Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life

by Karen Rauch Carter

  If one is good, is twenty better? Not necessarily. Find balance.

  | Taking a Dip in the Fountain of Youth |

  Scoot over, alpha hydroxy, there’s a new antiaging device in town! It’s called using feng shui in the Children and Creativity zone. You think I’m kidding, don’t you? Well, I’m not. If you crank this area up in your living quarters, you can make a difference in how you age—and it doesn’t even need FDA approval!

  Do some tests of your own. Observe old people. I’ll bet you’ll find that the ones who have no hobbies or interests look and act a lot older than the ones who do. OK, forget hobbies for a sec. Think of a person with a defeatist, “Been there, done that” attitude and one with a zest for learning—old, young. Bottom line, you are either soaking up life or withering on the vine. I heard of a study where they took some old people and placed them in an environment that replicated typical surroundings when they were in their twenties—music, decor, and such—and not only did they start to act younger, they actually started regenerating new cells within their physical bodies where they weren’t supposed to be able to. These old people were making twenty-year-olds’ cells! What a difference an environment makes, huh?

  So, if you apply this type of thinking to your feng shui, especially to the Children and Creativity area, you can make a huge difference in how you age. Find a few things that made your heart sing in the past and make a little space for them in the present. Whether it’s big band music, Kool-Aid popsicles, or a jump rope, enveloping yourself with such youthful reminders can literally slow down the aging process. I’m not advocating living in the past here, but merely creating surroundings that make you feel alive and youthful.

  | An Ounce of Prevention |

  A client, Alexandria, had the Children and Creativity section of her family’s new home missing. An outdoor courtyard with a built-in barbecue engulfed their whole Children section. Although the courtyard was to be used as an outdoor play space for their three kids, the ch’i stagnated and eddied. The missing piece created a weakened condition for the home—not to mention the influence of ch’i-melting barbecue! Alexandria asked me to help the family with their landscape design. These were my suggestions:

  1. Complete the space by burying a line of red string across the border of the missing piece (see Figure 26).

  2. Place plants that bloom white and yellow in planters.

  3. Make sure one plant offers a fragrant smell that can enter the house.

  4. Color the concrete an earth-toned color and score it into squares.

  Cures for “missing” Creativity and Children gua.

  FIGURE 26

  So far, so good.

  This is only a theory of mine, but I venture to speculate that in homes where children leave too early, run away, or actually become missing, the Children section of the home is physically missing or very poorly feng shuied.

  | Color Your World—Starting in the Closet |

  Let’s get creative with clothes now.

  Each color possesses its own vibration. And with that vibration comes its power. Tap into that power by intentionally wearing specific colors in specific circumstances. Mix and match to get exactly what you want out of life.

  Black is mysterious. Black is deep. Black is alluring. Wear black when you are in a reflective mood or wish to focus on your life path. Got Prozac? This color can bring some people down, so do some mood monitoring before wearing black.

  Blue has the ability to calm people inside. This is necessary to find internal thoughts—thus the Skills and Knowledge color. Wear it when you meditate. Wear it if you need to have a clear communication with someone (like breaking up or asking for money). Avoid this color if you have the blues.

  Green is soothing, something that all families want to feel when together. This color of photosynthesis can bring renewed life to something that appears lifeless and dull. Wear green if you are into “growing” a family or just generally in a community frame of mind. This is also a great healing color.

  Purple is the color of nobility. Everyone could use a little purple power. If there are two more days to survive until payday, feel rich and royal anyway by wearing purple.

  Red is a very bold statement indeed. It is the color of blood—a strength sign. Wear red in a situation where you need extra power—like when negotiating a raise or buying a car.

  Pink reminds us of the blush of a cheek, a softness within the skin, which can bring us to new heights with relationships. Increase romance in your life—cover yourself in pink. Avoid this color in situations where you need power.

  White is the universal color because it is really all colors—therefore the color of infinity and endless thought, or creativity. I believe creation was born out of white—not black or darkness, as some wish to think. Wear white to bring order to your creative ideas or excel in higher thoughts.

  Gray is between white and black. It is what takes the process from thought to action—thus the color between Creativity and Career. It is the action of creativity. Wear gray if you are in the middle of a project and seek its completion.

  Yellow is the color that helps us to focus on the matter at hand—on earth, our temporary residence. Use yellow to get grounded, focus attention, or cheer up.

  | Children—A Big Part of the Family |

  It’s not too big a stretch to see how the Creativity and Children gua and the Family gua work with each other (see Figure 27). They are opposing guas and can be used all sorts of ways to enhance each other. Picture a defiant child or abusive parent and you can almost too vividly imagine the friction and negative ch’i creating distance in their lives.

  Place a physical token with your intention in the Family section to enhance the Creativity and Children gua. Intend that it help you resolve a family squabble or become free of family toil if that is a problem in your life. Also use it if you feel creatively squelched by a family member not allowing your full creative spirit to shine.

  Washing Their Mouths with a Bar of Soap

  * * *

  The Children and Creativity part of the home is also associated with the mouth. Be sure to enhance this area of the home if anyone who lives there has sensitive teeth, deteriorating gums, canker sores, or other mouth problems (like bad breath—yuck!)

  FIGURE 27

  Three-Year-Old Thinking

  * * *

  The number 3 carries with it the essence for Creativity and is most closely associated with this area of the home. If you notice, most three-year-olds constantly ask the question “Why?” because they have yet to learn any type of limitation. If you live in this vibration you will find yourself less intimidated by limitations, because of your confidence in formulating a creative solution to life’s challenges. Have fun with this one, but check in with reality every once in a while—because “getting too far out there” is the challenge of the 3.

  Another way to use these numbers is to place that quantity of power tools in a specific gua to change something in your life. For example, add three metal-framed photos of your kids in the Creative and Children gua with a specific intention. It just adds another layer to your feng shui enhancements.

  Immediate Action Items for Creativity and Children

  * * *

  1. Hang a mirror over any fireplaces.

  2. Relocate any candles that are currently in this area (try the Fame or Health zone).

  3. Unblock anything that feels blocked or is literally blocked by something else in this gua (doors, drawers, furniture, walkways).

  4. Add enhancements as necessary.

  | Creativity and Children in Summary |

  Power Tools: metal, white, round stuff, earth, yellow, flat or square stuff, television, toys and games, candy, magic tricks, parties, music, art, hobbies and crafts, bed, lights, bells, symbols of creativity, symbols of children.

  Hazardous Materials: fire, red, triangular or pointy objects.

  Opposite Gua: Family

  Body Part: mouth

  Associated N
umber: 3

  chapter 6

  * * *

  911—Helpful People and Travel

  It’s the little things in life that nag with such intensity—like when the dry cleaner loses your dress the day before you need it. Or how about when the guy in the big car steals your parking space—like he didn’t see you sitting there patiently waiting with your blinker on. It can blow your whole day.

  When these things happen and you get upset, your energy is being used up like a battery in a new toy on Christmas day. These are the flea bites of life—not life threatening, but every once in a while you have to stop what you are doing and scratch. What a distraction. What a loss of valuable energy. Is being treated fairly and honestly really too much to ask? Consider this chapter life’s little flea repellant. Help can be available every time you ask if you use the following feng shui secrets.

  “Little leaks sink big ships.” In other words, it doesn’t take much to rob you of energy, and every teeny bit counts.

  Help out the Helpful People and Travel area of the home and you’ll improve your life the following ways:

  You will find yourself being treated more fairly and honestly.

  You’ll find yourself at the right place at the right time more consistently.

  The right people will become more available and willing to help you or teach you.

  Things will run more smoothly.

  Traveling will become less stressful, less chaotic, and more fun.

  Your intuition or divine guidance will become more easily accessible.

  You will get more done because you won’t be doing it all yourself.

  Feelings like “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done” or “It’s always up to me” will disappear.

  “Helpful people, what’s that?” someone said to me. This woman felt like the weight of the world was always on her shoulders every time anything needed to get done. “It’s not like I don’t have the money to pay people either, because I do. I still can’t get good help these days.” If you share the sentiment of this woman, chances are the Helpful People and Travel area of your home is not in balance.

  | Let People Help—It’s OK |

  Some people may not notice there is a problem. Either they have always done everything themselves and don’t know any better, or they thrive on the guilt trip they inflict or the approval they get by handling everything themselves. Life is not about going it alone all the time. It is about serving others and allowing others to serve you. Here’s a new way of looking at this situation: by going it alone, you are not allowing others to stretch their wings and grow by helping you. Does that make some of you feel any better?

  I know all about this condition. I took pride in doing everything myself. I saw allowing others to help as a sign of my own weakness. I would stand on a teetering chair on top of the table to hang blinds rather than ask the neighbor with a ladder for help. Yes, I had discipline. Yes, I was independent. But let me tell you, it sure got lonely, too. And if someone did help me, I felt overly obligated to return the favor. I did not allow them to simply be kind and generous toward me. No, I had to cook up a big meal, throw money in their faces, or mentally keep tally of the favors I owed. I wasn’t being kind and generous back—I was desperately trying to keep it even. So, watch out for signs like these, because you are not in the flow with life if you are living like this.

  Now, back to those who are doing everything themselves and know it’s not fun. There is a spot in the home that can help—get that spot working and people will get working soon thereafter. It is located in the front right corner of your home as you enter through the main door (see Figure 28). Travel to it and see what’s there. Compare it to the following list of power tools and hazardous materials, and then you’ll know how to avoid your own 911 emergency.

  Helpful People and Travel location in bagua.

  FIGURE 28

  Power Tools for Helpful People and Travel

  * * *

  Silver Containers Silver works well in this gua. Because this area is next to Creativity and Career, both metal and water are OK here too. My no-frills answer to having silver and metal here is to use aluminum foil.

  If you want to set up this corner for life in the most efficient manner, I would suggest the following:

  Position three containers for three different tasks of attracting helpful people somewhere in the vicinity (remember, they don’t have to be publicly displayed). Optimally, these three should include one small silver box with a lid (real silver, silverplated, or even a paper box painted silver), one silver envelope large enough to hold documents (from a stationery store, or use an aluminum foil envelope), and one larger container like a paper grocery bag or box (spray it silver if you want).

  The small silver box is used for events that need help now (three days to three weeks). This container must have a lid. I prefer those little jewelry boxes with red velvet inside (remember—red can activate something). This container will hold papers with names of people or projects on it. So, for convenience, make the box at least business-card size. As a rule, do not place more than three requests in this container at one time. Here are the requests I currently have in my box as examples:

  “Delta Air Lines ticket agents are helpful to me.” The counter closed before I could purchase the ticket I had reserved, and the fare went up. I have to go to the ticket office tomorrow.

  “I attract only the perfect health care practitioners for me.” I am looking for help with my allergies.

  The second container is a silver envelope large enough to hold legal-type documents (approximately nine by twelve inches). Stationery stores carry this size of envelope. If it is silver or gray, so much the better. You can also use one of those aluminum foil bags made for cooking. This envelope is used for things that last months (scripts, contracts, invitations). Remember to remove an item when you’ve been adequately helped.

  The third container is for things that stay around for a long time—your doctor, your business clients, your mentors, your family tree. You can essentially place the name of everyone you meet in this container.

  The reason I suggest using specific containers is that these three (or however many of these three you need) will remind you what they are for every time you see them. And this reminder is the thought that attracts the helpful energy. Got it?

  Gray The color gray is the best color for this area. As you notice, this gua is located between the Creativity (white) and Career (black) guas, just as the color gray is between white and black.

  Any and all stuff that is gray is invited to hang out here to get helpful people in your life (well, except for things like loose gray hairs).

  Symbols of Helpful Beings, Religious Objects Whether human or from another time or dimension, enlist any being as a helpful person by placing a symbol of them here. Place them with the intention of having them help you in life. I’ve seen pictures of Mother Teresa, Jesus, the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Quan Yin, and the Virgin Mary in this corner. I have seen angel Christmas ornaments used throughout the year here. Dr. Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, Laura Schlessinger, and Deepak Chopra have graced this corner by way of their books and tapes, as have the names of preachers and teachers, and business cards of creditors and realtors. Who do you want to help you?

  Bells Think of a polite-sounding bell that rings for service. When you place a bell here, your request will be heard.

  Water Water is a symbol of spirit—good help indeed.

  Hands Helping hands make a fitting embellishment for this space. A simple outline of a hand on paper can be used with the right intention. If you bought one of those battery-operated gag-gift hands for Halloween, maybe you can recycle it in this zone.

  Symbols of Favorite Places If you yearn to travel to a particular place, put a picture of it in this space. It could be a cabin at a nearby lake or an exotic land far away—whatever makes your heart sing when you think of being there.

  Hazardous Materials for Helpful
People and Travel

  * * *

  Junk Who wants to hang around in a bunch of junk? Not helpful people. These people are neat freaks. A big ol’ mess in this area of the house will give them obstacles to negotiate—thereby taking longer to help you. Clear out that clunky fridge. The scuba tank and spare set of crutches can go too. All pictures that aren’t on walls should be in the front yard with a big Free to a Good Home sign on them. I’m serious—no junk here.

  Drains If there is a big shower drain in this corner, it not only may be impeding your helpful people from being there, it may be undermining the support you need to prosper. Since this gua is directly opposite the Prosperity area, your abundance is most affected by it. Support and helpful people are usually vital to making money. Even self-made millionaires got a heck of a lot of help from others to get where they are. If Martha Stewart didn’t have the great entourage she has, do you think she could pull off all she is accomplishing? If Bill Gates weren’t in the right place at the right time and didn’t get help from all his employees and other investors, could he really have made that much money? Without people being willing to pay for laughs, could Jim Carrey pull down the big bucks he gets for acting funny? OK, forget millionaires for a sec. Could I be sitting here writing this book if my husband didn’t help by paying the bills for a year? Thanks, honey! Sometimes it’s good to stop and see where all your help is coming from and trace the road money travels to get to you.