It's funny how cyclical things are. I always notice each year about this time that I receive more than the usual amount of "Success stories." I'm thinking it's because so many people make the commitment in the beginning of the year to change something and it takes about ninety days to see the result (but I'm not sure as most people don't give me dates, etc.) Anyway, I thought it might be inspiring to some of you who have just begun the process to see what can happen with just a little feng shui effort! These are my favorite "top ten" stories from the last six months.

Enjoy!

#1 Hi Karen, I just wanted to write with a quick note to say that I absolutely loved your book. I found the chapter on love extremely helpful you have solved a bizarre problem I was having in my own love life or lack thereof. Im 29, in shape, tan and live in southern California. But for whatever reason I could not figure out why it seemed like I was not able to make dates or even get close to anyone. I checked out what I had in my relationship corner and sure enough there was sitting a can of Black-flag bug repellent on top of the refrigerator. Once removed and other love items added, my situation quickly changed and people no longer seemed to be repelled by me. Just thought Id let you know and thanks for the help!

#2 This is the story of how I met my wonderful husband. After thirty five years of lousy relationships and never having been married, a good friend gave me your book. I took a look at my relationship area (my bedroom) and, wow, it was terrible! Mismatched bedside tables (mine was a cheap, efficient Ikea model, but the one on the other, unused side of the bed was a $5, falling apart, sort of smelly thrift store purchase). The first thing I did was get matching tables. Then I started putting up some pictures. I put up a cross-stitch sampler that my grandmother did, thinking "Grandma can give me a little help, and it has pretty flowers all over it." Within a week I was asked out three times, all by men that were much older... so I did a little review of the relationship corner and - yikes! - the sampler said 1950 at the top (the year that these men were born - ewwww!). Took that down, put up a photo of some flowers that my mom took, added a pair of little plastic red aliens holding hands. On the bedside table were the books I was reading (I thought, a literary type would be nice) including (on top) a book by travel writer Bill Bryson (who was an American who lived in the UK for years). A few weeks later I went on a trip to Italy and met David. It was the first time I really fell in love. Here's the weird stuff: he's a travel writer! he is from England! he literally is an alien (in fact we have to get him a espousal visa to come to the US now)! And when I we went to visit him in Ireland for the first time, there was a huge travel trunk in his relationship corner as well as a bunch of mementos from America. So strange! We are blissfully happy, living in Dublin, Ireland and awaiting that visa to go back to the US (we've redone our helpful people/travel area).One of the few books I brought with me from home for my 9-month stay here was yours. Thank you so much!

#3 Please post my testimonial! I've had the most noticeable successful in my Helpful People area. I keep a fresh vase of water there, a shiny silver container, and a wooden carving of hands in prayer that open up to the Hindu Lord Ganesha. When I received a silver Lord Ganesha as a wedding figure, I knew just where to put it. There has been a string of small but very nice occurrences, without me asking. Often when I go out, male and female friends and even their friends who I just met want to pick up my tab. A stranger in New York City gave me bus fare. A coworker bought me a bulb when my headlight went out. Another coworker came over my house to fix my DVD. But the biggest reward was when a friend asked me if I wanted to rent her beautiful house at a price only slightly more than my cramped 1-bedroom apartment. She's letting me use most of her beautiful furniture and has donated some of her exotic African and Indian clothes to me. My current place is a feng shui nightmare in the relationships/bedroom area...her house places the master bedroom in the relationship gua, has hot pink silk curtains already in place, a queen-sized bed, no poison arrow corners, and the master bathtub (outside of the bedroom gua) is big enough for two! I can't wait to send in my love success story next.

#4 My husband & I would like to share an experience we had after reading your book and making a few adjustments to our home. My husband became unemployed on 9/03. In the last 6 months he averaged about 1 interview every 5 weeks but he never received a job offer. I had borrowed your book from my sister in December but never read it. In February, with his unemployment benefits coming to an end, we were becoming desperate. One Saturday morning I decided to read your book out loud to my husband. We started in the Career section and noticed we had to make some very drastic, but easy changes. After addressing the Career section we decided to take the challenge on to change the other rooms in our home. Within 2 weeks of making these subtle changes my husband had 3 job interviews in 4 days. One company called him back for a second interview and he was offered the position 2 hours after he left the office. He took the position not because he was desperate, but because it is a stable profitable company with a great benefits package and they offered him the salary he was looking for. I do not think this is a coincidence. Because of our success I gave the book back to my sister who has been unemployed since December. After witnessing what happened to my husband she couldn't wait to make the changes needed to her home. We would like to thank you for making this information available. The information was a huge success for us and we are grateful. Thank you!!!

#5 Dear Karen, I should have sent this letter a long time ago! I wanted to tell you what feng shui, with your guidance, has done for me. A year ago last September I began to arrange my house according to the guidelines in your book, Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life. I was so worried about Christmas for my 8 year old daughter, who was really struggling with my divorce from her father. We owned our home outright, and I had a great job, but money was tight. I began with my wealth corner. My daughter really wanted to help, so I explained the principles and gave her some ideas of things to find for this corner. We had so much fun! She felt she was contributing to the family and helping eliminate some of her mama's worries. Well, just as we placed the very last item in the corner, arranging it all tastefully and with great hope, a casual acquaintance dropped by to say hello. He had been looking for antiques in the area to buy for his shop. Within an hour he had purchased a piece of furniture and some other small items I was willing to part with, and I waved goodbye to him with a check for $3800.00 in my hand! Christmas was wonderful. Next I concentrated on bringing balance and calmness to every corner of my home. My computer and work station were set up in the farthest corner from my romance corner, so I felt that business should come before relationships. (And I did not want another relationship!) As I made business contacts on line, I ran across a picture of a fellow that I could not take my eyes off of! Sound shallow? NOT! I ignored the feeling and dropped him a line, thinking that this man was way out of my league and I needed to maintain a business relationship only! We were married July 26 of last year, happily blended our families together, and bought a house we all love. My daughter is a true believer, and looks for ways to use feng shui in all aspects of her life. I will always be grateful for what I learned from you, and how it has enriched my life. I will never live without feng shui in my home or life again!

#6 I just had to write to you again and say Thank you Again! We continue to blessed and enriched by your book and approach to feng shui. Recently my 10 year old son had trouble at school. His teacher was routinely teasing him in a manner that embarrassed him in front of his class, he was having troubles getting along with some of his classmates, and his grades started to suffer. The situation with his teacher and the principal seemed impossible! We had to have the superintendent called in to mediate the enormous mess it had become. We actually thought the only solution would be to move my son from his school. Before the meeting I followed your advice and put all 3 ladies names in our silver box in Helpful People. (Luckily I had my son's perfect attendance award with the teacher's and principal's actual signatures.) The meeting went beautifully! We came to an understanding and have been able to work together since then to ensure he continues to do well in school. This last week we decided to feng shui his bedroom since he was still having a little trouble getting along with some of his class mates. We moved his furniture, desk to Knowledge, (duh!) toy guns out of Relationship, (thunk head smack!) And a lion my father carved in wood to his Fame gua. The next day he came home all smiles. Kids wanted to play with him and his teacher asked him to do a special job. My 4 year old doesn't "clean" her room now. She "fuwung sh-waays" it! My 12 year old daughter also surprised me with an amethyst pendant hung from my chandelier in Prosperity. She'd heard me say amethyst is good there. You have helped us all, even my husband is a believer. But that's a long story and this is already toooo long. I just wanted to say thank you.

#7 Soon after my husband and I moved into a new loft, he began to experience what he described as a "brain fog." He is a commercial photographer and relies on not only his creativity to bring in new business, but also his skills. His creativity was strong, but when he would go to execute an idea, he said that his brain fog was preventing him from thinking through everything that he needed to do to get the shot he wanted. I of course turned to the skills and knowledge area of our new loft, our restroom. I discovered that he had placed all sorts of "mind fogging" over-the-counter medications in the cabinet. I took them all and wrapped them in red tissue paper and placed them in a box under the sink. We both stood in the restroom and said, "I am highly skilled in my profession." About two days later, he was e-mailing copies of wonderful photographs that came out just they way he imagined!

#8 Last week I hung a crystal in my Wealth corner in my cube. About 24 hours later I got an email from my payroll department stating that my days worked count is "below the norm", which disqualifies me for a bonus. It would make about 12 thousands dollars difference in my pay (!). I was very puzzled - I have never been in a situation "below the norm". It took me 4 days of intense research and going in circles with the payroll department. I could not get one thing - I just put that crystal in my Wealth corner - and this is what I am getting?!! Further investigation showed, that due to system error my workdays got subtracted. I not only qualify for the bonus, but I got underpaid a few months ago (due to that error), and I will get extra money that I have never counted on!

#1 Question: I have a question that hopefully you can help with that is in line with springtime, spring cleaning, and remodeling. I am in the middle of remodeling my home's interior. Prior to remodeling, I had incorporated many feng shui principals to most of the areas of my home. We started remodeling in January and the lower level that houses the main living areas is in a state of constant disarray (ladders, tools, paint buckets everywhere). We added and refinished hardwood floors, have removed carpeting in preparation of installing new in about 3 weeks, repainted (we're 80% done), are replacing inside doors, etc. etc. etc. Since we started this work my life is a wreck in terms of feeling overwhelmed at work and at home, being depressed over the mess, and a general feeling of being out of control in many areas of my life! How can I use feng shui to better balance my life in the midst of all this temporary turmoil?

Answer: Remember, what's going on in your home is going on in your life - and since your home is ripped up - you WILL feel it. That is how connected we are with our surroundings. There really is no cure other than to say to create at least one part of the home that is still "sane." My best advice is to have some "off limits to chaos" space within the home. Perhaps it is one bedroom, or perhaps all you can scrape up is an outdoor patio. This space is strictly monitored and taken care of throughout the remodeling process.

And remember, build in feng shui if you can by painting the sub flooring the bagua colors, etc. so you won't have to work so hard later placing things! One layer will be built in to the home and into your life!

#1 Shine your silver helpful people box if it is tarnishing. On that note, shine all your tarnished silver.

#2 Toss any old medications that are no longer needed or are out of date.

#3 Clean and dust off your window treatments or have them professionally cleaned to invigorate the chi.

In March, we had a special for a new product called the "Bedroom Cassette" which was in the making. We're proud to finally announce that it is done and will be sent out this week to those who have been patiently waiting for it. We did order some extras, so if you haven't placed your order yet, feel free to do so and we'll get it right out to you. We do have limited quantities, so don't wait until they are gone!

Enough with the phone calls with people who just want to have me figure out how their bagua overlays on their strange house! I've figured out a solution! This month we've created a way to help those who just need a push in the right direction - something between the "Ask Karen" online and the full blown telephone consultation. You can now order a customized bagua map for YOUR home or office. Click on the link below and sign up to have me color your floor plan with the nine bagua colors and send it back to you! You will be faxing or mailing your floor plans to me and I'll color it all up and send it back to you. I'll make simple suggestions on the map as I see necessary. Make sure you follow all the directions online!

And of course, we have helpful people boxes on sale after all these success stories.

Product Specials

Every day in every way I am successful.

If you would like me to speak at your company conference, industry convention, or set up a workshop at a corporate retreat, feel free to contact me at karen@fengshuipalace.com and we'll see if the schedule permits!

Southern California (San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, CA)

If you live anywhere between San Diego and Santa Barbara, and from the Pacific Ocean to Indio and you would like a personal feng shui consultation, feel free to call and set up a time at (877)952-2482. The cost of the consultation is $200.00 per hour and the average consultation takes about 2 hours.

Palm Springs, CA Area

May7th and 19th - I will be available for consultations in the Palm Springs, CA area. The cost of the consultation is $200.00 per hour and the average consultation takes about 2 hours. Feel free to call and set up a time at (877)952-2482.

Los Angeles, CA

June 8 - Karen will be speaking at the Mind Body Spirit Business Network monthly meeting. Networking starts at 6:30 and Dinner starts at 7:00. To reserve a space and for additional information, contact Debbie Donovan at 949-515-8727.

Orange County, CA

June 16 - Karen will be speaking at the Mind Body Spirit Business Network monthly meeting. Networking starts at 6:30 and Dinner starts at 7:00. To reserve a space and for additional information, contact Debbie Donovan at 949-515-8727.

Orange, CA

July 21 - From 7:00 to 8:30 I will be speaking about feng shui and optimal wellness at the Cordelia Knott Center for Wellness in Orange, CA A $20.00 donation to the Center will be requested at the door. Call 714-619-3337 for additional information to reserve a spot!

Long Beach, CA

June 26 - From 10 AM to 5 PM, The Mind Body Spirit Business Network is hosting Karen for a feng shui workshop in Long Beach (time and location to be determined) - The cost is $99.00 for members and $125.00 for non-members. Contact Debbie Donovan at 949-515-8727 for registration or more information.

The Western Caribbean

December 25 - January 1, 2005 - Karen will be speaking on a holiday cruise throughout the Western Caribbean on Norwegian Cruise Line's "Majesty" ship. If you've got nothing going on for the holidays, you might want to come along! Visit Norwegian Cruise Line for more cruise information.

With intentions of being of service,

Karen

You are receiving this newsletter because you have expressed an interest in Karen Rauch Carter and her work. If you do not wish to receive this, or you are receiving multiple copies, please contact us at management@fengshuipalace.com and state your request. If you are having trouble reading this newsletter, please go to the newsletter that is printed online at Feng Shui Palace Newsletter