Understanding the Feng Shui Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
In feng shui, the five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water – are believed to represent different energies and qualities. When I work with home builders and interior designers, we work together to integrate the elements as much as possible. Chances are, however, that your home was not designed with the five elements in mind. So, let’s do so now!
Each element is associated with specific colors, shapes, and symbolism, and can be used to enhance different aspects of your life. Understanding the meanings of the feng shui elements can help you incorporate them into your home or office in a way that brings balance and harmony.
Here’s a brief overview of the meanings of the feng shui elements:
- Wood. The element of wood represents growth, expansion, and creativity. It is associated with the colors green and brown, and is symbolized by plants, trees, and wood-based materials.
- Fire. The element of fire represents passion, creativity, and transformation. It is associated with the colors red and purple, and is symbolized by flames, candles, and light.
- Earth. The element of earth represents stability, security, and abundance. It is associated with the colors yellow, orange, and brown, and is symbolized by earth-based materials such as rocks and crystals.
- Metal. The element of metal represents clarity, precision, and organization. It is associated with the colors white, silver, and gold, and is symbolized by metal objects such as coins and jewelry.
- Water. The element of water represents flow, movement, and abundance. It is associated with the colors black and blue, and is symbolized by water-based materials such as fountains and aquariums.
When incorporating these elements into your home or office, be sure to follow the Bagua rather than randomly scattering the elements throughout your space. When placed correctly, the five elements can bring balance and harmony to your space and enhance different aspects of your life. Whether you’re looking to bring prosperity and success, or simply create a more calming and relaxing environment, the feng shui elements can be a powerful tool to help you achieve your goals.
Learn more about Feng Shui on my website.
If you are interested in improving your life through Feng Shui, I can help.
I am a 3rd generation Feng Shui expert and have helped thousands of people add harmony and balance to their homes and offices without making it look like a Chinese restaurant exploded.
I can help you attract the life that you deserve with Feng Shui. Contact me today!
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What to Know About Asian Homebuyers
From NewHomeSource Professional
When working with Asian homebuyers, belief systems like Feng Shui and Vastu could affect the way they invest in new homes.
In major population hubs like New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles, this trend is especially apparent as these investors indicate an outbound capital flow from their home countries by investing in American industries like agriculture, technology and, of course, real estate.
In fact, Forbes reports that Chinese nationals have become the largest foreign buyers of American homes. In this industry, home purchases by China’s new wealthy class have grown to a staggering $93 billion in value, with $29 billion coming in 2015 alone.
So, with evidence pointing to this surge in Asian national buyers, you may be thinking: “How can I help this type of client find a new home that suits their needs?”
While Asia is a giant continent with numerous countries with their own cultural beliefs, there may be a few considerations you’ll want to have in mind when assisting Asian homebuyers.
Take the Time to Understand Their Customs
Many homebuyers coming from Asian countries have customs and belief systems that directly affect the homes they can buy — from the direction the home is facing to the history of the land it is built upon.
Two common belief systems to keep in mind with some Asian buyers are Feng Shui and Vastu, which have certain rules regarding a home’s architecture and energy flow.
“Realtors dealing with newly built homes should know the site layouts and designs,” says Jessie Kim, a Feng Shui consultant in Southern California who often works with homebuilders and investors on catering to this Chinese philosophy. “What is going to be built around the properties, home addresses and what types of landscaping plans and materials will be used around the homes are important things to consider.”
With Feng Shui, some common things to avoid are “T” intersections, cul-de-sacs, corner lots, a front door facing the back door or window, stairs and bathrooms facing the front door, kitchens and bathrooms facing or back-to-back to each other and bathrooms directly above the kitchen. You’ll also want to focus on showing homes with a front door that faces south or southeast.
“There are ways to remedy most of these issues, but the less Feng Shui remedies you have to do to the house, the better the home is,” says Kim.
And with Vastu, a Hindu architecture system, the direction of the front door is also very important, as well as having a dedicated space for spiritual statues.
“Just like with Feng Shui, there are different layers that the buyers will be considering, so it’s important to ask the what their Vastu needs and wants are, besides just asking for the number of bedrooms and bathrooms they want in their home,” advises Kim.
A simple question-and-answer session with your clients can help bring to light any of these cultural beliefs and requirements so you can find a home that suits them perfectly.
“Just try to learn about their custom,” adds Kim. “Simple things like taking off your shoes when entering their home will make the homeowners feel comfortable that you are understanding of their culture.”
Discover Their Reason for Buying
The next tip is a simple one: Just find out why they are buying.
“You have to think about what their reasoning is,” says Joan Brothers, president of Manhattan Boutique Real Estate in New York. “And there’s a lot of different reasons why people are coming from Asia to the United States and buying real estate as assets, whether they’re using it for their residential property or as an investment.”
With Chinese investors specifically, there are different levels of buyers. For years, wealthy buyers have been looking to foreign countries to invest their money and now the middle class have been increasingly doing the same thing.
“The main thing will be to send their children to school out of their country,” says Kim. “So by investing in a home in the U.S., they are able to set up residence and when their children are older, they are able to go to school in the U.S. without having to be an international student.”
Having insight to what they want in a new home, whether it be for a residence for their family or just as an investment asset, can better enable you to find a property that fits their needs.
“And diversifying assets is a really good thing to do,” adds Brothers. “It’s either family or business, personal use or for investment.”
Family-Friendly Values
And if you discover that they are looking for a home to set up residence, the next thing to consider is their family values.
“These types of buyers are looking for a home that they can ‘share’ with their family,” says Kim. “Maybe not full time, but they are always aware of possibilities of their families coming to visit and staying with them for extended periods of time.”
So, it may be important to find them a home with an extra bedroom on the ground level or options for multigenerational living. Close proximity to parks, shopping and schools with good ratings would be another major plus, adds Kim.
It’s also wise to make sure you keep everyone involved in the process feeling just that — that they are involved.
“Buying a home is mostly a family decision,” says Sylvia Yang, a sales representative for Brookfield Residential in Azusa, Calif. “Parents and grandparents will often gift the down payment and they need to confirm they like the location and floor plan as well.”
Tying it all together, it really comes down to genuine and personal conversation and asking questions.
“If you can make simple conversation and are interested in the client’s culture, you can create trust and a long-term relationship with them,” says Brothers.
Drew Knight is the Digital Content Associate for Builders Digital Experience (BDX). You can find him online at LinkedIn.
Jessie Kim is a 3rd-generation certified Feng Shui consultant and experienced real estate investor that frequently works with home builders. You can find her online at www.msfengshui.com.
Originally posted at:
Create Living Energy to Attract Homebuyers Using Feng Shui
Here is an article I wrote in the Nov/Dec 2015 edition of Green Homebuilder Magazine…
Feng Shui is simpler than you think. The application of Feng Shui in a model home can help increase sales, even in non-Asian communities because it subconsciously gives prospective homebuyers a feeling of harmony and balance.
Have you ever walked into someone’s home and immediately felt so comfortable that you didn’t want to leave? Perhaps you stayed until late in the evening soaking in the ambiance and energy of the home and its residents. Simply put, that is the experience of good Feng Shui. Now, imagine if all of your model homes could create the same feeling—a feeling where prospective buyers want to move in right away.
We know that people buy out of emotion, not out of logic. It is our goal when building and marketing homes to drive the positive emotional triggers in prospective buyers. While everything may look good on paper, we ultimately want them to fall in love with the home they tour. People naturally feel harmonious and safe in a home when they subconsciously sense the right balance of cleanliness and living energy.
When I work with homebuilders, I try to emphasize the living energy of a home. Living energy gives you the impression that people actually live in the home. They care for it and it cares for them, so to speak. This living energy helps people feel recharged. In a model home, however, it can be difficult to achieve living energy since nobody actually lives there; this is where Feng Shui can be a good complement.
So how do we achieve Feng Shui’s living energy through interior design and staging? How do we ensure that a model home doesn’t feel stagnant and cold? Since we don’t have anybody living in model homes, we need to create a feeling of life—flowing and growing energy through the furnishings, features, lights, plants, and artwork we select.
Many of the model homes that I walk through can be quite frigid and unwelcoming. I have seen themes concentrated on dried flowers and twigs, sharp metal edges in furnishings and artwork, and even dead animals with heads mounted on the walls. These themes seem cold and unwelcoming, don’t they?
Now imagine the uplifting energy of a model home with a calm water feature as you enter the front door, a pot of aromatic fresh flowers in the hallway, the smell of fresh-baked cookies in the kitchen, and a soft couch with a crackling fireplace in the background.
Avoid textures that are rigid, rough, and particularly those that appear lackluster. Stay away from driftwood textures and keep cold metal objects dominating the model home. Instead, use soft patterns such as soft textures on walls, furniture, blankets, towels, and flooring that allow people to lower their guard and sink into the comfort of the home.
The master bedroom should tempt prospective buyers to curl up into the bed. Though a little counter-intuitive, avoid mirrors and ceiling fans in your model bedrooms. While mirrors may give an impression of more space, they can give a feeling of anxiousness as opposed to harmony and security. Likewise, ceiling fans may make logical sense in that they can reduce utility bills, but they subconsciously make people nervous that the ceiling fan will fall on them while they sleep.
Bathrooms are generally the most difficult areas to Feng Shui. They figuratively drain away uplifting energy. Bathrooms should be bright and colorful to create something that could feel like a fun space. To add to that feeling, try some fresh flowers and a small crystal chandelier.
As we know, the kitchen is the area where many women fall in love with a model home. While most of her needs should be addressed in the home design stage, interior design is where we make her feel like she can provide nourishment to her family. The kitchen should be bright and clean with a bowl full of (real) fresh fruit to provide positive energy.
Don’t forget about the kids. Create an interior design that engages children. Use features in the bonus room like a working foosball or small air hockey table that allows them to play and have some fun. Who can resist smiling when a child laughs with enthusiasm? Focus on creating a sustainable and harmonious energy within a model home with soft features that stay active even when nobody lives there. These small things give so much energy back in the home that a prospective buyer will feel welcomed—as though it was designed just for them.
Jessie Kim (Ms. Feng Shui) is a 3rd generation Feng Shui consultant who primarily works withhomebuilders. She can be reached at [email protected] or at www.MsFengShui.com.
Green Homebuilder, Nov/Dec 2015, Page 82
Originally posted at: http://greenhomebuildermag.com/2015/12/22/create-living-energy-to-attract-homebuyers-using-feng-shui/
2016 Year of the Fire Monkey
What will my year be like? What is my fortune for 2016? Will I find love, wealth and a better job in 2016?
2016 is the year of the Fire Monkey in the Chinese Zodiac, or Lunar Calendar. The Chinese New Year doesn’t officially begin until February 8th this year, but that shouldn’t keep us from getting prepared right now!
The elements for the Year of the Monkey are Metal and Water. Metal is connected to gold. Water is connected to wisdom and danger. Therefore, we will deal with more financial events in the year of the Monkey. The Monkey is a smart, clever, and attentive animal. If you want to have good return for your money investments, then you need to outsmart the Monkey.
Metal is also connected to Wind. That implies the status of events will be changing very quickly. Think twice before you leap when making changes for your finance, career, business relationship and love relationships.
2016, like any other year, will not be the same for everyone. Just look at your friends and family. Some had a great 2015, while it may have been awful for others. We need to break it down by when you were born – the more precise, the more descriptive the fortune.
Here is general snapshot of 2016 for each of the Chinese Zodiac signs. Please note that I can provide more detail if you give me your accurate birth date and time. If you are interested, please learn more about a Birth Date Numerology Analysis. You will get a month-by-month breakdown of your year specific to you.
These Chinese Zodiac forecasts are good little guidelines to see how you should be presenting yourself in 2016 and how you should arrange your home to make sure you are boosting the energy you need and protecting the areas that need protecting, like the Wealth Corner of your home.
Don’t know your zodiac sign? No problem. Just click here to find out your Chinese Zodiac Sign.
Born in the Year of the Rat: For people who are born in the year of the Rat, the year of the Monkey will be a good interactive year for you. If you are looking for a job, learning some new skills may be beneficial to you. So be sure to beef up your Knowledge Corner. If you are looking for a promotion, you may receive some support from your co-workers. Enhance your Helpful People Corner. You have opportunities to increase your wealth, and this is a good time for loving relationships, as well as social ones.
Born in the Year of the Ox: The Year of the Monkey can be good for Year of the Ox to build a good reputation. Year of the Monkey will create opportunities for career development. It’s time to put worries and concerns aside to accept your career challenges. Money opportunities are there, but you will need to work hard for them. This is a good year to build your social relationships, but be careful not to get into arguments with others. As long as you would stand out to prove your ability, the opportunity can bring you anywhere. Boost your Fame & Reputation Area and your Career Area.
Born in the Year of the Tiger: If you were born in the Year of the Tiger, you may face some bumps in your career. You will have to use your experience and knowledge to solve some problems. This is not a good year to make career changes. Try to stay away from getting into arguments with your loved ones. You will need to be patient with your career and the people who are around you. Work on your Love & Relationship Corner, as well as your Knowledge Corner.
Born in the Year of the Rabbit: The Year of the Monkey is a great business relationship year for people who are born in the Year of Rabbit. People will seek you out for career opportunities or business relationships, so make sure your Career Area is in order. Your reputation will help you to create money making opportunities. Boost your Fame & Reputation Area for even better results. Your relationships with others are strong and everything will seem like it’s coming your way. Overall, you’ll like your results from this year.
Born in the Year of the Dragon: Year of the Monkey gives great new opportunities for people who are born in the Year of the Dragon. This year will bring Dragons wealth and happiness. Your career opportunities should bring you good friendships, as well. This will be a good fortune year as well as for your loving relationships. Ensure everything is in good order in your Career Area, Wealth Corner and Love & Relationship Corner to maximize your returns this year.
Born in the Year of the Snake: For the Year of the Snake, the Year of the Monkey will become a good assistant to the Snake. You will have opportunities for career and money luck, as well as a good loving relationship. When opportunity knocks, make sure to answer it. Make the most of 2016 by boosting your Career Area, Wealth Corner and Love & Relationship Corner.
Born in the Year of the Horse: For people who are born in the Year of the Horse, your workload and responsibility will increase in 2016. That’s a good sign for your career development. Your income will grow in direct proportion to the efforts you put into your career. The main topics of your social networks will focus more on career and finance. The Year of the Monkey should bring good fortune to you. If you set yourself up right, fame and wealth are coming your way. Make sure you pay special attention to your Career Area, Wealth Corner and Fame & Reputation Area to maximize your year.
Born in the Year of the Sheep or Goat: For the Year of the Sheep, this is the time to encourage yourself to show your knowledge, experience and wisdom to others. Your talents and experience will win you respect and build your reputation. Respect your love partner and be more attentive to their feelings. Focus on your Knowledge Corner, Fame & Reputation Area and Love & Relationship Corner to enhance 2016 for you.
Born in the Year of the Monkey: For those actually born in the Year of the Monkey, being in the Year of the Monkey could keep you very busy without much reward. You have lots of competitors this year. You need to stay humble and keep a polite attitude. Try to stay away from making huge financial investments. Build good relationships with others by showing courtesy and humility. Focus on your Career Area and Love & Relationship Corner this year.
Born in the Year of the Rooster: For the Year of Rooster people, the Year of the Monkey means career changes. You will spend lots of time and energy on your job. Stay away from financial investments where others are pressuring your investment. You will feel the pressure from love relationships as well, so make sure you spend time with your close friends and family. The potential for unexpected pressure is out there, so be careful of your choice of words to make it a calm year for you. Just make sure you do what you need to do in your Career Area and Family Area. Before making any significant career moves, find out which months are best for you with a Birth Date Numerology Analysis.
Born in the Year of the Dog: If you were born in the Year of the Dog, you will find your career luck to be quite stable. You should work with a creative partner to assist you, if you need help with your projects. Just make sure to share your workload rather than put all of the pressure on your partner. If you are offered a promotion or new job offer, it may be a good time to accept the new career challenge. Make sure to save up your money when it comes in for some later rainy days. Work on your Career Area and Wealth Corner to maximize 2016 to your benefit.
Born in the Year of the Pig: For Year of the Pig people, your career luck is good this year. Your job may feel easy for you, but make sure to stay alert. Any negligence could ruin your reputation and career development. It may seem like there are lots of changes coming your way, so try to stay humble and level-headed. Your relationships with others are great. Those around you are caring and will give you the support you will need emotionally as long as you stay humble. Boost your Career Area, Fame & Reputation Area, and Helpful People Corner for a great 2016.
Use these Chinese Zodiac forecasts as a guideline to make sure that your home has good Feng Shui to support the energy it needs to boost or protect your energy.
Next Steps
Again, if you want a month-by-month detailed analysis of 2016 based on your birth date and time, please learn more about a Birth Date Numerology Analysis. This is especially important if you are looking to make big changes this year.
Contact me right now to inquire about a Feng Shui Consultation so I can help you add harmony and balance to your life. It will be the best investment you ever make. I am a 3rd generation Feng Shui expert that has helped thousands of people improve their lives through Feng Shui.
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The Feng Shui of Star Wars: Qi and The Force
I refreshed my memory this weekend with a Star Wars marathon before we take our sons to go see “A Force Awakens” this week.
By the way, I think one of the most difficult decisions as a parent is whether to introduce Star Wars to your children by release date, as we saw it, or by story chronology. Having tried both methods, the jury is still out.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of how many ways the Force is like Qi (pronounced “Chi”) energy in Feng Shui.
Asian Influence
My husband, ever the Star Wars nerd himself, pointed out that the creator of the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas, was heavily influenced by Asian culture.
Elements of the cinematography in Star Wars, as well as Jedi robes and lightsabers were borrowed from Akira Kurosawa, a famous Japanese writer/director of samarai movies. A typical Jedi master looks much like Toshirô Mifune’s characters in some of Kurosawa’s movies.
Ever think that the name Yoda sounds a lot like the ancient Hindu practice of Yoga? George Lucas was heavily influenced by Hinduism. Luke Skywalker, for instance, finds himself in a forest looking for the old, wise Yoda to learn the ways of the Jedi. This is similar to Hindu’s Janoi (Gujarati), where young males run to the forest in search of the old, wise yogi, who would provide great knowledge. Yoda tests Luke’s patience by not disclosing that he is the Jedi master he is looking for, just as a yogi tests potential students on their patience.
And that’s not all…
The Force is Strong
How about the yin-yang dualism of Taoism in the dark (yin) and light (yang) sides of the Force? As evil as he was, Darth Vader still had some good in him. As altruistic as he was, Luke Skywalker had some of his father in him, potentially bringing him to the dark side.
As Obi-Wan Kenobi described in the original Star Wars movie, “Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”
Doesn’t that sound a lot like Qi energy?
Was George Lucas influenced by Feng Shui in his use of the Force? I think it is very likely. Whether his particular influence was from Japan (Ki), India (Shakti or Prana) or directly from China (Qi), it all likely came from essentially the same place.
The ancient Chinese, over the course of thousands of years, sought out to understand correlations between their understanding of the flow of this unseen energy and their surroundings.
Could Qi be harnessed, diverted, and deflected in much the same way that metal or magnetic objects could manipulate or be manipulated by magnetic energy?
Their findings from generations of experimentation leaves us with some wonderful principles that we now call Feng Shui. It is much the same as how a Jedi uses the Force for their desired outcome in a situation.
While Jedi and the Sith in the Star Wars saga mostly used the Force to fight for the side they thought was right, most who practice Feng Shui use it to enhance aspects of their lives. Both cosmic forces are immensely powerful and those who harness them can do great things.
As a Feng Shui consultant, I have seen how harnessing the power of Qi has given my clients the ability to improve their careers, relationships, wealth and so much more.
In a way, I guess that could make me better than a Jedi master, if it weren’t for their cool lightsaber. Still, the Force is strong with me.
Next Steps
Learn more about Qi and Feng Shui on my website.
If you are interested in improving your life through Feng Shui, I can help.
I am a 3rd generation Feng Shui expert and have helped thousands of people add harmony and balance to their homes and offices without making it look like a Chinese restaurant exploded.
I can help you attract the life that you deserve with Feng Shui. Contact me today!
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Be Thankful and Use Feng Shui to Give Back
I’m a glass is half-full type of gal, but I know that not everything in life will go our way.
Along with Feng Shui, being thankful is the best way to achieve inner peace and harmony, along with health, prosperity and everything else that follows.
Be Thankful
Being thankful can be a difficult skill to master, but it can be one of the most rewarding goals you will ever accomplish.
Start simple… and even maybe a little materialistic. You can begin by being thankful for what you have, like your home and your car.
As you progress, you will find yourself appreciating not so much what you have, but rather who you have. You’ll likely be thankful for the relationships you’ve shared and the lessons that you have learned in life.
As you master your new found skill of appreciation, you’ll notice the little things in the wide world around you. The colors of the changing foliage and the fresh air will be amplified for you.
You will eventually find yourself open to new opportunities and new relationships.
You will notice that you are happy.
And so will others.
Your contagious smile and graciousness will be magnetic. Positive energy and great things will come to you.
At this point, you should focus on your goals. What do you want to achieve in life and how do you want to help others? Be thankful for these things as if they have already happened. Your new gift of thankfulness will seem like magic.
Give When You Get
Today, I am particularly thankful for all of my readers and clients.
With that, I am going to introduce another concept… give when you get.
From now through Christmas Eve, 20% of all home and office consultation fees will go to charity, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude is a wonderful organization that advances cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases. 81 cents of every dollar donated to St. Jude goes directly to its research and treatment. All medically eligible patients who are accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family’s ability to pay.
When you get my Feng Shui expertise to improve your home or office, you will also be giving to a wonderful organization and families in need. What can be better?
This is my way of giving thanks while helping you give when you get.
Next Steps
Are you looking for a Feng Shui consultant you can trust? Learn a little more about me and how I can help you add harmony and balance to your home or office the Feng Shui way. Contact me today!
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