Feng Shui Decor With A Ying And Yang Balance

There are several different schools of feng shui, and each of them has their own way to determine between the good and bad, and controlling them. We believe that this ancient Chinese science is much more intuitive than a set of strict rules proposed by any school or direction. To achieve the balance in your home, you merely need to learn to distinguish between the Ying and Yang energies, and learn to balance these two in your premises as needed.

Ying is the calm, relaxing and passive energy. It embraces dark colors, heavy scents, low furniture, upholstered seats, comfort and coziness. An example of a perfect Ying place would be a secluded ancient castle with a resting room in dark colors, with thick curtains and carpets, dim light, numerous comfortable pillows, and heavy incense.

Yang is moving, agitating and active energy. It embraces light and bright colors, airy aromas, high vertical wardrobes, rigid seats, energy and restlessness. An example of a perfect Yang place is a penthouse in a modern skyscraper, with huge open windows, modern decor with lots of glass and shiny metal, and a light aroma of expensive perfume in the air.

As you can see, these two opposite types of feng shui decor can help you achieve different feels in your rooms. Feng shui typically does not recommend resorting solely to one or the other type of energy. Each room may have both types of energy present, one of which will be more pronounced than the other.

The kitchens and family rooms typically have more of the active than the calm energy. This can be achieved by employing vibrant colors, high tech appliances and media, and large plants. Yet, it's also recommended to add some of the calmer energy by using comfortable seating and small accessories made in deep dark colors.

The bedroom, on the other hand, features the Ying energy for the most part. Therefore, it is advised to remove any equipment from the bedroom and use soft furniture with rounded corners. Many people don't like their bedroom made up of dark Ying colors, and use bright colors instead. It's all about personal preferences and harmony for each individual.

Feng shui decor uses colors, shapes, and materials to achieve a certain feel in each room, as well as outdoors. There are dark and bright colors, deep and pastel tones, sharp-edged and rounded furniture and accessories, etc. The objects can be made of wood, metal, stone, other materials, and combinations thereof. Any modern accessory or furniture item can combine the Ying and Yang energies in it.

You simply need to learn to feel your surroundings, and intuitively determine whether you will benefit from adding more Yang or Ying to this particular room or part of your outdoors. Feng shui is all about developing a feel for your surroundings and learning to improve them naturally.

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The Ancient Feng Shui Compass Lo Pan

The Lo Pan compass reflects all of the earth's circles and lines, and is used to obtain information about the landscape surrounding someone's home and office, as well as to draw up detailed geomantic tables.

Lo Pan is made up of circles, the number of which can reach 36 in some cases. Each circle is used to study a particular aspect of feng shui. There are 3 types of Lo Pans: the San He School, San Yuan School and Zong He School (combined compass).

Any feng shui compass has a Heaven Pond circle with a sensitive hand in its center. The Heaven Pond is surrounded by the Early Heaven Bagua circle with protective properties. The rest are the circles with ancient feng shui formulas. All this is placed in a red square. The larger the compass, the more accurate the data is. The accuracy is very important if you use formulas where the difference of 1-2 degrees could change the whole feng shui.

Following are the requirements for a quality compass: The disk with formulas and the Heaven Pond should rotate smoothly. The crossing of the red threads must be directly above the needle. If you align the last disk to 0 degrees from one side of the thread, the opposite side of the thread should point to 180 degrees. If all of these requirements are met, then it's a high-quality Lo Pan.

In feng shui, there are two main directions - the Form School and Compass School.

The Form School takes into account the landscape that surrounds a home, as a manifestation of four animals. A large black turtle (a mountain) is behind the building. A green dragon (mountains or tall trees) is on the left (if you stand with your back to the door). A white tiger (low trees) is on the right. A red phoenix (a stream or river) is in front of the house. The Form School for interior is based on comfort and security. For example, this school teaches us not to sit with our backs against a door, because we don't see who is outside, which may pose a potential threat.

The Compass School is divided into two schools: the San He School (3 harmonies), and San Yuan School (3 periods). The San He School (3 harmonies - heaven, human and earth) believes that feng shui is always either good or bad. The San Yuan School (3 periods) takes into account the time and believes that feng shui of a home varies from period to period. The circles on the Lo Pan compasses of these two schools differ from each other, but both have a circle of "24 mountains". Any feng shui compass divides each of the 8 directions (4 main and 4 intermediate) into three sectors, which make a total of 24 directions.

The Feng Shui practice often requires the use both compasses, so there is a combined Lo Pan that combines the formulas of both schools. Since it is impossible to accommodate all of the formulas on the same disk, they take only the most frequently used formulas.

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Feng Shui Art Tips For The Bedroom, Kitchen And Living Room

Alternatively, it can be a skillful use of the existing artworks that you have at home, or redesigning parts of the interior and exterior. The goal of the artistic use of feng shui is to achieve the most beneficial flow of the energies in your premises.

Feng shui for a living room will be different than that for a kitchen, bedroom, or the yard. First, you need to ensure that each room in your home bears the right combination of shapes and colors. This will help to attract and retain the positive energies, and eliminate the negative ones. Following are some tips.

Bedroom Feng Shui Art: The golden rule of Feng Shui is to avoid the oversaturation of the bedroom with bright and obtrusive colors, which may violate your peace of mind.

You can create a serene and relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom using the muted shades of purple, lilac, yellow, blue, white and gray. You also need to try to avoid sharp angles and geometric shapes in the bedroom. Choose a bed made of wood instead of metal, as metal conducts electricity, which repels the positive Chi energy. Choose soft linens and bedspreads in pastel colors. Consider using crystal balls, pretty curtains and drapes, and red decor elements (red pillows or candles). Red is the color of love and warmth.

The ceiling can be decorated with stars. Try to avoid large plants, aquariums, fountains, and equipment (computers, televisions and video-consoles).

Kitchen Feng Shui Art: The kitchen should not have too much red, pink or orange. These are the colors of the fire element, which can provoke quarrels. It's best to use light, cool colors: white, light green, light blue, etc. The kitchen combines the elements of fire and water. In line with this, the best color is white, as it balances the fire and water. The kitchen appliances and accessories made of stainless steel will also add to this balance.

Some kitchens have fluorescent lighting, which is popular due to its bright light and low cost. Yet, fluorescent light is bad for the kitchen, as it constantly flickers and adversely affects the eyes and the nervous system (it may raise blood and intraocular pressure, and cause headaches). If you can not do without the fluorescent light in the kitchen, consider adding at least one regular incandescent bulb.

Living Room Feng Shui Art: It's important to balance your living room. You can energize it using crystal, create a sense of depth using mirrors, and improve the energy flows using plants, wall lights, and bells.

If your living room is the most active room, then increase the active Yang. If it's a place of rest, then increase the calmer Yin. The optimal is the combination of quiet and rich colors, dynamic and smooth forms. Try to use more natural light, which should be bright but not too sharp. The artificial lighting (table lamps, chandeliers, and sconces) will help to regulate the light intensity depending on your mood.

To soften the room, choose furniture with rounded corners. The plants (including climbers), drapery, and accessories will also help soften the sharp corners.

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Feng Shui Design Tips For Balanced Yin And Yang

When it comes to this ancient Chinese notion, we can either use the simple general tips, or choose to study the in-depth maps of the home and the individual that lives there. In this article, we will discuss the simple tips for anyone to improve their home's energy the easy way.

Most people are likely to spend most of their time in their living room, bedroom, and kitchen. In this article, we will give tips for the aforementioned parts of your premises. To achieve balance, we need to harmonize the Yin and Yang. Yang is active and heavenly; Yin is passive and earthly. These are the two opposites that we need to learn more about to understand how to harmonize them.

Yin is dark colors, soft light, smooth lines, silence, stillness, coolness and dampness; it's low furniture, soft pillows, carpets, massive chairs, stairs, closets, as well as stale air with heavy scents. Yin is the isolation, cold, and the order that is established once and for all.

Yang is light and bright colors, straight lines, warmth, dryness, high and rigid furniture; it's loud sounds, airy fragrances, vertical objects, large plants, and the upper floors. Yang is movement, changes, striving upward, activities and communication.

Living Room Feng Shui Design Tips: There are two types of living rooms – the lively and energetic ones (Yang), and calm and relaxing ones (Ying). Depending on the type of living room that you have or want to have, you need to either increase the calm Ying or the active Yang in the room. To make the room more energetic, you can add vibrant colors, vertical objects, large plants, high furniture, family photos, books, games, and media to the room. To make the room calmer, you can use dark colors, low and massive furniture, comfortable seating, soft pillows, and soothing images.

Bedroom Feng Shui Design Tips: The bedroom typically needs the Yin energy, which will help you to relax and calm down. Try to use soft furniture, upholstered chairs, and calming colors here. The colors don't have to be dark, they merely need to be relaxing, such as pastel lilac, yellow, blue, and gray. However, the bedroom also needs to have some Yang in it. This can be achieved by using red – the color of love and warmth. Adding a red candle or pillow will suffice. You can use similar guidance for bathroom decorating.

Kitchen Feng Shui Design Tips: The kitchen is active Yang energy. It's advised to have the kitchen decorated in light and cool colors, such as light blue, light green, and white. Stainless steel objects will help to add to the overall active atmosphere. You can also use vertical objects, large plants, and high furniture. Try to keep the windows open in the daytime, to let more Yang energy in. However, also consider adding accents of Ying energy, such as a small black accessory.

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Feng Shui Kitchen Planning For Prosperity And Health

According to feng shui, the kitchen represents nourishment and prosperity. Good nutrition is always associated with health and wealth. By designing your kitchen in accordance with the principles of feng shui, you may assist in your own prosperity and health.

Feng shui is a rather complicated theory presented by various schools, where tips are usually given for a particular house and the individuals living in it. Despite this, there are basic principles applicable to any kitchen, which will help to make it a feng shui kitchen.

Location: This does not always depend on us. However, if you are building a house or you have the option of re-planning, you can build the kitchen in the right place - the rear of the house, or at least, behind the central axis of the house.

It's considered a negative if you see the kitchen as soon as you enter the house. This may encourage you and other residents to eat non-stop. It may also cause your guests to leave immediately after eating. Even if your kitchen is in the front, do not panic, because there are certain techniques that will help to reduce the possible negatives. You can hang beaded curtains or blinds on the kitchen door. You can also place something bright and distracting diagonally across from the kitchen, such as a painting.

Color Palette: Try to avoid red and orange hues in the kitchen, because they can provoke controversy. Try to use white, light green and light blue, to balance the elements of Fire and Water. For the same reason, try to use the utensils, appliances, and accessories made of stainless steel.

The positioning: One of the most important principles is that the one who cooks is in the dominant position. That is, standing behind the stove or table, you should be facing the door. This may be difficult to achieve in small kitchens; if you have a small kitchen, you can hang a mirror or other object with a reflective surface over the stove. The mirror can be of any size, but the larger the better. It's good if the kitchen is spacious and has a wide doorway - in this case, you do not feel isolated.

According to experts, a feng shui kitchen should be based on a triangle – the refrigerator, stove and sink should form the angles of a triangle. The distance between them should be about 6 feet - this will ensure maximum comfort with minimal repetitive movements. This arrangement will also help to separate the elements of Fire (stove, microwave oven) from the elements of Water (refrigerator, sink). They can also be separated with the Wood element, such as wooden furniture, a plant or images of plants.

The stove should not stand next to the window, because heat represents prosperity and wealth, and nobody wants their wealth to fly out the window. The feng shui kitchen has to be kept clean and tidy. If anything breaks, try to get rid of it as fast as possible.

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Feng Shui Money Frogs

In Chinese culture, a toad also symbolizes immortality. Money plays an important role in our lives, so it is worth learning how to use this amulet to attract wealth.

The feng shui toad has three legs. Usually it will hold 1 or 3 coins in its mouth, which is a Chinese symbol of wealth. Sometimes the creature will have no coins in its mouth, but it will have a slit in it where you can insert a coin. These small money frogs can even be made from a bank note with your own two hands.

The toads can be purchased in feng shui talisman stores. These symbols are sold in an array of colors and materials. When choosing a talisman for yourself, keep in mind that the more the frog looks like a real one the better. As we mentioned above, the most important point is to make sure that it has three legs instead of two or four. The best symbol is the one made of yellow shiny metal that resembles gold, or that is indeed gold.

How to place this money symbol properly? This amulet can be placed in one of a few places in your home. One good location is the living room. In the living room, put it in the left corner diagonally to the door. This is the so-called "power corner". It can also be put near the front door creating the impression that it's jumping into your home. It can also be placed in a fountain with moving water in your favorite sector, which will also increase your money luck. The main point is to place the money frogs facing the inside of the house, and not the other way around.

Feng shui money frogs should not be placed in the bathroom, kitchen or bedroom. In the bedroom it will fall asleep, in the kitchen it's going to get too hot, and in the bathroom it will soak in the calm Yin energy and relax instead of bringing good luck and money to you.

If you own a house with a backyard where toads live, treat them respectfully and kindly. According to an ancient Chinese belief, a frog family living in the backyard will bring prosperity. According to the Chinese, the toad was wicked and vengeful at first. But one day Buddha came, conquered it and committed it to help people. Ever since then, the creature is paying the price for the trouble that it used to cause, by spitting out gold coins for people.

Wherever you place the toad (the zone of money, health, love, etc.) it will activate that exact zone. The money frogs are just a symbol of wealth. If you do not believe in it, the mascot will not work. So, try to believe in this helpful little creature, and you will soon see positive changes in your finances. There are many more good improvements that you can do for yourself using feng shui.

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Improving Feng Shui For The Office

Most offices use fluorescent lighting to decrease electric costs and the need to replace light bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs serve much longer than the regular incandescent bulbs, as well as they have larger light output. However, the savings that they offer are miniscule compared to the decrease in the employees' productivity.

Most people dislike fluorescent light, as it makes them feel weak, tired, and unable to concentrate. Some people may experience headaches when subjected to spending hours in rooms with fluorescent light. Others complain about the hum that these bulbs produce.

Feng shui for the office suggests replacing fluorescent bulbs with regular incandescent bulbs, to help you increase your business's output by improving the productivity of the employees.

Ventilation is yet another essential aspect. When fresh air is lacking, people start to feel tired. The lack of fresh air may lower the staff's performance and decrease the overall productivity of a given company.

If the office has windows that are never open, it's a great idea to start opening them regularly to stimulate and energize the employees. A powerful ventilation system can also help in this regard; however, feng shui for the office suggests that artificial ventilation is less potent than the good old open windows.

Opening both, the windows and curtains will help in taking advantage of the powerful natural sunlight that stimulates biorhythms in all living beings, including people.

Modern offices are typically located in busy and noisy locations. The sounds in an office often comprise of the traffic sounds from behind the windows and the hallway sounds from behind the walls. You can improve a lot by placing a small indoor fountain in the office or hanging chimes on the windows.

The sounds of water and wind will help to stimulate the employees' work efficiency, at the same time helping them feel more tranquil.

Furniture placement is also very important. There are a number of flaws that can be present in a given office in regard to furniture placement. For instance, if an employee's desk makes them sit with their back to the entrance door, they may feel tense and unsafe. This deep psychological aspect is inbred in us from time immemorial - if you don't see who's behind your back, you start to feel uneasy.

It is vital to move the desks so that the employees face the door. If the workers' desk is directly in front of a wall, the feng shui for the office advises hanging a picture with open spaces (lakes or fields) on that wall.

Another flaw is when two employees are sitting right in front of each other, since one of them may start to feel their energy dissipating. It is also disadvantageous if an employee's desk is slammed between furniture, making it hard for them to access their desk.

Adjusting the above-mentioned and other aspects can help you improve the overall staff's efficiency in any given office.

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The God Of Wealth Tsai Shen Yeh

Eventually, this god was divided into a group of gods. Apparently, the root cause for the separation was the division of rich Chinese officials into two groups - military and civilian. So, Tsai Shen Yeh was also divided into two groups. Sometimes for security, people would worship both at once: a military commander and civil dignitary.

One of the most revered military gods of wealth was Guan Yu. Another one was Guo Ziyi - a famed military leader and nobleman. According to legend, the goddess Zhi Nu foretold his glorious fate, which was long life and prosperity as a heavenly spirit. Zhi Nu is the "heavenly weaver" who weaved the night sky; she is the prophetess and patroness of lovers.

Ever since she foretold his fate, Guo Ziyi began to receive honors and rank, and became a very successful warrior. His sons and in-laws also obtained high ranks, and one of his sons even married a princess.

The Chinese also venerated Zhao Gong-min as a military and civilian god of wealth. He was offered sacrifices by the Chinese on an altar placed on the north terraces of homes.

The main civil god of wealth was Bigan. This god had a real prototype - an honest and noble sage who tried to influence a petty and cruel ruler. Despite the threat of the death penalty, Bigan continued to defend his beliefs. Then the infuriated ruler said: "I heard that the heart of a sage has seven openings. I want to make sure!" He ordered that Bigan's chest be split and that his heart be removed. Since then, this martyr started to be revered by the Chinese for his faithfulness and steadfast beliefs.

It's hard to say how Bigan became a god of wealth. He was very popular among the people. His name was sworn to when buying goods as a promise to pay, which could have given birth to the belief that this person's spirit will help increase honest wealth.

Any Tsai Shen Yeh (god of wealth) would typically have a wife, Tsai-mu ("Mother of wealth") and be followed by the god of coins – a man called Liu Hai. Liu Hai was an official, who did not become rich, and led a modest and dignified life. According to legend, he miraculously eliminated greed - he lowered his belt with a gold coin into a well where a "greed-toad" lived. The toad grabbed the coin with its mouth, and Liu Hai pulled it out, as the frog could not open its greedy mouth. Therefore, the god of coins was sometimes depicted standing on a toad.

The gods of wealth were also represented as dragons made of coins, as coin-spitting dragons, horses that bring treasures, and wonder trees that grow coins - just shake the tree, and the coins will fall like autumn leaves.

If you wish to bring wealth to your own home, you can obtain an image of Tsai Shen Yeh (gods of wealth), and place it in the Health and Family zone, which lies on the east side of your home or any of its rooms.

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Feng Shui Basics - Introduction To The Art Of Placement

Feng shui is the art of improving the environment that you reside or work by making a series of changes to the color, layout and decor. There are a number of people that think of feng as being very mystical and hard to comprehend. You will discover professional consultants who specialize in customized analysis of an individual and their home. However basic feng shui principles are very easy to master and can easily be applied by anyone.

Have you ever been in a room that you just didn't feel completely comfortable in? The reason is possibly the flow of 'qi' or energy in that room is blocked due to that layout. Feng shui can be used to free up that flow of energy. By doing so, the mood of the person who spends time in the room will likely change too. For example, a ton of clutter is a sign of the fact that energy isn't allowed to flow freely. How can energy flow freely when there's an accumulation of unnecessary stuff everywhere? The overall mood somebody experiences when living or working inside a cluttered space is stress and anxiety. The simple act of disposing of junk and reorganizing an area will cause an improvement in a person's mood. Try doing that on a bigger scale by utilizing basic feng shui techniques and find out on your own what great changes you can experience.

Feng shui room by room to truly get the best out of the experience. Every room in your house serves a purpose therefore similar principles cannot be applied to all rooms. That being said, colors, furniture arrangement and decor should vary from room to room.

Feng shui colors depend on the mood that should be set for that specific room. Some of these principles are pretty common sense. For example, the bedroom is a place for relaxation and rest. The colors typically used should not be loud and overbearing such as a bright red or electric blue. For those who want to learn more advanced techniques, you are able to match the color to your own personal element (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and pick a color which will completely create balance and achieve harmony for you.

The room layout refers to the way in which furniture is arranged to increase the flow of energy. Specific decorations are also used to help with this task. Placement of furniture in a particular room will depend not only on the entire layout of a house, but also what purpose the room serves. Simple changes can be made to existing furniture and decorations. It's possible you'll discover that some may have to be moved around while others have no place in that room and should be removed. Start applying these easy principles for your home and see what amazing changes it will bring to your life.

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Feng Shui Color - Finding The Right Colors For Your Home

The important thing to choosing the proper feng shui colors for your home would be to first understand two essential principles of feng shui. The five elements that happen to be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water act as a guide for creating balance in one's surroundings. Next we consider the Bagua to concentrate on different areas of somebody's life. This handy tool locates different areas in the given room or home that corresponds to every area of that person's life. Selecting the best colors comes right down to how well these two principles are utilized in combination.

Chinese astrologers believe that each year is represented by one of the five elements. Each element is also represented by specific colors. The colors that you need to use more of inside your surroundings can be found by matching your year of birth to its corresponding element. There are also two forces that influence the way the five elements work together to attain balance. The 1st force is called the productive cycle and it shows how each element is made by or produce another. The other one is named the destructive cycle and it shows how each element destroys or is destroyed by another.

Understanding these two cycles is important, because when you are able to identify the elements that may either benefit or harm you, you will also manage to establish their associated colors. Incorporate more of the colors representing the element that created your element and use less of the colors representing the element that destroys your element. Check out the five elements and the colors that represent each one.

Wood: Green, Brown

Fire: Red, Bright Strong Yellows, Orange, Pink, Purple

Earth: Light Yellow, Light Brown, Light Sandy Tan

Metal: White, Gray, Silver

Water: Blue, Black

Feng shui colors will also be found in the eight sections of the Bagua. This tool is utilized by either standing at the entrance of a single room or the doorway of the home. Simply place the Bagua with the red section pointed away from you and then the black section directly towards you. This allows you to map out either the entire room or your complete home that corresponds to the different areas of your life. Which area of your life needs improving? Find that area in the room you happen to be in and use more of the color that represents the region of your life that should change. The five elements also influence how the Bagua is used, it'll further determine the types of objects that may either benefit or harm each individual area. Different areas of your life may be improved considerably by placing the appropriate objects in the proper places.

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Feng Shui History - How The Art Of Placement Got Its Start

Feng shui, which literally translates to "wind water" was created by the ancient Chinese and dates back centuries. It is also referred to as the art of placement and is noted by lots of individuals as either an art form, a science and even a philosophy. In its earliest form, it has been used to look at the land and its position in relation to bodies of water and other pieces of land. This practice was developed in an effort to locate optimal areas of settlement, areas which were thought to bring its inhabitants happiness, prosperity and good harvest.

There have been many disputed reports on the very beginning of feng shui history since it is difficult to trace the origin back centuries. However the earliest use that could have been documented date back to Tang Dynasty when emperors sought the services of practitioners to aid with building palaces and tombs which will guarantee their success and reign of power. SInce that point, a variety of schools of thought have been developed and many of the initial principles have been modified to fit the period. Some schools and modifications have made it more complex and detailed while others manage to help it become easy enough to understand for the average person.

The earliest recorded version is known as the Form School, and the basic principles of this school of thought revolves around the general landscape and environment. The shape and size of this land is analyzed in great detail and its relative position determines how it will eventually affect its inhabitants. This early type of feng shui primarily focuses on nature and how we're influenced through the environment around us. A great deal has changed since then, but the fundamental principles still apply for the newer version that is in use today.

The Compass School developed shortly after in the Song Dynasty, and built upon the initial in a good way. New tools and concepts were introduced, which makes it more complex. There are two main sectors that derived from this school of thought, the Flying Star and also the Eight Mansions. The compass was developed at that time and is used to incorporate an individual's date of birth with their feng shui reading, which makes it more personalized. Practitioners began using the compass in accordance to the principles of the Eight Mansions. When the Flying Star was developed, it incorporated yin yang theory and introduced the five elements. All major concepts that were introduced at that time have been passed down and are still used today.

The Black Hat Sect School is the most recent of that bunch and was introduced not too long ago. It's a somewhat watered down version of the previous schools of thought. This simplified form makes use of the map bagua and focuses on the layout of a house a lot more than its surroundings. This easy to understand version is adopted by people all around the world and is mostly practiced today. There are so many changes in feng shui history throughout the years, but one thing is certain, this ancient tradition shows no sign of dying out. Its popularity is clear and it will be practiced by countless people for years to come.

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Feng Shui Element - Creating Balance Among The Five Elements

The five elements are the base of feng shui, which is a practice utilized balance and create harmony in a person's's surroundings. The whole theory revolves around 'qi', which is called a life force or energy. 'Qi' is everywhere around us, it is inside of us. This force affects both our surroundings and our moods. These feng shui elements work together to balance the 'qi' in our surroundings, that can be shown with the productive and destructive cycles. The productive cycle demonstrates how each element produces or creates another while the destructive cycle shows how each element destroys another. It seems to work both ways in a complete cycle, creating harmony between the elements.

The wood element is represented by the colors green and brown. Living plants and flowers are objects that are connected to the element and can be utilized as decorative items in areas lacking wood. Water nourishes wood from the productive cycle and therefore objects representing the water element are also great additions to an area lacking in wood. Meanwhile metal cuts wood so it is best to get rid of any metal objects in the designated area.

The water element can be represented by the colors blue and black. Water fountains and aquariums are objects which have been connected to the element and can be utilized as decorative pieces in areas lacking water. Metal creates water within the productive cycle and so objects representing the metal element are great additions to an area lacking in water. Meanwhile earth absorbs water so it's best to remove any earth objects in the designated area.

The metal element can be represented by the colors white, gray and silver. Metal frames, vases and wind chimes are objects that are connected to the element and can be utilized as decorative pieces in areas lacking metal. Earth shapes metal from the productive cycle and so objects representing the earth element are great additions to a place lacking in metal. Meanwhile fire melts metal so it is best to remove any fire objects belonging to the designated area.

The earth element can be represented by the colors tan, light yellow and light brown. Pebbles, stones and ceramic pottery are objects that are connected to the element and can be utilized as decorative items in areas lacking earth. Fire produces earth in the productive cycle and therefore objects representing the fire element are great additions to a place lacking in earth. Meanwhile wood breaks apart earth so it is best to get rid of any wood objects belonging to the designated area.

The fire element can be represented by the colors red, orange, pink, purple and dark yellow. Fireplaces and candles are objects which have been connected to this element and should be considered as decorative pieces in areas lacking fire. Wood feeds fire from the productive cycle and so objects representing the wood element are also great additions to a place lacking in fire. Meanwhile water puts out fire so it's best to get rid of any water objects from the designated area.

As you could see, each feng shui element is vital for maintaining balance. Not only are the objects in our homes a representation of the elements, so are we. You will be able to find out your personal element by matching it to your year of birth. This lets you determine how to surround yourself with colors and objects that are beneficial towards you and keep away from ones that don't. Additionally , you will have the ability to use a map bagua to define specific areas of a room or a whole home that are associated with each element and use that knowledge to enhance the feng shui of the home.

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Feng Shui Remedies - Cure Your Home The Easy Way

Feng shui remedies can be found to help you counter any problems that could be the result of the structure of a house or the location of furniture within it. Good feng shui will be achieved when the structure and furniture placement are conducive to liberate the flow of 'qi' or energy inside the home. Unless built from scratch aided by the art of placement in mind, most homes are not optimized for being beneficial for you. That's the reason it really is necessary for you to learn about how and where to utilize cures throughout your home.

Colors are often very effective remedies and they can easily be used to handle problem areas. The balance of a room or a home may be off as a result of missing elements. Since colors basically represent elements, the applying of color associated with the missing element can be used for a cure. This is done in the form of simply adding decorative objects in the specified color or you may even paint entire walls based on how important the element is to the part of the room.

Furniture placement can also be a major reason for problems in the home. There are several guidelines about how furniture ought to be placed in each room in the house. If your furniture is not placed in a way that is beneficial towards you, you're able to easily change things around by rearranging the furniture. The main piece of furniture in each room ought to be in a commanding position and every one of the other pieces can be placed around it. Sometimes however, the structure of the room or the whole home makes it impossible to generate changes by simply rearranging furniture. If that is so, special tools can be used as a cure.

Tools that are specifically useful to cure bad feng shui include wind chimes, crystal balls and water fountains. Mirrors are also very effective, so are candles and live plants. Each of the tools represent one of the five elements and can be utilized in the home in areas which have been meant for that element. Some are employed to protect, others to shift the flow of 'qi', no matter what the aim is, these tools tend to be quite powerful if used correctly.

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Feng Shui Interior Design - Color And Layout Design Tips For Your Home

Feng shui interior design describes using design elements to improve the 'qi' or energy of the home. Each room of the home serves a specific purpose and the interior design of the individual rooms will perform that purpose with the help of feng shui. In this respect, different principles and techniques must be applied to the different rooms. One size doesn't fit all in this case. Make the most out of every individual room by using totally unique cures and remedies.

The aim of the bedroom is usually to be the room inside the house that promotes rest, relaxation and romance. This is meant for being an area that brings out calmness and tranquility. As a way to do that, colors play a necessary role. Loud colors are the very last thing we wish to use, because they are too much of a distraction and actually promotes restlessness. Furniture placement is also a key factor. The bed should be the main feature of a room and has to be displayed at a commanding position, which is diagonal with the door. There are many other techniques you should utilize to optimize the bedroom, many of which are associated with love. The love corner is another central part of a bedroom, make good use of this area to attract love or maintain good relationships.

The purpose of the living room is to be the room in the house for get togethers. It is usually meant for family gatherings and entertaining guests. Because of this, the living room must be an area that promotes conversation and should be optimized for family bonding. To be able to do this, the main focus is on how the seating of this room is arranged. Sofas and chairs are supposed to be placed in a semi circular shape to accomplish this purpose. Family photographs also needs to be a feature of this room. Other great additions include artwork and live plants.

The aim of the kitchen is to feed and nourish the entire family. It really is considered one of the primary rooms of the house, because it symbolizes growth and prosperity for each of the members of the family. The stove is the primary focus of the kitchen and its burners actually represent wealth. A stove situated within an island often is the ideal position, since the cook should manage to have a good view of the entire kitchen. It's always important that one can see who comes through the door. If the stove is constructed against a wall, a very good feng shui remedy is always to add mirrors behind the stove so anything in back is still visible.

The aim of a home office is to be the part of the home that work is completed, it must be optimized in a way that promotes productivity and will help guarantee success. In this case the desk is the most important piece of furniture inside the room and has to be located in a commanding position with a clear view of the door. Using a map bagua, locate the wealth and career corners for further feng shui design. The home office is an ideal room to utilize live plants such as the money tree or lucky bamboo, both of which are used to attract wealth.

As you are able to see, there are many different feng shui interior design techniques for every room of a home. Creating the best balance between all these rooms is what makes everything come together. The different areas of your life is actually harmonized as a result of making this great balance within your home. With the bedroom working towards love, the living room promoting your relationships, the kitchen helping to generate wealth and the home office building success for your business, all these different areas of your life begins to fall in place.

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Feng Shui Home Design - What To Look For When Buying A Home

There are many factors in feng shui home design that ought to impact somebody's decision to purchase a house. When you go house hunting, it's vital that you have some basic knowledge of feng shui principles to help with the decision making process. There are a number of things to look out for, all of which will help you establish whether or not the house has good 'qi' or energy linked to it. If there are too many problem areas, it's a sign that you'll be negatively impacted if you choose to live there.

Once inside the house, you will need to carefully observe the structure and entire floor plan of the house. Things to look out for include slanted ceilings, exposed ceiling beams, missing doors and corners. Other important structural features such as the position of doors in relation to windows, the location of stairs in relation to the front door and others are all factors to take into consideration. Problem areas will very likely create bad feng shui, but keep in mind that there are cures for these problems. These cures are usually very effective and they are accomplished by utilizing simple tools including crystal balls, wind chimes, water fountains and mirrors. The one reason to completely reject a house is if there are way too many problem areas.

There can also be a number of outside influences that you need to bear in mind . The surrounding community is just as important as the house itself. Go around the neighborhood to get an idea of some of the other things which can impact your life. Avoid buying a home that is found near cemeteries, police stations, hospitals, waste management facilities or any other sites that may adversely affect your home. Landscaping in the front of the house should be inviting for the 'qi' to flow right into your home. Make sure that the lawn and shrubs are fresh and never wilting, and in addition check for trees blocking the main entrance.

Remember to keep these pointers in mind when you are on the hunt for a new house. Another cool tip that should never be overlooked is to get to know the current homeowners. Find out the reason they may be selling, this can be a very good indicator of how feng shui will ultimately affect you if you select to live there. It's an excellent sign if the current homeowners are leaving to move onto bigger and better things. When you already live in a home that you purchased, it is not too late to put these tips to use either. Learn more about the structure of your house along with the environment around you, then use your findings to determine the correct remedies to apply as a quick fix.

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Feng Shui Living Room - Creating The Right Atmosphere For Family Bonding

To be the one room in a home that brings the entire family together is the ultimate purpose of the feng shui living room. This particular room also serves as the place where you may entertain guests. So as to make it more inviting and be an area where people gather and socialize, the space has to be transformed in a way that promotes conversation and brings people together. Basic feng shui principles should be utilized to do exactly that. A variety of techniques may be applied to this area for the aim of connecting you to the people that are important to you.

The main piece of furniture in the living room is the sofa. The sofa is where you, your loved ones and your guests sit. The position of a sofa is critical in determining how 'qi' or energy will flow in the living room. You will find certain positions that aren't ideal for the sofa. In particular, if the front entrance of the home leads into the living room and is directly in line with the windows of that room, it is never a good idea to position the sofa directly in between the two. Avoid placing the back of the sofa against windows or facing a door. Also be sure there are no exposed beams on the ceiling right above where you happen to be sitting. The very best position for any sofa should be to have its back against the wall and diagonally across the door. If there happens to be other sofas and chairs in the room, arrange them together in a semi-circular shape so that the people sitting there will be able to talk amongst each other.

There happens to be many other solutions to optimize the living room to your benefit. Lighting is another important part of this room, it must be bright so make sure that there will be lots of lights besides the natural lighting that comes through the windows. Good places for lights include corners and dark areas. Since the living room is associated with the family, this should be the perfect room to display lots of family photographs. Other great home decor items that needs to be included in this area of the home are artwork and live plants. Use the bagua map to discover the best locations to place these items. Finally, besides creating a prime location for the sofa, there should be a distinct centerpiece in the living room. Typically if your house is included with a fireplace, that is required to be the centerpiece of the room. If you don't have a fireplace however, be sure to reserve that spot for the television or home entertainment center.

Use all of these great feng shui living room tips to make the most out of this family friendly room. Besides the important techniques discussed above, you must also remember to keep the area clutter free as you would for any other important room of the house. Clutter tends to make the 'qi' of a room stagnant so removing unnecessary items out of the living room is necessary to free up that energy.

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Feng Shui Kitchen - Help The Entire Family Achieve Wealth

The kitchen
can often be referred to as the heart of a home, therefore having the perfect feng shui kitchen is a requirement for developing a well balanced and abundant life for your entire family. This area of a home represents every member of your family so it is critical to keep it pristine. According to basic feng shui principles, food is connected with wealth, so the place where food is prepared represents the origin of wealth and prosperity.

The stove would be the most important piece of appliance in the kitchen and its placement will largely determine how the flow of 'qi' or energy is in that room. In order for the 'qi' to flow freely, the stove must be positioned in a certain way. The best position for a stove is attached to an island within the middle of a kitchen so that the cook has the entire room including the entrance in plain sight. It's important for anyone doing the cooking to be able to see whoever comes through the door. If your stove is set up in a way that faces a wall as is the case with many stoves, especially in smaller kitchens, a very good remedy for not being able to see the kitchen should be to place a mirror behind the stove burners. This is not only effective in that it allows the cook to view the whole room, it also helps to create the illusion of doubling your wealth. The burners of a stove are believed to represent where the wealth actually comes into the home from. If a mirror is positioned correctly behind the burners, it is meant to double the total amount of wealth that enters.

There can also be many positions that aren't suitable for a stove. For instance, a stove shouldn't be placed in line with the kitchen door or stuck in between a corner of a room. You should also avoid putting it right by the window as it's believed that wealth will flow right out through the window. In an effort to save space, some stoves are designed having a microwave above it. This sort of placement is also very bad, because the microwave will actually oppress the movement of 'qi'.

Other important stove recommendations include keeping it clean, in proper working condition and making good use of it. Leaving the stove unused does not help the household become prosperous in any way. Use it regularly to cook nutritious food for the entire family and remember to use all of the burners for the most effective results. If any part of a stove needs fixing, have it fixed immediately so it doesn't negatively affect your finances. It's also vital that you know the stove symbolizes the fire element. Water is really detrimental to fire as it's supposed to put it out, however both the sink and the refrigerator represent water and they are all located in close proximity to each other. The most effective placement for all three is to have them form a triangle and something representing the wood element in between the stove and each water element appliance. Live plants are a great tool to utilize for this purpose.

Besides the stove, there are many other important feng shui kitchen tips. Keep the kitchen clean always, remember to clean out the cabinets and refrigerator regularly. Anything that's going to expire or that is spoiled must be thrown away so it won't have any negative effects on the 'qi' of a room. Broken appliances must also be removed for the same reason. Bad plumbing and other such problems needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Lastly sharp objects such as knives should not be out in the open, either keep them inside of a drawer or a knife rack. All of these simple techniques can make a huge difference in the kitchen.

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Feng Shui Home Office - Building Success In Your Own Home

You will find two main factors when it comes to the design of the feng shui home office that could determine your success and also the success of your business. The very first important factor should be the actual location of that office in the home and the other involves the structure and placement of objects within the office. If you do any sort of work at home, it is vital that you have a proper home office to do it in. An actual room or space to set aside as your office is required for this purpose. Combining your work space with any other space just isn't a good feng shui practice. As an example, when you have your bedroom also act as an office, it'll cause tension between these two different parts of your life, causing problems for both work and sleep.

The most effective location for an office is towards the front of a home, preferably by the entrance. This location allows the 'qi' or energy to enter form the front door and flow right into the office to help energize the space and cause you to become more productive and get your work done quickly. Bad locations for an office include the central part of the house, around the basement or anywhere near a bathroom. These areas will actually hurt the 'qi' of an office space.

The desk stands out as the most important feature of the home office and its placement has an enormous effect on your success. The best possible place for a desk is at a commanding position diagonally aligned with the door, having the chair against a wall. Avoid having the desk in line the with the door, facing the window, in the corner, with the back of the chair facing the door or a window.

There might be problems in the room which can be easily fixed using feng shui remedies. For example, ceilings are important in an office. If it is too low or slanted, that means that you will have trouble reaching the top. There will be specific tools you should use such as a crystal ball to counter this problem. If there are no windows, incorporate bright lights or artwork depicting the outside world as a cure. Use live plants in this room like money trees and lucky bamboo plants. They're both commonly used to attract wealth.

Other important feng shui home office tips include keeping that room free of clutter and having a bagua map to locate and optimize the wealth and career corners. Your desk can easily be bogged down with all kinds of files and documents. Remember to go through them regularly to arrange and eliminate unnecessary paperwork. Use appropriate colors, decorative items and other feng shui tools around the wealth and career corners of the home office to activate the 'qi' for the promotion of productivity and success.

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Lucky Bamboo Plant - Attract Good Luck In Any Area Of The Home Or Office

The lucky bamboo plant is a really special type of plant also known by its botanical name 'dracaena'. This plant has special significance in feng shui, because it is known as a symbol of vitality and strength. Its rapid growth without the need for a lot of care makes it an ideal indoor plant for nearly anyone. Lucky bamboo plants can thrive almost anywhere, making it the perfect addition for the home or business.

You will notice that there are actually quite a lot of different arrangements of the lucky bamboo. They are available in several numbers of stalks, may be straight or curved and are sometimes formed into different shapes and sold as novelty items. The quantity of stalks itself has special meaning. The greater the amount of bamboo stalks in an arrangement will not necessarily translate to better luck. If there are 3 stalks or 6, it represents happiness. 5 or 7 stalks symbolizes health. 2 stalks represent love and marriage, 8 represent wealth and abundance, 9 stands for good fortune and a big arrangement of 21 stalks symbolizes blessings.

Pair the right number of bamboo stalks to the appropriate area of the room or the entire home with a bagua map. In order to do this, you have to stand by the entrance having the bagua out before you positioning the fame section facing the direct opposite wall and then the career section directly in front of you. You should use it to map out the areas of the space that correlate towards the different areas of your life like wealth, career, love and health.

There are also special ways to use the lucky bamboo to exemplify the five elements of feng shui in action, creating balance and harmony in a specified area. The plant itself represents the wood element, simply place them in a glass vase filled with water to incorporate the metal and water elements, add some stone for earth and tie the stalks together with a red ribbon or string to include the element of fire.

Even if the lucky bamboo plant will not need too much special attention or care, that doesn't mean you can just neglect it. It still needs watering from time to time, do so anytime the water reaches below one inch in the vase. Don't place them in direct sunlight, they function best in areas which are dimly lit. These plants are commonly used in feng shui as remedies to attract good 'qi' or energy and can easily be seen in lots of offices to bring good luck to a business. They can also be excellent gifts for a housewarming or a new business.

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Money Plant Tree - The Easy Way To Attract Wealth

In case you are looking for a simple way to attract more wealth and money into your life, start by obtaining a money plant tree. This attractive indoor plant is often used as a feng shui tool to assist with finances. The way it looks has special significance and is great in any area of a home or business. It also goes by its botanical name 'pachira acquatica' and is generally not naturally shaped the way it is. This particular plant is a mixture of several plants with intertwined stems that look like they've been braided. It had been first created in the 1980's and grew in popularity internationally for its symbolism of the five elements in feng shui.

Many people have adopted this beautiful plant and used it for attracting money. You will find five leaves that branch out from each of the stems, they are said to represent the five elements wood, water, metal, earth and fire. The five leaves on each stem is meant to symbolize the elements in perfect harmony. This makes the money tree an ideal tool to implement for just about any part of your room or entire home containing unbalanced 'qi' or energy. Simply locate the area that needs help using a bagua map and place a money tree where it's needed.

The most effective places for a money tree are areas that have anything to do with money or wealth. For instance in the home, the preferred spot for this plant is near a safe deposit box. Businesses would benefit from having this plant near its cash register. A specific room in the home which may need a money tree is the home office. This is often where you conduct business so it definitely doesn't hurt to possess more money in this area. Money trees are wonderful gifts for anyone who's starting a new business.

These plants are relatively easy to care for. They can grow up to 7 inches and have an incredibly long lifespan. Regular watering and a bit of sunlight is all that is necessary to look after them. Direct sun exposure is bad, because it will dry out the leaves so keep them in areas with dim lighting. Water the money trees enough every time and let the soil dry out before watering again. Excessive water will cause the leaves to brown and fall off. Avoid misting the leaves directly as that causes the leaves to fall out as well. With the proper care and right location, these plants may be just what you'll need to generate the kind of success you have been hoping for.

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Feng Shui Crystals - Using Faceted Balls For Good Energy

Feng shui crystals are commonly used tools for the art of placement. These crystals aren't the type that are typically worn as jewelry, they are multifaceted spheres that come in a range of sizes and colors. The crystal balls are supposed to be hung in specific areas of the home where it is needed to activate the 'qi' or energy. You will find some areas with stagnant 'qi', the energy cannot flow freely unless there are special feng shui tools to place there such as the crystal ball.

These spherical balls range in size from 20mm to 50mm. The size of the ball should match the scale of a room, for example bigger crystal balls are better fitted to bigger rooms and vice versa. A ball that is 40mm or 50mm is generally placed in large rooms such as a living room, ones that are 30mm is good for a bedroom, and 20mm is perfect in a bathroom. A lot of people also use 20mm balls inside of their cars. Clear crystal balls are the most commonly used, known for being able to activate the 'qi' of a whole space. Other colors include pink, purple, blue, green and more. You should utilize these specifically to improve the various areas of your life that the color is meant for in the right location. To seek out the very best location for these colored balls, simply use a bagua map to determine where each color belongs within a given space. Then hang the colored ball in the appropriate area.

There happens to be quite a few structural issues in a home that would require the crystal ball to act as a remedy. As an example, if the front door leads right into a staircase, the flow of 'qi' is going to be affected from the moment it enters the home. Hang a crystal in between the front door and the staircase. Other problem areas include long hallways, an entrance that may be missing an actual door or corners with sharp edges. Furniture placement will sometimes interfere with the flow of 'qi' and if rearranging it is not possible, crystal balls can be used as a simple fix.

For best results, hang the crystal ball from the ceiling using a red string. The length of string may also play a factor, multiples of 9 are purported to be the very best length. Be certain that the string is either 9 inches, 18 inches or 27 inches. Dust can accumulate easily on these balls, make sure to clean them regularly. Layers of dust will only make them less effective. With the proper use and care, feng shui crystals can prove to be very powerful tools.

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Feng Shui Wind Chimes - Using Sound To Cure The Home

Feng shui wind chimes
are one of the most well known remedies which can be used through the home. They can be placed either inside or outside of that home. They use sound to change the 'qi' or energy of the given space. It can either protect an area from 'qi' that moves too fast or help to activate the 'qi' if it's stagnant. Therefore different areas of the home may need the chimes for different purposes.

There are actually so many different types of wind chimes, made out of a number of different materials. The material has special significance in feng shui, they're predominantly used to represent the different elements. You have five elements in feng shui and aside from the element fire, all of the other four elements can be represented by wind chimes. This is important, because it is linked to a specific element in an area of a room or the whole home where that element is lacking. By adding that element, it creates balance among all the elements of that space. Glass chimes basically symbolize the water element. Bamboo and wood chimes basically symbolize the wood element. Ceramic chimes are used to symbolize the earth element. Metal is the most commonly represented element, with chimes made from brass, steel, aluminum, iron, bronze and copper.

There's another aspect of feng shui wind chimes that can be significant. Not all of them come with the same number of rods. The quantity of rods can have special meaning. The most typical number is five, it's usually preferred, because each rod represents one of the five elements. This type is used primarily to help you harmonize an area by showing the balance of these elements. Its other main use is for protection, to keep away bad luck. Six or eight rods are also available, however the meaning is kind of different. They are primarily used to draw in or enhance good luck.

You will find several locations where these special feng shui tools can be placed. Indoor wind chimes are generally smaller in size and metal is the material which is most often used. Meanwhile garden wind chimes usually are bigger in size and bamboo is the preferred material here. You have a couple of areas that aren't appropriate for this sort of tool, sound waves may prove to be too distracting. These include areas where you normally eat, sleep, sit and work. The important thing here is to first determine specific locations that needs balancing, protecting or enhancing. Eliminate areas which may actually negatively affect you and then choose the suitable material and number of rods for the intended purpose.

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Feng Shui Water Fountain - Using Water Sound And Movement In The Home

The feng shui water fountain is a good tool that is thought to attract good luck and prosperity. It should be used in select locations both inside and outside of a home. Use a bagua map to locate specific areas related to wealth and select an appropriate fountain. Water fountains combine sound and movement as a cure to both retain and activate the 'qi' or energy of the space. If situated inside the right spot, the constant stream of cascading water can harnesses the 'qi' in an area that needs it the most.

Water fountains come in a number of different materials, including metal, bamboo and ceramic. Each of the materials represent an element that is the foundation of feng shui, namely metal, wood and earth. To find out which material to use, you need to consider how the five elements interact with each other and find out which element works best with water. If you ever look at the destructive cycle of the five elements, you will learn that earth destroys or dissolves water. This implies that the element earth should not be combined with water, therefore you have to avoid using a ceramic water fountain in your home. When you look at the productive cycle of the five elements, you will learn that metal produces or carries water. Simply put , this indicates that the element metal should be combined with water, the mixture of the two actually makes the water more powerful as a feng shui remedy.

Water fountains also come in a various shapes and sizes. It is probably obvious that smaller sized fountains are better fitted for inside the home while larger ones are appropriate for the outside. You will find tabletop options along with wall mounted for the indoors. An outdoor fountain however, should be large enough to act as a centerpiece of the garden. Based on basic principles of the art of placement, round shapes are preferred although fountains come in a number of different shapes. You do not necessarily have to use round, simply choose one which is fitting inside your home.

The key to effectively using the sound and movement cures of water is to place the feng shui water fountain in an appropriate area of the home. This can be accomplished by locating them on a bagua map. Considering that the fountain represents the element water, it ought to be placed in areas of a room or the whole home which is associated with either water or wood. The fountain can only fully serve its purpose of enhancing the flow of 'qi' in places which will benefit from its presence. One place to be aware of is the bedroom. This room is tricky, because it's where you sleep. The constant flow of water can prove to be too distracting and cause restlessness in this particular room. That's not to say that it completely doesn't belong in the bedroom. The truth is, there happens to be certain situations that allow it to be appropriate for that part of a house. Since water is a powerful remedy, it needs to be handled carefully. Seek the services of a professional if you're looking to apply it correctly to help improve your life.

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Powerful Tools To Use Throughout The Home

Mirrors are found throughout a home, but unless you follow the proper guidelines for feng shui mirrors, the position is usually incorrect. A mirror placed in a wrong location can do more damage than you think. What you normally use for home decor and vanity purposes is actually quite a powerful tool which can cure the bad 'qi' or energy of the space and shift its flow.

There are three ways in which the mirrors can effectively be used as feng shui remedies. They are expansion, reflection and deflection. The purpose of expansion would be to create the illusion of expanded space and is usually placed in areas such as narrow hallways where space is cramped and limited. Typically these areas have stagnant 'qi' and the illusion of more space can help it flow freely. The aim of reflection is to double the quantity of anything that faces the mirror. This really is a good thing if positive images come in front of that mirror, since it will double that image and create more positivity. On the other hand, the same can be said for negative images. For instance, avoid clutter in front of the mirror, because that only increases the quantity of clutter along with the negative energy that it represents. The purpose of deflection is to combat negative energy from the outside. In this particular case, a bagua mirror is placed either on the front door or window facing outside the home. This method is effective when there are actually sharp corners aimed toward the home, when you have incoming traffic headed straight towards the home or more.

You will discover both good and bad locations for the mirror. One of the most powerful uses of the mirror should be to place it behind a stove in the kitchen. The kitchen is thought to be the area in the home that relates to the wealth and success for an entire family, and the burners on a stove is considered the area where wealth is generated. So according to the rule of reflection, the mirror doubles the image of burners, essentially creating more wealth. One of the worst places for the mirror is facing the foot of the bed inside a bedroom. It's believed that the mirror will steal the soul of the person when he or she is sleeping. This is definitely not something that you would like to happen. You are able to resolve this issue by simply rearranging the furniture in this particular bedroom so that the mirror no longer faces the bed.

Feng shui mirrors represent the water element and are great in areas of the room or the whole home which is related to water. Just use a bagua map to figure out the placement for every element. Avoid placing it in areas that represent the fire element, because water puts out fire so it may have a negative affect on that area. Other key things to watch out for are placing two mirrors that face one another, it bounces the 'qi' off continuously which is considered not a good thing. Smaller mirrors must be hung on a wall at face level to avoid cutting off your reflected image. All of these factors are essential in determining the most effective location for mirrors in your home.
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Feng Shui Bedroom Tips - Promote Sleep And Enhance Romance In Your Life

With correct feng shui bedroom tips, it is possible for you to create the perfect room within your home for rest and relaxation, a space you are able to go to to feel calm and get a great night's sleep. That is the main purpose of a bedroom, to promote sleep. Besides that, it's a room that's regularly used to kindle romance between a couple. Knowing this, wouldn't you wish to create an environment that fosters the ability for you to have improved sleep and much more romance in your life? You'll be able to do exactly that using simple feng shui techniques.

Bedrooms are meant to produce a sense of calm, not cause you to feel chaotic and anxious. One of the easiest ways for chaos to enter the bedroom is in the form of clutter. If you have an overstuffed bedroom, you must do a complete overhaul and remove anything you don't need or want anymore. There could be other stuff that still has a place inside your life, but does not necessarily belong inside your bedroom, simply move those out into another part of the home. Clutter not only bogs down your room, it also reflects in your life exactly the same way, reeking havoc and turning into an enormous burden. You'll notice a sense of letting go the moment you free yourself from all of the clutter.

The next thing you should do is take away the things that do not belong in the bedroom which include a desk, electronic devices and exercise equipment. The main reason these items have no place in a bedroom is because they all act as huge distractions, which makes it harder for anyone to receive a good night's sleep. The desk is meant for work, therefore having a desk or any other work related items inside of a bedroom will force you to think about work when you are not working. Electronic devices not only keeps you from sleeping, they draw out the bad 'qi' or energy of the room and drain you of your own energy. If it's impractical to move them out of the bedroom, at least cover them at night when you are sleeping. Exercise equipment is another huge distraction that causes restlessness. Lots of people who do not have enough room in their home will put the exercise equipment in their bedroom. Exercise is an extremely strenuous activity and having the equipment in a room which is supposed to be calm and relaxing will only cause you to be more agitated.

Colors are an effective way to assist the bedroom serve its purpose. Never use loud colors on the walls of the bedroom as that will make it even harder for you to sleep. Calm, muted colors work best here. Lighting is another important factor for setting the proper mood. A bedroom must have dim lights, so switch out the bright bulb for one that has a lower voltage, install a dimmer switch or replace the light bulbs altogether with candles. All of the secondary factors have been covered, but the primary factor remains, the position of the bed. The bed stands out as the most important feature of a bedroom and where that piece of furniture is placed is one among the primary feng shui bedroom tips. It must be in a commanding position with the headboard against a wall and located diagonally across the entrance. You must have the ability to see the door when you're on your bed. Positions which are absolutely detrimental include facing the door, in line with the door, against a corner, and with the headboard against a window. Avoid these positions and you are off to a solid start.

If you are looking to attract love or maintain a healthy relationship with someone you happen to be currently involved with, the bedroom is the best place to make that happen. Romance is typically stirred up in the bedroom, therefore it must become a fitting environment for romance. To help with that, make good use of a bedroom's love corner, which can be located with the help of the bagua map. Add more pink in the area, display items that are available in pairs and other decorative objects that makes you think of love. Have two nightstands by your bed, one on each side to reflect the coming together of two people. These and other helpful feng shui remedies should be considered in the bedroom to fuel your love life.

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Tool For Mapping Out Your Home For Feng Shui

The map bagua is an eight sided diagram specifically used to represent different aspects of a person's life. The nine sections, which includes the center portion, symbolize career, wisdom, family, wealth, fame, love, creativity, helpful people and health. Each section can also be paired with a color and the direction of the five elements are mapped out as well. This special feng shui tool is used to locate the areas of a home or an individual room of that home that are associated with the nine sections. As soon as you are able to locate the areas that require changing, you will be able to use simple decoration techniques to it in a way that can improve that aspect of your life.

To utilize a bagua, stand from the front door of your home facing in or from the entrance of a room. Hold the diagram out in front of you with the fame section facing the wall opposite you and then the career section directly before you. This shows that the doorway is a reflection of your career, the wall opposite represents your fame and reputation, and all the remaining seven sections of the bagua may be mapped out in a similar manner. Use this tool to uncover the colors and elements that correlate to the different parts of the given space.

Colors are are a simple fix for bad feng shui areas and can easily be used to effectively improve problem areas in your life. If for example, you are looking to attract love or to keep a healthy relationship with your current partner, locate the love corner in your room or your house using the bagua. You will notice on the diagram that the color pink is associated with the love corner. All you need to do is add a bit more pink in that area to enhance your love life. A similar technique may be applied to all other areas of your life, using the colors specified in the bagua.

Every one of the five elements can also be found on the bagua. The career section of the space, which is normally where the doorway is, represents the element water. The fame and reputation section is linked to fire. The children and creativity section is used to represent the metal element. The family section is associated with the wood element. The element earth is directly within the center of a room where the health section is located. Equipped with this information, it is possible for you to balance the energy of that room or the whole home by simply adding the missing elements.

The map bagua is quite a useful tool that's utilized by professional feng shui practitioners and novices alike. It's so easy to apply that it has been heavily adopted by most of the western world. Just use the steps above to generate a basic reading of the home and every room of the house. If you are looking for a more accurate and detailed reading, you should seek the services of a professional practitioner. They will use a feng shui compass to locate the exact direction of your house and then use that measurement to create a bagua map that is specific to your home.

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Feng Shui Home Decorating - Use Colors, Furniture Placement And Decor For Your Home

There are many aspects of feng shui home decorating, all which can be crucial for create better movement of the 'qi' or energy in your home. This energy which is often known as a 'life force' can easily become stagnant within a house and have a negative impact on the residents. An easy way to solve this problem is to redecorate the home in a way that can tackle the bad energy and promote the 'qi' to flow freely. There are many effective ways of decorating that will have a positive influence, finding the correct combination is key.

The initial approach to tackle the bad is to tackle the clutter. Most of us accumulate way too much junk and are usually not willing to give up anything, resulting in a home that's stuffed with clutter. A home that is filled with clutter is a mirrored image of a life that has become cluttered as well. Eliminating unnecessary objects in your home is a really important first step, it is also sometimes the hardest. Move through each room of your house and sort through everything you have. Eliminate anything you don't need or want. There is likely to be some things that you might not want to part with, but don't necessarily belong in the particular room, simply put them in storage somewhere.

Next, you'll have to depend upon the bagua to map out areas of individual rooms or your entire home and locate the corners that pertain to different aspects of your life. When you figure this out, decide on the areas of your life that you would like to enhance and use home decorations to make that happen. You should use colors related to the area of your life that needs improving at the specified corner or through the home. Furniture is often the thing that gets in the way of free flowing 'qi', if that is so with furniture in your rooms, simply rearrange them in accordance with feng shui guidelines.

You will discover specific feng shui tools that can be utilized cure problem areas within a home. These tools include crystals, water fountains, wind chimes and mirrors. Some are used for protection while some are used for tackling bad and activating good 'qi'. All these tools are powerful enough to handle any form of negative energy. If you don't like the look of these specific tools, it is possible to just use regular home decor items instead. Simply choose objects which can be applicable in the different areas planned out from the bagua in the home.

There are lots of things which can be done to optimize the areas related to each section from the bagua. If you're looking to attract love or improve your relationship, work on the love corner of the bedroom or of your house. Add more pink to that area, display decor that comes in pairs or put up images that makes you think of love. If you are looking to improve your finances, activate the 'qi' in your wealth corner by adding more purple and water related objects. Try these and other feng shui home decorating tips out for yourself.

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Feng Shui Compass - Finding Your Home's Precise Direction

The feng shui compass is an instrument that was invented by the Chinese centuries ago to produce measurements and sophisticated analysis of the direction of the home. This important data is then calculated to make a detailed map bagua over the layout of the home. An in depth bagua results in understanding the precise location of problem areas of a home which then contributes to remedies which can be used on those areas to fix the problem. So if you are looking to improve the 'qi' or energy of your own home and do so with precision, you should first depend on the measurements of the compass.

This ancient Chinese compass is also known by the names 'lo pan' or 'luo pan', and is usually utilised in all parts of the world by professional feng shui practitioners. Only someone with advanced knowledge of the inner workings of the art of placement is able to understand all of the complexities of this instrument. It is composed of a normal looking compass in the middle using magnetic needles and includes the marking of every one of the degrees of a circle. What sets this apart from a traditional compass however, is the group of concentric rings that surround the center. Each ring has specific markings that are all important for completing a detailed and accurate reading.

The reading is supposed to be made a couple of steps outside of the home. The individual doing the reading must remove all things crafted from metal which includes jewelry, watches and keys. This is essential, because metal objects will likely interfere with the movement of the magnetic needle. The individual must also watch out for any cars in close proximity as which can also cause problems. Lastly, this person should step away from the front door, because most doors come with metal hinges. The 'lo pan' is held in front of the person at waist level and the needle will then move towards the precise degree, giving a measurement of a direction for the house.

After the direction for the house is measured, the encircling rings of the feng shui compass goes to work to calculate a group of other details that may all affect the final reading. If this is done by an expert practitioner, he or she should then create a floor plan of the entire house based off the measurements and use a bagua map around the layout. The final result then becomes a tailor made analysis of your house and appropriate feng shui tools and techniques can be used specifically for you.

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Feng Shui - Is It Really So Different From What We Already Do?

In Feng Shui every house has specific areas that are more receptive for particular kinds of energy. The Children and Creative Life area can be one of the most helpful in solving problems that require unique ideas. It's difficult for the Western mind to accept this science seriously as it seems to just be mumbo jumbo but as we grow globally and are more open to other cultures, we learn that the mumbo jumbo is just our inability to comprehend. So keep an open mind and see if these tips can help.

Feng Shui sees children and creativity as tightly interrelated. Creativity is at the heart of us all. It is deeply personal because it is what we make ourselves be it songs we sing, paintings we paint, foods we cook loves we love or giving birth to our children. Creativity is who we are.

Each Feng Shui has an element, color, shape and number associated with it. The Children and Creative Life area in your house is to the center right as you enter your door. The element associated with this space is metal, the color is white, the shape is round and the number for this space is 3.

Keeping that in mind here are some simple ways to boost energy for creative thought.

This is a great space to hang creative projects, yours or somebody else's. It's also a great place to draw creative solutions from. If for example you had a report to write and you simply had writer's block, place a pad of white paper with 3 pencils on it atop a dictionary and put these on a stand in the area. Add a decorative metal piece like a statute or brass vase and you have a perfect setup to stimulate creative energy.

There's a second part to Feng Shui that is just as important than the physical placement of items. You have to positively affirm that you welcome the energy that Feng Shui can bring. This is both a mental process and a physical one as you should write an affirmation note simply stating that you choose and are grateful to receive new solutions that you have not yet realized and know that they will be for the better good of all. It is this mental side that justifies the physical side.

Think about that for a minute. Still mumbo jumbo? Or is it faith. If we put a Western spin on this we'd say that creativity happens when we focus on a problem intensely and then let it incubate (sleep on it). Those images we focused on run subconsciously until we have the Aha moment. Is it really so different when we affirm a need for a solution and then walk past a reminder of it everyday?

Give it a shot and see what happens.

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The Legends Of Kind Lucky Cats

In Japan, these figures are exhibited in front of shops, restaurants and businesses. According to folk wisdom, a raised right paw brings good luck, while a left raised paw brings clients. The lucky cats come in different forms: statues, key rings, flasks with air fresheners, etc.

When looking at the Manekineko, you might think that it's waving. In fact, it's calling you to come closer and do something. In the East (particularly in Japan), a person who beacons someone will raise their hand and move their fingers until they attract attention. Europeans do it similarly, but with their hand directed toward themselves. The cats for the Western markets often have a "Europeanized" paw direction.

The meaning of the raised paw changed over time. Cats with two raised paws are the best (just in case). It's believed that the higher the paw, the more luck the cat will draw.

The traditional color for "lucky cats" is a mix of white, black and red - the so-called "tricolor". The "tricolor" is common for the Japanese Bobtails. Along with the classical coloring they also make the following one-color figurines: White (purity), Black (reflects evil), Red (drives away evil and disease), Golden (wealth), and Pink (love).

Typically, the cats wear collars and bells. This symbolism has its roots in ancient times, when domestic cats in wealthy families wore collars and bells (to locate the pet). The figures can also wear a bib – clothing for cats in ancient families. Sometimes they are depicted with a coin (koban – worth about one thousand dollars) in their paws, to attract good luck and wealth. The figurines of cats with coins are often used as piggy banks.

There are many legends associated with these cats:

Temple Cat: A wealthy lord was hiding under a tree during a storm near a temple. Suddenly he saw the priest's cat waving to him. He followed the cat, and the next moment lightning struck the tree under which he was hiding. Soon the lord and the priest became friends, and the temple became very prosperous. When the priest's cat died, the first Maneki Neko prototype was made in its honor.

Young Lady: A young lady had a beloved cat. One night the cat began to drag her away. Another woman (her hostess) decided that the cat was bewitched and cut its head off. The cat's head flew off and crushed a snake ready to attack. The young lady was truly saddened by her pet's death. One man brought her a wooden cat figure to gladden her.

Old Woman: One old woman was so poor that she had to sell her cat. Later, her cat appeared to her in a dream and advised her to make a cat figurine from clay. In the morning the old woman did as advised and sold the figure. She started to make more figurines and sell them - thus she became very rich.

The image of Maneki Neko had a great influence on modern culture: the "Hello, Kitty!" character and the "Manekineko" book by Bruce Sterling, where the paw gesture is the symbol of a secret network based on artificial intelligence. This talisman in commonly used in feng shui. You can build your own figures of the feng shui lucky cats; they will draw luck and wealth into your home.

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