees transformed with beautiful decorations and bright lights definitely eased my sense of loss.

Several years later, my lovely crab tree came under attack. “The tree has to go” came the ultimatum in a letter from the association. If I did not take it upon myself to have it cut down, they would have it done and send me the bill. Nice, huh!

Reluctantly and with great remorse, I had it cut down to just below the fence level, thinking that would suffice. After all, some of the “reasons” they gave for the necessity for removal was that it was touching a wall of the town home and thus causing damage (none was noted) and it shed flowers on the neighbor’s patio. You may think you need to re-read this last sentence to really understand. Trust me, there is no rationality there! So, if I followed their reasoning, cutting it down to a stump would solve the issues. The tree stump would be covered with vines and continue to serve as a lovely focal point on my patio. By the way, the corner under attack happens to be the Partnership area of the patio. But it was discovered that the stump existed…we won’t address how they might have found out; suffice it to say, privacy does not appear to be a value of this association president! Thus came another letter saying that the “tree” must be removed to the ground.

A beautifully blossoming tree that once held bird feeders and a lovely wind chime was removed with no evidence that it ever existed. The void was painful to look at. How could I transform that area so that I could look at it again with delight? I was in a funk for about six months. That is until I was at the home of a friend who is also an avid gardener. Lo and behold, in one of her gardens stood a little tree shaped metal sculpture. It was just what I wanted! Luckily, the garden store where she had purchased it had another one. I immediately went to get it. A vision was forming. I would create a rock garden around the metal sculpture and cover the sculpture with little fairie houses. A local artist makes the most delightful fairie houses on stakes for the garden and I already had several. He had started making miniature fairie houses for hanging. They would be perfect! The Partnership area had suffered a severe blow, but has now been transformed with love and intention.

Land of Possibility

2008-06-30T10:48:00.002-05:00

Back in November I wrote about a condemned house – abandoned and hardly standing – that was about a block from my own house. It was emitting enough “negative” energy that my dog would barely pass by – without the reassurance from me that it was okay. It was just sad-looking, so very sad.

To my surprise, a few weeks ago, I drove by to see it being demolished. It is entirely gone now – the house and the one car garage. Just a couple of weeks ago the forklift that seemed to have permanent residence disappeared too.

Now the lot stands empty, except for thigh-high grass, an abundance of weeds and some dirt where the house and garage once stood. An old, decrepit wooden fence continues to surround the lot with a “For Sale” sign still attached. I had wondered if the leveling indicated that the lot had been purchased, but I haven’t seen any activity. Since there’s a website listed for information, I visited it and it read “Lot will be sold by January 31.” That was almost five months ago, so my guess is that the lot is still available.

The difference in energy is almost staggering. Even with the high grass, weeds and old fence, it has changed from sadness to opportunity. Instead of avoiding the sidewalk, my dog walks by and occasionally ventures towards the lot and peers in through the fence to take a look.

Regardless if the lot has been sold or is still for sale, I am happy that the energy has been uplifted. I think an empty lot is better than one in ill-repair. It has gone from the land of gloom to the land of possibility. Now myself and others in the neighborhood wait to see who will revitalize this charming piece of land.

High School Reunion Chi

2008-06-25T21:29:00.005-05:00

I just returned from Texas where I attended my high school class reunion. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane as I renewed friendships with people I graduated with, some of whom I’ve known since first grade.

My mother and sister still live in my hometown so my daughters joined me and my husband for a family reunion as well. It was a bonus to have my daughters attend some of the school reunion festivities and experience a sense of who I was in high school through stories shared by old classmates.

A highlight of the class reunion was an opportunity for us to tour my old high school. I must tell you that the architecture of this building is awesome! My classmates and I loved it dearly when we attended and have continued to talk about how lucky we were to have had such an amazing building in which to learn. Even as teenagers, we seemed to relate to the special environment that supported our learning and socializing during those important years. We definitely had a relationship with the building and felt its grounded and nourishing presence in our lives.
The first high school was founded in 1891 as a one room school and named after Thomas S. Lubbock, a Confederate Colonel, Texas Ranger and brother to the governor of Texas during the time of the Civil War. The original announcement of the school's opening read: "Schooling for all who could reach it by pony, wagon, buggy or on foot." In the fall of 1929, city planners began planning for a new high school. Construction began in 1930, and the current building was completed in 1931.

During the planning stages, some of the city founders felt the proposed building was too expensive and elaborate for a “high school,” especially since it was the beginning of economic hardship from the onset of the Great Depression. I am grateful to the farsighted leaders who disagreed. They were the ones who felt the high school should be more than just a school but rather a tribute to learning for generations to come. Despite the Great Depression and a population of only about 5,000, a local architectural firm designed the richly ornamented northern Italian Romanesque style structure featuring two and three story classroom wings, offices, a gym and auditorium all constructed around two open courtyards. The school featured decorative brickwork, terra cotta ornamentation, a bell tower and gorgeous three dimensional tiles throughout. Indeed, the high schools built much later are deteriorating and require major renovation. Not my high school! Due to its distinctive architecture, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The school is known for its academic program and, I might mention, for the fact that it has produced a number of talented musicians and vocalists over the years including Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Mac Davis and Natalie Maines.

The young students who served as our tour guides that day also spoke with tremendous pride about their school. Like every generation of students who have graduated from there, they, too, are aware the building was built with the intention of honoring the education of the youth who would be the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. It is as if the building respects the young people who enter, and its beauty and strength set a high expectation for academic excellence. All these years later, the accumulated energy of generations of students who graduated with pride from this school was palpable as we walked the halls. Positive chi is still alive and well there after 77 years!

A Jolt of Cleanup

2008-06-25T11:10:00.005-05:00

Monday morning I was sitting here working on a different post. But then something happened, and I thought, “hmmm, maybe I should be blogging about a different topic.”

My desk is off-white with a slight indentation where a piece of glass fits. The glass must be in the desk to make it level, and I think the original reason for the glass was to put photos underneath – like a collage. I opted for a “cleaner” look and since I thought it was too plain, I had put fabric underneath the glass. For a while I’ve been thinking about changing up the fabric; just Sunday night I was pondering what the new pattern would be. I added it to my mental “to do” list for this upcoming weekend.

My morning routine went off as usual and I’d been sitting here for a couple of hours when – I am not even sure how it happened – I ended up spilling an entire cup of coffee all over the desk. It missed my computer (thankfully) and excluding a few drops down the front of the desk, most of it spread quickly underneath the glass and was absorbed by the fabric. I cleaned it up and removed the fabric of course. It’s now a very white desk - almost shockingly different.

For the past few days I’ve been thinking bout the Feng Shui message. Do I need more metal since in Feng Shui, white is metal? Or did I have too much since the fabric was gold-ish with a shimmery texture that brought in some reds and browns? At this point, I’m not sure about the metal issue. What I am sure about is that there is a message surrounding career.

This changed the desk's look quite a bit by making it more stark (visible) and less soft (the fabric added some dimension and color). It seems clear to me that I need to be paying attention to something possibly upcoming in my career (my desk representing that since it’s where I run my business). Now, I am keenly aware of the desk and what's on it - this "jolt" definitely got me there. So...here I wait to see what happens.

Time in a Muddle

2008-06-22T10:37:00.002-05:00

My computer crashed a couple days ago. This email comes to you through a circuitous route, because, as many of you know, recovering from a disaster like that doesn't occur over night. For all of you who have shared your experiences of computer meltdowns and heard me smugly say something about “you should have backed up your data,” or “you have to use fire walls,” I apologize. We backed up, we had fire walls, the thing still died.

The last few years, I had some sickening awareness that I was getting just too dependent on my computer, but when I suddenly didn't have it at all, I was appalled at my helplessness. I had transferred phone numbers as well as emails to the computer. A fleeting thought of calling someone to discuss a project or an appointment, or even to let them know why I wasn't emailing, was foiled when I realized I had no other record of their existence except what I had recorded on my computer. Yes, we'll eventually retrieve the data, but we're dealing with a weekend here when tech help is somewhat limited.

In an experience like this, there's always a yin and a yang, a counter-balance to some polarizing event. I couldn't imagine what the proverbial silver lining would be other than to put a check on my over-bearing confidence and express some true empathy for those who have gone through the same ordeal. I wasn't expecting the enlightened moment, until I was preparing for a 9:30 meeting the next day. It was 8:30 when I looked at my watch and I was ready to go. How did that happen? Was the clock wrong? Ahhhh—no computer to suck me in---no computer to tie up my precious minutes----no last-minute emails to answer. I had some time on my hands.

Talk about flow. Over the weekend, I've gotten some long overdue ironing done. I cleaned out some file drawers. I picked peonies from our garden and put bouquets all over our house. I played with my cats, much to their initial mistrust and to their eventual delight. I took a nap. I had to admit my computer had taken over my life, depriving me of some very simple pleasantries.

In a day or so I expect I'll be back up and running as normal. From another perspective, I'm grateful I'm only worrying about losing a few pieces of data and not shoveling mud from my living room as many Iowa people have been doing over the weekend. But on the other hand, I learned, despite my mantra of “I wish I had more time,” I do have time. Out of the perceived chaos, the pathway to time became evident. As happens in Feng Shui, sometimes your things or your space will provide you the kick in the pants you need to move forward, or to see the light, or to find the time.

An Intentional Retirement

2008-06-17T23:50:00.002-05:00

One year ago this past June 12, I retired as a Speech Language Pathologist after 22 years of practice. About two years prior I set an intention to leave. To support my intention, I made the significant decision to stop buying any clothing or accessories that related to my work environment. In honor of that, I purchased a fabulous pair of red heels. No mistaking those for work shoes!

I must admit that after two years my wardrobe was feeling more than a bit tired. Most of these clothes were already more than two years old at the time I made that decision. But I was determined to hold firm! It was either break down and go “work” clothes shopping or make a deadline for retiring. I set a date: June 12, 2007. The numbers add up to the significant Feng Shui number nine, representing power and completion. Having chosen that specific time line, I again used my wardrobe to symbolize and support my intention. I created a little daily ceremony. For the weeks leading up to the June 12 deadline, I would come home from work and place the clothes that I had worn that day in a pile. This was my Goodwill donation pile. Each article of clothing was blessed and folded neatly. Needless to say, after several weeks, my closet became very bare, but that story, dear readers, is for another blog.

Mixed with the eager anticipation of leaving was a huge sense of gratitude. I was acutely aware of how many wonderful people I had met along the way, both patients and staff from whom I learned so much. I told as many people as I could that I was leaving, telling them how much I appreciated the opportunity to work with them. I wrote Thank You notes and brought treats. I had always felt sorry when someone left and I did not get the chance to say goodbye or wish him or her well. Often there was an assumption that the person was on vacation, only to learn a month later that they were gone for good. I did not want that to happen. I like closure and goodbyes.

On June 12, my husband drove me to work, planning to pick me up afterward for a celebratory dinner. This last day, I brought to work a 6-foot long and 3-foot wide piece of red cloth. In Feng Shui, there is a lovely ceremony called the Red Carpet Adjustment. This length of red fabric is placed across a doorway so that half of it is in the room and half on the other side of the threshold. Walking over it represents a personal journey from one place to the next. A transition, if you will. I was leaving the familiar and crossing the threshold to the unknown. Our past serves as a bridge to our future and walking the red carpet represented that bridge, leading me to a new stage of life. As I walked it, I said words of gratitude while visualizing a smooth journey. When we returned home, I repeated the process, placing the red cloth across the threshold of our front door. Regardless of where this phase of my life takes me, home will remain my anchor.

Car Shui

2008-06-13T17:55:00.004-05:00

This past week I bought a new car. The car I was currently driving, although I loved it, was going to require some major work----in my opinion, not worth the investment. Finding an appropriate car for me can be an ordeal. I won’t drive just anything, mind you. Most of my friends say something like "It’s just a car" or "What’s the big deal?" Well, not me. My car holds a lot of importance in my world; that has been true even BFS (before Feng Shui)----as far back as I can remember I took great pleasure in driving a spiffy car. My motto is: If I’m not looking good in my car, then something’s wrong. When I get out of my car at the grocery store, or post office, or anywhere, and someone (a stranger preferably) says "nice car," then I’ve got the right automobile for me. We could analyze why that has so much importance to me and what could be lacking in my life to desperately seek that kind of approval from strangers. But we won’t.

The colors of my last car were based on the elements I needed from my Four Pillars analysis (fire and earth, red and tan). I made those colors work beautifully in a sharp red car with a tan convertible top. Too bad its life-span was so short. This time I wanted something different. Having just completed the study of Fashion Feng Shui, I decided to go in that direction. Believe it or not, I had my color swatches with me at the dealership. I matched a car color to my eye color. My husband rolled his eyes when he heard this.

I also name my cars. In the last years because of my endless tenacity in learning Chinese, I’ve given them Chinese names. My red and earth colored car was called hong bao, Chinese for red envelope. By the time I drove my new car home, I had already discovered its name----green jade carpet (luyu ditu). It’s a take-off on a red carpet, get it? —flying to magical places, soaring through space to faraway spots. Part of the reason I picked that is because I know all those words in Chinese—yes, amazingly, I even know the word for carpet.

So "green jade carpet" ("green jade" for short) and I are getting used to each other. It has an intelligence key which is truly more intelligent that I am. It wasn’t until we got it home that we realized it’s the same color as our house! It will take a while for us to figure out the significance behind that. As with any new adjustment on the physical level, new adjustments could come forward on other levels as well. As I change the image of my car, I may be in for some image changes myself.

The Feng Shui of Jury Duty

2008-06-12T21:39:00.003-05:00

I received that dreaded letter telling me that I was to report for jury duty May 19. How could I? I have other plans! How inconvenient! There was no way out. I dutifully drove to the Hennepin County Government Center. Upon entering, I was directed to the lower level where I checked in and sat and waited, listening to the jury pool numbers being called so as not to miss mine. Within the hour my group was called. For the sake of brevity, I will just say that I was selected with 13 other jurors for a criminal trial. Thus began a two week and one day saga of surreal experience, which changed me and my impression of jury duty.

Whatever pattern of daily life that I intentionally or unintentionally created for myself disappeared. A new pattern emerged. I arose very early to drive down town in order to pay the “early bird” special rate in the parking ramp. In order to avoid the freeways, my husband created a lovely route that took me through unfamiliar but friendly neighborhoods; the drive was pleasant. Having never worked down town, in all honesty, I enjoyed the early bustle of the city awakening to a new day. There was an energy that I have never experienced.

After parking and entering the Government Center, each day I went through security. Everyone was courteous and pleasant. Over the two weeks, the faces became familiar, and we greeted one another as old friends. The jurors all gathered in the hall until escorted into a small room, which led into a larger room consisting of a rectangular shaped table and 14 chairs. The quarters were cramped but the conversation lively. It was a friendly group. As we entered the courtroom, all stood until we jurors were seated. Initially, this formality seemed strange to us - that is until the weight of the responsibility we were given sunk in. We had an important job to do and were respected for performing our civic duty.

Sitting in the jury box, I mentally layed out the bagua of the courtroom. The defendant, witnesses and attorneys entered through the Career area. Interested parties sat in Knowledge. We jurors sat in the Family Gua. Indeed we quickly became family invested in a common cause.

The Wealth/Power Gua was mostly unoccupied, although some of the jury seats and the witness box could have occupied some of the periphery. The judge was located in Fame and Reputation. Partnership was unoccupied. Sitting in Creativity was the judge’s delightful clerk. Family and friends sat in the Helpful People area. In the center, Health, sat the defendant and the attorneys.

Our judge endeared himself to all of the jurors, none of whom had previously served on jury duty. His manner was courteous and respectful, and he treated the trial and everyone in his courtroom with dignity. His handled his courtroom as if it was his home and everyone was welcomed and made to feel comfortable.

My experience in this new environment listening to testimony and viewing evidence in an extremely complex case was challenging, exhilarating, emotional, difficult and amazing. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to serve as a juror. It will take awhile to re-enter life as before.

Ed McMahon Needs a Feng Shui Consultation

2008-06-10T09:42:00.002-05:00

Anyone who watches the news has probably seen that Ed McMahon is in trouble: his $6+ million dollar mansion is set for foreclosure. It’s been on the market for over two years and although it has been looked at multiple times, there has been no real interest. I tried to find a blueprint or scaled drawing of the house, but didn’t have any luck doing so. I wanted to check out two areas in particular: wealth and health.

The house has had at least one very public health issue – mold. It resulted in death of their dog and costly reconstruction (a $7+ million dollar settlement helped). In addition, Ed has fallen in the house at least once (mild concussion and several stitches in 2005) and broke his neck (two surgeries followed) in 2006. His publicist didn’t release where he broke his neck (although presumed not in the house). Regardless, it doesn’t seem that the house is very supportive of recovery.

In my search, I did come across some good photos of the house here and here. Taking a look at those, I didn’t see much “welcoming” energy. It was a mishmash of sparse-ness and yet, almost clutter-like in places. I think sometimes celebrity/wealthy spaces are too designed, but in this case, they needed to call in a professional to help with flow and to tone down some of the “grand-ness” of the space. They also need to bring in some warmth and comfort. It makes me wonder what type of feedback the real estate agent has had from visitors.

I don’t know what will happen to Ed and his house, but I don’t think it’s too late for him to consider a Feng Shui consultation. If I were called to do so, in addition to the overall space, I would probably end up prioritizing adjustments in the key areas of wealth, health and helpful people. Since they are selling it, I wouldn’t bring in any more personal items, but I would attempt to warm it up through the addition of plants, fabrics and the like. After all, it is a Mediterranean-style house, and I think a little heat is just what it needs to call in some new, passionate owners.

The Bandwagon is Full

2008-06-07T09:37:00.002-05:00

I’m on my high-horse today. Sometimes a small, seemingly inconsequential thing will annoy me to no end. And it’s happening lately. There seems to be a need to grab a popular concept (in this case Feng Shui) and link it to something else, something totally unrelated, or slightly related but not enough to make it valid.

A couple months ago I saw an article about Feng Shui Yoga. I read it with great anticipation that some enlightened connection that hadn’t occurred to me would be brought forth between these two philosophies. I do yoga; I do Feng Shui----it never occurred to me to blend the two. I couldn’t wait to see how this would be done. The author continued to refer to Feng Shui Yoga, continued to build up my expectations about what this might be, but before I knew it, I was at the end of the article. There was never a clear definition of what made it different from regular yoga, or any other kind of yoga for that matter. I was irritated that someone would use the Feng Shui tag to lure readers to their article----the title was effective because I did indeed read the whole thing, but I didn’t like it.

Then a student of mine forwarded a link to a web page for a Feng Shui Beauty package. You could get a Feng Shui haircut, a Feng Shui manicure and pedicure, and a Feng Shui makeup application (all for $205). How the heck does this work? The reader was assured they’d be aligned with the seen and unseen forces of nature if they would come to their salon to experience the art of Feng Shui. Huh?

I was shopping for groceries the other day and bought, out of curiosity, Feng Shui crackers. Maybe they had an Asian flair because there were some flecks of kelp in them, but, gee, does that qualify them to be Feng Shui crackers? What’s next? Feng Shui deodorant? Feng Shui pantyhose? Maybe we wouldn’t feel bad about paying so much for gas if we were using Feng Shui petrol? Where will it end?

Maybe I should change my attitude and look at it another way. Perhaps because Feng Shui is popular, all of these examples are attempts to grab on to some of that popularity. I believe there’s a word for this: entrainment----when one item vibrating in a certain way affects an item positioned next to it causing it to vibrate in the same way. I think there's another word for this: tacky. Well, I’m off to take my Feng Shui car to the Feng Shui mall and look for a pair of white Feng Shui shoes.

Confusing Energy?

2008-06-04T09:08:00.003-05:00

I am first to admit that I do not have a well-honed sense of direction. If it were not for mapquest and my car letting me know if I am going N, S, E or W, my travel time would probably double in most cases. I’ve also adapted certain strategies that help me find locations depending on where I’m living (e.g. going south means higher numbers). This helps immensely when I am on 50^th Street and Lyndale and I need to get to 5400 Lyndale – I then know which direction to turn. I also know, from “logic,” that my location should be at 54^th Street and Lyndale.

This is where I’ve run into problems lately when meeting people in downtown St. Paul. This “logic” does not apply. For example, 401 Roberts Street is not at 4^th and Roberts as one might think; it’s at 6^th and Roberts. The other day when I attempted to reach that location, I parked and walked from 3^rd to 5^th. Sure that I had missed it, I called and was told that they were on the corner of “5^th.” When I replied I was at that corner he said, “oh, it must be 6^th then.” Sure enough it was.

I started thinking back to when I first arrived in the Twin Cities and would hear about the “rivalry” between Minneapolis and St. Paul, of which their individual downtowns were often discussed. Time and time again I heard that St. Paul’s hasn’t been as vibrant (mostly focusing on evenings and weekends) and people didn’t understand why. With these recent visits to downtown St. Paul, I have to wonder if this confusing energy has anything to do with it. Can opportunities find these places? Unless they are huge buildings with logos – I am not so sure.

Realizing that changing addresses at this point would be a huge endeavor, I did think of a few things that might help the energy: more visible addresses (I couldn’t see very many, which didn’t help), concentration on description for visitors (beginning of the block, tall grey building) and inclusion of cross streets (located at 6^th/Roberts). Because even if someone does find the location, if they were frazzled like me, they are bringing that energy with them and that contributes to the enthusiasm of arriving.

San Fran Ch'i

2008-05-30T10:25:00.003-05:00

My husband and I just returned from San Francisco where we proudly witnessed the graduation of his son from San Francisco State. We spent a few extra days hanging out with him and letting him play tour guide. He loves the city and was happy to show us his favorite places. I’ve traveled a lot but for some reason was struck by the difference in ch’i between what I’m used to here in Minneapolis and what I experienced in San Francisco.

Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but for me the energy in San Francisco and that of Minneapolis might be in the category of polar opposites. I think sometimes here in the Midwest we get content, even lethargic. We get into a groove and are often reluctant to shift into something else. We love our routines. There’s no time for routines in California. For one thing, there may be an earthquake at any time that could change everything. So people are on the go, on the move, up and out, on a fast track. Don’t take this as a blast against us Minnesotans, but our lifestyle is, well, slower.

For one thing, people in San Francisco live closer together, and they put up with it. They eat in very small restaurants at crowded tables. We need our space here in Minnesota. Most of the California people I met don’t have cars----come on, we’d never endure the inconvenience of that, let alone the loss of independence. Of course, San Francisco has so much public transit that it’s down-right easy to get around without a car. We rented a car for our recent visit and spent endless amounts of time trying to park the thing----no space, or if there was space, not big enough. I didn’t see one over-weight person in San Francisco, I’m sure it’s because they have to walk to the transit station, or the bus stop. I did see one very obese woman in Chinatown, but the camera around her neck was evidence that she was a tourist.

In my opinion, the ch’i in San Francisco is nearly electric. It’s exciting, progressive, on-the-edge (probably because that next earthquake could be the big one). It left me breathless at times, even exhilarated. I’d love to live there. I think I could do very well there. The truth is I’d love to live there if I was younger. I’d love living there more if I was assured of a decent income. Oh yes, it was good to come home and slow down a bit. I was happy to get in my car again and get somewhere on my own time table. Nevertheless, a part of me is still in San Francisco, thinking about what it would be like to be part of that energy. I hear a song coming on......

Fly Away Fame

2008-05-20T15:06:00.007-05:00

The airline industry has been getting a lot of press lately. Whether it’s a merger, comments on the increasing fuel costs, or the new “self-serve” security lines at our local airport (personally, I hope they stick), it seems there is a lot to talk about. Today was no different. An article about our airport appears on the front page of the online edition of the Star Tribune: Twin Cities' airport ranks last in customer satisfaction. LAST. An airport official commented that he was “surprised” by the ranking and this survey didn’t mesh with other ones they’ve commissioned. They received the lowest marks across all categories.

This prompted me to take a look at the airport map (Lindberg Terminal). While I did not attempt to layout the bagua, there was something that immediately struck me: a big gap in the middle back area (noted on the graphic with a question mark). For those of you familiar with Feng Shui, you know that the back middle is related to fame/reputation, which seems to align with this recent news.

Granted, there’s a lot of room for debate here on where the bagua would position (where is the “front door” – ticketing? Or could a case be made for the transit center? Is the fame area really missing or are those extensions?). But just with a glance, it seems that the other areas of the property have more “substance” than that open area. To top it off, that area - when occupied- holds waiting planes. Anyone else see the metaphor here? Is MSP fame grounded...waiting to take off?

The Muffin Tree

2008-05-16T18:52:00.007-05:00

Fifteen years ago my husband moved to Minnesota so we could begin our lives together. One of the few things he brought with him was an old cat named Muffin. After the first hour of being together, Muffin and I were bonded. I forgot she was his cat and not mine----I think Muffin forgot it too. By default my husband let go of any ownership of her as well. It was clear to all she and I were meant to be together.

A few years later, by some unusual circumstances, we given a June berry tree to plant in our front yard. The day we planted the tree, Muffin hobbled her nineteen-year-old body out to oversee the project. In Feng Shui fashion, my husband and I placed a couple of special meaningful objects in the hole while she watched. Since she seemed to want to take part in the proceedings, I brushed a bit of her fur and placed it in there as well. When we were done, Muffin wasted no time in blessing it in her own way, which entailed a lot of circling and trunk-rubbing. Thereafter we deemed it the Muffin tree. That was her last summer with us.

A few days ago the Muffin tree exploded with brilliant white flowers. Even though it’s been ten years, I remember the day we dedicated it to her as though it was yesterday. Each spring it’s as though she returns to remind us of the wonderful years we had together and the day we planted a very intentional tree. I always have to ask my husband what kind of tree it really is as I can’t remember its name, knowing it only as the Muffin tree. We have other cats now who are not nearly as interested in this story as I am. However, I will always be grateful for the gentle reminders of a special kitty.

Sparks Will Fly

2008-05-13T10:17:00.003-05:00

Well, I finally got my current situation under control: the new fountain arrived and is flowing great and my “fiddling” with the front light worked and it’s shining brightly. I was still contemplating what the message was when something else happened to remind me that there is more thinking to do.

When Sunday turned out to be different than the forecast (sunny vs. rainy), I knew it would be a great day to get some much-needed lawn work done. I psyched myself up, put on my gear and headed out to the garage to start the lawn mower for the first time. I checked the oil, added new gas and pulled the cord. Nothing. I gave it some time, pulled again and there was a slight turnover. After several attempts, I realized that there was something more that needed to be done. Back to the house I went for the manual to figure out the next step: changing the spark plug.

This Feng Shui connection is practically screaming at me: my “juice” is loose. And that, my friends, is what I am focusing on these days: reconnecting my energy so that it flows uninterrupted. I don’t know if it’s the slow down of the economy, the dreary days or something else, but I have noticed that my “get up and go” isn’t nearly the level it used to be. Obviously there is something that needs to be tweaked to get that movement flowing again.

I had a bit more time to think about that during the mowing, trimming and sweeping that took place Sunday afternoon. And as I sat on the deck afterward, feeling a sense of accomplishment, I thought about some of the things I could – or rather at this point - need to do to recharge. A Feng Shui recipe of adjustments and activities is on my list. These should ignite me; making some sparks fly.

What kind of LUCK is this anyway?

2008-05-12T02:50:00.004-05:00

I have been searching for a published explanation of a concept about "luck" that I learned somewhere along the way in my feng shui studies. It is a way of looking at life that has stuck with me over the years, but one I sometimes wonder if I imagined because I can’t find it in printed form anywhere. I have been contemplating it these last few days, and I thought I would share it with my blog reading friends. As we know, the Chinese are concerned with the idea of luck. In this discussion about Taoist thought as the core of feng shui it was explained that there are three kinds of luck: Heaven Luck, Man (Human) Luck, and Earth Luck. Heaven Luck has to do with aspects of your existence that you cannot change, i.e. the astrology of your birth – in both the location and the timing, your gene pool, your karma, your destiny, your calling, etc. Man Luck, or Human Luck as we prefer today, has to do with your actions and choices, your diligence in study and work, your ethic in interactions with others, and so on. Earth Luck is where feng shui enters in. This is the aspect of luck that our culture has largely overlooked. In many ways our society has ignored the kind of sensitivity and orientation to the environmental surroundings of living and working spaces that virtually every other culture on the planet has paid close attention to. This is why (I explain to my clients and students) feng shui is not a magic pill that you take that instantly makes your life problem free. You may impact your “luck” a great deal with your feng shui efforts, and often it is just the shot of luck your life has been longing for. But feng shui won’t change your karma. It won’t undo poor choices or bad behavior. I often say to high school students when I guest lecture in their classes - you may improve your school performance by enhancing the feng shui of your homework space (whether it’s your bedroom or the kitchen table) but you still have to study for the tests!

As many of you know, in the last couple of months my life went from sort of normal “busy bee” break neck speed (read Carole’s newsletter this month), to completely turning upside down. What with my house water disaster, and reconstruction moving at a slow pace, and my sister in the hospital for over a month having had 4 surgeries within 6 days, and my sprained ankle, and searching for a much needed job (which I have now been offered), and two sons graduating from college --- I have had to stop and ask myself – what kind of “luck” is this? Is it a karmic/astrological/metaphysical/spiritual lesson? Is it a reflection of my choices and behaviors? Is it my feng shui? My style is to look at all three. To me “luck” is a braid of many strands. At this point, I have come to a pretty major snarl, and need to pay attention to untangling the threads as best I can.

I went my astrologer, Nellie, on Saturday. She's amazing. I don’t go often, and I know practically nothing about western astrology. But it seemed like an appropriate time, given the circumstances. It’s funny (coincidence???) that some of what she sees as prominent in my chart are similar prominences in my Chinese astrology chart. I ran through my list of questions to focus on: work, money, home, marriage, caring for others – oh, just a few of the biggies in life. Naturally, she could see about 13 ways from Sunday how and why all my life “structures” have come down around me just now. Yes, I have some major life lessons to learn, most effectively summarized in her statement that “You need to rebuild your life by including yourself into the equations.” Ooooh thaaat. Yeah, that’ll be a lesson for me alright. Talk about the Heaven luck strand – there it is, plain as day. On a positive note, she pointed right to the spot on the chart that told her “this is not a chart of failure. You have the skills and strength to accomplish this.” (Thank you Nellie, I really needed to hear that.) And then I explained that on my drive over, as I was pondering all my questions it dawned on me that my relationship with my home IS a primary relationship for me. Immediately she circled a gaggle of astrology hieroglyphics in the very bottom section of my chart. “There it is, right there. Home is at your core,” she said. Home is crucial to who I feel I am and how I approach the world.

There it was, articulating something that has been true for me since I was a little girl - from the time I was rearranging the furniture in my parents living room and insisting on painting my bedroom lavendar with a rainbow across two walls! - right there in my chart. Fitting to my braided strands theme, at that moment I understood more completely than ever before, that for me my Earth Luck and my Heaven Luck are inextricably tied together. No wonder I ended up in feng shui. Now I just need to get my Human Luck moving in my best reconstructive direction! It's like that Mary Engelbreit illustration of the little girl and a sign saying "Life, put your self into it." Mine just needs to say "Your life, put yourself into it!" Now I just need to get ME into my Human Luck equation.

Thinking Outside the Box

2008-05-09T12:30:00.003-05:00

I’m evidently into boxes. I blogged earlier about using a box to organize my desk, throwing everything into the box at night so that when I walked in the next day, I would be met with a clean, clear desk. I’ve loved the idea and have integrated it wholly into my routine. A few weeks ago I realized that the box idea isn’t a new one to me----I’ve organized my life by a box method. Back in the 70's I started putting together memory boxes rather than the proverbial scrapbooks. I would cover a sturdy box and lid with decorative paper and put in everything I wanted to keep for that year----pictures, birthday cards, memorabilia. The next year, I’d start a new box.

About 20 years into that process, I had a lot of boxes, as you can imagine, so I began a consolidation. First it was into five-year increments, then a few years ago I condensed it to ten year spans. As I went through each box, I had an opportunity to remember some moments, look over some old theater tickets, try to recall why some of the miscellaneous stuff might have been important. I had a birthday card from someone named Joan----I no longer remember who she was. It was easy to let a lot of it go.

So now I’m questioning the whole idea. Does anyone care what I looked like in 1976? or who sent me birthday cards? Perhaps the better question is whether I care? On one hand it’s my data, my history; on the other hand it’s in the past. I don’t have children who will one day cherish a photo of me in my bell bottom jeans. I guess I’m aware that at some point in universal time, all this stuff will be recycled by someone, never to be seen again. Shouldn’t that be me taking care of this while I can? Of course there’s always the possibility someone will want to write an extensive autobiography about me after I’m dead and will want any and all photos and memorabilia they can find. Then again.....

I ask myself WWFSD? (What would Feng Shui do?) I know the mantra that less is more, simplify, simplify, yet I also know the underlying Taoist belief about flow. Perhaps there’s no set answer, but instead a compromise. Maybe there’s the ultimate memory box where eventually the memories of the most important parts of my life end up, but there are interim boxes leading up to that point. That way my stuff is always moving around, I’m regularly assessing where it should go, as I choose to move it to another box or relinquish it altogether. No stagnent ch’i here. Yes, indeed, I do like those boxes.

Partially Hidden Front Doors and Straight Paths

2008-05-08T09:54:00.008-05:00

Last week while Mother Nature was trying so hard to give birth to spring, I attended the 25th anniversary of Art in Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. With everything so brown, I needed that chi infusion of the color, texture and fragrance of beautiful floral arrangements paired with works of art.

As part of the celebration, internationally known speakers are invited to present on various aspects of gardens and floral design. The first speaker’s topic was about gardens of some of the Impressionist painters. We saw stunning photographs of Monet’s garden, which he compared with the gardens of Renoir and Cézanne. These three artists personified the use of nature as the model. While they were all conservationists, Renoir and Cézanne loved a natural feel in the garden while Monet liked order. As I viewed this presentation through the lens of Feng Shui, I was aware of some interesting aspects to their approach. The first thing that struck me as we viewed an absolutely breathtaking photo of Cézanne’s front garden was the fig tree partially hiding the front door to his home. Of course, an emphasis in Feng Shui is to have a front door that is not hidden in any way, even partially. I was thrilled that our speaker addressed the door just as I was thinking about it. He stated that Cézanne’s motif was devoted to nature’s reclaiming man’s dominion over it. Because Cézanne so believed that nature comes first, he would never correct for the roots of a tree disrupting a driveway, vines taking over a house or a fig tree partially covering his front door. His emphasis was to allow nature to be dominant.

Monet’s front door, on the other hand, was fully visible and framed by a beautiful arched trellis covered with clematis, roses and wisteria. Monet, unlike Cézanne, took a more formal, orderly and controlled approach to gardening. His garden paths, rather than being gently curved, were very straight. While in Feng Shui, curved paths are encouraged to allow chi to meander, there is a place for straight lines when the desire is to encourage chi to move quickly. Monet’s use of straight lines as a design perspective was very intentional. Rather than using straight paths to encourage one to walk quickly, he created the illusion that the garden paths went on to infinity. No need to hurry.

The invention of oil paints in tubes was pivotal. It allowed these artists to paint outside. They created gorgeous gardens because of their love of nature and their desire to capture her subtle nuances, including movement and flow. They designed flower gardens for a personal connection with nature and water gardens for introspection. A partially hidden front door or a very long, linear path became, in these instances, breathtakingly beautiful. What was very clear was that this gift of beauty was created from the power of their intentions.

Ch'i Over the Years

2008-05-02T13:35:00.005-05:00

Ten years ago this September, following a distant call, I gathered the first class of what would eventually become the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. To say that the program has evolved from those days is the proverbial understatement. Those who took part in that first group don’t even recognize what the training has become.

Not that those first classes were any less valid or substantive than they are now, but my approach has changed. I’ve re-arranged and re-formatted the hand-outs, changed teaching venues a couple times, added faculty, met the qualifications to become licensed as an official school by the Minnesota Department of Higher Education Services. And, bottom line, I teach the material differently. All of these changes have been exciting, appropriate, and in line with the flow of the ch’i.

Luckily, however, one thing has not changed in all these years----the faces. One of the pure delights I cherish is being able to watch the faces of my students as the light bulbs go on, as the words bring new insights, as they realize the possibilities. It was one of the first things I observed ten years ago, and it still happens with every group of students. It reminds me of my own journey. That ride is pretty exhilarating, that’s for sure.

I also know from experience that when you’re in a group having break-throughs, processing issues, supporting one another, making plans for the future, a bond happens. Feng Shui is no different. Some of the past classes still meet informally even though their classroom experience was years ago. I still have a dear friend who, at the time of our mutual study paths, was living in Florida and now lives in Pennsylvania. We wouldn’t think of going to a Feng Shui conference or take up another line of Feng Shui study without one another.

This past weekend one of my classes reached a mid-point in their studies. After a short ceremony to mark the occasion, they wanted to forever hold the moment so we took a picture. I want to share the photo with you to show you what I’m talking about.

It’s hard not to smile when you look at their faces. I thank them and all the prior students for blessing me with their open hearts.

Of course, nothing says "bonding" better than a group hug.