Category Archives: Feng Shui Office

January 28, 2016 · 1:43 pm

YEAR OF THE MONKEY

It’s become a tradition at Feng Shui By Fishgirl to showcase the Chinese New Year art work of my dear friend PoPing Lo We’re celebrating the Year of the Monkey in 2016 and I think this particular PoPing illustration is wonderful. I thank the artist for allowing me to share it with my readers:

image1(May not be used or copied commercially without the permission of ©Po Ping T’so Lo.)

Here’s a little bit of what you can expect of the Year of the Red Fire Monkey (February 8th, 2016 up to January 27th, 2017.):

Although monkeys like to congregate in groups, success will come to those who break out from the pack and take risks that others won’t. This year it’s about individual efforts and putting action (the element of fire!) behind your wildest ideas. Innovation + Perspiration= Wealth this year more than ever.

Beware also the Tricksters in a Monkey Year. You know who they are. Deceitful people who charm you completely…then play you. They have one eye on your banana so they can grab it after misdirecting your attention to something unimportant. The message? Protect your bananas!

Ever hear of that saying “Not my monkey, not my circus”? This year is everybody’s monkey. Energy will be frenetic. Like a monkey jumping all around and swinging tree to tree and back again. It will be useful to become grounded in health and spiritual routine. Take time out for yourself and be still each day. There is an unpredictability to the world in a Monkey Year which makes it important to have something in your local personal sphere that is stable.  For example, if you’ve recently moved, don’t delay in unpacking and getting your home feng shui foundation stabilized. If you have let your exercise and diet go, try to get back into the groove again because there will be a lot of stress in a Monkey Year.

Happy #CNY2016 everyone! Kung Hei Fat Choi!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under ART, Creativity & Future Projects, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Fun, Holidays, Uncategorized, Wisdom & Knowledge

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 29, 2012 · 4:17 am

FENG SHUI FOCUS FOR ARTISTS

There are some great tips for artists’ websites here at this link. (Thanks to my friend Maureen for passing that on to me). I have written articles for artists, too. Check out this one about feng shui and websites or this one about how to feng shui your business card. Or this one on an art studio organized by feng shui. If you’d like to meet a cool artist that I’ve interviewed, click here. Or to find out more about an author who makes works of art in her kitchen. Art is everywhere…but how does it improve your feng shui in home or office? Here’s how. Another hot tip? Do a search of the Feng Shui By Fishgirl archive for “art” and “artists” and see all the feng shui/ art related stories we have available to you here.

Leave a comment

Filed under ART, Creativity & Future Projects, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Fun, Getting Organized

Tagged as , , , , ,

August 21, 2012 · 6:24 am

GHOST CHAIRS STILL A CLASSIC

Phillipe Staark’s ghost chairs still look good to me. What do you think? I love the clean lines of this dining/conference room. The eclectic elements are right up my alley, too. They’ve included  the feng shui elements: metal, wood, water, and if the dishes are red ceramic they’ve got earth and fire covered, too. Photo from the Miss Design blog. That wine bottle chandelier is fab, too. BTW the beams overhead painted white cut that negative beam energy perfectly—it’s a classic feng shui solution to overbearing beam energy, although in a dining room it’s not as problematical to have beams as it is in a bedroom.

2 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Interior Design

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 14, 2012 · 5:55 am

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS TO SEE THE FENG SHUI OF MIRRORS

This custom tile design is sweet for a rustic home and brings Earth (tile), Animal energy (the images), and Water (the glass mirror) into a space. See more at http://www.margaretlichatile.com/htmls/gifts.html

Wacky hand made one-of-a-kind mirror would add whimsy to the Creativity & Future Projects (Children) area of a space.

What is it about feng shui and mirrors? Mirrors represent water because of the glass element and also their reflective abilities. In feng shui we often suggest mirrors as a “cure”to solve feng shui problems. If chosen carefully and placed properly, mirrors can enhance a space and negate any harmful ch’i energy.

Ovals and rounds give yin energy to a room full of rectangles.

This unusual hand made ceramic mirror in the shape of a heart could be useful in the Love & Relationship area of a home or bedroom.

Mirrors can and do stimulate the ch’i—this is not necessarily what you want in all areas of your home. For example, for better rest in your bedroom you don’t want a lot of mirrors bouncing light and ch’i all over the place. On the other hand, a dark room might need exactly that—mirrors can substitute for a window and can be used on windowless interior offices for example. So take inventory of your space and decide where you might want to hang a mirror and why you ought to do so.

Dramatic mirrors like this Asian inspired one incorporate BOTH square yand and rounded yin energy.

The elements of wood (sticks), water (the glass mirror), and metal (the white color) all are present in this square yang mirror.

1 Comment

Filed under Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Interior Design

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 12, 2012 · 4:02 am

COMMAND POSITION-CHRISTIAN GREY WOULD APPROVE

This is an example of a desk in the Command Position. Courtesy ApartmentTherapy.com

Feng Shui By Fishgirl often talks about the Command Position. No, it’s not the one in 50 Shades of Grey novel. The Command Position is most frequently referring to the placement of your desk or your bed but it can also refer to how you are situated in a restaurant, too. The idea is to place your back to a wall so that you can have a clear view of the entry door to the room. This way you are least vulnerable to someone coming up and surprising you. You are in command of the room. The photo above from ApartmentTherapy.com is a good example of this. The only thing that makes this particular office a little weak is that the back is facing a window instead of a solid wall. But overall the design of the space is pretty good. And one can always put the blinds down to create a solid wall effect when sitting at the desk working.

Leave a comment

Filed under Architecture, Command Position, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Interior Design

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

July 3, 2012 · 7:04 am

SHELL WE LIVE IN A TURTLE HOUSE?

A friend sent in this pic to me. She is also a feng shui consultant and lives in Australia. I don’t know where this turtle house is or who designed it but I think it’s pretty cool, don’t you? Turtles represent wealth and steadfastness in feng shui. Tortoises are an excellent symbol to have around your home or office. The dream circle I belong to is called Turtle Dreamers and it refers to the Native American symbology of the Earth being the back of the great turtle. While in Sedona one year I purchased a rattle made from a turtle shell (road kill) by a Native American. It’s one of my prized possessions and gives a beautiful sound when shaken.

Leave a comment

Filed under Architecture, ART, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office

Tagged as , , ,

June 18, 2012 · 6:05 am

WHEN YOUR CREATIVITY BANK IS EMPTY

Take one tired employee (you), add one cluttered atmosphere (your work space), mix in working too many hours and no time for relaxation. What do you have? A recipe for burn out, low productivity, and no fun at work.

Here are some feng shui steps to bring you back your focus and drive.

1) TAKE INVENTORY  The nine areas of your life according to feng shui principles are: Career, Wisdom & Knowledge, Family & Health, Wealth, Fame & Reputation, Love & Relationship, Creativity & Future Projects (this covers children, too), Travel & Helpful People, and, Tai Ch’I (which is your core being). Ask yourself what areas of your life are working for you and where do you feel blocked? Make a list. You’ll be able to see clearly where you need to give yourself some extra attention.

2) BABY STEPS  Decide to address one of those blocked areas at a time. Most likely you won’t be blocked in every single area of your life…focus on the positive things going on first. Express gratitude for all the blessings you do have. Where there are problems, ask yourself what steps need to be taken to remove the obstacles to your success. If your health is suffering and that is on your list, you can implement the following solutions:get a physical, take vitamins, begin exercising and, if you’ve got time built up, take a much needed vacation so you can begin work again with a fresh attitude.

3) ME TIME Look at your busy calendar and set aside a little “me time”.  IE, if you feel blocked creatively, take a break and put some ideas into your “creativity bank”. That may mean scheduling visits to museums, window shopping for fun, going to the movies, or even to an amusement park. Perhaps you’ve lost touch with mentors and colleagues? Taking time to make a few phone calls to reconnect you to those Helpful People might give you a mental boost as well as put you on to some hot leads. All of which can stimulate your Career ch’I (energy) and get your groove back on.

2 Comments

Filed under Feng Shui, Feng Shui Office, Self Help

Tagged as , , , , , ,

June 16, 2012 · 6:40 am

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE SYMBOLS

This poster gives off mixed messages even though everyone is smiling.

This poster gives off mixed messages even though everyone is smiling. “Stormy Weather” could refer to Wall Street today.

Want to shake up your chi (energy)? Why don’t you assess your work space and take inventory of any positive or negative symbols that might be dominating your environment while having an impact on your success. What we surround ourselves with directly influences our mood, our emotions, and our drive (or lack of ambition). That’s why those motivational posters with sayings such as “Believe & Succeed” are so popular in corporate culture. In fact, they are known as “Culture Builders” and “Attitude Enhancers” in the corporate art trade. One giant company that makes these products calls itself and its product “Successories“.

Motivational artwork can be classy or cliché. The point is, the posters offer positive reinforcement of our best intentions at the workplace.  You wouldn’t hang up a poster that said, “Give Up Now. You’re a Big Loser”. But you might have objects in your office that give off a similar negative vibe. For instance, I recently worked with a client who had a welcome mat at the front door to his executive office. It was a square jute rug with the words “Get Lost!” in bright, fun colors splashed across a black ground. While meant in jest, in feng shui terms he was saying something very negative to his employees, clients, and vendors. The intention was to lighten up, obviously, but the subliminal message on this entry rug was quite blatant and tells Opportunity to go away because it’s not welcome here. I laughed when he told me he bought the rug on deep discount (most people were repelled at point-of-sale by the message and literally “got lost”).

Another client had books on the shelf with titles like “Pain” or “The Tragic Story of…”. Still another had a Hollywood vintage poster that screamed out in giant text, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”.  I’m sorry to tell you that for most of us, there is no neutral area in the feng shui bagua to place these emotionally-charged messages. Scout your own space and see if you can find similar book titles or negative imagery that mighty be sapping your career mojo. Go for uplifting messages and fine art that inspires.

3 Comments

Filed under Feng Shui Office, Interior Design, Wealth & Finances

Tagged as , , ,

June 15, 2012 · 6:14 am

BEWARE PSYCHIC VAMPIRES: GET HAPPY!

Two paintings by Vincent Van Gogh both painted in 1890–“Almond Branches in Bloom” and “At Eternity’s Gate”. Which one makes you happy?!

Ever notice how being around negative people — a.k.a. “psychic vampires” — can bring you down? We’ve all experienced a colleague who comes to the water cooler carrying the bad news about who got fired recently, or dumps all the venom she feels for the boss on you. Being around negativity can really bring us down.

The good news? It’s now been scientifically proven that happiness is contagious. That’s right: Research compiled by the Harvard Medical School and the University of California at San Diego proves that our moods are directly affected by the people we hang out with, and even by the people they hang out with. The study demonstrated that our social networks (family, friends, neighbors, professional colleagues) influence us greatly whether we realize it or not.

Like a virus, happiness can spread from person to person with direct contact. The flip side, of course, is that sadness and negativity spread in the same manner. However, the research proved that sorrow did not spread as efficiently and completely as happiness did, which is good reason to be cheerful (and pass it on).

How can you do that if you’re unhappy with your life and career? First, rule out clinical depression.

If you’re feeling sad, overwhelmed, disinterested in anything, sleeping too much or not sleeping at all, these symptoms indicate that a visit to your doctor is in order. If you simply hate where you work, there is something you can do; you can choose happiness. That’s right: Happiness is a choice. We can set up healthy boundaries, adopt an infectious upbeat attitude, and work toward changing our career direction to match our goals.

• Surround yourself with happy people. Avoid the office gossip and other toxic people in your life. Spend more time with happy people that you know.

• Pump up your endorphins. Exercise releases happy hormones in your brain. If you’re a couch potato or a desk jockey, no wonder you’re feeling blue. Leave your desk and go for a walk around the block on your break if you can’t get to the gym.

• Stay hydrated. Along with proper diet and nutrition, remember to drink plenty of water. Without it, we get sluggish, and happy people are energetic ones.

• Count sheep. Getting a good night’s sleep is half the battle. With so many of us suffering from sleep disorders, no wonder we’re so grumpy. Lack of sleep causes irritability and lack of focus on the job. If you’re having problems sleeping consult a physician.

• Get clear on what is missing from your current employment and take steps to get what you need. Make lists of the pros and cons of staying with this gig or leaving. Take inventory of what you like about your job and what you don’t. Write down what would make you happier with this job or the next one.

• Take control of your situation. One of the reasons for unhappiness is that we feel we have no control over our situation. But whose life are we living? Speak up. You may not be able to get the boss to agree to everything on your wish list, but with some negotiation you may get some of what you want, you just have to risk asking for it.

Beware: Choosing happiness is contagious. When you choose happiness, you will be influencing others around you to get happy, too. When that happens, you may actually discover that you like where you are after all.

2 Comments

Filed under Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Healing Energy, Health & Fitness, Love & Relationship, Self Help

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 21, 2012 · 8:22 am

WEBSITE COLORS ARE KEY TO GOOD FENG SHUI

I stumbled across an informative article about choosing the right color for your website. Jump here to read the article. I do strongly agree that color is a key feature in website design and feng shui design. Did you know you could feng shui your website? Feng Shui By Fishgirl not only does feng shui consultations on homes, I do websites, too. Contact katyallgeyer@mac.com today.

Leave a comment

Filed under ART, Creativity & Future Projects, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Office, Getting Organized

Tagged as , , ,