But did you know you can apply the fundamentals of the practice to aspects of your life? It’s true. And one of the big life areas where feng shui can really get you revved is your sex life.

If you’re not completely clear on the concept, it’s okay - feng shui expert Ariel Joseph Towne, also known as The Feng Shui Guy, has all the details you need to know to turn your sex life into a luscious, passionate and memorable experience. And all it takes is a little reorganization - of your living space, and your thoughts!

So how do you create the guidelines in which you teach people to feng shui their sex lives?

This is not about me claiming to have some kind of experience on a mountain top, I’m in dialogue with friends and loved ones and people who range the gamut, and we can borrow and draw from everyone.

A lot of people think of feng shui as being something you use around your home – like, put your couch here, your desk there, and it affects your quality of life.

So how can people learn to apply feng shui to something other than objects?

Feng shui is a process that has a series of principals. In my experience, what I’ve been interested in exploring and discovering is the principals that live in every culture – their philosophies and how they crossover, because feng shui isn’t just Chinese principals, it’s universal principals.

So if you understand the principal you can apply to anything. You can feng shui a desk, a website, your bedroom… and yes, a lot of people start with furniture and hear that it’s about stuff, but it’s limiting to discuss feng shui based on it just being stuff. If it doesn’t have the purpose of calling in something specific, it’s hard to tell if it’s working if you don’t have a clear intention.

So for those who choose to start applying the principals of feng shui to their sex life, what can it do for them?

I think that most people may agree that their mood and the way they feel would certainly affect their experience of sex, whatever the desire is – whether it be down and dirty, slow and intimate or a quickie, you have to feel in the mood and be in your body to really connect to it. If you’re connected to your senses and connecting with all the senses, your anticipation is heightened. Using feng shui on you and your environment, whether internal or external, heightens the sensation or experience, and gives you influence over what you intend to receive.

What are some sexy feng shui tips novices can use?

The first thing is to get rid of anything that makes feel self conscious – pictures of grandma, things that relate to your spiritual beliefs, especially if they may shine judgment on sexual expression. It’s good to have an altar or place of worship, but maybe don’t put your crucifix over your bed if makes you feel guilty.

Definitely de-clutter, and get rid of things that smell funky or distract you. A lot of times bedrooms become dumping grounds for clothes, things from your office, a second gym… if you’re trying to get things going and you’re looking at the stairmaster in the corner, thinking about how much you should be working out, then you might get into a bad place that will take you out of the mood. So basically, get rid of anything that doesn’t set you up for success.

At one point in time or another, we all go through a period where we cocoon and withdraw from others for whatever reason.

So what are your tips for someone who is coming out of their cocooning period and is starting to get their spark back?

In feng shui terms and numerologically, we have to connect to ourselves before we can connect to another, so the number one is essential. Light one candle, turn on one bedroom lamp, set everything around you up for yourself and do everything to nurture yourself. That could mean taking long baths, feeding yourself something delicious, and turning yourself on before you can share that with another person.

During the cocooning period, you might need more intellectual stimulation, extra rest, walks, or it could be you need something more extreme to work things out, where you need to be punching and using your voice. Once you get out whatever it is that needs to be purged, you can rest and rebalance, beautify and add in a little bit at a time. Turn yourself on. Treat yourself like you’re going to a spa, maybe take an S Factor class, watch something that puts into a mood, and create a vision board of passion and romance, maybe including some erotica. Use imagery and sound. Play with the senses and turn yourself on, then instruct your lover as to what they can do for you… and vice versa.

What if you already have an awesome sex life – will feng shui work in any way in that instance?

Yes, but I think I might be coming to them for tips! But really, it depends – what’s their intention? Do they want it to be even greater, or do they want less of it? Maybe they want their bedroom to be more of a sanctuary. Maybe if they’re so active all the time, they walk around blissfully exhausted and really need a break.

What’s your one “go to” personal tip?

You know, I think it depends on whether I’m in my own environment or taking the show on the road. I’m about problem solving, so when I’m in someone else’s space, I want to do at least one thing to make me comfortable in that space – something like having a glass of water handy, extra pillows for the low back, even scented candles. But I don’t think it’s about any one thing more than a state of mind, which is all about inner shui. And I don’t think there’s anything that gets me there faster than music.

http://www.digitalcity.com/

Feng Shui is the study of the physical structures we occupy and how they relate to the greater forces of the universe. However, the sounds in our environment affect us just as deeply as the physical structures of our house. Many times the energy imprint left by music or other sounds will last long after the sound has faded into silence.

All music carries life force, because sound and tones, activate the Chakras. When you are able to tap your feet and feel the beat, that’s always a good sign that a healing of some sort is on the way. Playing soothing sound of nature can help to relax and inspire you, as their sound waves vibrate the air passing through our own outer Ch’i energy field.

We can experiment with sounds that seem strange at first. If they match our personal rhythms we will know it, for a feeling of well being soon comes over us. We can enhance our repertoire of pleasure music by consciously listening to unfamiliar composers. We should give new sounds a chance.

Bells

Music is sacred. Bells are often used during the puja/arti or Sunday mass at church. When bells are rung, their vibration can smooth the passage of Ch’i and redirect energy patterns.

Sound lifts energy. Music, wind chime and Buddhist Bell are excellent sound cures, especially when you like the soothing tone. As the sound vibrates through your body and strengthen your personal energy field.

Natural Sounds

(Water, river, waterfall)

The use of water and sound in front of the house is also highly pleasing. There is nothing like being greeted by the sound of running water. It is helpful in fostering harmonious relationship for the occupants.

When sound waves reach the human body, their pulsations resonate throughout the various tissues. The physical body is much like the sounding board of a piano. Not only the ear, but the whole system vibrates in sympathy with the sound waves that strike it. Whether or not these sounds are beneficial to us involves the quality of the vibrational sound and the sensitivity of the receiving body.

You can add visual imagery to the process by closing your eyes and watching a river shift from a raging torrent to a tranquil current.

Wind Chime

To have Feng Shui advantage of wind chime, it should be made with hollow rods. As the hollow allows Ch’i to rise. Chimes can be made out of metal, bamboo, glass or crystals. Metal chimes are especially good for enhancing your career, which is associated with this element.

Wind chimes can activate yang energy and lessen the negative Ch’i. They can be used to raise energy trapped beneath low ceilings and to stop positive energy from going out doorways. Also ensure that the doorbell of your house has a pleasing tone.

Background music which is quite and unobtrusive can be used when you want to help people relax.

I adore Cafe del Mar, so called Chill out music.

Search Ideas:

Calm Music

Relaxing music

Slow Music

Sounds of nature

Harmony

Mediatation

Silence

Relax and be happy:)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/goodliving/Music-can-heal-you/Article1-473469.aspx

The entire knowledge of Feng Shui can be divided into Yin and Yang Feng Shui. Yin Feng Shui refers to the study of the Feng Shui of grave sites and burial grounds; whereas Yang Feng Shui refers to the study of Feng Shui of residences and commercial dwellings for living persons.

In the olden days, there was no demarcation on the studies of Yin and Yang Feng Shui as the theories were interconnected and intertwined. Therefore, the complete study of Feng Shui must consist of both Yin and Yang Feng Shui, which are inseparable. We must however remember that Yang Feng Shui is not derived from Yin Feng Shui and vice versa as both systems are intertwined.

Nowadays, most Feng Shui masters only learn one part on Yang Feng Shui and not the entire knowledge of Feng Shui. In order to be a competent and qualified Feng Shui master, one must know both the theories and applications of Yin and Yang Feng Shui.

Location and date

In Yin House Feng Shui, the location of the grave and surrounding environment can have a profound effect on the fortunes and well-being of the descendents. The ancient Chinese believe that souls are connected and families share karma. If the body (or bones) are correctly laid to rest and are able to tap beneficial qi, they can transmit these positive energies to their descendent and enhance their fortunes.

There are plenty of stories on how families have suffered because of an improper feng shui burial sites and others have prospered for several generations because of good yin house feng shui.

Yin house Feng Shui is a very complicated science, maybe even more than Yang House feng shui. The natural landscape is very important. The shape of the hills in particular can effect certain outcome. Unfortunately the intepretation can be very subjective since a dragon to one master may look like a snake to another! Needless to say a lot of experience is needed.

For example, if no animals live on the mountain and there are no oily, green plants, then this is the type of land that is too barren to store good chi. Another way to find a good burial site is to discover a small space that is distinct from the basic characteristics of the land. For instance, if the land is essentially flat, then the best spot is where you find a ripple of hill formations. This is where the best energy is stored. Or if a big area is full of mountains with lots of variation in height, then finding the nice flat pad is where the energy gets stored for that particular area. This is like reading the I-Ching Trigrams; notice the line that is different from the others. (Like a blonde in China!)

On a more personal scale, the best direction for the head and feet when laid to rest can be determined by the personal astrology of the deceased. There are also calculations to figure out the best day for a memorial service, even a cremation or scattering of ashes. While Yang House feng shui is done for the benefit of the person who enlists the feng shui services, Yin House feng shui is done for the benefit of the living relatives and future generations to follow.

In addition to the surrounding, the orientation of the headstone, outgoing water and the selection of burial date is very important. Luckily the fomulas for these are quite well defined and not subject to too much variation in interpretation.

The location of water regarding a burial site is less important. Proximity to water is for the living. But virtual water can include a road or highway, since it carries so much energy with it.

Chinese Traditions

Yin House Feng Shui is still quite seriously practiced by some Chinese families. They are even known to dig up a grave and re-locate the body to a auspiciousfeng shui burial site if it is deemed necessary. And some of these works are done at odd hours like 3 in the morning!

Chinese graveyards are usually located on hills. Graves on hills usually have good Feng Shui and it is believed that the locations of the graves will determine the well-being of the descendants. If the Feng Shui of the grave is not good the descendants will suffer ill luck and misfortunes. On the other hand if the Feng Shui of the grave is properly done, the descendants of the person will enjoy prosperity and success.

Upon reaching the gravesite, family members would lay everything they have brought in front of the grave. After offering some incense they would proceed to clean the gravesite area - getting rid of overgrown grass and dirt. Food and wine would then be offered (real, authentic food and quite a feast) along with candles and more incense. There is no cause to worry about ‘wasting’ good food. After the food had been offered, family members would enjoy a picnic by the gravesite or divide the food among them to be brought back home.

Every measure is taken to ensure a comfortable life for the ancestors in the spirit world. Items made from paper such as paper shirts, trousers, mobile phones, watches, televisions and so on (sometimes even houses, cars and yachts) are burnt as offerings to the dead. In ancient times, real items such as fabric clothes were burnt (television was not invented yet) until a ‘voice’ from the underworld told the people that spirits and humans are not the same - their necessities differ. For the spirits, paper made products would be sufficient. From then on Chinese have been burning paper products to their dead ancestors.

Joss paper with silver and gold imprints are shaped like ingots and burnt. The fear of having evil spirits seize the offered money and goods cause the Chinese to burn “Hell notes”, money-like paper with imprints under the authorization of the ‘Bank of Hell’. This will distract the evil spirits and the ancestors can ‘receive’ their belongings safely.

Rites and Rituals:

1. When digging starts, the family membrs who were present, MUST turn away when the first grain of dirt is unearthed. Chinese custom considers it unlucky to look when an ancestor’s grave is dug up.

2. When the diggers reach close to the depth of the coffin, they set up a plastic cover over the grave because the Chinese believe that the dead cannot look at the sky.

3. Bones MUST be picked up in the RIGTH order. The first few bones unearthed are placed in a basin and washed in rice wine. There were situations where the corpse were in `excellent condition’. In such a situation, arrangement must be made to cremate the body together with the coffin.

4. Next, a relative will carry the bones in a white bag, with an identification tag under a Chinese wooden canvas umbrella to “guide the soul of the dead” out of the grave to it’s new “home”. The bag is handed to the diggers, who will then meet the family later in the day to cremate the remains.

BE CAREFULL!

Do not accept any `valuables’ e.g. black buttons or items of clothing in the grave. These are very unlucky.

This is a true story: “There was one situation where I recall, the diggers were not happy with the `red packet’ or `ang pao’ extra money given on the spot to the diggers and they asked the family member to give a black button to her child who was with her. Her child, a 4 year old boy cried non-stop after holding the black button for the whole day. Later, she had to approach to priest to `bless her child’. After that, the child immediately stopped crying.”

Reality

We can’t just hike the Santa Monica Mountains to find a wonderful spot for a burial. Everyone must be buried in a cemetery and even the direction of the plot is limited. Because of health laws or Judeo-Christian religious beliefs, burials must usually be performed within a certain time frame after death. The Chinese are known however for waiting until the best time, even if weeks pass. They are even known to dig up a grave and re-locate the body if it is deemed necessary for better yin house feng shui.

5. After the bones were cremated, some families prefer to place all the ash into an urn and place it at a crematoria. While some family members may decide to bring back some ash and place them in an urn to pray at home.

The gigantic 19 hectare structure which has a seating capacity of 40,000, will be used mostly for athletics and rugby events. The main events for the 2009 World Games will be hosted in this stadium. The massive stadium has a 14,155 square meter roof area - every inch of which is covered in solar panels. Moreover, this stadium is notable for its eco-friendliness: the solar panels on the stadium roof generate 1.14 million kWh of electricity per year. So the stadium reduces 660 tons of annual carbon dioxide output. In addition, all the raw materials used in the main stadium are 100% reusable and made in Taiwan. It took over six minutes to power up the lighting in the stadium, which illuminates the track and field with 3,300 lux.

Architect Toyo Ito designed the stadium with Feng Shui in mind. The steel structure resembles a horseshoe, while others say that it looks like dragon. Its unusual semi-spiral shape that imitates a dragon provides a cordial welcome and a cheerful greeting to athletes and spectators with its open-ended structure. The structure’s layout ensures that fans are in the shade for most of the day,and ample open space is available on both sides of the stadium for park land. Furthermore, the planning of the stadium is oriented at north-south direction, with a slight northwest-southeast 15-degree angle; the spiral conforms to the open “C” shape of the stadium. Such design allows the main spectator stand efficiently shelter the field from the southwestern summer wind and the northwestern winter wind. At the same time, such orientation shelters from sunlight, thus providing a more comfortable sport environment.

Ito’s stadium has been called “a wake-up call to Western architects”, but stadiums in the U.S. are becoming increasingly energy efficient. The Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia and the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, became the first NBA and NHL arenas to receive LEED certification last month thanks to an array of initiatives, including energy-efficient underground parking, water-conserving toilets, and carpeting made from recycled materials. American Airlines Arena expects to shave $500,000 off its yearly utility bills as a result of its conservation measures.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Since its inception in 1998, LEED has grown to encompass more than 14,000 projects in the United States and 30 countries covering 1.062 billion square feet (99 km²) of development area.^{Numbers_0-0″ class=”reference”>} The hallmark of LEED is that it is an open and transparent process where the technical criteria proposed by the LEED committees are publicly reviewed for approval by the more than 10,000 membership organizations that currently constitute the USGBC.

Green Building Council members, representing every sector of the building industry, developed and continue to refine LEED. The rating system addresses six major areas:

• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environmental quality
• Innovation and design process

Details about LEED Certification.

Our most commented post about numerology, moved to the MessageNote.com Forum.

We already have 305 comments! It’s so great:)
But the page is loading too long now, so I posted all replies to our forum.

Since now, I will reply to all questions that will be posted in our forum, not here!

Kindly,
Zvezdochka

Currently, there are just 15 of the bridges in Pingnan. Only two bridges have just been rebuilt. The 1000 year old Wan’an Bridge is the oldest and the longest wooden bridge in the country, measuring 98.2 m.

On summer nights, some villagers sleep on the bridges because it is cool and free of annoying mosquitoes. When they have leisure time they chat or play chess on the bridges, while their buffaloes chew grass on the river’s bank.

Bridges here are often connected with religion and there is a local saying that: “Where there is a bridge, there is a temple.” It is usually located at one end of the bridge and has either Buddhist or Taoist gods, but some villagers worship gods originating from local folktales.  In a temple next to Wan’an Bridge, for example, there is a statue of the Monkey King, the main character from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West.

There are also some shrines on the bridge, but believers have to be careful when they burn incense as several bridges have burned down. Built without a single piece of metal it takes several months to build a bridge.

When a bridge is completed a ceremony is held and the workers sing together. After the ceremony, a local villager who is recognized for having good luck is aske

d to cross the bridge first, in order to bring good fortune to everyone. The person in charge of construction is called “main rope” while his assistant is the “assisting rope”. They are the only ones to have their names printed on the bridge’s main beam.

Huang Chuncai, 74, is the youngest “main rope” in Pingnan. Both his father and grandfather were “main ropes”. He learned the skill from his father when he was 15 and became a “main rope” i

n his 20s. Huang built his last bridge in 1969 and after that wooden bridges were

gradually replaced by concrete ones. In 2005, however, Huang was brought out of retirement when the local government relocated a wooden bridge built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). He has been engaged in various renovation projects since then. Huang is passing down his skills to his two sons. Traditionally, the knowledge can only be passed down to male family members, but Huang is keen to move with the times and is willing to teach anyone who is willing to learn the trade.

The Holiday Feng Shui will include:

A) Secrets of the Bagua and Feng Shui product cures (Denise Osborne)

B) 27 Holiday Tips for harmony and prosperity (Liz Brown)

C) Seasonal Party Foods based on the five elements (Teresa Padilla)

SECRETS OF THE BAGUA & FENG SHUI PRODUCT CURES

Denise Osborne

Feng Shui practitioner and author Denise Osborne guides you around the Bagua, a map of the 9 areas of a dwelling and their energies, i.e., career, wealth, relationships.

At the same time, she shows you various Feng Shui items you can use to enhance the energy in each particular gua.  Items such as colorful faceted crystals, wind chimes for the interior, and lotus tea light holders will be on hand for purchase from Denise’s Internet business, Feng Shui Boutique.

A resident of Raytown, Denise Osborne has been actively involved with Feng Shui since 1989.  She published four feature Feng Shui practitioner Salome Waterhouse novels.  Denise attended high school in Tokyo. That’s why she is interested in Asian culture. She has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and worked for the Potawatomie Indians of Oklahoma,  and for a Native American Art Gallery, where she was commissioned to write ART FROM THE EARTH, featuring 33 Native American artists.   Ms Osborne has lived in Spain and England and for many years in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

CONTACT:
DENISE OSBORNE
(816) 356-1613
EMAIL

WEBSITES:
www.deniseosbornemysteries.com
www.fengshuiboutique.com

27 HOLIDAY TIPS FOR HARMONY & PROSPERITY

Liz Brown

Liz Brown will discuss sacred burning rituals, holiday decorations, creating your own holiday expression, honoring your ancestors, involving all your senses, activating chi for parties, using mirrors to ‘double your pleasure,’ space clearing for the relatives, adding ‘clutter‘ when gift-giving.

Liz Brown is a leading Midwest consultant, Feng Shui speaker and Feng Shui. Monthly columnist for a decade, she has also penned nine Feng Shui workbooks. Since establishing “A Hand In Healing” in 1996, Ms. Brown continues to provide a full complement of enlightening, engaging Feng Shui services, from residential and commercial consultations to space clearings, home and office blessings and classes. In 2001, she founded the Kansas City Chapter of the International Feng Shui Guild, served as a Director on the IFSG Board (2007-2009) and currently serves as Chapter Director for IFSG’s KC Metro Chapter.

CONTACT:
LIZ BROWN
(816) 444-2725
EMAIL

WEBSITE:
www.ahandinhealing.com

SEASONAL PARTY FOODS BASED ON THE FIVE ELEMENTS

Teresa Padilla

Flavor your palate with some simple, great Five Element Cuisine to help you create balance during the holidays.  What you eat and drink every day does affect you mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Teresa Padilla is certified in Feng Shui and has studied traditional chinese medicine food therapy for all the seasons with Dr. Fred Weaver and Sandy Weaver. You will sample eggrolls with pomegranate sweet and sour sauce, red date and mung bean moon cookies and stress relief/get well herbal blend tea.

Dr. Teresa Padilla is a dedicated educator and devoted student in the areas of metaphysics, interfaith studies, feng shui and traditional chinese medicine. She earned her Doctorate of Metaphysics with a focus on applied metaphysics in May of 2004 from the School of Metaphysics in Windyville, MO. From that same institution, she received her Doctorate of Divinity in October 2001, with a focus on Interfaith Studies and Practices. She is also a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner.

CONTACT:
DR. TERESA PADILLA
(913) 271-7884
EMAIL

WEBSITE:
www.fengshuimanyblessings.com

It’s everything you want this Holiday Season!
Even Door Prizes!
Sunday, November 1st
2:00-5:00pm
Unity Temple on the Plaza

Limited seating!  Early-registration strongly recommended.
Workshop Fee: $45

http://www.opencircleonline.com/

Now we have Feng Shui forum!

Congratulations to all:)

In this post i wrote what i plan to have on this forum:)

You ideas are always welcomed!

What I want to see at Messagenote Feng Shui Forum?

1. Comments from Top Posts

I will transfer my top commented topics to our forum, because now these pages load sooo long, because of the long amount of comments.

2. RSS subscriptions

I am also planning to add RSS subscription to each post, so that it will be convenient for everybody to see updates of the topics you like:)

3. Avatars

I want to know your mood and how you look like:) And already know my constant readers by names and I will be very happy to see you all!)))

4. Smilies

I want happy forum:) With funny and cute smilies. If you know pretty smilies, please send them to me - i will add them to our feng shui forum.

5. Top commentators

I am so proud about readers, who learned so much about Feng Shui. They also ask numerous questions to even know more! So I want Feng Shui readers to see who is the curioust and helpful to others in Feng shui!:)

6. Top Question

If the topic is so actively discussed, then it is interesting!:)

7. Polls

As soon as i find the program to create numerous polls, you will start hiding from me))) Because I will ask MORE and MORE…what you like, what you wish, what you plan!:)

8. Profiles

Usually, when i visit forums, i like to read profiles of the best commentators:) You can find there a lot of awesome things: new sites, best person’s fraces, tips and photos. I think that after making small profiles and reading comments of the person, we can know each other closer:)

9. Community

I created forum, because sometimes i dont have time to answer immediately:( I usually have time to answer once a week or even longer. So I hope you will help each other and our feng shui newbies will feel comfortable with us:)

10. I dont know…:)

Everything you want, everything you need on the forum:) I will be happy to receive comments and critics about our Forum! This is all for us - Feng shui Messagenote Specialists:)

11. Welcome to Feng Shui Forum:)

http://forum.messagenote.com/

Love you all!

Zvezdochka:)

Feng shui has always been a big part of Too’s life. At eight, she was already influenced by her grandmother, who told her never to hang clothes out at night.

When Too applied for a job at Malaysian Industrial Digest, she put a red dot on her form. She believes that helped her beat about 100 other applicants. She credits feng shui for her top-of-the-class performance at Harvard, and for her conceiving Jennifer after 10 years of trying.

“Whatever I tell people and write in my books, are the things I have experienced myself. I have been to all the rich men’s houses in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan,” she says.

“I have seen how every Hong Kong CEO sits with a picture of a mountain behind him. I have seen the goldfish in their houses and how this have changed their fortunes. I did the feng shui for Hong Leong and Dao Heng Bank. I changed the logo and the design of certain things. And the bank has done well.”

Throughout the years, Too has gone to various parts of China to learn Chinese history as well as to deepen her understanding of feng shui. She counts herself fortunate to have met the best masters of the East who are willing to help and share knowledge.

“I never had a master. I know many feng shui masters and am close to some of them. I got some help along the way, but I never had a real master or formal training,” she says.

“Feng shui is all about how you brand it. I can teach you feng shui in a week. I really understand feng shui and I am good at disseminating that knowledge.”

Today, Too is a best-selling author, television personality and feng shui practitioner. She has written over 80 books on feng shui, and her books have sold over 6 million copies around the globe. She is often credited for introducing feng shui to the West.

In 2000, Jennifer started World of Feng Shui (WOFS), a merchandising and franchise company. There are now WOFS boutiques in 20 countries around the world. Jennifer has also been co-authoring books with her mother.

The Problem

I’m not too proud to beg. I know I need help. I drive a cluttered car. It makes frequent stops at garage sales. I’m surrounded by frisbees, granola bars, umbrellas, tape cassettes and an air freshener that lost its scent long ago. The clutter is not the kids’ fault because they usually travel with their dad in the van. Occasionally, I need to clear stuff off the seat so a passenger can jump in.

I had heard of the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui, literally meaning “wind” and “water”. It is a study of the ways in which environment, places, people, time and the energies of each interact. Feng Shui is the art of balance and its principles espouse that new opportunities can come to those who change the objects in their environment. Colours, sounds and tastes matter. By following the principles, one can create more positive opportunities.

I wondered if these principles could be adapted to help me create more peace and harmony in my life, starting with my car. My search for clarity led me to Erin May, Feng Shui practitioner and owner of Thunder Bay’s The Body Mind Centre.

Getting help

I admitted to Erin that my cluttered car was driving me crazy. She listened and said that there was more to Feng Shui than decluttering, but that cleaning the junk out of the car would be a good start. “When you clean clutter from your car, you are really clearing out your mind,” she said. “The car symbolically represents our body and our body is the vehicle that gets us around. In our busy lives, taking a few minutes to clean our cars or homes gives us the spaciousness to take a nice, deep breath.”

Ah yes, remember to breathe. Just talking about this process is calming me down.

“Keeping the car free of clutter is similar to keeping the body in great shape,” said Erin May. “All car repairs have to be promptly taken care of. This is the practical aspect of Feng Shui. If a car is tuned up it runs better in the same way that our bodies usually perform more efficiently when they are in good shape.”

In Feng Shui, everything has its place. “Organization is important because it helps to keep the mind clear and it saves time not having to look for things. Having everything in its place can also help prevent accidents that might be caused when a driver is distracted by having to look for something.”

Applying the principles

If you want to adapt some Feng Shui priniciples for your car, try the following:

Garbage Bags

• Use mini garbage bags and empty them every day. Piled-up garbage creates “sha chi” (bad energy)

Organizers

• Invest in car organizers or tote boxes to keep the car’s interior and trunk organized. By placing your items in boxes, you keep them safe because they don’t slide around.

Useless stuff

• Edit and eliminate. Get rid of things that you or your passengers do not need. Keep maps of your city but eliminate the collection from your last vacation.

Clean windows, mirrors and dashboards

• All dashboards, rearview mirror and rear window should be kept clear to eliminate distractions. Clear spaces speak to clarity of mind.

Windshield

• The windshield represents the clarity of how we see the world. Keep the windshield clean and repair cracks immediately. If you can see your world clearly, you are able to see new opportunities.

Flower Bud Vase

• Some new cars come equipped with a flower bud vase. If you have one, fill it with a single, fresh-cut flower. You do not want to create a distraction, so a simple flower is best. Live, positive force energy or “sheng chi” is important in the car.

Check-ups

• Schedule regular car check-ups.

Getting a consultation

I am just skimming the surface of what Feng Shui has to offer. If I participated in an individual consultation, I would be able to determine what kind and colour of car is best suited to me. This information would be based on my Gua number which is calculated using my birth date and year. Everyone is different, so a consultation would be conducted on an individual basis.

If your car is a mess, it indicates clutter in your mind. A car speaks volumes about the personality of the owner, so to maintain clarity, I can’t just clean up my car occasionally. I have to maintain a clean routine to stay on top of clutter in order to feel better and think more clearly. Thanks to a Feng Shui tune-up, I’m on the right road now.

http://lotusinthemudd.blogspot.com/2009/09/feng-shui-on-wheels.html