Dear Empress

by

Lori Grear

Okay, I lost my job 8 months ago and have now gone through my savings. I need a job! What can I do? --B.W., Cape Coral, FL

Check out your front door immediately. The front door is where sheng chi (good energy) enters a house. Make sure the front entryway is clear of clutter, clean, and well lit. Add a new welcome mat and place coins under it. We want money energy invited into your house. Repair lights, sweep cobwebs, and ensure that your doorbell works. Open up the space and watch the opportunities flow in.

 I just looked at the Bagua map and my fame and reputation area (supposedly a fire area) is located in the middle of my pool. What do we do here in Florida? -- R.S., Sanibel Island

You are right, Fame & Reputation is represented by the fire element, and water does put that out. It can be fixed in a jiffy. Add large terra cotta urns (earth blocks water) filled with lush plants (wood sucks up water), and add some red flowers around the patio (supporting fire). By using the cycles of elements we can make any area come to life.

Does the cat’s litter box (located in my relationship corner) really affect my love life? It stinks right now…the box and the relationship. -- B.S., Pennsylvania  

Yes, it really does have an impact. You are announcing to the world the state of your current relationships. Move the litter box and any other negative symbol (dirty laundry, broken things, etc.). Place a picture of a couple snuggled together there instead. Add pairs of candles, romantic objects, sexy sheets, and even soft lighting. May he love you and that cat.

I heard that feng shui can be used to improve my health. What should I look for? -- R.G., Pine Island, FL

Clutter is the number one cause of health problems according to feng shui. The second is ‘poison arrows’. Clutter causes stagnation and opens us up to negativity, depression, and illness. Open up those blocks, and a lot of health problems seem to vanish. Poison arrows are sharp angles that stick out at us aiming fast sha chi (negative energy) into our body. Look around the places you sit often and see if you notice angles pointing at you. If you do, soften them with plants, or deflect the energy with furniture or by hanging a TINY wind chime in front of the angle.

I have a neighbor that is driving me crazy! What can I do? -- J.G., Michigan

The Chinese response to bad neighbors is the BAUGUA MIRROR. It is hung on the outside of the front door facing the street or can be aimed directly at the offending neighbors house. Doesn’t that sound like fun?? In Hong Kong they actually get into neighborhood mirror wars that escalate to a point where the police are called in. Be warned…I have seen MANY neighbors up and move after the placement of the mirror. Once the bad neighbor moves, remove the mirror.

 

Dear Empress

by

Lori Grear

Great. I now find out that my wealth corner is in my bathroom. Is that why my finances are quickly going down the toilet? -- L.L., Naples

It probably isn’t helping the situation. Bathrooms are powerful water energy and drain the energy of the area they are in. To fix, make your bathroom feel ‘woodsy’. Add plants, pictures of trees, the colors brown and green (NOT watery green, and NO FISH.) Keep the toilet lid closed…I know you men hate to hear that, but it matters. Add symbols that lift the energy, upward growing plants, pictures that scream abundance, and watch your bank balance grow.

My house has been on the market for months and no one is interested. It is a great house, and a good price. What am I doing wrong? -- L.P., Naples, FL

There are a couple of things that help a house to sell. Remember you only have the 15 minutes that a walk-through takes to catch their attention. I tell my clients, “If I can get a buyer to see themselves living in this home, it is sold.” Is your entryway inviting and appealing? Can they move easily through the house, or is something blocking the way? Take down all personal pictures, knick- knacks, etc. Box it up and get it OUT. Your stuff has YOUR energy, and new buyers have to be able to imagine THEIR pictures hanging, and their furniture being placed. Good luck with your move.

 I’ve been focusing on the inside of my house, and now I hear that the yard is a big deal in feng shui, is that true? -- L.O., Matlacha, FL

Yes, it’s true. The chi of the landscape is one of the first things we look at. If the energy surrounding a house is dead, there is a real good chance that the energy inside is stagnant too. Time to trim those dead, overhanging branches and cut back the tangle of weeds outside the front door. Hanging wind chimes around a property also encourages chi to move. Planting colorful flowers, hanging a wind-sock or a flag that says welcome will all help, too. Paint the mailbox, touch up the front door, and watch the energy of the neighborhood shift.

Does the garage count as part of my house when I lay the Bagua grid over it? -- M.H., Cape Coral

Yes, you need to include anything that is under roof or attached to the house. That includes the screened in lanai for you Floridians, porches for the rest of you, and garages.

 My child is having a lot of difficulty studying in his room, and his grades are starting to show it. We bought him a desk, but all it ends up doing is holding junk. -- K.F., Cape Coral

A poorly placed piece of furniture will just accumulate clutter. If the desk is located directly in line with the door to the bedroom it will not be used. Energy moves too quickly when it first enters a room, so placing a desk or bed there isn’t a good idea. (It is a great trick to remember when you are trying to get unwelcome guests to leave, just move the bed.) Tuck the desk further back into the room, make sure the child can see the door from where he sits, provide good natural lighting and get ready to buy him a car for the grades he starts bringing home.  Blessings! 

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