By Caroline Patrick
2003 Calendar Scheduling

At the end of December I begin frantically shopping for the perfect calendar to schedule my 2003 consultations. It needs to be a full-view type with all twelve months at a glance. This handy tool allows me to see the flow of the New Year visually, and I can begin to sense the flow of things to come. A picture of future events is at my fingertips, and I can locate where and when I should be glance! At least, that’s the plan when I fill in the spaces provided by the calendar’s creator.

My next suggestion is to use a pencil in those white blank spaces, because God laughs when we make plans. Whether it is an investment, vacation, budget or life as you think it should be, watch out, because adventure is just around the corner, full of surprises and left turns. At least that is my experience.

As an artist, I have been taught the negative spaces in painting are more important because that is where the balance is found in the image. Some artists fill every inch of the canvas, afraid of the unknown. Magic happens in the void. If you don’t believe me, get rid of nine objects in the home for nine days, or twenty-seven things. The balance of nature will take over and bring new opportunities in business or just for fun. Ridding yourself of unused furniture, paying off bills, and cleaning the cutter out of your life, mathematically creates new space for adventures.

Recently, before my CLEAR THE CLUTTER workshop, my devoted friends helped me clear up the year-end mess at the studio. What started out as a two-hour project ballooned into a seven-hour marathon! It’s a good idea I didn’t realize the enormity of the cleanup or I certainly wouldn’t have started. I’m sure you have all entered into the same void called chaos. But when finished, the feeling of lightness filled the room and chi or the breath of life lifts the energy of the formerly heavy feeling in the cluttered space. Spraying the aroma of oranges into the newly cleaned area helped set the energy for the coming workshop.

Standing in the room looking from right to left, all corners sparkled with new life. It was past closing time, but customers continued to fill the emptiness and the phone rang again and again. "Do you have space for one more in tomorrow’s class; I have a friend who would love to come?" The small class swelled from eight people to twelve serious feng shui students as the day progressed. After the space clearing, the phone continues to ring, presenting new clients from old networking and out-of-the-blue students, wishing to learn more about the ancient art of placement in the modern world.

I have penciled into the blank spaces of my current calendar what expect to happen through the summer of 2003, but I can assure you, I have left room for those unseen happenings. While you are finding three boxes to sort through those old things, label them 1. Throw away, 2. Give away, and 3. Sell. Also find a calendar big enough to add new business and fun opportunities. I can guarantee change will occur when enough space is opened in your life.

Where is your life clogged? Money flow, education, family problems, marriage situations, children taking control of the house? Poor health? Look to the center of the house for answers on health issues. Try feng shui for shifting the energy in any of these categories.

Caroline’s Arts & Feng Shui Shoppe

129 First St. Suite K

Benicia, Ca. 94510

Phone 707-748-1127

Fax 707-747-9315

1-5 daily, closed Mondays

Sign up for new 2003 spring workshops. Caroline will take students into a local home and show how she feng shui’s. This is an exciting chance for understanding missing corners, stairways and placement of the five elements and more.

Upcoming workshops will be scheduled by mid-January. Sign up now for the new VIEW A HOME series. Caroline will take you into a local home to do an onsite feng shui consultation. If you would like to donate your home for this project, contact the studio. The house must be in Benicia.

All clients and students receive a 10% discount on their purchases at the Shoppe open 1-5 daily, closed Mondays.

Caroline is available for speaking and teaching engagements. For consultations, call to make an appointment.