http://www.fengshuimasters.org/elliot_jay_tanzer.shtml
It is by pioneer of Feng Shui and old time New Age
ally Elliot Tanzer.
Elliot will be teaching at the uncoming
Feng Shui Conference in San Diego.
http://www.fengshuiseminars.com/conferences/speakers/elliot_tanzer.htm
On the conference web site he says,
"Using case histories from his busy feng shui practice, Elliot will illustrate feng shui principles and concepts as they apply to Forms. Unfortunately, many teachers assume their students already understand these so-called 'basic rules of good feng shui.' But having good Forms is more than not sleeping under a beam or not having your bed or desk in direct line of a doorway. In this session you will learn how Forms effect the immune system and ones psychological well-being. Come learn why, without good Forms, flying stars are 'just numbers in boxes' and why energizing the bagua is 'just good intentions.' Mastering Forms is essential to creating an harmonious living and working environment. "
(Los Angeles Whole Life Times Magazine - Feng Shui Clinic: Mar 2002)
Feng Shui For Good Health
By Elliot Jay Tanzer
In this column we will continue to explore how to re-shape the home to support you in good health, joyous relationships and career success. Feng shui philosophy contends: if the home is in harmonious surroundings and arranged in an harmonious manner, the inhabitants of that home will reflect that harmony and live more harmonious lives.
Dear Feng Shui Clinic, My mother has had several surgeries. What can I do using feng shui techniques to improve her health. My mother sleeps under a ceiling fan and I have heard this could be a problem. If it is, please explain why. I've enclosed photographs of her living room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen. Thank you, Kathy B., Santa Monica
Dear Kathy B.,
It is unfortunate for your mother to have to suffer with such serious surgeries. It should be understood that a home does not "cause" health problems but rather that a home may aggravate preconditions based on constitutional weaknesses or emotional stresses. The human body is an amazing organism that has learnt over the millennium to adapt to extraordinary circumstances. In short, it takes a lot to beat it down. Looking over your floor plans and photos, it is quite apparent that your mother's home reflects the stressors in her life. The ceiling fan over her bed is certainly a contributing factor.
Feng Shui & Your Health
When I was first introduced to the ancient art and science of feng shui, it puzzled me how a feng shui master could look at a home and confidently state: "This house will cause illness." or even, "Someone living in this home will die."
A few years later, it became perfectly clear to me how a how a hostile environment, real, or even imagined as real, could result in ill health and finally death. The truth of this lies in the biological fact that stressful situations release adrenalin, the 'fight and flight' hormone, which increases the heart rate and raises the blood pressure while the breath becomes shallow and all the muscles tense. Continued and prolonged stress ultimately leaves the adrenal glands exhausted, compromises organ functioning, especially that of the kidney and heart, and impairs the immune system.
Real or Imagined Danger
How this extreme and prolonged stress scenario affects the unwary residents of a home is revealed by the statement about environmental danger as being "real, or even imagined as real."
Real danger should be obvious. Modern feng shui considers environmental factors such as living in close proximity to sources of strong electro-magnetic radiation: power generator substations, high tension wires, transformer cans on utility poles, airport radar, cell phone microwave dishes. To determine if any of these life threatening situations exist is fairly easy - look out your window. If you can see it, you are too close. All of these unfortunate situations can only have a deathly effect on any bio-organism with only one feng shui solution: move immediately.
Ch'i & Sha Ch'i
Environmental dangers that are dangerous, real or falsely perceived as real, are referred to in feng shui as sha ch'i. Ch'i is the Chinese word for energy. Energy which is inherent in all things animate or inanimate. Sha ch'i is when that ch'i is taken away. When the ch'i is noxious. When it is stagnant. When it is hostile. For example: A life threatening situation such as a gunman pointing a loaded weapon at you is quite clearly stress producing. The rational mind has no problem interpreting this kind of danger and the need to get the adrenal glands pumping.
Even a statue of someone pointing a bow and arrow at you would make you uneasy. Eventually you will either come to terms with this symbolic aggression and relax. Or you will alter the environment to suit your comfort zone. You will either sit or stand out of the range of imagined danger or perhaps move the statue so that it points in a different direction. This is one of the primary goals of feng shui: to modify the environment so that it is less aggressive, more relaxed, more harmonious and ultimately more life enhancing.
Understanding how the subconscious interprets and responds to color, shapes and symbols in your living environment gives you access to one of the major feng shui techniques that has made feng shui such an important adjunct to current wholistic philosophy. That is, simply remove, cover, deflect or block all sources of life threatening sha ch'i.
Any object that has a pointy-edge or a long straight edge produces a form of sha ch'i called a "poison arrow." As the subconscious interprets sharp edges as 'arrows', it feels danger, and activates the 'fight and flight' stress response of the adrenals in defensive preparation. In time, the adrenals, as stated, become exhausted in their attempt to maintain readiness. Slowly but surely the immune system is compromised. Depending on the innate strength of the individual's constitution, the weakest link collapses first.
Feng Shui Solutions to Everyday Problems
Here are some commonly experienced examples of sha ch'i in the home environment and their possible solutions. Remove these environmental situations and observe how quickly you find relief from many of your ailments and notice how much more energy you seem to have. If you can not protect yourself from sha ch'i consider moving to a more favorable location.
* As you walk around your home, notice if there are any "hidden arrows" in the external environment aimed at your home. Consider if there are roadways, neighboring fences and roof lines "shooting" at your front doo. Trees or utility poles directly opposite the front door and large mountains or buildings towering above the home are also considered to be "attacking" and therefore harmful to the inhabitants. Solutions: Plant a hedge, erect a fence and/or place a small oval or octagonal mirror to "deflect" the poison arrows.
* If there are beams over beds or frequently used sitting areas, the beam is considered to be "pressing down" or compressing the ch'i. In time the area of the body under the beam will manifest an inflammation or be more vulnerable to suffering an injury. In a similar manner a ceiling fan directly over the bed or over a frequently used place to seat is felt as "chopping" up the ch'i of anyone sleeping or sitting beneath. Especially anxiety producing to the subconscious are ceiling fans that wobble as they spin. Solution: Cover the beam and replace the ceiling fan with a floor model, or move your bed or chair to a different location.
* The harmful effects of "poison arrows" inside the home can be felt as sharp-edged furniture on either side of the bed, or that block your easy passage in and out of a frequently used room. Even cactus, pointy-leaf dracaena or other plants with knife-like foliage can be offensive. Solution: Cover points and edges or change sleeping or sitting locations. Keep the images and the objects soft and safe to the touch.
* Beside the detrimental effects of a beam or ceiling fan over a bed consider the bed's relationship to windows and doors. Even my great, grandmother from eastern Europe used to say, "It's bad luck to sleep with your feet to the door. 'Cause that's the way they carry you out!". Chinese feng shui literature describes this as the "coffin position." Equally bad is positioning your bed with a door on either or both sides of the bed as the anxiety experienced is similar to sleeping on a railroad track. Solution: Close the doors or choose a different room to sleep in.
* Sleep needs to be restful to be rejuvenating so avoid the following situations: sleeping in a bed with a toilet or electronic devises on the other side of the headboard will also result in disturb sleep and not waking up feeling refreshed. If you use an electric blanket, turn it on to warm the bed then UNPLUG it from the wall. Large windows, heavy framed pictures, mirrors or shelves at the head of the bed produces the "what if they break or fall" anxiety. Also sleeping on a water bed (stagnant water) can result in kidney or urinary problems.
Remember, poor feng shui situations do not actually cause health problems. Instead, we need to understand that poor feng shui aggravates preconditions towards certain types of health problems. Therefore, good feng shui and applying appropriate feng shui solutions can mitigate negative circumstances resulting in an environment that supports good health, harmonious relationships and career or academic success.
Taking Control of Your Life The above examples are only some of the environmental factors that can affect your vitality and health. Of course even good feng shui will not cancel out the destructive influences of living next to a toxic dump or the constant exposure to electro-magnetic radiation. Nor will it cancel out the undermining effects of a diet of junk food and food that has been microwaved, or using cosmetic and personal hygiene products laden with toxic ingredients (herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, preservative, artificial colors, synthetic chemicals etc.). The mercury vapors from silver amalgam in your teeth, smoking carcinogenous cigarettes and poor food combining will also take their toll. In the big picture good environmental feng shui is part of choosing to live a healthy life style.
Feng Shui Tip of the Month: Clear your clutter and improve your life. Clutter is equated in the subconscious with obstacles and challenges to overcome. Having to constantly side step obstacles and overcome challenges results in grumbling, complaining and feelings of always being overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. The more clutter encountered, the more your energy is dissipated from joyful and positive progress. Stumbling out of your bedroom in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. Shuffling through piles of paper on your desk is perceived as yet another mountain to climb. On the other hand, removing clutter in the house and off the desk top clears the way for new inspirations and new opportunities. The solution is simple: Clear your clutter and improve your life.
Next time: There are many ways to create alignments. In the next Feng Shui Clinic we will discover the formula to determine the best alignments for sleeping, working and even negotiating. Send your feng shui questions to: Elliot Tanzer, Dept. FS, 31558 Lakeridge Court, Temecula, CA 92519. or via E-mail at: tanzer88@aol.com.
May you all be blessed with a year of abundant good fortune: health, wealth and prosperity.