In the last blog we discussed Feng Shui tips for a peaceful home. In this blog we are going to add a few more suggestions that can help bring serenity to your life.
KEEP THE TV OUT OF THE BEDROOM AND LIVING ROOM. For the ultimate calming atmosphere put the television in an area known as the family or recreation room. Other rooms should not be interrupted by the constant noise of the television. The constant chatter is disruptive and not condusive to meditation. The same thing goes for radio, iPods, laptops and anything that makes a lot of noise.
KEEP THE LIGHTING LOW. Dispense with overhead lights that are harsh and glaring and instead opt for lights that are more obtuse. Angle lamps so they spotlight special areas in the room. However even though it is a good idea to be decorative with lights make sure that the room is not actually dark as this is considered to create bad luck when it comes to the fine art of Feng Shui. Red or soft pink lighting is considered to be very reassuring and also lucky.
GET RID OF FLOURESCENT LIGHTS. Fluorescent lights are too white and the light is too flicker to be relaxing. White is not a lucky color according to the principles of Feng Shui. You should not be basking in any type of glare.
GET RID OF PROTRUDING CORNERS. According to feng shui theory, corners or any sharp, pointed objects are “poison arrows” that carry ill fortune and direct negative energy toward whatever they face. If they point toward the bed, they can interrupt sleep. If you can’t move the offending objects, try re-angling your bed so that you don’t face any of these potential energy-sappers when you are trying to get some rest.
DON’T COMBINE LIVING AND WORKING SPACES. Many people who live in condos have this problem. For instance you should never sleep where you work or relax where you work. Think of another option for your work area. Banish bills and paperwork from your eyesight so you are not disturbed.
DON’T DECORATE WITH FLIMSY FURNITURE. Furniture that wobbles, is cheap or that simply seems skimpy in structure does not create peace in a home. It creates an atmosphere that seems unstable and this insecurity can translate itself into your relationships. If you do put together furniture from Ikea or a similar store make sure that you do it properly and that the screws and nails are in properly to avoid problems.
DECORATE WITH CRYSTALS AND STONES. Crystals and stones help ground a room and give it an earthy, grounded quality that is conducive to relaxation. The more natural the materials are in your room, the closer to nature you will feel and the more comforted you will feel in your own home.
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Feng Shui Decorating Tips for a Peaceful Home
Here are even more great tips for making your home more serene using the ancient Chinese art of object placement.
DECORATE WITH NATURAL MATERIALS. Stay away from plastics and formicas and go for bamboo, marble and cork surfaces. The less manmade and more recyclable the material the more peaceful your home will see. It is very Asian to decorate with furniture made out of bamboo, wicker and other natural materials.
KEEP FLOWERS AROUND. Keep natural fresh flowers around. Do not use artificial blooms unless you plan to keep them very clean. Dust on artificial plants is bad energy in general. The very best way to create a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere is to make sure that you have cut live flowers that are pest free. Do not keep wilting flowers around as that symbolizes fatigue.
KEEP EXERCISE EQUIPMENT OUT OF MAIN ROOMS. Exercise equipment that resembles boats or vehicles can create disruption in your home’s energy because they symbolize travel. They are especially bad in the bedroom and dining room because they represent motion when these are activities that should be enjoyed while one is still and relaxing. If possible store these items out of sight whenever you can.
KEEP CEILING FANS OUT OF BEDROOMS. These create “cutting chi” that is unhealthy and can interrupt peaceful sleep. This is because they symbolize the cutting of the air and air symbolizes energy.
REMOVE MIRRORS FROM BEDROOMS. Remove mirrors from any place that you sleep.. If you have one in your bedroom, remove it immediately, since it is said that the energy created by mirrors in this space can cause insomnia. Move mirrors to your dining room instead where the reflection of opulence and food brings wealth. Mirrors are also good in the kitchen. Whatever you do, do not hang a mirror so that it cuts off any part of the head. This will cause headaches.
CLOSE YOUR BEDROOM DOOR WHEN SLEEPING. This helps make your bedroom more of a womb or cocoon that facilitates relaxation. This is especially important to do if you have boisterous children or pets.
CREATE PEACE WITH PLANTS. Almost all plants create a peaceful atmosphere unless they are somehow dying or dusty. The bigger the plant the more calming it will be to you. Avoid spikey plants like cactus as they trap harsher energy. Instead opt for plants that have large fronds and leaves and that are more Asian or tropical in flair. As an added bonus – the bigger the plant the better it will be at cleaning the air with the oxygen that these plants produce.
Tag Archives: asian
Tips for Decorating Bloody Marys and Caesars
If you are sick of just sticking the same old stalk of celery in a drink don’t despair. Try sticking flowering alliums, which come from the onion family into a drink. These types of “onion flowers” impart a delicate taste to the drink.
A nice way to garnish a bloody mary or ceasar would be to puree some pesto with some sour cream and drool it on the top in a squiggly or spiral shape. Then top it with a sprig of parsley
To give a glass rim an usual “frosting” try dipping the wetting the rim of a glass and dipping it in Jerk Spice or some other type of exotic herb or spice.
If you decide to decorate with olives why not intersperse them with chunks of cheese as well.
The blue blossoms are edible and they have a mild taste that is reminiscent of cucumber. Borage makes a very interesting garnish sprinkled on top of ceasar. They look quite pretty floating in any drink.
To make stuffed mushrooms slice off the stem of a whole, clean, mushroom. With a small teaspoon (1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon), or small melon baller, scoop out the inside of the mushroom. Fill with a favorite dip or fill with bread crumbs and blue cheese and melt under the broiler for a few minutes.
For an unusual garnish for a martini stuff a big black olive with blue cheese and spear it. The blue cheese will also subtly flavor the drink.
To make carrot curls simply use a vegetable peeler to cut a long strip off of the carrot. Spear each curl with a toothpick and then chill them in hot water until they are ready to use. These look great coiled up in a Bloody Mary.
Chrysanthemums are tangy yet slightly bitter buds that in colors from red, white, yellow and orange. They range in taste from faint peppery to mild cauliflower. They add a kind of Asian flavored twist to tomato-based cocktails. They look gorgeous suspended in tomato aspic. Sprinkle the petals in a salad or on the surface of a bowl of tomato soup to add visual interest.
To make a really unusual looking garnish a bloody Mary simply drop one whole dandelion blossom into the center of the bowl or the glass. Make sure you buy your dandelion blossoms from a specialty market. Dandelions add a slight peppery taste to dishes.