Leib and Associates

Water Features and Feng Shui

My Feng Shui Master and teacher, Richard Ashworth, is remotely (from England), placing a water feature on our property. It requires a lot of calculations, door angle placement, and detailed information about those in the household.

The goal is to place water at a specific time and place to create enduring protection and good fortune for the inhabitants.

Putting water in the wrong place can be detrimental, so it needs to be determined by a Feng Shui expert.

He has identified the specific date, time, size and place to do this, and the best material and shape of the feature.

Our house, Floyd, has a rustic vibe, so we are using a galvanized feed trough that is 6’ in diameter. The placement will be at 11:00 am on June 26. Stay tuned for more details as we approach June 26.

Your Stomach and Earth

These days, who doesn’t have stomach problems? The stomach is associated with the element earth in Feng Shui and is associated with the direction of Northeast.

If you have stomach issues, you may have an earth imbalance. Brick, stone, sand, crystals all represent earth. If you are surrounded by earth, you can lessen it by adding some metal to your space. If it’s waaaaaayyy too much earth, you may need to add wood.

Not enough earth… add earth! Go work in the garden, make some ceramics and/or, add some raw crystals to your space! I need earth so I am trying to get in the dirt these days.

If you have stomach unease, take a look around and assess the quantity of earth in your space and see if your stomach troubles disappear.

Your Liver and Feng Shui

If you’re like most people, the state of the world has us raising glasses…of alcohol! So what area and element of Feng Shui is related to the liver? Wood! Guess what the Tiger is (as in year of the Tiger)…? It’s Wood!

So, the first half of 2022, or until summer, wood is a predominant element in Feng Shui.
If there’s a lot of drama going on in the East of your home, your liver may need some TLC.

All Eyes to the South; Compass Direction, Body Parts and Feng Shui

Eyes are windows to the soul, right? In Feng Shui, eyes have a place in the bagua or area of a space-the South.

If you are having eye trouble, chances are you’re having issues in the Southern part of your home.

I recently had eye surgery to remove a cataract and insert a permanent corrective lens. Well, it didn’t go as planned, and my vision is actually now worse 😔. So it got me thinking about the South of our home, where we have a cracked window and we just removed a very “unsightly” non-structural and non-accessible Juliet balcony. It was, as they say, “an eyesore.” Deconstructed, and hopefully looking pretty soon, I hope I will be looking to the South with both eyes soon.

If you have a part of the body in trouble, chances are the direction for the part of the house associated with the body part is experiencing some challenges as well.

Tune in next week as I talk parts of the body and with which part of the compass they are associated.

My Closet Before and After

We were feeling the monetary pinch and bought a closet kit that Tom put together over 2 weekends. Now I can see everything I own in one place with great lighting.

Good Feng Shui and good chi.

💡: Recessed lights – Nora Lighting Pearl Series 4” comfort dim

💡: Semi flush pendant – Lotus by Hinkley

Bye Bye Ox

As we inch closer to leaving the year of the Metal Ox and entering the year of the Water Tiger, I keep reminding myself only a few more weeks!

Why am I so excited to bid adieu to the Ox? As a fire horse with an earth pig day stem, metal is not my element, nor is the ox my animal. 2021 was Metal Ox.

The upcoming Tiger bodes well for Horses (me) and Dogs (these three are bffs in the Zodiac lineup).

It promises to be an exciting year, with lots of transformation and advancement.

Should be easy for Horses Roosters, and Dogs and Pigs.

Stable and gains for Rats, Oxen, Dragons, Tigers, and Sheep

Challenging for Snakes and especially challenging for Monkeys (sorry to my Monkey people)

Mixed bag for Rabbits

Luckily, we all have a blend of animals in our 4 pillars and luck pillars, so there is always a chance for some benefit.

Everyone has easier and more difficult years, but this one looks pretty good for me and my animal lineup! It’s been a tough few years, so I’m sure I am in good company in having no reservations saying goodbye to the Ox!

Floyd Fail

Sometimes, the Feng Shui is all wrong. This was the bed in Floyd’s master bedroom. Yes, they left the bed.

Some Feng Shui tips for furniture that is not yours:

If you can, buy a new bed including a mattress, new sheets and pillows when you move to a new home.

If you can’t do all that, at least seal the mattress and get new pillows and bedding.

This bedding screams scary, sociopathic cabin. Wood, mirrors and bears do not really invoke peace and good sleep.

For the record, we did not sleep in this bed; we got it out of Floyd ASAP. If you can avoid it, do not use prior occupants beds, especially mattresses and bedding.

So what’s wrong here? Too much wood -this can spark arguments and inhibit rest. The mirrors right above your head are also disturbing to good sleep, and the bears speak for themselves.

Stay tuned next week for the after!

The Leaves of Change

In Feng Shui, things are always changing-daily, even hourly. These little reminders on the ground mark the movement of time.

I used to think Feng Shui was a one time thing-set it and forget it. I’m learning it is so much more.

These little markers remind me to observe these changes and understand that we cannot stop time, but we can work with it to make the most of our days, months and years.

I just completed a course on date selection, and am developing a new set of skills to advise what to do and when. Stay tuned.

Today is an “establish” day. It happens to be a dog day in a dog month, which is ripe for a fight.

Hang tight; if today’s is not your day, tomorrow might be.

Fu Dogs, yin and Yang

I love when I learn something new; today was no exception. My Feng Shui master and I were discussing different symbols used in Feng Shui and their efficacy. He mentioned Fu Dogs and their yin and Yang properties-even they are balanced.

I never noticed this before, but one of the Fu dogs has a pup under her paw; she is the female protecting her pup. The male dog has a globe under his paw, which signifies control over his domain. Together they are balanced and are said to protect a space in a balanced yin Yang way.

Fu dogs are one of the items people use to protect their home. I suspect they’re not very influential as a Feng Shui cure or element, but they are pretty cool!

These are my Fu Dogs (above). They are red and they reside in the Southeast on either side of our double doors.

What the Ch’i?

Yesterday, my Feng Shui master and I were discussing Ch’i-what it is and what it is not. People call it energy, but I think that is too broad and doesn’t really explain it. Some call it dust, and maybe that’s helpful for people to see why it’s so elusive and uncooperative.

I think we settled on life’s breath, for lack of a better description.

He says he can feel it-I said I know when it’s not there. Feng Shui is based on position or place, and the idea is to attract Ch’i, making sure it travels throughout your space, not too quickly, and not stopping.

If it’s lacking, or doesn’t reach your whole space, that’s a problem. If it gets stagnant, that’s also a problem.

Almost every space I’ve ever visited has areas where I do not feel the Ch’i, including Floyd, our current house.

There are, however, some absolutes when choosing a home or apartment.

If possible:

• Do choose a home where the air is calm and not constantly windy so the Ch’i can settle and enter the home through the main door -if it’s too windy, it just blows away (like dust in the wind).

• Do select a place that is not at the end of a T junction. You want to control the chi coming at your home with no car headlights barreling towards you (they call these tiger’s eyes), which is very unsettling to find coming toward you.

• Do select a place where your neighbors that you can see from your home have similar home sizes and land. This creates continuity and better relationships. Avoid homes that look onto cemeteries or religious buildings. It may seem obvious, but cemeteries attract Ch’i too, so you may be in competition for it with your neighbors.

Bottom line; If you feel comfortable and at ease while visiting your prospective future home, then there’s probably a potential to create positive Ch’i and good Feng Shui.