Event Calendar

Do The Feng Shui Fling

Carol M. Olmstead, FSIA

Feng Shui Master Practitioner

www.FengShuiForRealLife.com

On New Year’s Day, I posted this tip on my Feng Shui For Real Life page on Facebook: Do the “Feng Shui Fling.” Take a large plastic trash bag, move quickly through your home, and fling 27 things into the bag. Include things you don’t need, don’t want, or don’t know why you are keeping. Get rid of those empty holiday gift boxes and wrapping, open drawers and cabinets, dig down under the sink, go through your closets and cabinets. Don’t analyze, don’t hesitate…just fling. Then take the bag right out to the trash before you change your mind.

Why do you need to fling 27 things into the bag? Three is an especially auspicious number in Feng Shui, and because the number 27 includes multiple sets of three, your Feng Shui Fling will be especially prosperous. Do the Feng Shui Fling on New Year’s Day, and once a week this month, then stand back to enjoy the good things that flow into the open spaces you have created.

Do I practice what I preach? Last year, my big New Year’s Day “flinging” project was the garage. As it is for many people, my garage occupies the Helpful People area of the bagua. Helpful People is located in the lower right hand corner of your home, and this is the area that relates to your clients, mentors, and travel plans, and in general is important for attracting people who will support you as you move toward your life goals. But how many of us can say we keep this Area clutter-free on a daily basis?

The big garage clean out took a lot of trash bags set up for recycling, donations, and just plain trash, but by the end of the day the garage was clean, open, and beautiful, with ample open and clear space to allow new energy to flow throughout this critically important area. The added benefit was that the garage could comfortably fit both cars.

The Feng Shui result? In the first week of that year, my book, the Feng Shui Quick Guide For Home and Office went international when I received an unexpected large order of books from an international library service. That same week I was contracted to work for two new clients. Was it cause and effect or simply coincidence? I invite you to clean out your garage, or any other space that’s a clutter magnet in your house, and see for yourself. And to keep your good chi energy flowing throughout the year, it’s a good Feng Shui practice to schedule a clearing project not only on the first day of the year, but on the first day of every month.

For New Year’s Day 2013, my clutter-clearing project was my office closet. What will happen as a result this year? Stay tuned, I’ll post results in a future article.

You can subscribe to the Feng Shui For Real Life E-zine at www.FengShuiForrealLife.com.

Carol M. Olmstead, FSIA, is a Feng Shui Master Practitioner, author, and speaker who has taught thousands of clients, students, and readers the simple secrets of using Feng Shui to improve their lives. For more than 15 years, Carol has practiced a contemporary version of Feng Shui that honors the essence of its Chinese heritage, but focuses on the practical applications for our culture today. She works with clients nationally and internationally, both on-site and by remote consultation. Carol is author of two books, the 365 Feng Shui Secrets e-book, and the award-winning Feng Shui Quick Guide For Home and Office – Secrets For Attracting Wealth, Harmony, and Love, available at Amazon.com and the Feng Shui Emporium.

Connect with Carol at:

Free Feng Shui E-zine: http://bit.ly/FreeEzine

Website: www.FengShuiForRealLife.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/FengShuiForRealLife

Blog: www.FengShuiForRealLifeBlog.com

YouTube: http://bit.ly/FengShuiVideos

Twitter: @FengShuiMaven

Join the Feng Shui 360 Community: http://bit.ly/FengShui360

January 20, 2013 | Jim

Feng Shui Tips

Feng Shui Weight Loss Tips

Carol M. Olmstead, FSIA

Feng Shui Master Practitioner

www.FengShuiForRealLife.com

If you made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, and could use a little help sticking to it, these Feng Shui tips are for you. Whether you want to get rid of a few extra pounds from eating all those holiday cookies or make a major improvement in your health, a little Feng Shui goes a long way in helping you reach your goal.

Hide Your Kitchen From View. If your kitchen is in a direct line with your front door, or if it’s the first room you see when you enter the house, it may encourage eating. Keep the kitchen door closed or hang a mirror or artwork near the door to distract your eye away from the room.

Use Blue Plates. Blue is the color of the Water Element that has been shown to slow down the body by reducing blood pressure and pulse rate. The term “Blue Plate Special” was popularized during the Depression when restaurant owners found that diners were satisfied with a smaller portion of food when it was served on a blue plate.

Avoid the Color Red. Restaurant owners know that the color red stimulates the appetite and they use it generously in their décor. But in your home, it’s best to avoid using a red tablecloth or placemats and instead use blue, black, or floral patterns for your table coverings, which represent the flowing Water Element.

Remove Clutter. Clutter keeps you stuck in a rut, and a kitchen that’s overwhelmed with “stuff” can psychologically add weight. Clear the clutter from your pantry, cabinets, drawers, counters, and refrigerator to lighten your kitchen and, consequently, your weight.

Clear Your Closets. Get rid of old clothes you have been saving for “when you lose weight,” because if you hold on to clothes that don’t fit, it symbolizes holding on to old behavior patterns. Instead, get rid of the clothes you can’t wear and you will make room for new clothes — in smaller sizes — to flow into the space you open up in your closets.

Add Mirrors. Hang mirrors in strategic locations in your home to reflect your body and reinforce your resolve to change your image. For example, try placing a mirror on the door of the cabinet where you keep the “snack” food, or even the refrigerator door to stop yourself before you snack.

Vary the Yin and Yang. Vary the color and texture of the foods you eat and the containers you serve them on. Balance the yin and yang by placing light colored foods in brightly colored containers, and serving a mixture of hot and spicy foods with lighter and milder foods. Since fruits and vegetables are the most colorful foods, when you mix their colors, you naturally make healthier choices.

Remove Blocks to Weight Loss. Locate your workout equipment in a room where you will actually use it. For example, if your treadmill is located in an unheated garage, it’s unlikely you will venture out there in the cold months. Also, if you have exercise equipment that you no longer use, it sends a negative message of weight loss failure rather than a motivating message. Sell or donate it, and invest in a weight loss program you will actually follow, like a gym membership or workout videos.