It's the Little Things - Feng Shui in Small Doses

by Leslie Jacobson, MA, MS
Certified Feng Shui Consultant

Many people think that in order to improve their Feng Shui they need to do big things. Move all their furniture around. Buy new furniture. Buy a new house. Make drastic and expensive changes. Major changes and expensive purchases are rarely necessary or recommended. While your Feng Shui consultant is ready, willing, and able to help you make major changes like finding a new home, renovating, or purchasing all new furniture, it is probably not necessary to make major changes like that in order to improve your Feng Shui.

So how do you improve the energy in your home, office, and life so that new opportunities will come your way? It's all in the little things, the small changes, and the less expensive additions.

Small changes can be as minor as moving an item an inch to the left or right. For example, poison arrows are a major Feng Shui problem. Often your Feng Shui consultant will find that there are items with pointy ends pointing in your direction while you sleep, eat, or work. If you look around your bedroom, you might find that there is something large, like a piece of square edged furniture, or something small, like a pen, that is directly pointing at you while you sleep. This item is sending negative energy at you while you sleep. This could lead to sleep or health problems. Or maybe you've got something in one room that would better fit your needs in another room or area. You might have the perfect item to symbolize your career sitting in your marriage and relationship area. Moving that one item might help improve your career and keep your work from interfering in your relationships.

You can also use small things as ways of trying out more expensive changes. You might have an item in your home that you are considering removing permanently because of Feng Shui consequences, like a TV or mirror in your bedroom that are disturbing your sleep. Sheets or towels can be used to temporarily cover these items during the night. If the cover is effective, then you can consider a more permanent solution. Another way to use small things to test out big changes is with color. Maybe you've been thinking of painting your bedroom pink to increase your romantic energy. Before spending the money and going through the hassle of painting, try out the color in smaller doses to see if you like it. Sheets in the desired color can help you discover if the color works for you. You might find that you have trouble sleeping with the new color. Replacing your sheets is much less of a hassle than re-painting your bedroom after discovering that the new color was a dud. And if you love the color and its affect on your love life, then you can decide whether or not you want to go even further and paint your walls. Colors can be added to living rooms in small doses as well by using pillows of the Feng Shui related color on your couch.

Another inexpensive way to add a big dose of improved energy into a space is by adding a small Feng Shui cure item. There are many small items that you can buy, but sometimes the symbolism behind these items can confuse. Here are some common small Feng Shui cure items, what they symbolize, and how to use them:

Elephants - increase good luck, protection, or use for fertility. For good luck place along the wall opposite the door of your living room. They can also be used as guardians of front door or your child's bedroom door. For fertility, place your elephant in your bedroom and rub to bring more children into your family.

Buddhas - are used to create a relaxing environment anywhere. There are specific Buddhas that represent wealth, or other types of luck. Place Buddhas throughout in the home or office for good luck, harmony, and positive energy.

Hanging Faceted Crystals - block negative energy and increase positive energy. They can be hung in front of a window to reflect sunlight into the room, or by a doorway, or to block negative energy, or in the kitchen to protect the cook and the diners, or in the office behind you to protect you from a window or door.

Chinese Coins - are a great symbol of wealth, prosperity, and security. These coins attract wealth and prosperous energy to you. A key tool in many Feng Shui cures. Imperial Chinese Coins are round with a square hole in the center. They are the most common ones, but other Chinese coins are also very auspicious. There are Bagua shaped coins and the Ancient key style coins. Put 3 Imperial Chinese Coins tied together with a red ribbon (best way to use them) or one alone in your wallet, purse, or safe deposit box for extra money luck. You will also often find Chinese coins as a part of a hanging cure or Feng Shui jewelry.

3 Immortals - are 3 separate figurines that are always used as a set. The Three Immortals or Kitchen G-ds - Fuk, Luk and Suk represent wealth, happiness (or power) and long life (the 3 principal desires of people.) Fuk is the G-d of Wealth and happiness. Fuk carries a baby to symbolize security in old age, and wears a merchant's robe. Luk is the G-d of nobility, affluence, happiness, and power. Luk wears the winged hat of a high official. Suk is the G-d of health and longevity, and holds a walking stick. Suk has many symbols of longevity including his bald head, wooden staff and a peach in his right hand. The Three Immortals can be used anywhere, but are especially auspicious when placed high in the kitchen, dining room, living room or main entrance to the home. In an office, they can be placed behind you to give support and good luck.

Fu Dogs - or Keiloon are part lion, part dragon, and part deer. They come in a pair and are always used together. The male's left foot is raised and rests upon the world - protecting worldly possessions and success. The female's right foot is raised and rests upon the belly of the baby Fu - protecting the home and family. They are always placed with their raised foot on the inside so that world and family stay safe. Their job is to sense the intentions of those who approach them, and allow only those with good will and kind thoughts to be able to function within their territory (your home or office.) Placed at the front door, mouths facing the door, the Keiloon are the sentinels that neutralize any harmful element entering the home. They improve the health of everyone in your home. If the Feng Shui positioning of a house is unfavorable, the Keiloon will dilute any adverse energies circulating around the house. It is recommended to place the pair high at the main door of your home or office to work as guards. They can also be used on desks to protect you while you work. On a desk, they would face away from the chair and towards the entry to the office or room.

You have many options when it comes to making small Feng Shui improvements in your home. Whether you decide to move existing items into a more productive area, test out future large changes by using small scale versions, try some well placed (small) symbolic items, or do a little bit of all of the above, you're sure to hit upon something that will make a big (and positive) change in your life! So now that your major Feng Shui fears have been eased, there is nothing standing in the way between you and your Feng Shui dreams coming true!

Leslie Jacobson is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and has a Masters Degree in Counseling, and a Masters Degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She teaches informative and fun adult education Feng Shui classes at Boca Raton Middle School in Boca Raton, Florida. She has attended classes, workshops, and seminars led by the biggest names in Feng Shui including Professor Lin Yun, Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai, Denise Linn, Raymond Lo, Jami Lin, Nancilee Wydra, Katherine Metz, Nancy SantoPietro, Dennis Fairchild, Laurelyn Baker, David Daniel Kennedy, James Allyn Moser, Carol Cannon, and Deborah Walston. She draws upon her training, skills and experience in Psychology and Counseling to make sure that your home or work place is both physically and psychologically pleasing to you personally.

Leslie and her brother Mark are available for home and business consultations in the South Florida area. Their company is called Feng Shui Consultants of Boca Raton. They offer E-Consults for the many out-of-towners who are interested in benefiting from their expertise. Leslie and Mark also offer Feng Shui Ride Alongs. It's your way to learn Feng Shui by watching them work. Currently, they are working on their first Feng Shui book.

Email her at BocaFengShui@Yahoo.com or visit her website at www.geocities.com/BocaFengShui/fastentry or ByRegion Web Display http://bocafengshui.byregion.net/ You can buy her products at her ByRegion WebShop by clicking here or through Zen Appeal at http://www.geocities.com/Zen_Appeal

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