Updates

I had gone to the library and checked out some books on feng shui. I read a basic one and learned about the compass method and the principles behind it. I determined that our apartment faces east and read up on the different aspects of this perspective. Our bedroom is southeast, Mickael's is southwest. These things have colors and materials that are enhanced by placing them or using them in these rooms. For example, our room is influenced by the element of wood, so using wood and the colors thereof can benefit the chi there. I also found that glass is beneficial in this area. Our chests are made of wood with glass fronts on the drawers. Rosana's closet is wood with glass as well. We just bought curtains for the bedroom, but after finding the colors more appropriate, we went back and exchanged them for green curtains. In the entrance to our apartment, which is east, I put a dimmer switch on the light since it is a very dark area. The dimmer will allow us to leave at least a small light there burning all the time. We also placed a carved wooden turtle on a green tray, which are welcome in the wood element scheme.

First applications

Since we saw that there was a potential "poison arrow" aimed at our apartment from the edge of the building, we decided to place a bagua, (octagonal piece of wood that is used in feng shui to defect negative energies) outside the window that faces the building. As well, we went out and bought a small wooden turtle (symbol of longevity) and placed it right at the entrance of the doorway. Rosana, being an architect, drew a scaled diagram of our apartment which we will use to understand the directions (north south east and west) and how they affect us. So far, from what we have learned, our apartment door faces east, our front windows face north, and our bedrooms face south (plenty of light). We are hoping to prove out this art/science and use it to our benefit, both emotionally and financially.

Feng Shui

By now most people have probably heard of Feng Shui. It is a Chinese art of building or arranging that attracts peace, harmony and abundance to your home or business. Since we have just moved to Philadelphia and are in the process of setting things up, we decided to research Feng Shui and see if it really works. We went to the library and checked out some books, from beginners feng shui to books that analysed the more affluent applications. Our apartment is only now getting filled out, with a final trip to IKEA last week to buy the chests and curtains for the bedrooms. We found great bargains recently! Still we are in a state of flux and can move things around to suit the energy. We hope to keep a log of the changes we make and our impressions of such since it takes but a few days to a week or so to see results.