West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick BorNei

Certified Red Ribbon Professional of the International Feng Shui Guild

My Life Up to This Point, Part 1

I have been talking about Feng Shui for over 20 years, but just as life is a mystery, it was a mystery of how I heard about The Art of Placement in the early 1980’s. As an art instructor for Southeastern Arizona College, known in the 1970’s and 80’s as Cochise College, rules and paperwork flooded the daily routine. I loved to create and demonstrate at each class, but detested the drudgery of school files and papers. The State of Arizona is filled with a diverse population of several tribes of American Indians, Spanish and Mexican lineage, Caucasians from all over the world, African Americans, etc. Cultures and religions contribute richly to this region. I found the diversities from these religions exciting and loved to hear the students exchange their beliefs. All classes had a mixture of faiths, such as Mormon, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, other Christian denominations, etc. Each class room held four to six tables, and I realized that religions usually determined who sat where. There was always a Mormon table, sometimes two; a Baptist table, a half of Catholic table (not to be mixed with the Lutherans), and others. Then there was me.

I was used to being abby-normal, as I always wanted everyone to sit together and “play nice.” Raised by my mother and her family as a reorganized Latter Day Saint and a fun rebel Catholic father, my parents screwed me up in a good way, I think? At least it left me quite open to seeing all sides of a situation, which I appreciate in my Feng Shui work today, but at that time it only got me in trouble. I assumed my students wanted to hear my opinion on other matters of the world, including my ideas about religion and faith – NOT! One afternoon while listening to the room discuss sex, politics and religion, I decided to put my two cents’ worth of ideas into the mix. I was painting and giving my opinion about, “If all religions would just make an effort to unite in some fashion, the world would be a better place, yada yada.” Suddenly I realized the room was deathly quite. Turing around, all eyes were staring at me. “What?” I said to the group. After what seemed an eternity, an older lady with white hair spoke up. She had attended at least two classes a week for seven years, and I held her friendship as an honor. (PS: In those days the college would let you repeat classes, as I gave a new painting to each class.) Her face was stern and white from holding her tongue, and then she spoke slowly and deliberately. “Caroline,” she said, “we don't pay the college to hear your strange opinions. We pay the college for you to teach us art. I don’t want to have to call your administrator and turn you in.” This blessed woman died shortly after I moved to Hawaii, but she gave me “the defining moment” which gave me patience and courage to continue forward to some unknown place, and I thank her greatly.

That is a day I will never forget. It changed my Chi or personal vital energy, and in turn changed my life. When someone or something demands us to fit their idea of who we are, we die a little bit each time we allow this to happen. The talents God gave us are squelched. We sometimes never recover. I finished the class with a smile that fateful day, and drove the ten miles home to our desert farm. To release the anger and injustice of my friend chastising me in front of the whole class, I screamed out the open car window at every cloud, mountain and road runner bird that crossed my path! Then I cried all night at the injustice in the world, and tried to figure out the difference in who was a friend and who was an acquaintance. It would take years to figure out the karma of it all, but it was training for my new life. I continued to teach, lecture, laugh, cry and shape-up to society’s code of obedience in a state-run facility. But deep down, I knew my destiny was connected to speaking my truths. But I hadn’t yet formulated what those truths might be. (Continued next week)

MAGIC IS IN THE AIR @ BENICIA, CA!

I will be giving Feng Shui consultations in the area for home, business and commercial properties from April 7^th to the 15^th, and taking names in case of cancellations. I will return in July and August 2010 if you would like to book now for later! With all of the changes in business locations, I am now specializing in Feng Shui-friendly designing for corporate facilities (remodel and new buildings). “Be successful from the start.”

For Redding, CA classes, “WHAT NOW?” Is life running you or are you running your life? 2 mini workshops: April 16^th at 10am @Jose Antonio’s Store, and April 18^th at 10am, brunch @ the Sausage Factory. Call (530) 222-1037 or (530) 515-5694, host Michelle Sanders.

Any suggestions given in this column are only for entertainment. Please contact your physician for any medical or herbal advice or diagnosis. Caroline Patrick is not responsible for any misuse of her advice or suggestions.

Caroline Patrick Bor Nei is a certified Feng Shui Practitioner and a Red Ribbon Professional of The International Feng Shui Guild. Her abilities as a consultant and artist are widely known in the US and abroad. Caroline has completed over 5000 consultations for individuals, large and small businesses. Return clients appreciate the value of her suggestions both mundane and transcendental, providing support on multiple levels. As a college art instructor for many years, Caroline understands the power of color, its symbolism and the visual effect images have on individuals and their surroundings. Her home base is Portland, OR where she continues to write, teach, paint, do illustrations and give herbal medicine making classes. She is available for Feng Shui consultations; Feng Shui art consultant, advises builders, architects and mentors a few serious students.

Call (503) 208-2960 or email caroline@fengshuiartistry.com

Caroline’s “West Meets East” weekly newspaper column, can be read from an archives on her website www.fengshuiartistry.com