West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

Teachers, Children and Feng Shui

I get many emails concerning children, their bedrooms and education. Read on to understand how all three can successfully be combined.

Dear Caroline,

I am a college student at San Jacinto College in La Porte, Texas. I am not a traditional student. I am a single parent, 46 years of age, and I was injured in an automobile accident four years back, leaving me with the use of only one arm. Originally from Sacramento, California and open to nontraditional healing, I received great guidance through a difficult time with the assistance of Feng Shui. I am giving a speech to young students about the major uses of Feng Shui, and I was looking for some very basic information to give these young people. I am very aware of their non-interest and of their lack of diversity. This area is a major chemical environment and secluded even from neighboring Houston. I was hoping to open the minds of these kids to a practice that has helped me with many struggles. I have a captive audience and would like to give an informative presentation. I am not a professional speaker, just a mother of five with a willingness to share useful information. Do you have any information or suggestions available?

I am grateful for any assistance.

Sincerely,

A Reader

Dear Reader,

Thank you for writing. Getting the word out there is what we need. I congratulate you for your willingness to speak to young people and your preference with college. You didn’t mention the age of the group you would be speaking for. I disagree that children or teens have a lack of interest, as I have spoken to many groups of mothers on the Art of Placement. The Santa Clara Country Educational system had me speak before their annual convention for several years, educating the teachers and administration on Feng Shui.

We Feng Shui’d schools all the way down from the superintendent’s office to the classrooms, arranging the teacher’s main desk first, putting him/her in a power position so they had respect and the children listened. When a student was ‘acting out,’ we would analyze the situation with the Bagua and find out which aspect was bothering the child, and place the child’s desk in a buffer zone for the Chi of that Gua to help the student become stronger in that area of their life.

Teenagers love Feng Shui! It gives them security, pride, self-esteem, and money. Bed and desk placement are crucial when arranging the room. They can educate their parents to the ancient practice of Feng Shui, as it is not a religion, but a system similar to the one used by acupuncturist and Chinese doctors. Each of the nine Guas reflects a part of mankind’s actions and reactions.

Using the Helpful People and Wealth Corners of their room for adding written notes for scholarships is a great way to understand the flow of energy on a mundane level, and a prayer to send the wish teaches them there is a life force and higher power to use for the betterment of the planet. Learning to build better homes with Feng Shui design will bring peace to the home, which brings peace to the cities and invites peace and harmony into the world, as problems are unblocked, starting with their efforts. Keeping their rooms free of clutter now has a worldly and personal value. Responsibility practiced on the physical and environmental level will keep the planet healthy.

Young children love for me to visit their rooms. Each room tells a story. You should learn how to read the energy of the child through the placement of the furniture, etc., in their bedroom. I had one boy who would become tired and lethargic when he played or studied in his room. The arrangement looked good and I could find little wrong with it, but he looked sad and unhealthy, and I left the home with the issue unresolved. I decided to talk directly to the young boy. Asking his parents if I could talk alone with their son, they agreed immediately. We went to his room and looked around the walls. The artwork was non-violent, his bed position was good, but the room seemed dark even though the lighting was adequate. I could see no visible clues so I began to tune into the ‘feel’ of the space.

We chatted and laughed softly while I listened. His grandmother seemed a big influence in his life and with her recent passing, he was sad. On a hunch I asked him where she lived while she was alive. “Here,” was his answer as he pointed to the bed. She had died at home in the very bed he was pointing to. We had found the reason for the energy drain. I suggested to his parents that this boy needed a new bed with new energy!

What I have witnessed many times is that we save too many things: furniture, clothing, mattresses and rugs, which have a lint-type of Ling energy. This very dense Yin Chi is a buildup of stale, blocked thoughts, anger and stagnant energy, which needs to be cleared away. Save the things you love and recycle the others. Use new paint colors, paintings, rugs and decor to liven up children’s rooms. Pay attention to the colors of clothes worn by the child as all things are related in health matters.

Have the children or adults draw their home and where their bedroom is located in the floor plan. Let each child look at his/her own drawing, as you draw the Bagua on a whiteboard. Label each Gua with shape, color and element. Ask about family or personal problems. The visual demo always gets attention.

P.S. If the child’s bedroom is in the Partnership section of the house, or far back right, it is a clue that the child is taking on too much adult stress and hopefully can be switched to another room.

Please feel free to use any of the articles I have written for the newspaper, archived on my website www.moongateschool.com for your work and give me a report on how your talks go.

Sincerely,

Caroline Patrick

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 suggested plants or advice for cures or healing any problem either medical or Feng Shui claims. This column and article is for entertainment only. Please seek help from a qualified physician, naturopath, herbalist or other certified person for treatment.

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

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