Crystal Clear Inspiration Are You Living Your Dream? Wisdom ... - Bitly

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contemporary magazine month 20XX

FENG SHUI

Issue #02

LIVING

Inspiring ideas to enhance your ch’i

FREE

2013 Winter

How Flexible are You?

Crystal Clear Inspiration Are You Living Your Dream? Wisdom...Through the Ages When Your Way Isn’t the Right Way Winding Down the Year of the Water Snake environment

relationships work

health

family spirituality

lifestyle

www.livingfengshui.ca

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Contents

Living Feng Shui Magazine Winter 2013

Contents

from the editor

03 From the Editor 04 Living Guidance 06 The Fruits of Your Heart 08 Winding Down the Year

12 Living Inspiration 14 Wisdom Through the Ages 16 You Can’t Change a Bear! 18 Having it Your Way 20 Are You Living Your Dream?

22 Living Well 24 Living Food 26 Flexibility From the Inside 28 Loosen Up! 30 Getting Stiff... then old

32 Living Feng Shui 34 8 Fab Feng Shui Finds 36 A World of Possibilities 38 Crystal Clear Inspiration 40 Turning Your Life Upside Down 42 Yes But! 44 Let the Feng Shui Flow

46 Living Resources 48 Inspiring Reads 50 Resources

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FENG SHUI LIVING

Inspiring ideas to enhance your ch’i

Bending in the Wind

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hough I never personally heard him say it, BTB Feng Shui’s Grandmaster Professor Lin Yun, is said to have taught that the entire point of Feng Shui was to create flexible chi. Not to increase wealth, manifest a new relationship, or make some other fabulous thing happen (although that is often the outcome), but to help us to cultivate the kind of chi that is both resilient and can withstand change. This idea intrigues me and I knew from Living Feng Shui Magazine’s inception that it would be the theme for this second issue. Flexible chi is best represented by the wood element. A tree’s ability to bend in the wind is what helps it to survive for if it is too rigid it will snap, or be entirely uprooted. On the other hand, if a tree is too flexible, it may be weak and unable to stand without the support of the forest around it. It is a balance of rigidity and flexibility that allows us to be good parents, employees, spouses. We must stand firm when we believe ourselves to be acting in the highest good, but learn to remain open to the idea that we may indeed be wrong. We must be self actualizing, but also willing to ask for help when needed.

Life has a funny way of bringing you exactly what you focus on. Perhaps not in exactly the package that you were expecting, but what you asked for nonetheless. When I began putting this issue together I had no idea just how much personal material the Universe would provide for me to take notice of. I set out with a particular vision and time line in mind but life’s circumstances provided direct evidence of my own need to remain unattached to the outcome - as much as that is possible for a total control freak! For my part, it was necessary for me to release myself from my own deadline so that I could be of service where I was most needed, helping my husband’s family in a time of great transition and stress. If I had not done so, like the mighty oak in a giant wind surge, I would have broken, snapped under the pressure of being everything to everybody. My contributors have also all experienced this need to remain flexible in their lives and have provided tips and stories to illustrate why it is so important to learn to bend in the wind. Mia Staysko Publisher

Publisher Mia Staysko EDitor Deb Coman www.debcoman.com CONTRIBUTORS Bette Steflik Kerry George Carol Olmstead Debbie Peck Katie Rogers Mia Staysko Tracy Makarenko Terri Perrin Diana Ceres Sondra Abbott Tina Falk Mary Dillin Shurtleff Kelly Hipkin Caroline Patrick ADVERTISING Media kit is available upon request Get your copy www.livingfengshui.ca PHOTOGRAPHY All photos unless noted shared generously via the creative commons Submission guideLines Want to play? Contact me for contributor guidelines [email protected] GENERAL ENQUIRIES Box 22, Site 5, RR 2 Okotoks, Alberta Canada T1S1A2 Phone: 403-938-3359 Email: [email protected] www.livingfengshui.ca ENVIRONMENTAL Living Feng Shui Magazine is offered as a digital publication because we care about the environment. COPYRIGHT All material appearing in this publication is copyright Living Feng Shui Magazine 2013 unless otherwise stated. Copyright may additionally rest with the provider of the supplied material. Living Feng Shui Magazine takes care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views and advice expressed in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher.


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“A bend in the road is not the end of the road ~ unless of course, you refuse to take the turn” ~Author Unknown

Living Guidance


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The Fruits

of your Heart By Diana Ceres

www.bluedragonconsulting.com

Question for the I Ching:

How can Living Feng Shui readers cultivate greater flexibility in their lives this fall?

Answer:

Gua 30; Fire over Fire, change line - 2

Radiance

Interpretation:

The season of autumn is a time of harvest and is associated with the element of metal. When driving into work last week, I noticed the air was growing crisper and was thinking about how we can cultivate a warm spiritual harvest to take us through the colder months this year. The more I thought about the answer, the more the concept of community spoke to me. For a community to thrive, it must experience the richness of diverse and harmonious resources. We all hold within us each of these elements or resources. For many, some of these resources are more developed than others. By looking at this relationship as communal, rather than adversarial, and allowing ourselves to be influenced by new experiences and events and helped by those who can offer us a richer harvest, we can cultivate a path to greater flexibility and ensuing harmony. How we work with our resources shapes the happenings of our lives. When fire combines with metal, for example, the metal becomes soft, yielding, once again. We, too, can follow fire’s example, and make that which is hard soft, by opening our hearts to

For thousands of years the I Ching has been used to provide guidance to seekers, Diana Ceres consults the Oracle for our readers and shares her interpretation. the richness and strength of a fresher perspective or a deeper truth. The Toltec I Ching cautions against rigid thinking, “Those who are convinced of their rightness commit many wrongs, those who seek revenge cause themselves great suffering.” Instead, we are counselled to seek out new perspectives, which are like the dual flame of fire’s radiance that can enable us to become more flexible, “Commit yourself to acting on the truth wholeheartedly—but remember that your understanding and interpretation of the truth is evolving and unfolding as always. Avoid surrounding yourself with others who think like you, seek out different points of view. Do not allow your convictions to be set in mental stone—you want them to be living, growing, ever-ripening fruits of your heart.”

and progressive” time and that if we cultivate the heart, we will reap prosperity and good fortune. By cultivating a harvest of community and collaboration, we can enjoy the fruits of our shared hearts. We can reap the bounty of double fire by allowing our hearts to illuminate our paths with the richness of clarity and ensuing flexibility this season, so that all of our encounters bring mutual enrichment and harmony.

Diana Ceres is a happy blogger and impromptu philosopher. She currently resides in Austin, Texas, and does her best work fully caffeinated. She has studied Black Sect Feng Shui with Katherine Metz and has decided that the I Ching is definitely her thing. Diana welcomes your comments and is available for private readings. She can be reached at iching365@gmail. com. You can also visit her online at: www.iching365. wordpress.com and www. bluedragonconsulting.com

May it be so.

The change line adds, “The window of opportunity opens—it seems like the shutters are taken down and golden sunlight fills the world after the dark storm passes. Don’t keep to yourself—let your joy overflow into the lives of your loved ones. Strengthen your bonds with those accompanying you to the end.” Hua-Ching Ni states this is a “bright www.livingfengshui.ca

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Winding Down

the Year of the Water Snake

By Mary ShUrtleff

many of who were completely healthy and

www.maryshurtleff.com

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s the year 2013 and the Female Water Snake begin slithering in, it became the undoing of many as they were asked to shed their old ways and skin and adopt new ways. Endings and beginnings, death and rebirth are difficult and cause one to restructure belief systems and start anew.

The Year 2013 was definitely a year of explosive beginnings. On February 12th right after the Pope Benedict announced his resignation, the Vatican was struck by lightening, not once but twice. Jorge Mario Bergoglio would then be elected to be the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. Bergoglio picked the papal name of Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis is the first Jesuit

succumbed to short shocking terminal illnesses. This year had lots of ups and downs and left many wondering where the year went and what just happened.

Pope and the first pope from South America. He is a humble man who through the year has changed protocol within Vatican City. Politically in 2013, we have seen

New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings ~ Lao Tzu violent upheavals in the Middle East and Syria, with Russia and China joining forces against the United States. We witnessed turmoil in Egypt and Turkey

with violent rioting that left many dead and a government unstable. North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un reared his head and threatened attacks against United States bases. There was so much violence worldwide with many threats of war and the overthrowing of governments last year that even the press had a hard time keeping up. This year, our own United States government was shutdown in October due to the two parties’ lack of ability to get along. The aspect in the East of the Ba-gua symbolizing conflict in family and DNA programming could

have been that culprit. The Blessed are they who expect solutions are a temporary nothing, for they shall not be fix and will easily extend into next disappointed. year. WHAT DOES THE REST OF The Boston Marathon bombings THE YEAR HOLD? in April, which killed 3 people and injured many hundreds, Since the year is winding down, devastated the American people you can expect more of the and again heightened security in same energy as the year is still the United States. Two brothers transforming and shedding. from Chechen, motivated by The last two months of the year extreme Islam beliefs were will still be a bit unstable and thankfully not connected to a unpredictable. larger terrorist organization. One brother was killed and the other In November, we may have a remains in custody. surge of illness either in the form of a flu outbreak, food poisoning, This last year I watched many and/or a surge of other stomach people quit their jobs and end problems. Take care with your long-term relationships. I saw hygiene. Take extra enzymes to many literally transition from the help the body process food. My earth plane to the spiritual realm; favorite is papaya/ pineapple/ www.livingfengshui.ca

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Essential Oils

“Blessed are those who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed” and chlorophyll enzyme available in your grocery store pharmacy or health food store. Wealth lies in the Southeast this month. Place extra plants or bamboo in this space for clarity and growth. There may be conflict with family and friends this month. We may see more instability in government dealings and company policies. Place a tree and a bucket of water in the east to buffer this energy. Disperse 100% therapeutic essential oils within the home. You may wish to chose from an orange, lavender, patchouli, ylang ylang oils or use blends from Young Living called Harmony, Clarity, or Awaken. Frankincense is always a good choice to use for spiritual shifting in your emotions. You may put them in a spray bottle (10 drops to 8 oz. water) and spray your body and your home. December is a month of transition. The energy of the 2014 Trojan Stallion will start emerging around the Winter Solstice (December 21, 2013) as the energy of the Feminine Water Snake starts to wane and the energy of the Yang Wood Horse begins to arrive. The Snake is metaphysical; the horse physical. The Horse is carefree and an optimist. They love to roam free and hate confinement.

In December 2013 and January 2014, many may begin to feel a restlessness and recklessness in the winter months that they have not felt in previous years. We will see much cabin fever. We may also see the beginning of breakups, breakouts, and breakdowns as people try to process this swift moving energy. Use clear crystals in your home and on your body to process the energy. Use the above essential oil combos to help calm the mind and create a peace of mind. Since the horse is high fire energy and needs wood and sun to thrive, be sure to get out into nature and the sunlight to feed the soul and keep your endorphins up. We may see more people vacationing more in the months of January 2014 then in the past. By the time the Trojan Stallion officially gallops into our lives on the second new moon of the year he may already be full steam ahead.

Here are just a few of the qualities of the oils Mary suggests to cure imbalances. Remember to use only pure, organic essential oils.

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Lavender

Lavender oil is an oil which calms and balances the body energy. It is a good relaxant at the end of the day.

Ylang Ylang Ylang ylang is the oil that helps to balance the energy of the yin/ yang, masculine/feminine energy of the body and filters out the negative energy. It is called the flower of flowers and is a must for anyone in conflict with self.

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ary DillinShurtleff, an author, Feng Shui Interior Designer, Clinical Hypnotherapist, national and international motivational speaker, radio host, Theta Healer, and a Six Sensory Practitioner takes energy healing into the 21st century using behavior modification methods and Feng Shui in tandem to change the pattern of behavior within the home to facilitate change within body; thus bringing the home and body into alignment with each other. When these modalities are applied properly, Mary believes it is as close to magic as one can get. Mary’s publications and works can be found at www.maryshurtleff.com

Patchouli

www.istockphoto.com

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Patchouli is also a relaxant which helps to balance jealousies, obsessions, and insecurities helping one to see their own qualities.

Orange Oil

The Orange oil is an oil that helps uplift depressed moods. It clears the air so to speak. It is considered nature’s antidepressant.

Frankincense

The Frankincense oil is considered the ‘Holy Anointing oil” and increases spiritual awareness. It is said to improve attitude and helps with meditation, as well as uplifts the spirit as well. www.livingfengshui.ca www.livingfengshui.ca

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Living Inspiration

“The wise man looks into space and he knows there is no limited dimensions” Lao Tzu


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Wisdom ... through the ages www.tinafalk.com

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s I reflect and assess how I relate with others, whether upclose and personal, or unknown and from a distance, I feel we each have two major roles in which we live. These roles are a clear reflection of the yin and yang qualities that govern this planet of duality. Sure, I am a woman. A wife and a mom. A friend, an entrepreneur, a feng shui consultant, and many other roles that summarize who I am and what I do. But ultimately, the way in which I interact with others is one of two ways. I am either The Teacher or The Student. Simple, right? Oh, it was quite obvious who the teacher was, as I remember sitting in my 5th grade classroom with Mr. Shaw. It was 1976, he ran a strict classroom and if I had any inclination at all that I was anything other than a student, there would be a price to pay. You know what I mean. Children

During these years of moving around and weekend visits, I honed my Student skills quite well. Although, I wasn’t able to ask questions for clarity, like in a classroom, in time all was revealed. My parents were quite The Teachers. You know, the kind of teachers that teach by example. The best kind. Fast forward to 1997. I’m 31 and pregnant with my first child. I am eager to be his Teacher. His guide. His number one fan. I learned so much over the years that, although I was terrified, I felt I had so much to share. I knew that I would allow him to be open to share his feelings and his thoughts, and that we would create a family that “keeps it real.” Whoa… did I ever set that one up! My desire to finally be The

to inhale or exhale, to flex or to point, to teach or to learn. I am reminded of this every day when I meet with a client for a feng shui consultation. Although, I am hired to come in with my expertise to be of assistance, I find myself sitting in my car afterwards filled with gratitude. Realizing what I just learned or discovered about myself, and how I can take this to my next consultation. My first conversation with a new feng shui student, or even the children in my meditation groups, is partly to inform them that this experience is filled with reciprocity. It’s only natural.

Teacher was swiftly and sternly handed over to my son. “What?! I’m the parent,” as I stomped my foot. The more I resisted, the more he persisted. The more I cried, the more he gave me something to cry about. Within months, I knew I needed to jump into survival mode again. I needed to be The Student. I learned to humbly accept the moments that were created for me to Teach, and accepted those MANY moments that were created just for me… to learn.

Oh goodness, it was a roller coaster... and still is. He is now 16, and although we are better at dancing between these roles, we both are tired, feeling we’ve come a long way and deserve to be The Teacher more often. He’s not at an age yet, where we can talk and I can fill his heart with all my gratitude for what he has taught me. About life. About me. I have studied under several Masters over the years, and none have touched me or provided me such profound lessons as my son and his now 11 year old sister. They, and all the children, are who push me… to places where I can learn the most. It is because of them, and that silent child in me, that I see life as a perpetual classroom, where once in a while I can step in and teach a thing or two. It’s a fine line to dance between these two powerful archetypes… The Teacher and The Student. To know when

Be careful to not get caught up in any role, really. Because, even though we may be standing in the ‘power position’, it doesn’t mean we can’t be open to sharing that light, allowing others’ experiences and insights to impress new wisdom upon us. After all, we are all in this together! ***

C http://www.123rf.com

By Tina Falk

were to be seen, not heard. “I was to be seen, not heard.” That phrase is still a stab to my heart, right through my soul. “How could this be?” I thought. “I see what’s going on and have something to say about it!” My parents had already been divorced for 5 years. It was such an unhealthy environment. I could see inappropriate behaviours and sense incredibly intense emotions. There was no place for me to share my insights. After all, I was just a child. So, assuming the role of the silent observer was a means for me to survive… yet ultimately thrive.

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reativity flows through everything I do. I am an open book. I love to share. I always look for a better, more effective way. I seek the gift in everything. I am compassion. I am a lover of humanity and am intrigued by the choices we make. I am excited about life, in a laidback-sort-of way. And, I am a champion of our children’s inherent wisdom and vision. www.tinafalk.com


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You Can’t Change

A Bear!

slowly away. She seemed happy with my response and continued eating berries.

By Kerry George

www.CIBN.ca

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ometimes in the summertime I like to go out into the mountains and take photos of the flowers, the animals, and the trails. I have many beautiful pictures of paths through the forest and I have had some experiences that remind me of the paths of life along the way. One day while I was out walking I came around the bend to find a large black bear who was enjoying some berries. The animal stopped what she was doing to look me over. We stood there a few feet from each other sizing up the possibilities. She was determining if I was a threat or if she needed to take action in fight or flight. My thoughts were similar. Here was something that could go very wrong, or it could just be a good story later. Wisdom prompted me to say something gentle and back

Sometimes we think our trail is set and we know the direction to go but who knows when we may encounter a bear? Life is like that. We need to be willing and ready to change course. We need to weigh out the cost of continuing to move in that direction. The goal may remain the same but the path we choose to get there may change. In business and in relationships there are goals that we have. We may want a better lifestyle. We may want more time to be with the people we love. We may want to travel. We may want to do more good things for others. Whatever our motivation and whatever our desired outcome there is a path to achieve those dreams. What happens when there is a bear in the road? Do we fight the bear? Do we go around the bear? Do we stop, paralysed in fear and go back to never try again?

changes and challenges that we were not expecting. We have kids who have behavioural issues. Health problems come up. Financial shortcomings hold us back. Job situations change. Businesses provide opportunities but they also take our time and our energy. There are bumps in the road and sometimes even a bear who is eating our delicious berries. Flexibility, resiliency and openness are key to our survival as well as to our success. If we are flexible we will see our way around the obstacle. If we are resilient we will survive even the most formidable bear, and if we are open to new possibilities we may find a more exciting trail with bigger berries and no bear to compete with.

If we see the world as being full of opportunities and many paths, our positive attitude will drive us forward

The goal of the destination stays the same but the path is going to have to change, because we cannot change the bear. This is the truth of life. It brings

The biggest factor is how we view the entire situation. Our perspective is everything. If we are full of fear and negativity then bears will rule our thoughts and devour our joy. If we see the world as being full of opportunities and many paths, our positive attitude will drive us

forward. The bear can’t steal one’s purpose when they are a passionate and positive person with a set course that has been predetermined by attitude. Decide to live life in a positive way and to see the goodness in the journey. Obstacles come but keep your mind on the healthy and helpful ways to reach your goals. There is no point in focusing on the bear. Focus on the solution. You can’t change the bear, but you can choose to change yourself. You can choose to change the way you think. You can choose to change the path you are on. The bear is inflexible, as obstacles often seem to be. You, however, can choose to be flexible. You can choose to be resilient and you can choose to be open minded about your path. What you choose and the way you think about it will determine whether you have joy on your journey. We may as well enjoy the trip even though there are bears in the berries.

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erry George is the owner of the Canadian Imperial Business Network which is currently the largest business network in Alberta and rapidly expanding across the country. She is a serial entrepreneur/author and speaker with a zest for life and a passion to help others succeed in increasing their potential and their bottom line. Kerry has several publications and blogs that you can follow and welcomes most interaction online.


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Having it your way Isn’t always the right way By Kelly Hipkin

www.organizedlivesltd.com

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ll the years that we have behind us, shape who we are today, but that does not mean we are destined to sadness, if that is where life has brought us. When I think back to many difficult times I survived through, I see that it was my lack of flexibility that kept me stuck. I wanted to have it my way and I thought I was right about how life should be. Whether it was a marriage struggle or a parenting struggle, my stubborn ego held tight to its grasp on my soul. Years ago, as a young, working gal, people would say to me that they were happier in their 40s and 50s because of the peace that comes with knowing what they know. Funny, I thought; you are old and when I am your age, I won’t be happy. However, I am in my 40s now and find that I am more excited about life than I ever knew possible. Oh, how time changes our perceptions and set ideas. Time has been very good to me and

My flexibility muscle took many years to develop and sometimes I wish I could wave a magic wand for anyone struggling and make it all better. When I start to get down about the inability to solve something for someone I am reminded of the struggle of the butterfly. They must struggle and press through a tiny hole in their cocoon to push life giving blood into their wings. If we were to help them out of the cocoon, their wings would shrivel and they would not survive. As with the butterfly, so it is with us, that through the struggle we grow.

I finally decided I was going to listen to some of the teachings and try to be less rigid. About 6 years ago, I stopped hassling my husband to “do and be” what I thought he should be. I decided I was going to relax my expectations and embrace him for who he was. It was not easy in the beginning. He is an introvert and I am an extrovert and I simply started by telling myself as I awoke that he was not waking up every day and saying to himself, “how can I hurt Kelly’s feelings today?” That one little step started the transformation. When he would be silent after a long day of work, I would have to actually speak to myself and say, “remember, it’s not about you!

As with the butterfly, so it is with us, that through the struggle we grow. After 25 years of marriage I can honestly say that I was a crisis creator. It was a habit and I had to have a crisis to be stewing in, talking about or getting someone to spend time with me to help solve it. Through many hours of reading and searching,

He is not on a mission to annoy you. He just needs some space to unwind.” It all sounds silly as I write this now, but I am amazed at how different life has become. My home is a peaceful place where the teens can feel free to hang out and bring their friends. My husband does not walk on

eggshells waiting for my next explosion from some, made up in my head, crisis. Becoming more flexible and allowing people around me to be who they are has given me a second chance for a happy existence. When we can begin to slow down and be conscious of the thoughts running through our heads, it opens up places for us to discover how flexible we are. So often, we can get stuck in rigid routines or those darn “shoulds” and “coulds” that trap us in our lives.

Being flexible and allowing your mind to stretch beyond the present reality can be the freedom you are looking for. What one thing can you do today to see where you are not bending? Being flexible is not giving in or allowing people to take advantage of us, it is seeing that we all need a little space and understanding every now and then. It really can set you free.

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here is a calm feeling when you are comfortable in your space and Kelly Hipkin is on a mission to make sure everyone knows how great it feels. When she is not out helping other people find peace through organization, she is researching simpler ways to take on a task and implementing strategies in her own home. Find out more about her at www.organizedlivesltd. com

www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/

I have come to that wonderful place of happier, but it wasn’t always so.


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It’s never a straight path. You must be willing to bend, without allowing yourself to break. Drawing the Plans

Are You Living

Your Dream?

If you are not happy doing what you do, take a look a what you can do to change it. and forgot to balance it with a personal life. I was drifting, not sure what to do next. I decided to relocate to Calgary to spend some time with my ailing father. So, at 50 years old, I sold off or gave away most of my possessions and basically started all over.

By Debbie Peck

www.crushmarketinggroup.com

One day a friend called me and asked me to go to the mall to go shopping. It was a Saturday and I told her that I was working. She thought it was terrible that I had to work on a Saturday and said that she wouldn’t like to have her own business like I did because she would never want to work on weekends. It was at that point that I realized that I was living my dream. I told her that in fact that I had designed my life this way. In reality, I was only working a few hours, and I may even put in a few hours on a Sunday as well. But guess what? I can go to the mall on a Tuesday afternoon if I want (less busy, too!), or take a nap if I want. I get to decide.

The other great thing for me is that my work doesn’t seem like “work” to me. I love what I do and I want to help people make a difference in the world through my social media and internet marketing business. My Life Design Specs Sometimes people look from the outside and think that successful people must have had it easy and are so lucky to be living the lifestyle they live. Some people

think that I must live a charmed life and am very successful. Actually, I do consider myself successful, but not by most people’s standards. I don’t earn huge money (yet), am not travelling as much as I would like and don’t own a lot of “stuff”.

So why do I think I’m successful? Because I’m happy. I figured out what makes me happy and I make a living out of doing what I “When I look back, I have no regrets except love to do. I am so grateful that I for one - that I could have had my dream life wake up excited so much sooner.’’ every day that I get to do what I want to do. Is my life perfect? No way. There are so many things I want to achieve and I continue to learn and grow every day, both

personally and professionally. I do know that I don’t need more material things to make me happy. I want to be able to give back something meaningful to the world and I am designing my life to include being with people I want to be with and having experiences that are fun and exciting. The Courage to Change It has taken me a while to get here. When I look back, I have no regrets except for one - that I could have had my dream life so much sooner. It was all a matter of being flexible enough to change my perception of my life. I was living in Vancouver and had just closed my storefront business that I had owned for five years. I was miserable, in poor health and had very few friends left because I had thrown myself into my business

At a time when most people would be starting to contemplate retirement, I knew that I had to be flexible enough to go with the flow in order to get my life back on track. I was extremely grateful for the opportunities that were coming my way. My business started to do well, I was meeting new people and enjoying life again. Then, the unthinkable happened. I found out I had cancer. I decided to look at this as a temporary setback and got through this difficult time with the help of my family and friends. I am healthy and cancer-free today and I believe that because of my attitude of resilience and flexibility, I was able to move forward and heal much quicker.

It takes flexibility and determination to make changes. Ask yourself what is the worst case scenario that could happen if you decide to act on a goal and it doesn’t turn out the way you planned? Then you alter your plan and move on. But think about this – what if things turn out so much better than you could have ever imagined?

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hrough collaboration and community, Debbie Peck knows that together we can create great things and she has a vision of bringing the world together through the power of social media. Her company, Crush Marketing Group teaches and inspires others to embrace online mediums to not only grow their businesses, but also to make a difference in the world.


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Living Well “Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth” ~Hermann Hesse


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Living Food

The Healing Powers of Fermentation Beet Kvass For my Ukrainian Baba, and countless other Europeans, keeping her family healthy through the cold winter meant including fermented foods such as sourdough, sauerkraut and beet kvass in their regular diets. Not only were these foods made cheaply with what was available, but the process of natural fermentation allowed them to be stored for longer periods of time while actually increasing their vital nutrients. All naturally fermented foods add probiotics and enzymes to the diet, improving digestive health and immunity. Heralded as a blood and liver tonic, beet kvass is deeply cleansing, helping to alkalinise the body and increase the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity. Kvass, which is just the strained liquid from the fermented beets, can be taken daily as a drink or added to other foods such as borsch or even martinis, adding a pleasant tartness. Some recipes use a packaged starter culture such as the ones made for kefir but my Baba’s recipe was just this simple:

“This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients.

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eets are just packed full of nutrients including potassium, magnesium, iron, beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamins A, B and C. Betaine and tryptophan help to create a sense of well being and reduce winter depression. Studies have shown that consuming beets can reduce rates of colon cancer and heart disease. Beets are also inexpensive

Ingredients

10-12 organic beets, cut into chunks 2 tsp. sea salt Filtered or boiled, cooled water to cover I slice of natural, sour rye bread (or starter if using)

Instructions

Place beet chunks and salt into a stone crock or earthenware container covering with water until completely submerged. Add slice of bread to the beets to hasten the fermentation process (or add starter culture). Cover and keep at room temperature for at least one week, or until sour. Strain and serve or store

and easy to grow, even in short season climates. What more could you ask for in a food?

in refrigerator. Do not discard beets, but repeat the process once more to create a fresh batch using a little reserved kvass as your starter. Small quantities can be frozen in ice cube trays to add to borsch or other recipes. Like most fermented foods, kvass is a bit of an acquired taste, but its salty, earthy goodness will improve your energy and keep your digestive system humming all winter long.

One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.” ~Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions

Mia Staysko, Publisher www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living well magazine month 20XX

contemporary Living Feng shuimagazine magazine month Winter20XX 2013

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Flexibility From Within

By Tracy Makarenko

www.healingpossibilities.com

I

have been an anal, uptight, anxious individual my entire life. There, I said it. Well, as far back as I can remember, anyway. It has only been recently that I consider myself flexible. Occasionally, my old, inflexible tendencies still creep up and surprise me. Flexibility in life is necessary, especially to survive in today’s busy and hectic society. Many of my clients come for stress reduction and receive the added benefit of flexibility. For years, my life needed to stay well organized, both in my mind and on my calendar. Change was difficult; sometimes proving impossible for me to navigate. The internal stress that erupted in my body and mind would at times make me physically ill! In fact, many of our physical ailments are triggered by stress or the lack of being flexible. This is the case with headaches, migraines, backaches, irritable bowel syndrome, a twitching eye, acid reflux, and arthritis, to name a few. If your life is overwhelming, chances are you have an imbalance of flexibility. Both a lack of flexibility and too much flexibility create and contribute to stress. Rigid thinking and behaviors as well as people-

pleasing tendencies where we flex to the point of losing a part of ourselves, cause us to suffer both physically and emotionally. Only balanced flexibility can restore us to wholeness.

opened my mind to creatively contemplate my topic for the day. It was during the last fifteen minutes that Universal inspiration and solutions presented themselves.

I want to share with you a few things I’ve learned to do over the years to reduce the stress in my life which now allows me the flexibility to go with the flow.

Breathing is another very useful tool that can take as little as five minutes to reset stress levels. And remember: when you’re less stressed, it’s easier to deal with what life throws at you. Being flexible is just part of the reward.

You’ve heard it before, and I will mention it here because it works: Meditation. Twenty minutes in the morning can completely change your entire day! And, therefore, your life. When you go into a meditative state, you release yourself from this world’s worries. And as you settle into the nothingness of all that is divine, the Universe offers up solutions to some of the worries and concerns that have been occupying your mind. Divine guidance is a beautiful thing. If you have a hard time meditating because you can’t empty your mind, take a walk. Last year, when I was hosting my weekly radio show, my nerves would get a little rattled before airtime. I found that a thirty minute walk an hour before the show was extremely helpful. The first fifteen minutes would be spent emptying my mind and the last fifteen minutes

Take a deep breath in...and breathe it out... all the way down into your toes. Continue doing this for five or six minutes. I call this my transition breath and I use this exercise when I’m between places, usually in the car after I’ve stopped travelling from one place and before I enter the next part of my day. This transitional breath prepares me for what I have to do next. I breathe in flexibility as I reduce stress and unclutter both my mind and my life. With breath and meditation, my flexibility increases and allows me to go with the flow.

T

racy Makarenko is an Intuitive Healer offering hands-on holistic healing treatments. She provides clinicbased individual treatments, angel card readings, and reaches clients throughout the world via Skype. In addition to her practice, Tracy offers workshops including all levels of Reiki and has developed several of her own. Her latest workshop offering is based on the success of her memoir, Moving from the Outside, In, available through Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, and BarnesandNoble. com. Tracy has authored many articles on Holistic Health and was the host of a VoiceAmerica weekly radio show. www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living in the flow magazine month 20XX

By Katie Rogers

Loosen Up! Your body, and your mind

I

www.katierogersfengshui.com

like to say that Feng Shui is to the home as Yoga is to the body.

acupuncture and Chi Gong. Yoga has a different name for chi, however. “Energy,” or “life force” in yoga, is known as “prana,” and yoga poses (asanas) assist in keeping Being an avid yoga the prana at optimum flow. In fact, many classes practitioner and a certified Feng are actually titled “Flow,” describing a method of Shui consultant, I cannot imagine practice where the asanas mesh into one another one without the other. Perhaps in a seamless dance, further enhancing this it’s because I discovered each concept. modality at almost exactly the same time, in my early 20s while I offer you my first-hand experience. The way living in “weird” (and wonderful) I feel after a yoga class is very similar to how I Austin, Texas. Since then, both feel after shifting the energy in my own home or arts have been an integral part of my life.

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When assessing the Feng Shui of a space, it’s basic practice to get a read on the flow of chi (aka energy). Chi is affected by everything from the placement of furniture to the colour palette, the health of plants to the artwork, the floor plan and beyond. The goal is to have a gentle flow of energy through the space, one that neither rushes too fast nor stagnates. Similarly, there is chi in the human body, and it’s the same idea; the chi should flow fluidly through the physical and energetic systems in order for the body and mind to maintain a certain level of health. This concept is the foundation of Chinese medicine and other healing systems, such as

contemporary Living Feng Shui magazine Magazine month Winter20XX 2013

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clients’ spaces. It’s a sort of calm, sometimes on the brink of euphoria. In short, when chi is flowing optimally - whether in the body or the environment - it feels great! Here’s the thing. You don’t have to be a yoga master, able to put your legs behind your head, in order to feel this way. Similarly, you don’t have to have “perfect” Feng Shui for there to be a good chi flow. One teacher explained; “The person who is the least flexible in the class is getting just as much benefit as the most flexible person in the class.” This is insightful, in that it insinuates that as long as you are moving in the direction of flexibility, there is superb benefit! Someone who can barely bend over is getting as much out of it as the one who can hug her chest to her knees! In Feng Shui, I try to impress upon clients that Feng Shui is not about perfection, and that there is no perfect Feng Shui. It’s really and truly a process, a practice. Just as one yoga class is not going to make you healthy, getting amazing Feng Shui from a talented consultant is not going to give you good luck for the rest of your life. Feng Shui is a shifting art, as nothing is

stagnant. Once you have your home (or office) “dialed in,” while it’s a good foundation, eventually more shifts will need to be made. Being flexible is allowing yourself to bend in the direction of whatever is occurring. It’s about loosening up the rigid places, rather than pushing for perfection. After all, what is it they say? “The only constant is change.” Like the yoga pose that you can’t even imagine “accomplishing,” Feng Shui is all about moving in the right direction. In essence, we never truly get there. And when we do accomplish king cobra or a scorpion handstand, it’s not because we forced ourselves into it, but rather we allowed ourselves, over time and with diligent practice, to “go with the flow.”

K

atie Rogers is a Reiki Master, arborist, artist/ writer/filmmaker, and a certified Feng Shui consultant in the Tibetan Black Hat tradition. She offers on-site and distance consultations for residents, businesses, and just about anything that can be Feng Shui’d as well as on-going classes and workshops. Her intention is to help clients live their best and happiest lives possible through the amazing art/science of Feng Shui. It works! Read more in her blog, The Sparklit and get daily tips from her Facebook page www.livingfengshui.ca

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Living in the Present

Living Feng Shui Magazine Winter 2013

www.shutterstock.com

Getting Stiff

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...then old

By Mia Staysko

www.whitelotusinteriors.ca

“You’ve got to make some conscious choices now, while you are still flexible.” These are the words of 47 year old wisdom that I recently gave to my father, in his mid seventies. My words were meant as an observation as much as a warning. I have watched my husband’s parents, particularly my father-in-law, become more and more rigid as they have aged. Change, for them, has become much more of a challenge. I get this. It is natural. As the cycle of life emerges from the abyss, through growth and the height of abundance, into harvest and then to the epilogue, the season of fall, we move naturally to this metal phase before returning back to the darkness, the abyss. As we age and move from our youthful peak into the more

metal life phase the essence of our chi becomes condensed, more pure, like a stock or reduction who’s basic flavour becomes stronger as the unessential is stripped away. Like metal our chi moves from molten and fluid to hardened and firm. Though natural, it is no less challenging and if you’ve ever been on the sidelines watching someone elderly try to cope with change it is a reminder to exercise your own mind and body in ways that will allow you to remain fluid as you age.

“You don’t get old and stiff, you get stiff, and then you get old” ~Yogic saying Growth, in my opinion, is available to all of us, at any age, and it always begins with self observation. We cannot change that which we have no awareness of. However, in order to grow we must first observe, and then we have to be honest with ourselves about what we see.

To exercise our minds we need to take notice of the places where we are strangely unbending, or stubbornly unwilling to inch out of our comfort zones. Then when we see ourselves reacting in a way that is rigid, or rooted in fear or lack, we can more easily choose to let our reaction go and to find a new path - or to remain set in our ways. This practice works for our bodies as well as our minds. I believe that remaining curious about our physical bodies is equally important. For me, it is one of the main reasons that I hope to practice yoga well into my senior years. When I do yoga, I pay attention. I watch my body and how it reacts to certain poses, how it connects to my mind and where I find resistance to change. When it comes to the body, it is a bit more difficult to ignore the places where you are becoming stiff. And with some knowledge, it is easy to discover how the stiffness in the body may connect to a belief that we are struggling with. Sometimes we aren’t ready to change just yet, or aren’t sure how, but by paying attention we

can at least get curious about why we do certain things or react in specific ways. If we can remain curious rather than becoming complacent I believe we can remain flexible throughout our lives, even well into our senior years. There is a yogic saying that ‘You don’t get old and stiff, you get stiff, and then you get old” Stay limber!

M

ia Staysko is a Professional Feng Shui Consultant and Interior Designer. Through her company, White Lotus Interiors, she helps people to create spaces that support their bodies, and their souls. Providing professional and comprehensive Feng Shui and Design solutions Mia helps clients to transform their lives and their spaces through conscious design. Mia is the founding Director of the Sacred Lotus School of Feng Shui. She is Secretary, Education Director and a Red Ribbon Professional member of the International Feng Shui Guild. www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living spaces magazine month 20XX


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Living Feng Shui “I don’t need to see something extraordinary to believe in miracles. Miracles reside in the mundane” ~Mia Staysko


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contemporary Living spaces magazine month 20XX

8 Fab Feng Shui Favourites! from the experts

We asked Feng Shui experts to chime in on their favourite ways to change the chi in a space. Their ideas are high impact, while being easy on the eyes. They’ll have your home humming with vibrant, positive energy in no time!

We had no idea how many cool things could be fashioned out of used CDs unitl Elaine Bentley Baughn suggested using them as inexpensive metal element cures!


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“I personally love Sentsy Burners with their wickless essential oil wax”, says Bridget Saraka. Placed in a corner where the chi has a tendency to become stale and stagnant these little beauties are fabulous for raising the vibration.

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1 Lighting is always a good way to enhance a room and with new color changing technology from Philips, you can create a new mood even from your mobile device. www.meethue.com

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For Mia Staysko orchids are a must-have Feng Shui enhancer. They are cheaper than a bouquet of flowers and they can last for months.

2 Planning on painting? Laurie Bornstein suggests writing an affirmation in support of your intention on the wall and then painting the room. This energizes and holds your intention without visible adjustments!

Incense is a quick and easy way to change the chi, says Preet Kalsi. Use high quality incense and a lovely holder like this one from www.shoyiedo.com

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Terri Perrin loves a large mirrored gazing ball as a beautiful (and powerful) way to cure tight spaces between homes, to reveal hidden doorways and to expand the energy in any room or yard. The great thing about them is... they look so spectacular in a garden and no one, but you, needs to know it is there working its mirrored magic! A small one can also be used to put a desk in ‘command’ if you have your back to the door.

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In the winter, when the daylight hours are short, proper lighting at your entry helps to lift the chi at this important location. We love these illuminated house numbers from www.mailboxworks.com


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Living Spaces

contemporary Living Feng Shui magazine Magazine month Winter20XX 2013

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A World of

Possibilities By carol Olmstead www.fengshuiforreallife.com

S

convincing him to take this office, and to schedule another consultation. New contracts were coming in so fast that he needed to move his growing company into bigger space and expand to 17 staff members. I recommended the most auspicious location for his office and where to locate his Feng Shui works best when you focus on improving employees. specific aspects of your life - such as finding a new romantic partner, increasing your cash flow, Eighteen months later, I was delighted to get or locating the perfect new job – and then allow more good news from Matt who said “At our last yourself to be open to whatever the Universe consultation, you asked whether I believed that my delivers. In the face of uncertainty it’s helpful to being open to taking the smaller office had anything know that there might be even better possibilities to do with the success of my company. My answer that you haven’t yet imagined. then was that it probably had and that was why I wanted another consultation. Well, my answer now I often find that clients put up the most resistance to is “definitely” because we just landed our largest the changes they especially need to make. These contract to date, and we are ready to sign a lease two success stories illustrate how being flexible for half a floor in a new building. I want you to take allowed these individuals to achieve success a look at the space before we move to make sure beyond their initial goals. we locate everyone in the right place. Thank you again for opening my eyes to possibilities that I had formerly closed off.”

Matt’s Growing Business

Jen’s New Love

The first time I did a consultation for Matt, he was moving his software business from his basement into leased space. He was open to rearranging the When I came to do her home consultation, Jen was furniture, but inflexible about taking the larger of the recovering from a bad breakup and was adamant that she didn’t want a man in her life. She had two offices in the suite. arranged her bedroom in a way that was sending the message that she wanted to be alone. I gave Much to Matt’s surprise, I recommended he take her advice for rearranging that room, whenever she the smaller office because it was located in the was ready to attract a new love. Here’s what Jen upper left area of the suite, the “Power Position” wrote: that occupies the Wealth Area on the Feng Shui bagua. The larger office was in the Relationship “I wanted to update you on a positive change Area, and that’s where his Vice President, who handled marketing, belonged. Matt was hesitant at in my life. When you came to my house, you first, but reluctantly followed this Feng Shui advice. made suggestions for my bedroom that related to the intention to have a romantic relationship. I reluctantly followed them. Within a couple of Six months later, Matt called to thank me for

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ome people have a natural resistance to change and like things to stay essentially the way they are. But, change is natural, and Feng Shui adjustments can help you accept change as part of the cycle of life.

In the face of uncertainty it’s helpful to know that there might be even better possibilities that you haven’t yet imagined

weeks, a friend set me up with a really nice guy. He wasn’t “the one,” but starting to date again made me realize I did want a relationship. So, I incorporated even more of your romance suggestions and set the intention to have a relationship. I have since met the most wonderful man I could dream of. We are committed to spending the rest of our lives together. I truly believe that my opening up to Feng Shui changes was instrumental to being available for my beloved to come into my life.” Sometimes Feng Shui is just good common sense, while other times it works in almost unimaginable ways. These success stories show that when you are flexible and open to the world of Feng Shui, you always get what you need - even if it isn’t what you think you want.

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arol M. Olmstead, FSIA, is a Feng Shui Master Practitioner, author, and speaker specialising in rearranging spaces, shifting energy, and transforming lives. Through her company Feng Shui For Real Life, she provides consulting and workshops nationwide. Carol has taught thousands the simple secrets of using Feng Shui to improve their lives. She is author of the awarding-winning Feng Shui Quick Guide For Home and Office Secrets for Attracting Wealth, Harmony, and Love www.livingfengshui.ca

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Living spaces

Living Feng shui magazine Winter 2013

Inspiration Crystal Clear

visually and spiritually. He believed that the light energy filtering through a crystal changes the energy of the surrounding space, in effect emitting and absorbing life force energy or chi. He loved them – like I do – because of their effectiveness, availability and affordability. It is the shape and multi-faceted design, combined with the clarity and brilliance of the leaded crystal, which results in the glass absorbing and refracting balanced light energy in the Seven-Colour Rainbow Spectrum. (Because they are more dense and have molecular imperfections, natural quartz crystals do not absorb and refract light in the same way.) The ‘rainbow effect’ is a symbol of nature’s power and beauty, radiating calming and balanced chi. The application of this colour sequence – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple – is recognized for its importance and is utilized in many Feng Shui cures and spirituality practices. As with any Feng Shui cures, it is vital that you use the power of intention to reinforce the cure. Identify what ‘job’ a crystal needs to perform. Is it to slow rushing chi in a long hallway? Or will it expand and uplift stagnant energy in a room without windows? Using the ‘Three Secrets Reinforcement’ when hanging the crystal will help you visualize and achieve the desired result.

By Terri Perrin

www.faoifengshui.com

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rior to attending an ‘Introduction to Feng Shui’ workshop at the public library in 2006 I would have described myself as a ‘rigid’ thinker. I was an accomplished writer/researcher who wrote on a variety of topics – many of them scientific – and was schooled in the Western philosophy of believing only what I can physically see. I did not delve into metaphysics and spirituality or put my faith in the realm of the transcendental and the power of positive intentions. What I learned at this one-hour presentation — about how the ‘stuff’ that surrounds us can affect how we feel — truly resonated with me. I was full of enthusiasm and inspiration! That night I purchased my very first Feng Shui cure item: a sparkling leaded crystal ball on a red string.

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“The more I challenged my mindset from a state of rigidity to one of acceptance, the more I wanted to learn” state of rigidity to one of acceptance, the more I wanted to learn. Being a writer/researcher, I am sure I drove some of my classmates, teachers and mentors crazy with all of my questions!

One practice that appealed to the writer/researcher in me was how the Black Sect Tantric Buddhist (BTB) School of Feng Shui recommends crystal balls as energy cures and enhancements. Driven by insatiable curiosity I wondered how, exactly, does this work? I needed to fully comprehend I was open to transformation the topic and was relentless in my pursuit of and, as I began to implement knowledge. By 2011, I had amassed enough Feng Shui principles into my daily routines, I was truly amazed information to write a book devoted to the subject. Pretty open-minded I think for someone who, five with the results. The more I years earlier, would have scorned the concept! challenged my mindset from a

Recognize, now, when I refer to a ‘crystal ball’ I am referring to the precision cut, multifaceted spheres manufactured from the highest quality leaded crystal glass – as shown in the photograph – not polished quartz crystal balls that have been mined from the Earth. Natural crystals have been used for centuries for both healing and protection but they are not the same as leaded crystal balls. This doesn’t mean one is better than the other. It just means they have different uses. Feng Shui practitioners must be open-minded to the energyenhancing possibilities of both. The late His Holiness Professor Lin Yun recommended the multifaceted leaded crystal sphere because of what they do with light, both

Learning about Feng Shui in general, and crystals in particular, has become my passion. My heart and mind have opened to the marvels of the transcendental and the influence of intention. It has become crystal clear to me is that sometimes we may need to ‘bend’ in order to alter the course of our live. If it worked for me, it can work for anyone!

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erri Perrin enjoys life on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where she shares her home with her husband, two cats and LOTS of Feng Shui crystal balls! She became certified as Feng Shui Practitioner through Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta in 2008 and has mentored with some of North America’s most well respected Feng Shui Masters. She launched Fine Art of Intention Feng Shui Consulting & Publishing in 2009 and self-published The Complete Guide to Feng Shui Crystals in 2011. (2nd edition May 2012.) In addition to Feng Shui consulting and writing, she enjoys long walks on the beach, gardening and horseback riding … activities that help her connect with the energy of the earth. www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living Mastery magazine month 20XX


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Turning Your Life

Upside Down and Backwards By caroline Patrick Bornei

A

www.fengshuicolorstore.com

lthough I have lived many places in the United States I find my current home brings me peace in a way which brings joy to my heart. The Bay Area of California seems to agree with my nature. Not too cold, not too hot but just right. Of course there are those few days in winter and summer that are out of my comfort zone. Each part of the world has its own Chi, and if our Chi matches our environment then it is easier to bend in the wind like the bamboo plant and living becomes beautiful. I was born in the Midwest of the United States where little girls were trained to be “good” in more ways than you could count. My parents expected me to marry a good man, live no more than one mile away and have children. This worked for a few years, but my former husband wanted to see the world and travel with his job. I stubbornly resisted his Water Element nature, as my Earth birth element wanted to stay put, but destiny tore me loose from the familiar surroundings and I

began to learn the art of going with the flow. My resistance came from fear and in turn manifested dis-ease within my liver or Wood Element organ. I later understood that it was my unwillingness to be more flexible that caused struggle and suffering. Each place we lived brought lessons in many forms, some wonderful and some not so wonderful, but I loved the land and watched nature dance through the seasons and years flowed by one after the other. Soon I met up with destiny in Berkeley, CA., where a very

master. His kindness, humour, knowledge and knowing gave me courage to heal myself one lesson, and cure, at a time. To have knowledge and not be flexible only causes blocked actions in body, mind and spirit. “Be like the sacred bamboo that bends easily in the wind, but that is so strong that bridges can be built from this plant” he told us again and again. We listened to the countless ways bamboo can be used for flexibility, support, to cure sickness, help with family issues and money concerns. Bamboo flutes are used over doorways,

“Be like the sacred bamboo that blows and bends easily in the wind, but that is so strong, that bridges can be built from this plant.” mystical man was teaching workshops on one of my favourite subjects, Feng Shui. My favourite interests of art, herbs and Feng Shui came together in a trinity of purpose and mission. I listened to every word Grandmaster Lin Yun spoke and the truths of my heart felt the presence of a true

in the design of the bagua, on a wall to enhance a career, to protect a family or as a tool to find directions. To become more flexible as a mother, father, child, boss, attorney, doctor, teacher, wife, husband, politician, solider, government worker, health care

person or in any behaviour as a human, such as a drug addiction, you can try a solution called, “ Upside Down and Backwards Cure”. I have personally used this cure many times and given it to my clients for learning to be flexible. It can strengthen the immune system as a bonus. This is not the full cure, as you will need to contact an experienced BTB practitioner for the instructions, but change as many behaviours as possible during the day for several days. Go to bed at a different time than usual. Go to work a new and different way. Eat breakfast for dinner. Change your hair style. Just as I have let go of how I perceived my life should be, moving, travelling and living in over 27 houses and owning 16 homes, flexibility was a necessity for me to embrace in this lifetime. I am now able to do things I never dreamed of such as travel the world, be an author, become an herbalist and my first love, a professional artist. You must change your thinking and actions to move into the unknown of possibilities.

Meditate, meditate and meditate. Listen for the answers and inspirations. Don’t just read the corrections and cures His Holiness Master Lin taught, use them now and change yourself so you can enjoy life to the fullest. And finally Professor gave me a name to fit my Chi. While travelling on a bus in China, he called me aside and said, “Would you like your name now?” I had been napping as the other travellers did their thing and didn’t know he was resting and meditating in the front of our bus. Startled, I jumped to attention and muttered a quick, “Yes!” Crystal Chu {Now HH Khadro Crystal Chu} was seated next to him and begin to take notes. “Bo Er Nei,” he said to Crystal, “the cypress that endures and stays strong all year long. In winter, spring, summer and fall your leaves are evergreen.”

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aroline Patrick BorNei is a Master Feng Shui Educator, certified Feng Shui practitioner, professional artist, writer, author and healer. She currently lives in Sonoma, California, known as “The Valley of the Moon”, a magical place, to write, paint and give consultations. China is the home of her heart and she travels to this place, where the study of Feng Shui or the balance of Wind and Water began, as often as possible. Caroline‘s recent book Diary of a Feng Shui Consultant and Visual Artist is available at Amazon

There were many other words and a poem, but he had “seen” my strength and weakness in those years and the name gave me the flexibility needed for more of the journey to come, until one day he changed it to BorNei, a softened version - as my Chi had softened, he said.


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contemporary Living from the heart magazine month 20XX


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By Bette Steflik

www.shenmenfengshui.com

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o way… Are you crazy?… Yes, but…I don’t want to do that. If you are reading this you’re probably in the middle of a conflict or have been immobilized by these defence postures in a close relationship. A ‘God love her’ intractable friend, a love/ hate bond with an unreasonable partner, or your own mind’s frustration will build resistance the size of the Great Wall of China. The conditioned response is to start an argument with a couple of well-directed arrows straight to the heart. This discourages love on all fronts and is, in fact, a dead end. If you’ve been to countless seminars and counsellors and still haven’t found a complete solution that addresses the root cause of this discord, and if you are at the point of throwing in the towel, lamenting you’ll have to dissolve another intimate relationship, I am here to say, “Don’t give up.” You are on the right track if you are reading this. Inflexibility is a shared, common, human defence. It is a challenge to break through because we

Five Extraordinary practices to liberate your heart don’t see that it stems from within ourselves. The pain we express is from habituated thinking patterns, yet we have little awareness that this is what we do. When I began to write about ‘Yes, but Ch’i’ I felt the weight of my immovable opinions, and passed judgment on my less than perfect feelings. But by admitting I wrestle with inflexibility I released these mental blocks. It gave me the freedom to place trust in sincerity, where true liberation begins. This precept comes from H.H. Lin Yun’s Black Sect Tantric Buddhist School of Feng Shui compassionate, simple and purifying teachings. At the center of his philosophy: the heart is the antidote to all life’s situations. It is from the place of the heart that our problems arise and there we return to find resolution.

self-awareness from these five extraordinary practices. They are based on the teachings that living in the senses of the body create a flexible mind and an open heart.

If happiness and freedom are what you seek, if you believe that you’ve reached your limit of emotional suffering and the discomfort of change outweighs living with despair, then approaching your issues from mindful action can liberate your heart and turn your life right side up. I believe you will find the power to broaden your

It’s hard to think with an unclear mind. During the day stress and clutter accumulate in your energy. If you have experienced a difficult scene with your partner, take an orange peel bath. Cut nine round circles from the skin of an orange and wash your entire body, even your head. Orange is auspicious. Its clarifying essence uplifts your

1 Sound

Karma is the law that past actions create your current reality. You live in the residual of yesterday’s thoughts. You are not who you are now but what you thought and believed yesterday. When you feel anger or conflict, open to the sounds of the Universe. Empty your heart, chant the Calming Heart Mantra, Gate Gate Para Gate Para Sam Gate Bodhi Swoha nine times and discover peace.

2 Smell

Ch’i helping you seek your level of balance.

3 Sight

The natural condition of Ch’i is fluid. Our visual surroundings impress upon our eyes and continually influence our Ch’i. Low energy or unhappy emotions breed in a sterile or stuck environment. Increase your vitality with the coloration and luminosity of green plants. Your bedroom is the most important room in the home. Placing nine healthy plants here will help you maintain a positive attitude.

4 Taste

A bitter pill can ruin a good relationship. Before you say something you will regret, step back and “Swallow Your Saliva”, nine times. First create the saliva with the tip of your tongue on the upper palate of your mouth by moving your tongue back and forth 27 times. Then swish the saliva around

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Yes But!

your gums and teeth. While doing this think whether what you have to say will cause harm. Swallow then speak. It connects all the meridians in the body. Not only will this create positive relations between you and your friend, but strengthen your organs, in particular your stomach and spleen. Setting intention is the motivating factor to positive change. You will experience heart-felt results.

5 Touch

Kindness opens the heart. Giving your friend or family member a twenty-two second hug releases the bonding hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin, which is nature’s antidepressant and anti-anxiety drug. Acting from a kind heart and performing good deeds daily helps you dial into a benevolent universe that you created yourself. You will find your family, friends and even folks you don’t know will want to join you.

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ertified Feng Shui Expert Bette Steflik believes Feng Shui design brings both depth and dimension to your life so you and your home radiate at your highest potential. With 14 years experience, extensive training, artistry, intuition and a bit of magic, what Bette does best is help her clients connect to the joy of their space. Her consultations start with demystifying the stress and unhappy emotions caused by difficult design features. She counters with solutions that have a direct influence on the home’s energy. Customized color, furniture placement and life force adjustments create a vital, radiant and balanced home make over. For a lifestyle change, Feng Shui is an aesthetic, common sense approach to livable design where life changing opportunities and success are built in. You will find a description of Bette’s services and blog at www. shenmenfengshui.com www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living daily magazine month 20XX

Let the F eng Shui Flow!

of socks from the clean laundry, you turn around and there is another pair in the dirty laundry basket? How about vacuuming - that’s a weekly job, unless you have a shedding dog - then it’s a daily chore. And don’t even get me started on dishes!

By Sondra Abbott

www.zenaissance.ca

“I just space cleared my new home, it feels great!“ “I just Feng Shui’d my entire home, now it’s perfect!”

T

hese statements are false. Yes, they are. Let me show you why. First, let’s start with your housework. Have you ever noticed that just when you finish matching the last pair


Same thing at the office - just finished that email? Great! But wait! There is more where that came from. And what would happen if, say, you took one shower and then never showered again! So why would Feng Shui or space clearing in your home be any different? Seriously. Energy is constantly flowing, ebbing, changing. You are constantly changing too! So are all the people and products that come into your life and into your home. That’s just the physical stuff, let’s not forget about our thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. The Universe likes to throw a few curve balls too - sometimes randomly,

sometimes in a perfect rhythm - like the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, the waxing and waning of the moon, and, yes, the alignment of the planets. Life is a melding of space and time. There are two things about Feng Shui and space clearing that are important to remember - let’s call them “guidelines” more than actual rules”!

It is beneficial to perform adjustments slowly. If you do too many adjustments too fast you can find yourself in a literal whirlwind of change and it might not be pretty. It’s like ripping off a Band-Aid - it’s fast, it’s done but OUCH! For example, in Feng Shui, it is most beneficial to take it slow, make one change - maybe two - and wait for the energy to shift and settle. Then take the next step. This method also allows you to see any direct links between the adjustment and the resultant change.

1

It is necessary to repeat the process. Think of it like climbing a ladder. You make a Feng Shui adjustment - that’s the first rung. Now you can see things differently since you’re up higher (a new level of consciousness). Now move to the second rung another Feng Shui adjustment. Another shift. Another new perspective, and so on.... With each adjustment, the energy shifts and new, different, adjustments are needed. Consider space clearing to be energetic housecleaning - it’s good to do a white glove test every once in a while and dust off a few cobwebs from the corners!

2

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time and flexible with your process. And it is a process. Feng Shui and space clearing are not “one-size-fits-all” nor are they “one-time” deals. But, and this is a big BUT...they are worth it!

S

ondra’s goal, through her company Zenaissance, is to create beautiful spaces and satisfied clients. Passionate about interior decorating; she can visualize the potential of a space with creative options tailored to each client’s style. Sondra’s belief that “everything is energy” inspires her Feng Shui and dowsing solutions, helping her clients reach their individual goals. Sondra is a graduate of the Mount Royal University Residential Decorating program and the BTB Feng Shui program. She obtained her certification in Dowsing from Marie Diamond. Sondra is member of the Canadian Decorators Association (CDECA) and a Red Ribbon Professional member of the International Feng Shui Guild (IFSG).

What this all means is that you must be flexible! Flexible in your thinking, flexible in your www.livingfengshui.ca

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contemporary Living Resources magazine month 20XX

Living Resources


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“It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” ~Robert Louis Stevenson


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contemporary Living inspired magazine month 20XX

Contributors’ Picks Mind Bending Reads from Contributors

H

ave you ever read something that totally expanded your view of the world, opening your mind, or your heart to a new idea? I asked our contributors to share just such a book read, one that inspired them to see the world differently. They have generously shared them here!

Kelly Hipkin


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Carol Olmstead

You Just Don’t Understand by Deborah Tannen, Pd.D Deborah is a professor of linguistics and this book focuses on the complexities of communication between men and women. I was especially inspired when I heard her speak when this book first came out. She explained how those of us who come from the New York area tend to think out loud; that is, we share our thought process verbally as we work through to a conclusion. Midwesterners, on the other hand, think through silently and then announce their conclusion. This makes the world think that New Yorkers are negative, when actually it’s only a difference in how we communicate. This book helped me understand the need to be flexible in how I communicate with clients from different regional and cultural backgrounds.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

Sondra Abbott

This book found me in 1993 but it took me over 2 decades to finally really embrace the beauty and joy of life. Through my journey, this book came in and out of my life, teaching something new each time. It is my favourite of all time. If I was ever stranded on a deserted island all alone with no hope for rescue, this is the book I would want to spend my days basking in. Thank you Louise. I love that your book has been a big part of my life.

Between the experiences I personally had after the death of my mother and the experiences I read about in Michael Newton’s books, I have found peace of mind and a confirmation of my beliefs regarding life after death, as well as life itself. There is a beautiful circle of life, which these books both confirmed for me. I recommend these books often.

Tracy Makarenko

Excuse Me Your Life is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn It was 2005 and my first introduction to the Law of Attraction. Lynn Grabhorn shared her stories, failures and success that gave me in-depth information about how it all works. She connected the dots; how positive thought along with engaging feelings allowed her to manifest a positive reality. My life completely changed after I read it!

Terri Perrin

Paving it Forward by Elisabeth Fayt While based on the principles of the Law of Attraction, I feel this book belongs on everyone’s bookshelf, but especially of those with an interest in energy. It can be enjoyed as an evening read or used as daily inspiration and a reminder to ‘think positive’ and ‘prepave’ your day for success.

Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls both by Michael Newton

Tina Falk

The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived by Lee Carol and Jan Tober The Indigo Children opened my world to seeing that we each do have a purpose. Not just individually, but collectively as well. The book made my childhood make sense. It steered me toward learning as much about the new generations as I possibly could, so that I can be of assistance as these spiritual warriors blaze a new trail for our world. I feel this is the most exciting time to be on this planet. This is what I’ve been waiting for!

Debbie Peck

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh One of my favourite books of all time is Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh (Zappos CEO). It is a wonderful story about how they built the company and had to be very flexible along the way on many things, but were NOT flexible when it came to their core beliefs and values. I highly recommend it!


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Resources ing ipp h S . U.S

Mary Shurtleff

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CHT, FSID

Mary is as Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Feng Shui Designer and 4 Pillar Eastern Astrologer, Certified Theta Healing and Intuitive Anatomy, Six Sensory Practitioner, Spiritual Consultant and Author

Coming soon…

Compass Guide An 11” diameter, clear acrylic template; with line cutouts, used to lay over a floorplan to easily draw sectors.

To order, visit the Treasure Chest at www.tinafalk.com

Creating space for change

801.573.4042 EMAIL

[email protected] VISIT

www.maryshurtleff.com

Step Into Your Spotlight with

Nicolette Vajtay

Mia Staysko C.F.S.P, D.I.D [email protected] www.whitelotusinteriors.ca 403-938-3359

The only book that makes using crystal balls as feng shui cures… crystal clear. Author & Feng Shui Consultant: Terri Perrin Fine Art of Intention Feng Shui | Vancouver Island, BC Click the photo to learn more about this book

consultations | workshops | books | crystals

250-218-4952 www.FAOIFengShui.com [email protected]

The REALM of SPIRIT: The Connected Be-ing Features actual stories of coincidence and angelic guidance, teaching you how to watch for the signs and metaphors sent from the heavens to guide you daily through your life.

CALL

Feng Shui

Your House Holds The Secret. If a lifestyle change is what you desire, Shen Men Feng Shui will expertly show you how to arrange the things you love and solve the decor issues you don’t understand. We love to share color, magic and design knowledge that taps into your highest potential and creates wealth, vitality and success. Live the Secret! Joy is living in a balanced home. Certified Feng Shui Expert. Ch’i Enthusiast. Space Guru. Bette Steflik 503.232.2543 www.shenmenfengshui.com

InspiredLivingInc.com

Scripting & Performance Coaching

10 years in Feng Shui BTB Practitioner 20+ years in the Enter�ainment Biz Mar��ing the t�o together to help you write & create dy�amic, rich Feng Shui content: a 30 second int�o video promo, workshop or your Ted Talk!

Sacred Lotus School of Feng Shui Inc.

Be an instrument of change for yourself and others

Practitioner Certification Tracy Makarenko

is a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner who shares her healing capabilities with clients throughout the World. Now, learn her story in her newly released autobiography, Moving from the Outside, In!

Dowsing Introductory classes and workshops Online and On-site Training www.fengshuiclasses.ca International Feng ShuiGuild Gold Level Certification

www. healingpossibilities.com www.livingfengshui.ca

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Resources

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The International Feng Shui Guild

TM

Do you own your stuff or does it own you?

Years in the making the IFSG proudly announces the arrival of our new

Feng Shui Glossary© Ebook! The deﬁnitive resource for more than 300 Feng Shui terms

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicepopkorn/

www.ifsguild.org

27 Daily challenges

sent right to your inbox to help you win the clutter battle! www.whitelotusinteriors.ca/courses www.livingfengshui.ca