Leib and Associates

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.

“Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

-Origin unknown

Yesterday was the Jewish day of atonement. We talked a lot about resentment, so relevant in the time of COVID. There’s plenty of anger and resentment to go around these days. If this is you, you may have too much wood in your life.

People who have too much wood element in their Bazi, their home or office, or are near too much wood have the potential to harbor anger and resentment, to explode and be aggressive. Too much wood can affect the liver and gall bladder as well. It’s important to get the Elements into balance.

How do you balance this? In magnitudes:

If you have a little too much wood, you add earth because wood because wood depletes earth in order to grow, so adding earth quells this process.

If a moderate amount of excessive wood, metal can help as it controls wood but can become exhausted quickly if not proportionate and can run out of strength.

Way too much wood, add the fire element, as it consumes wood and will destroy it.

This does not mean set fire to your trees; it means adding fire in quantities or on the property in the East or Southeast. A fire pit, bbq, but also triangular shapes and live animals represent fire.

This can help to begin to create a balance of the chi in your home or office.

Movin’ Out!

In Feng Shui, it is always more auspicious to have fewer items and less clutter…Enter the storage unit! Out of sight, out of mind for the low, low price of some absurd annual amount that makes one wonder if their stuff is worth a fraction of what they are paying.

One of my absolute truths is “Everyone should be given, upon their birth, a therapist/shrink and a storage unit, because they’re going to need both.”

Today I am celebrating the first time since 2008 that I do not have a storage unit!!

I’m free, and I could’ve funded a college education, one with a scholarship anyway, with what I’ve spent over the last 13 years.

It feels great, and I have to say, other than feeding my obsession with storage unit mystery (what’s behind the door number 1022, 1024 as I walk to mine), I won’t miss it one bit!

What’s Cooking?

In Feng Shui, the stove is considered one of the most influential objects in a home. They are synonymous with wealth, and the more the stove is in full operation, the more opportunity for wealth.

Most important-Keep it clean!

But, as everything in Feng Shui, it’s not that simple. It is best to “cook on all burners“ -use all of your burners.

The stove or range should be operational/ not broken.

It’s best not to walk into the kitchen and see the stove directly across from the door.

Your range/stove should not be next to the sink or directly across from the sink. If it is, you need wood element between them.

Depending on who you consult, (in my opinion) it is best to have the stove against a wall rather than on an island.

Here is my stove: I love it ❤️!

What Element are Crystals in Feng Shui?

I love crystals and have them in every shape, size and color around the house. Now I have to hide them from our cats, who think they are toys.

My Bazi master, Richard Ashworth, says I can benefit from crystals as they represent the element earth, and evidently, I need more earth in my life.

I understand this because they exist in earth and often make up what we see as earth.

But there is another contender for element of crystal. I read somewhere that in Feng Shui, crystals are metal element, because the earth creates/produces them and they need to be extracted from the earth. This makes sense to me as well, as they are mineral composites yielded from the earth.

So which is correct? Maybe they are somewhere in between. Some people correlate element to color, so maybe clear crystals are metal and garnet is fire because it’s red. So confusing, right?

I’ve sort of settled on earth element, because they are solid and are often part of the earth and most Feng Shui texts identify natural crystals as earth.

There is that part of me that wonders about the metal component, and I’m still working it out.

What do you think? Earth or Metal?

Boiling Over

It’s hot in the south, too hot, and with that comes irritation, impatience and anger-blood boiling.

I believe we have reached the place where our collective rage and angst from COVID and all of its ramifications have reached the boiling point.

What helps with too much heat? Earth and water… the same applies with tempers boiling over.

It’s no wonder we get into the water when it’s too hot, or why animals get on the ground when they are hot.

If you’re stressed and boiling over, try adding some water to your drinking regime and hang out in the garden.

Flashback Feng Shui Friday-Look for Signs!

Feng Shui can be very complicated, but sometimes it’s not.

The written word is strong and influential, especially if you see it everyday.

Think about what you surround yourself with, and pay attention to messages, especially the ones in bright yellow!

Welcome back, Mercury Retrograde

Yes, I’m a believer…

• huge uptick in dropped calls

• mishaps

• misunderstandings

• delays

• miscommunication

• inability to communicate… sound familiar?

Welcome to the latest Mercury Retrograde: May 29-June 22.

This retrograde has the added bonus of heat, COVID fatigue, increase traffic everywhere, delays for most things that are shipped.

This is not the time to explode, or implode. Envision taking a step back, and take some time to reassess the way you manage what’s coming at you.

Avoid:

• Signing Contracts

• Buying electronics, property, vehicles-large purchases

• Time sensitive travel

• Medical procedures

• Mediation/Group Resolution/Negotiations

Good for:

• Connecting with old friends

• Revamping

• Reviving practices

• Revisiting

• Rebooting

• Decluttering

• Reorganizing

By the way, Mercury appears blue and in Bazi and Feng Shui, is associated with the element water.

Does Artwork Create a Bad Feng Shui Situation?

One of the many Feng Shui classes I’ve taken warned us about artwork creating a bad Feng Shui situation. No headless people, no single self Portraits(especially if you want a relationship) and avoid abstract art.

I’ve since learned that having art you love does not create bad Feng Shui… unless it’s artwork of you on a killing spree!

The important thing about art is to have art you really love; not putting up pieces people gave you because you feel you have to.

Full disclosure: The art you choose to display does reveal plenty to the Feng Shui master about your personality and, subsequently, potential challenges you may face during your life.

The exception to hanging art is to avoid putting things directly over your head where you sleep. The more active the art, the less restful sleep you may experience. Crashing waves and oceans could make for a restless night.

The street art above is in the town of Carlisle, PA. Get your wings!