Women’s Independent Press

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

by Anushay Hossain

Amidst all the frenzy surrounding the upcoming Royal Wedding and what Kate will wear, Salon addresses a more important point: what will Miss Middleton say?

When Kate Middleton walks down the aisle to wed Prince William on April 29, spectators all over the world will be hanging on her every word. And the one they’ll be listening for in particular isn’t “love” or “cherish.” It’s “obey”… In 1981, William’s mother Diana dropped it from her vows to Prince Charles. But five years later, Sarah Ferguson slipped the word back into her wedding vows to Prince Andrew. And in 1999, Sophie Rhys-Jones did likewise when she tied the knot to Prince Edward.

Much good that little word did for Sarah or Sophie. The latter has all but disappeared from the public’s radar, and Sarah not only ended up divorcing Prince Andrew, but was last seen trying make money in some hotel room by selling access to her former husband. Can we say pathetic?

Salon states that the Palace, along with most other details, is remaining mum about whether Kate will “obey” or not. Archbishop Rowan Williams, who will marry the couple, had a report issued by his Council back in 2006 that labeled the word as outdated.

However, I would not be surprised if Kate did opt to keep the word in her vows. After all for Kate it has been one sacrifice or compromise after the other. From putting an end to her photography exhibition, to abandoning her career in fashion, Middleton has only been too willing to prove to Queen Elizabeth that she is no Diana.

What I am more interested in than William and Kate changing language in their vows is whether or not they change a 300 yr old tradition giving preference to sons over daughters for royal succession.

In January of this year, Keith Vaz, Labour Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, introduced legislation which would attempt “to remove any distinction between the sexes in determining the succession to the Crown”. Vaz stated that, “Britain is an egalitarian country and this should be reflected in our succession rules.

With the law as it currently stands, if Kate and William have a daughter she will immediately be passed over if Kate has a son.

Forget about who Kate swears to “obey” or not. If there is anything this couple must change right away it is legislation that denies women access to power simply because of their gender. That in my mind, is seriously outdated.

Julie A. Monzi          
juliemonzi@comcast.net
                                                           By Julie Ann Monzi

 When our children were young, our family spent vacations at my parents’ house near Pittsburgh.
The kids loved playing in the huge backyard and swimming in the pool.
 On a summer visit many years ago, my then-four-year-old daughter, Abby, who has autism, came down with a fever.
My mom and I kept her comfortable and hydrated. Two days later and still no change in her temperature, I called a local pediatrician.
He was an older doctor, the father of a former high school classmate. Abby was non-verbal so he checked her
thoroughly and finally prescribed penicillin. She hated the taste but took it fairly well.
 The next morning Abby had a small rash. Just little bumps on her arms, neck, and face. I called the pediatrician immediately.
“It’s probably an allergic reaction so stop giving her the antibiotic,” he said.
As we left for home the next day, her rash looked a little more prominent. I decided to schedule an appointment with her regular pediatrician.
In the morning, I woke her up and gasped. Abby’s face was swollen with one eye almost all the way closed. She looked like she’d been punched.
 The rash covered her cheeks and arms.
At the pediatrician’s office, the doctor walked into the exam room and immediately said in a sing-song voice, “I know what’s going on here.
Someone got into the poison.”
 Poison?!!! My mind was reeling. The doctor continued talking and making notes in Abby’s chart, but all I could focus on was that my
 daughter, my baby, had gotten into poison, somewhere, somehow.
 My first thought was my parents’ basement. She played down there and maybe got into the cleaners under the laundry area sink.
That had to be it! At home I kept everything locked up.
 “My parents’ basement,” I told the doctor breathlessly. “That’s where it could have been.” What if I couldn’t figure it out?
Would my daughter get poisoned again?
 The doctor looked at me like I had two heads. “No. It grows outside.”
 My mind was still reeling. Outside? What could she have gotten into outside?
 “Wait a minute! My dad sprinkled something on his flower garden. That must be it!” I was getting frantic.
 “No, no, no,” the doctor said. “It’s a plant. It grows outside.”
 “A plant?” I shook my head in confusion.
 “Yes, a plant. You know. Like poison ivy.”
 “Poison ivy?” What was he talking about? “But you said poison.”
 “Yes, there is poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.”
 I felt relieved and irritated all at once. “But you said poison, not poison ivy. Poison is bleach, poison is cleaner, poison is Drano.”
 “But poison could be any one of those plants not just one. That’s what it’s called. Poison.”
 “Well, I’ve never heard it called that before.”
 So I got a lesson in botany, and my daughter got a prescription for her “poison”. And I learned a new vocabulary lesson: it may
be poison ivy in Pittsburgh, but in Gettysburg it’s just plain poison.

Councilman
510 City County Bldg.
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Dear Councilman Shields,

My name is Maya Rosen, and I am an eleventh grade student at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School. I am involved in a group called Racial Justice through Human Rights that is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. We are a diverse group of high school students from across the city, and we are committed to equality, justice, and human rights.

Our group has discussed some of the issues that are currently facing Pittsburgh. Education, the achievement gap, police behavior in the community, violence, transportation, jobs, and fair housing are all issues of paramount importance to us as young people, as leaders, and as involved and passionate citizens. We believe that these issues, and many others as well, can be solved within the context of human rights.

I am writing to propose making Pittsburgh a Human Rights City. A Human Rights City is one whose residents and local authorities participate in ongoing discussions and creative exchange of ideas in order to more fully understand human rights. When these ideas are incorporated as a way of life, they assist in identifying the issues and informing the actions in our local government, for meaningful, positive economic and social change. Pittsburgh would become the fifth Human Rights City in the United States, joining other Human Rights Cities around the world where inhabitants have undertaken ongoing learning with the understanding that human rights is central in bringing forth a viable vision and mission for the 21^st Century.

We care deeply about Pittsburgh and want to eradicate any form of injustice that we see here at home. I believe that declaring Pittsburgh a Human Rights City would have an immensely positive effect on our communities. If the decisions of our city are made within a framework of human rights, and we continue to engage with and learn about human rights ideology, I am confident that Pittsburgh will become a safer, happier, and more just community.

I am enclosing a copy of the resolution that Washington DC passed to become a Human Rights City, so you can see a model of what we are discussing.

Please contact me with any questions.

We would be excited to work with you to make this idea a reality.

Sincerely,

Maya Rosen