Feng Shui Long Island's Blog

I have been accused (and rightly so) of being an "Eternal Optimist" all my life.  And have been told to get my head out of the Clouds and my feet on the Earth, where they belong.  For many people, that is the way they were born or raised and I'm not sure where this particular trait comes from.  IS it something we are born with?  Or is it something that is instilled in us as Children, to reach for the Sky?  I know a few things:  that I was raised to at LEAST try to do what I had my heart set on, even if it was completely impractical and to be persistent.  Not to be competitive, but to do things for yourself.

Sometimes it has gotten me no where.  I LOVE to go out to the driving range and have always wanted to try and play golf.  I did, I just don't have the strength or enough information to overcome that (if there is a way).  I went for lessons and had the instructor tell me it just "wasn't my game."  Too bad! 

In teaching my children, though, I taught them to be every bit as impractical as I am.  And motivated.  I'm not sure if that was the BEST way, but it was my way.  There are some simple things we use for Children in Feng Shui (ah, you KNEW I was getting at that!) that I have found to be a great motivational tool for children.  And I ask my clients to use it and if their children are old enough, to have them participate.

I think of all the things I have learned in life, the hard knocks along with the wonderful learning experiences that have all contributed to what we have ultimately become.  We don't need to be reminded of the difficult times, they can stay with us so we don't make the same mistake again.  A Principle of Feng Shui (you KNEW I was getting there, right?) is "Get Your Name out to The Universe."  Practical advice, right?  We all do that by marketing and promoting ourselves and our professions.  But Fame is more then that:  It is not only who you are now but what you WANT to become and be known as.  Not only as a wonderful Agent, Stager or what your profession is but maybe also as a terrific parent.

Some of us create a "Fame" or what I like to call it, Accomplishment Wall for our children.  It is not a Feng Shui tool so much as a motivational tool that they see every day and are reminded of all they have already earned in life....as small as it may see at the time.  And they are never too young to start:

I love that children have personalized things.  Painting their name (for those who are creative) or putting it on the top of a wall, framed in RED is the first thing I suggest.  Many parents already have personalized things but put their name on TOP on a wall on their bedroom where they will see it every day.  And leave a space after that.

Then start adding the accomplishments that you may be tucking away, no matter how small it seems.  It could be a picture they have drawn that they are particularly proud of, a good report card, a small button they have received for some merit.  Remember, every thing they have won, they have EARNED.  Keep adding to the wall as they grow; the accomplishments get bigger as they do and when they realize all they have already accomplished, it spurs them on to try to accomplish more.

Why the space in between the name and the accomplishments?  It's likely the will change their minds as they grow on what they want to become (or bring into their lives).  These can be changed as often as necessary to address their latest passion...and attract to them what they are seeking NOW.

This wall, by the way, is not only for children.  How many of YOUR wonderful accomplishments and achievements have you tucked away because you no longer do them or use them?  You have earned every one of them.  And what do you want to bring into your life?  It doesn't have to be profound, it has to be something you want to do or try that you have not done yet in life.  I have been fortunate enough to have travelled many places in my life, but never got to Paris.  I won't give you three guesses to know what you'd find on MY wall.

Sounds just like the Vision Board that The Secret asks you to put up, doesn't it?  Try it, for yourselves and your children and see what comes into YOUR life. 

http://www.FengShuiLI.com

Many of us I believe from reading the wonderful MEME'sthat are posted have had many career changes during their lifetimes.  While some have had more then others, being on the Activerain Community has made me wonder if you truly LOVED the work you are doing now?  It is something you fell into or is it something, perhaps without reason, that you felt DRAWN to and decided to pursue?  Despite the difficulties you have encountered (or are Still encountering), you know and feel THIS is what you were meant to do?

Or is it a "stepping stone" to something that moves you closer to what it really is you desire to do?  For years I couldn't answer the question "What do YOU want to be when you Grow Up?" because I simply didn't know.  And while some of the professions I've had previously were interesting or I liked them for one reason or another, it wasn't to be something that was meant to last forever.

I am asked often by clients and others what led me to Feng Shui and I can only reply that I was absolutely drawn to it.  And in speaking with some of the Home Stagers, they were also 'working their magic' for others long before there was an official "name" for it.  Though they often encounter trials and some setbacks, they have a wonderful mindset of this is what they love and this is what they are going to DO.  Period!

Some of the Real Estate Agents I work with feel that way as well, even in a sometimes difficult market.  They LOVE what they do and it's not all about money.  They are thrilled to have found people a home, they also develop, establish and keep real relationships and friendships they have made with homeowners.  They are doing their work because they love it.

I wondered how many people on Activerain, who have all found ourselves together on this site for one reason or another, truly love what they do?  And if what started out to be a stepping stone into some other work, did they stay because they now love what THEY do?  I have always believed and always will that you will never fail at something you love.... 

Using Feng Shui can seem daunting.  If you read one book, you might understand it; read another and you'll start getting confused.  The harder you try to learn, the many different schools of thought you come against until you get lost.  Here are some of the different forms and schools of Feng Shui and why they're all SO different:

There are no early books on the subject because it wasn't permitted to be written. It was considered Sacred Information only to be passed down from Mentor to Student.  We estimate it's origins to be between 3 to 5,000 years old.  While it's called Feng Shui in China, people of Indian decent use Vastu or Vastu Shastra. Native Americans had their own form as they built in to the land and respected it.

The earliest form we know of is called The Form School. Having a Mountain behind you (to protect your back) and water in front (to bring in Good Energy), Feng Shui was initially used in wide open spaces in China to choose the most Auspicious Direction to bury a loved one. Later on, homes and businesses were also sighted this way.

Many consultants still use the Compass method, which of course goes by direction. Using your birth information and much other data they can choose the best direction to face your home or business.  It is confusing at best because everyone is different; what might work for one may not work for another in the home.  It is still widely used, however and with great success.

It was HH Holiness Professor Lin Yun, the most highly respected Feng Shui Expert in China who came to the United States in the early 1980's.  He is not only credited with bring Feng Shui to the United States, he is credited with developing what most of us use today called The Bagua Method. He saw that homes here were already built facing different directions and they couldn't ALL be "bad" Feng Shui.   He also teaches Black Sect Feng Shui and has provided the blessings that are such an essential part of a Consultation.  The Bagua Method is basically a "Life Station Map" for you to easily figure out where your areas are for Romance, Money, Health, Careers, an area called Helpful People, Children, Fame, Knowledge and Ancestors.  *the Blessings I refer to are NON Denominational.

Because the Black Sect method is so strict (such as having a bathroom in the Wealth area will flush your money away), there was a highly respected teacher of Western methods who only taught for a few years.  He gave simple and inexpensive solutions for Feng Shui "Difficulties" so a person would not have to renovate, not buy a home they love or move.  Since he only taught for a short time, many of the schools only teach a Black Sect method but it is impractical in today's world. And for any Realtors who might be reading, finding a consultant if your client asks it is best to have one who can practice with Western methods and NOT deter the sale of a home, something I have heard quite often!   Learning all the different methods is too confusing because they will all tell you a different thing.

There is also a matter of PERSPECTIVES.  What one consultant might see as a good Feng Shui perspective, another might see as harmful.  Having a fireplace in a Wealth area can be seen as the Element of FIRE, stimulating your money and absolutely igniting it to take off (my perception) or as having your money just burn and go up and out the shoot.  Can it GET any more confusing?  Yes :)  I have found practicing through the years that learning all the priciples which are so important and giving people simple and inexpensive things to do to change the energy, as well as the blessing is the most effective.  It is done with things like plants, mirrors, wind chimes and crystals and always done with INTENTION (aka The Law of Attraction, the very thing so many people resonated with in The Secret). 

This can give you an idea of WHY you are so confused and what you should look into depending on the difficulties you may be having.  The principles, the elements, and the cures are long and involved but there are EASY things which I can teach you to help you gain a knowledge.  Trying the Bagua method first (Google Bagua and print one out) can start you on your way....

Some important topics will be posted next....and if you're read this far, Congratualtions!!

http://www.FengShuiLI.com

Most of the clients I receive calls from have read a book (or two, or three) about Feng Shui.  They call either because the books confused them so much or some scare them so badly they are afraid to touch a thing.  No doubt there are many books out there that use scare tactics and to me, that's a shame.  Feng Shui is meant to make you feel better in your surroundings.  If you change something around and it just doesn't "feel right," change it back; believe me, nothing disastrous is going to happen to you!  And only YOU and other people that live in the house can actually tell how you feel in it; or can others sense it as well?

I love to show pictures when I am allowed because they often say more then a million words on Feng Shui.  This particular client had read some books and went to work on her home.  She changed it, readjusted it again and again until it felt good to HER.  It's interesting to note that she is a delight, full of good energy and loves the look and feel of her "new" place.  It's also interesting that her neighbors, who originally made fun of her new found passion in Feng Shui love the look as well!  She has created an new interest on the block.  And was kind enough to let me show her home.

Aside from a few Feng Shui principles, it DID feel good in there.  Although it may be difficult to see, she had a wonderful balance of The Elements and had what most homes often lack, FIRE.  Her couch placement was angled, it was originally flat against the window but blocked so much light; we are adding a plant there for both life force and to deflect the eye and aside from a few other principles, I didn't find much else wrong.  I did wonder, though, what a stager would think of the furniture placement, colors, and balance.  Do the different areas of the space make you feel like home?  Are there things you would change?

By the way, KUDOS to this lovely person on Long Island, New York for allowing me to share her home with you!

The piano on the right side takes up a lot of space but is often used by this musical family.

The living room opens to the dining room, also filled with light.

I love her use of color and angles.

Ceiling fans are notoriously bad for health in Feng Shui, particularly while sleeping.  It is called "Cutting Sha (Chi), the Energy from your body.

Everyone differs on colors for the kitchens but RED is the Auspicious color of Feng Shui and is enlivening and stimulating.  A good place to use Red is the kitchen.

Another view of the kitchen showing a balance of the Elements.

Does this home feel good to you?  I loved it, it exuded a warmth that I don't often find.   I wondered what others would change because we all have different perspectives.  I can tell you, though, it is wonderful to meet people who are so positive and happy! Feng Shui on Long Island, New York. 

http://www.FengShuiLI.com

I had a recent contact from someone in Parsippany, New Jersey.  I was a bit surprised because I primarily target the New York City and Long Island area and explained that I don't travel to New Jersey.  This lovely person was a referral and had heard about me; while speaking to her and hearing what she'd gone through in her home, I finally relented and agreed to go.

I couldn't have asked to meet a more lovely person who had been beset by problems since she moved into this house.  She is an accomplished designer, a genuine person---and a first time homeowner.  She lived in one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen in a lovely home on the edge of Lake Parsippany.  The problem?  Her "basement" flooded whenever it rained...it didn't just flood, it got FILLED with water.  She advised me that she had purchased the home as an "estate" sale and for that reason, there were no disclosure laws.  She had called an inspector prior to purchasing who advised her he found nothing wrong with the house. 

I put the word "basement" in quotes because to me, a basement is not only downstairs, but dark with small windows.  Not in this house; it was almost level with the ground and absolutely stunning to look out over that view she had. Until it rained.  She is a collector of beautiful, antique furniture and had all of it moved upstairs.  The upstairs of the home is so crowded you can't negotiate your way around.  She had spent thousands of dollars trying to fix the house and finally, almost a year has passed without a flood.

She asked me what to do, how to start to figure out how to set up the home again.  And it was a very difficult call.  It was hard to figure out how the furniture would fit downstairs when there was so much of it....and because it is older furniture, it is dark and heavy feeling.  I spent four hours there that day and we got through alot of things but it is overwhelming for her and she's likely to stay that way if she doesn't have help.  I offered to come back on a free weekend and she can have movers there.  We can set up the home, put it back into place and help her lighten it up.  Heavy furniture and too much of it "weighs" you down in life.

I took a few shots of the beautiful outside and you can imagine the views as the sun is setting or there is a full moon reflected in that lake.  I believe she's going to have the home she loved once again. 

As a postscript before I show you the house, I have to give credit here to a fellow Active-Rainer who wrote a wonderful blog a while back that stuck in my head.  This client's mother had knitted sweaters and she had them all....and they took up so much room but she said it was SO difficult to part with.  I remembered Sheron Cardin's wonderful blog that if you're finding it difficult to part with clothes when cleaning out your closet, take a picture of it---and get rid of it.  I ran the idea by her and she LOVED IT!  Thanks, Sheron for a great idea that helped this lovely woman! 

This shot was taken from the back of her lovely home....look at that VIEW!  Lake Parsippany, New Jersey

Lake Parsippany, New Jersey.The expanse of her beautiful backyard.  You can see the "basement" is almost level and provides a gorgeous view.

Parsippany, New Jersey.  The beautiful lake and some happy feathered friends.

My dream is to have this client happy in this beautiful house and I believe that's going to happen!  I will do a follow up after I go back.

UPDATE:  In the Black Sect version of Feng Shui we address an area called 'HELPFUL PEOPLE.'  It is one of the Life Stations on the Bagua Professor Lin Yun provided us and while much can be written about it, it is an important area to address....who couldn't use more helpful people in their lives?  I got an absolutely WONDERFUL contact from Home Stager I do not know from ActiveRain, Debra Brodhecker.  She had seen this post, lives 30 to 45 minutes away and offered to come and help myself and my client with her home...asking nothing in return.  If THAT'S not a helpful person, I don't know what is!  I called my client who actually got tears in her voice from the offer of help.  A public Thank You to Debra!

I hate to admit this, but I see it more often then not.  I am generally called in to give Feng Shui perspectives on homes for couples.  In years past the husbands were not home or made themselves scarce but now they WANT to hear and sit in on the consultations.

Often times there are disputes about what should go where, what kind of furniture will be purchased, how a home will be decorated and in what style.  And for some reason, when it's "home turf," the husbands always lose out---they don't get a say in colors to paint, furniture (or the way it is set up), any "decorating" decisions in the home.  I know I may get some flack over this, but I have to tell you, they are quite resentful; and rightly so I believe.  They live there too but women truly do Rule the Roost!

And some of these lovely couples, without realizing it, put me in the middle.  I stop them as soon as I see this is happening and give them a Feng Shui Perspective, telling them I do NOT take sides (this I learned the hard way, years ago).  But I do say this as well:

A HOME is your oasis, it is SHARED space and should be loved by BOTH of you.  Really, he might have an old, tired, ugly lounger that makes him happy---let him keep it as much as you don't like it, Ladies!  It's out of place, takes up too much room and doesn't go with the decor at ALL but it may be loved.  These are not what arguments should be about.  Your home doesn't have to rate a perfect scale of 10 in beauty but it DOES have to feel good for BOTH of you.  Share the decisions about everything in it and watch him really be happy to get home at night! 

I had NO intention of blogging about Feng Shui tonight....but I wondered if any of you had known about this and, if you didn't, thought you should.

In Feng Shui we relate LEAKS in a home to health issues, specifically blood flow in the body.  Clients will very often, about one third of the time, "spring a leak" after a consultation.   That's alot of people and many homes but it happens often enough that I will advise them prior.

We see the leak in a home as a GOODsign (costs of fixing it aside) as it means any negativity in the home is releasing.  Just as your body releases negative energy during Acupuncture, we believe homes (and buildings) release as well. 

I had an appointment today in Queens and late last night, went downstairs to throw the wash in....I haven't been downstairs since last week, the last time I did the laundry.  It's a finished basement and very nice, I just don't often spend any time in it. 

It WASN'T very nice last night.  I noticed the rug was soaking wet; and when I walked into the laundry room, saw that the dropped ceiling had indeed, dropped...to the dryer directly under it, the floor and everywhere.  It was soaking wet, many of my papers and pictures from my old camera were ruined and water was pouring down.  I found the main water line and shut it down but had a mess.....and no water.  Things I didn't know:  trying to find a plumber at 10pm is almost impossible, despite their ads of "on call 24-7."  The one I did finally find had a "night differential" and his charges were $163 to walk in the door for the first 30 minutes, $99 every 30 minutes after. 

I put up buckets, towels and tried very hard to sleep.  I HAD made some Feng Shui "Adjustments" to my home yesterday, but I am ALWAYS doing that!  I kept wondering if I had any negative energy in the home or just very bad pipes (this house is well over 100 years old). 

Having been up all night, I needed to cancel my appointment which I HATE to do or try to find a plumber when I got home.....I kept thinking if my thoughts were on MY house, I wasn't going to be able to help THEIR house very much.  My client couldn't have been nicer about it and she was kind enough to reschedule.  There must be a severe shortage of plumbers here on Long Island, I called at least 6 before one returned my call.....He came, finally and found the leak and gave me the price (OUCH!) to fix it.  And said that because the downstairs was so damaged, before I got mold I needed to call someone else in as well to help dry and clean and prevent mold from forming.

A few hours later a small team arrived...with Many Machines.  LOUD machines.  They have to stay for days, upstairs and down, running constantly.  So, bad plumbing or Feng Shui?  I'm not really sure but I DO know how my clients feel now, I know where the Water Main is to shut it off and I still believe that leaks relate to health and am glad I addressed it as soon as I could.  (That goes for dripping faucets, running toilets...); I am also glad I had these cleaners come because I know I won't get mold and can remind my clients to do the same. If the house DID have any energy, it's gone.....and soon the machines will be as well.

Please keep that in mind in your own homes and businesses.  If you develop a leak, even a small one, don't let it go, get it fixed as soon as possible.  Your health is more important then anything! 

On a blog I wrote not very long ago, someone asked me why I always head to Central Park when we have such a lovely park right here on Long Island, in East Meadow called Eisenhower Park.  I often drive through the park, it is a lovely ride but rarely stop IN it. 

The other day I was meeting a fellow Feng Shui consultant for lunch, a rare opportunity for both of us with our schedules.  It is a pleasure exchanging ideas, thoughts, perceptions and discussing various teachers we have studied (and still study) with.

Driving home I was "cutting through" the Park and decided to stop.  I remembered the last time I went there for a reason was to drive golf balls.  It's definitely NOT my strong suit, but I love it!  And it was a few years ago since they have a driving range near my home in Farmingdale now. 

So I stopped....and realized the difference between the parks. Eisenhower park IS lovely, especially at this time of year, but it is also quiet during a weekday---even at busy times like lunch and after dinner.  I also stopped at a very somber part of the park which is a memorial to all the veterans that have fought in the wars....there is a beautiful building in their memory and numerous statues and monuments to them. 

This are is not that far from a place I went to quite often growing up, The Harry Chapin Theatre, a lakeside theatre for the Town of Hempstead residents only.  During the summer they have wonderful concerts in a beautiful setting that are free.  And then of course, is the driving range---I watch HOW people drive balls and how far they go and then try to copy them.  It doesn't work but as long as I don't MISS the ball, I'm a happy person :)

Here's a few shots of that lovely afternoon:

The "Walls" are on either side, lined with names like they are in Washinton, DC

Another of the many, many statues and tributes to ALL our soldiers

The tributes are amazing

And the friends you come across....sometimes if you are really lucky you'll find a whole family!

I watch...and learn :)

This park is beautiful and a wonderful place for some solitude and thinking.....but if it's Energy you're looking for, Central Park is the place to go.

As mentioned in previous posts, the bathroom in Feng Shui is considered the WORST room in the house.  Why?  It has drains and many consultants see your money as being "flushed away"by all the drain energy.  Particulary if they are located in your WEALTH area.  Prospective buyers who LOVED a home have been persuaded not to buy one if there is a bathroom located there.

(As an aside, to find your WEALTH area in the home, stand at your front door.  Go to the Back Left Hand Corner of your home and check to see what's going on there.  Is there a light to "light" up your wealth or is there a dying plant.  This is NOT an area you want to mess around with. 

As another perspective, drains in a home are a normal part of any house.  So what to do if YOUR bathroom is in Wealth??  Well, first check to see if it has excessive drain energy---for example a jacuzzi that uses a lot of water.  If it does, you can make adjustments to this to deflect that energy away.  But for normal bathrooms, what can you do no matter where they are located?

Simple.  Keep the door closed.  The drain does not escape into other areas of the home.  If you've got a window in there, put a plant right on the tank. This deflects the drain energy with a healthy, growing object.  Look for a plant with rounded leaves, not a cactus or "Stalky" kind like a snake plant--we want a "flow."

And yes, I know this is a pain but keep the seat down. A further deflection away.  Give out points to the kids for remembering to keep the lid down, they LOVE those little stars :)  Your husband you might not get through to, you'll just have to follow him around!! 

Lastly, check the outside of the door.  It is often helpful to hang a mirror on the door but you have to check what it will reflect.  Will be be something pretty or the outside?  Or will it reflect another door?  Whenever you use a mirror you are intensifying the Energy of what it's reflecting so be careful with them.  And they MUST be bigger then your head.  If they are smaller, they will "cut off" your Aura, the Energy field around the body.

I think bathrooms have truly gotten a bad rap in Feng Shui.  They are more and more often being transformed into beautiful, spa like oasis which FEEL good.  Don't let the placement of one deter you from buying a home you love!  For every aspect of Feng Shui that may not be ideal, there is a way to correct it.

I am wondering if both the principle AND the corrections sound like they make sense?  Because Feng Shui DOES make sense :)  Feng Shui in Real Estate, Long Island, New York

It finally struck me that THIS should have been my very first Blog.  I receive an ever increasing number of emails about Feng Shui, I don't think I ever provided the basics for anyone!   While many of you on here know what Feng Shui is (and isn't), I have found there are at least as many misconceptions of it, what it is and why we do it. Not to mention why you would find a Feng Shui Consultant on a site for Real Estate!  We are in homes all the time.  I get an ever increasing number of personal emails with questions and thought I would try to address some of them.  Feng Shui principles MAKE SENSE.  And living a Feng Shui life is more of a lifestyle.

Let me start at the beginning.  Feng Shui is NOT a Science or Religion.  Feng Shui is simply thought of the "Mindful Art of Placement" in a space.  That space could be a home, an office, a corporation.  Feng Shui works with the Energy in your surroundings, just as Acupuncture works with the Energy in your body.  There are many different methods of Feng Shui but most of us use a Bagua which is thought of as a life map and addresses all major areas of your life.

It covers things such as Health, Wealth, Relationships (business and personal), Careers, Children, an area known as "Helpful People" (and where would we be without them?), your Fame, Family and Knowledge.  Feng Shui is estimated to be between three to five THOUSAND years old, so it's not a "new age" belief.  We believe you can enhance ALL these areas.  So how does all this relate to Real Estate, Homes, Staging, Redesign? 

Many Feng Shui consultants work with Real Estate agents to help promote the sale of a home and to attract listings.  Prospective buyers call us for a house they are thinking of purchasing, builders call for their diverse clients and what they DO and DON'T want in their new homes, we advise Real Estate Agents on what can help them with to sell a home or what might discourage a buyer from another culture from buying one, we arrange, rearrange or stage homes for sale seeking beauty and a good energy flow. 

A while ago I read a post that was relating to the feeling in a home.  THAT'S what we work with, creating good energy in a home through a variety of methods to make prospective buyers FEEL good in a home---and WANT it!  If you are a Real Estate Agent and working with an ever changing diverse market, there are some things people from different cultures do not want to see, even as they are pulling up to the house.  Feng Shui consultants work with homes in all aspects, just with different perspectives.

Whether you are staging, selling, building or renovating, having a knowledge of these principles can be very important to your clientele.  Having some knowledge of this gives you an edge when you come across those clients.  As it has gained in popularity tremendously over the years, it is likely that it will just keep growing-and growing.

Some people have asked me about the Blessings associated with Feng Shui.  These blessings I believe, ARE very powerful but are nondenominational and do NOT at all interfere with a person's religious beliefs. We use rice as a symbol of abundance...and rice (or birdseed, the newer, "greener" option) is also used at Weddings.  We also use Sage, something that Native Americans have known and used for thousands of years. They do not go against ANY religious beliefs.

 Others have expressed an interest in the "online" courses offered by some Consultants.  Since Energy is an intangible, I can't imagine how it gets transmitted online.  One on One Phone Consultations are effective to gain the knowledge you might be looking for to assist not only YOU but your buyers as well.  Individualized conversations cover Feng Shui Topics, Principles, learning how to use the Bagua so you can apply them to another space and actually giving the client a consultation to apply it to their OWN homes along with special advice and information for Real Estate Agents with an interest in the every changing market and to give themselves an edge.  At a fraction of the cost of an online course.  These are going to be offered soon as a ONE on ONE on the phone and a limited basis because they are time consuming....but you will learn and be able to apply the knowledge anywhere!

So why do OTHER people call consultants?  Believe it or not, there are Feng Shui emergencies!  We get calls from someone who wants to put a bid on a home, from someone beginning or in the middle of renovations, for new businesses and new construction and many calls from clients who are "uncomfortable" in their homes either because they see something, they hear noises or they have unusual electrical energy and believe they have spirits.  Some of these calls are from psychologists and therapists who actually think "out of the box."  They are educated, intelligent people and they can't ALL be imagining things.

There is no difficult mystery to Feng Shui, it's not difficult to understand (though if you've read the books it sure sounds like it) and you certainly don't have to believe in it to have it work.  Having an understanding of it in these changing times is going to become more and more essential. 

I think back to ten years ago when absolutely NO ONE knew what it was and look at the popularity it's gaining all the time.  I have always found it amazing that some people relate it only to one culture, particularly Chinese.  People from India use it and there it's called Vastu.  Native Americans were very mindful of their surroundings, the land, and even built into it so as not to disrupt it. People from Taiwan, Tibet, Japan and many other places all have the same principles and beliefs.  We just have a different perspective on a home or building then some others.

I wish I had written this earlier so some of you would know more about what we do and don't do.  What it is and what it isn't.  And how it relates so much to everything YOU do in selling. So I'm one of those people incorporating those "silly" crystals, wind chimes and plants into staging and redesigning, but trust me, they're there for a reason!  Working with Energy is very powerful.  And it honestly helps many people.

If you've tried to read the books and have just gotten confused, know that even I get confused by them!  There are many different methods to practice Feng Shui and some are very strict.  Years ago they had a handful of mentors to apply practical approaches to a "Feng Shui Problem."  What if the bathroom is located in the wealth corner?  Does it REALLY mean all your money is going to go down the drain?  If you're trained in a Black Sect method only, you will be told it IS and not to buy the home.  (The number one complaint I've heard from Realtors over the years is that at least one person in every office has someone who's heard of a home being turned down due to a Feng Shui Consultant).....They don't want to work with us, and I don't blame them a bit! But when you've also been trained using Western methods, there are such simple, easy things that can be done to turn the energy around! 

A key principle to remember is that it is not so much the actual changes that you make, it is the Intention put into those changes of what you'd like to create.  That's infusing it with Energy---positive Energy!  And if you believe in the law of attraction, there you have it.  Or even believe on focusing on the positive aspects of things. 

So give it a try!  You have nothing to lose and might just gain some valuable information along the way.  If  you think it's confusing, again, by the books it IS.  But the basic principles aren't at all; some are listed on my site and if you have any questions, please feel free to post them or email me.