West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

On the Road Again with Feng Shui

I received a phone call several months ago from The Central Washington's Woman's Show director asking if I would be interested in doing a speaking engagement on Feng Shui for this year's celebration to be held in the Yakima Sundome, a huge indoor stadium built to hold a few thousand people for sports events and other yearly productions.

Yes, usually pops out of my mouth before thinking, but I needed to negotiate the contract, since there were details to be ironed out before driving several hours to the location. Her comments led me to understand central Washington, as a general rule, had not been exposed to the ancient system of placement. "You will be doing '101'," she explained. "I, too, am from California and thought it was time to have new light and energy brought to this part of the world," she said. "I moved here a few years ago and want to share Feng Shui with the middle of Washington since not many people know about this subject, and I think it is time to do it!" "Okay, I'm ready," was my response. We agreed on radio interviews, a quiet room for three nights, a booth to do mini-Feng Shui consultations, and my fee to complete the engagement. The contract was finalized and signed.

Time was on my side, and I had plenty to do to get ready. My 5 Element Feng Shui Art cards were back from the printer, and I would take them along to introduce the accordion-type of correction or enhancement for any room. The first 5x7 image is a painting of WATER, the second painting a picture of the forest outside my window representing the WOOD Element, next an animal visual for the action force of FIRE. The round shape of three moongates represents the Element of METAL. I used a combination of photos from my China 2004 trip to paint this picture. The last Element of EARTH combines the colors of yellow and orange and a scene of China's Feng Shui birth. All five images when unfolded or framed can benefit any room. You can see all of my new work on www.fengshuiartistry.com, which can be purchased. If you have been putting off sharing your own creations, I encourage others to use their own artwork, have it copied and use for gifts and gift card this season.

Next I had my colored Feng Shui Art Bagua enlarged by How It Works, a graphic shop. They printed a huge canvas banner for the back of the booth at the show. Another talented lady from the Canvas House in Anacortes, who designs fantastic horse blankets, hemmed the banner for hanging. Now I was almost ready to make the four-hour drive across Stevens Pass to the middle of the state. It had been years since I had driven through Yakima, but since I knew where I was headed, I left my map behind feeling confident of the easy drive. "Oh well, I'll buy one on the way if I need it" was my last thought.

Packed and ready, I watched the weather on TV and was relieved there were no snow warnings, as the pass can get lots of snow during the winter. Besides, at the last minute I had six large paintings reproduced on canvas to roll up quickly when needed to make a flight. But luck stayed with me and the weather was clear on the day of travel, so I could bring the 48"x48"inch originals. The director had asked to bring them so they could be introduced at the entry to the show, so they were loaded to the back of my mini-van.

It was early morning and the dark northwest morning sky was bright with a full moon. "The Gods are with me" I surmised looking the huge white globe above the eastern mountains. In the distance, the light of the moon revealed a water passage through two small islands on the horizon. "How beautiful this place is," I thought. The car ferry arrived on time and six minutes later I was across the Guemes Channel and on the mainland of Washington headed inland toward interstate 5, which connects the United States of America from north to south or south to north. Freeways are considered by Feng Shui systems to be modern "waterways," or the WATER Element, which flow by your home, business, and cities, brining opportunities, prosperity and abundance to your doorstep, unless the freeway or street is blocked!!! (To be continued)