How The 3 Fates Help Us Through Life
Posted on 19. May, 2013 by admin in 3 Fates
I managed to find myself in the middle of a debate about life and death this week. It started off because I was asked what I thought happened when one died. Now the quick answer and in hindsight probably the one that I should have used is that I don’t know. However like most people when faced with this question I couldn’t resist giving my opinion, which led to us debating the subject for half an hour when we could have probably used the time much more productively. At the end of the debate, interesting and fascinating as it was, we all had to concede that we didn’t really know the answer and no one, including me, was in a hurry to find out.
In the course of the debate somebody raised the view that one of the reasons people believe in life after death is the hope that there is something better than this life in the next one. Whilst I don’t think that everybody who believes in life after death believes in it for this reason, there is certainly some truth in the comment. I know quite a few people who try and live a good and blameless life, helping others and giving what they can, in the belief that they will be rewarded in Heaven. I am in no way criticising that view, but I do find it more than a little bit sad, the feeling that Heaven is a better place than our life on Earth. Because if we are living our life on Earth as it is truly meant to be lived, how can there be anything better than this?
To live your life as it is meant to be lived is a lot easier than many people imagine. The problem I find is that like most things in life we humans try and over complicate it. If we were to just accept that our journey through life is mapped out for us at the moment we are born we could just sit back and enjoy the ride. That is not to say that we shouldn’t be prepared. When I talk about our journey through life on the courses that I deliver I ask people to imagine what they would need if they were setting off on a long walk. Assuming that you were being sensible about it you would need two things. Firstly you would have to have a rough idea of where you were going, secondly you would need some equipment to make the journey easier and to help you in case you encountered difficulties.
Setting off on our life journey is no different to setting off on a a long walk. If anything it is made easier by the fact that we already know where we are going. We are heading towards our dream, the purpose that was set out for us when we were created. All we need to think about then is the equipment that is going to help us to get there.
If we were going on a walk we would hope that on the whole the path was smooth, clear and filled with some spectacular sights and sounds. I imagine though that we would also expect to encounter the odd obstacle. We may find that in some parts the terrain was rocky, that we may have to walk up a few hills, retrace our route occasionally or take a new path if the path we were on became impassable. If we were well prepared, with a compass, good boots, provisions and strong walking equipment we would not be worried about the obstacles we encountered, we would be confident that we were going to reach our destination.
Our life journey is exactly the same. At times the path will be clear and smooth stretching in to the distance as far as the eye can see, at other times it will be hilly, rocky, blocked by obstacles. Occasionally we will have to take a path that we don’t want to take, or find that a shortcut that promised so much actually leads us in to a right old mess. If however we understand that every step on our path, every obstacle we encounter has happened for a reason, and feel confident that we have the equipment we need to reach our ultimate life purpose then we will enjoy the journey. Space in our rucksack won’t be filled with heavy things we have no need for like fear, self doubt, worry and disappointment.
So what is this equipment that will help us on our life journey? The Chinese call them the Three Fates or Three Lucks depending on which book or translation you are reading. The Three Fates are Heaven Fate, Earth Fate and Human Fate and link closely to the Five Factors that Influence Fortune. The Three Fates are with us all the time, although many people don’t realise it and therefore don’t turn to them for help when help is needed.
We are all born with the Three Fates. Heaven Fate, the first one, is our destiny, the life path that we are on. Heaven Fate controls us. Our destiny is decided by the Universe at the moment we are born and is influenced by the exact moment of our birth, the name that has been chosen for us and the circumstances that we were born in to. This is our path through life. Our Heaven Fate gives us our purpose in life, our ultimate destination and decides how easy or lucky the path will be. We cannot change our path through life but the other two fates will help us deal with any obstacles or problems we encounter.
Earth Fate is how our personal energy interacts with the energy in our environment. Our Earth Fate changes as we move through life. When we are first born our Earth Fate comes from the environment we were born in to. Later the energy comes from our immediate environment, not only our home, but the places that we work and the places that we like to spend time in. We have a choice as to whether we let Earth Fate control us or not.
To make our path through life easier we can strengthen our Earth Fate by the use of Feng Shui. In general terms we should ensure that our environment is balanced and harmonised, that yin and yang are equally represented and the five elements allow the energy to flow through our environment in a positive and constructive way. This energy harmonisation should be constantly maintained, it is the foundation stone of Feng Shui and allows more personal enhancements to have the desired effect. Without the foundation stone any enhancements will be diluted or work only in the very short term.
Personal Feng Shui enhancements can be used when we encounter obstacles or difficulties on our life path, or if we want help in reading the signs that we see as we walk down our path. A personal enhancement is when we take an action to link our personal energy with the energy in our environment. This is done through understanding how our Heaven and Earth Fates interact and making subtle changes to channel the energy towards a specific desire. This can be as simple as moving your bed so that you face a particular direction when you sleep, or placing crystals in certain auspicious areas of your home.
The final of the three fates is Human Fate. Unlike the other two fates Human Fate is the one that we have complete control over. Human Fate drives our behaviour, the actions that we take, the characteristics that we display and the feelings that we hold. It is Human Fate that decides how we see each stage on our path, whether we successfully navigate each obstacle, cheerfully learning what we can or wallow in self pity and wonder why life is so unfair.
As well as knowing that we have complete control over our emotions, Human Fate also allows us to improve ourselves through study. This gives us a great opportunity to have some form of influence over Heaven Fate. By studying and understanding our personal horoscope, our Four Pillars of Destiny, we can gain an insight in to the path ahead. By understanding where the path is clear, and where there may be obstacles we can then take action to either take advantage of the clear path, or prevent the obstacle from holding us up too much. Remember we have complete control over Human Fate. We cannot move the obstacle from our path, but we can determine how we react to it.
Life is a journey to be enjoyed. Whether we believe in a next life or not, we should all ensure that this life is as rewarding and fulfilling as the Universe intended it to be.
Feng Shui Crystal Enhancements
Posted on 12. May, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Crystal Enhancements
Crystals are one of my favourite Feng Shui enhancements and we have a number of different crystal arrangements around our home in France. Crystals have many benefits in Feng Shui. As energy enhancers they help to promote positive energy and stimulate any space where energy is stagnant, they channel healthy energy, and can bring calmness to those areas in which there is conflict. In addition to these many benefits they are beautiful items in their own right, are visually appealing and lift any space. I absolutely adore having crystals around me and as well as having them placed around my home also carry a crystal wherever I go.
There are literally hundreds of crystals to choose from and so this week I have limited this blog post to some of my favourite crystals. As always I hope that you find the post useful and informative and can use some of the tips that I have included to benefit your own life.
Amethyst
Amethyst are wonderful crystals to promote love. Because of this they are perfect to be placed in the relationship area of your home where they should be placed in pairs.
Amethyst can be used either on it’s own or as part of a bigger display. The relationship area of your home receives it’s energy from the earth so try and incorporate this in to your display. Place amethyst crystals around plants or flowers or display a number of amethyst crystals in a square or rectangular bowl. Alternatively create a miniature indoor garden where you can display amethyst crystals as the rocks in the garden.
Carnelian
Carnelian is one of those crystals which has such strong energy that it can be used to enhance a number of different areas in your home. Carnelian is a very powerful stone which is probably best known for it’s ability to invite wealth and abundance in to the home. For this reason it should be placed in the entrance to your home where ideally a display should be placed directly next to your door.
Also known as a stone of courage and success it can help to promote positive life choices, motivate you for success in your career and give you willpower. If you are in need of support in any of these areas of your life then placing Carnelian in your career or self esteem areas of your home can be very beneficial. Alternatively if you have a home office and want to enhance your business fortunes a bowl of Carnelian crystals on your desk can work wonders for your business success.
Citrine
Citrine is an extremely powerful crystal and like Carnelian can have a number of uses. Citrine’s energy is very yang and because of this Citrine can be placed in any of the yang areas of the home. These are, to varying degrees, the sectors of your home that fall within the east, south east and south.
Citrine crystals are beautiful to have around the home as their bright yellow colour can really uplift the energy in any space. They are especially good to have in the bathroom which as a functional room can sometimes feel a bit neglected. The most common and well known use for Citrine crystals is as a wealth cure as they are known as a stone of abundance. If you want to attract money in to the home, place 8 citrine crystals in the wealth area, the south east sector of your home.
Green Fluorite
Green Fluorite are beautiful stones and are one of my all time personal favourites. When placing these stones in the home they can help to strengthen the family area so are useful to place either in the family area of your home or in the main living room. Beautiful as a decoration in their own right I prefer to use them as part of a larger decoration. In my own home I have Green Fluorite stones on a narrow wooden tray with bamboo and dark green scented candles as a display in the centre of the living room.
If you have disharmony in your relationships with your immediate or extended family then placing Green Fluorite can help to bring balance and a common understanding. Green Fluorite is a very calming stone and can help repair damaged relationships and heal conflict. To help to heal broken relationships place Green Fluorite stones around family photographs as they can help to promote positive energy around the family group.
Lapis Lazuli
Another of my all time favourites, Lapis Lazuli are beautiful stones that can have a number of uses. The energy associated with these stones is very yin and so these stones can be placed in any of the yin areas of your home. In varying degrees these are the areas covering the west, north west and the north.
In the career area of your home placing these stones can help stimulate the growth of a new business or help to seek clarity and objectivity in your career goals. If you are looking for a new job, or are attending an interview carry one around with you as it is sure to help you find career success.
Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is known as the stone of unconditional love so if you are looking for love, or want to strengthen the love between you and your partner these crystals should be placed in either the relationship area of your home or in your bedroom. As they symbolise the love between two people it is important that these crystals are always placed in pairs. Alternatively you can carry the crystals either in a pair or give one crystal to your loved one so that you are each carrying one half of a pair.
Clear Quartz
Finally we come to Clear Quartz. Probably the most well known of all Feng Shui enhancements, hanging a clear quartz from a red thread in any area of your home stimulates success and abundance. When choosing a clear quartz crystal ideally you want the best quality ou can afford and buy one that is at least 30mm in diameter. Clear quartz can be especially beneficial in attracting abundance if it is hung just inside the front door.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week’s free Feng Shui tips and that I have included at least one of your favourite crystals. Until next week.
Andrew
Andrew James Laycock is a Feng Shui trainer and coach who delivers workshops and coaching sessions on both Feng Shui and personal and career development. Andrew can be contacted at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Strengthen The Wealth Area Using Feng Shui
Posted on 05. May, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Wealth Area
One of the most common questions I am asked in Feng Shui is how to strengthen the wealth area of a home. Money, or perhaps the lack of it, is why many people first start to look at how Feng Shui can help them achieve what they desire in life. I was no different. My own Feng Shui journey started when I was at a particular low point in my life and on first reading the book on Feng Shui that, although I didn’t know it at the time, was going to completely change my life, I immediately started looking for the wealth area in my own home to see what changes I could make.
In Feng Shui the home is divided in to eight areas or sectors that support the eight different areas of your life. These areas face the eight main compass points and can easily be found by drawing an outline plan of your house, drawing a circle around the outline and then dividing the circle in to eight segments each one corresponding to one of the eight directions. A compass can be used to locate south, south west, west, north west, north, north east, east and south east. If you haven’t got a compass don’t worry, just observe the sun as it travels through the sky on a typical day and you will be able to plot east, south east, south, south west and west leaving it obvious where north west, west and north east are found (although if you are in the UK it may be quicker to buy a compass!)
The wealth area of the Feng Shui house is in the south east sector and so once you have located it you need to know how you can strengthen this area to encourage wealth in to your home. The wealth area is supported by the element wood and the colours turquoise and red. The first way to strengthen the wealth area of your home then is to introduce these colours, and objects that are made out of wood. In our living room which faces south east we have a number of pieces of wooden furniture including chests and cabinets and a Chinese engraving in wood. We didn’t want either red or turquoise as a colour scheme and so have just placed some smaller red items around the room including a red glass lamp, candles and some ceramic plant pots.
Many people who live in two or three storey houses forget that they have two or more wealth areas in their home. The wealth area is replicated in the south east area on each floor of your house. If you are using red in a bedroom be careful that you do not overuse it as it can be a very intense colour for what is a restful room. Use it sparingly, we have red in one of our bedrooms that face south east and so have limited it to cushions, throws, curtains and one feature wall
In Feng Shui symbolism is as important as the actual object itself. Not only can you have items that are made out of wood but items that represent wood. A couple of years ago I was walking past a gallery in London when I saw a beautiful modern picture for sale in the window. As soon as I saw the picture, trees painted in red growing out of a turquoise coloured field I knew it was perfect for the wealth area of our home. The picture now hangs in pride of place on the wall in our living room and adds a splash of vibrant colour to what is actually quite a neutral room
As well as focusing on what you should have in your wealth area pay attention to what shouldn’t be there, or should only be there in limited numbers. Just as wood is the element that strengthens and supports wealth, metal is the element that can weaken or destroy it. Metal is represented by itself, circular items and the colours white, silver and grey. It is perfectly OK to have some of these items and colours in the south east area of your home but try and ensure that they are not the predominant feature. The look of a white sofa for example can easily be transformed with bright red cushions and a circular silver lamp can be topped with a turquoise shade.
I hope that this week’s blog has given you some hints and tips for how to find and strengthen the wealth area in your home.
Until next week,
Andrew
Andrew James Laycock is a Feng Shui trainer and personal development and career coach. To contact Andrew please email him at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Feng Shui House Numbers
Posted on 28. Apr, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui House Numbers
When focusing on Feng Shui we often focus on the interior energy of our home and forget that everything around us has just as much an impact. In Feng Shui everything is significant, the shape of our home, the area around us, the street on which we live. All play a part in supporting us in our lives.
I was asked this week on the significance of house numbers in Feng Shui. Numbers play a huge part in our life, we are often drawn to certain numbers because they hold a special resonance to us or they play a central role in our lives. The study of numbers is called numerology and is well worth looking at in more detail as it can tell us a huge amount about ourselves. For example my date of birth, my name, my kua number in numerology all add up to the number 3. In numerology 3′s are creative, excellent communicators, have a message to tell, make good teachers, trainers, coaches. I guess it is therefore no surprise that I make a living training and coaching as it is what I love to do. But in addition to this because I am such a strong 3, I am constantly drawn to the number 3 in life. I have lived in three houses that were the number 3, a fourth house had two “3″s in the number. Our current house doesn’t have a number but the postal code adds up to 3. The number 3 constantly focuses in my life and when it does I am naturally drawn to it
When looking at house numbers in the context of Feng Shui though we should not confuse it with numerology. Numbers in Feng Shui have a different focus and are linked to the vibrations in the energy around us, not to our internal energies. Just because my internal energies are represented by the number 3 it doesn’t mean that I am going to be even more creative if I live in a house with the number 3. As a 3 I would be creative and a good communicator even if I lived in a cave. No, in Feng Shui we need to focus on the external areas of our life that are supported by the number of our home. The number 1 for example supports our career fortunes which is associated with the energy in the north of our home. If you live in a house where the front door faces north and your house is number 1, then you may find that good luck in your career comes naturally to you whatever that career may be.
Below I have highlighted how the different house numbers affect the external energy in our home. When looking at our house number we need to add the numbers together and then reduce to one digit to find the primary number. For example house number 1715 would add up to 5 ( 1 + 7 + 1 + 5 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5 ). We then look at all the numbers contained within the number, in this case 1, 7 and 5 to find the secondary numbers that provide support.
House Numbers
1. Houses which add up to or contain the number 1 are very good for career or business fortune. If it is the primary number watch that you do not focus so much energy on your business or career that it detracts from other areas of your life.
2. Houses which add up to or contain the number 2 are very good for love. If you are looking for love you are sure to find it if your house number adds up to the number 2.
3. Houses which add up to or contain the number 3 are excellent for harmonious family relationships. If 3 is the primary number be careful that you do not focus all your energy on your family and neglect other areas of your life. People who live in houses whose numbers add up to 3 can have a tendency to pass up on other opportunities for the sake of their family.
4. Contrary to popular belief, house numbers that add up to or contain the number 4 are very auspicious for financial success. My first ever home was number 22 which when added together made 4. Moving in to this house coincided with a meteoric rise in my corporate career which resulted in me earning a very comfortable income. Interestingly it was a new build and was designated on the plans as plot 11 demonstrating that the original number of the home (see house number 1) can have a significant impact on your life as well (and yes I was lucky in love in this home too!)
5. Seen as the most balanced of all numbers, the central number 5 supports the health of the home. Energy circulates very freely in homes that add up to or contain the number 5.
6. House numbers which add up to the number 6 are social houses. You are likely to make friends easily if you live in a house with a 6 as the primary number. Be careful that you do not neglect other areas of your life as your social life takes off.
7. Houses which add up to or contain the number 7 are excellent if you want to personally grow or develop new skills and knowledge. This is especially true if the house faces north east, the direction that supports the development and attainment of knowledge. The chinese see self development as one of the five factors to a fortunate life and so living in a house which adds up to the number 7 can be seen as very auspicious.
8. Houses which have the number 8 as the primary number are good houses to bring up children in. 8 is also the number of creativity in Feng Shui so people who live in houses which contain or add up to 8 can develop creatively or artistically. If you want children you have a high chance of success if you live in a house with the number 8 in it. Take care if you have children and you live in a house with the primary number 8 that your children don’t rule the roost.
9. The number 9 promotes self confidence and self esteem. If you live in a house which adds up to 9 then you are likely to achieve great success if you focus on yourself. Be careful if 9 is the primary number that you do not focus on yourself and neglect other people, some people who live in houses with the number 9 can be viewed as selfish and self centred.
Finally we come to the number 0. 0 will never be a primary number but your house can contain one of more zeros in the number. If you have a 0 in the number of you house then you are open to unlimited possibilities and opportunities and your home will attract a constant flow of positive energy Be careful though that you harness this energy to your own inner desires to ensure it is helpful to you in the attainment of your dreams.
Andrew James Laycock is a Feng Shui Trainer and Coach who supports people in their personal development. Andrew delivers training courses on Feng Shui and delivers training courses and holds coaching sessions on personal and career development. To contact Andrew to see how he can help you email andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Avoiding Common Feng Shui Problems
Posted on 21. Apr, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Problems
If we practice good Feng Shui in our homes it stands to reason that we should have a balanced home, a home where the flow of energy is positive and harmonious. When we walk through our front door we should feel our personal energy levels rise, our stress levels fall, we should be able to give a sigh of relief that we are safe and secure from the trials and tribulations of our modern world.
Sometimes though we don’t feel like this. Although our home is our own private sanctuary we sometimes feel unable to switch off and relax when we walk through our front door. Problems that have been weighing us down are still with us, we feel sluggish, tired, unhealthy. Instead of recharging our batteries our home is draining the energy out of us, we don’t look forward to coming home because there is nothing to look forward to. We are existing not living in our home.
At times like this we can think that Feng Shui isn’t working. We have read the books, been on the course, followed the tips but actually none of it has worked. We may have seen a difference in one area of our life but overall our life hasn’t changed significantly. Are we doing something wrong we wonder or is Feng Shui a load of rubbish?
The answer is neither. We are not doing anything fundamentally wrong, nor is Feng Shui a load of rubbish. We are however falling in to the common trap of concentrating on the detail and forgetting the whole. When we practice Feng Shui, the catalyst, the reason that we have started is normally because there is something wrong in our life. It may be that we have insufficient money and so want to attract extra cash through our door. It may be that we have been single for far to long and want to meet the man or woman of our dreams. We therefore spend time improving our entrance hall or the south east sector of our home, the areas that influence wealth, or the bedroom or the south west sector, the areas that support love. There is nothing wrong with doing this and yes, taking positive action in these areas should lead to an improvement in financial fortunes or love, but these remedies will be strengthened if they are part of a bigger action which is strengthening the energy in all of the areas of your home.
When we practice Feng Shui we need to focus on the whole of our home, not just specific areas. We particularly need to avoid some of the common problems that lead to poor energy flow and can end up making us feel unwelcome in our home. Below are some of the common problems in homes that are easy to remedy, changing these will have a positive impact on your whole health and wellbeing.
Clear the Clutter
Every Feng Shui Consultant will tell you that for energy to flow naturally around your home it needs to be able to flow uninterrupted. Clearing the clutter means ensuring that any objects that are not used regularly are stored out of view and any items that have served their purpose and are no longer needed are disposed of. Rooms that have a tendency to get cluttered include the laundry room, the study, the kitchen and the bathroom so pay particular attention to these. Don’t forget the garage, the attic and the cellar. You may not live in these areas but they are an intergral part of your home and shouldn’t be forgotten spaces where all the junk is kept.
Take the inside out
The garden is as much a part of your home as the living spaces inside your walls. I have lost count of the number of homes that I have been in where the interiors are beautifully and stylishly decorated and the gardens are virtual waste lands. Your garden should be treated as an outside living space, in the spring and the summer you should try and spend as much time living outside as in. Ensure your garden has areas that you want to relax in, create seating areas, winding paths so you can walk to different parts of the garden and place statues, water features and hanging decorations in various locations. Make sure that your garden is kept neat, tidy and above all a light and natural space.
Welcome fortune through your door
When we want to attract fortune to our home we spend a lot of time making sure our entrance is welcoming. To maximize our opportunities for good fortune we also need to think about where the energy flows when it enters our home. Ideally there should be a natural path straight in to the living room which is traditionally known as the heart of the home. If there is not a natural path to the living room try and make one by adding light or crystals outside the living room door. If one of the first rooms inside your entrance is the kitchen or a bathroom or cloakroom this can cause health problems so deflect energy from entering these spaces first by placing a mirror on the outside of kitchen or cloakroom doors.
Stairs leading down to the front door
Stairs just inside the front door are a common problem in Feng Shui as they can cause positive energy to leave the house rather than flowing around the home. If you have stairs that lead to your front door prevent energy from leaving by hanging a crystal, windchime or mobile at the bottom of the stairs.
Ensure your home is a balanced home
The guiding principle of good Feng Shui is to create a balance between yin and yang. Yin is dark, yang is bright, yin are curved lines, yang are straight lines. Yin are pale colours such as soft pink, peach and grey, yang are bold colours such as red, purple and bright pink. Although we know this we can often forget it especially when we are trying to change certain areas in our home to attract what we desire to our life. If for instance we want to attract more financial wealth to our home we may add red cushions to the south east sector of our house, place a bowl of red and yellow crystals just inside our front door, add cactus plants to the windowsill in our study. These are all good enhancements to make to attract wealth but in doing so we are adding elements to our home that are yang and we may unwittingly be causing an inbalance between yin and yang. A home that is too yang can lead to arguments, anxiety and stress and so if we want to add more yang objects to our wealth sector we should also ensure we add yin objects elsewhere in our home to maintain a healthy balance.
I hope you have found these tips helpful. Always remember that a happy home is a balanced home and if you treat every area of your home equally it will thank and reward you immeasurably.
How Andrew Can Help YOU
Andrew James Laycock now devotes his life to sharing his extensive knowledge of Feng Shui to help others. Andrew delivers training courses and workshops on Feng Shui and delivers workshops and holds coaching sessions on both Personal and Career Development.
Andrew can be contacted at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Feng Shui And The Color Yellow
Posted on 14. Apr, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Colors
Feng Shui And The Color Yellow
According to interior designers the “in” color this year is yellow. Yellow is a beautiful color to decorate with as it is a very cheerful color, whether you use bright shades of citrus lemon or its paler cousins such as primrose and butter. Although an uplifting and happy color, less if often more when using yellow as it can overpower a space. I find it best to restrict the use of yellow to one feature wall or to accessorize in yellow rather than painting a whole room in shades of yellow.
In this week’s blog I look at some of the best ways in which to use yellow in your home from a Feng Shui perspective. Yellow can be a misunderstood color in Feng Shui. Many people believe that it is a high yang color and should be used to best effect in the south sector of your home but it is actually an earth color and should therefore be used in those rooms in the south west and north east as well as the centre of the home.
In Feng Shui yellow is the color of health and is therefore a great color to use in both the kitchen and the dining room as these are the rooms in your home associated with food, fuel for the body. If your kitchen or dining room fall in the earth sectors of your home (the south west and the north east) feel free to splash yellow on a feature wall and use it as your predominant color theme when accessorizing. If however these rooms fall in one of the other sectors, especially the north, limit yellow to just a few well placed accessories such as napkins, crockery and table lamps.
Yellow is a beautiful fresh color and so is great to use in the bedroom. White bed linen trimmed with yellow, yellow cushions and curtains, vases filled with yellow flowers all make great bedroom accessories and will help you feel both relaxed when you go to bed and refreshed and invigorated when you wake up.
Yellow is a very creative color and is good to use in children’s bedrooms. To stimulate children’s creativity hang a yellow mobile or windchime from the ceiling in their bedroom or a yellow suncatcher at the window so that it catches and scatters the rays of the sun all over the walls.
The north east sector of your home supports knowledge and so if you are currently studying for an exam or learning a new skill display yellow objects in this sector of your home. Pictures or photographs incorporating yellow flowers, yellow lamps, yellow crystals such as citrine or pyrite or yellow candles which can be lit when you are studying will all help you do well at whatever you are aiming to achieve
Finally, in China yellow is seen as the most fortunate color, it was the color reserved solely for the imperial family in ancient times. With this in mind yellow can be used in your entrance hall to welcome fortune to your home. A feature wall in golden yellow, or a large display of yellow flowers just inside your front door can work wonders in helping to bring fortune and abundance to your life.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week’s blog and it has provided you with inspiration to decorate with this year’s “in” color. For more tips delivered direct on email sign up to my mailing list at the top right of this page. Free Feng Shui tips are published every Sunday.
How Andrew Can Help YOU
Andrew James Laycock now devotes his life to sharing his extensive knowledge of Feng Shui to help others. Andrew delivers training courses and workshops on Feng Shui and delivers workshops and holds coaching sessions on both Personal and Career Development.
Andrew can be contacted at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Three Secrets Reinforcement
Posted on 07. Apr, 2013 by admin in Three Secrets Reinforcement
The Three Secrets Reinforcement is a powerful method of helping you get what you desire in life. When placing a Feng Shui enhancement or cure in your home it stands to reason that there is a purpose for you doing so. Otherwise placing an object in your dining room or hanging a crystal in your hallway would just be interior decoration. You may want to obtain a new job, meet a special person, attract more money to your home. Whatever it is that you want you have recognised that the energy in your home needs to be strengthened to help you achieve it. And so you have placed a Feng Shui enhancement or cure in a room in your house for that specific reason.
Performing the Three Secrets Reinforcement is the key difference between enhancing or curing the energy in your home for a purpose and decorating your home with the principles of good Feng Shui in mind. We should all constantly assess our home to ensure that the energy is balanced and harmonious, that chi can flow strongly and naturally, and that the five elements are all represented in each of the rooms in our home. In doing this we may recognise that we need to uplift the energy in a dark area of our home and place a crystal, or identify that the kitchen is becoming cluttered and so clear our work surfaces and burn some incense. This is Feng Shui that we do all the time, it becomes natural to us, second nature. Sometimes though we want to attract positive energy in to our home, and our life, because there is something that we desire. At these times we may light a candle in our fame and self esteem area to give us more confidence at a job interview, or place family photographs in wooden frames in our Living Room to heal a rift between family members. It is at these times that we need to perform the Three Secrets Reinforcement.
These days there is nothing secret about the Three Secrets Reinforcement. The phrase has come about because in ancient China this ritual was performed by Chinese Feng Shui Masters who did keep the knowledge secret. Nowadays it is known more commonly as doing something with Intention, but to be honest I like the ritual that comes with the Three Secrets Reinforcement. And to paraphrase a quote that I read in a book the other week (and I now can’t remember which book so unfortunately can’t attribute the quote which I think I have mangled somewhat anyway) the best new inventions do not come from new ideas but from new ways of working old ideas.
So what is the Three Secrets Reinforcement? Put simply it is performing three secrets whenever you place a Feng Shui enhancement or cure in your home to attract what you desire to your life. These three secrets are the Mind Secret, the Sound Secret and the Body Secret. The Mind Secret is performed first as this prepares your internal energies to welcome whatever it is that you want and the Speech and Body Secrets are performed together as these align your internal energies with the energy in your home so that energy is working together in a powerful way to bring about the positive change that you desire. The Three Secrets Reinforcement is very simple to perform and can be very effective.
The Mind Secret
When placing a Feng Shui cure or enhancement visualize what it is that you desire. If for example you are placing a picture of a waterfall in your career area in order to attract a new job imagine yourself in the new job, imagine what it feels like to go to work every day and do the job you love. Visualization is an incredibly powerful tool, as Steven Covey writes in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (I’ve remembered both the book and the author this time) “experiences in life happen twice, once in our mind and once in real life”.
The Speech Secret and The Body Secret
Once you have placed your Feng Shui cure or enhancement stand before it and chant the heart mudra “Gate, Gate, Para Gate, Parasam Gate, Bodhi Swaha” literally translated as “Gone, Gone, Gone beyond, Gone altogether beyond, Oh what an awakening, All hail”. The heart mudra helps dispel any poor energy and replace it with positive energy. Whilst chanting the mudra place your hands together as though in prayer in front of your heart as the energy is coming from your heart. The heart mudra should be repeated either nine or eighteen times.
Once the Three Secrets Reinforcement has been completed sit quietly for a few moments in quiet reflection. You are now ready to welcome positive change in to your life.
Andrew James Laycock now devotes his life to sharing his extensive knowledge of Feng Shui to help others. Andrew delivers training courses and workshops on Feng Shui and delivers workshops and holds coaching sessions on both Personal and Career Development.
Andrew can be contacted at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Andrew James Laycock now devotes his life to sharing his extensive knowledge of Feng Shui to help others. Andrew delivers training courses and workshops on Feng Shui and delivers workshops and holds coaching sessions on both Personal and Career Development.
Andrew can be contacted at andrew@fengshuiweekly.com
Feng Shui For Your Career Area
Posted on 31. Mar, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Career Area
I consider myself very fortunate that I have a career that I love. As a Feng Shui Consultant, Life Style/Career Coach and occasional Writer I spend my working life doing exactly what I want to do. For me I have the perfect work life balance because work never feels like work, it just feels like I am doing exactly what I am meant to be doing with my life.
It hasn’t always been like this though. Whilst I can’t claim to have ever had a career that I have hated, I have worked in roles which didn’t feel right. In my corporate career I was first of all in sales, then learning and development and finally recruitment and though there were aspects that I liked there were also bits that I didn’t like very much. Fortunately, having studied Feng Shui, I was able to make changes to my life which allowed me to utilise the part of the jobs I loved, coaching and training, and incorporate them in to a completely new career.
Everybody can change their life. All it takes is to balance your own internal energies, thoughts and emotions with the energy in your environment to bring about positive change. And if changing your life for you means a whole new career there are simple things that you can do in your home to strengthen the energy in your career area to give you a head start.
First of all let us look at where the career area in your home is:
The career area is the area in your home that faces north. This includes those rooms that are in the northern segment of your home and those areas in every room that face north. Energy in the north, career energy, is supported by water which itself is represented by glass, crystal, free flowing shapes and the colors black and blue. Ensure that you have some of these objects or colors in each of the areas in the north of your home.
Once you have identified the career areas in your home follow these Feng Shui tips to strengthen the energy.
Feng Shui Career Tip 1
Place pictures incorporating moving water in these areas. Pictures of oceans, rivers and waterfalls are especially beneficial as they give the impression of bringing you career success. Place pictures in silver metal frames as metal supports water in the cycle of elements.
Feng Shui Career Tip 2
Place circular or irregular shaped mirrors in your career area. As well as representing glass, mirrors have the added advantage of reflecting your thoughts. Whenever you look in the mirror focus on your career goals and aspirations to let the universe know what you want out of life
Feng Shui Career Tip 3
Place a lamp with metal or glass base in the career area of your home. The metal or glass will help strengthen career energy and the light will illuminate your thoughts and aspirations for your career. Try and buy a lampshade that is colored blue, black or dark grey.
Feng Shui Career Tip 4
Put a small glass bowl filled with crystals in the career area. Great crystals for career success are Lapis Lazuli, Smoky Quartz, Hematite and Jet.
Feng Shui Career Tip 5
Remember your garden is part of your home and should never be neglected when enhancing the energy in your environment. In the northern most segment of your garden plant evergreen shrubs for continued growth in your career and Narcissus as these are considered fortunate if you are looking for a new job.
Once you have finished strengthening the energy in the career area of your home, check your home for problems that may hinder your career fortunes.
Clear the clutter. In general clutter in the home is poor for energy, but for career energy it can be particularly damaging leading to unstructured thoughts, career disappointments and contracts that do not last very long.
Ensure the entrance to your home is welcoming. A shabby front door and a weed strewn path will prevent good fortune from entering your home. No matter how good you are at your job you will still need that lucky break that good fortune brings once in a while.
Ensure that water is minimised in the south area of your home. The south of your home is the area that supports your self confidence and self esteem, vital if you are looking for a new career. Too much water in this area can be damaging so if you have bathrooms or toilets located here ensure that you decorate these with warm accessories such as towels and rugs in reds and oranges.
I hope that this blog post has given you some tips for how to strengthen the career energy in your home to help your career success. Remember we all deserve to live the life we really want to live.
A Feng Shui Rice Blessing
Posted on 24. Mar, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Rice Blessing
In my blog last week I looked at how you can perform a Feng Shui cleanse on your home to refresh the energy after the cold winter. This week I turn my attention to the second step in energy rejuvenation which is performing a blessing around your home. Performing a Feng Shui blessing can be very powerful as it not only refreshes and rejuvenates the energy around your home but also cures negative energy, gets rid of bad luck and welcomes good fortune.
There are several different Feng Shui blessings you can perform but my favourite, and one of the easiest and well known, is the Feng Shui Rice Blessing. In the steps below I show you how to perform the blessing and what you will need.
Step 1
Prepare yourself
Stand outside the front door of your home looking outwards.
Put your hands together and recite the heart mantra nine times. The heart mantra Gate, Gate, Para Gate, Parasam Gate, Bodhi, Swaha translated as Gone, Gone, Gone beyond, Gone altogether beyond, Oh what an awakening, All hail. helps to prepare you to get rid of any poor energy and replace it with positive energy.
Wash your hands thoroughly with cold water, using no soap or lotions, and dry them with a clean cloth.
Step 2
Prepare the Rice Blessing
You will need
A quantity of uncooked rice or seeds or grain
A small amount of high proof alcohol
Cinnabar or Paprika
A wooden bowl
Step 3
Make the Rice Blessing
Place the rice in the wooden bowl. How much you need will depend on the size of the perimeter of your property. You need sufficient to scatter in small handfuls around the boundary of your home.
Take the alcohol and put a capful in the rice for each person who lives in the house.
Take 9 pinches of cinnabar or paprika and place this in the bowl
Now stir the mixture 108 times with the middle finger of your hand. Women should use their left hand, men the right. Whilst you do this recite the six true words Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum. The six true words free negativity.
Step 4
Perform the Rice Blessing
Go to your front door with the blessing and, taking three small handfuls of the mixture throw them away from your home, chanting the six true words nine times.
Step 5
Now walk around the boundary of your home in a clockwise direction chanting the six true words and scattering small handfuls of the rice blessing. Leave sufficient so that when you return to your front door you have at least enough to throw another three handfuls towards the door while you recite the six true words a further nine times.
Step 6
Throw any remaining mixture in to the air towards the sky and give thanks to the universe for your wonderful home.
A Feng Shui Cleansing Cure
Posted on 12. Mar, 2013 by admin in Feng Shui Cleansing Cure
This is the time of year when our attention at home turns to the many guests we will be welcoming to Le Plantis over the spring and summer months. Winter is always a quiet time for us as nobody wants to experience the cold and bleak weather that we get in our remote area of rural France. It only takes a few warm days in March though for the phone to start ringing as friends and family arrange their visits and the occasional event organiser phones to see if they can run one of their events at our home.
The phone calls are our signal that we need to cleanse the house to rejuvenate the energy around our space. On a mundane level this means that we go around our house and garden to check what problems the cold weather has brought. From a Feng Shui perspective it means that we look at how we can cleanse and refresh our home to lift the energy that has flowed gently over the winter months. I returned from the UK on Friday to find that the refresh process had been well and truly started. Two of our guest bedrooms were getting a makeover and the other three were being cleared ready to be decorated – it was only some quick thinking on my part pleading an urgent deadline that stopped me getting a paintbrush thrust in my hand.
The easy steps below are the process that we follow when completing a Feng Shui house cleanse. By following this process at regular intervals throughout the year you can ensure that your house is filled with positive energy, helping you to take advantage of all the luck and good fortune that this brings.
Step 1
Walk around your home and garden making a note of all the repairs that need to be done. Even if you do not experience the same harsh conditions that we have in January and February you will still find that the fabric of the house often falls in to disrepair. Energy around your home flows best when everything looks and works as it should. Once you have your checklist of repairs arrange to have items replaced or repaired and redecorate any areas that need freshening up.
Step 2
Clear your clutter. This can often be an overused Feng Shui phrase but it really does make a difference to the energy in your home when items are stored correctly and neatly. Clearing the clutter from your home doesn’t just mean tidying up but ensuring that every item can be viewed in its own right. Be ruthless, if you don’t use something anymore think about giving it away, selling it, or if you feel you may have a use for it at some point in the future store it in your attic, cellar or garage.
Step 3
Stand back and look at your home with a fresh pair of eyes. Imagine you are a stranger who is looking at your home for the very first time. How does it make you feel? Homes are personal spaces but they need to balance for energy to work its magic and bring you good fortune. Ensure that each room feels balanced between dark and light and that each of the elements are represented in every room.
Step 4
Remedy any problem areas. Problem areas arise when there are too many of one element in a specific area, or there are too many items that cause destructive or negative energy. An example of this would be too many elements that represent wood in the south west corner of your home which takes it energy from earth. The more familiar you are with Feng Shui principles the easier this step becomes so don’t worry if this takes you a while the first few times you do it.
Step 5
Perform a cleansing cure in every room in your home. To do this take 5 items that represent each of the 5 elements for use in your cure. An excellent one that I perform is to place on a circular silver tray a glass bowl filled with water in which I place a sage scented candle. I surround the bowl with crystals taken from the earth. I then light the candle and leave for one hour letting the scent float all around the room. The sage scent represents wood, the lighted candle represents fire, the crystals represent earth, the silver tray represents metal and the glass bowl filled with water represents water. Perform the cure in every room in your house to attract positive and abundant energy.
I hope that you have found this week’s blog post helpful. Next week I will focus on how to bless the energy in your home, the second important stage that helps you refresh and cleanse the energy in your home.
