No Support for Our President

Right off, I will tell you I wanted Barack Obama to be our next President. I feel he offers us some solutions to problems which are deep-seated. They may not all be the best solutions, but I felt he could jump-start some enormous, maybe painful changes we need. Nevertheless, I would have taken this blog in the direction it’s going no matter who was president, because there’s a Feng Shui problem with a simple solution that someone needs to notice.

I watched our President deliver his second press conference the other night and, again, was appalled at the arrangement of the room and his position in it. Not only does he have his back to the door but he stands IN the door during the entire duration of the event. The problem with this is that in Feng Shui, when someone has their back to the entry, they set themselves up for vulnerability. They may be caught off-guard; they may be taken by surprise around something. The first question to ask is whether he could be on the other side of the room facing that huge entry. I surmise the retort to that is "No" because it seems this is a special entry coming in from other parts, maybe restricted parts, of the White House. It seems more convenient to position him just inside the entry rather than have him walk all the way around the room.

Okay, if that’s where he has to be, couldn’t someone close the doors behind him? There are two huge doors that come in from both sides. Surely there must be enough staff who could ceremoniously close and open those two huge doors to protect him from behind. If the doors are closed, it acts like a headboard or a high-backed chair providing support and safety. Couple that with the vulnerable spot he has in the Oval Office with all those windows behind him, he could really use a Feng Shui make-over. Thank heavens he’s got that high-backed chair. I’ll bet some days that’s the only support he gets.

Is My House Bored?

My experience as a Feng Shui consultant has opened my eyes and ears to the nuanced messages a house may provide. Although we are typically known for aligning a space to fit with a person’s needs and goals, I’ve learned that a space can have its own agenda and we just don’t hear it. My house like to entertain. It likes to entertain more than I do actually. It’s not that we’re at odds with one another but sometimes something will happen when I realize the house would just simply like to have more activity in its life. This became apparent last weekend.

I rarely teach at my home anymore. Years ago I used to, but found it better for me if I did my teaching in another facility. Last weekend, however, I had a small group of students who needed to take one class in order to qualify for another coming up in May. So rather than incur the expense of renting my usual place, I invited them to my house. As soon as I did that, I became uneasy. I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough room for them, they wouldn’t have tables to write on, the cats would interfere, I’d need to make the house Feng Shui-perfect. I should have trusted my house more.

When we bought our home, we knew full well that the previous owner, and a dear friend, had hosted tons of gatherings in this house. Sometimes she’d have people here for days and days. Sometimes other people lived with her in the house as well. There was coming and going on a continual basis. In fact, after we bought it, three people showed up to turn in keys to the front door! It had indeed become a community center.

For the first few years we lived here, my step-son also lived with us which provided a fair amount of activity, some of it good and some not so good. But for the most part the number of times the front door opened and closed fell substantially after we took ownership. Being more of an introvert, I was happy for that. I felt the house, too, had moved into a more quiet and yin phase. We have found a rhythm with one another that is comfortable and secure.

Then, every once in a while, something happens that makes me realize the house remembers times past. Maybe it even misses those days, for it seems to eagerly open its arms wide and embrace anyone who comes through the door. Surprisingly, it expanded to welcome in nearly 100 people for an event a few years ago. They were all comfortable and had a great time, and remarked endlessly about how they loved the house. Likewise, it cozies up to four or five, as it did last weekend. The students who were here were very generous with their praises for the house. They, too, felt comfortable, felt "at home," the cats behaved. It was a flawless experience for all, including me.

My house entertains with fearless confidence and flair. It is less concerned about appearances than I am, instead surrounding people with its innate ability to comfort and nourish. I’m sure it has never forgotten those early glory days when it was host to many visitors and provided a backdrop for countless experiences. I need to worry less about the details and my own sense of privacy and provide my house with more opportunities to rise to the occasion and shine.

TV to Blog: Weight Management

Every month I appear on the NBC affiliate television station here in Minneapolis (KARE-11) on a program called Showcase Minnesota. I have 4-5 minutes to talk about some aspect of Feng Shui. On Tuesday, March 17th, I will be speaking about Weight Management and Feng Shui. For those who can’t watch the program, attached below are five steps to losing weight using Feng Shui principles in your home.

A full-length mirror: Having a full-length mirror somewhere in the home is essential if you want to lose weight. It not only provides you a true reflection from head to toe but also provides a base line from which to monitor changes.

A bowl of fruit: Place a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter to represent healthy eating and vitality. It could be a distraction from the bag of chips sitting close by. If a bowl of fruit doesn’t appeal to you, a painting of a bowl of fruit strategically placed in the kitchen could provide the same message.

Eat at a table: Never eat unless it’s at a table. Someone who struggles with weight will often admit they sit in front of the television while eating dinner or they eat in their bedroom. Eating at a table or counter that is specific for enjoying a meal shows respect and honor for the process of self-nurturance.

Kitchen near entry: If the first room you see when entering your home is the kitchen, this can trigger the urge to eat, even when you’re not particularly hungry. Find another way to enter, if possible, or find a way to minimize the impact of the kitchen. Hang dramatic artwork near the entry so that your eye goes there, or place fresh flowers close by the door, or walk across a cool and dynamic rug to get your mind off the possibility of snacking.

De-clutter: True to the principle that your space reflects your life, put your home on a diet. Get rid of the excess weight you may find lying around by getting rid of things you no longer need or want.

Doing Feng Shui for weight management should be considered a support for other efforts you may be taking to lose weight. Unfortunately, it doesn’t excuse you from exercising and eating right.

Still Being Positive

As a follow-up to my last email when I complained about being interviewed on a radio show and then being preempted by the weather and a topic that had been discussed prior, I will now tell you what I would have talked about had things gone a bit more smoothly.

I was asked to come on the mid-day talk show to give some Feng Shui tips on what people can do in their work environment to create a more positive space in order to counteract the negative news that swirls around us daily. Here are the five talking points:

1. Deal with your clutter. This is a good time to deal with this stuff—in your office, on your desk. Some people have found themselves without a job at all, so they have some time on their hands. Here is an opportunity to go through those shelves, that file cabinet, those drawers in order to make room for new possibilities.

2. Change something in your office. This can run the gamut of changing the furniture all around or simply re-arranging the top of your desk. When your space changes, it changes the vibrational pattern inherent in a room/office/cubicle, which in turn changes the way you think opening you up to some new ideas.

3. Use your front door. The front door represents new opportunities coming in. Keep that door moving to maximize the security of your current job or the hopes of a better one. If it’s inconvenient to use the front door, use it as often as you can, assure that it’s easy to open and that it has a color that you love.

4. Check out your bedroom. Although this isn’t specific to the office, the bedroom still impacts your work since it’s the room where you sleep, rest, and dream. Remove everything under the bed for better flow around you; keep the closet doors closed at night to minimize the chaos coming from your clothes; remove the computer and/or television from the bedroom (even if temporarily) to maintain the quiet safety that you want in there.

5. Wear red. Red is an active color and, in the Chinese tradition, a successful color. If you don’t like red or don’t look good wearing red or any of its shades, then wear the color underneath, i.e. red cami or red boxer shorts. The active color will keep your spirits up and your enthusiasm high.

Disclaimer: These suggestions are not a substitute for doing good work at the place where you already have a job, or updating your resume and going on interviews. However Feng Shui can support your efforts to secure or hold a position you love and/or one which will ride you through the economic troubles.