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Monthly Archives

Feng Shui in the Bedroom workshop

Last night’s Feng Shui in the Bedroom workshop went really well.  The “Do’s and Don’ts” part of the session was probably the biggest hit of the evening.  Since the bedroom is one of the three most important parts of anyone’s home (along with the entryway and the kitchen), Feng Shui has a lot to say about making it into the essential sanctuary we all need to cultivate healthy and happy love lives.

Here’s a photo showing some of the materials I presented:

Feng Shui in the Bedroom class materials

and a working drawing of one attendee’s bedroom:

Where should the bed go?

Please let me know if you’d like to know more about this very important topic! And Happy Valentine’s Day!

vacation feng shui

Vacations are key for business success, especially right now when we need a way to avoid sinking under bad economic news.  We just spent a week getting distracted in St. John, in the Caribbean.  Here’s the magnificent view from our tent/cabin, where the Feng Shui was amazing.  I’m feeling soothed, refreshed, and ready to go.

View from the porch of our tent

Just for fun here’s a picture of another distraction: one of the huge (4+ ft.) iguanas that lived just outside the tent.  We loved watching them move among the trees, eating leaves and sunning themselves.

A friendly iguana outside the tent

And now — back to work!

Three-Way Clutter Clearing

Happy Chinese New Year! It’s the Year of the Ox: stable, hard-working and dedicated.  The year ahead is all about cleaning up any clutter left behind by last year’s animal, the messy Rat, which seems quite timely (to say the least)!

In fact I’ve been a part of several discussions recently about our need to look at things from a fresh perspective.  These conversations are connected with the beginning of a new year and Presidential administration, and are also tied in with the ongoing drumbeat of depressing financial headlines.

A lot of things feel new, not all of them positive. The current state of uncertainty reminds me how important it is to keep good energy circulating in our lives.  Because when we keep our energy fresh, we’re much better equipped to deal with change and to take control when things seem to be spinning away from us.

This newsletter is about the three daily constants that keep my energy healthy and moving: I am in the habit of clearing, writing, and walking, every single day.  If you’re having trouble getting your own energy into gear, give yourself a fresh start by using these tools to get “unstuck” and take more confident control of your life.

Clearing
Clutter accumulates, it’s the way of the world.  (Read more…)

dealing with sentimental clutter

Last night I gave a workshop called “Getting Organized for the New Year”, and I have to say — the time has never felt more right. Now that the inauguration is over, it really seems like it’s time for a fresh start.

The biggest issue people at my workshop had was sentimental clutter — stuff they’ve inherited and don’t really love, but that’s difficult to let go of: sets of china, furniture, artwork.

My recommendation for these things is to be as creative as you can, and then to realize that letting go of the stuff doesn’t mean you’re letting go of the memories.

For example, I inherited more china than I could use, and I didn’t even like all of it. So I have kept only a piece or two from each set and made an effort to use them — small bowls as desktop containers or for serving snacks. Then I let the rest go. I have my memories, but I don’t have the burden.

Try looking at your sentimental clutter this way — it’s a three-way win: you’ll bring out your creativity, preserve your memories, and reduce your burden, all at the same time.

feng shui & donald trump

Yes, one of the most prominent customers of Feng Shui in the U.S. is Donald Trump, who has hired consultants to give his buildings good Feng Shui for decades now.  His Trump Tower, on Manhattan’s 5th Ave. between 56th & 57th Sts, was an early and visible example.

It’s next door to Tiffany (great Feng Shui right there!), and has a recessed entryway to “collect the chi”.  Trees are planted on the setbacks above 5th Ave to blunt the pointed edges of the building. The waterfall inside the building is also a Feng Shui adjustment.

More recently Mr. Trump overhauled the old Gulf & Western Building at Columbus Circle, placing a huge metal globe in front of it .  Here’s a photo:

The Trump Building at Columbus Circle

As you can see, there’s traffic coming at the building from every direction.  From a Feng Shui perspective, part of the function of the globe is to shield the building from that very aggressive traffic energy by channeling it around the building.

When I stand near the globe, I definitely feel safer and less exposed.  The Feng Shui master who consulted on this job is Master Pun Yin.  It’s one of the most visible Feng Shui examples in NYC.