#1 Minimize negative thoughts in your mind and in your home. There's a difference between being informed and being consumed by the news. Learn what you need to know, take appropriate action, and then move on to the next thought - hopefully it is a more giving or loving one. (Once one realizes the chi connection of and between all things, one can appreciate the "force field" that is created when another is consumed with "bad news.")

#2 Surround yourself with positive thoughts and affirmations. Remember last month when Lanis wrote on her daughter's water bottle "pure love, heal hearts, embrace spirit"? Let's try to simply infuse the atmosphere and our subconscious with positive and life-affirming words. I'd like to add the word forgive here as well.

#3 Enhance the Wisdom (Skills and Knowledge) Gua. Higher thoughts go hand-in-hand with good decisions.

#4 A ritual can go a long way here. Walk around your lot, home or throughout the inside of your apartment with very clear intentions of creating a place of protection. First, clear your mind and heart from anything unforgiving and un-loving. (For example, saying the prayer of St. Francis can be helpful here if you know it.) Next, visualize your home (or development, or county or the entire world) enveloped in a field of light (choose pink for love, green for the heart chakra, or even golden or white light.) Send love along with the color. Know you are protected. Go about your every day business. Now, you no longer need to dwell on the negativity. ...just a thought. :) I try not to bring this up too often for fear that I'll bore you, but I do think it is worth repeating for all the new newsletter recipients:

First, think about all the people like yourself who are trying to create a better, safer, happier, more harmonious, creative, prosperous and loving and more empowering place on earth - lets say a million people - and I'm sure I'm thinking low here. Next, add up all the square footage - let's give each person 2000 square feet to feng shui. Now you can start to see the tapestry we are all weaving together without even being aware of it! I stink at math but this has to be about 50,000 acres or so. Pretty soon the fringes of our work will touch another's and then another's, and eventually, we will tip the scales, and there will be more spaces consciously created than not! Now, the importance of your work becomes obvious - you are creating a better world! You are powerful! And there's certainly no need to live in fear. :)

A: Since enhancing your life is what I'm all about, I always suggest enhancing it in any way you can - even if that means a total change up. Sometimes, getting yourself into a completely different vibe is the perfect thing to spur you onto the next step on your life's path. Here are six things that I would definitely consider while looking for a new place:

1. How is the building is situated on the lot? Look for first floors that are (at a minimum) at the same level as the street, or above. Try to get a front door that you have to walk up to rather than walk down to from the street. Pass also on the building at the end of a T street or a single storey building between two multi-storey buildings.

2. What is the overall shape of the house or apartment? Missing pieces can be cured, but you may want to check and see if the house is particularly weak in an area that you can't afford it to be.

3. Is the front door easy to find if visiting for the first time? If the front door is hard to find and you can not figure out a way to cure it, then I might pass on this place.

4. What is the address? The address (I usually look at the specific house number or apartment number the most) holds a particular energetic pattern and you may want to align yourself with the most closely corresponding energy to save time with counterbalancing later. Think about what you are trying to invite into your life and choose a house number that corresponds to that energy. (These numbers and their meanings can be found at the end of each gua's chapter in my book or in the real estate brochure I have created in this month's specials.)

5. Is there a safe and empowering spot for your bed to be placed? If you have to sleep with a slanted ceiling or beams overhead, or a garage below, or have your headboard up against a window, bathroom wall or garage, you may want to keep looking. Also, make sure the bedroom is not "outside that bagua" and in front of the plane of the front door. On a sick house note, make sure the circuit board/fuse box is not near the main living spaces and especially not outside a bedroom wall.

6. If this place is not brand new, why did the predecessors leave? If it is bad news and you can't find the obvious and easily curable feng shui reason, it might be best to keep looking...

Of course I could go on and on, but I think these are the major points I would consider. I have created a little brochure that also highlights key points with regard to buying and selling real estate. It includes best fix-it ideas for sellers, best fix-it ideas for buyers, "good" and "bad" feng shui home features, address energies and their meanings, and some flower, tree and fruit qualities (for the landscape.) Look for it in the product specials this month.

Here's the link: http://www.fengshuipalace.com/specials.php

I am Forgiving. / Forgiveness and I are One.
I am Peace. / Peace and I are One.

I am Forgiving. / Forgiveness and I are One.