My "Current" Situation

Over the past week, electrical issues have appeared in my space. Nothing major (thankfully), but interestingly both were by my “front” doors: my outside front light stopped working and a fountain that I had near my office door had a pump issue.

Last Friday I was having some people over and went to turn on my front light and it was out (so I thought). Luckily everyone coming had been here before and it wasn't an issue for people to find me. I bought a new bulb this weekend and replaced it. Last night, however, when I went to turn on the light, it remained dark. The bulb isn’t the issue; there’s something with the wiring. Maneuvering it “just so” will cause the light to go on, so I was out there this morning tightening everything to see if that makes a difference.

The fountain issue I also noticed last week. The pump was getting louder and instead of a nice relaxing water trickling sound, it became a louder humming (somewhat irritating). I unplugged it, cleaned it and while trying to adjust the motor, the knob controlling water flow fell off. I did some research on the web for a new pump, but didn’t find a match. Yesterday I contacted the place I had purchased it from and they are replacing the whole fountain!

Like Carole, I am in the midst of discovering the underlying message here. Both were near front doors – the Feng Shui area representing careers and opportunities. Does it mean that I need to devote a little more attention there? Or maybe my “spark” needs an adjustment? As I continue to ponder, I’m hoping that a new fountain and a working front light get my juices flowing again.

Getting the Ch'i Back to Work

I may have mentioned that both my husband and I are looking for work. I had applied to a few jobs and hadn’t heard back from anyone for about 3 weeks. Even the application to work for someone I had worked for in the past, a position I had met with her about in person already…. now I wasn’t getting any responses to emails or telephone calls.

I kept thinking of my dad. Later in his years as a Presbyterian minister on the west coast, he worked as an employment counselor for the State of CA, rather than serving in a parish. I remember his agenda with his clients: that he would encourage people to get some job, even if it wasn’t their ultimate job. Just the fact of being employed improved one’s outlook, one’s self esteem, and lowered their stress by having something of an income stream, and so on.

I look at his wisdom now in terms of energy flow. I had been having a recurring thought of getting “any” job – even something at a coffee shop, just to get the ‘job” energy moving. I hadn’t quite gotten around to it, what with my house torn up and in turmoil (status post flood), when I received an email from my old friend, Sue, who is a Psychologist and Psych/Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has a private practice of largely managing psych and brain chemistry medications for people in therapy. She is an expert in medications as well as natural and complementary approaches to improving and stabilizing brain chemistry and function – so she is in high demand. She was asking me if, while I was looking for a job, I would like to work in her office part time and help her get organized and manage the inundation of phone calls and referred clients she has. PERFECT! We have worked closely together in the past, even in similar circumstances, and I jumped at the chance. Sure enough, having worked there precisely 4 times, I got a call back from one of jobs I had applied for. Then, a week later, I heard back from the former boss about the position we had spoken of – not calling me for an interview, but “inviting” (her word) me to take this job. While I haven’t entirely accepted this position just yet – pending meetings to better understand the responsibilities, I am humbled at a small glimpse of how the universe works.

It doesn’t mean everything is dreamy and fixed and perfect. I'm distracted now by so much of my life in upheaval, with multiplied stress because my sister, Nancy, has been hospitalized and quite ill for a couple of weeks. But it’s a small step in the right direction. And it’s gratifying to know that I heard the ch'i call me to get moving, and I got to see the beneficial outcome. Gotta count those blessings, no matter how small.

Enlightenment

A couple weeks ago I found myself engaged in light fixtures. One fixture project was planned, the other an unexpected surprise. To wrap up a kitchen remodel we started four plus years ago, my husband and I bought some pendulum lights for over the counter and the sink. Part of the delay in getting lights was due to the fact that we didn’t know what we wanted and were overwhelmed by the options. The other contributing factor was that we just wanted to be done with the remodel, with or without lights. So we shelved the idea until later.

One recent weekend we found what we wanted rather unexpectedly. When the lights were installed, it was as though the whole remodeling project took on a new life. And we were pleased all over again. At the same time, Debbie, a student of mine, gave me a small lamp with a lovely Asian flair----marking the end of her Feng Shui studies with me. I thought it curious that, within a few days, all this new light was appearing.

The kitchen pendulums had designated spots but the little lamp needed to find its home. I had it in my office, our bedroom, the entry, but nothing worked right. I found what I thought would be a suitable place in the dining room but then realized it was too close to the kitchen, competing with those pendulums.

So, I took a Feng Shui approach. Since the kitchen lights were in the south and center of our house (Fame and Health), I decided to complete that line of thought and place the lamp along the same axis----in the north (Career). I walked into the living room, lamp in hand, doubtful I’d find anything that would be appropriate. In fact, I saw the perfect spot on top of the television cabinet. The lamp nestled in next to some lucky bamboo as though it was always meant to be there.

I’m pondering the reality of having more light in my life. Feng Shui is the proverbial language of metaphor so there must be some message here, after all, the whole center third of my space/life has been lightened. Meanwhile until I fully understand the underlying meaning, I bask in the warm glow, grateful for the new vision it provides me.

House Plant De-Cluttering

As you know, dear readers, we have been dealing with cement dust from a remodeling project. Well, we’re still cleaning up from it all. Hopefully, we’ll be done in another week. We just had our ducts and carpet cleaned so that should help a lot.

This past weekend was dedicated, among other clean-up jobs, to our houseplants. Healthy, lush houseplants are most welcome in Feng Shui! They elevate chi wherever they are placed and create a lovely natural feel, connecting us with nature. I love the added natural beauty they bring indoors. And each year it gets easier for those who don’t feel they have the time or the green thumb. There are wonderful new plants, like the ZZ plant, that can thrive in a relatively dark corner of your home and tolerate neglect. And if not just for the beauty, there is extensive research on the benefits of houseplants as indoor air purifiers. *

Plants can also be used effectively for Feng Shui intentions. A jade plant with its coin shaped leaves can be used as a wealth adjustment. The Children and Creativity area might be a fun area for experimenting with plant propagation. A plant placed in the Career area can represent growth and new possibilities.

Remember, we’re talking healthy, lush plants. Not the poor spindly plant that is on its last leg. There was a time when it was difficult for me to toss any plant. As long as it showed any signs of life, however feeble, I hung on as long is it hung on. Those days are long gone. I certainly will spend time nurturing a plant that begins to look unhappy. But that time is limited. There are too many choices and I really like that lush look! Sometimes my plants, just like my clothes or knick-knacks, hit an expiration date for me. When that happens, I am more than happy to pass them on. I have quite a number of ex-houseplants thriving in friends’ homes.

But the plants that live with us now are covered with cement dust and it is time for spring-cleaning. So, this weekend was devoted to cleaning and de-cluttering. That kind of dedicated attention provides a perfect opportunity to assess what plants I still love and what ones have hit their expiration date. I reluctantly said goodbye to a few. The ones that are staying, fortunately, could tolerate a nice shower to remove the dust. The one exception however is my 25 year-old Hoya. This Hoya is the only remaining plant that came with me seventeen years ago when I moved into my current home. It bloomed profusely in my previous home. Seventeen years later, while it continues to grow happily in our entryway, winding its way up and around our banister, it remains in protest about being moved and refuses to bloom. Nevertheless, it is beautiful and provides a lovely visual guide to our living room. Needless to say, it needed hand cleaning, which took over an hour. Every leaf was gently cleaned and, like those that took showers, old stems and leaves were removed. Now that our houseplants have been cleaned and de-cluttered, there is a fresh feel in our home. Love that chi!

*How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office by Dr. B.C. Wolverton

Celebration

This past weekend was one of celebration. On Saturday, a dear friend of ours turned sixty-five. To celebrate this special birthday, he rented a music hall where we were treated to a stunning two-hour concert of piano and violin. His gift to us. While he does not play professionally, our friend is a classically trained pianist. With his love of music, as you would imagine, he has many friends who also play, and they joined him as a gift to him as well as to us. The hall resounded with Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Chopin and Monti-Czardas. A sumptuous dinner followed. This celebration honored a milestone in the life of our friend and honored his life, which has been filled with generosity and compassion for others…family, friends and strangers. In addition to the musical gift, his birthday was also a gift to everyone attending as friends and family were re-united and new friendships were formed. The Family, Relationship and Helpful People areas of his home must still be reverberating.

The next day, Sunday, brought yet another kind of celebration. Ten women completed their practitioner training through Carol Hyder’s Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. This accomplishment represents not only a commitment of time and money, but also the invaluable support of friends and family. I love being able to participate in these graduation ceremonies. It brings me back to when I first graduated, now ten years ago. Although I had an inkling about how my life might be affected by incorporating the gentle but powerful art and practice of Feng Shui, I couldn’t have known how amazingly my life would be altered as a direct result. Even though we share our Feng Shui stories with the students, only time can bring about the life changing growth each will experience. As we formed a circle in which to participate in Sunday’s ceremony to mark this auspicious event, we also celebrated the continuing growth of our Feng Shui community. For many of us, the initial motivation for learning this ancient practice is personal. What evolves is the awareness of how each of us can apply this rich information to make a positive difference in other people’s lives. First, of course, we must learn how to create our own sacred space. Then, in celebration, we can bring our knowledge and insights to assist others.

Tax Day - Rue or Rejoice?

You knew I was going to post about tax day – didn’t you? It is a likely subject for this lovely Tuesday. I just met with my accountant yesterday and received the “news” about how I fared for 2007. It was a major change from the year before (2006) when I was still working in corporate America. My income might have decreased, but my happiness increased exponentially (well worth it!).

Money is one of those subjects that evokes quick emotion. Almost every Feng Shui appointment I do people want to know where their wealth area is and how they can enhance it; even people doing okay financially want to safeguard their prosperity.

In recognition of this day when you so clearly see the results from the previous year, here are a few quick tips:

• First, find your wealth area: far back left corner of your space (starting point is standing at your front door facing towards your house)
• Physically go to that area and see what is there: think about what it’s representing
• Fix anything broken or leaking (make sure your wealth area is in good repair)
• Clear clutter (remove anything that creates an “overwhelming” feeling)
• Add something that symbolizes wealth to you (money, a picture of your dream house, a photo of a new car)
• Check your kitchen: it also symbolizes wealth since it’s where you prepare food for your family and metaphorically if you have enough food, you have wealth. Take a look around and see if there are changes that need to be made

These are just a few tips to get you started. Make those changes - remember your intention - and see what happens. Before you know it, April 15 might be a day of celebration for all your prosperity!

Foiled Ch'i

One of the reasons, or perhaps THE reason, my husband and I bought the home we have is because it overlooks Minnehaha Creek. Not only is it scenic, but there are walking paths, bike paths, the sound of water----a perfect Feng Shui setting. Besides all that, there is a foot bridge that crosses over the creek and lands close by our driveway. When I was taking buses back and forth to campus during my graduate years, I would get off one stop short to be able to walk across the bridge to my house. It was though I was flying over the creek into another world where I got to live. I loved that walk.

A couple weeks ago there was a small sign with a chain draped on both ends of the bridge----"Warning: Bridge Closed." Some of the neighbors and I called the park & rec department who told us the bridge was not fit to be used; they were going to have to assess whether they could repair it or would have to replace it. Either way there was no money to do anything. The bridge was closed indefinitely.

The bridge closure has not only changed the way we take our walks and the way my husband does his morning jog, but countless other people walking their dogs or riding their bikes have come to a sudden stop at the foot of the bridge. A lot of people relied on that path to get across the creek.

Despite the warning sign, I saw people fearlessly step over the sign as though it wasn’t there. You’d think after they got a few steps onto the bridge and heard the creaking they would come scurrying back. I didn’t understand the young couple who, pushing their baby in a stroller, stepped over the chain/sign, laughing and jostling one another ignoring the sounds of a bridge ready to give way. Maybe because the sign was so small, it wasn’t getting respect. I was witness to a bicyclist who nearly flew over the embankment into the creek as he came barreling down the Bryant Avenue hill expecting to take the bridge. We called our friend at the park & rec again. The sign wasn’t working; we were afraid of a total collapse of the bridge right in front of our eyes. We suggested they put up more chains across the entrances to the bridge. That way, we, the neighbors, could still see the bridge, enjoy the scenic aspect we all love, yet there would be no way anyone would be able to get on it.

Yesterday, the park & rec department came by with their own solution to the problem. I don’t know if they were mad about the disregard for their nice little sign, but what they left behind is nothing short of an eyesore. I can’t wait for the graffiti to start. I’d say this warrants another call to our park & rec friend.

A Break from the Chaos of Abundance

Saturday my husband and I took a break from the chaos that is currently in our home. As mentioned earlier, we are having some remodeling done and are living in a mess! Most of the living room and kitchen are in the dining room, and most of the family room is in our bedroom. You get the picture. Living like this has its own rhythm and certainly challenges our patience in finding items that constitute our daily needs.

This past Saturday morning we volunteered at Bridging, a non- profit organization founded on the concept that community resources should be shared with those in need. Their mission is to provide the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items to help stabilize and improve their lives. Bridging serves over 130 families each week. We volunteer along with other members of the Feng Shui Institute of the Midwest (FSIM) as a service project to give back to the larger community. While it never occurred to Tom and me not to go Saturday morning, we did bemoan the timing since we had so much to do in our home.

Upon arriving at the warehouse, we were greeted by a dedicated and enthusiastic staff. We never know in advance just what we will be asked to do. The first year we built furniture from kits, the second year we sorted household items. This year, as it turned out, we helped load household furnishings onto big delivery trucks. Each truck holds the furnishings for three homes. The families or individuals have already been to the warehouse and made their selections so we follow a master list and load from that. Each item has been tagged for identification. The volunteer directing us calls out, for example, “Two lamps for Joyce K, # 43”. We go to the lamp area to find those items and bring them to the dock to be loaded onto the truck. I immediately felt a personal connection as I helped haul dressers, beds, lamps, pictures and chairs. I was aware of handling items that will make a house a home for people I will never meet. It is a privilege. I began to put my blessings, in addition to my energy, into each item. The first truck was filled. Three families. The second one is filled. Six families. These furnishings were scheduled for delivery this past Monday morning. Six families would have the opportunity for a new beginning as six homes were created. What a feeling of exhilaration!

Feng Shui is about creating healthy, nourishing environments in which to live and flourish. As Feng Shui Consultants, we assist people in enhancing their home environments for many reasons: overall good health and well-being, abundance, relationships, careers, education, creativity and so on. And because we are a country of abundance, many of us spend a lot of time helping people to sort through and eliminate the draining energy of their clutter. They already have homes filled with sofas, chairs, beds, end tables, lamps, and artwork. The work we did this past Saturday was for those who were starting with nothing. It was an acute reminder of how few items it takes to make a home: a sofa, a chair, a bed, a couple of lamps, a kitchen table and chairs and a picture to put on the wall. These are the items we loaded over and over for these families. It was incredibly satisfying to practice the art of Feng Shui on such a basic level. It was also an acute reminder that the break my husband and I took was a break from the chaos of our abundance. I write this with tremendous gratitude, both for the opportunity to help and for the reminder. And, of course, the timing was perfect!


www.bridging.com
www.fsim.org

Anxiously Awaiting Spring

As I walked my dog earlier, I realized that I am extremely anxious for spring. I might even say that last week I got a little…grumpy. I’d like to think that I handle the changing of the seasons well – appreciating them as the energy shifts with the change in the year. This winter was going along fine; I even consciously looked out my door during the last snowstorm and took in the beauty of the fresh white blanket that made everything look peaceful. But then, with the melting of the snow and the tease of 50 degree, sunny weather, it was too much: I am antsy for the sun.

I long to be outside on my deck, reading and enjoying the warmth and greenery. Instead, I am looking out at a lawn with dead patches and dry spots. I see leaves that were long forgotten last fall. I see empty pots screaming for vibrant flowers. I see…that I need a little grasp on the present. These are not days to wish away, but to enjoy for lull they provide. Spring will come soon enough and bring with it a renewed sense of energy. Before long the calm, steady pace of winter will bend towards the more active pace of spring and summer.

It is much the same way with Feng Shui; that after adjustments are made, that is not the time to rush the energy. Like the spring coming, changes are manifesting. And although we do not know how or when the first perfect day of sunny weather will arrive; we do know that having reflected on the present, we are sure to be ready if it is our intention.

Painting Lessons

This past week I painted our entry and the hallway going upstairs. It’s something I had been wanting to do since we bought our new furniture and I realized the green walls no longer worked. Nevertheless, it felt like a daunting task----lots of taping and corners and high places. I figured I’d drag my husband into the project over the course of a couple weekends, during which we’d bicker over the details and the time it was taking. I dreaded the thought of going through the process of picking a new color. But I reached a point when I disliked the green color more than the prospect of painting.

When my husband announced he was going to a conference for four days, I saw this as my opportunity to move forward with the project on my own. Of course, when the timing is right, flow happens. With hardly any hesitation, I found a gold color that both of us liked. During the time he was gone, I decided how much I could realistically accomplish without exhausting myself. It took me all four days of his absence to finish the parts I could do on my own, which actually was the majority of the job.

The best part is that I found the work meditative, relaxing, and rewarding. I took my time; I pondered my intentions with each roller of warm gold paint; I stopped when I said I was going to; and I basked in the accomplishment of each day. Every night when we spoke on the phone, I would tell my husband what I had done, wall-by-wall, and he would enthusiastically encourage me to move forward. When he came home, I had to enlist him for only a couple hours to finish the very high parts.

Today every time I look at the entry and the hallway, I remember the quiet moments that went into transforming the energy and the great intentions infused in the paint. It’s more yang now----a lighter, cleaner color than before. It also reminded me of the many times my own dad would decide to paint our walls when I was growing up. For some reason, it was almost an annual affair and most of the time he wasn’t even changing the color----just freshening things up. He’d always enlist my help to fetch him a rag, or stir the paint, or just sit and watch. He painted in a meditative way, too. I loved being there with him, watching him methodically move his brush. I’m sure that’s where I learned how to paint this way. How appropriate that memories of him came up for me since, coincidentally, I was painting in the Family area of our house. I wonder if ever so long ago while my dad was slowly dipping his brush and carefully getting into the corners, he, too, was infusing the walls with his own intentions.

An Unexpected Intention

As I write this, we are up to our eyeballs and beyond in cement dust. We are replacing existing tile in our entryway, guest bathroom and kitchen. In anticipation of the mess, we covered everything we could think of, moved items to other rooms and entombed our living and dining rooms with heavy plastic. Might I say, to no avail?

We know that Feng Shui focuses on entryways. Not only do they provide the transition from the outside world to the inside world, but they also represent good fortune, good health and overall well-being for the home’s occupants. All opportunities come through our front doors. This door is definitely not to be confused with the door that leads from the garage.

A traditional Feng Shui wealth adjustment is to place three coins under the front doormat or under the entry rug. The intention, of course, is to encourage the flow of money into our lives. What better opportunity to set that intention than when building or remodeling! Items can be placed, literally, in the walls or flooring. So when our old floor tiles were removed, we had the opportunity to permanently place three coins under our entryway floor before the new tile was installed. We were delighted with this prospect and chose three coins that were replicas of ancient Chinese coins.

Now to explain to our contractor. I gently broached the subject by saying, “Please let us know just before you begin laying the tile at the front door because we want to place some coins there.” He looked puzzled, but being extremely good natured and courteous, his response was, “Don’t worry, just give me the coins and I’ll lay them down for you.” “Well”, I said, “You see, this is related to Feng Shui, and my husband and I need to do it ourselves.” Having looked a bit puzzled with the initial request, to his credit, I now caught only a flicker of confusion at the mention of Feng Shui. He didn’t question; he simply smiled and said he would let us know.

His first task was to lay out the tile for our approval. When he had done that he called us to inspect. As I was looking at the tiles, one tile caught my eye. Mind you, they are all essentially the same, but, of course, each different. Like stones. I happened to say aloud, to no one in particular, “Oh, there is something I really like about this particular tile.” Having approved the layout, we left him to begin the installation, with the understanding that he would call us when it was time to place the coins.

Tom and I, sheepish to perform our ceremony in front of him, went upstairs and together held our coins, creating our small, but meaningful, intention setting ceremony. Then we got the call that it was time. We went downstairs and laid our coins in the gooey cement. We took turns as our contractor looked on. The front door was open, and it was sunny; it was before our surprise snowfall. We heard a cardinal sing. It was a lovely moment. As we stood up to leave and allow him to continue his work, he picked up a tile and said, “ I set this tile aside as it is the one you said you liked so well. I will place it over the coins.”

I was moved to tears. An unexpected intention from an observer, who knows nothing about Feng Shui, but understood and respected the importance to us of our ceremony and intention.