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By IFSG Blog Team, on January 24th, 2012% The Solar Year begins February 4, 2012 at 6:40 PM; and with it the transition from Metal Rabbit to Water Dragon.
The Dragon is the 5th archetype in the Chinese cycle of twelve. Opportunities for wealth, vitality and enhanced creativity abound for those who are ready to hear the Dragon’s call; and a whisper it isn’t. Prepare yourself for fast paced out-of-your-hands exciting times. All things are super sized, prone to fanfare and filled with surprise during this Water Dragon year.
The Dragon’s interests know no bounds. Her greatest passion is to make things happen. The Dragon’s deep connection to the natural order brings an understanding that life requires forward movement in all the realms. From the Dragon’s point of view, it is inadvisable to rest on one’s laurels even during the best of times. To do so when change is needed and action is required is simply unacceptable. You may find yourself willing to take more risks during this Dragon year. Do so, for little can be gained without taking risks. Do, however, plan carefully and allow for a back way out should circumstances change too rapidly and you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. The . . . → Read More: Energy Trends Forecast for 2012 – Year of the Dragon
By IFSG Blog Team, on January 12th, 2012% 6 Heaven Year 4 February 2012-3 February 2013 The 6 Heaven Year usually brings clarity and completion for the party. The hidden element of the year is that of Metal. In the I Ching the Heaven trigram can represent authority or the father. Another take is that it is the harvest since the north-west is the autumn and brings with it the reaping of what has been sewn. In some ways it can be the end of an era. 1940 in Europe, 1949 in China, 1967 and the summer of love are just a few examples. (See below to determine your I Ching Star.) Here is my take on the year ahead for you: 1 Water Star After a year in the Mountain in 2011, you now rise up to the Fire House this year! This is going to be your year to shine and to be seen and to be noticed. It will be effortless for you to achieve recognition. A perfect year if you wish to put yourself in the spotlight regarding new work, new opportunities or even a new relationship. 2 Earth Star After a pretty frantic 2011 in the . . . → Read More: The 9 Stars and 2012
By IFSG Blog Team, on November 11th, 2011% Feng Shui is the study of how to bring the balance of nature into our lives. In feng shui, assessing and adjusting the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth) plays an important role in creating comfort, productivity and harmony in our home and work spaces.
At a recent gathering at a campfire, someone posed the question, “Why are people so mesmerized by a campfire?” From a feng shui perspective, we have several answers to this question. First, let’s look at pure feng shui theory. Some of the words we associate with fire are passion, integrity, expansion, transformation, and warmth. Just sitting near a fire will bring us closer to the experience of what these words mean. That alone sounds great right? As a bonus, if we look at the Five Element Map, we see something else as well. We can see that fire has a nourishing (or creative) relationship with earth and a controlling (or destructive) relationship with metal. Earth, associated with being grounded, nourished, and strong is fed by the fire. Metal, associated with being judgmental, is melted by the fire.As we gather around the fire, we experience warmth and transformation (from fire), our sense of strength . . . → Read More: Feng Shui and Campfires – Dancing with the Fire Element
By IFSG Blog Team, on August 6th, 2011% The Five Elements of Feng Shui – Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal – are just one of the main tools used in Feng Shui to evaluate and subsequently balance and enhance spaces. Incorporate all five elements into your indoor and outdoor spaces – equal proportions are not necessary – to provide comfort, stability, balance, and strength to the inhabitants.
Each element has its own qualities and components that make it part of the whole picture and can be represented by colors, shapes, objects, textures, art, and more. The connection between each of the elements is crucial as shown in the depiction below of the element cycles – Controlling, Nourishing, or Reductive. The Five Elements work together creating a customized space beneficial for the inhabitant’s goals, lifestyle, and needs.
Western School of Feng Shui© For a full page version of this chart, click here.
The International Feng Shui Guild does not represent or endorse the views or beliefs of its individual members as expressed herein, nor does it represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations, advertisements, quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained as . . . → Read More: About the Five Elements
By IFSG Blog Team, on July 22nd, 2011% When thinking about Feng Shui’ing a home, most people know to include closets and other storage spaces. Have you ever considered the storage components in your kitchen – specifically the refrigerator? As the source of much of our sustenance and energy, this space is often forgotten but none-the-less very important.
When you open your refrigerator what you see is a collection of shelves and bins. Based on the human behavior we know choices are inherently difficult and what science has found is when it comes to choice inertia rules. The thing you see is the thing you are most likely to choose.
In Feng Shui where our eyes go that’s where our energy goes. So in practical terms that means that when you open the refrigerator if you see fruits and vegetables you are more likely to choose fruits and vegetables over leftover birthday cake. In fact, in an ideal world if there is leftover birthday cake then it’s in your refrigerator in the garage behind a pile of rusty tools, and marked with the big sign that says “beware of the doberman”.
The environment plays a huge role in your choices and decision-making. Out of sight out of mind. . . . → Read More: Feng Shui Your Diet and Lose 10 Pounds
By IFSG Blog Team, on March 18th, 2011% “I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may – light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful.”
~~John Constable (1776 – 1837)
By IFSG Blog Team, on January 17th, 2011% As the new year begins, now is a perfect time to focus on the Knowledge and Self-Cultivation area of the Bagua. This area is associated with learning, assimilating new knowledge, and expanding ourselves while all the while keeping a calm and contemplative mind. Perfect for a student of any age or subject! And perfect for considering new goals for the new year.
To find this area of your home imagine looking at your house or apartment from a birds-eye view to determine its overall shape. It might be a square, rectangle, or shaped like a T, S, U, or L. Attached garages and additions under the same roof are included when defining the shape. Now draw a box around it that includes the entire house, there may be some areas that will be within the box, but outside the walls of you house. Divide the box into 9 equal segments, like a tic-tack-toe board. Knowledge & Self-Cultivation is in the bottom left corner on the side of the house that the front door is on.
Tips for Knowledge & Self-Cultivation:
Use of black, blues, and greens Placement of books, tapes and other material currently being studied Posters, paintings, photos depicting . . . → Read More: Enhance Your Knowledge Area
By IFSG Blog Team, on January 7th, 2011% The front left area of the bagua is referred to by several different names. I call it Self-knowledge and Introspection. Others use a variety of terms; knowledge, spirituality, contemplation, and self-cultivation are the most common.
These terms are not actually very far apart. This area is about knowing oneself, requiring some introspection and/or contemplation. Self-cultivation also requires knowing and developing oneself. The idea is to focus on the self in a meaningful way to evolve and grow.
In order to fully appreciate and understand this bagua section, it is important to also look at the Relationship area, diagonally opposite Self-knowledge and Introspection . Self-knowledge puts the emphasis on the self and Relationship puts the emphasis on connecting/relating to another.
First, it requires that a person have a clear sense of self before entering a relationship. Otherwise, the person becomes lost and is defined by the other person or the relationship itself, and is no longer an authentic individual. If two people have a healthy relationship, that relationship will, in turn, support individual growth. And the positive cycle continues…
Secondly, balance relates to time. Does a busy schedule allow for individual time? If every free moment is spent in relationship . . . → Read More: Self-Knowledge & Introspection Area of the Bagua
By IFSG Blog Team, on December 27th, 2010% The Helpful People area of the Bagua is located in the right front section of your home or room. This area represents guidance, insight and assistance on all levels, mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.
Our guides can be friends, family members; business associates and mentors, someone in history whom we’ve found inspiring, spiritual counselors, animals and angels. Helpful People, guides, or mentors say or do something that moves your life forward in an astounding way – they are your Feng Shui circle of influence!
Guidance can come in any form. Sometimes it comes to you as a feeling, an intuitive sense, or a moment of synchronicity. We’ve all experienced a situation when we had a fleeting thought or impression that we should take one course of action and then later, upon reflection realized why we should have followed our feeling. And we’ve all had the experience of being in the right place at the right time.
For example: you’re driving home and take a different route than normal only to find out later that there was an accident on your normal route. Or you decide that you are going to change jobs and during lunch you overhear someone talking about . . . → Read More: Helpful People, Your Feng Shui Circle of Influence
By IFSG Blog Team, on December 21st, 2010% On Feng Shui’s Bagua energy map, the Travel & Helpful People area seems to puzzle people the most.
You may well ask, “Why are these different ideas grouped together in one area, and what’s in it for me?”
Despite its odd name, this area is actually one of the most important on the Bagua because it’s about making essential life connections.
Without “Travel” you can’t connect with “Helpful People.”
If you’re looking to make great things happen, there’s a good chance you’ll need Helpful People to succeed.
And it’s generally necessary to go out in the world to meet those people, as well as those who need your help and support.
So if it’s time to bring some new people into your life, energize and enhance this area (the inside right corner of your space).
Place items here that evoke the people and outcomes you desire: those who have helped you or whom you have helped; the kind of support you are seeking; places you’ve enjoyed or look forward to visiting.
I’ve seen great things happen – for myself and my clients – when attention is lavished upon this all-important area.
What kinds of enhancements might work best to energize . . . → Read More: How Can Feng Shui’s "Travel and Helpful People" Help You Succeed?
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