The Chi of New Homes ... Feng Shui-ness and Destiny by Edward B. Toupin

The Chi of New Homes ... Feng Shui-ness and Destiny by Edward B. Toupin

When my wife and I were searching for a new Las Vegas home in 2002, we wanted it to have a solid foundation based on Feng Shui principles. My wife researched the essentials and we decided to build a home that met our needs and supported good Chi. The internal layout of the furniture was a slow process because we want to ensure that everything "was energy (Chi) efficient". We even went so far as to pick a plot of land that had a curvy street in front and located on a hill with a view of a "city of money". With all of the work we did in building the structure and embellishing the interior, the house feels fantastic and the energy feeds us and moves us forward!

This positive experience tickled my curiosity and I decided to assemble some of our observations, based on our initial house hunting and, later, my interest and research. In the Las Vegas area, I focused on Feng Shui "compatibility" based on empty new-builds. All of the homes were built within the last five years and were unoccupied. I acquired a few pictures and compared the structures and placement of built-in components (i.e., doors, windows, and potential placement of furniture as necessitated by the structure) to several books and resources I have available on Feng Shui. In the end, I noticed some consistencies with regard to the class of individual for which the homes were built.

Since we are newbies to Feng Shui, I submitted the research to a few Feng Shui experts to see if we were "in the ballpark". Some of the conclusions I came up with and discussed with these experts were:

* For homes within the Upper class of society, the structures were built to support power and money.
* For homes within the Upper-Middle class of society, the structures were built to support employment and consumption.
* For homes within the Lower to Middle class of society, the structures were built to support production.
* For homes within the Retirement class of society, the structures were built to support endings and isolation from society (e.g., foot of bed facing an external door).

This all seemed interesting in that the type of home built seemed to fit within a particular need or desire for a given societal class. It also seems to be that people purchase a home that supports the issues and lessons on which they are embarking. This approach is a hidden, and ingenious, psychological "marketing gimmick" for builders. Indeed, most people will always go toward that which is the most comfortable.

Of course, one cannot specifically reference outcome by class regarding the selection of the home structure. However, it seems that the architecture of today reflects the mind set of the country as a whole. While, in the long run, many choose the best house they can afford for their family, comfort, and lifestyle; however, most are unconscious of the effects of the space while focusing on the structural illusion.

--- About the Author ---

Edward B. Toupin is an author, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki Master, technical writer, and PhD Candidate living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. Check out some of his recent print and electronic books as well as his articles covering various life-changing topics!
About the Author


For more information, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his site at http://www.make-life-great.com or http://www.toupin.com!

Copyright (c) 2004 Edward B. Toupin

What's your clutter keeping you from? by Linda Dessau

What's your clutter keeping you from? by Linda Dessau

What's your clutter keeping you from?
By Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach

So you might be askingwhat is clutter and why should I care about it? Clutter is essentially anything you don't need, don't want and get no joy from seeing. There might be 100's of items in your home or office right now that could be cleared away.

The cost of having a lot of clutter around you is that it:

~ Takes up physical space and energy (consider the energy it takes to constantly walk around a pile of clutter or clean up a spill caused by balancing a glass on an uneven pile of
magazines).

~ Takes up mental energy (it's much easier to think of new and creative ideas when you have a clean slate around you and within you).

~ Takes up emotional energy (it's difficult to feel excited and hopeful when a pile of clutter is in your line of sight!).

What will you gain from clearing clutter? New ideas and a fresh perspective, not to mention less stubbed toes and lost phone bills! All kidding aside, in my own life it's been proven that in order to start something new I need to make space for it. It
was only after I cleared the clutter from my home office that I made my commitment to become a coach and enter into coach training.

Though I'd had the idea for awhile I was "stuck" and found that I couldn't seem to move forward with it. Karen Kingston's book (see "Resources") helped me create an environment here that got my life, and me, moving forward.

5 Tips on getting started

1) Imagine the finished productdraw a sketch or just close your eyes and picture your uncluttered space looking just how you want it. Imagine what you'll do in this space and how much
more effective and happy you'll be. Know what you're working towards and why.

2) From the Fly Lady (see "Resources")you can do anything for 15 minutes at a time! Work for 15-minutes and then stop before it gets overwhelming.

3) From the Fly Lady (see "Resources") - pick out the hot spots that really drive you crazyyour mail table, your kitchen drawer - and focus on those. Getting those areas cleared will give you the most satisfaction and motivation to keep going.

4) Fill a bag (or several!) to give to your favourite charity. Your clutter can mean a lot to someone who is in need. You get to feel twice as good once you've opened up space in your home
as well as in your heart.

5) Keep up with your clutter - spending 5-10 minutes at the end of the day putting things "back in their place" will save time, space and energy later on.

Now that you've read this article about clutter, are you ready to take action? What can you do differently this week to turn your clutter situation around?

Resources

On the Web: The Fly Lady http://www.flylady.net

From your bookstore or library: Kingston, Karen (1999). Clear
your clutter with Feng Shui. New York: Broadway Books. ISBN
0-7679-0359-5.

Copyright Linda Dessau 2004. All rights reserved.

Youre welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the contact
information at the end), and please send me a copy or link to your reprint at linda@genuinecoaching.com. Thanks!
About the Author
Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps hundreds of people every month improve their self-care and make healthier choices. To receive her free monthly newsletter, Genuine Self-Care, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html.