Living Your Best Life

Holiday Stress??  Winter Blues?    Feng Shui literally translates as “wind” and “water”, Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of moving chi (life force) through an environment, or as the proverb states, “to harness the wind and channel the water.” The goal is to harness and channel the chi in those areas of your life you seek to enhance (i.e. love, career, abundance) and create a harmonious and balanced existence.  Practically speaking, Feng Shui is both art and science and uses the visible energy of objects to adjust the invisible energy of the subconscious.  In other words, your home is a mirror of your subconscious mind and the sacred placement of the objects in your life can shift your position in the world.  By removing obstacles you are signaling  the universe and the subconscious mind that you are ready to live the life you were meant to live.   I am currently offering eco-friendly feng shui consultations at a recession proof rate of $350.

Feng Shui can help you:

• Create Harmony
• Find Love
• Attract Money & Success
• Strengthen Family Relationships
• Enhance Fame & Good Fortune
• Increase overall well being

For more info: cindy@kali-design.com

 Using color is among the easiest and most budget-conscious ways of warming up a home and creating an attractive environment. And according to the ancient healing art of Feng Shui, color choices support various states of consciousness: Bright colors stimulate brain activity while cool ones promote a sense of relaxation. (Both need to be used in moderation.) However, while improving your mood, sparking your creativity and sharpening your senses can all be achieved with a simple color adjustment, it is equally important to remember that using eco-friendly paint with zero or low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) will have a positive affect on your well being, too. Simply stated, you want to “Feng Shui” the air quality inside a home.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is one of the top five leading causes of health risks in the United States. And as experts David Johnston and Kim Masters said in their book, Green Remodeling, given that “American’s spend 80-90 percent of their time indoors, it’s no wonder 38 percent of them suffer from allergies due to dust, mold, lead and asbestos.” The culprit of this poor indoor air quality is the result of off-gassing. The smell of fresh paint, for example, occurs as the paint dries and vapors are released into the air (for up to one year). These vapors later turn into a ground-level ozone when they come into contact with sunlight, affecting the environment and your health. VOC’s have been linked to allergies, asthma and cancer; and to “Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system” (EPA).

An average can of paint contains over 300 different toxins, 150 of them carcinogenic (cancer causing) including Benzene. So, painting your your living room a light, fresh sky blue will only soothe inasmuch as the paint you use is as free of chemicals as possible. The good news is there are many wonderful alternatives on the market but the consumer needs to be aware of what is really green. Many big companies have jumped on the green wagon and started their own line of low-voc products including Home Depot and Benjamin Moore.  Its also import to note that the larger companies still put other toxic ingredients into low and zero voc paints (most of which are carcinogenic) including formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, exempt solvents and odor masking agents. These are toxic especially in nursery’s and children’s bedrooms. Before selecting and purchasing paint, read labels carefully. Make sure the base coat as well as the paint primer and the tint are Zero- or Low-VOC. You may also want to ask the retailer how the paint holds up in moist bathrooms which has been the biggest hiccup in green paint. Keep in mind even with zero- or low-VOC paint it is important to circulate inside air, including in the bathroom where a combination of moisture and fresh air can chip low-quality paint. Wherever possible it is nice to generate air flow once a day. Think of it as bringing fresh chi or energy into your home. My two personal favorite companies have been green certified by an independent agency and can be relied on for good quality – AFM and YOLO.

www.swpc.noaa.gov

If you are like me, you have been enjoying this great California weather.   Sunshine is great for the mind and body.   In fact, its as good as coffee.  Thats right, next time you are feeling sluggish go outside sit in the sun and take 9 deep breaths.

Animals trapped in the plastic barge.

Since the beginning, Feng Shui principles were based on clean air, water and food, as well as shelter and healthy vegetation/trees. We have lost our way somewhere - somehow.  It happened slowly - a little each day.   Our old sustainable society has been replaced by a faster, more disposable society. We have produced more items than the earth can decompose and most of these things, like plastic, are very toxic to our children and planet.  I was just reading about the world largest landfill which is in the middle of the ocean. This is basically plastic stew the size of the Unites States and 100 feet deep that is just floating on top of the ocean. A recent Discovery Magazine article states, “In the central North Pacific Gyre, pieces of plastic outweigh surface zooplankton by a factor of 6 to 1,” according to a report based on Moore’s [need full name and title] research. “Ninety percent of Laysan albatross chick carcasses and regurgitated stomach contents contain plastics. Fish and seabirds mistake plastic for food. Plastic debris releases chemical additives and plasticizers into the ocean. Plastic also adsorbs hydrophobic pollutants like PCBs and pesticides like DDT. These pollutants bioaccumulate in the tissues of marine organisms, biomagnify up the food chain, and find their way into the foods we eat.”  

Our production of plastic has doubled in the last 10 years. All the plastic ever created is still here on the planet, in our water and food chain. It is important that we go back to the basics: clean air, water and food. These principles can make our personal chi (life force), home and planet stronger and healthier. The good news is that our generation can stop it from getting worse. We can make better choices for ourselves and our children. We can start by reusing more of what we have and buy less plastic. Some helpful tips:

• Bring your own canvas bags to the grocery store and mall. shop at the farmers market. By the way, they will take back the plastic green containers that hold strawberries and cherry tomatoes.
• Avoid the worst (most toxic) plastics #3, #6, #7.
• Stop using plastic produce bags. Really, your apples can swim around the cart.
• Stop buying juice and water in plastic bottles. Buy a water filter for your home.
• Use travel mugs and stainless steel canteen water bottles like Sigg.
• Buy laundry detergent and dishwasher soap in cardboard boxes.
• Use stainless steel containers for lunches and storing food (www.kidskonserve.com).
• Borrow or buy secondhand items (kids are going to get bored of that plastic toy in about a week anyway)

Less is more. The less we buy, the less we have to dust, the less we have to organize, the less we have to throw out.

Here I am 24 hours past the newsletter deadline emailing the editor that after 7 months of writing I have missed my first deadline all because of a box of detergent. Sorry it wasn’t going to happen this month and the article on cleaning up our oceans will have to wait till May. This was going to be a good article all about the feng shui of water and how a clean planet is just as important as a clean home. I was to write about the barge of plastic the size of the US floating in the ocean and the steps my family has taken to stop buying plastic. It was going to include my hours of research to find the perfect lunch containers, wooden toys and our switch from seventh generation liquid laundry detergent to powder form. This is where I got tripped up, the box of detergent while organic had perfumes in it which turned my body into one big rash. Was I really going to blame a box of detergent for not getting my work done? You bet! Ironically, I have been taking Nancy Headly’s book study class and our last assignments was to write this statement on an index card “Nevertheless, I am Willing”. Ever time I arrive at an obstacle I should read the card. I looked at this card for a very long time, put it back in my purse and still decided to skip the article and go to yoga. Thirty minutes into Connie’s Hatha Class, I felt a drop of water, thought nothing of it, but 5 minutes later the ceiling over my mat and only my yoga mat started leaking. Here I sit wet and back from yoga reading my card one more time. Nevertheless, I am willing to keep my commitment to write a feng shui article on water and my commitment to the planet. Ironically, water is what helps us move through things, its what helps with career and feeds our abundance corners of our homes. It can be rushing like the ocean, or still like a lake. It can be sinking and depressing or uplifting like the dancing water fountain in front of the Bellagio hotel. Our journey down the river with obstacles makes life interesting. It gives us a chance to grow and learn and sometimes if we are lucky we run into rainbows after a storm. It is how we view these obstacles that directs our lives. If you knew the ending of each book you read or each game you played would you bother reading or playing? Yeah, me neither.  

For more info: http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jul/10-the-worlds-largest-dump 

Special Thanks to Tami Rush, www.tamirush.com

 Remember if you can go with the flow of the year which is about responsibility, working hard,  moving cautiously and being kind to others you will be much happier.   The goal is to stay focused and healthy, not to spread yourself too thin.    If you find yourself stumbling, I’ve also added some special cures at the end to help you transition through this year.  

Rats, snakes and roosters will have a very good year, with many opportunities on the horizon (money, self improvement and love).  However, it’s still important to go with the energy of the year, do all your research and be prepared for all your meeting, triple check the fine print in contracts and investments opportunities.  This isn’t a good year to be impulsive.   

Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Monkey, Dog, Pig:  This is a good year to clean up the clutter left over from the rat year.  A good year to get your life back on track, it will take some work but the benefits will be long term.   You have the opportunity to do great things this year but only if you are patience and diligent, short-cuts or bending the rules will not serve you.   I encourage you to try Feng Shui cures  # 2 & #3.  

Ox, Horse, Sheep: this year may have some challenges.  It’s important to go with the flow and avoid fighting other peoples battles.   It’s a good time to keep your head down, work towards your goals and be kind to others. Take this opportunity and develop your inner strength.  It’s important to stay focused, not to spread yourself too thin, stay healthy and surround your self with positive friends and loved ones.  When you have a choice to make -  choose happiness, choose to be the bigger person, choose to take deep breaths.   Stay positive in the light of adversity and look for the lesson in the challenges set before you.   Lastly, I encourage you to do the 4 Feng Shui cures listed below and email me if you want to chat with a fellow ox person.   

Feng Shui Cures:

1. Go with the flow of the year:  work towards your goals with kindness and patients.

2. Serve others:  There is no better way to improve your luck then by helping others.   It can be through daily good deeds or volunteer work.  

3. Wear a three dimensional rat on your keychain:   The ox and rat are best friends,  bad luck is   too distracted playing with the rat to cause problems.  You can find these in Chinatown, on-line or on Castro Street in Mountain View.   

4. . Oranges:  used in many Feng Shui cures and rituals, signifies prosperity and purification.    You can incorporate oranges in many ways, plant an orange tree in your yard, put them on the dining room table, scatter the peels in a bath or eat them to boost your immune system. 

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!  Many thanks to Professor Lin Yun Rinpoche, Edgar Sung and Rosalie Prinzivalli for their astrology teaching.    

      Mirror Mirror on the wall who is the clearest of them all.

Mirrors have been called the “cure alls” in the Feng Shui world.  They can be used to expand or contract an area of the house.  They also shed light on what is hidden and create clarity.

A well placed mirror can broaden your horizons, increase wealth and allow more chi (life force energy) to enter your home.  If you feel like you are constantly hitting a dead end in your life, place a mirror in the cramped spaces or areas that are dark and forgotten.  It’s best to use a single piece of mirror instead of the artistic fragmented pieces.  The mirror  should be clear and simple for this will bring a clear life into being. 

We moved to the west coast about a year ago. It was hard to leave behind all my favorite people and things in New York City but I was excited to look for new favorite things on this journey we all have agreed to take – LIFE. While I have given up finding a two boots style pizza other things have been fruitful.

My Best of 2008

Best Organization

PAMP – volunteer based parent organization that provides parents and the larger community a unique support system which is educational and fun. http://www.bigtent.com/groups/pamp/

BEST in Show

Ken Deleon –He goes beyond of what is required of a professional and a friend. He helped us purchase our beautiful home, find the best mortgage rates, and lined up all the inspectors, landscapers, handymen before we even asked. Most knowledge and well respected real estate broker in the area. http://www.kendeleon.com

BEST Yoga Teacher

Connie Habash : She bring wisdom and compassion to ever class.

http://www.awakeningself.com/

BEST Soccer Coaches

Gary and Carine Ireland

http://www.unionfootballclub.com/

Best Artist

Tami Rush

www.tamirush.com

Best Pilates

Katherine Lawson

http://costaricabodyandsoul.com/bio1.htm

BEST Restaurants in Palo Alto

Evvia

Joya

Tamarine

BEST Chiropractor

Dr Gavin

www.stanfordchiropractic.com

Best Children’s Dentist

http://www.kidsteethcare.com/doctors.htm

Best Bamboo Products and Eco-Friendly Gifts

http://bambooya.com/index.html great products

Just as the year wrapped up I meet one of the woman who started Simplify (http://www.simplifyhomesolutions.com), a home solutions firm specializing in helping busy people (i.e. everyone from CEO’s to Moms) find the best staff and services in silicon valley, wish I knew about them a year ago.

Art by Tami Rush

In addition to exercising, eating healthy and seeing your doctor, you can use Feng Shui to improve your health.  The chi flow in your home can affect the chi in your body.  If the chi in your body is blocked or stagnated, you could experience a drain in your energy, eventually leaving you vulnerable to illness.  The same is true in your home.

If you have a clutter free and perfectly balanced flow of chi, it will support you and your body when its under attack  (i.e.  flu season).  In Feng Shui, the health area of your home is in the center of the floorplan, including the center of each room. Here are some simple things you can do to improve the energy of your home and body:

– Make sure those centers are free of clutter.

– Place something that energizes the center of the house.  It could be plants, a favorite picture or a healing crystal.

– Repair problems as they come up.  Leaky faucets or electrical problems can effect your health.

– Keep your bedroom free of devices that emit electromagnetic fields including televisions, computers and electric blankets.  If you need an alarm clock, place it as far away from your head as possible.  These items will weaken your immune system.

– Lastly, open those windows once in while to allow fresh chi to enter your home, even during the cold winter months. 

I am posting my Silicon Valley “Best of 2008″ list next week so check back.  Have a happy, and healthy New Year!