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For thousands of years, the Chinese have used Feng Shui masters to consult on whether or not a particular space is auspicious or not recommended for a specific use. In fact, Feng Shui is not some esoteric woo-woo kind of soft science. According to this ancient culture, Feng Shui is a way of life and ingrained in their values. They would not even consider breaking ground on a new project without a Feng Shui master’s blessing. For the Chinese Feng Shui has traditionally been a way of life. It is both an art and a science that has helped determine the creation of cities, cemeteries, and even commercial complexes.

Feng Shui is not a matter of luck and is more than an amusing party trick to entertain. In the west, we consider it bad luck to walk under a ladder or to break a mirror. In the east, they consider it bad luck to plant a tree right outside your front door. The good news is that with any imbalance there is a correction that counteracts the negative effects.

So, what is Feng Shui? Quite literally Feng Shui means “wind and water.” The Chinese believe these are the main forces of nature that influence everything and affect the delicate balance between yin and yang- masculine and feminine energies. Feng Shui is about balancing complementary factors to bring about harmony in an environment. It is believed that when a space has good Feng Shui, or good energy, it will advantageously impact all major areas of our lives- health, relationships, romance, family, work, finances, creativity, fame and reputation, travel, being surrounded by supportive, helpful people, education and learning new information. As with any credible science, experimenting to prove its validity determines whether or not it is something useful in our everyday life.

There are many books and Feng Shui consultants out there that can help show us the basics. If they are experienced and well trained, they will start by asking you questions about your life to find out where the imbalances may be. Then they will assess your living or work space to discover what is in your environment that may be contributing to such imbalances. The good news is that there is always a cure. There is always a way to fix or counteract a negative influence so that it can have a positive effect on the area of your life in question.

In addition to consulting a Feng Shui master there are countless books on the subject that an avid reader could learn some basics from. Like any art or science, it requires studying and practice in order to see preferred results. Educate yourself and then experiment with your own life, home or office to find what will work best for you. Remember it is all about the flow of energy to bring about harmony and balance in your environment and life. Colors, the placement of furniture, plants, lighting, windows and doors can have a dramatic effect on your finances, reputation at work or whether or not that handsome co-worker two cubicles down from you will ever ask you out for a drink after work. Experiment and have fun practicing this ancient art and science of bringing about balance and harmony in your home, office and life! Now it’s time to move some furniture!

Deborah Brightstar-The Doggie Diva, owns and operates, Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC, a licensed, bonded and insured, pet sitting business in Tucson, AZ. She customizes her service with a, “We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own!” approach, providing the highest quality of care and service to all of her clients. Deborah’s intention is to exceed her clients’ expectations by tending to thoughful extra details to show she cares. She shares her active, creative and fun-filled life and heart full of love with her two rescued greyhounds Kali and Dora and the love-of-her-life, Pepper, her English Springer Spaniel and Pet Therapy partner. In her spare time, she enjoys writing about pet related topics as well as a variety of other subjects. For more information, visit her website at http://www.doggiedivapetcare.com or follow her at http://www.twitter.com/doggiedivaDeb.