Feng Shui Expert Home Colors

I love color! Sometimes I feel like Violet Beauregarde turned blueberry in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory if you’re under 40) and want to immerse myself in indigo blue. Other days, I’m like Augustus Gloop and want to dive into the seas of chocolate brown. And then, the next day, I may be moved into Veruca-Salt-like action by a flash of red from a racing fire truck. Later that day, I may doze off after spending an hour reading on my solid white porch, where virtually everything is white! Like Charlie Bucket, I also sometimes find myself obsessed with the color gold. And in my dreams, I’m Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is mine! In my dreams!

I’ve always noticed that I am affected by colors but had not paid particular attention to it until recent years. Here’s a brief excerpt from The Feng Shui Life book available on http://www.thefengshuilife.com.

Knowing how to use color to strengthen and balance your environment is a key aspect of good Feng Shui. Use the Bagua map to assist you with the most advantageous use of colors. For example, the energy of the South area is connected to areas of Fame & Recognition. A better translation, actually, is the “Light or Fire within”, and it is connected to the image you project to other people, your character in the opinions of others, as well as how effective you are at communicating and maintaining your own identity, values, and mission. The element of South is Fire, and the colors related to it are Red, Purple, Yellow and Orange. Obviously, you would not want to put down your own fire, which means you should not bring Blue or Black colors to the South area of your space, keeping in mind that water is used to put out fires.

If you want to learn more about Colors and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now,
Suzanne Linwood

Home Offices: Feng Shui Your Home Business

Work at home! Work at home in your pajamas! WAHMs, take notice! Want to work from home? Must have home office. Home office based. Telecommuting possible. Telecommute. Work from home. Virtual office. Virtual employee. Virtual assistant. Home Business opportunity.

Need I go on? The phenomenon is sweeping the world! And if we are to truly go green, most of us will have to go home. So many people want to work from home, either in their own business or for an established company, and the reasons are many. To be home when the children come home from school. To avoid traffic. To save money and gas. To save commuting time and hassle. To save money on clothes. To avoid office politics. There are as many reasons as there are people actually working from home. And there are a lot of us! Every day, I meet or hear about somebody else who works at home in their PJs (or less). My favorite outfit is a seventies-reminiscent gauzy long dress, compression stockings (don’t laugh – I don’t want a blood clot from sitting at the computer!), and my fuzzy bunny slippers. Not pretty, but oh, so productive. If only you knew how much more I get done thanks to those bunny slippers! And then, in the winter, I wear flannel pajamas and a thick fleece robe (I’m a cheapskate and won’t turn on the gas heat until it gets below 62 degrees in the house), wool socks, and, of course, the bunny slippers. When they get too old to wear anymore, I saw some Tweety-Bird slippers that I like a lot. The color doesn’t match anything else I have, but, who cares? My neighbors already probably think I’m nuts, going out to the mailbox like that every day. And I just bought a new car three months ago. You know, they probably think I’m a drug dealer or something! Alas, I digress. Your home business and Feng Shui. Back to business. Here’s a few tips to help you outfit your home with a productive home office. They are excerpted from The Feng Shui Life book available on http://www.thefengshuilife.com.

Declutter. Clean up. Having too much stuff sitting around and papers all over your desk is not productive and is not good Feng Shui. You might get away with that in some parts of the corporate world and look like you’re busy just by shuffling a stack of meaningless papers, but in your home office, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. Keep the desk and work areas neat, clean, and organized. If you must leave open projects on the desk, at least place them in a folder and preferably in a standing file sorter. The more you can organize your projects, the more effective you’ll be. And the better the energy will flow. This is good Feng Shui.

Also, since work is related to money and wealth (yes, you do have to work for it!), consider placing your home office in the eastern section of the house. This is the wealth sector. Ideally, your desk will be situated so that you face south, in the direction of fame. Not suggesting that you need to become famous, but that you want to become known and respected in your field. Another tip is to avoid placing your back towards the door. This is, in effect, turning your back towards business. As with most Feng Shui scenarios, there are “workarounds” or “cures” for unusual or unavoidable situations related to your home’s structure, location, and your personal circumstances. Take advantage of everything you can to turn your home office into a powerhouse of good energy and you’ll reap the rewards for your efforts!

If you want to learn more about Feng Shui and your Home Office, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Feng Shui: Stairways & Mirrors

Don’t step on a crack or you’ll break your mother’s back!

Don’t walk under a ladder – it’s bad luck!

If a black cat crosses your path…

Say “Meow!”

There are so many superstitions in the world and sometimes, they make their way into the world of Feng Shui. Depending on the “school” or “path” of Feng Shui (some are more Eastern than Western), placing a mirror at the top of the landing of an entry stairway can draw light energy, or outdoors energy, into your home when the door is opened. Conversely, others consider it to be bad luck, or bad Feng Shui, to do this. And mirrors, that’s an entirely different subject. Some Feng Shui beginners will buy every mirror in the dollar store and hang them all over the house, believing they are deflecting this and expanding that. In reality, one thing agreed-upon about mirrors in the different schools of Feng Shui is that if you don’t know when or how to use them, it is better not to use them. If in doubt, leave them out! Here’s a little tip about using mirrors from The Feng Shui Life book available on http://www.thefengshuilife.com. Enjoy!

Mirrors are another common cure used to deflect negativity or to reflect something positive into your space. When a room where you spend substantial time is over a garage, place a mirror face down to reflect away the energy coming up from below. To draw a pleasant outside scene (lake, trees, sky) inside, place a mirror near a window so it reflects the scene inside the room.

If you want to learn more about Mirrors, Stairways, and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Wealth, Money, & Feng Shui: Another Hot Topic!

“If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time….we’ll go honky-tonkin’ and….”

Oh, what would Hank Williams, Sr. say about all this bling-bling if he were alive today! Probably something like, “There’s a tear in my beer, ’cause I’m crying for you, dear…” Seriously!

Willie Nelson did a great job of covering that “Money, Honey” song, as did Hank Williams, Jr., Merle Haggard, and others. A little non-Feng Shui trivia here, but who wrote that song? Most people probably would say, “Hank, Sr., of course!” Mais, non, mon cherie! It was none other than the now-little-known late Lefty Frizzell, brother of singer/songwriter/musician David Frizzell! David Frizzell of the uniquely titled hit song, “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino To Decorate Our Home”. David Frizzell, son-in-law of the late great Dottie West, one of my personal favorites.

Enough trivia, and on to the real hot topic: Money, money, and ‘mo money. Money is great and something we all need and want but true wealth is so much more than money. Owning a home, having food to eat, time to enjoy life without struggling, and some luxuries – these are all attributes of a wealthy life. Enhancing the wealth areas of the home can bring more money, but, depending on personal intent, can simply bring more abundance in areas that have great meaning to you, such as time to enjoy your children, time to read books, ability to own and enjoy a boat, and other such tangible and intangible riches. So, think about what you really want related to wealth, and go for it!

If you want to learn more about Feng Shui, Wealth, and Money, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Make a Habit: Keep A Journal

There’s a whole lot of talk these days about journaling. Journal this, journal that, put that in your journal. Journal your dreams. Journal your thoughts. Journal your life. Did you ever think about all those people doing all that journaling? If they’re really doing all that journaling, when are they living? Are they journaling at work? Are they journaling while they drive? Do they journal while on the toilet? Do they really journal their thoughts? Or just the ones they wouldn’t be afraid for somebody to see?

One time, I went to see a doctor and told him about my symptoms and how I’d been thinking about them a lot and all the possible things that could be wrong with me to cause those particular symptoms. He told me, “You think too much.” He was right. That’s probably all that was wrong! Not to discount thinking, or my own ramblings, but ironically, my symptoms went away after he told me that. What a shame I had to pay $85 for those four little words. I don’t go to the doctor very much anymore. I just ask myself, “Am I thinking too much?” And if that fixes it, I just saved a bunch of money!

A lot of Feng Shui consultants recommend to their clients to keep a Feng Shui journal. This is actually an excellent idea. If you’re willing and able to do this, buy yourself a notebook, one that’s unique and that moves you, and record things you notice during the clutter clearing process. When you get ideas of something you can do to enhance your home, write it down. Even if you can’t afford to make the change at the time, record the idea, set your intention, and the money will come. Then the time will be right. When you find pictures of homes that move you, of particular décor that strikes a chord in your heart, cut out the picture (if possible) and tape it in your journal.

In keeping with my previous promise: Druthers
“Druthers” is a real word and Merriam Webster defines it as “free choice” or “preference”. It is derived from the word “druther” which is an alteration of “would rather”.

If you want to learn more about Journaling and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Fly Me Away on My Miracle Cinnamon Broom!

There is one at my front door and one in the basement. If I had my druthers (what does “druthers” really mean? I’ll find out and tell you next time), I’d have one in every room of the house. Now, that’s about $6 per broom (not bad) and 11 rooms. Only $66. You know, looking at it that way, that’s not a whole lot of money. I just might do it!

Seriously though, a fun and effective tool to change the energy in your home is the ever-popular cinnamon broom created by steeping a broom in a mixture of powdered cinnamon and water for several hours. Although you can simply prop one of these creations next to your front door to scent the entire home with the feisty smell of cinnamon, you can also use it to literally sweep negativity out of your home. Many cultures traditionally hang a braid of fresh garlic above or near the front door to keep away negativity or “evil spirits”. Cinnamon smells better than garlic. Try it!

If you want to learn more about Cinnamon Brooms and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Native American Ritual: Smudging

I am not smoking pot!

Yes, it does smell like marijuana, but it’s not.

And, honestly, I didn’t inhale.

That’s a good one, huh? Ah, but I digress…

One way to clear negative energy from a space is to “smudge”. Smudging is the burning of certain herbs, such as sage, sweetgrass, or sagebrush, to create a cleansing smoke bath, which is used to purify people, places, and things. It is commonly used in ancient Native American traditions, but is also a ritual used throughout the world in many spiritual traditions. The idea is that the smoke attaches to the negative energy and, as the smoke dissipates, it takes the negative energy away, removing it to another space where it can be transmuted into positive energy.

As we are learning more and more, any action, undertaken with clear intention and faith, can become a powerful tool so be clear about your intent before you smudge and hold that clarity throughout.

If you want to learn more about Smudging and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Clutter Clearing – Hot Topic for Feng Shui

“I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna!”

Oh, I can just hear you now. We all hate it. I hate it, you hate it, your neighbor hates it, even your MAID hates it. Yes, your maid hates it!

What?

Cleaning. We all hate to clean. If somebody tells me they actually like to clean, I will first ask them if they’ve had a recent head injury, and, if that’s a “no”, then I’ll find out if they belong to a cult group.

My grandmother used to say, “cleanliness is next to godliness.” Not to be irreverent at all, God rest her soul, I miss her dearly, but back then I would ask, “Where is God?” She would point mysteriously up to the sky, all the while looking at me with that wise and meaningful “now don’t ask me any more questions” grandmotherly look. (I was a very young girl at the time.) So, see, I started to think that cleanliness was up there, not down here, since it was next to God, up in the sky, and I would wonder why she was always cleaning. I figured she wanted to fly because the clouds were so pretty and this was her way of maybe making that happen. Oh, the creative little mind of a child!

Seriously, though, in Feng Shui, the first step, and most important, is to Clear Out your Clutter! Entire books have been written on this subject alone. So, if you think you’re the only person in the world who still has 25-year-old wedding presents sitting unopened in a trunk in the attic, think again. You’re not alone! And no, we don’t buy the excuse that you’re just waiting for them to become antiques! You’re a packrat, like millions of others around the world. And there’s hope. Seriously, from one recovering packrat to a future recovering packrat, you can do it. You can throw away your stuff. Get rid of everything you don’t love.

Many experts recommend thoroughly cleaning the home or space in a good old-fashioned way, bringing out the mop, broom, dustpan, and vacuum cleaner, before performing any clearing ritual. This could be as simple as soap and water or as complex as using every different type of cleaning compound on the market. During the cleaning process, a lot of negativity will remove itself simply by removing the filth. Dust, cobwebs, dirt, and accumulated grime carry their own negative vibrations and make it easier for outside negativity to find a home inside your home. So, get rid of it. And keep it clean once you get it clean.

If you want to learn more about Clutter Clearing and Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Feng Shui – Mini-Background

Good day, good evening from me to you and yours! What do you want to know about that funny-sounding Chinese thing that people do to make their homes magical? Fung Shway is how to say it. But what is it – in a nutshell? Here’s an excerpt from The Feng Shui Life book (available on the site) that will give you an idea.

Feng Shui is an art and to some, a science of design and placement promoting the idea of living in harmony and balance with our environment. It originated in China thousands of years ago. The term itself means wind and water, referring to the flow of movement through any area. Although it is partly derived from some of the tenets of Buddhism, Feng Shui is not a religion.

Black Hat Feng Shui relies on simplicity more than the traditional forms of Feng Shui. Focusing on creating a nourishing flow of chi throughout the home, it puts more emphasis on the individual’s, family, or company intentions for change when working the process. Non-traditional “cures” are used so one may easily add décor or accessories that suit their taste, beliefs, and style, rather than Oriental objects and symbols that have no personal or spiritual significance to them. This flexibility, while still rooted in principle to the older schools based on form and structure, allows those who may otherwise shun the use of Feng Shui to embrace and benefit from the practice.

If you want to learn more about Feng Shui, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood

Feng Shui Wealth Colors

What color is your money? Your paper money? Mine’s green. Guess what? That’s one of the colors to invite wealth into your life! Want more? Purple, long considered the color for royalty, and their inherent wealth, is another major wealth-booster.

Just to get serious for a moment, a lot of people are looking for wealth these days. If it’s get-rich-quick, they want it. You’re not one of those people, I’m sure. The fact of the matter is, not much in life happens quickly. We don’t really grow old quick, though sometimes it seems that way, our kids don’t grow up quick, though it seems that way, and we don’t really get rich quick. But, the good old-fashioned way of getting rich, smart work, hard work, smart spending, smart investing, and time – that’s like getting old, watching our kids grow up. It’s truly a matter of years – ten years, fifteen, twenty. Can you get rich in ten years? Absolutely! Certainly in fifteen or twenty. Make up your mind to do it. Put your mind to it. Oh, yes, and use these colors in your home. Here’s a few questions to ask yourself about wealth from The Feng Shui Life book (available on the site) that will get you started.

What do I believe about wealth, prosperity & abundance?
How do I feel about wealth and money?
Do I have long-standing negative beliefs that I don’t deserve to be wealthy or that good people don’t become wealthy?

Tough questions, but your answers are pretty important. Do you really want to be wealthy? Think about it.

If you want to learn more about wealth and colors, be sure to visit our new and developing site, www.thefengshuilife.com . It’s worth a look-see!

Signing off for now, Suzanne Linwood