By Caroline Patrick

Feng Shui Bulletin Board Messages

Here’s a collection of questions and my answers to them posted on the Feng Shui Director of Consultants Bulletin Board at www.fsdirectory.com.

Q: Hi. My career and knowledge areas are both in the garage. How can I enhance or ‘cure’ this? Thanks.

A: Welcome to my world! It seems my husband and I choose this floor plan a lot. The symbolism is, of course, unless you keep everything under cover, this catchall room reflects how people respect your knowledge. I have usually hung a lot of bamboo curtains over the tools and containers, trying to make this area a car room instead of the messy zone. At my last home I placed a picture of the Dalai Lama smiling at me as soon as the garage door opened, as if he was laughing at my dilemma! Now walk out of the garage and enter through the front door of your home, and you will be in a better mood instantly. But do try to rid yourself of excess in this car room. Check my website for more advice on fengshuiartistry.com and moongateschool.com for my newspaper column.

Q: My bathroom and utility room (washer/dryer) are both in the center of my house (Health area). How can I cure this? Thanks!

A: Grab that paintbrush and buy some yellow paint. Read my advice to the person with the staircase in the center on the home. Get rid of the fish decor. Think Mexico, square pottery or paintings of harvest. As an artist I have created paintings for each Gua or section of the home to help cure and enhance all nine Guas. Place an up-growing or bamboo plant above each toilet. Place a small mirror above the toilet. reflecting into the toilet lid, which, of course, is kept closed at all times. This Earth area needs all the Earth materials it can handle. Have fun!

Q: How can I find a qualified practitioner in my area to help me design my home and landscaping according to the Feng Shui principles? Thank you for your help.

A: Finding a Feng Shui designer is not impossible. I advise people on their new homes and remodels by fax and phone. You fax me your existing floor plan, so I can see your good and bad habits within the current structure or dwelling, then I help you with the design according to Feng Shui principles. The shape of the land and address are also things to consider. Look at my website for my experience and newspaper columns.

Q: Please help me with some ideas about setting up my first grade classroom next year. I want an environment set up for optimal learning.

A: I gave Feng Shui instruction for the Santa Clara Reading Council’s Convention in 2000, 2001 and 2002, which are over 4000 school teachers and leaders coming together each year near Monterey, California to take classes on updated education for their schools and classrooms. The main topic for instructors is to place yourself and desk in a power position, with your back to a solid wall. Seating of children is also a special way to help hard to control kids in a comfortable position by learning their needs, such as family problems. Place them in the Family Gua or the middle left side of the room, but not with an open doorway behind any student as they will be in the pathway of a fast wind tunnel of energy.

Q: We moved to our house two years back. We usually have a lot of visitors and houseguests, which we like a lot. After we moved to this house, we don’t have either the houseguests/visitors/friends coming to our house. Even if we plan something, we or the people we invite have to cancel the appointments for some reason or the other. Is there something I can do to rectify this behavior? Thanks.

A: When Chi is blocked, it doesn’t flow properly. Who had the home before? What went on in the house? Clear it first, remove any excess furniture. What pieces are at the entry? Do you love everything in the house? What is happening outside on the property, shape and etc., to the front, the right front, and middle right? Making corrections to these Career or Water zone, Helpful People and Children and Creativity help for more fun. Are there any missing parts to the floor plan? Does the land flow upward from the street or downward? Where is the barbecue, dog run and fountains? All of these things have an impact. How is your personal Chi? Also activate your Family sector with lush green plants inside and outside. Have you looked into the colors and elements when decorating? What is the main color you have used for your decor? Visit my site for more info at fengshuiartistry.com

Q: My floor plan is very open. I’m not sure how to divide the spaces using the bagua.

A: Map your home or floor plan by placing the Bagua or template in the center of the dwelling. Holding the Bagua in the center with an invisible thumbtack, rotate the grid until the Career section is lined up with the front door of the house. Look at my site fengshuiartistry.com and click on the floor plan section for more tips.

Q: On the bottom floor, the staircase, pantry and closet are in the Health area. What do I need to do, if anything?

A: If all of this is in the center, your Earth section, add yellow and earth colors, square objects made from the earth, rugs, pottery, silk, paintings, use square tiles and textiles to decorate. Please remove anything suggesting water in this Qua. Place a large square wall hanging in the staircase with earth colors. A 50mm crystal or wind chime will help with soaking up some of the ‘waterfall’ from the staircase.

Q: I am an holistic practitioner in Ft. Lauderdale. I will be opening a new office and would like to design it with someone familiar with Feng Shui and animal hospitals. does anyone have any recommendations? This is probably a first, so this could be very challenging.

A: I have Feng Shui’d many offices, doctors, dentists and etc. over 2500 consultations for individuals and corporations. I see no problem. Most all spaces can enjoy success when the owners practice Feng Shui in their home environment. I also like to meet with the staff, with floor plans of their present living spaces. It helps if everyone in your staff brings their holistic understanding to the unit. I am currently Feng Shuing a holistic building, built in a safe environmentally way. In fact I join the group with my offices. I have just relocated to the San Juan Islands in Washington but Feng Shui all over by fax and phone. Good Luck and Blessings.

Q: We just moved into a new house. I'm trying to explore Feng Shui. From reading the posts, I just found out that our street address (1649) is not an auspicious number. How can I remedy this without, as one poster said, confusing the mailman (or going to jail for some misdemeanor or something). Also, my son has autism. His room is at the end of a 3x12 hallway. The hallway is made of wood flooring. His room is carpeted. Ever since we moved to the new house, my son has exhibited a tad bit difficult behaviors in school (although he loves the house very much). I just moved his bed around last night so his head is no longer at the same side as the window. What can I do with the hallway? On the longer sides, we have one door (the den) and three doors (the master bedroom, my son’s bathroom, and the closet), and on the shorter sides we have my son’s bedroom door and the door leading to the living room. The hallway tends to be dark with the wood floors and no windows, and putting plants (I read it can slow down the Chi) can crowd the hallway. Should I put plants in my son’s room? (I wasn’t sure if this was proper as I also read plants can be full of energy and bedrooms have to be restful.) I am in desperate need for some good advise. I look forward to receiving same! Thank you and happiness to all!

A: First calm down, try using flower essences from a knowledgeable health food store. These non-invasive formulas are wonderful for babies, pets, plants and adults. Spray the room or other troubling areas of the home with the suggested amount. Follow instructions after finding the best-suited ones for your problems. Rid yourself of clutter, air out the house, play music, clap to stir up the stagnant areas. Now what part of the home is the boy’s bedroom? Which side of the house from the front entry? I have worked with learning institutions to help with the seating of children to support their energy. Where is he sitting at the dining table, to the right or left of you? Using yellow bedding and night clothes strengthens the Health of children and adults. The vibration of yellow food, pictures of herbs in the hallway with a mirror to reflect and double the visual aspect of the healing process of the liver function, helps any illness. No blue room for this child, mostly yellow with green trim.

Q: It has come to my knowledge that sloping ceilings are not good for master bedroom. What can I do?

A: Go to my website at fengshuiartistry.com for my weekly newspaper column, West Meets East, and click on moongateschool for past columns. There are several on bedrooms. My question to you would be...which way do they slope? Where is the bed in relation to the low side? You will want to raise the energy on one side and lower it on the other for better sleep and communication. Use an up-raising light or torch style on the low side corners and lamps which shine down on the high corners. Are you still sleeping on an outdated mattress from another relationship? Some people hang on to old mattresses from old relationships. Big no-no!

Career profile for Caroline Patrick, author of THE POWER OF FENG SHUI ARTWORK IN THE HOME AND BUSINESS

Caroline can be reached at:

Caroline’s Feng Shui Concepts

2511 Commercial Avenue

Anacortes, Washington 98221

(360) 293-2268.

caroline@fengshuiartistry.com

www.fengshuiartistry.com

www.moongateschool.com