“When there is light in the soul, there is beauty in the person.
When there is beauty in the person, there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
Chinese Proverb

Harmony…     “A situation in which there is agreement… A pleasing effect produced by an arrangement of things, parts, or colors. A state of unity, peace, amity, friendship.”  Harmony — it begins within each of us; within our hearts, our spirit, the individual temple we call our soul and our outer temple we call our home. When our spirit is at peace, we find a sense of tranquility, and an inner joy seems to light up our heart. When our home is serene, this feeling in turn affects our attitude and outlook. During these challenging times in the world, the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui teaches us to look within, to search our hearts, to anchor our worries, misgivings and fears. Since your home is a reflection of yourself, when it is tranquil and serene you’ll discover that this feeling rubs off on you.

Some simple Feng Shui applications you can implement in your home and office to reduce stress and make the space kinder and more gentle for your spirit would be to install a fountain in a location near your front entryway. Choose one that has a pleasing sound of falling water similar to that of a babbling brook. You can visit a nursery and make a small investment in one or more lush houseplants with gently rounded leaves such as a mini-schifflera or maiden-hair fern. Place these plants in a prominent place where you will see them frequently. If you are thinking of acquiring any artwork, choose prints and art pieces with forest, ocean, or serene mountain scenes.  The idea here is to surround yourself with reminders of nature which is the ultimate nurturer, the original source of serenity and beauty.

The Element of Earth stabilizes and grounds us; it gives us a solid foundation in times of stress and crisis. It’s easy to find simple and creative ways to bring the Earth Element  into your home and office. Use earth colors such as tones of yellows, rust, ochre, browns of all shades. Earth Element fabrics would have natural and nubby textures such as corduroy, velvet, and raw silk. Terra cotta planters, concrete statuary, and unglazed tiles are examples of Earth Element design appointments.

by Holly Ziegler M.A. Ed.

Each of us realizes from time to time that much of what surrounds us, no longer serves us!  The “stuff” which we have in our closets, drawers, and garages has the effect of choking off space and subtly draining valuable energy which we could be putting to great use in other ways.

We all know what I’m referring to…   the boxes piled high which we haven’t opened in months or years are filled with things long-forgotten, don’t fit, never will again, and could be joyfully given away.  How much “lighter” we feel  when we’ve gone through and discarded items which can now be used happily by someone else!

As I teach my Feng Shui workshops and give consultations, I try to emphasize this clearing of our sacred space is absolutely fundamental to “forwarding the Feng Shui action!” If our homes are cluttered with piles of old newspapers, stacks of magazines (my downfall), closets jammed with who knows what… how can we hope to encourage the good energy, the “chi”, to come into our space?   We are essentially blocking that energy and preventing it from renewing us, our homes, and our spirits.

In order to maximize the transforming power of Feng Shui, it is essential to begin by preparing the space.  Clearing our environment before expecting the positive results of Feng Shui adjustments allows greater positive change to occur.  In Feng Shui, we are not simply changing our environment when we do space clearing, we are transforming our lives.  When we trust the process we are setting up the incredible possibility within which lies our future destiny.  It is all tied together.  The more we clear, the more we feel in control of what is happening in our lives.  We are taking charge, and the possibilities are unlimited!

As a real estate broker, I can tell you that homes which are clean and uncluttered…those which don’t feel overly filled with “stuff” and have lots of fresh air and sunshine, look better, feel better and SELL better!   Buyers can focus on the home itself and are not continually distracted by the overwhelming contents which aren’t part of the sale anyway.

What we create in our lives depends on how much energy we are willing to devote to our committments.  Be happily ruthless when it comes to clearing clutter… when in doubt, toss it out! By that I do mean RECYCLE.  Suggestions:  Thrift Shops, The Women’s Shelter, The Homeless Shelter, and Achievement House.  All of these are happy to receive our donations.  There are so many individuals and families in need of what we no longer need to keep.  Many thrift stores have a pick-up service for larger items and will actually come to your door and haul it away!

Tip:  Keep in your home only things which you find beautiful, functional, joyfully sentimental, or symbolic.  Do not keep things out of obligation, guilt, or indifference.

Good luck, happy discarding, and may THE FORCE (good chi) be with you!

Namaste,      Holly

How can Feng Shui be applied to wineries (or any business, for that matter)? Here are some examples.

* The way the public views the property from the highway or road… Winery curb appeal! “Should we stop and go in?…or keep driving?” Here is where having an entry with good Feng Shui works wonders!

* The front entry gates to the property, known in Feng Shui as the “Mouth of Chi,” guarantees that guests feel welcome and are energetically “drawn in”

* Materials, textures, design of your gateway to enhance a balance of the Five Elements

* Exterior lighting & use of flags that attract the right attention without appearing garish

* Overall signage & branding techniques to make your winery stand out from the crowd and be remembered long after a visit to your tasting room

* Landscaping and lighting for an overall effect of beauty, quality, and serenity for both day and maximim nightime energy

* Water features and fountains not only add beauty to the overall ambience of your setting… they raise the Chi of the property, tasting room, and picnic area.

* Your customers will tell their friends what a delightful experience they had tasting your wine and enjoying the special ambience of the space you created.

Feng Shui goes beyond the Tasting Room…

Holly will also assist you with Feng Shui advice  on all winery conceptual details such as the:

* Shape and design of pathways from the entry to the tasting room to patio areas

* Planting and overall landscaping creating a welcoming feeling

* Design of outdoor picnic areas so that customers will relax, want to stay, and of course, take wine home to savor later.

* Overall layout of wine storage facilities

* Design of parking areas that will create easy acess to your Tasting Room and public facilities

Now think about your home or business. These same principles apply to every business.