* In the year of the Tiger you will find a generally troublesome influence coming from the Southwest direction bringing with it difficulties and obstacles. If this part of your home or business is very active such as an entrance, family room or living area and even the master bedroom, then this energy needs to be dealt with by placing an all metal wind chime or metal prayer bell in this area – particularly during the month of May.

* Good health is always given a top priority, for without your health and vitality it is difficult to maintain harmonious relationships and a vibrant career. In 2010 the Northeast resonates with the force of sickness. This is also particularly strong during the month of May. Therefore you will require a string of six metal coins to be placed in this area, and this is particularly important if your bedroom, kitchen, main door or a major thoroughfare is located in that sector. Alternatively you can place the Wu Lu also known as the Calabash in this area.

* Another destructive and scandalous influence is arriving from the Southeast. Hence, it is best to place three or four bamboo stems (those that grow in water only) in a clear glass vase within the Southeast sector of your home. It is best if you don’t introduce stones and pebbles into the vase of this particular feng shui cure.

* The energy of arguments is located in the South during the coming year and so it could be valuable to place a red object or the more traditional option of red paper in this area to help minimize this negative influence.

* Finally, do not sit with your back against the North, especially whilst you are working. It is also not advisable to carry out large-scale construction work on established homes in the Northeast for the coming year. Place the Dragon Tortoise to face the Northeast direction as a symbolic measure of protection against the Grand Duke during 2010.

I hope you all stay well and happy throughout the year and that the above Feng Shui cures implemented during the year of the Golden Tiger will allow your plans to unfold smoothly and successfully.

To discover authentic Feng Shui Cures from renowned Feng Shui expert and author, Juliana Abram, visit http://www.fengshuicures.org

Have you ever been into a house that felt so peaceful and serene? Have you ever wondered why at times everything ran so smoothly as if an unseen hand is moving obstacles away from you? It is not just luck that most people would say it is. All these are due to good feng shui.

Feng shui is energy or “chi” and is an ancient art of placement of energy to improve harmony, health, longevity, wealth, career, etc. In fact, almost everything revolves around energy. Nowadays, feng shui is practiced by people worldwide.

Here are 10 good feng shui basic tips that you can easily practice to bring harmony and stability to your home:

1. Do not enter your home with your shoes on. Shoes are considered to have bad “chi” (energy).
   
2. Shoes are not to be openly placed at the main door of your house. Keep them in a shoe cupboard with its door closed.
   
3. Do not sleep next to the toilet wall.
   
4. Keep your bathroom and toilet doors closed and keep the toilet lid down.
   
5. Do not sleep with your feet facing the bedroom door. This stemmed from the practice of taking dead bodies out of a room with the feet first. Live people should be taken out with the head first.
   
6. Do not occupy or buy a house which faces the sharp edge of the roof of a house. The sharp edge represents a knife pointing towards you and your home, denoting unrest and instability.
   
7. Feng shui baguas are placed outside your house to ward off evils and bad “chi’. They should never be placed inside the house as the effects could be devastating to those in the house.
   
8. Keep your knives out of sight. This also serves as a security measure
   
9. Have a meal together with your family at home at least once a day. This symbolizes harmony in the family and home.
   
10. Windows, whenever practical, should be opened for at least twenty minutes daily to allow energy to flow into the house.

Practice the above basic info and you will notice how your life will change for the better.

Ken Soh has been practicing feng shui for many years. He has used this ancient Chinese art of placement of energy to enhance his personal and financial life as well as that of his friends. For more amazing feng shui secrets, go to http://fengshuireview.com

People often ask whether or not apartments apply the same Feng Shui principles as houses. The answer is, yes. Another popular question is whether or not apartments automatically have bad Feng Shui. The answer to that is, no.

What makes apartments more challenging to enhance or correct than houses:

· There is no land or outside environment to remedy or control. Sometimes the most effective remedies for health and prosperity are things you do to the space just OUTSIDE your home. With an apartment, the focus has to be totally with the interiors.

· There are some limits with apartment living when it comes to your neighbors. Sharing walls with people can subject you to sounds and smells that you would have an easier time separating yourself from in a house (although not necessarily!) Clients in houses have told me numerous upsetting stories about neighbor disputes from all sides.

· Some ideal Feng Shui remedies involve structural changes. These too are usually limited or not allowed at all in apartment living. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to ask. When I was married and in our first apartment, we had a very dark entrance at the top of the stairs. My husband asked the landlord if he could install a skylight at our own expense and the landlord agreed. It was easy and cheap for my husband (the architect) to do, and the landlord knew it was an improvement to the property.

APARTMENTS CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAN HOUSES

The front and back of any structure has to be identified before complete analysis can be made. In Feng Shui, we call the front side “facing” and the back side “sitting.” This is not always obvious. In fact, most of the time, an apartment FACES its window side. The brighter, more yang side of the apartment is often looked at as the face and windows the eyes looking out.

Apartments often have less than ideal entrances. They are usually dark (coming from the building’s interior hallway). In small apartments, the kitchen is sometimes the first room you see when entering. It is generally better when the kitchen is not the first room you see because of a Pavlovian effect. It is also better when a kitchen has an exterior window.

Aside from some of the things just mentioned, apartments can have just as good or better Feng Shui than a house, depending on other compensating features. Is there a lucky floor you can choose in a multi-level building? Feng Shui numerology suggests picking a floor that matches your personal Trigram. (Based on your birth date) Since I value practicality over everything, my suggestion is to be as far away as possible from the garage entry gate or the building’s trash dumpster! The top floor will have the best views and this can make the same size apartment feel bigger. This is one reason why they are usually more expensive to lease.

Kartar Diamond has written hundreds of Feng Shui articles since she began her consulting practice in 1992. Many of those articles are just now being uploaded to the internet, but have appeared in Kartar’s on-going e-newsletter since 1996. You can join her monthly newsletter and find out more about all the services Kartar provides by going to http://www.FengShuiSolutions.net

Kartar Diamond received her education primarily from Master Larry Sang, founder of the American Feng Shui Institute and she has since become one of his most famous graduates.

People often ask whether or not apartments apply the same Feng Shui principles as houses. The answer is, yes. Another popular question is whether or not apartments automatically have bad Feng Shui. The answer to that is, no.

What makes apartments more challenging to enhance or correct than houses:

· There is no land or outside environment to remedy or control. Sometimes the most effective remedies for health and prosperity are things you do to the space just OUTSIDE your home. With an apartment, the focus has to be totally with the interiors.

· There are some limits with apartment living when it comes to your neighbors. Sharing walls with people can subject you to sounds and smells that you would have an easier time separating yourself from in a house (although not necessarily!) Clients in houses have told me numerous upsetting stories about neighbor disputes from all sides.

· Some ideal Feng Shui remedies involve structural changes. These too are usually limited or not allowed at all in apartment living. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to ask. When I was married and in our first apartment, we had a very dark entrance at the top of the stairs. My husband asked the landlord if he could install a skylight at our own expense and the landlord agreed. It was easy and cheap for my husband (the architect) to do, and the landlord knew it was an improvement to the property.

APARTMENTS CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THAN HOUSES

The front and back of any structure has to be identified before complete analysis can be made. In Feng Shui, we call the front side “facing” and the back side “sitting.” This is not always obvious. In fact, most of the time, an apartment FACES its window side. The brighter, more yang side of the apartment is often looked at as the face and windows the eyes looking out.

Apartments often have less than ideal entrances. They are usually dark (coming from the building’s interior hallway). In small apartments, the kitchen is sometimes the first room you see when entering. It is generally better when the kitchen is not the first room you see because of a Pavlovian effect. It is also better when a kitchen has an exterior window.

Aside from some of the things just mentioned, apartments can have just as good or better Feng Shui than a house, depending on other compensating features. Is there a lucky floor you can choose in a multi-level building? Feng Shui numerology suggests picking a floor that matches your personal Trigram. (Based on your birth date) Since I value practicality over everything, my suggestion is to be as far away as possible from the garage entry gate or the building’s trash dumpster! The top floor will have the best views and this can make the same size apartment feel bigger. This is one reason why they are usually more expensive to lease.

Kartar Diamond has written hundreds of Feng Shui articles since she began her consulting practice in 1992. Many of those articles are just now being uploaded to the internet, but have appeared in Kartar’s on-going e-newsletter since 1996. You can join her monthly newsletter and find out more about all the services Kartar provides by going to http://www.FengShuiSolutions.net

Kartar Diamond received her education primarily from Master Larry Sang, founder of the American Feng Shui Institute and she has since become one of his most famous graduates.

You may have spent generous amounts of time and money decorating the “public” spaces in your home. Living rooms, great rooms, kitchens and powder rooms are often considered top priorities because these are the spaces most commonly inhabited by guests. However, it is even more important to consider the design and decor of your bedroom.

Although you may be the only person who ever uses this space, the principles of Feng Shui hold that bedrooms are crucial because they express our most personal traits and impact the way we sleep, feel and interact with the outside world. Follow these tips to help create the bedroom of your dreams:

•Put your bed in the “command position.” This places the bed as far from the door as possible while still allowing you to see the door from the bed. However, it is important that the bed not be directly opposite the doorway. The back of the bed should be against a wall or in a diagonal corner position. If your bed will not fit into the room’s command position, hang a small mirror so that you can see a reflection of the doorway from your bed.

•A solid headboard symbolizes solid support in your life.

•Do not store anything under your bed. This practice creates stagnant, blocked energy that can negatively impact you during sleep.

•Surround yourself with your favorite things. You should love to be in your bedroom, surrounded by things that evoke positive feelings. A calm, peaceful space will also encourage a good night’s sleep.

•One mirror is enough. Too many mirrors activate energy flow and can disrupt sleep. Mirrored closet doors can be major culprits in contributing to insomnia. If you can’t sleep well, cover your mirrors for a few nights. You may be surprised to find that your sleep improves in a less active environment.

•Master bedrooms benefit from warm colors. Warm tones help enhance communication while cool colors, such as blue, green and white, may have the opposite effect. Accessories in warm hues can help to counteract the effect of cooler colors in the bedroom.

•Avoid artwork that is aggressive, active or sad. Instead, surround your sleeping space with images that inspire, calm and uplift you. Paintings or photos of peaceful scenes that you love to imagine yourself in are excellent choices.

•Remove the television. The reason is simple: TVs activate energy flow, which is the wrong idea for this restful, relaxing space. By eliminating TV in the bedroom, you will also enhance your communications and relationship with your partner. If you believe that you must have a television in the bedroom, be sure to put it in a cabinet where you can shut the doors over it before you go to sleep.

•Keep your bedroom tidy and your closet door closed. Remember, your bedroom should be relaxing, comforting and nurturing. The chaos of clutter degrades your ability to relax.

By keeping these principles in mind, your bedroom can become the heart of your home – a peaceful haven that allows you to face the world in a more positive and productive state of mind.

What is feng shui and are there any feng shui tips you can use to increase your wealth?

Feng Shui (pronounced fung shway) is a 3,000 year old Chinese process that involves adapting your surroundings or environment to help you attract more positive energy, or chi, into your life.

Feng Shui is looked upon by some as a sort of pseudo science. However, beyond the basic guiding principles is the underlying fundamental assumption that clearing away your mental and physical clutter while bringing in elements of joy, peace and harmony will help improve all aspects of your life. When looked at in that light, how can incorporating these feng shui tips not help you?

Feng Shui means the wind and the water, two of the core elements in Chinese lore. It follows the philosophy that individuals are more or less affected by the surroundings they are in. If you can improve your surroundings, you can improve various aspects of your life.

Along with the basic feng shui guidelines it is essential that you incorporate a willingness to believe that what you are doing will help you. When you decide to Feng Shui your home or office, you are declaring that you want something positive in your life, that you are looking to make a change for the better.

The main thrust of Feng Shui states that what energy you send out to the universe will come back to you. If you have positive energy and send that out, you will get positive energy back.

Creating a feng shui environment is all about creating an environment that will help you attract more positive energy. The more positive energy you attract the more positive energy you’ll be inclined to project to others, helping you generate a positive feedback cycle.

In regards to wealth, there are feng shui tips you can use to attract more abundance into your life.

The idea of wealth means a lot of different things to different people. Of course, increased money flow comes instantly to mind. However, being in a state of wealth is not limited to just a financial state. Feng shui is used to increase the wealth of our non material assets as well. That includes helping to foster a calm, clear, relaxed state of mind, as well as a joy for life that is intended to be transferred to our friends, our family, our coworkers, and all we come into contact with. This is real wealth.

There are specific techniques or tips you can use to increase your wealth using feng shui methods. You can bring Feng Shui wealth into your home or office by clearing out negative energy draining elements and adding positive wealth attracting elements.

First impressions are extremely important in Feng Shui; make sure that your home is a home that is warm and inviting. Also make sure it is thoroughly cleaned, organized and clutter-free.

One of the best feng shui tips for wealth is to bring in flowing water into your home. You want the water to be clean and free flowing. This can be easily done by investing in one or more waterfall fountains. They are becoming more common and increasingly sophisticated and beautiful. Along with the beautiful appearance comes the soothing sound of the falling water when the fountain is on lending a more relaxed atmosphere to any environment.

You can also set up a fish tank to attract wealth. Place the fish tank in any room except the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. Some sources say that it is good to have a number of goldfish in the tank and one black colored goldfish to attract and absorb the negative energy. If one of the goldfish dies, beyond being sad for the loss, believe that the goldfish has absorbed any negative energy that has been around.

Soothing pictures of water can also be used to enhance the energy flow and attract abundance into your life. You should never have pictures of horrendous water scenes in your home. Avoid any turbulent water or storm type pictures; these can add negative energy to the surroundings as well as your thoughts!

Speaking of pictures, feel free to decorate your home with positive motivational pictures and symbols that will help reinforce the notion that you are an abundance attracting magnet and that your home is the ideal environment for maintaining a super successful attitude.

Where is you feng shui wealth corner?

Do you know which corner of your house is designated as the wealth corner according to feng shui principles?

Wealth can be found in the southeast corner of your home or office. You will need to find the southeast corner of each room. You need to include the bathroom, garage and basement if those are involved. If you have more than one floor you must locate the southeast corner of every floor. The important southeast corners of your home are the bedroom, living room, bathrooms, and kitchen. These are the places where we spend most of our time.

As a result, it might be a good idea to add some water elements in the southeast corner of your rooms. Having said that, some feng shui authorities note that certain geographical areas are better served with certain colors.

While we don’t want to get bogged down in the details just know that while the feng shui wealth corner is in the southeast, that the south as a whole is often represented by the element of fire. Hence, without getting too carried away, you might want to limit the water flow to the southeast corner so as not to douse the fire element, often said to represent your own inner fire.

The use of feng shui colors is another consideration when applying feng shui principles to your home or office. For instance, red and green represent the colors of wealth. If you can, place red flowers in your home. These can be real or silk. Also, have live green plants in as many rooms as possible. Not only is this great at bringing the beauty of nature inside, but it can also increase oxygen levels in your house, contributing to your energy level. Keep bowls on your tables filled with produce and fruit; use a small bowl so that you can give the illusion of more.

Declutter your house, and bring in elements of life, light and joy. Allow your home to be a calm and peaceful place to be. The whole notion of feng shui is great as a general guideline. Keep to the spirit of feng shui and you should attract all manner of wealth into your life.

Do you wonder what is Feng Shui? The Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui (pronounced fung schway) has been in existence for thousands of years and focuses on achieving harmony, balance, and exuding a positive flow of energy known as chi. The basic principle of this ancient art form is that the environment in which you surround yourself in will have a direct impact on every possible area of your life. Also called the art of placement or positioning, Feng Shui relies heavily upon the five main elements within our environment, which are water, fire, earth, wood and metal, along with the four directions, north, south, east and west.

The placement or positioning of objects in a room dictates more than just how it might look, or how well the pieces may or may not match the others. Chi and the main concept of the art form recognizes that those five vital elements greatly affect balance and the delicate flow of chi with their continually changing levels of energy.

Each of the elements may interact with each other, either negatively or positively, and each room in the home should have the correct balance of anywhere from three, to all five of the elements. Using your own personality and lifestyle as a general guideline, you can gauge the correct combination of elements that will balance your living space once you learn and understand the purpose and meaning behind each one.

The Five Feng Shui Elements

Water: Water has the capability of being both calming and peaceful as in still waters or in a gently flowing stream, or it can be violent and destructive in the case of flooding. Water elements throughout the home renews the flow of chi and is said to rejuvenate both the spirit and body.

Fire: The ever powerful element of fire explodes with enthusiasm and sparks an endless flow of creativity wherever it is. Fire need not be used in abundance, as is the case with other elements, as too much may overpower and remove chi from a room rather than enhancing or increasing it.

Earth: Earth represents a strong foundation, rational thinking, and a sense of stability. However, too much of this particular element may also smother the flow of energy, ultimately counteracting its original, positive effects.

Wood: Wood symbolizes personal development, creativity, and exudes an independent aura of quiet, but strong, unwavering energy. Wood is used to represent the most determined individual who make it his purpose to benefit from this natural element’s chi.

Metal: For wisdom and mental strength and maturity, look to the element of metal which also represents wealth and prosperity when displayed in the home.

To begin implementing the tenets of this highly revered philosophy into your own life, you should:

- Familiarize yourself with your own soul, your inner self, and who you really are deep inside when you are completely alone with your thoughts.

- Focus intently on putting yourself in control of your life and the direction it will take as opposed to allowing negativity to influence the path you ultimately follow.

- Train yourself to visualize the flow of chi that radiates from every part of your body, permeating the air and affecting everyone near you, sharing your positive energy and harmonious thoughts with all.

- Fully open your mind and soul to receive a regular return of positive energy from your surroundings.

Put together, you will have a better idea of what is feng shui and as such will be in a better position to appreciate it.