Tag Archives: vacation

WHILE YOU WERE OUT (Did the Temp mess up your feng shui?)

Do you care who is sitting at your desk while you're on the beach?

Do you care who is sitting at your desk while you're on the beach?

It’s sum-sum-summertime! Many of us will be taking our vacations soon. You might be traveling to an exotic island, to Europe, or simply relaxing in your back yard with a pina colada and a good novel in “staycation style”. Whatever you have planned, taking time off from the daily grind is good for your ch’i (energy) and that means it is good for your feng shui.

What’s happening to your space while you are on leave? If you’re lucky enough to have an office, most likely you shut the door to it until you return. Some feng shui tips before you leave town: empty the trash can,clear off the desk top, remove all clutter and sticky notes from your computer, lock away any personal items that you wouldn’t want people snooping into (or better yet, bring them home).

While you’re away the closed office ch’i may become stagnant the longer it is unused. Here’s what to do to revitalize the “dead zone” when you return from vacation. You’ll need a stick of incense. Light the incense and waft it about the space in a circular motion. While doing that, reclaim the space and rededicate yourself to being the best at whatever job it is that you do. There’s no need to use the entire stick of incense.If you work in a conservative office you may want to light a small aromatic candle instead while doing the reclaiming visualization. Snuff the candle after a few minutes whenyou feel you are ready to begin working again.

If you occupy a cubicle or open area you’ll still want to activate your feng shui when you come back from your trip. You might have other conditions to worry about: perhaps your desk was used by a co-worker or temp worker while you were out of town? This is all the more reason you need to clear out their energy and reclaim your space.

The final touch after you’ve smoked out the stale ch’i is to place some cut flowers in a vase on your desk. It can be a big bouquet or a tiny bud vase. Welcome back!

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Filed under Feng Shui Office, Qi, Travel

APPLYING A BAGUA TO A SKYLINE

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Russian.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Russian.

Can you analyze the feng shui feel of a town by looking at its skyline? I took a look at our town and this is what I saw. Stonington, Maineis a shore front town at the very bottom tip of Deer Isle, and island in the downeast section of Maine’s mid coast region.

Applying the bagua map to the photo shown here, you’ll see that the Opera House building anchors the Wealth sector. While the Opera House Arts is a beacon of creativity and artistic endeavors, it also relies on the donations of benefactors to keep it alive. The building is painted a deep teal green color—excellent for attracting money to the Wealth area.

Now move to the center of the photo just beyond the lush trees. This would be the Fame & Reputation sector on the bagua map. What do you see here? A structure with 3 pointed roof lines that seem to form triangles and a 4th triangle at the top and a 5th below it from another building. Triangles are associated with the Fame & Reputation sector. This is very auspicious for the town as more publicity about Stonington brings more visitors here to our local businesses.

The yellow building marks the beginning of the Love & Relationship sector. Here we’ve got two similar mansard roof buildings side by side as if a pair or a couple of lovers. Note the red roof. Red activates Love & Relationship (and so does the color white).

Stonington is fronted by a large harbor (even better than a water fountain, LoL!) that sustains the island’s fishermen and their families. On the bagua it covers the Wisdom & Knowledge, Career, and Travel & Helpful People sectors. Water naturally enhances Career. And, the town does rely on travelers.

Methinks all this adds up to good feng shui for Stonington. We welcome visitors so what are you waiting for?

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Filed under Travel

FISHGIRL’S SUMMER READING

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll still get run over if you just sit there.” ~ Will Rogers

Move Over, Oprah
Whether you are sitting on the subway on your way to work, or sitting on the beach during your summer vacation, chances are you are looking for a good book to read (after you’ve finished reading your Feng Shui By Fishgirl Blog, of course!). I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked what Feng Shui books I would recommend. Much like Oprah and her Book Club, I have my personal favorites which are subject to my whim (and whimsy).

So here it is: Fishgirl’s summer reading book list. I’ve limited the list to nine, instead of the usual ‘top ten’, because nine represents a very auspicious number within the context of Feng Shui. They are not given in order of preference, just in order of there being something for everybody and reflect my interests in things other than Feng Shui (Psychology, Dreaming, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry…so many books, so little time!).

Fishgirl’s Book List

[1] The Western Guide to Feng Shui
Terah Kathryn Collins; Hay House Inc., paperback.

This slim paperback is the book I highly recommend to people wanting a simple overview of Black Hat Sect Feng Shui. The writing is clear and the information is not overwhelming to the lay person. No book should or can be substituted for the knowledge, years of training and experience of a Feng Shui practitioner.That being said, this book helps you to understand what your Feng Shui consultant suggested you do.

[2] Rogue’s Gallery, Michael Gross, hardcover.

This is a must read account of the movers and shakers (he calls them moguls) behind the scenes at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. As with “740 Park”, “Model”, “Ralph”, and other tomes he’s written, Gross unearths all the skeletons and reveals a fascinating cast of characters who live among us in the upper echelons of society. Great beach read!

[3]Conscious Dreaming; A spiritual path for everyday life Robert Moss, Three Rivers Press, paperback.

What could be a more fascinating book to daydream on the beach by? Robert Moss’s techniques for dreaming bring new meaning and richness to everyday life. You’ll become aware of synchronicity that ties together waking and dreaming worlds. Before I read this book, my dreams did not make any sense, especially since they did not conform to any of the explanations found in the myriad of “dream dictionaries” on the market. Now, not only do I understand my dreams, I am frequently given guidance to Feng Shui situations for myself and clients through dreams.

[4] The Alchemist, A fable about following your dream
Paul Coelho, Harper Flamingo Publishers, available in illustrated hard cover version or plain paperback.

Speaking of synchronicity and dreaming, this piece of timeless fiction is a delight to read. Like Ste Exupery’s “The Little Prince”, it may at first glance be mistaken for a children’s book. Although older children will probably enjoy the story, too, it is a magical tale for adults in need of some inspiration. I LOVE this book! Thank you to my nephew and his lovely bride for introducing me to this book (they quoted a passage from it in their wedding ceremony).

[5] Dreams Are Letters From the Soul, Connie Kaplan, paperback.

This book opened up another way of dreaming for me. Reading Connie’s personal journey–and later being part of her dream circle in Santa Monica and now online at www.turtledreamers.com–has highly influenced my own spiritual path.

[6]When The Drummers Were Women, A spiritual history of rhythm Layne Redmond, Three Rivers Press, paperback.

A dear friend gave me this book for my birthday. Although painstakingly researched, what might have become rather dry material in less skillful hands is presented in a very enjoyable way with lots of illustrations to back up the facts. Layne Redmond, a huge musical talent as well as author, brings out information about the historical legacy of women that has been suppressed for eons by the patriarchal clergy, politicians, and sadly, even archeologists. Once upon a time, almost all drumming was done by women…

[7] Mutant Message Down Under Marlo Morgan, Harper Perennial, paperback.

This book has had people wondering ever since it came out over ten years ago: is it true or is it fiction? It’s an incredible adventure story either way and has a lot of wisdom and insight to impart. The story is about a middle aged woman who is invited to join an aboriginal tribe on a “walkabout” in the Australian outback. This book tends to want to go on a walkabout itself- it somehow always walks off my bookshelf with someone who sees it there and I’ve had to replace it four times. I suggest reading it on the beach or back porch, preferably with a haunting didjireedo CD playing in the background.

[8]House as a Mirror of Self; Exploring the deeper meaning of home Clare Cooper Marcus , Conari Press, paperback.

Clare Cooper Marcus has based this book on over a decade of personal and professional research into how we feel about home and why we feel the way we do. Her expertise is founded on psychology and the viewpoint of this book is to help us understand how early emotional experiences affects our decisions about where and how we live as adults. This is a must read for every Feng Shui practitioner, as well as fascinating reading for anyone trying to find their own personal style. Filled with illustrations and individual case studies. A tad laborious in the beginning, stick with it and you will be glad you did.

[9] The Enlightened Heart, An anthology of sacred poetry Edited by Stephen Mitchell, Harper & Row, hardcover.

A wonderful selection of sacred texts from all religious beliefs. Many of these poems serve equally well as love songs. Guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings…your enlightened heartstrings, that is!

What books are on YOUR summer reading list? Do tell!

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Filed under Creativity & Future Projects, Dreaming, Feng Shui, Fun, Reading, Self Help

LUPINE FESTIVAL 2009

Lupine3

Stonington, Maine is having its annual Lupine Festival Weekend beginning tomorrow June 19 and continuing all weekend. My studio/ gallery will participate in the Lupine Loop. Stop by for cookies and tea!

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Filed under ART, Fun, Travel

DOES IT MATTER IF YOUR HOTEL ROOM IS A DESIGNER’S DREAM?

I’d like to know if you care about the way your home-away-from-home space looks and feels when you’re on vacation. Do you cringe at the thought of laminated hotel furniture? Will thread count make or break your memories of vacation? Is a marble bathroom crucial to your relaxation? Take my poll and tell us your hotel happy or horror stories in the comments section.

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Filed under Design, Feng Shui, Interior Design, Travel

DO RELAX, DO RENEW, DOminican REPUBLIC

The beach at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The beach at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Taking time off to replenish your Qi is good for the soul and important to a balanced life. I just returned from a week in the Dominican Republic at the NH Real Arena Resort in Punta Cana. Everything was included in the price (airfare, hotel, food & beverages…even tips!) so you could really kick back and relax. No worries. If a getaway is not in the budget right now, make time to take time off even if it’s to lounge in your own backyard. All you need is a good chair, a good book, and a blender drink.

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Filed under Feng Shui, Healing Energy, Health & Fitness, Qi