Women’s Independent Press

By Yvonne Phillips
yvonnephillips1@aol.com

In the year of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the loved ones of all victims are brought to mind, as well as the military and their families, for whom sacrifice is a way of life.

According to the National Military Family Association, “There are nearly 1.8 million children of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve parents. Deployments are not new to military families, but since 9/11 many parents have been deploying, sometimes on multiple tours, to combat zones for months or more than a year at a time. Service members also frequently go on Temporary Duty (TDY), which can range from a few days to six months. Separation has become a way of life for these families.”

Feng Shui’s healing and supportive impacts create an atmosphere of calm and positive feeling regardless of whether the living space represents a familiar place or an entirely new living environment. Enhance grounding for young people who initially may struggle with a sense of belonging by considering the Earth element by using colors such as tan, brown, green or yellow.
To activate stability, such items as rocks, nature art, sand and crystals add a dash of interest and texture.

Cultivating a helpful relationships at school and within the community and household by using the bagua map which can be found at www.creativecolordesign.com to find the right front corner of a room or house and using black, white or silver accents in that area to ignite supportive bonds and integrated experiences. Find the back middle of your space and add splashes of red to enhance reputation in the outer worlds of school and community, employing the critical fire element of Feng Shui practice. A lamp and items representing achievement, such as certificates and photos will further enhance positive flow in the areas of public profile and reputation.

Children of military families shoulder greater responsibilities, often sacrificing activities and study time to assist in the duties of running a household. They possess a unique life perspective of great breadth and depth. Creating a space for them that feels like their own while offering comfort, calm and stability can be accomplished through simple intention and the easy and accessible help of Feng Shui.

By Yvonne Phillips
YvonnePhillips1@aol.com
412-215-8247
www.Creativecolordesigninc.com
www.Fengshuipublications.com
www.Fengshuiabc1.com

Feng Shui expert Yvonne Phillips tells how attention to detail improves your dog’s life
For thousands of years, people have employed the principles of feng shui to ensure they live the happiest, healthiest lives possible. The ancient Chinese practice aims to generate positive chi—or energy flow—through the strategic placement of furniture and other objects in both homes and offices. But can feng shui improve the lives of pets, as well? Yvonne Phillips, one of America’s leading feng shui experts, says the answer is a resounding yes. Here, she explains.
How, exactly, do dogs fit into a home’s feng shui?
Pets bring an uplifting and loving life for force to the home environment. For an owner, simply having a pet is a feng shui cure in itself. It can significantly impact the quality of a person’s life and, as research has shown, improve health and happiness. Because pets can enhance the feng shui in any home, ensure you’re doing your part to provide an uplifting environment for them as treasured members of the family.

So you’re saying that just having a dog is a feng shui plus?
Caring for pets brings an increased sense of stability, grounding, and daily order. Along with the health benefits of taking dogs for walks or playing with them, they remind us to just be in a fast-paced world. The positive chi life force radiates off happy, well-cared-for pets, and their movement throughout the home helps to circulate that energy. Fang shui recognizes the symbology of animals—the reason many Chinese restaurants have aquariums is that fish represent success. Similarly, dogs symbolize protective energy and teach us unconditional love.

Can I use feng shui to make my dog happier and healthier?
Feng shui honors the interconnectedness of all things, so, much like a neglected plant or pile of clutter, a neglected pet affects the energy of the entire home. And just as your pet can uplift your home, you, in turn, can strengthen your pet by uplifting his surroundings. Animals are naturally drawn to the best energy in a room or a house, so you’ll see by watching them where the chi is already flowing. By replicating that energy throughout your space, you’ll enhance your pet’s overall health and happiness.

What is the first change to make?
The most important feng shui consideration is cleanliness. People need a clean home environment, and so do pets, which means their spaces should be fresh and sanitized. A pet should feel safe, secure, and comfortable in the areas where he eats or sleeps. Provide fresh water daily, and be sure soap residue is thoroughly washed from his bowls. For easy access, keep doorways and window sills clear of debris; you want to minimize the danger of your pet knocking anything over. Whenever possible, use eco-friendly products to ensure your pet’s safety and your own.

Do the colors we decorate with have any effect on our animals?
To create a sense of calm, choose a pet bed that blends with your color scheme, or one in a neutral shade, rather than something loud and busy. And try to select bowls and plates in yellows or reds. If you have a finicky eater, red can energize him, while yellow is known to evoke a happy mood.

Our
animals are
even more
sensitive than
we are to what’s
around them.

What’s the best place to set up an eating or sleeping area?
Choosing a quiet eating area for your pet—one that’s removed from noise and activity—allows him to eat more calmly. Eating and sleeping areas should be out of the traffic path of humans.

Does air flow affect the flow of energy?
Clean air is vital for good feng shui; avoid staleness and pet odors by letting as much fresh air as possible circulate throughout the house.

What about the lighting in your house?
Pets are attracted to natural light and warmth and will always gravitate toward sunny spots near windows. On cloudy days, salt lamps—large salt crystals with light bulbs inside—or candles simulate natural light and they purify the air by releasing negative ions that counteract emissions from computers, TVs, and other electronic devices.

Can clutter actually increase a dog’s anxiety?
If you remember that our animals are even more sensitive than we are to what’s around them, it’s easier to understand their feelings. When your dog is eating and drinking, that’s his most vulnerable time, and he’s extremely aware of his surroundings. If you’ve located his food and water in an area beside a big stack of boxes that should have been in storage, he’ll feel as though someone is watching him, or even feel a little afraid: Is that pile of boxes coming after me?

How do you make sure your dog doesn’t upset the balance of energy in the house?
I’ve been in homes where young families are trying their best to handle to handle it all. Mom and Dad are working, they have small children, and they want to have the pleasure of an animal’s company. But here’s what I see when I enter their home: The parents are hollering at the dog to keep him from jumping on me, and that makes the children upset. The whole home’s vibe becomes negative, creating a ripple effect that isn’t good for anyone, including the dog. It’s only when the dog is conditioned to live in harmony with his human family that the home will emanate completely positive energy. •

Creating an Outdoor Oasis of Beauty and Balance

By Yvonne Phillips

YvonnePhillips1@aol.com

As spring invites us to get outdoors again and spruce up our yards, why not consider going beyond the usual habits
of gardening, and instead work with your landscape in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui?

With the summer months our yards can become an extension of our living space, and the garden
allows us to feel connected to nature. Since the effective application of Feng Shui techniques
do wonders for shifting the energy of interior spaces, it makes sense that the same principals
 apply to your yard and garden. A well designed Feng Shui garden landscape appeals to all the
 senses, delights visitors, and provides a calm and restorative environment to fully enjoy the summer season.

Landscaping that is energized with the flow of chi will bring life to your home, and attract an abundance of
birds, butterflies and a feeling of wellbeing. By incorporating representations of the elements, you can make
your garden a retreat oasis in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui.

• Remove clutter, weeds, dead plants, objects to trip on such as tools and hoses,
and other strewn debris in order to clear the space and let the energy (chi) flow.
• Don’t overwhelm the environment with every dazzling color in the book,
but choose a selection of uplifting colors such as orange and yellow, and calming colors like blue, purple and white.
• Steer clear of items with sharp and pointed angles; rather choose smooth rounded
 corners to all objects, decorative pieces, flower pots and furniture.
• Avoid placing a fence or large object in the middle of your yard or garden,
as it will block the flow of energy and disrupt the positive chi.

Elements of Feng Shui in your landscaping:
• Earth - Keep the soil fertile and the flowers, trees and grass well maintained,
as this enhances the earth element. Place round stones as a border around spaces, or as
appealing and calming decoration to enhance the grounding balance of the earth element. 
• Wood – Choose wooden planting boxes, or adorn your landscaping with
decorative wooden pieces such as a carving, bench or bamboo pieces. As a lucky Feng Shui cure,
 bamboo is used to attract health, abundance and happiness.
• Metal - Place something metal in your landscaping to encourage the properties of that
 important element, such as wind chimes or planters.
• Water - Include still or slow flowing water such as a fountain, bird bath, pond or pooled water
from a stream. It’s not encouraged to have a fast moving stream or river through your property, as this
carries the positive energy away from your home, akin to “peace or abundance flying out the door”.
 Instead, have pooled or slower flowing water which can collect beneficial chi to stay in your yard.
• Fire - For the final touches of balancing the elements, fire can be represented in various ways such as candles or lanterns, or a fire pit.

You can easily create a feel-good and ambient garden patio with pillows, blankets, and outdoor music.
Just a few extra touches and working with the surrounding landscape brings restorative benefits and
 balance to the energy flow around and through your home. You’ll feel the difference and savour your time in the yard even more

Feng Shui for a Beautiful Wedding
Applying its Practical Wisdom for a Balanced and Harmonized Ceremony

With another wedding season upon us, the eyes of the world will be watching the most spectacular
 ceremony in a long time with the royal wedding of William and Kate. It`s a reminder of how lavish
an occasion the exchanging of vows can be.  

As a most welcome opportunity to celebrate the joining of two hearts, it’s imperative that the positive energy
 be encouraged to flow freely, uplifting the bride and groom and everyone in attendance and working behind the scenes.

With all the details and things to check off the list in planning a flawless day, there are important considerations
 that should not be left to chance. With some knowledge and intention of how to best support a positive and
 joyous wedding, the best possible atmosphere can be created. Feng Shui harmony is about colors, elements,
shapes and numbers to all support one another in a beneficial way.

There are some ancient Feng Shui guidelines that will help you with the harmony and balance of the ceremony as well as with the reception.

• Selecting the luckiest date - According to Feng Shui traditions, the number 8 is auspicious for love and 9
represents eternity, so try to choose a wedding date that contains these numbers or at least adds up to them.
• The colour of the wedding dress and tuxedo – The most beneficial color pairing is based on the Chinese
 tai chi symbol of yin and yang (black and white). Black represents female (yin) while white is male (yang), so adorning
the colors of the opposite sex balances the female and male energy of each person. For the bride’s dress, opt for a softer
more relaxing tone such as light beige or cream colour, off-white or pearl, rather than stark white.
• The colours of the groom and wedding party - Earthy colors like cocoa, olive, honey or dusty rose are ideal shades
for the bridesmaid’s dresses.
• Enhancements for the wedding dress – Sparkle with the energy of the metal element by wearing a glittering necklace,
 earrings or crystals woven into the dress material to catch the light and dazzle. Avoid overdoing it however as a little goes a long way.
• Flowers – Healthy and colorful flowers increase the flow of positive chi to any environment. Choose pink roses which
 symbolize love, lilies for abundance, chrysanthemums for happiness, or peonies for longevity.
• Lighting – For both the ceremony and reception, place soft crystal salt lamps and candles around the space for livening up the
 energy with the fire element. Be sure to leave no dark corners.
• Scents – Pleasurable smells have a powerful affect, and can subtly enhance the energy of any room. With either essential oil
diffusers or scented candles, choose scents to enliven the mood such as rosemary, ylang ylang, lemon or rose.
• Crystals – Bring along two Rose Quartz crystals, (representing the bride and groom), and place them in the relationship area of the c
eremony and reception space, which is the farthest right hand corner. Rose Quartz is auspicious for romance and represents beauty and love.
• Furniture – The shapes of the reception tables are important, and can make a big difference on the quality of everyone’s experience
of the evening. Avoid square or rectangular tables with sharp jutting edges, which attract conflict. Rather, choose round or oval shaped
 tables which encourage harmony and inclusiveness, leaving no one sitting alone at the far end.

The goal of Feng Shui is to create a nurturing, uplifting environment that supports people, and incorporating this ancient wisdom
 into your wedding day will contribute to a loving energy that can have a positive effect on your marriage for years.

Yvonne Phillips is a available for speaking,mentoring or home or office consulations.
 She can be reached at 412-215-8247 or yvonnephillips1@aol.com

It’s said that life is all about relationships; with our spouses and work mates, our families, friends, and most importantly, the relationship with ourselves.

Feng Shui is all about energy; the direction of how it flows, becomes blocked and stagnant, and the intentional placement of objects to encourage the flow of positive energy, and the dissipation of the negative. An ancient Chinese practice, Feng Shui is focused on purposefully arranging our stuff around us to gain positive results in our life.

With Valentine’s Day this month, the focus on relationships comes even more to our attention, whether that means healing our existing connection with others, or wishing for our soul mate to appear. It’s heartening to know that there are tools that are easy to apply in our own environment to enhance our relationships. The wisdom of Feng Shui and the application of its principals can indeed bring welcome changes and upliftment in subtle and very direct ways. Feng Shui can be harnessed to kick-start our love life by finding an ideal partner or improve existing relationships, smooth the edges around difficult associations (e.g. the in-laws), enjoy greater harmony in the house with family members, and even improve camaraderie with business associates in the workplace.

The Relationship Corner

Every home and each room have areas that are related to certain energies, such as career, family and love. To find the relationship corner of your space; as you enter through the front door of the house or room, the relationship section is located at the farthest right hand corner at the back side of the home or room. According to Feng Shui practices, certain items in the relationship corner can spice things up, keep things stuck, or cause havoc in your relationships.

To perk up your love life, add these items to the relationship corner of your home and/or bedroom:

·         Red or pink items, such as lingerie, paper cut-outs of hearts etc.

·         Two candles side by side, ideally red or pink to produce light and warmth.

·         Crystals, such as pink quartz or amethyst, to cure for bad chi.

·         A blooming or healthy plant.

·         Any item that symbolizes love and romance for you, such as a picture of a happy couple or hearts. If already in a relationship, put a joyful picture of both of you together.

·         A wish list that is very specific to what qualities you want to attract in a mate, or improve in an existing one. Avoid using negative statements, such as I don’t what a mate who cheats. Rather write; I want a mate who is monogamous.

·         Put your heart-felt intention into livening up your relationship corners.

Items to avoid in your relationship corner include:

·         Negative and depressing pictures or art, or items that you associate sadness or longing with.

·         Photos of yourself alone as a single person.

·         Clutter and dust, or old and useless objects.

·         Distracting items such as a TV, games, and electronics.

·         Anything associated with work and business.

·         If the bathroom is in the relationship corner of your house, keep the toilet closed.

·         Remove items from under your bed.

Work the magic by making just a few intentional changes and watch what happens!

Yvonne Phillips is a National Feng Shui Practitioner, Author and Speaker with over 18 years of experience. Yvonne is certified with Feng Shui Institute International and has trained with world famous Feng Shui Master Lillian Too. As owner of Creative Color & Design, she incorporates Feng Shui principles into both residences and businesses, from small businesses to large corporations. Please visit http://www.fengshuiabc1.com  or email yvonnephillips1@aol.com for more information

   The art of Feng Shui often brings furniture arranging and artwork to mind for many people and a small portion of that is true. But Feng Shui is also about sustainability, a term you will be hearing more about in the months and years to come.

Sustainability is the “characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely,” as defined by one source. It’s basically making the best — and longest — use of things we create and own. So when I refer to decluttering and moving things on to other people and recycling, it is all part of sustainability

Here are some examples of how they work together:

No matter what school of Feng Shui you follow, one of the most important steps is to start by decluttering, when you declutter, you gather up items to discard, recycle, donate to Goodwill or pass onto friends and family members. As you go through this process, it is important to keep only what you are using at the moment.

In keeping with the concept of sustainability, you will be moving things from your environment to give to others so they can find a use for them or recycling the items to give them new life. Decluttering has to happen or you can’t even get to the root of the goals of Feng Shui.

Keep in mind that as older adults we recognize that our children aren’t going to use all the items that we’ve stored in the attic. Members of the Now generation purchase their own goods without relying so much on parents to provide these items. The accumulation of such materials can create a drain on your energy, something none of us need, especially since these items aren’t being used for long periods of time.

I encourage you to take a new look at your home when you do your Holiday Cleaning. Start by de-cluttering the house before you start cleaning. Follow these three simple Feng Shui recommendations:

1. Start decluttering by removing extra items from your home to allow you to redecorate or clean the space the way you want to. This symbolically means that you are allowing more opportunities to come into your life. Don’t forget to recycle or donate items to your favorite charity.

2. Next, have your decorations support your ability to achieve your life goals. This is simply done by looking at the Bagua Map and selecting which area in your life require the most energy. For example, I will be placing my 3-way lamps in the Relationship area of my house to support and maintain personal and business relationships.

3. Finally, renew the energy of your house for the Holidays by adding special touches like your favorite music, beautiful flowers or perhaps a wonderful, light lemony smell.

Surrounding yourself with things and people you truly love and following some basic Feng Shui recommendations will create a sustainable and balanced environment for you and your family for the New Year!

Please go to www.fengshuiabc1.com for a class on Holiday Feng Shui to Anchor your Intentions.  Yvonnephillips1@aol.com  412-215-8247