Feng Shui Friday

I teach courses on Feng Shui. I also incorporate it in my coaching practice and my own home. It is a wonderful tool in creating a more tranquil and enjoyable life.  I am dedicating Friday's blog to all things Feng Shui.

For the next nine weeks I will teach you about the The Bagua Map. The Bagua Map shows where the nine areas (guas) of life are positioned in your home. Each week I will give you tips on how to enhance one of  the nine areas of your home.

Place the map down on your home's layout with your front entrance being on the bottom. Don't worry about walls or the fact that your home may not be a perfect rectangle. Do remember , however, that guas outside of your home matter. For instance, my home has a screened in porch and deck jutting out of the middle back of the house. That means my Abundant Blessings and Love Marriage guas are outside. I will give suggestions on each gua if it happens to be outside.


Knowledge and Self Cultivation gua is in the front left of your home. This gua is about wisdom that comes from stillness and the peace and strong sense of self that inner wisdom brings.

If you are feeling scattered, unsure of yourself and you have lost your peaceful mojo this would be a great area to work on.

Some ideas for enhancing the Knowledge and Self Cultivation gua:
* Always start with an intention. When I clean and decorate my porch I say out loud," I trust my intuition and I always have time to be still."
* Clean and declutter
*A spot to be quiet and still.
* Pictures of places in nature you find meditative and peaceful
* Inspirational Sayings

My knowledge area is my front porch. As I said, outside matters too,

I drink my coffee out here most days, even in winter. Sitting on the bench I can see my garden which is somewhere under there.

I decorate the porch each season. We are still on the Valentine theme. My snowshoes remind me to take some me time in the woods.

Everyone who enters reads this .

Enjoy and remember Feng Shui is pronounced FUN Shway. Have fun making your home the mirror of your wonderful life.

Blessings,
Virginia

Three Steps to Achieve Any Goal

Close to two months have past since making those New Year resolutions. For most of us, the promises made haven't been kept.  In my own life and in many of my clients' experiences setting goals require more than making a promise. Goal setting involves asking a few questions.



1, First ask yourself why you want to achieve this goal. Spend some time with the answers that come up, paying special attention to your ego. For instance if you want to write a book to be heard or to become important. that is your ego talking. If you want to write because  you want to share your voice  or entertain then you are doing for the greater good. Also remember goals set for someone else don't work either.  Make the goal for you.

2. Secondly. What have you succeeded at in your life? Write the list.  Having a tangible list of the amazing things you have done will boost your confidence.

3. Finally ask yourself what is working in your life now? By appreciating now you stay in the present instead of living in the future. So often when we set goals we  get stuck in the future and we make our happiness about then instead of now. Choosing to be happy right where you are will make the process of achieving your goal more enjoyable.

Remember life is supposed to be fun. The joy is in the journey not the destination.

Complaining to Gratitude

If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain. Maya Angelou

I haven't made a Lenten promise in years but this year I decided to go back to my Catholic roots.
 I liked the idea of doing something for 40 days that would help me grow into a more loving person. I decided to stop complaining. Sounded easy enough as I am generally an optimistic person.

They say what you put your attention to grows. So as I was paying attention to my thoughts and my words for complaints, it should come as no surprise that there was A LOT of complaining going on.

Another snow storm?
Water is leaking where?
You need a ride when?
Another medical bill?

As I caught myself complaining, I forgot another even more important intention. My word for 2015 is LOVE. I wasn't being very loving to myself for complaining. In fact, I was being downright mean.

I could give up on my Lenten promise yet I really feel that complaining is a waste of time. I needed to tweak it just a bit. So now each time I catch myself complaining, I stop mid thought or mid sentence  and without judgement simply recognize that I am complaining. Then I find three things to appreciate.

No doubt about it, ice dams, six feet of snow, bills and teenagers have the ability to aggravate even Buddha himself. Yet they pale in comparison to all that is perfect.

                          Now that is one giant ice dam.

                                         YET

If I just turn my head, I get this glorious view.

Blessings,
Virginia

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying The Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote or a lesson from the text.

Light cannot penetrate through the walls you make to block it.
                                                                           ACIM

If You are Bored, You are Boring

Years back my children had the best pediatrician ever!

This doctor actually came to my house to check in when Alex had strep throat, Elise had scarlet fever and pneumonia, Sean had RSV and I had a UTI. He was a caring, wise, and generous doctor.

He always marveled at how my little ones entertained themselves during long doctor's visits.

I remember his words, "If you are bored, you are boring. Virginia, your kids will never be boring."

Thus whenever a child of mine says they are bored I celebrate. I do not intervene. (I do want to fix it ,of course, but I try my best to hold back).

Being bored has created squabbles, headaches and guilt.

Yet, being bored has created massive forts all around the house.

Being bored has created out of this world Lego creations.

Being bored has created amazing art work and mastering the art of stringing lacrosse sticks.

Being bored today got me a gorgeous wooden box with an ' I love you" on the side.

Our kids deserve to be bored.

Bored is the gateway to being  alone with oneself in a creative way.

Alone with oneself is never boring. It is a life skill.

Ways to Get Unstuck

We have gotten close to five feet of snow this past month. Snow removal is done the old fashioned way, with a shovel. Needless to say the end of my driveway has gotten quite thin. The turnaround requires an eight point turn and I long gave up on shoveling the path to the front door. The roof ,however,  needed to be tended to.

I decided to tackle it alone one day in lieu of my exercise routine. I put on my snow shoes and all of my gear and headed outside. After two hours, my arms felt like dead weight and my neck and back were starting to ache but my determination (stubborn streak) won. So I continued.

Then  I fell over into the five foot snow.

 I tried to get up using my hands as leverage but they just sank into the snow. I tried maneuvering  my snow shoed feet but I couldn't. This went on for a good ten minutes or so and fear crept in.
"I am stuck in my yard in the snow. My phone is on the kitchen counter. Nobody will be home until....until i pick them up at 4 pm. That is 6 hours from now. I am screwed!"

Then some self berating, "How could you be so stupid? You could have had them help later on. You should have your phone on you."

I laid back onto the snow and looked at the perfect blue sky. I breathed in the fresh air and relaxed.  I felt thankful for the beauty and my strong arms
and that I wasn't hurt.

From there I proceeded to laugh until my stomach hurt.

After  a bit, I came up with a brilliant, wacky idea. I  log rolled across my front yard until I got to the shoveled driveway and rolled right off the bank. I stood up still laughing and went inside for some tea.

Ways to get unstuck:
1. Give yourself breaks. Your body knows more than your stubborn nature.
2. Have help available.
3. Trying to get different results doing the same thing over and over again never works.
4. Find something to appreciate
5.Relax
6. Be kind to your self
7. Laugh
8. Let the answer come and if it sounds crazy try it anyways.

Mondays Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course In Miracles. Each Monday I post a quote or the lesson of the day.

I Could see peace instead of this. ACIM

A Thursday Thought

The measure of mental health is the disposition to find good everywhere.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Monday, I was totally panicked over the pending snow storm. Actually I think the panic began on Sunday night. All I could think  was "SH*# we might lose power."

From that thought came ,"I can't do this anymore."

(In my years of being a single mother, we have lost power for days on end five different times)

In this lousy state of mind, I frantically got all of the laundry done, the house cleaned, dishes washed and extra food and water bought. Then like a mad woman, I started untangling extension cords to run from the basement to the generator outdoors. Mad and crazy don't mix well with tangled cords, just saying. There was also gas to buy and an extra gas can just in case five gallons wouldn't be enough and I needed more space heaters. My stress level was over the top.

I chose to see the bad yet there was good everywhere.

I could have been grateful that we have both a washer and a dryer. (We went six years without a dryer)
I could have been grateful for my home.
I could have been grateful that I had the means to buy extra food, water, gas, gas cans and space heaters.
Worst of all, I could have been more grateful that my two teenagers were pitching in.

The irony of all of that angst. We never lost power.

Monday's Course in Miracles

You have not only been fully created, but you have been created perfect. There is no emptiness in you. ACIM 

Monday's Course in Miracles

On the last day of 2014, I read this in The Course in Miracles:


You do not walk alone. God's angels hover near and all about. His love surrounds you and of this be sure: that i will never leave you comfortless. ACIM

Such a beautiful thought to bring in 2015. As we all head back in to our lives and our kids head back to school,  these words can carry us and keep our hearts warm.

Mondays Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading, writing and meditating using The Course In Miracles as my guide. Each Monday I post a quote.

The sign of Christmas is a star, a light in darkness. See it not as outside of yourself, but shining in the Heaven within, and accept it as the time of Christ has come.

My daily spiritual practice includes reading A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I post the day's lesson.


All things are lessons God would have me learn. ACIM

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading, writing and meditating with the Course in Miracles. Each Monday I post the day's lesson.

The peace of God is shining in me now. Let all things shine upon me in that peace, and let me bless them with the light in me. ACIM

The Power Of A List

I was expressing to a dear friend of how alone I felt in dealing with a current situation. It is a common theme in my single mom life and it paralyzes me each and every time. The thought," I can't do this all alone,"  freezes my mind and  deflates my heart........Not the best way to create positive results.

 After hearing me out, my friend lovingly suggested that I make a list of everything I have accomplished 'all alone' in these years of being a single parent.

What a genius idea!

Reading my list immediately lifted my heart.

I can't do this all alone suddenly became I CAN do this.

Nothing about the situation changed. I am still in the midst of dealing with it and some of it is cruddy, yet looking at my list of accomplishments has given  me courage and hope and a 'you go girl' attitude.

I invite you to do the same. Make a list of everything you have accomplished and let it serve as a reminder to how strong you truly are!

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading and meditating with the Course in Miracles. Each Monday I post the day's lesson.

I will be still an instant and go home. ACIM

Friday's Feng Shui:Two Super Powers

I am dedicating Friday's blog to all things Feng Shui. I love utilizing Feng Shui in my own life and in my coaching practice.

Last week I wrote about clutter. Please know, ridding our homes/minds/hearts of clutter is no different than how our body rids itself of waste. It is a daily practice.

Our homes have two super powers. The two places that crave the most attention are the entry ways and the bedroom. These super powers let the energy in our home and  let us rejuvenate every cell in our body. Front doors and bedrooms matter!

Suggestions:
    Doorway:
 Do whatever you can with whatever you have to make your entry ways sparkle.
 Put something in the color scheme of reds in your doorway.
 Make a curve or turn with plants or rocks or (again) with what ever you have for the entrance. Try to make sure there is no straight line to your door.

   Bedroom:
Make your bed.
Make it beautiful in any way you can.
Get rid of all electronics, exercise equipment or anything work related. If this cannot be done, cover them with a pretty blanket or a pretty something.
Put a plant in there.
My personal favorite: Fresh flowers in my bedroom at all times.




To my front door in the summer with my thumb blocking the road. AHHH!

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading and meditating  with the Course in Miracles. Each Monday I post the day's lesson.


       Let all things be exactly as they are. ACIM

Friday's Feng Shui: Start with the clutter, 10 Tricks

I am dedicating Friday's blog to all things Feng Shui. I love utilizing Feng Shui in my own life and in my coaching practice.

Feng Shui is a 3000 year old Chinese practice of how our environment effects us physically, emotionally and spiritually. The goal of good feng shui is to arrange your space so energy can flow freely. While the principles of Feng Shui are important. They are not as important as to how you feel in a particular room and how your space is being utilized. I once had a ping pong table in the middle of my living room. It was perfect feng shui because my family spent an entire winter playing together.Feng Shui is not a one time fix because life is always changing and energy is always shifting.

As I have stated in a previous blog posts, getting rid of clutter is the most important aspect of Good Feng Shui.

10 Tricks to Getting Rid of Clutter

1. Keep the kitchen counters clean.
2. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Clean something. Stop when the buzzer rings
3. Make your bed
4. Something goes out before something comes in.
5.Before you leave a room look back and see if you can pick up.
6. A place for everything
7. I keep a red basket in the kitchen for stuff I can't deal with at the moment. I go through it every week.
8. Teach your children to pick up after themselves. (But know 80% of the time they won't ha)
9. Take baby steps. Tackling your entire house in a day will overwhelm you.
10. Take time for yourself. Clearing out brain clutter and filling your soul is the most loving act you can do.

A Present From God

I love September. For me it symbolizes new beginnings.

This year the new beginning has hit especially hard as I am adjusting to having my eldest away at college. Much of my thinking is of days ahead and the questions swirl in my brain.
               "What will it be like when E goes to college?"
                "What will it be like when S goes to college?"
                "What will it be like when I have an empty nest?"

The thoughts that follow are both exciting and scary. I plot and plan and then change my mind and plot and plan and change my mind as I think of my future life. Today as I was out running with those thoughts rushing through my head.

I stopped.


I love setting goals and creating a vision of how I want to live. We all need to do that. However all of those thoughts were taking me away from now.

                                                 Now is our present from God          

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading and meditating with A Course of Miracles. Each Monday I share the day's lesson.




Creation's gentleness is all I see. ACIM