West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

Berkeley Teachings from a Master of Feng Shui, Part I

This year started with a bang! I did the usual New Year’s preparation to welcome prosperity and good luck to my office/condo. It serves its dual purpose well. Our island home is beautiful, but many times the county ferry requires repairs at the most inopportune times. Just as my calendar filled with Feng Shui consultations, the car ferry would get a “hitch in its get-a-long” and require repairs without warning! So there are advantages to living in the Puget Sound, such as the beauty surrounding the gateway to Alaska, but as usual all three of our vehicles seemed to get stranded on the island side of the inlet. Finally tiring of the situation and moving sideways to solve the problem like a crab looking for other solutions, I bought the condo near the I-5 interstate twenty minutes away. Now I am happy because the airport is within a reasonable distance for those long distance engagements and Feng Shui clients are close by. There are many ways to adjust problems and turn them into blessings.

I had bought nine small pots and filled them with flowering silk plants for the winter. Placing them in a line near the front door at the entry to my condo/office/studio gave my Career the boost it needed. I also purchased a statue of a mythical animal for my desk on the recent trip in Taiwan, which my Master Teacher, Professor Lin Yun, said would increase business and prosperity. The next day the phone began ringing with new clients and teaching engagements. I am still awed by the power of Feng Shui. The yearly trip to Berkeley and Professor Lin’s workshop was financially possible within days. Two new cities had me booked for their Parks and Recreational Programs. They ask for classes in art, Feng Shui and herbs. Now my calendar was filling up for consultations in Benicia and Vallejo, California.

I shuttled to the airport and caught a flight for my favorite part of California. As I departed the plane, new energy swirled around my body. The Fire Chi carried me down the familiar freeway quickly and easily. The stirring wheel of the red car seemed to know the way. In fact, during the course of the two-week visit, the car naturally turned toward my old home up on the hill overlooking the straits four times! At first it was funny, but after the second time it happened, I became irritated, as I was late for the next Feng Shui consultation.

It was a happy two weeks. Being with friends and enjoying their hospitality gave me new energy and ideas. Day one, a talk on the Past, Present and Future floor plans of your life was a hit, followed by a full day of mini-consultations at the Faerytale Store on First Street. The next day was dedicated to a large business, along with the president’s and vice president’s homes. It was a long day, but very rewarding for all of us. Two more homes and a rice blessing for a residence, which needed new opportunities and old problems cleared away. Rice is used in many cultures as a symbol of new growth and fertility. I bless my homes once or twice a year for abundance in every aspect of life. It also brings families together when used outside in an umbrella fashion, throwing it upward, with praying or chanting.

As the weekend came, my schedule took me to Berkeley for His Holiness Master Lin Yun’s workshop. Staying at the Culture Center nearby gives your soul a rest. The tiny beds and tiny rooms are designed in “monk-like” fashion. No television and shared facilities are the norm. A person begins to feel family Chi as long-time students began checking in from around the world. The “singing doorbell” sounds as each disciple arrives. The energy rises with each greeting and we began to exchange stories as the evening sun sets over the San Francisco Bay. (Continued)

Caroline lives in the Northwest Region of the US, called The Puget Sound in Washington State. She is a Feng Shui Practitioner, writer, author and artist. She gives workshops in Feng Shui, Elements of Art, private mentoring for serious students, lectures and writes for newspapers. She combines teaching and traveling to other locations, here and abroad. Her 2007 schedule includes workshop and classes in the Northwest, Southwest, Midwest and Alaska. She is available speaking, teaching and consultations.

Please consult your physician for physical problems as this article only gives ideas and suggestions. Caroline is not responsible for anyone using these suggestions as information in treating the body, home, business, land and or properties.

Caroline Patrick Caroline's Feng Shui Concepts Mt. Vernon, WA 360-424-1501

caroline@fengshuiartistry.com www.fengshuiartistry.com www.moongateschool.com