by llenore | Sep 4, 2014 | Uncategorized
When I was first introduced to Feng Shui over 30 years ago I had no idea how to succinctly explain what Feng Shui was or how to work with it until I became more aware of our interconnection as human beings and our reliance on nature. That may seem strange to you if you spend much quality time out-of-doors. But I didn’t at that time.
Although I knew the words “Feng” and “Shui” referred to “wind” and “water” respectively, I just didn’t get it. I was on the fast track of upward social mobility. I did spend time outdoors, but it was to quickly mow the lawn or rack the leaves. What we’re talking about is NATURE; That which is natural; That which is nurturing for body, mind and spirit!
Study shows an increased production of energy-boosting beta waves when sitting under a tree. From John Tess.com
To better understand Feng Shui, the first thing I would say to do is to think about sitting by the side of a stream. Is it quiet? Restful? Turbulent? Dried up due to a drought? Flooded due to recent rains? Are you under a tree? Do you feel relaxed, energized?
Now think about sitting at the top of a mountain where regular winds occur, like the mountains along the Washington State coastline. I choose this as an example since the winds come off the Pacific Ocean year-round, especially during the late fall and winter. While sitting there, think about the movement of the wind. Is it strong, ready to blow you over even though you are close to the ground? Is it a gentle breeze? Is it coming from the north or the northwest? Is it swirling leaves around you or, if there are leaves, are they flying past you in a storm-like fashion? Do you need to take shelter from the wind behind a tree or even inside a building?
Now take these two examples one-step further. What if you were a house instead of a person? And what if as a house you were in these same locations?
Are the windows shut keeping stagnant air inside the house and sealing off all sounds of nature? Would you hear the sound of a gentle brook? Do you open the windows to let the sounds of nature gently penetrate through the windows? Does the wind freshen the air inside your home?
Is the house in the direct path of storms? Does it feel like a wind tunnel even when the windows are shut due to not having protection on the windward side of the building?
As human beings we lived outside with nature. That is until we become so smart we were able to construct buildings – buildings that are literally the box in which we have placed ourselves. Now removed from nature, we continue to isolate ourselves from all that is natural.
And we often don’t even have the pure natural world around us even when we go outside. There are concrete pads and patios, asphalt driveways and roads, and artificial turf. We have “trees” made out of metal holding cell phone transmitters. Let’s have a “tree-hugger” hug one of those!
My point is – Feng Shui is all about the natural energies of the world around us, especially the wind and water, in useable and appropriate proportions. We need nature to nurture our bodies, minds and spirits. That’s what Feng Shui is!
by llenore | Aug 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
What’s by your front door? Have you looked recently?
Evaluate your front door for “Good Feng Shui” as well as “Bad Feng Shui” in order to attract the type of energy you want for brought to your life.
Using Feng Shui we discover like energy attracts energy like. Henceforth, beauty attracts beauty and “dead plant” energy attracts “negative” energy. We want to take an inventory of your front door. Be very hypersensitive and aware of everything around it. Everything from the street to the front door applies.
I’m going to analyze the above photo from a Feng Shui perspective – the good, bad and ugly. To help you understand how something “cute,” or seemingly harmless, could have a major impact on how the occupants experience life as they traverse the walk from sidewalk to front door.
Since like energy attracts like energy – just think what you are attracting when you have a fire hydrant just outside your front door. – You might just be putting out fires all the time.
Let’s talk about ugly and potentially bad Feng Shui first. When I saw this fire hydrant at the base of the stairs to this home’s front door I had a couple of immediate visceral responses. First I thought – “Where did they get it?” Was it stolen?” Then I rationalized it probably was acquired through someone’s work, possibly someone working for the fire department or a public service employee.
Then it hit me. Seeing this fire hydrant every time I walked up to or out from this home I would feel as though I needed to “put out fires.” What a horrible way to spend one’s life! Even if a fire man or woman lived in this house, Wouldn’t it be sad for them to feel they had more fires to put out at home upon returning after a long shift. Or to have it reenforced each day as they left, there’s more fires facing them again today.
Another challenge with this house are the stairs up to the front door and the inability to see the front door when walking up the stairs. After a long days’ work, the energy needed to climb even a few steps could be exhausting. When we have stairs to climb, we want to have something so beautiful it literally pulls our energy up to it so we can see and enjoy it. In this case, seeing a bench only reenforces the thought of being tired and needing to sit down when you get to the top.
Instead of a bench at the top of these stairs, displaying a lovely plant or peaceful statue, like an angel or spiritual icon, would relax the mind as well as changing the body’s response from one of “being tired and needing to rest after climbing the stairs” to one of “isn’t that lovely” or “I want to get closer to enjoy it.”
The positive elements about this front yard leading to the front door are the beautiful Japanese Maples on either side of the walkway by the base of the stairs. The vibrant color attracts energy to the home. Unfortunately, Japanese maples lose their leaves, so about one-third of the year the entrance is void of color or some kind of positive energy attractor.
Some walkway lighting, ceramic statuary, the bench at the foot of the stairs or colorful pots with flowers would bring vital energy to this home.
How about a wind chime, hummingbird feeder or flag on the front stoop to pull the energy up the steps? These would attract and raise the energy as one walks up as well as bringing awareness to the beauty of the outdoors as the occupants leave. It might even bring a smile or the sound of a peaceful “Hum!” as the essence of nature greets the occupant or the object delights the eyes as they open the door to leave for the day – stimulating a response beckoning them to return home to enjoy their lives.
by llenore | May 21, 2014 | Uncategorized
Continued from yesterday’s post:
My clients pulled out of the contract. I asked them to tell me more of what they wanted in a home. In this way I could work on setting the energy to support them. They said they didn’t need me to do that. They had already found another home and were making an offer on it.
The beautiful Greene & Greene home on which my clients made an offer. It was immediately accepted and is moving easily forward.
Let me state here that my clients only do things via telephone conversations with me. They are older and don’t use computers. This may help you to understand – there isn’t “instant” communication. I wait until daylight to call and make my calls during the day to them, not at night per their request.
As soon as I got the address for this second home – while still on the phone with them – I got on the internet again. I told them not to make an offer. It was not a good Feng Shui home. They would lose a great deal of money in the home. I asked them to trust the right home would be attracted to them. I sensed it was only a short time before it happened.
They had written the offer and were about to present it. But they trusted me.
Literally, within an hour of me speaking with them, one of their agents called telling them to wait. Another house was coming on the market. It had been in escrow for over 8 months and had just fallen through.
They went the next day to see it. It is perfect for them. It is in a better location, on a quiet street, in a more prestigious area, in better condition, with more square footage and many more amenities. It is truly a one-of-a-kind, incredibly beautiful home.
It turns out both the first and the third homes were designed and built by the famous architectural brothers, Greene & Greene. They are known for their Craftsman style homes. If you know the Gamble House in Pasadena, you know the brothers and the style home for which they are famous.
If you are thinking of purchasing a home, or if you are a realtor with clients looking for a home, Feng Shui can make the transaction go better. This will bring much joy into the lives of all involved. Good Feng Shui energy is what you want infused into homes for lasting harmony and happiness.
Contact me if you are selling or buying a home. Including Feng Shui principles make a positive difference in the process!
by llenore | May 20, 2014 | Uncategorized
Feng Shui can help buyers find – and attract – the right home for them.
The first home on which my clients made an offer. Bad Feng Shui for them from the start.
Here is a story of a client with whom I recently worked.
A few weeks ago my client called – very excitedly – having found a home they wanted to purchase. They called and left a message telling me they were going to want me to look at the home. It was in Southern California and I’m in Northern California. Not a big deal with air travel easily accessible.
When I finally reached them in person, they had already made an offer on the home. They told me they had written in the offer a contingency that “their Feng Shui Master says the home has good Feng Shui for them.”
They gave me the address and I immediately got on the internet. Knowing the couple, what has happened in their lives and what they wanted for the future, I told them it wasn’t a good home for them. I saw they would be dealing with lawyers and having lots of legal issues with which to contend.
They were shocked! I had nailed it! In the brief time between making the offer and when we had connected and I started the process – about 36 hours – they where in the throws of negotiation with the 8 children who were heirs to their parent’s estate. Some of the children wanted the home for themselves and didn’t really want the home sold. Others didn’t want to keep it, desiring the monetary inheritance instead.
What a mess it was! But my clients heard me and took appropriate action.
Find out more in tomorrow’s post.
by llenore | Apr 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
As you learned in my last blog, location is a key factor for Feng Shui and real estate. I briefly explained the armchair position as it relates to Form School Feng Shui, or what is sometimes referred to as Landform School Feng Shui.
There are four geographic qualities needed to make the ideal “good” Feng Shui location for a building and they stem from being in a mountainous area. Unfortunately not everyone can afford living in these areas. Plus some people choose not to live in the hills. In these situations we revert to the “Four Celestial Animals” in the actual landscape design of the home.
Good Feng Shui Home – When you don’t live in the mountains, a potentially bad Feng Shui home can be turned into a “good Feng Shui” home through the use of Form School Feng Shui. In Form School Feng Shui, we use the “Four Celestial Animals” and their representation in the landscape design of the home. The front of this home shows both the “Green Dragon” energy with evergreen plants plus the “Red Phoenix” energy with red ceramic pots in front and on both sides of the entrance to this front door.
The Four Celestial Animals are: Turtle, Dragon, Tiger & Phoenix. Each of the animals have specific qualities we design into the landscape making a better feeling home with balanced energy. By using these “animal” energies we can change a “bad” home into a “good” Feng Shui home.
The mountain behind the home is known as “Turtle” backing – the back of the armchair. By adding boulders, retaining walls, raised flowerbeds or large stone sculptures in the middle back section of the property, we create the “mountain” to achieve support for the household.
The mountain that is the left arm of the armchair is the “Dragon” side. The powerful Dragon repels negative energy, protecting that side. It represents growth, vitality, health and abundance. Having evergreen plants on the left side of the home is said to bring all these qualities to the household.
The mountain that is the right side of the armchair is the “Tiger” side. Tigers are revered for their good luck, kindness and gentle nurturing qualities. Landscapes including secret gardens, meditation areas, shade gardens or anything creating a “Zen” quality represent the nurturing aspects of the Tiger.
The “Phoenix” is the last of the four animals and resides in the front of the house. Again, think “curb” appeal. Items for this area include flowers, trees, house color, lighting and special features like bridges, arbors and interesting landscape – things which set the home apart from others in the neighborhood.
When “location” isn’t perfect, we can improve the Feng Shui of a home through specific functional and beautiful design principles.
by llenore | Apr 26, 2014 | Uncategorized
Saturday, April 26, was a fabulous day with several wonderful things happening. I had the privilege to attend an iPhone Movie class at Filoli followed by a yummy dinner at Mountain House in Woodside.
Capturing the edge of one of the tall planters as you look back toward the stately mansion where you can view one of the small ponds. Green, gorgeous and grateful for the nurturing experience for body, mind and spirit.
Many of you know I love to take pictures. It’s not uncommon for me to spend a couple hours at Filoli and take 200-300 photos, which I did just a couple of days before when I was at Filoli with Mary Botham. Saturday was no exception.
The excitement of the day was learning how to make a movie using the photos I’ve taken and doing it all on the iPhone through the iMovie app.
There were a few glitches at first when the latest version of iMovie had not downloaded, but when it finished, what fun!
I’m going to figure out a way to edit it down and make it a part of this blog some day. Stay tuned!
This is something I’ll be doing regularly since it has been so much fun to create.
