Thursday, April 28, 2011

Feng Shui Front Door

between naps on the porch traditional entry

Feng shui the front door for prosperity, wealth, abundance, and happiness? That is a tall order but perfectly DO-able. Chi is refreshed when you open the door to your home and even though the chi outside is perfectly balanced you want to make sure that you are enhancing it on the way in.

Your front door is like a chi calling card or business card. Make sure it is doing its job to get you want you want. Not only will spending a bit of time working on your front door beautify your home but it will create feelings of happiness knowing that it is working for you. That is another way feng shui works, with our feelings. You see every time that you walk toward your front door knowing you have beautified it to attract and maintain positive chi you are reinforcing that belief in yourself. You will see the beauty in it and it will cause you feelings of happiness, relaxation and more. This will signal to your brain to release chemicals coinciding with those feel-good feelings. It may be that your shoulders drop a little and relax. It could be that it looks prosperous to you and it reinforces that, whatever it may be along with enhancing the environment for the chi we want to multiply that by working on our feelings connected with it so it communicates a change in us as well. As within, so without.

Just how do we do this you ask? Its simple, easy and this is just good design. Think of walking into a beautiful hotel. The opulence of it, the beauty of front front, the welcoming of the door man opening the door and the woosh of air as you glide through the door into the lobby.  Carried away yet? Good. Did you notice the LARGE welcome mat inviting you in? How about the foliage of the matching topiary flanking either side of the ornate door? It is OK if you didn't stop mid step and start ticking these things off in your mind, but the did create a change in you as you walked through. That is what we are going to recreate.

Let's get to work. How does your door look? Is the paint fresh and beautiful? Is it a welcoming color? If your door is wood and/or glass is should sparkle and shine. Whatever material your door is made of you should be taking great care of it. Give it a polish, a coat of paint, oil those hinges, make sure it glides open with ease in the most inviting way possible. make sure the frame is equally well cared for. Don't forget to look down and assess that threshold. dirt and debris are a NO-NO!

Now go open your front door and visually take in the journey the chi will take to you. Is it inviting and beautiful? There should be a well kept path leading up to the front of your home guiding the chi inward.
There are lots of things to improve the aesthetics the path of chi will follow and that will just enhance it the already good chi on the way in. Increased positivity in chi is a plus. Here are some tips:
  • Install solar lights leading up the pathway to your front door.
  • Plant flowers or some type of decorative greenery along the path.
  • Make sure the landscaping is well taken care of.
  • Get flower pots or planters and flank each side of the door.
  • Use a big welcome mat. Black is always good and does attract wealth in a positive way.
  • Add new, shiny , sparkling hardware to the front of your door. Don't just stop with the handle, add a kick plate that compliments your door.
  • Make sure the entrance is a reflection of your likes and comforts. 

It goes with out saying but make sure there is no debris littering the path. Keep all trash out of this area, and doggy doo-doo has no business here either. Last but not least take a good look at the front of your home and envision some landscaping and then get to work. Not only will this automatically increase your curb appeal, thereby increasing the value, in feng shui it translates into prosperity, abundance and money.

Make It A Lucky Day!!!
Sherry

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Cure For Locked Houses





Cube House modern
modern spaces design by San Francisco architect John Maniscalco Architecture

 This is a phenomenal design element that incorporates something that is more popular in Chinese design. In my opinion this is beyond amazing. Read: Lust worthy, for sure. Allow me to explain. You see these beautifully wood panes move to OPEN the interior square area. Translate:Trigram quadrant!!!

I know it  is so uber-exciting I can barely contain myself.  Deep breathe, here goes: In every house plan you have nine equal areas. In the middle of those are the "heart" of the house. In the course of a reading or consultation you will map the energies of a house and this specific area IS where all the magic happens!!! This is where you learn the character and identity of a house. If it is WSWS, or reversed, or even worse, gasp, LOCKED!!! Oh no, there, I said it. It is true. Houses can and WILL experience locked periods and often their owners have to go to great lengths to remedy the situation.


THIS lovely square that you see in the picture actually PREVENTS a LOCK from occurring. This is because those beautiful panes fully open, allowing the chi of the square to interact with the chi of the house- thus preventing said lock from ever taking place. That is right. Outside air is always perfectly balanced, its only the interiors that have character traits that we identify and remedy or enhance. Once the chi is captured when the roof is attached is when the possibility for a lock occurs. Not, however in houses with courtyards. You can commonly find these in my hometown in the French Quarter, for instance.  This however proves endless possibilities. To view more of these amazing pictures please visit this site where I found this gem; 
http://www.houzz.com/photos/127487/Cube-House-modern--san-francisco

Home Office Feng Shui

Lorraine Vale traditional home office


With the recent trend of more and more people working from home, and stay at home moms (SAHM) are adding to this ever increasing group it is important to give some attention to the new staple in homes: the office. That is right, you need to set your self up for success when you work at home and that means putting feng shui to work for you in this room.

I realize not every home office is going to be palatial, we would all like more space, but start by making the most of what you have. First make sure that your back is NOT to the door. You are the head of your office, the CEO. As such your desk should be the focal point and have the prime location of the room. Typically, this means so people walk into the room toward you in full view. This is important because you don't want to be caught off guard or surprised. This position will allow you to work in a comfortable, focused, yet relaxed manner. Translation: Efficient!!!

Comfort should be next. I don't mean lounging comfort, I do mean get a good chair that suits your particular needs. There are tons of options on the market today so get what works for you. You are going to be spending a lot of time in it and a uncomfortable chair will slow your efficiency, and progress.This could lead to financial difficulty.

Lighting is important. I had a client once you got awful headaches in the afternoon, everyday. She had a big beautiful wall of glass that over looked the water. The reflection from the water increased the brightness of the sun and gave her the headaches. She called me for a consultation not realizing she only need window coverings. Once she installed these the headaches ceased immediately.  Make sure you have sufficient lighting at the right height and angle, while eliminating excess, unnecessary lighting from windows or over head.

Make sure the office space you are creating is neat and tidy. I like to place a plant or two in these spaces to brighten it up and keep the air from getting stale. Another welcome addition can be a motivational poster as well as a vision board. These are great tools to focus on when your mind needs to clear momentarily. Pictures of family are always welcome and it just makes the space feels warm and inviting to surround yourself with the smiling faces of your loved ones.

Resources are something no home office should be without. Even aside from the personal growth aspect it is important to keep reading material of personal interest and work related handy and in reach for easy reference.

Don't let your desk pile up with stacks of things to go through and address. Conquer these morale zappers as they occur so they don't get the best of you. If these aren't eliminated regularly these will slowly creep up and take over the desk and overwhelm you. It also brings about stagnant energy and causes you to become sluggish and behind. Remember, "as within, so without." Meaning if you are working in an area that is clutter free and well organized, you will internalize that so emotionally you will breeze through your work day.

Make It A Lucky Day!!!
Sherry

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Feng Shui Bedroom Tips

Energetically, bedrooms are important areas that need attention according to feng shui. Why is that? You spend at least several hours a night there absorbing the energies so you really want it it be the most beneficial it can be. Bedrooms should calm us and give a sanctuary like no other. They should be inviting, enticing even, and relaxing. This is very important to get a good nights rest and to keep your chi behaving the way you want.

To get the most out of your bedroom energy make sure it is in balance and harmony by getting a flying star reading on your home and balancing the energies of the house. This is the first step to harmonizing your environment. We respond to balanced harmonious spaces with out realizing it. Have you ever walked into some one home and it was so comfortable you felt right at home? That is what happens when spaces are balanced. We experience feelings of comfort and peace.

Once you have your bedroom balanced you want to pay attention to the condition of the room.
  • Is it a clutter free environment?
  • Are you sleeping in your desired direction? 
  • Are you using colors that support you and the energies of the room?
  • Make sure that your bedroom is a reflection of you, whatever your style.
Start with your bed. Regardless of where it is situated the bed should be the focal point of the room. I like to suggest that clients get sheets that engage their senses when they see or feel them. The bedroom is about senses and sensuality, after all.

Keep harsh lighting to a minimum. I find that a couple of lamps strategically placed can be better than over head lighting that is so often found in bedrooms. These can be placed on dressers, night tables, or even free standing lamps are great additions that give the room a glow rather than full force lighting.


Things to avoid in the bedroom-

  • Pictures of your children and family members. These are better placed through out the house.
  • Pictures of exes- these will just remind you that they are no longer in your life- reinforcing that you are alone.
  • Beams over your bed create pressure and agitate the chi of the room.
  • Decor that is too masculine or too feminine. Maintaining a balance that is comfortable for both men and women is key to comfort and balance.
  • Too many religious objects change the mood of the room. If possible keep these in another room or not in plain view of the bed.
  •  
Bedroom tips that are a DO! 

  • Use luxurious fabrics in the form of drapes, sheets and comforters.
  • Make it a sanctuary that is a reflection of you and your personal style.
  • Keep it neat and clutter free.
  • Choose images to display with care, this includes art and photos.
  • Use lamps for lighting.
  • Keep this room adult friendly. It doesn't need a RATED XXX warning but it shouldn't evoke feelings of childhood.
Enjoy the peace of knowing you are resting in a balanced harmonized space created for your  greatest good.


Make It A Lucky Day!
Sherry