The Japanese New Year is on January 1st, which has come and gone. The Chinese New Year based on the lunar calendar changes every year. This year it falls on January 28, 2017. In both countries, under the Chinese zodiac, it’s the year of the rooster, or as we say in Japanese, “Tori Doshi.” They …
The Japaneses Shichigosan festival celebrates children who are 7,5, and 3. The word, Shichigosan is literally a combination of three numbers in Japanese; shichi is seven, go is five and san is three. This makes it pretty easy to remember what this festival is about! The Shichigosan festival, thought to be over 400 years old, is …
Shichigosan: The Japanese Festival for 7, 5, and 3 Year Olds Read More »
Water surrounds our life. It occupies 71% of the earth. On average, it composes 65% of our bodies. Without water, no life can exist. In the Chinese classic, The Tao De Ching, water is a metaphor for the Tao. Water is good at benefiting all things but does not complete with them. There is no …
Hope you all had a Happy Easter! Although, I am not a practicing Christian any longer, I do love the symbolism and traditions of all cultures. Traditionally, eggs are a symbol of birth, new beginnings, and fertility. Today, my dear Ukrainian friend Taras, sent me their beautifully decorated Easter Eggs. They are absolutely gorgeous and …
In Asia, blessings are part of our culture, woven into our lives. In Japan we call them omamori, meaning to protect. This type of amulet is not thought of as religious, but its practice is more on a spiritual level. Sometimes when we feel the need of support from the universe, we buy for them …
For those who follow the Lunar Calendar, Happy Chinese New Year! With the New Year comes a new color trend. The 2013 Pantone color of the year is Emerald. Coming from the “Emerald City” Seattle, I am all for green. It’s one of my favorite colors. Although I love green, for interior design purposes, Emerald Green is …
During a feng shui consultation, once a client asked me, “Is my clock okay?” I really didn’t understand the question. She then asked whether the clock on the wall was placed in a good feng shui position. I explained that there was nothing wrong with her clock and that in feng shui, clocks do not …
What is the Relationship between Feng Shui and Clocks Read More »
https://www.flickr.com/people/55663585@N00 photo by tetu The crane is a majestic bird that is a favorite subject in many Asian paintings. Although there are many species of cranes, in Asia it’s usually the red crown crane that is depicted. The long white neck and torso, contrasting black legs and head is topped with a red crown. Their …
Even though I have studied Form School Feng Shui for many years, when people ask me for a definition, it’s very difficult to give a precise answer. When I say feng shui is “living in harmony with nature”, it often ends up sounding trite. Nowadays, there are many who promote a natural lifestyle, so it’s …
Excellent Form School Feng Shui Analysis of 911 Memorial Park in NY Read More »
In Japan, the Dharma doll, pronounced daruma (達磨) in Japanese, is often seen as a symbol of good luck and perseverance. This doll takes its name after Dharma, the Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidarma. Because of Bodhidarma’s perseverance of many years meditating and not moving, legend is his legs and arms fell off due to atrophy. …
Often seen in Asian retail shops and restaurants near the cashier, the Japanese maneki neko, is the cute little sitting cat figurine with one paw beckoning forward. Maneki means to beckon and neko is cat. Today, it’s seen as a symbol that brings good fortune. Some say if the right paw is raised, it means …
At the start of the Asian New Year, there are many feng shui practitioners and Asian astrologers who make predictions for the coming year; some call them feng shui predictions. From my studies, feng shui is about living in harmony with nature, so how can one make predictions? They should really call them Chinese Astrological …
Creating Fear by Manipulating Feng Shui Symbolism Read More »
At the local community center in my neighborhood, this rock sculpture/seating area is located just right outside the entry. Six rocks hanging in a circle: interesting? Maybe… but from a feng shui design perspective, it’s very poor design. This is a community center, with beautiful gyms and rooms that can be used and …
photo by RMT Bananas, Lemons and Boiled Eggs. What do these three have in common? The color: YELLOW –these foods are used to characterize the “yellow” Asian. The most common term is “banana”. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside meaning someone who is Asian in appearance but who’s habits and lifestyle is Westernized. …
The earthquake in Japan has made me realize what my feng shui master keeps reiterating: man cannot control nature, instead we must learn to work with nature. Also, it has become evident how we are so reliant on electrical power and oil. Our lifestyles take so much for granted, that it’s really a wake up …
