by llenore | Apr 2, 2016 | Uncategorized
In the many schools of Feng Shui we are working with both energy and balance. With energy, we may want to slow it down, make it move faster, or activate it. Sometimes we need to balance the energy. There are several tools we have to balance it.
This moon/sun wall hanging has strong yin/yang qualities.
The Five Elements
Within the Eastern traditions there is the awareness and use of the Five Elements. They are: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The order I just listed is known as the “Productive Cycle” or sometimes called the “Parent/Child Cycle.” The first one gives birth to the following, as in wood gives birth to fire.
When there is too little an amount of one of the elements, an environment may feel stuck. If there is too much of an element we may feel overwhelmed or weighted down.
Yin/Yang
Another way we create balance is through the understanding and correct use of the Yin and Yang qualities. Yin is a more feminine, intuitive, soft, nurturing aspect. Yang is more linear, often aggressive, active and outwardly powerful energy.
When one of my clients sent me this picture of a wall hanging and asked where to place it, I immediately focused on the Yin/Yang perspective of the wall hanging. The moon is “Yin” by nature and the sun is “Yang.”
Since this wall hanging is a combination of both, it is best placed in a location where both qualities exist. That would be the mainline of the house – not on the left or right sides, but down the middle.
If the item is to be placed outside, we don’t have to worry about the Yin/Yang interior qualities. It can be placed almost anyplace outside. Yet, the feeling I got when I saw the photo was to have it seen in the backyard directly opposite the middle part of the house on a wall or fence.
What a magnificent item to view when gazing out the French doors from a bedroom or the sliding glass doors of a family room!
by llenore | Mar 29, 2016 | Uncategorized
Wind Chimes are used a lot in Feng Shui as an activator to stimulate energy, actually shaking up and dispersing negative energy while attracting good energy. Often I’m asked specifics as to the correct placement for the wind chimes. Should they be on the left side or the right side of the door?
Wind chime – Trio Temple Bells by Woodstock Chimes
Since there are a dozen different schools of Feng Shui, there can be almost as many different answers to this question. Let me give you some guidelines for placing your wind chimes:
- Place them as close to the front door as is easily done without blocking the door itself.
- It is fine to have them by other doors as well.
- If you can’t place it easily outside, try to find a place inside – either on the door itself or as close to it as possible.
- If you have a backyard, patio or balcony, place a wind chime close to the back door in that area.
- If you live in a windy area, please be respectful of your neighbors by placing them in such a way that a prevailing wind does not make them chime constantly or at a time when your neighbors are trying to sleep.
- A couple of schools of Feng Shui – Flying Star and Yearly Animal Feng Shui – have locations requesting wind chimes in specific areas. These vary according to the direction the front door faces (Flying Star Feng Shui) and the compass direction in which the room lies (Animal Year Feng Shui).
- In Animal Year Feng Shui, the wind chime specified is to be a 6-rod (hollow rod) metal chime. In flying Start Feng Shui, the type of wind chime just needs to be metal.
These are just a few of the main guidelines for the correct placement of wind chimes for deterring negative energy, attracting good energy and stimulating an area of stuck energy.
by llenore | Mar 13, 2016 | Uncategorized
What Is Land Form School Feng Shui and Why Is It Important?
I have been teaching Feng Shui and giving speeches about Feng Shui for over 25 years sharing the principles of the various schools of Feng Shui
Retaining Wall Creates the Support of the Turtle Backing
to bring health, wealth, loving relationships, career enhancement, happiness and harmony into peoples’ lives. Clarifying Feng Shui due to the numerous contradictions among the schools is always a fun part of the process. Visuals always help, especially with the frequently asked questions.
Landform School Feng Shui
Buddha Statue as Greeter and Symbol of Joy and Hope Attracts Good Feng Shui to Home
The Landform School or Form School Feng Shui wants us to have “Mountain” or “Turtle” Backing behind our homes in order to give support to the occupants. This gives support to our finances and to our backs. The Front Door is the Phoenix area and wants energy attracted to it.
Mountain Backing
When a home is on a hillside, the front door is best located facing the view. The back of the home is best with the hillside in the backyard. When you live on flat land, building a retaining wall or a raised flower bed is a perfect solution to create the support needed for Mountain Backing.
Phoenix Facing
When I saw this mat it made me smile. Then when I walked past the window, the cat that lives here was looking out at me. At this point I was laughing. It was so appropriate to have a mat that says, “It’s about TIME you got home!”
The Front door is the Main Mouth of Chi. We want to attract and direct the energy from the street to the front door. Also, it is wonderful to have symbols with meaning to us as we approach our front doors. Things like wind chimes, statues, plants and specialty items around our front door help draw the energy to our homes while raising our energy at the same time.
To find out more about the different Feng Shui Schools and how to implement them into your home and life, check out the “Events” page and the “Products” section of this website.
by llenore | Mar 9, 2016 | Uncategorized
Improving your home through proper landscaping using Feng Shui principles from several Feng Shui schools including Landscape, Water Dragon and Classic Schools can be a fun, practical and creative process if done correctly. If done poorly, it can turn what used to be a good Feng Shui home into a nightmare, actually blocking good energy that is necessary for a wonderful life.
Not only is the front door hidden from view, the landscape on this corner house is overgrown and lacks flow. There is no flow for attracting the Good Feng Shui to the home.
Three Bad Feng Shui Practices
The front yard is the location designed to attract the most good energy to your home according to most Feng Shui schools.
- Planting trees in the wrong location.
- Blocking the view of the front door from the street.
- Lack of “Good Feng Shui” plants plus incorrectly designed structures in the front yard.
Planting Trees in the Wrong Location
Trees should not be too close to the house. They should not grow over the home making it feel smothered by a too tall or too heavy tree.
Depending on the type of trees and the geographic location in which you live, you will probably want to have deciduous trees in the south if you live in the Northern Hemisphere to allow the sun to shine on the house and warm it during the winter months. Trees on the west side of your home can provide shade to keep the home cooler during the summer.
Blocking the View
Good energy finds it’s way to your home from the street to the front door. If you can’t see the front door from the street you are blocking the Good Chi from finding your home. You may want to have both some tall and short plants to add interest. This makes the chi “dance” up to the front door.
Lack of Good Feng Shui Plants Plus Incorrect Structures
Some plants are more inviting than others. There are times when you want the “protection” of spiny plants. If you are next to a shopping center or busy highway you might want pointed plants. Otherwise it is best to have soft, beautiful, flowery plants.
If your front yard feels too exposed and open – say on a corner lot – the use of a fence is usually the best defense. Having tall plants or plants that are overly full hides the house, AND it also hides the view of the front door as mentioned above. Arbors and other manmade structures should not have points aimed at the house. These would be “attacking” arrows.
If you want more information on proper landscape design, attend one of my classes. I am a guest lecturer at many horticultural programs, Home & Garden Shows and places like the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show nationwide. I also present webinars on interior and exterior design. Check out my events page for current offerings.
by llenore | Mar 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
Do you know Feng Shui basics and want to learn how to apply them? Want to attend a workshop on Saturday, March 12 from 1-3 p.m. in Newark, CA.? Then read the rest of this post.
In the Asian culture the Fu (or sometimes times spelled “Foo”) Dog is both a protector and a greeter of good energy.
Feng Shui Master Linda Lenore teaches specific solutions, including:
- Principles from several Feng Shui schools
- Connections between elements, colors and shapes
- How to balance energy using Feng Shui elements
- Which elements create supportive environments for health and well-being
- What to expect in the Year of the Monkey
Linda Lenore, known as “The Healing Designer,” is a best-selling author and international columnist who has been featured on the Hallmark Channel and on Lifetime Media. Her clients include the Ritz-Carlton, Adobe, Bank of the West and international personalities. Quoted as an expert by major publications including the Wall Street Journal, San Jose Mercury News (front page), the Christian Science Monitor, Korean syndicated newspapers and Better Homes and Gardens Special Publications, she is known for creating environments that stimulate success and soothe the soul.
For Good Feng Shui we want to be able to move around the rooms without it feeling to tight. By not having a dresser on this wall we can move freely around the bed making the room feel more spacious.
Registration is required. Sign up at the Information Desk at the Newark Library, call Barbara at (510) 284-0684 or email telford-ishida@aclibrary.org.
The library is wheelchair accessible. An ASL interpreter will be provided for this program if requested at least 7 days in advance. Voice (510) 284-0677 or TTD (888( 663-0660.
To download a flier of this event, click here: Feng Shui March 2016
Again, workshop details –
- Date: Saturday, March 12, 2016
- Time: 1-3 p.m.
- Where: Newark Library
- 6300 Civic Terrace Ave.
Newark, CA 94560
Google map
- Cost: All library programs are FREE
by llenore | Feb 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
Putting out fires and swinging from one thing (or branch) to another is the theme for the next year and we are only one week into the Year of the Fire Monkey. At least, so far, that has been my experience.
Everything I have been able to find about the energies of the Year of a Fire Monkey led me to prepare for an exciting and fully packed 12-months. Delving deep into the details of contracts and acting quickly are imperative to avert disasters.
FIRE Qualities
Celebrate the Beginning of the Chinese New Year , February 8, 2016
I can’t remember a year starting off with so many “attention-getters” – all happening almost simultaneously. Then again, with my awareness of the different Chinese animals and the Five Elements associated with the different years, it’s been 60 years since the last Year of the Fire Monkey. Quite frankly, I was too young to know or understand anything about energies at that age.
What I can say about the year ahead is that it will not be dull. Go ahead to make you plans to accomplish things knowing there will likely be alterations to those plans. There will be new possibilities thrown into the mix at any particular time.
MONKEY Qualities
Distractions –
When you have a chance during the year, think about what you really want and don’t want. Know which way you want to go with your dreams and life. Hard decisions will come up. You don’t want to fly off in a direction away from your dreams. You do want to swing into action to capture everything good, wonderful and in alignment with you goals. One new turn can make all the difference in the plan.
Family or Tribe –
Family is all important. Spend time with them and support them in any way you can.
Neat and Clean –
Clutter needs to be at a minimum. Continually remove. Toss old items. Rethink what you need. Get rid of damaged items and outdated clothing. Purchase minimal amounts of anything and use it up before it spoils or is outdated. Organize constantly. Get your home and office into better shape than it has ever been.
Exercise and Clean –
Monkeys are very athletic. They swing from branch to branch and hang by one arm. Sometimes they hang upside down getting a different perspective on their environment.
Look around your environment. Clean it up. The process of cleaning gives you exercise and also invigorates you when you see how nice it looks.
I’m finding this year is caring of many of the qualities from the Year of the Sheep. They are: 1) Taking care of ourself, 2) Organize, and 3) Spend time with family. Add to the mix the high-energy of FIRE and it’s explosive qualities causing burns and burn-out along with the playful antics and high energy of a MONKEY, we have an interesting year of strange and exhilarating possibilities.
