YOUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION

In addition to adding Feng Shui into your Life, joining a gym, yoga or meditation class and eating healthier would also benefit you. Remember it's never too late to start taking charge of your Health no matter which month it is!
Listed below you will find how to locate the HEALTH gua on your Bagua map as well as I will give you 4 cures/tips that are based on Feng Shui philosophy and good old common sense. Some of these cures and tips are specific Feng Shui cures, some are Feng Shui principles that can be applied universally and some will involve a degree of work on your part.
THE LOCATION OF THE HEALTH GUA 
The Health gua is located in the center of your home. This makes sense because it IS the most important of all the guas as well as it's THE most important aspect of your life. This area of your life and your Bagua map should be a priority for you today, not tomorrow, not next week but TODAY because you will not be able to take care of someone else if you are sick and unhealthy.
Your job in this location is to start here and begin removing the clutter, deep cleaning this area, doing a clearing (either using Sage, Salt or whatever you like to do to clear the energy), fix anything that is broken, remove any negative objects (I.e. guns, knives basically any weapons that you may have here and of course the garbage) and remove the Alcohol. (this does NOT help you to stay physically or mentally healthy)
CLEARING OUT THE JUNK & CLUTTER
That's right, it's time to get rid of all that "JUNK" that you have filling up your homes and offices. That means getting rid of the CLUTTER in closets, storage rooms, on top of your kitchen countertops, in the pantry, in cupboards, spare room and especially at the front entrance as this is where all the good positive Chi energy comes into your home and this means OPPORTUNITIES for YOU and your loved ones!!
THE ELEMENTS 
The elements are one of the principles in Feng Shui. The element associated with the Health gua is the Earth element. By adding this element to this gua you can help improve your health. This element's colors are yellow and brown and the shape associated with this element is square. You can add the element shape by using furniture, picture frames, flooring and even by adding a healthy plants to this gua. Remember too much of any one thing is usually not a good thing so try to have a representation of all of the 5 elements in every gua to balance the Chi energy. Using the earth element will increase stability in your life as well as make you feel more connected and centered which will alleviate stress and in turn improve your health.
CHANGE THE COLOR OF YOUR BED SHEETS 
One very simple and fun Feng Shui cure which will improve your health...change your bed sheets color to yellow or green (Green is a wood element color which is another good element to have in this gua).
ADDING PLANTS 
As mentioned earlier plants add the Earth element but they also add the Wood element, which is another good element for this gua. A good choice for this gua is a round leaved plants such as a rubber plant. A big leafy plant like a ficus can help fill stagnant corners and revive the Chi energy. Cacti are great plants to help reduce EMF emissions when placed near the computer.

As one of the 9 Traditional Feng Shui Cures, mirrors are considered the "Aspirin" of Feng Shui because they can cure so many problems in an environment. However, it is important to use them properly or you may end up receiving the exact opposite of what you wanted to achieve.

Feng Shui "Do's"
-Do use a "whole" mirror in which you can see yourself in one piece. This gives you a sense of confidence as you get one last look at yourself before you leave the house. 
-Do hang mirrors to bring in the beauty of nature from outside. Nature has a way of lifting up your Chi energy. 
-Do hang mirrors in a dark hallway as it will add light and movement to your space and bring the Chi energy down the hallway to help circulate it throughout your home. 
 -Do hang a mirror near your entryway to activate the water element. 
-Do place a mirror against the wall that defines a missing gua from the Bagua. This will visually expand the space and symbolically fill in the missing gua.

​Feng Shui "Don’ts"
-Don't hang mirrors that distort your image. Overtime this can make you feel less confident about yourself and it can give you a distorted view of yourself. If there are broken fragments of the mirror, these broken fragments in time can make you feel "Broke" (finances) or "Broken up" (emotionally). A whole mirror gives you a sense of confidence and completeness. 
 -Don't hang mirrors in the bedroom as they bounce the energy around the 
space which will keep you up at night. (You can hang a mirror inside a closet door so it can be shut at night) 
-Don't hang a mirror next to the bed or on the wall above the bed (LOL yes I had to put this here) because in Feng Shui it is said that if you can see your reflection in a mirror while lying down on the bed it will bring in a third person into your relationship. It also can startle you when you are waking up in the middle of the night which doesn't give you a good feeling. 
-Don't hang mirrors to high or too low. It must be at a height where you can see your entire head and shoulders, and those of everyone else who lives in your home.

In Feng Shui it is believed that the water in your home represents the money and emotions in your life. If you are having any water issues (running toilet, leaky faucet) I bet you are also having money and emotional issues too.

Here are 9 cures to help balance the water energy in your bathroom which will also help balance the emotional and the financial energy in your life.

-If you have any outdated, mismatched or broken bathroom fixtures you are creating stagnant energy that will hinder the growth in all areas of your life. Try replacing them with something beautiful and modern. 
 -If you are feeling emotionally drained remove the clutter in this space as it is draining you emotionally and financially. 
-Fix any leaky faucets or toilets as this energy is draining your money away from you. 
 -To keep the positive energy up, keep the toilet seats down and the drains covered when not in use. 
-Keep your bathrooms well-ventilated and smelling nice. Consider using essential oils (I use Young Living) to help keep your bathrooms smelling fresh and clean without adding any toxic chemicals into the air. 
-Your bathroom should be well lit. Having bright lights will keep the energy up. A dark bathroom drags down your energy level and your mood. 
-Add live plants to purify the air and bring in vital energy. By placing a plant on the toilet tank this will slow the energy down. 
-Add the Wood element to balance the water in the room. You can do this with color, plants or a beautiful piece of art on the wall. 
 -Create a spa like feel in your bathroom and make it a beautiful space where you can go to pamper yourself in luxury.
Enjoy!

For the people who haven't started their Feng Shui journey grab a paper and pen and let's get started...for those who have started, I suggest that you do the same because you still may learn something that can help you on your Feng Shui Journey.
In Feng Shui we believe that your environment is supposed to support you. If it doesn't then you need to make some Feng Shui adjustments. I would recommend that you try to get everyone who is living in the home involved in this assignment however, if that isn't possible continue on with your Feng Shui adjustments and hopefully when they see your amazing results they will want to learn more or maybe even help out down the road.
Step #1 - .Make 2 columns at the top of your page - "Working" and "Not Working".
Step #2 -Then on the left hand side of those two headings write down each of the life categories - Wealth/Prosperity, Fame/Reputation, Relationship/Love, Family, Health, Children/Creativity, Skills/Knowledge, Career/Life Path and Helpful People/Travel.
Step #3 - Then starting answering the following questions and adding them to the appropriate column.
For example Helpful People question:
Are you finding that you are the one that does everything in the house? Are you having a hard time finding the right person for the job i.e. painter, realtor, contractor etc...Would you like to travel more for business or pleasure or would you like to do less Travelling?
WORKING 
- Traveling just the right amount for my business 
NOT WORKING 
- I can't find the right person to help me paint the house
-I can't get the kids to pick up after themselves
then continue onto the next question and so on...
Bagua questions:
a) Helpful People and Travel – Are you finding that you are the one that does everything in the house? Are you having a hard time finding the right person for the job i.e. painter, realtor, contractor etc...Would you like to travel more for business or pleasure or would you like to do less travelling?
b) Career and Life Path – Do you love what you do or are you feeling frustrated at your job? What's frustrating you about the job? People, Money, Location, Stress?
c) Skills and Knowledge – Are you having a hard time in school? Do you feel that your current level of education is enough? Do you seem to make bad decisions and wish you could make better choices? Do you want to change careers but you don't have the skills to reach for your dream?
d) Family – Do you have a good relationship with your family? Do you wish to start a family? Are you having a hard time making enough to pay for the basics in life?
e) Health – Is your health taking a beating? Do you need to step it up a little in the exercise area? Do you need to start eating properly? Are you getting sick more often than anyone else at the office? Is your clutter starting to affect your health?
f) Children and Creativity – Are you teenagers driving you crazy? Are you having a hard time conceiving? Do you wish you were more creative in your personal and/or business life? Are you bored in your life or work?
g) Relationship and Love – Are you happy in your marriage? Has the sizzle in your relationship fizzled? Are you content and fulfilled in your current relationships (family, spouse, business associates, children, family). Are you looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right? Are you attracting the wrong type of person over and over again?
h) Fame and Reputation – Are you getting passed up for promotions at work? Are you looking for some recognition at work for all that you do? Do you feel that people are talking poorly about you in your personal or business life?
I) Wealth and Prosperity – Are you looking to buy a new house, vehicle or cottage? Do you want to go on a vacation this year? Does your money go out as fast, if not faster, than it comes in? Are you looking to have some of the good things in life?
Ok now that you've answered all the questions this list becomes
an easy reference pointing to the problem places in your home as well as you now have a list showing you what you can be grateful for.
Step #4 - Before making any changes record the date that you get started. Then after approximately 6-8 weeks take a look back at your list and make a note of any changes that have happened and celebrate the success that you have had!!
Enjoy your homework! ;)

What is a Cure?
A cure is when you add or move something in an area of your environment to balance or to enhance the energy. In Feng Shui there are nine categories of traditional Feng Shui. These cures have been used in Feng Shui for Thousands of years to help solve people's problems. These cures will help you to change the energy in your home or office for the better.

Light 
By adding lighting to an area you are activating a change. Light can come from electric lights, candles, fireplaces and oil lamps. This category also includes reflective light from crystals, mirrors and shiny objects.

Sound 
Adding pleasant sounds to any space can create a vibrational energy shift. The sound can be music, moving water, chimes, bells or musical instruments.

Living Things 
Any living creature from birds to dogs not only make a great pet, they are also wonderful energy enhances to use when a space feels "stuck" or "Sluggish". However, the rule is that they have to be kept clean and healthy. Another living thing that makes an excellent energy enhance is plants. A little TLC can go along with animals and plants.

​Weight 
If you need to be more grounded in life (i.e. when you live on the second floor of your house, in your apartment building or if you are feeling insecure or unstable in life) add an item that has some weight to it or is a symbol of something that is heavy. Examples: Elephant statues, rocks, furniture (bookcases, overstuffed sofa). You could also add rocks or stones to all 4 corners of your home to keep everyone feeling grounded.

Color 
Each gua corresponds to a specific color. When you use the color(s) recommended you will be benefiting everyone who lives there. You could add the color to a room in the décor (i.e. throw pillow, colored picture frames) or you could paint one wall the chosen color. You could also paint the floor purple in the Wealth/Prosperity gua and then paint over it a color of your choice and it would still work for you...it's all about the intention and the more creative you get when applying cures the better the cure will work for you and just so you know, cures do not have to be seen by anyone to work.

Moving Objects 
Moving objects can help move the energy around. This is another great cure to use when you are feeling stuck on a project or in a specific area of your life . However, my recommendation is to remove the clutter first and then add a moving object like a fan, mobiles, chimes or water. You don't want to move the "Stuck" feeling around...you want the clean clear energy to be flowing.

Electric Power 
Anything that runs on electricity is a good energy enhances for the appropriate area of the Bagua as any of these items are considered the Fire element - TV, computer, printers, alarm clocks etc... Too many of these items will create too much energy so beware of where you put them. The bedroom is for relaxing, being intimate and sleeping and nothing more, so don't overload the bedroom with too many electronics.

Symbolic Objects 
Intentionally placing items in the home that have symbolic meaning to you to change the energy is very powerful. As an example; you could add your wedding invitation to your Relationship/Love gua of your home to enhance the LOVE in your marriage. You could add pictures of happy children to your Children and Creativity gua to help conceive a child or for helping to keep your children happy. Again, it's all about your intention when placing your chosen cures.

Other 
This cure is anything that you have a personal attachment to. Something that you personally LOVE...this is an wonderful cure to add anywhere in your home.

The Power Position for your Sofa 
Your sofa should be on the wall farthest from the entryway with a clear view of the door. Just like the oven in the kitchen should be in the Power Position, so should your sofa.
Your sofa should not be pushed right against the wall as the energy will get stuck behind it, so pull it a few inches away from the wall for some breathing room.
If you do not have a wall to place the sofa near then consider a floating sofa. Place a sofa table behind it with a couple of tall lamps to give you some support.
If you are unable to face the sofa towards the door than place a mirror on a wall that will allow you to see who's behind you. This will make you feel more at ease when sitting on the sofa.
Creating a communication area 
If you want your family to communicate better or more often, pull your furniture closer together by grounding it with an area rug and by placing the legs of the furniture on to the area rug. This will encourage conversations between one another.
Coffee tables 
Ideally having a circular or oval coffee table is better than a square or rectangle according to Feng Shui because it has no harsh angles pointing at people and it will allow the energy to flow more easily.
Lights 
Place lighting in dark corners as light activates energy. If areas are in the dark, that represents neglect of certain aspects of your life. (check your Bagua)
Making your living room shine 
Keep this room clutter free, make it shine and surround yourself with beautiful items that you love and has meaning.
Blocked door or entryways 
Your furniture should never block a door or an entryway to another room...blocked doors or entryways = blocked energy/blocked opportunities
Shifting the energy in your living room 
Move a few pieces around in the room. You will be amazed on how refreshing it will make you feel and it will shift the energy in the room.
Picking colors 
When it's time to pick the color for your living room, make sure that the room will feel balanced...too much of any one color is never a good thing. You also need to make sure that all 5 elements (Earth, Water, Metal, Wood and Fire) are represented in each room.
Colors and elements of the Bagua 
*Black the color for the Career and Life Path gua – this color represents the Water element because it's Deep, Dark and Mysterious just like water can be. This is a good color when you feel that you need to focus on your life path.
*Blue the color for the Skills and Knowledge gua – this color represents the Water element as well because it's Calm, Tranquility and people find it Peaceful when looking at the water. Wear this color when you want clear communication with someone.
*Green the color of the Family gua – this color represents the Wood element because Trees are green. A tree represents growth either within yourself and/or as a family. Green also represents money.
*Purple the color for the Wealth/Prosperity gua – this color represents power and royalty.
*Red the color of the Fame/Reputation gua – this color represents the Fire element. Red is very bold and it grabs your attention and makes people notice you.
*Pink the color of the Relationship/Love gua – this color represents love, softness romance.
*White the color of the Children and Creativity gua – this color represents the Metal element. The color of infinity and endless thoughts and creativity. Wear white when you want to spark your creativity.
*Gray the color of the Helpful People and Travel gua. This color represents the Metal element. This is the color for action and creativity...wear this color when you need to get things done.
*Yellow the color of the Health gua. This color represents the Earth element. Wear this color to become more grounded, focused or when you need to be cheered up.
Good night and sleep well...

Hello and Happy Valentine's day. Did you know that your Love/Relationship Gua governs the head Woman of the home. Yep, it does! That means, that not only does it promote energy that sustains love and relationship, it also has the ability to support the head woman overall in life.
In case you were wondering, the head male is over in the Helpful People and Travel gua but that's another topic for another day.
Your bedroom is all about love and according to Feng Shui principles the bed affects many area of your life; your health, your energy level and of course your love life. Yet many people sleep on an old and uncomfortable mattress because they either feel that it's not important enough to buy a new mattress or because it's the last on the priority list of things that they need to buy this year. Believe me, the benefits outweigh the cost every time.
If you've recently had a break up from a long term relationship, it's important to replace your mattress with a new one. You'll be clearing out the old energy from that relationship to make room for someone new in your life.
Size does matter...yes I am talking about the mattress size. LOL When you buy a new mattress the size is very important in Feng Shui. They say that a queen size is the perfect size for a couple. A twin or full size are too small for a couple to share and it's leaning towards you thinking that you may want to be single. Your thoughts when buying a new mattress should be of you being in a relationship.
In Feng Shui they believe that a king size bed can contribute to a break up because a king size bed is made of two twin box springs and this can create a divide between a couple (Cure -add a king size flat or fitted sheet to the box springs and visualize the gap between the box springs joining together).

The Do's and Don'ts for your Bed and your love life

DO: 
-Buy a wooden bed with a solid headboard 
-Buy a really good mattress without metal springs in it, if possible. (replace your mattress every 8-10 years) 
-Place your bed in the Power Position which would be against a solid wall furthest from the door with a view of the door. In this position you will rest easier because you will feel more secure while lying in bed. 
-Position mirrors so that you cannot see yourself when lying down in bed. 
-Have a matching side table on each side of the bed with lamps to create a balanced and secure relationship. 
-Paint the room romantic pastel colors...nothing too bold or bright in this room 
-Put in a dimmer switch to soften the lighting which will add a romantic feel to the room

DON'T 
-Have a cluttered bedroom - you want a romantic feel to your bedroom not a reminder of things that need to be done 
-Have too many books in the bedroom it's not a library 
-Place a workstation in your bedroom. Avoid work or work related objects, anything that represents work. Ideally, bedrooms should be a place for rest and love. Having too many electronics in the bedroom is a Feng Shui NO NO as it makes it much harder to relax and sleep because of the EMF's which can create a lot of pollution in your bedroom. Keep electrical electromagnetic radiation to a minimum and switch them off for the night if at all possible. 
-Have beams, sloping ceilings, ceiling fans and cupboards above the bed. All these things will create an uneasy feeling because subconsciously we feel unsafe when things are hanging over our heads. (Cure - Hang a crystal from the Ceiling fan, for the beans and sloping ceiling - place small mirrors on top of furniture to reflex the beam and slope away) 
-Hang pictures of family members in your bedroom, again this room is about you and your significant other no one else.

I just finished watching "The Abundance Factor" movie and I really enjoyed it and thought that today's "Tip a Day with Feng Shui" will be about "Gratitude". Being grateful is another tool you can use when applying Feng Shui. As I'm sure that you have heard or read that "Thoughts are Things". When you FEEL grateful for the things and people that you do have in your life...you will attract more things and people to be grateful for. ..it really is that simple!
Here are 3 exercises that came from this movie that you can choose to do...
Exercise #1: Being grateful everyday! 
1. Write down 10 things that you are truly grateful for everyday 
 2. Send love to 3 people that are bothering you (I have done this many times when I've had issues with different people in my life and it amazes me each and every time when the situation completely turns around in my favor. LOL)
3. Be quiet for 5 minutes and ask for direction for the day
Exercise #2: To help train your brain to be more Optimistic...this exercise should be done for at least 21 days 
1. Every day for 2 minutes write down 3 NEW things that you are grateful for that day *By the end of the 21 days you will have "63" new things to be grateful for - now that's pretty amazing, isn't it?*
Exercise #3: Give before you are ready or able to give 
1.Don't wait for the perfect time, amount of money or situation to give something away to someone (time, money, love, "stuff" etc...) who could really use it. When you "Pay it forward" you will be amazed at how wonderful you feel from doing this, probably as much or maybe even more than the person you are trying to help. 
. 
Things to remember: 
Negative thoughts create a negative reality! 
Relax and enjoy the journey! 
Be in a space of Gratitude today, tomorrow and always!
Enjoy your Sunday!

When we enjoy being in our kitchen we will spend more time creating delicious meals that nurture our bodies and souls. If we don't enjoy them or dislike them, we will find excuses not to spend time making healthy dinners for our families. As the saying goes "The kitchen is where the Heart is" and I personally believe this to be true. Your kitchen represents your health and the connections that you have with your family members.
In Feng Shui, our kitchens are one of the most important rooms in our homes no matter where they are located on the Bagua Map because the stove is the appliance that generates a flow of abundance because of it's fire energy. The Stove creates the fire energy that enters the kitchen through the burners on the stove which brings with it the "Chi" that draws in prosperity.
My Feng Shui recommendations for your kitchen to help keep you and your family healthy as well as to keep your Wealth flowing in is to make this room bright, happy and beautiful. Kitchens are one of the more active or yang areas of the home, so bring in the brighter colors, inspiring artwork, brighter lighting and nature. Live plants and/or pictures of nature always inspire our souls.
Tips for your kitchen and your wealth:
1. Get your kitchen organized – kitchens seems to attract everyone's "Stuff". To avoid this, set up specific places for everyone's "stuff" to go so that it doesn't end up on your kitchen counter, stove top, on top of the fridge or in your cupboards. As we all know, Kitchens never have enough cupboard or counter space and these spots are considered "Prime Real Estate" so don't allow people's "stuff" to be left there.
2. Make sure your oven, stove top burners and knobs are all in good working order, clear of "Stuff" and kept clean because your stove oversees your finances and brings in the prosperity energy or “chi”.
3. Try to use all 4 burners rather than just using one particular one as it keeps the energy flowing. When the fire is flowing freely through all the burners, this means that the fire energy connected to your finances is working in your favor.
4. The stove should be placed in the "Power" position of the room. The "Power" position location is when the cook is at the stove and he or she is facing the most frequently used kitchen entryway. In Feng Shui, they believe that the cook's energy goes into the food that they are making, if they get surprised or scared by someone sneaking up on them then that energy goes into the food they are making for their family.
5.If you are unable to move your oven then place a mirror behind the oven or place something reflective on your stove top for you to be able to see who's coming up behind you.
6. By adding something reflective like a tea kettle on the stop top or a hood above the burners this will double your burners which doubles your wealth energy.
7. If you eat your meals in your kitchen make this a "No Electronics" zone. Keep meal time a calm and sharing time, a time to reconnect with your love ones. Have a beautiful table with comfortable chairs, artwork on the wall and nice dishes to eat off of. If you live alone, make it a ritual of also turning off your electronics and putting on some inspiring music to relax to while enjoying your meal.
8. Fix any leaks that you have because in Feng Shui, water energy also affects your money flow as well as your emotional reactions to all life situations.
Tonight have a relaxed and enjoyable evening and tomorrow start Feng Shui'ing your kitchens to help your health and your finances.

How to make your doors work for you, not against you:
Squeaky doors - Does your door squeak or whine when you open or close it? A squeaky door is annoying and no matter what area it is on the Bagua that annoyance will transfer to that area of your life.
Two natural ways to get rid of that squeaky door: 
1. Rub a cucumber slice on the hinge 
2. Rub a bar of soap on the hinge
Stuck doors - Does your doors stick and make it hard to open? The frustration that you feel every time you try to open that door will transfer to that part of your life. Example: If your door is stuck in the relationship gua, guess what issue you will have in your relationship with your significant other? Yup, you guessed it...one of you will start to feel "Stuck"... Fix those stuck doors today...it could save your relationship.
Feng Shui Plants: 
 Plants can be a wonderful benefit to your home or office. There are a variety of plants that make great Feng Shui cures as they add beauty to your space as well as they help remove Pollutants from your environment, for example; benzene and trichloroethylene.
Hanging plants and indoor vines can be used to soften corners that shoot killing Chi into a space while colorful and flowering plants can be used to correspond with the colors that relate to that area of the Bagua.
4 added benefits to using plants as a Feng Shui cure: 
- Inexpensive 
- Long-lasting 
- Instantly make a space feel like a home 
- Can fit into anyone's home's decor
Whenever possible use real live plants, although realistic looking silk plants can be used in Feng Shui for spaces with low light (such as in basements) or for people who don't have a green thumb. As I mentioned in "Part A" of my "Tip a Day with Feng Shui", remove any dead or dying plants as they create stagnant and dead energy.
Money trees and Bamboo stalks are fun, easy to grow and a nice addition to any space.
Some suggestions to consider for indoor plants:
-Lady or Areca Palms 
-Rubber Plants 
-Jade Plants 
-Peace Lily
Take a look around your environment and see where a new plant could make a big difference for your health and your Feng Shui.