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Archive for Summer

Pyramid Feng Shui Newsletter July 2012

Thursday, July 26th, 2012

Greetings to all who share the wisdom of feng shui!

Birthdays! Part I

In our series of holiday newsletters in 2007 we discussed how we might enhance our annual holidays with feng shui adjustments.  To add to this series, we would now like to present our feng shui recommendations for birthday celebrations.

Birthdays are of course the most personal and individual of all holidays.  Yet, there are generalities that apply to all as well as observances dictated by culture, traditions and social norms.  These are the Tao of birthdays since they control how we connect to all aspects of our environment.  In feng shui we are mindful of our deeper connections to nature, therefore the Tao of our birthdays also relates to the season, climate and topography of our birthplace and time. 

In our western culture, astrological charts tell us that we are born under the auspices of a celestial symbol providing a character analysis that is derived from centuries of empirical observations.  Chinese astrology provides a different set of symbols and long-held belief systems that influence the nature and life expectations of human beings.

In Pyramid Feng Shui we respect a person’s preferences but would like to add our verifiable specifics on the feng shui aspects of a birthday.  Birthday qi is how we experience the world around us with our sensory perceptions.  Yin and yang is how we personally expend our energy in processing these experiences.  Tangible evidence of how we fit into the environment can be derived from a study of the elements.

Our birth element can be found in the charts of the Chinese lunar calendar, e.g. this is the year of the water dragon.  Many Chinese families are clamoring to give birth this year under the auspices of the powerful and lucky dragon. A person’s element profile can also be derived from a simple questionnaire which helps to understand how the element cycle is in a constant state of flux.  A significant aspect of an individual’s element profile is the season.  If you were a summer baby, you are under the influence of the fire element while a winter baby is more affected by water. Spring resonates with wood and Fall with metal.  Babies born in late or Indian summer will have more of the earth element to contend with. 

In the overall scheme of assessing the element profile we should consider all aspects and influences as well as how weighted we are by the elements.  Since balance is always the optimal goal, we learn to understand how we might have to adjust our environment by adding or reducing one or the other of the elements in our profile.

Tune in to our August newsletter for additional wisdom on the feng shui of birthdays.

Celebrate Your Birthday
With Pyramid Feng Shui!

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Pyramid Feng Shui Newsletter August 2011

Friday, August 26th, 2011

  

Greetings to all who share the wisdom of feng shui!

August!

In many countries August is like a pause in the rhythm of life.  Here, Congress is in recess and the president goes on vacation.  All of France is asleep or away.  For some of us August is a transition month and looms like a giant question mark – is it still summer?  “Autumn is in the air” we say, as we describe subtle weather changes. 

Feng shui wisdom correlates late summer with the earth element.  So perhaps August should be a time of reflection and stabilization.  Summer activities are winding down and the fire element has exhausted itself at the zenith of summer heat and long daylight hours.

If August is getting you down, it’s a good time to add some earth, i.e. yellow to those fiery reds of summer as it will give you a subtle boost instead of wild expectations.   Yellow, the color of clarity and enlightenment will also help if you decide on an August retreat.  A brief period of contemplation and meditation is desirable in preparation for the new school year or going back to business. 

Think of earth as the refueling element where you will find your resources replenished with a steady supply of new energy.  Restraint is helpful as too many choices of what to do next will zap your energy.  Categorize your distractions and create a free window for renewal.  Some orange sticky notes are helpful reminders for the next task.

Earth energy is fertile ground for new ideas to take root and grow – therefore, listen into the silence and dwell in the space and time you have created during this open window in August. 

 To encourage personal renewal and reflection, we shorten this newsletter and give you the opportunity to create your own next paragraph:

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Create Your Open Window on this August Day
With Pyramid Feng Shui!

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Pyramid Feng Shui Newsletter July 2011

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

Greetings to all who share the wisdom of feng shui!

 Summer Slump?

Have you ever experienced midsummer slump? Mood swings and the lows of midsummer doldrums, heat fatigue, post partem blues (even after a splendid vacation), and – could it be possible – boredom will get you down and begging for a change.

With feng shui tools we can diagnose the basic syndrome and come up with a cure.  A vision board with mood-lifting images might be one.  Another could be the happy tunes of a favorite show, like Mamma Mia for example.  Icecream may not be the answer if extra pounds are part of your summer struggle.   A small piece of 70 % dark chocolate may stimulate the taste buds, as well as provide the extra phenylethylamine for a quick pick-me-up. 

Perhaps you noticed that we are talking about qi (chi) and the senses.  Another, often underestimated mood make-over is the qi of our olfactory experience.  Sniffing something pleasant is a faster way to cheer up than looking at a treasured souvenir or hearing a favorite song. 

Charles Wysocki, PhD, a behavioral neuroscientist at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia says that “the olfactory system is like an interstate highway connection to the emotional part of the brain, while our visual and auditory systems are more like country roads.” 

Research shows that the cheeriest scents may be citrus.  One study at Ohio State University found that sniffing lemon oil can improve your mood-regulating hormone.  Citrus is also recommended to overcome those dreaded 3 pm slumps because the pick-me-up scent of citrus can increase your energy.  Stimulating the olfactory nerve inside your nose activates the limbic system of the brain which is associated with mood.

“Citrus scents boost your mood” says Alan Hirsch, MD, director of the Smell & Taste Treatment & Research Foundation in Chicago.  He suggests that “age may be in the nose” since women wearing a grapefruit fragrance were perceived by men as being an average of 6 years younger.

The struggle with those extra pounds can also be overcome with scents like green apple, banana or peppermint.  Smelling these scents several times a day may cut cravings according to Dr. Hirsch in a study on weight loss where participants lost 30 lbs. in 6 months.

Smell Those Slumps Away
With Pyramid Feng Shui!

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Sha Qi

Monday, July 12th, 2004

Greetings to all of you who share the wisdom of feng shui!

Summertime!    Vacation Time!    Travel Time!

Wear your feng shui eyes and be safe and protected from Sha Qi!

What is Sha Qi? 

Anything that affects your senses negatively:

Storms – earthquakes – floods – sunburns – thorns – bug bites – disturbing sounds – trash – attacks – altercations…

As of Saturday, July 17, 2004  we have a new moon.  The moon’s waxing phase can help us with anything we want to accomplish. 

Perhaps it’s a simple summer project such as starting that new feng shui book we have been meaning to read.  And then, all kinds of new ideas could grow from this activity.

Or, for a brief diversion, click on the “Summer 2004 Newsletter” of www.fengshui-ii.org and read the latest article on “color and feng shui”

There is also a new book – written by FSII member Diantha Harris.  The title:  Simply … Color ISBN: 1-4134-2845-2  2003

Enjoy more of those lazy summer days, but don’t forget to Seize the Day with Pyramid Feng Shui!

Peace and Harmony to All!

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