The Red Phoenix Feng Shui

The Herbal Woman: Introduction

2011-05-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

Cleaning my Bathroom with Essential Oils

2010-09-21T06:46:00.009-05:00

I decided to conduct an experiment using Essential Oils to clean my bathroom.

I have a cat that lives on my main floor, so chose not to use the essential oils in that bathroom. It is late and she will be closed into the adjoining room for the night. Cats do not tolerate essential oils very well. I learned this the hard way when I first started using oils. I had a diffuser going in the adjoining bathroom for 6 to 8 hours a day (this is where the kitty-box is). I would shut the diffuser off at night but after that many hours during the day – the room she sleeps in was pretty saturated with essential oils. This is a story for another time, but she was a sick kitty for a long time. She is now happy and healthy. She is a sweet cat with a very strong will to live a long life. I try not to use essential oils around her and move her to a different part of the house when I am preparing oils for use.

With that said – I used the bathroom where she will not be. I also use Norwex antibac cloths for cleaning. Essential oils work very well with these microfiber cloths. They are made with a combination technology of silver (antibacterial qualities in silver) and microfiber. These are great cloths and because of the antibacterial qualities of the fabric, I do not use chemicals to clean.

I have been using homemade baking soda, borax and essential oils to clean the bathrooms for about 5 years. Tonight, I filled a bowl with warm water, and 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. I cleaned the sink, the bathtub and the toilet with the cloth and water. My porcelain is clean and shinny. My faucets are also sparkling. The bathroom has a pleasant aroma and I am looking forward to taking a bath in the freshly cleaned tub.

After reading about Eucalyptus Oil in The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, I will be using eucalyptus oil throughout the fall-winter-cold-and-flu-season.

Eucalyptus:
• Latin Name: Eucalyptus globules
• Properties: Analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, (it is pretty much anti-everything and is a good oil to have in your apothecary closet).
• Mind and Spirit: Psychologically, eucalyptus oil serves as a refreshing and stimulation substance. It also assists concentration.
• Body: The expectorant activity of eucalyptus oil has the property of reducing the swelling of mucous membranes and of loosening phlegm, thus making breathing easier. Anecdotal evidence also indicates that eucalyptus oil supports the pancreas and lowers blood sugar. The clean, crisp smell results in easier and deeper breathing, and good clean air has always been associated in folk medicine with good health. This is valuable oil for treating the respiratory system. Eucalyptus stimulates the immune system.
• Precautions: When taken internally eucalyptus oil is toxic.

Happy Cleaning and Blessings,

Dorine

Skin Patch Test

2010-09-18T22:17:00.006-05:00

I have wanted to put together a blend of Neroli, Ylang Ylang, and Sweet Orange for a while – this is a good blend for the end of the day, for a relaxing bath and/or massage. Using the 2% ratio for 1-ounce of carrier oil, I first made a synergistic blend and did the patch test with the blend on my right inner elbow.

Neroli:
• Latin name: Citrus aurantiun var.
• Properties: Antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, bactericidal, carminative, cicatrisant, cordial, deodorant, digestive, stimulant
• Mind and Spirit: effective sedative, used as a natural tranquillizer for anxiety
• Body: relieves muscle spasm

Ylang Ylang:
• Latin name: Cananga odorata
• Properties: Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, sedative
• Mind and Spirit: According to Susanne Fischer-Rizzi: “The spirit of ylang-ylang usually fits the person naturally drawn to it. Upon inhaling ylang-ylang with its heavy seductive, sweet aroma, one can imagine a fiery, temperamental passionate and erotic person with an awesome radiance and confidence, never losing her balance. She would always dress in bright and colorful clothing and loves to wear jewellery.” Ylang-ylang has tension-relieving properties and is beneficial for nervous depression that is accompanied by severe tension.
• Body: reduces rapid breathing and heart rate, lower high blood pressure, beneficial for treating PMS

Sweet Orange:
• Latin name: citurs sinensis.
• Properties: Antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, sedative
• Mind and Spirit: The cheerful, sensuous and radiant nature of orange conveys warmth and happiness. It assists people to relax and unwind.
• Body: properties overlap with Neroli

Process:
1. I washed the area with a natural unscented soap and water. Rinsed well and patted dry.
2. I applied 1-drop of the synergistic blend to the crook of my right arm.
3. Closed arm (hand to shoulder) for five minutes.
4. Opened and closed once again.

Results:
The outside right area of my right arm had some swelling. No pain, no discomfort, just some swelling. Two hours later, the area is still a little bit swollen – still no pain.

I repeated the process, using the crook of my husband’s arm. His arm also had some swelling but not as much as mine, and two hours later, all swelling is gone.

I added two tablespoons (1-ounce) of almond oil to the bottle and will use one teaspoon of it later tonight as bath oil and/or massage oil. It smells great.

The recipe:
2-drops Neroli
5-drops Ylang Ylang
5-drops Sweet Orange
2 T. Sweet Almond Oil

Test #: Clary Sage:

Process (using my left arm):
1. I washed the area with a natural unscented soap and water. Rinsed well and patted dry.
2. I applied 1-drop of Clary sage to the crook of my left arm.
3. Closed arm (hand to shoulder) for five minutes.
4. Opened and closed once again.

Results:
No adverse affects.

Clary Sage:
• Latin name: salvia sclarea
• Properties: Antidepressant, antispasmodic, deodorant, sedative, tonic
• Mind and Spirit: dispels depression, especially when arising from nervous burnout. Clary sage may be used to center and ground scattered thinking and absent-mindedness
• Body: Its antispasmodic properties make it useful for helping with cramps in the lower back. This oil promotes oestrogen secretion, helps in menopause when symptoms such as hot flashes, dizziness, headaches, night sweats, are prominent.

Blessings,

Dorine Doyle King
The Red Phoenix Feng Shui

Essential Oil Treatment for Acne

2010-07-05T11:58:00.005-05:00

Acne is usually a problem beginning in puberty, but it can appear at any time. It is a result of a hormone imbalance, and can also be cyclic – usually around the time of premenstrual syndrome.

Essential Oils, a sensible diet, exercise, and fresh air will often clear up the problem Lymphatic flow is increased, allowing toxins to be taken away and circulation is improved, which allows oxygen and nutrients to reach the skin. Acne is bacterial and inflammatory. Essential Oils can help with the healing process.

Stimulants such as smoking, alcohol, coffee, tea and chocolate should be avoided. Sometimes, eliminating dairy products, especially cream and hard cheese will help. Fruits do not necessarily help but eating vegetables will. Vitamin A helps a lot (carrot oil – is a rich source of beta carotene and a natural source of vitamin A.

MASK:
Ingredients (normal skin):
2 ounces Green Clay
3 teaspoons Cornflour
Mix together and keep in a jar. Use 1 tablespoon of this mixture to enough of the liquid ingredients to form a paste, then add your essential oils to the paste.

1 T. Mask mixture (above)
1 Egg yolk
1 t. Water

Essential Oils (combine these and then add one drop to the mixture above):
2 drops Geranium
1 drop Bois de rose

Blend together to form a smooth paste and leave on the skin for 15 minutes. Rinse off and apply a facial treatment oil. Dab the face with a tissue.

Icelandic Facial Sauna:

Steam treatments are easy to do at home – all you need is a glass or ceramic bowl, boiling water 2 towels and your essential oils.

First, make a blend of the following essential oils:
Fennel
Lemon
Lavender
Neroli

Next:
Place a towel on your table
Put 2 cups boiling water in a glass or ceramic bowl
Place the bowl on the towel
Float 2 drops of your essential oil blend in the bowl of boiling water

Cover your head with the 2nd towel, making sure that the sides are closed. You’ll need to come up for air every now and again, but plan to be under the towel for about 5 minutes.

I like to play soothing or meditative music while doing this.

You can get your essential oils via mail order, or here in Minneapolis at places like the Wedge Co-op (on Lyndale just off Franklyn) or a place here (Minneapolis) on Grand Ave S., called Present Moments. The Wedge also has green clay.
Good Luck and let me know how it works and if you like it!

Blessings,

Dorine

First Appointment -- Postponed!

2010-02-27T14:52:00.000-06:00

We had to postpone the Mom’s Feng Shui Appointment today -- she is not feeling well (just a cold).

I snail-mailed her some information: a cover letter, what to expect in a Feng Shui Consultation, info on the Red Envelope Tradition, and an initial Consultation Checklist.

I am finding that canceling today was a good thing. She had questions about some of the info. This will give her a little extra time to digest it. She will call me Monday to set up telephone time, to go over her questions, do some explanations, and work thru the Consultation Check list. This will give me tons of background info to incorporate into future appointments. I will not rush her to do anything she is not ready to do. Breaking it down further into smaller chunks is better.

She is a very cool 79-year-old woman. I am figuring this will take at least a year. She understands many things and is very open to discussion about Sprit, Spiritual things, and Feng Shui.

Blessings,

Dorine Doyle King
The Irish Swede

Project 2010 – Lighten Her Load so She Can Think

2010-02-23T16:06:00.007-06:00

I have begun a new project.

My client is 79 years old. She is still very vibrant and independent. However, she has been suffering from a few ailments, as she gets older, in particular high blood pressure and Barrett’s esophagus. Barrett's esophagus is a complication of chronic gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a disease in which there is reflux of acidic fluid from the stomach into the esophagus (the swallowing tube). It most commonly causes heartburn. Sometimes, the medications make her dizzy. The dizziness causes her stress, concern that she may fall, get hurt, and end up in a nursing home. Dying in a nursing home is her biggest fear. Her daughter calls her every day to see how she is doing and to be sure, she is OK.

A few weeks ago, she was suffering from the dizziness almost all of the day and was feeling nauseous. Her daughter was concerned. The daughter talked to her that morning but when she tried to call her in the afternoon, she did not answer the phone. The daughter was busy at work, so called her Mom about 7:30PM. When her Mom did not answer the phone – she thought that maybe she had gone to a movie with her sister. She called again about 9PM – no answer. She called at 9:30 – again, no answer. She called again about 10PM – no answer. She left a voicemail that she was going to bed and would not call her again, but when she got in, she should call the daughter. Well, the daughter called her Mopther at 10:30 – still no answer. Now, she was beginning to get worried. The last she had spoken to her Mother, she was not feeling well and was dizzy. The daughter continually dialed her Mother's telephone number, let it ring, when it went to voicemail, she hung up and dialed again. She did that for an hour. At 11:30PM, the daughter got dressed and asked her husband if he would drive the 45 minutes from their house to her Mother's house with her. Reluctantly, he agreed. The daughter continually dialed her Mother's telephone number for the full 45 minutes of the drive. Now, the husband was also concerned.

They got to the Mom’s house; rang the doorbell three times – no answer. The daughter forced open the screen door and turned the key in the lock – scared about what she would find inside her home.

Well, well! The Mom did not hear 2 hours of phone calls, nor did she hear the doorbell or the forcing open of the screen door, but she did hear the key turn in the lock! (Go figure, the ears of a Mom!) She was sleeping and did not hear a thing!

The daughter cried tears of relief most of the way home… The next morning, she called her Mother to tell her they have new rules. The Mother is to call the daughter every morning when she wakes, and every night before she goes to bed. The daughter will call her somewhere in-between. That evening as they were discussing (and chuckling) about the new rules and how concerned the daughter was, she told her Mother that she HAS to think about moving to an apartment, preferably closer to the daughter. The daughter cannot be driving 45 minutes one way and another 45 minutes home in the middle of the night again.

Eight years ago, the daughter wanted her Mother and Dad to move to an apartment closer to her. At that time, the Dad was ill and suffering from a weakened heart and all that went with that. Had they moved eight years ago for the Dad, the Mom would be in the place she needs to be now. She would still be living on her own, she would still be independent, but in a smaller place, with no stairs, and closer to the designated daughter.

The Mother told the daughter she does not want to move. The thought of moving is overwhelming to her. The daughter told her there are new rules and they need to begin the process of lightening her load so she can think. They contacted me to help. This lightening of the load so she can think, is the focus of our project.

Every dresser drawer, cupboard, closet, buffet, curio cabinet, and storage area is so full of “stuff” -- it is packed solid with pictures, photos, clothes, toys, books, knick-knacks, etc… You would never know she is such a secret hoarder! The house you see is neat as a pin and so clean you could about eat off her floors! However, the inside of any cupboard or drawer is PACKED AS SOLID AS A BRICK! This is excess EARTH energy.

The Mother’s 4-pillar chart is also packed full of EARTH. The Mother is a Metal Sheep with Earth, Earth, and more Earth supporting her. She is very structured and organized, goal oriented and unwavering. She is solid -- the salt of the Earth. She will NOT move easily.

I am moving forward with this difficult project. I know I need to protect myself, and watch how I approach this Mother and daughter and the Mother's home. I need to remain respectful and sensitive to her concerns and needs, but keep her moving forward toward the next phase of her life.

Blessings,

Dorine Doyle King
The Irish Swede

Career is Your Journey in Life, Activities You Love to Do

2009-12-17T21:12:00.005-06:00

A client contacted me today with some questions about her Career Gua. She is a young woman who has just gotten her Masters Degree and is applying for jobs, and asked what she can do to get the Career energy moving. I know her house well and have a copy of her floor plan, so was able to help her immediately. She has a missing piece in the Career Gua. This also happens to be the Gua of her front door. She also has some issues sleeping and suffers from anxiety. Here are just a few things I told her:

Get your bed away from that stairway wall! This is a decision you need to make for a number of reasons. Health, emotional support, etc... there is a lot of coming and going energy from that wall. It is not supportive. You need a good solid wall behind you. Stairways are for taking you from one space to another. You don't want to be going anywhere when you are sleeping. You want to be able to rest and be renewed. If you are "traveling" all night, you are not resting. Move the bed!

You need a solid headboard on your bed to support you. Something/someone needs to have your back. A headboard will offer a lot of support.

You need a footboard for protection. It too, should be a solid footboard. However, when lying in the bed, your will want to be able to see over the footboard so you can see what is coming at you. You will be more prepared for what comes your way.

Because you have a bathroom en suite, you should be sure the drains are closed at night and the lid to the toilet is down. The drains in the bathroom drain away your energy. You are trying to rest and rejuvenate while you are sleeping and the drains are sucking your energy away. Also, keep the bathroom door closed while you are sleeping. One more little bit of added protection.

You are lucky enough to have a home office space. You need a desk. Your desk should face the doorway when you are sitting at it, so you can see what life is bringing your way and what opportunities are coming your way. You should have a solid desk with a "wall" in the front of it, not an open table-style desk. This will offer you protection. You need a high-backed chair to sit on at your desk. The high back offers you support and the desk front offers you protection. You need both.

Enhance your Helpful People Gua with a metal wind chime, something grey, or something metal. You will need Helpful People to refer you to and offer you a job.

Add a picture of a mountain to your office decor. This represents your upward climb. A turtle picture or figurine will represent longevity and tenacity.

Make sure your front door is easily seen from the driveway. It is very evident as to where the cars live at your house, but where do the people live? The Energy/Chi needs to be able to find you. Be sure you have some decor around your front door to bring in the Energy -- since it is Christmas/Winter time, maybe some Christmas lights in a tree or some garland around the front door. This will draw attention to your front door. Remember, your front door is in your Career Gua and you are trying to attract Career Energy/Chi.

Use your front door. Even if you park in the garage, enter your house through your front door. Ring your doorbell as you enter. You are announcing your arrival. The Energy/Chi will begin to know you. You will also be inviting the Career Energy/Chi to come into your house. Your front door enters in Career. This will be very important while you are applying and interviewing for jobs.

You need to get up every day and make a schedule. Your schedule will need to focus around you, your Career, applying for jobs, and interviewing for jobs.

Blessings,

Dorine King

Your Windows are Your Eyes!

2009-09-27T13:17:00.010-05:00

Feng Shui is full of metaphors and says that windows are the mouths of the children living in the home and the eyes of the adults.

Here are some things to think about: Are your windows in need of cleaning? Are you not seeing something you should? Wash your windows and "see" if you get an answer.

Are any of your windows cracked and broken? How are your children feeling? Do they feel that their "voice" doesn't matter or that you are not listening to them? Is their voice not being heard? Get those cracked windows replaced and "see" if your children feel you care more about what they say.

It's autumn and time to open our windows and get them clean and shinny to let in the winter sun. Time to take the air conditioners out of the windows. Time to do some repair work and putty to keep the warmth in and keep the cold out.

Open your shades and blinds. If they are closed you are not seeing all there is to see. Let in the warmth of the Autumn sun. Do the curtains need washing after the heat and dirt of the summer? Clear and clean your windows and you will also see more clearly the opportunities and Chi coming your way. You will be more prepared to make clear choices and decisions.

Blessings,
and Happy Autumn Cleaning!

First Appointment (final Installment)

2009-07-17T07:10:00.005-05:00

Family:

The Family area represents the family you came from, ancestors and relatives, any group with a common purpose (like your coworkers, a book club, knitting group, scrapbooking group, etc…) and even authority figures. The color is Green, the corresponding Element is Wood, the body part is the Feet, and the area belongs to the Oldest Son.

Mary Kathleen's concern for her family is for continued health and happiness. We didn’t talk too much about this however her parents are getting older and with age, comes health concerns. Mary Kathleen is very close to her family and they are a big part of her life. She has support from them and offers support to them. Mary Kathleen’s Family Gua falls in her hallway and bedroom. There are five doors in this area. That is a lot of doors in a small area! Now, remember that doors are the mouth of the adults living in the space. Right now, it is only Mary Kathleen, but she is preparing for a Partnership. I feel very strongly that she make one important adjustment to keep the Family Chi calm and content. I suggest she get a small 20mm round faceted crystal to hang in the hallway. This will give the energy something to do, circulate around and will help to keep it calm. If she puts a rug in the hallway, it should be an oval shaped rug or one with swirls or circle shapes. The oval shape and swirls and circles will help to support her Partnership energy!

The last thing we did at the appointment was to take measurements and draw out a formal floor plan of the apartment. That is the floor plan we will use throughout this project. In the new floor plan, a two foot section of the living room is Fame/Reputation. This area is ruled by Fire. Incidentally, Ron the Bird is of the Fire element! This is where Ron's bird cage is. A perfect spot! Her bathtub also falls in the Fame area. We will be sure to look at that during our second appointment.

Mary Kathleen's "homework" was to work on the bedroom. She is to remove books, clear out the dresser and any other clogged areas, and to rearrange the furniture. Our next appointment is Sunday, July 19, 2009. We will be concentrating on the Partnership area, working on "tweaking" the bedroom, and the living room.

I'm looking forward to seeing the changes Mary Kathleen has made in the past month and curious to find how she is doing.

Blessings,

Dorine King

2009-07-15T06:36:00.001-05:00

Career:
Career is your journey in Life and activities you love to do. The color is Black, the corresponding Element is Water, the body part is the Ears, and the area belongs to the Middle Son.

Mary Kathleen really likes her job. It is a job she upgraded to when she moved into this apartment. However, she feels she has gone as far as she can with it and is stuck in her career. It is not moving forward.

Kitchen: Mary Kathleen’s Career Gua falls in her kitchen. By nature, the kitchen is a mixture of Water and Fire. I’m going to add some Wealth/money suggestions to this Gua. In ancient times, if one had fire to cook food, to nurture the body, to gain strength and endurance to go out and work in the fields and to hunt and fish the food; that person was considered well-to-do. Fire came to represent money. Likewise, water is needed to supplement the food and/or to contain the fish to eat and it also can take you and your wares to market to sell them. Water also came to represent money. The kitchen is an important room in regard to money and Mary Kathleen’s kitchen just happens to be in her Career Gua. To metaphorically “double her money,” Mary Kathleen should hang a mirror above the stove. She was not too keen on that idea so I suggested she place a small 1-inch mirror behind the stove. When you make Feng Shui adjustments, you should like the adjustment and be comfortable with it. If you don’t like it or are uncomfortable with it, don’t do it – if you do, the adjustment will not work well for you. Intention is about 90% of the adjustment and the adjustment itself, is about 10%. Her “intention” for the placement of the 1-inch mirror behind the stove will be very powerful even though she will never see it. She needs to tend to her Fire to keep it burning. In today’s world that means she needs to clean and wipe off her stove every day whether it needs it or not. Metaphorically, she will be tending her Fire and tending to her money.

Doors are extremely important in Feng Shui. The front door is the mouth of Chi. Doors are also the mouths of the adults who live in a home. Our opportunities come to us through the front door. Mary Kathleen has some door issues at her house. Her front door sticks a little bit. Metaphorically, the energy/Chi is having a hard time getting into her life. Remember, in Feng Shui, our space reflects our life and our life reflects our space? Mary Kathleen feels like her career is stuck and it just so happens, her front door sticks. Hum, food for thought! Mary Kathleen has a rug in the hallway in front of her door. This is nice. She had a skeleton decoration left over from Halloween on the front door. Do dead people live here? She removed it immediately. There is a little wall with a 4-inch shelf in it by the front door. I suggested she place a vase with two flowers there, maybe a pretty picture behind it and a seasonal wreath on the outside of the front door. The energy/Chi comes up the stairs and will be attracted to the door – it will hang around and want to come to Mary Kathleen’s apartment. This will create a Ming Tang or “bright spot” or "life spot" as you enter her apartment. The vase and flowers will also help to support her Partnership goal. She needs to have a little bit of wood shaved off the bottom of the front door so it opens freely and clearly. She has an “arguing door” situation in the living room with the front and the closet doors. Upon closer look at the Bagua, she also has an arguing door situation with one of the storage closets and the bedroom door. I gave Mary Kathleen an “Arguing Door” adjustment she can do to correct this energy/Chi. When her partner comes into her life, she does not want “arguing energy” to be living in her apartment. There are doorways from the living room to the dining room, and another from the dining room to the back of the apartment. Both of these doorways used to have doors on them. The doors have been removed but the hardware is still there. The energy of these two doorways is confused. Because the hardware is still there, the doorway still thinks it’s a door. (We are talking about energy – not that the door actually thinks!) If Mary Kathleen were to remove all the hardware and re-make the doorway into just a passageway – that will correct the issue. Short of that, she can do a few of things to adjust that energy:

1. She can hang a crystal in the center of each door frame
2. She can hang a bell along side of each door frame
3. She can hang a decoration in the center of each door frame (A mistletoe kissing ball at Christmas?!)
4. If she likes a more subtle adjustment, she can use a red marker and make a small dot in the center of each door frame.

As she makes each adjustment she should use the Three Secrets of Reinforcement.

Her biggest door issue however, is in the kitchen. The back door to the apartment has been nailed shut! It cannot be opened from the outside hallway nor can it be opened from the kitchen. This is not good for a few reasons.

There is the safety issue. If there is a fire, Mary Kathleen does not have an alternate way out of her apartment. This is a door and it should be used. It is the back door. The energy comes in the front door, meanders through the apartment and then is “stuck.” It cannot get out. It is “stuck” in her Career Gua. Mary Kathleen feels that her Career is “stuck.” If she cannot get the owners of the building to open this door so it can be freely used, using the Three Secrets of Reinforcement, she can do a number of things to un-stick the energy:

1. She can/should place a full length mirror on the door. This energetically creates a back door.
2. She can hang a bell or wind chime by the door to create the movement energy. (Inside the kitchen or outside in the common hallway.
3. She can do something as simple as placing a tiny red dot with a marker to energetically “open” the door.

The element for the Career Gua is Water. Mary Kathleen should add a water feature by the front door (like a little table top fountain, or a fish bowl or a picture of water). She can use the color black, Water itself, or even a wavy design. If she hangs a full length mirror on the back door, the mirror frame could be black (the mirror itself is a water feature!). She could add some plants to the kitchen area in black pots. If she is changing her kitchen décor, she could use black as an accent color. Bottom line: the back door is in her Career Gua and it is stuck. Somehow, it needs to get un-stuck; energetically this should un-stick her Career.

Tomorrow we will look at the Family concern.

Blessings,

Dorine King

The First Appointment (installment #1)

2009-07-13T08:35:00.009-05:00

Mary Kathleen invited her sister and our mutual friend to be part of the first appointment. We began with a brief explanation of what Feng Shui is, what the Bagua represents and how it is laid out on the floor plan.

We imposed the Bagua over the floor plan, jumped right in and began with the living room. The living room contains three of the Guas: Helpful People, Children/Creativity, and Partnership.

The two power corners are Partnership and Wealth. The power corners are the two Guas furthest from the front door. In the Black Hat Tantric Tradition Feng Shui, they are always Wealth (in the far back left) and Partnership (in the far back right). From these two corners you have the best advantage to the door. You can see the door and have the most time to react to what is coming in through the door. Remember, in Feng Shui everything is and has energy or Chi. Even though you may not actually SEE the front door from the room that is in the power corner ENERGETICLY, you will be prepared. Wealth (blessings) and Partnership are a driving force working together with the Gua of the front door. Mary Kathleen’s Partnership power corner is in the living room, the Wealth (blessings) power corner is in the bedroom, and Mary Kathleens’s front door is in the Helpful People Gua.

As you walk in the front door into the living room, a chair is straight ahead (facing west); this creates a blocking energy (i.e. “don’t come in – not too far!). Another single chair is facing the door (again, this sends the signal that there is singleness in this space). The TV is in the Partnership corner and a love seat is on the same wall as the door. When Mary Kathleen watches TV, she sits on an exercise ball (which really is a good use of TV time!). The kitchen/dining room contains her Fame, Health and Career Guas. She does not own a dining table. She has a lot of collectables in the Fame Gua. The kitchen pretty much takes up the Career Gua. The Health/Center is between the dining room and the kitchen as you walk through to the Bedroom area. The Wealth, Family and Knowledge Guas are in the bathroom, bedroom, storage and closet areas. Right now, Mary Kathleen’s bed sits exactly in front of the bedroom door in the Family Gua.

Let’s address Mary Kathleen’s three main issues; Partnership, Career and Family. We will begin with Partnership.

Partnership:

The Partnership Gua is located in the upper right corner of the Black Hat Bagua. Partnership is a heart-to-heart connection with a spouse, significant other, business partner, the Universe, God or your Source. It can even be a partnership with oneself. The color is Pink, the corresponding Element is Earth, the body part is the Abdomen, and the area belongs to the Mother. Mary Kathleen wants to bring a partner into her life.

Living room: I suggested she rearrange the living room. Move the loveseat to the opposite wall between the two windows and place the matching end tables on either end. She has one table lamp and one floor lamp – use those on either side of the loveseat. Orient the 5X7 area rug in front of the couch with the oval coffee table on top. The TV can be moved to the wall with the door. The two chairs can be placed on either side of the TV. This will create a conversation area for when she has company. She can keep her bird Ron, in the back left hand corner of the living room (where he currently lives). Birds and Pets are part of the Fire Element. With our revised floor plan, Ron sits in the Fame Gua which is ruled by Fire. This is a great spot for Ron! She has a very pretty painting of some red flowers a friend made for her which will look lovely above the loveseat. As Mary Kathleen is rearranging the furniture, she should envision sitting on the loveseat with the man of her dreams watching a romantic movie!! In addition to that, as she is sitting on the loveseat, she will have a clear view of the front door and will be “facing opportunities” coming her way. Mary Kathleen should decorate in pairs; two candles together, two flowers in a vase, two pictures in a grouping, etc….. Circular or oval shapes are good for Partnership – they have no sides. In the main Partnership corner of the apartment (living room - back right corner) she should place a plant. A healthy growing plant will signify a healthy growing relationship. This can be a tall plant in a pot, a plant hanging from the ceiling, or a plant in a pretty pot on a table. If Mary Kathleen likes the color pink or rose, she can add these as accent colors. She may even consider painting the walls.

Bedroom: Although Mary Kathleen’s bedroom does not lay in the Partnership Gua, it is very important to her Partnership concern. Her bed sits directly in front of the door. As you stand in the living room and/or dining room doorways looking toward the bedroom, you can see the bed. This is a LOT of energy pointing and rushing at Mary Kathleen as she is in the bed and as she is trying to rest. I asked if she had anything stored under the bed. Yes, she has Christmas decorations under the bed. I asked how she sleeps. She is up and awake two or three times each night. She has a lot of rushing energy coming at her from the living room through the dining room and the hallway and she is sleeping on top of pointy hard Christmas decorations. She also has piles of books in the bedroom. No wonder she is not sleeping well!

I suggested she rearrange the bedroom and try not to store anything under the bed. Perhaps as she is cleaning out and organizing storage areas and closets, she will find room for the Christmas decorations elsewhere. If she must store anything under the bed, it should be soft things like linens, extra blankets, winter sweaters, etc… I also suggested she move the bed from the East wall to the North wall. This keeps her bed out of the direct line of energy rushing through from the living room to the bedroom. It helps to keep her more protected. Her bed will be positioned in one of the power corners of the bedroom. She will be able to see the door from the bed. This also offers Mary Kathleen more protection and hopefully more rest. Right now Mary Kathleen does not have a headboard or a foot board on the bed. The mattress sits on a frame. If she buys a new bed, she should look for something with a solid wood headboard and a foot board. The headboard will give her support and backing and a foot board will offer her just a bit more protection. In the meantime, she has a pretty tapestry her Aunt gave her. She will hang this above the bed on a cafe rod as a makeshift headboard. I suggested she use two bedside tables instead of just the one she is currently using. The bedside tables should be of equal size (matching would be nice – and round shaped or oval would also be good for Partnership) and the items on the tables should also be of equal size. Likewise, lamps should match and/or be of equal size. If she is using square tables, she can add round doilies, etc to bring in the round and oval shapes for Partnership. She should clean out a dresser drawer and clear a space in the closet with some empty hangers hanging. This will help create “room” for a partner to come into her life. We superimposed the Bagua on the front of the dresser to determine the “Partnership drawer.” This is the drawer she will empty out. Again, Mary Kathleen should decorate in pairs. Two candles, two lamps, equal tables, equal sides of the bed. We talked about paint color for the bedroom being flesh tones – pinks, taupe, mochas, etc… Mary Kathleen will consider painting the bedroom.

We will continue tomorrow the Career.

Blessings,

Dorine King

What is the Bagua?

2009-06-27T17:30:00.004-05:00

The Bagua is an “energy map” which is laid over the floor plan of a piece of property, a house, a room or even any horizontal space such as a bed or a desk. The word Bagua is translates as “BA” meaning eight and “GUA” meaning area. So Bagua means eight areas. In Feng Shui, we add a ninth Center area sometimes shown as the Tai Chi or in Black Hat Tantric Feng Shui it is called Health. All of the other areas of the Bagua touch Health, and so are affected by Health.

The nine areas of the Bagua are as follows:

Knowledge and Wisdom is the educational goals for yourself, the ability to use what you have, deep understanding of who you are, and your inner wisdom and or spirituality. The color is Blue, the corresponding Element is Earth, the body part is the Hands, and the area belongs to the Youngest Son.

Career is your journey in Life and activities you love to do. The color is Black, the corresponding Element is Water, the body part is the Ears, and the area belongs to the Middle Son.

A Helpful People is any person or persons who support you mentally, emotionally and financially: clients, realtors, travel agents, Doctors, your Feng Shui consultant, etc… You could also be a Helpful People to others. The color is Gray, the corresponding Element is Metal, the body part is the Head, and the area belongs to the Father.

The Family area represents the family you came from, ancestors and relatives, any group with a common purpose (like your coworkers, a book club, knitting group, scrapbooking group, etc…) and even authority figures. The color is Green, the corresponding Element is Wood, the body part is the Feet, and the area belongs to the Oldest Son.

Health or Center is your Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual well-being. The color is Yellow, the corresponding Element is Earth, the body parts are Heart, Spine, Spleen and all other parts.

Children and Creativity is any children or pets in your life. It is also your creative endeavors, and bringing projects to completion. The color is White, the corresponding Element is Metal, the body part is the mouth and the area belongs to the Youngest Daughter.

Wealth is the money you earn, win, or inherit, Personal Blessings as well as your personal power. The color is Purple, the corresponding Element is Wood, the body part is the Hip, and the area belongs to the Oldest Daughter.

Fame and Reputation is being known, what people say about you, how people perceive you, and maintaining your good name and integrity. The color is Red, the corresponding Element is Fire, the body part is the Eyes, and the area belongs to the Middle Daughter.

Partnership (Love & Marriage) is a heart-to-heart connection with a spouse, significant other, business partner, the Universe, God or your Source. It can even be a partnership with yourself. The color is Pink, the corresponding Element is Earth, the body part is the Abdomen, and the area belongs to the Mother.

Blessings,

Dorine King

What is Feng Shui?

2009-06-21T15:29:00.005-05:00

Feng Shui is the Chinese art of balance and placement. It can help the people who inhabit a space to balance the energies to assure their health and good fortune.

In Feng Shui we believe that everything is, has and holds energy or Chi. Our homes reflect the energy of our lives, and our lives reflect the energy of our homes. If we are having an issue in a certain area of our lives, chances are, we are also having issues with certain areas of our homes. If we want to make changes in our lives, we can make changes in corresponding areas of our homes. When we make changes in our home, we change the energy flow. The energy changes in our home and it carries energetically through to the corresponding area of our life. For instance, if we “enhance” the partnership area of our home, bedroom, or desk, we are changing the energy of that area and in Feng Shui; we believe the energy in that area of our life will also change. We make changes with Intention.

Intention is Key. Intention is everything. We honor the Red Envelope Tradition with intention. We place our coins and the Practitioners fee, with intention, into the Red Envelopes. As we place our coins in the envelopes, we think about our intention in asking for the Feng Shui consultation. The Practitioner sleeps with the Red Envelopes under his/her pillow and adds their own intention to the clients’. A ceremony is held the following day with these envelops. Much like when a Priest burns incense, the Feng Shui Practitioner burns the Red envelopes. The intentions of the client along with the added intentions of the Practitioner are in the envelopes and go out into the world, add to, are affected by, and affect other peoples intentions as they go up into the universe and ultimately to the sky and Heaven. I believe these are like our prayers and ultimately they reach God. There is a Heaven Earth Connection, a peace, and a harmony we are always seeking to achieve.

Our Thoughts (our intentions) become Words. Our Words become Actions (energy-Chi). Our Actions become Habits. Our Habits become our Character (this is how we are judged by man). Our Character becomes our Nature. Our Nature is judged by God. Every motivational speaker will tell you to write your plan, to speak your plan and to begin living as though your plan were already in place. That is intention. That intention is what we purpose to do when we make Feng Shui adjustments. Energy will follow intention. Energy creates change.

Blessings,

Dorine King

The Three Ring Binder and the Feng Shui Bag

2009-06-21T12:39:00.017-05:00

What is this binder for and how will we use it? As I said in the last post, the binder is a home for all the paperwork we will be dealing with this coming year. Into it we will put all the pre-appointment information as well as what I bring along to the first appointment. So far it will contain:

- The consultation checklist (history, present circumstances, thoughts and feelings)

- Her three to five issues we will work on this year (why she wanted the Feng Shui appointment)

- The Red Envelope Tradition

- What is Feng Shui? (Explained at our 1st appointment)

- What is the Bagua? (Explained at our 1st appointment)

- The Three Secrets of Reinforcement (Explained at our 1st appointment)

- Mary Kathleen's floor plans

- The Orange Peel Blessing

The Feng Shui Bag is the bag I carry with me. It holds graph paper, a ruler, a tape measure, Mala beads, pens, pencils, a calculator, extra red envelopes, Feng Shui Adjustments, Blessings and anything specific I plan on doing for and with the client.

I have Mary Kathleen's Three Ring Binder put together and I have my Feng Shui Bag packed and a list for a few things I will pick up on the way to the appointment. (Like a beautiful organic orange for the Blessing!) I am organized, packed and ready for the appointment next Sunday!

Mary Kathleen, I want to thank you for allowing me into your home and for allowing me the privilege of having you help me with my final project for Certification!

Blessings,

Dorine King

Preparing for the First Appointment

2009-06-19T18:28:00.011-05:00

A little bit Water and a little bit Earth

We are beginning to move out of the Water phase and into the Wood phase of our project. Between each of the five Elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal) there is a little period of rest; this time of rest is Earth. We may be resting but there is still a lot going on in the background! Earth is solid, concrete, dependable, contained and caretaking. We are preparing; we are getting ready to move along.

Water is the planning and planting phase. Let’s think of a vegetable garden for this analogy. You gather your gardening catalogs, you pour over them looking for the vegetables you want to grow and eat all summer and “put up” for the following year. You graph-out the garden space, you order seeds. The seeds come in the mail but It is still only March, too early to plant the garden, so you make sure your gardening supplies are in order: you have your seed pots and soil, you have a sprinkler and hose – there are no holes in the hose, you have garden gloves, you have a tiller, you have tomato cages, etc… You wait for the right time. Finally, it’s time to plant the seeds and wait for them to grow into seedlings just in time for Spring! Our project is at the planting-of-the-seeds-and-waiting-for-the-seedlings-to-grow phase! We still need to water the seeds and prepare the ground in the big garden. We are caretaking.

Mary Kathleen saw what we did for our mutual friend and wanted something like that for herself. Our friend thought to give her a Feng Shui appointment for her birthday. She planned to do the appointment and we set a date. I mailed her all the reappointment information. She is thinking about things and answering the questions on the questionnaire. Like the gardener thinking about the summer crop, Mary Kathleen is dreaming and planning on seeing her home and her life getting under control and in order. She is beginning to set her intentions for her future.

Meanwhile … I have received Mary Kathleen’s floor plans, made some working copies for future reference and use, and am getting a binder together for her. There will be papers, diagrams, charts, instructions, blessings, and homework for her to do. I am planning and preparing all of that. The binder will help her contain and organize all the Feng Shui information in one place.

Blessings,

Dorine King

Floor Plans

2009-06-14T16:41:00.007-05:00

Water:
One of the first things I ask of my clients is a copy of their floor plan. We work with the floor plan throughout the entire Feng Shui process. The floor plan is the beginning of the process for the client. It is the beginning of a commitment. When I ask for a floor plan, I can almost hear, see and feel the apprehension set in! Drawing the floor plan often stops people dead in their tracks! It doesn’t have to, so if you are asked to draw your floor plan – just dig in and do it. It is the first step to opening yourself to changing the energy or Chi of your space and of your life.

Besides needing the floor plan for practical purposes, there is also a metaphysical or energetic reason why we need the floor plan. Later we will lay our “energy map” or Bagua over the floor plans in order to read the space and to better understand the energies we are working with. (More on the Bagua later.)

To begin the process, you will need graph paper, a tape measure and a pencil -- you can even use blue line notebook paper if you wish. It’s not necessary, but it is also helpful to have a partner or helper – one of you can draw the floor plan and one of you can do the measuring. Begin with the main level of your house. Draw a floor plan for each floor, using a separate sheet of paper for each. Make sure you label where all the doorways and windows are and the swing of the door (opens left or opens right). It’s also helpful to use squares, rectangles, circles and ovals to indicate the main pieces of furniture in the rooms.

Walk through the house, looking at each room as you go, and follow the wall lines. Do not assume that a room is square. Follow around the room and draw what you see. Putting what you see down on paper makes this process more visual and personal. If you are feeling stuck, try drawing just the bedroom.

Feeling stuck and apprehensive is normal and means you are on the right track to changing the energy of your space and the energy of your life. So get out your pencil and paper and have some fun!

Blessings,

Dorine King

The Red Envelope Tradition

2009-06-02T22:06:00.007-05:00

The Red Envelope Tradition is a Chinese custom that is still used today at the Chinese New Year, weddings, and other special occasions. Money is exchanged in these Red Envelopes. The traditional envelopes have designs on the outside of them depicting the appropriate event for which to use them. Plain red envelopes are just as effective and easier to find.

Today, Feng Shui Practitioners are paid in Red Envelopes to honor this legacy. This tradition shows respect for the sacred work done by the Practitioner and increases the effectiveness of the information that is being shared with the client. It is a way to respect and honor the exchange of money. It also protects the Practitioner from having his/her Chi or energy, drained or weakened when sharing information.

In a Feng Shui appointment the client will be asked to provide anywhere from one to nine new Red Envelopes. The envelopes can be made by the client or they can be decorated with some elements of red to keep with the tradition. It is important that the client take the time and trouble to provide the envelopes since it will begin the personal process of opening up to the information that is given during the consultation.

When paying for a Feng Shui consultation, the client is asked to put the payment in one of the envelopes (which since payment is determined by time, cannot be enclosed until after the consultation is completed). In the other eight envelopes a coin or money is enclosed. All the money in the remaining eight envelopes is donated to charity. The number of coins enclosed would be best received if they added up to nine or multiples of nine (9 cents, 18 cents, 27 cents, $9, $18, $27, etc) The odd numbers are active numbers with the number 9 being the most active and contributes to the quick action of the clients intentions.

The Feng Shui Practitioner places the envelopes under his/her pillow and sleeps on them for one night. The next morning a ceremony is done to seal in the clients intentions and to support them in any changes or enhancements they are trying to make. The money is removed and the envelopes are burned.

If a client decides to share the sacred information given during a consultation, the client likewise must ask the new person to whom the information is bestowed for a Red Envelope. Again inside the envelope is a coin or coins. The client receiving the Feng Shui envelopes puts them under his/her pillow for one night, after which any money can be removed and the envelope burned or destroyed. The client can donate any money received to a charity or choose to keep it for personal use.

Blessings,

Dorine King

Water: Pre-appointment Documents

2009-06-02T07:38:00.006-05:00

This is the Water phase of the project. This is the beginning. Things are being organized, formulated and started – watering, tending to and nurturing this little seed of a project. Later, I will go into detail about the elements and how they work and what their relationship is to each other.

I’ve been working on my pre-appointment documents. Yesterday, I mailed three pieces of information; a letter confirming the date and time of the appointment, a consultation checklist, and a detailed explanation of the Red Envelope Tradition. In addition I asked Mary Kathleen to mail a blueprint or drawing of her living space to me.

I ask for a drawing or blueprint prior to the appointment to immediately engage the client in the Feng Shui process. By taking the time to make the drawing and mail it to me, she is making one of the first steps in changing the energy of her space and her life. The drawing is a commitment on her part. I know she is serious and wants to receive the information I have for her.

The confirmation letter not only confirms the date and time of the appointment but also briefly lists the nine areas of the Bagua – or the nine areas of our lives (more on this later). This will help Mary Kathleen decide and focus on her reasons for wanting the Feng Shui appointment and will help define the direction of the project.

The Consultation Checklist or questionnaire, includes such things as the history of the house, the present circumstances of the occupants and the house itself, her thoughts and feelings about the house, and then specifically what her concerns are - why she wants the Feng Shui appointment to begin with.

The Red Envelope Tradition is a Chinese custom that is still used today at the Chinese New Year, weddings, and other special occasions. Money is exchanged in these Red Envelopes. Today, Feng Shui Practitioners are paid in Red Envelopes to honor this legacy.

Blessings,

Dorine King

Welcome!

2009-05-30T10:36:00.000-05:00

Hi!

Welcome to my Blog! If you have read my profile, you see that I am continuing my study of Feng Shui. As I enter my final year in this current course of study, I find there is a project due next spring. This Blog will chronicle my project, and the progress of my client. I will call her Mary Kathleen.

I met Mary Kathleen via a mutual friend at a “Feng Shui for Partnership” Birthday Party. Mary Kathleen thought what we did for our friend was really cool and wished someone would do this for her. A few months later our mutual friend called me asking if I had a gift certificate for a Feng Shui appointment. She wanted to give one to Mary Kathleen for her birthday. So I put together a little Gift Certificate bag (red of course!) which included, my business card, a hand-made “Friendship” card, a hand-made “Love” card
(I know Partnership is one of the areas Mary Kathleen wants to work on – you can see pictures of my cards on my Facebook page), 9 red envelopes (more on this later), the gift certificate and I think a bookmark.

Mary Kathleen didn’t call, didn’t call and didn’t call. When I found out I was going to need a “project person” I immediately thought of Mary Kathleen! I called our friend who told me Mary Kathleen wasn’t calling me because she was nervous about me seeing her messes and clutter and felt she needed to - well – “Feng Shui” before I could come over to do the Feng Shui appointment! Our mutual friend thought Mary Kathleen might be interested in being my project person and gave me her telephone number.

I gave Mary Kathleen a call, explained my project to her and asked if she was interested. She said yes! This also means she will get an appointment almost every month between now and next spring! We will begin with the basics and move through all the aspects I currently know about Feng Shui. We will concentrate on three to five core issues with the goal for Mary Kathleen to have a balanced home and personal life with energy flowing gently and with harmony through both.

Blessings,

Dorine King