Spirit of Feng Shui Newsletters

Newsletters

Autumn 2018

Feng Shui is much more than about the placement of furniture. It is about energy flow, both in the physical environment and within us. It is attuning to the rhythms of life as expressed by nature and learning from its wisdom. Fall Equinox, marks the first day when we transition from summer into autumn. Of the five elements of water (winter), wood (spring), fire/earth (summer) autumn is the element of metal. Metal relates to the eight trigram sectors of Tui – Children and Creativity and Chien – Helpful People, Benefactor. The shape is round. What insights can we derive from TUI and CHIEN to improve our lives?

There is crispness to the morning air now, the trees are turning color and leaves are falling. Yet, as certain vibrant flowers begin to fade, other flowers are beginning to emerge in the garden.

Author Eckhart Tolle, says “seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition.” From a Feng Shui perspective the energies of Tui and Chien are also about joy and love.

TUI: CHILDREN – CREATIVITY – JOY

Tui represents the time of gathering, of celebrating the fruits or results of our labor. North Americans celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving in October and November. In China, the mid-autumn Chinese Moon Festival is one of the most important festivals for the Chinese. The autumn moon is considered the brightest and fullest. In ancient times, the Emperors worshipped the Sun in spring and the Moon in autumn. Gazing at the Moon is therefore an ancient autumn tradition. In SE Asia, Diwali is a 5 day festival celebrating Light over Darkness.

Take the time to assess, acknowledge and embrace your professional and personal accomplishments. Joyfully Celebrate!

Decorate with round shaped objects such as pumpkins, persimmons, pomegranates (symbols of fertility and abundance)

Bask in the gentle rays of the Full Moon. Ask for her help to help you access your intuition and creativity.

CHIEN; HELPFUL PEOPLE – HEAVEN – LOVE

Feng Shui is not a religion but it is a deep spiritual practice and encourages connection to your personal experience of the Heaven realm; God, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Great Spirit, Source Energy, whatever your faith.

Helpful People can be clients who refer you, financial benefactors, friends/family who assist you when you need help. Firefighters, police officers, rescue teams during natural disasters are much welcome examples of Chien. Chien is also the invisible realm; helpers from Heaven.

Assess the quality of your Chien (Heaven) relationships and explore creative (Tui) ways to strengthen and express your bond on a regular basis. For me, dancing hula is a powerful way to connect to the Divine. It opens my heart like a flower to JOY and I direct the flow of LOVE and aloha to a specific area or person in need. Hula is my expression of prayer.

Strive to live in a state of Thanksgiving beyond one day a year – to moment to moment.

Thank Nature (sun, earth, moon, wind, rain, trees) for their magificence and ask for protection from Natural Disasters. This is on the top of my list for Disaster Prevention -to engage the Power of Nature to be my ally.

Whenever you have a choice – choose to be thankful: e.g. you are delayed in traffic due to construction – you can curse and be upset OR recognize the workers as being Helpful People and inwardly thank the workers for road improvement.

Are you experiencing mental, emotional, political, physical stresses? If so, this season of TUI and CHIEN is a powerful time. Shift from worry and distress by learning to ask for Help. Enter a state of continuous Thanks-giving and open the gate to joy.

Feng Shui and Energy Clearing are about transformation and balance. If you need help in any area of your personal or professional life, please contact me for a life enhancing consultation

Blessings of this season of TUI and CHIEN and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Autumn & Thanksgiving!

Terumi Leinow
Certified Feng Shui and Energy Clearing Consultant
www.spiritoffengshui.com
415-488-4580

Summer 2018

Happy summer solstice, the official first day of summer, June 21 and in Feng Shui the season of LI – Fame & Visibility. The element is fire and the color red. The mid summer season symbolizes Marriage (Relationships) and the element is EARTH.

California residents in particular are well aware of the destructive power of Fire with recent devastations in various areas of our state. Since mid May on the Island of HawaiʻI the Fire Goddess Pele has been spewing out Molten Lava destroying everything in her path. On the positive side, the lava flow is also creating New Earth. When you visit last yearʻs forest fire zones you will see signs of New Growth everywhere. Fire consumes and destroys creating pathways for new earth and new beginnings

In Feng Shui the Earth element relates to the stomach. The foods that we eat to nourish ourselves primarily come from the earth. This spring I attended a fascinating 5 day workshop at Esalen “Mind, Mood & Food” sponsored by the Center for Mind Body Medicine. Workshops were presented by Faculty members and also included NYTime best selling author Dr. Mark Hyman.

The emphasis was on being mindful that EVERYTHING we eat and drink (put into our stomach) affects our mood and the health of our brain.

Mind-body medicine is based on “the scientific understanding of the inextricable connection among our thoughts, sensations and feelings, and our mind, body, and spirit – between ourselves and the social and natural world in which we live. CMBM’s approach to wellness is grounded in practical, evidence-based skills for self-care, nutrition, self-awareness, and group support.

The 165 participants (primarily health care professionals of physicians, nutritionists, psychologists, nurses, dieticians were introduced to mind body skills such as meditation, biofeedback, guided imagery, and self-expression in drawings, words, and pictures. These tools “ are scientifically validated to reduce stress and restore physical and psychological health. The mind-body approach heals individual trauma and builds community-wide resilience.

As Dr. Hyman writes in the intro to his book “What the Heck Should I Eat” “you might be thinking I know what food is. Itʻs the stuff you eat to provide fuel for your body so you can live. But it is so much more. It is medicine. It is information. Food literally cntrols amost every function of your body and mind. And it connects almost everything that matters in our lives.

In Feng Shui mid summer season of Marriage (Kun) is all about relatonships. As Dr. Hyman further states “Food connects us to one another and to our bodies. It can reinvigorate our health, bring families together, restore vibrant communities, improvie and economy and the environment, reduce pollutin and even help our kids get better grades and avoid eating disorders, obesity and drug abuse. Food can even reduce porverty, violence, homicide and suicide. Our industrial food system drives many of these problems by enabling a natonal die of sugary, starch, overly processed, nutrient depleted foods laden with pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotiocs.

What you put on your fork is the most impotant thing you do every day. If you enjoy real, whole, fresh foods that you cook using real ingredients you are positively affecting everything around you. Food is the doorway to living well and loving well.”

In Feng Shui I also think of Fire as “our life force energy – vitality” and the foods we eat is a major contributing factor. Here are therefore some suggestions for this season of Li (Fire) and Kun (Marriage & relationships).

1. Consider your food “a medicine”. Ask yourself “would this food (drink) promote health or disease? Buy and eat real food which comes from the earth. Eliminate industrialized, hyper processed junk foods. Reduce gluten.

2. A) Choose healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, organic butter.

3. B) Consume lots of leafy greens daily. Journal of Alzheimer concludes that “people who eat more dark leafy greens have slower cognitive decline with age than those who eat the standard American diet”.

4. C) Grow some fresh herbs in your kitchen or garden such as mint, basil, cilantro, rosemary. These are all anti inflammatory, aids digestion and anti bacterial.

2. Practise Self Care which “is the heart of all Health Care” according to the Mind Body Medicine Institute. These include exercise, prayer, meditation, guided imagery, nutrition, relaxation. “Meditation and medicine come from the same Sanskrit root word meaning to ʻtake the measure ofʻ and “to care for”.

3. Get a minium of 7 hours sleep nightly as quality sleep is a cornoerstone to good health

In this season of Li and Kun ignite the fire of inspiration. Re-examine your relationship to food, which in its unadulterated form are magnificent gifts from the Earth to support your health, vitality and well being.

Happy Summer!

Terumi Leinow
Certified Feng Shui and Energy Clearing Consultant
www.spiritoffengshui.com
415-488-4580

Happy Spring Equinox (March 20) and Happy Chinese New Year, of the Rooster (January 28) - 2018

The years of the rooster are always marked by success for those who have taken patience and hard work on their projects or investments. This year they will be able to see the fruits of everything they have dedicated for their businesses to flow. It?s predicted that some governments will take a tough line generating authoritarianism and there may be threats of various kinds causing clashes between nations. Rooster individuals are those born in 1933, '45, '57, '69, '81, '93, 2005, '17. They are said to be direct and talkative, hardworking, resourceful and courageous. Rooster individuals are good at managing money for self and others and loyal to friends and family.

CHEN: WOOD & WIND ELEMENT
In Feng Shui, this is the CHEN season and the element is WOOD. It symbolizes renewal, reawakening and rebirth. It's also associated with FAMILY, our connection to the future and allows us to plan, initiate and design in all areas of our lives. Wood provides us the vision and foresight to move ahead, to express our true nature and manifest ourselves in the world. WOOD is also associated with WIND, which can burst through and overcome obstacles. Wind can be sudden and violent, unpredictable and destructive as we have experienced during our fierce winter storms. At the same time, wind carries the seeds of life with it and spreads new life. It penetrates and overwhelms or gently massages with the breeze. It's the paradox of Wood that it can both destroy or create momentum to move forward. The essence of CHEN - Wood is renewal and rebirth. It gives us the ability to feel the freshness of life and the sense of hope. Wood allows us to be well rooted in the past, stand tall in the present and connects us to the future.

CHEN: GREEN
In California, springtime - CHEN is the most beautiful season when the hillsides have transformed into a magnificent GREEN. The color green therefore symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness and fertility. What happens to the body in the presence of green? It's said that your pituitary gland is stimulated, muscles become more relaxed and you feel more calm. Green therefore has great healing power. It is the most restful color to the human eye and it's also the color of action. Green is everywhere - the most common color in the natural world. It's the color we associate with money, prosperity, the environment, revitalization and rebirth.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CHEN SEASON

RENEW AND STRENGTHEN
Abundant winter rains caused many tree roots to weaken and trees to topple. Soil erosion produced numerous slides and road closures. In February, I had three friends who fell - two of whom sustained spinal injuries.
Look for ways to strengthen and stabilize. Professionally, this is the season to review company vision and mission statements. What new projects, plans and activities do you wish to initiate? How will you coordinate your ideas into change and action?
Personally, review what areas of your life need renewal and strengthening. Commit to a program that will assist you in these areas.
Over the past year, I began working with the Vasper technology. Vasper is a revolutionary exercise and rehabilitation technology using cooled compression interval training that boosts personal fitness, athletic performance and healing in a low impact 20 minutes workout. It increases strength and energy, expedites recovery from injury, improves cardio health and more. For information, go to: www.vitalityforlife.org OR www.healus.com (click on treatments). I like that it only takes 20 minutes and produces positive results.

GREEN FOR HEALING
Go out in nature and practice "forest bathing". For individuals working in office buildings locate a nearby park or waterway and take a restorative noon hour stroll in nature.
Shinrin-yoku is the Japanese practice of Forest Bathing. Shinrin-yoku translates to "taking in the forest atmosphere....or forest bathing". It refers to the process of soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of a natural setting to promote physiological and psychological health. It differs from hiking or informative nature excursions because it centers on therapeutic aspects. While a nature walk's objective is to provide informational content and a hike is to reach a destination, Shinrin-yoku gives participants an opportunity to slow down, appreciate things that can only be seen or heard when one is moving slowly and take a break from daily life stresses. Studies have found that forest bathing subjects had lower blood pressure, boosted immune system, reduced stress, increased energy flow and more. In Japan and Korea, forest therapy modalities are integrated into their medical system and are covered by insurance!

SPARK JOY
Nourish your heart by engaging in activities that spark joy!
Borrow the phrase "does this spark joy" from Marie Kondo's "Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" in making choices. For a bountiful garden, compost and nutrients needs to be added for soil renewal and nourishment. In the same way, CHEN is the season to engage in activities that helps you renew and revitalize yourself, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Wishing you a vibrant season of renewal. Blessings of the Chen Season.

Call for help in an Energy Spring Cleaning. It' like removing the weeds from the garden and using the transformative power of Feng Shui to plant new seeds of whatever you desire in yourr elationships, prosperity, creativity, health and more.

Blessings of the winter season December 20, 2017 referred to as KAN – Career in Feng Shui and the element of Water.

It is traditional during this celebratory time of Hanukkah, Christmas, to decorate our indoor and outdoor environments with bright, colorful lights and more. This creates a cheerful festive element to counteract the shorter days and longer nights and the spiritual symbolism of “the light” to signify love, wisdom and hope.

In Feng Shui we often use objects such as Lights, crystals, wind chimes, green plants, water features and more as specific “cures”. For instance notice that many Asian banks will have a huge water fountain at the front entrance of their building. Water signifies sustenance. Our career “sustains us and our families”. The prime purpose of applying Feng Shui principles to homes and commercial enterprises is to ensure the health and well being. When something is out of balance in the areas of start up, finances, reputation, relationships, creativity, children, health, career, etc. we intentionally apply specific objects to ENHANCE the areas of your life where you are desiring positive shifts and changes.

ORCHIDS are one of my favorite Feng Shui cures that I recommend for clients. This newsletter is therefore devoted to the topic of orchids. In Feng Shui orchids symbolize fertility, purity, love, beauty, elegance, wealth and joy so that they can be placed in virtually any area of your home and business to enhance that aspect of your life. Orchids are among the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant families, with over 800 described genera and 25,000 species.

The Bagua or Eight Trigrams by which most Feng Shui Schools determine the location of areas related to Family, Wealth, Fame, Relationships, Children, Helpful People, Career, Knowledge are made up of symbols related to the revered “I Ching: Book of Changes” (around 800 BC) I found it fascinating that one of the earliest references to orchids appears in the “I Ching” where it refers to orchids as the King of fragrant plants. Confucius had a special affection for the orchid: “the orchids grow in the woods and they let out their fragrance even if there is no one around to appreciate it. If you are in the company of good people, it is like entering a room full of orchids.”

Fragrant orchids:
• Phalaenopsis violacea
• Zygopetalum
• Cymbidium Golden Elf
• Maxillaria tenuifolia
• Miltoniopsis santanaei
•Oncidium Sheery Baby & Twinkle Fragrance
• Vanda: Mostly fragrant although some only slightly perfumed
• Zygopetalum: Most Zygopetalum orchids are fragrant, have attractive flowers and are highly hybridized
• Cymbidium: Some species are highly perfumed (chinensis, tracyanum, canaliculatum, hookerianum), while some are not, the same goes for the Cymbidium hybrids.

How and Where to Place Orchids:

Front Entrance (Outdoors)

Cymbidium orchids (best kept outdoors) at your front entrance will add vitality, beauty and a welcoming presence. Front entrance is often in the CAREER sector so it can also symbolize bringing vitality to your career.

Wealth & Prosperity: Place a purple orchid in the wealth sector of your home or office (upper left area) to enhance wealth. During the Victorian era orchids were considered symbols of luxury. This was probably because these were rare flowers found in the Tropics so only the rich could afford them. In ancient Japan, the flowers were treasured by the royalty, and were considered symbols of wealth. Purple orchids also symbolize royalty and admiration, and were traditionally given as a sign of respect

• Marriage & Relationships: To enhance or attract relationships, place a pink, peach or apricot colored orchid in your Relationship area (upper right area). The name orchid is derived from the Greek word “orkhis” named by Theophrastos, a Greek botanist who thought that the fleshy underground tubers resembled the male anatomy. One of the major orchid genera is Paphiopedilum. The name is derived from the word “Paphos” which is the name of the temple where the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, was worshiped. The pink orchid is the traditional flower of a couple’s 14th and 25th wedding anniversary.

Fragrant Orchids: To improve air quality in any room, consider the addition of a fragrant orchid. Phalaenopsis violacea, Oncidium Sherry Baby and Twinkle Fragrance, most zygopetalum species are fragrant.

Consider attending an Orchid Society meeting in your area to learn more about the fascinating and world of orchids. They will reward you with year round beauty, joy, light, elegance and grace!

Autumn 2017
On Friday, September 22 we officially say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn. In Feng Shui this is the season of TUI - Children & Creativity and the emotion is joy. It is also the season of CHIEN - Helpful People - Heaven - strength. The element is metal and the colors are white and grey. We now enter a period when our ideas moves inward and inner growth begins. It is also a time of harvest and celebration.
As mentioned before, Feng Shui is so much more than about furniture placement. We derive lessons from the seasonal changes and the cycle of life to assist us in living a more harmonious life. What applications therefore can we derive from TUI and CHIEN?

TUI: Antidote to Stress
We indeed live in stressful times. The Mayo Clinic says that “stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings and behavior. Stress left unchecked can contribute to many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Engaging TUI can be a stress antidote. For instance, what positive behaviors can we learn from Children?

Present Moment: Notice that happy children are present moment focussed. The crying ones are often wanting something in the future or upset about what happened in the past. Whenever I feel stress I realize that Iʻve stepped out of the present moment and often worrying about something in the future such as the long unfinished “to do” list. Author Eckhart Tolle says: “The power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment. You create a good future by creating a good present”. Practice being in the moment.
Move the Body: Notice that young laughing children are generally on the move actively engaged in something they enJOY. Itʻs been said that “sitting is the new smoking”. Therefore move your body, even for a few minutes, rotating hips, arms, taking deep breaths. Movement circulates oxygen flow throughout your body giving you more vitality.
Meaningful Activities: Children easily protest against engaging in activities they do not want to do and gravitate readily to what they like. I often ask clients who are in stress and overwhelm, “what activities can you eliminate and say NO to and what do you want to say YES to?” It is vital for your well being to engage in activities that bring you JOY.

CHIEN: Helpful People
Among the horrific tragedies of Texas, Florida and beyond there were numerous accounts of “Helpful People”. So many people showing up to form human rescue chains, using their own boats to search and help people, animals and so much more. It was heart warming to read about and to see “random acts of kindness” in the middle of so much grief and stress. Closer to home my stepdaughter Shanti experienced severe flooding on acres of freshly planted crops on their Arizona farm during an unexpected summer flash flood. She and her husband were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and generosity from neighbors, community and strangers. They personally had firsthand experience of Chien: Helpful People. Shanti remarked that every act or note of kindness made a profound impact and encourages everyone “to do something however small” to help others in the face of tragedy.

Kindness: Wayne Dyer says: “whether a tsunami, earthquake, hurricane or any kind of disaster, it brings out our original true nature which is reverence for all life, kindness, simplicity, caring and serving. We show our love for God by serving one another. There are miracles to remind us how fragile and precious life is. Research has shown that a single act of kindness towards another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Kindness extended, received or observed beneficially impacts the health and feelings of everyone involved.” Remember to also practice self-kindness!

I encompass all of the suggestions above for learning from TUI and CHIEN when I dance hula: I move my body, am present moment focussed and feel joy. I help add more Divine Love into the atmosphere from the inspired songs written by my Hula Master as his compositions are reminders about how we are all connected and joined together in the spirit of love and Aloha.
Wishing you ease, joy and kindness.

Happy Summer Solstice June 20 - 2017, the official first day of summer. In Feng Shui this is the season of LI - Fame & Visibility. The element is fire, the color red. Mid summer symbolizes Marriage (Relationships) and the element is Earth.

This spring I lectured on “The Feng Shui Dynamics of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)” and here is a condensed version:

Whatʻs the relationship between Feng Shui and IPM? Feng Shui derives its principles from observing and applying the universal life principles of Nature. IPM uses integrated, environmentally sounds ways to keep pests from annoying you or damaging plants. Itʻs focussed on long term prevention, seeks to reduce pollution in our waterways and is safe for our health and the environment. IPM applies physical, cultural and biological techniques and as a last resort uses least toxic chemicals in the home and garden.

Feng Shui and IPM both seek to “live in harmony with the environment” by creating a yin/yang balance to promote optimum health and harmony.

WOOD
The spring time wood element symbolizes vitality, growth and new beginnings and the color is green. In the garden, however, when you experience sudden or rapid spurts of growth, the plant often attracts aphids. Slugs are also another pest in the garden.

IPM approach - prune infested leaves/stems, knock aphid population off by spraying with strong streams of water. Encourage beneficial insects. For slugs: handpick, apply copper barriers and/or diatomaceous earth. Set out non toxic traps at night such as an open grapefruit or small container of beer and remove in the morning.

FIRE
Summer is about expansion, regeneration, play and the color is red. Fire such as the lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii continues to produce new EARTH.

In IPM, choosing right plant for right place is an important principle to follow as plants that are well suited to their location (shade plants for shady area, sun loving plants for sunny locations) will establish quickly and have a strong root system. Healthy plants are better equipped to withstand problems and less likely to become diseased. My Woodacre oak/bay tree shaded garden wonʻt grow healthy tomatoes. However, putting cherry tomatoes in large pots on the patio deck area which receives 6 hours of sun is a good solution.

EARTH
In Feng Shui the Earth element provides support, stability, nourishment and relates to ALL our Relationships with both the visible and invisible worlds. Colors are: pink, peach, apricot, yellow, orange and brown.

In IPM, healthy soil is the key to growing success. Know the condition of your soil and add amendments such as compost to improve the quality. Make your own compost from kitchen scraps or purchase compost from garden nurseries and enrich your soil. Compost restores vitality to depleted soil and helps plants grow better by holding on to nutrients and water. It reduces the needs for chemical fertilizers.

METAL
In Feng Shui, autumn is Metal - a time of contraction, gathering and condensing. It relates to Children and Creativity.

In IPM, one way to ensure an abundant harvest is to attract beneficial insects. Beneficials are insects that kill pest insects. Green lacewings devours thrips, mealybugs, scale, spider, aphids, mites. Dragonflies eats mosquitoes; their larvae live in water. Ground beetles eats slugs, cutworms and root maggots; they hunt at night and hide in soil under mulch. Butterflies and bees are great pollinators.

Consider planting nasturtiums (which release airborne chemicals that repels insects). French marigolds deters thrips & whiteflies while petunias repels aphids. Basil repels house flies and mosquitoes. Installing a small round water fountain promotes creativity in Feng Shui and attracts beneficials such as dragonflies to the garden.

WATER
Water can be dynamic or still and symbolizes career and the ease of opportunity flowing to you both professionally and personally. With the amount of rainfall we had this past winter/spring, it is vital that you check around your home exterior and empty ALL standing water from drains, ornamental plants, containers as Mosquitoes breed in even a tablespoon of water.

PESTICIDES
When all of the healthy garden practices listed above fail and you must apply a pesticide/herbicide choose those that are less toxic to the environment such as pyrethrin (from chrysanthemums) insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils such as neem oil and diatomaceous earth. IPM also rose from the concern of finding highly toxic organophosphate pesticide run offs in our water ways.

A helpful resource to help you with all garden concerns: www.ipm.ucdavis.edu

In the month of May I was in Lucerne, Switzerland and the quaint village of Kisslegg, Germany. Strolling the pastoral countryside, I was struck by the proliferation of bird sounds and its varieties. Both countries are conscientious about their stewardship with nature and limit the use of mass spraying of glyphosate chemicals such as Roundup that disrupt wildlife.

Feng Shui and IPM are about living in harmony with the environment. Letʻs take the steps to make healthy choices when dealing with garden pests to create a safe environment for our children and pets. As Yogananda said “change yourself and you have done your part in changing the world”.

CONSULTATIONS:
Feng Shui and Energy Clearing is like clearing the weeds from your garden then using the power of Feng Shui to plant life intentions for whatever you desire and deserve. If you need help, please contact me for a consultation.

Client testimonial: “My experience with you was very beautiful and powerful at the same time. Such a blessing. I woke up refreshed for the first time in awhile. Gratitude.”