Last month I had the pleasure of being asked to fly to New York to shoot a "webisode" for the Neutrogena Corporation's new One Less Stress campaign. In each webisode (a short show only shown on the internet,) they fly three young, stressed-out girls to New York to meet up with the guest expert (me) who gives them tips on how to de-stress their lives, (and of course to use their one less stress acne-control products!)

I was given the topic of helping out with dorm room organizing. (Although I think the tips will translate to any room or space.) The webisode hits the website on July 9th, so bookmark this URL and view it at your leisure: One Less Stress

And if you are coming to hear me speak in Budapest this month, I'll see you there! (To find out more about this conference, visit: Feng Shui Seminar - Hungary

We've literally got 2 spots left before we close this training class, so if you are one of the many people who called for information but have not signed up yet, please do so ASAP!

The meeting dates are September 13-16 and November 1-4. Here's the link for more information: Feng Shui Palace Workshop Certification Program

To register, go to:

Feng Shui Palace Workshop Registration

For questions, email Mary at:

mary@fengshuipalace.com

Question #1:

I'm a Realtor feeling the pain of a sluggish market. What fast-acting tips can you offer to help me get some SOLD! signs in front of my listings?

Answer #1:

Boy, I've been getting a lot of questions like this lately. If I were to give an agent a 5 minute feng shui tip talk, these tips would be on my list:

Tip #1: Front doors are crucial - make it easy to find and get to. If there is landscape foliage in the way, trim it. If that front door is dusty, clean it. If it is in the shadow, keep the porch light on. If it isn't visible from the street, hang a chime on the non-hinged side of the door outside to draw attention towards it.

Tip #2: Don't have furniture in positions where you can sneak up on the people using it. If the back of the couch is facing the door, switch it around. Often, people give the best position to the TV. This goes for desk chairs in the home office and bed headboards. It's worth it to hire a couple of guys to help push some furnishings around to appease this rule.

Tip #3: I'm going to take the clutter talk one step further (do I even have to talk about clutter? I'll assume that you've got that one figured out!) Remove any items that would be described as incongruent with the function of the room. If there is a treadmill in the bedroom or a stereo on the kitchen countertop, or a laptop on the night stand, or bikes behind the front door in the foyer, or kitty litter boxes in the kitchen, or a TV, computer, or bill-paying zone on the dining room table, or any other incongruent items somewhere, put them in a place that makes sense or remove them.

You know, I could go on and on with many more ideas that help sell properties, so I'm going to put a special offer in the product specials this month...hopefully this will help slow down the amount of times I answer this type of question. :) We have a 2 CD set designed specifically for those interested in buying or selling properties with feng shui in mind. We usually sell them for $49.00. This month, I'm going to offer these 2 CD's for $39.00 AND include a free "Clutter-Clearing" CD (believe me, you want this too!) as well as our handy-tip Real Estate Brochure. That's $72.00 worth of help for $39.00 Total savings with this deal: $33.00. Grab one and save my typing fingers please! Here's the link if you need to jump there now:

Feng Shui Palace Product Specials

Hope that helps!

Question #2:

I have always had problems sleeping and I avoid the carbs, fruits, caffeine etc.. that you suggested. Someone said the placement of the bed affects sleep. Could you discuss?Answer #2:

Bed positions is critical from a feng shui perspective. It makes a huge difference in the quality of life for the person who sleeps there. If a person continually sleeps in a weak position, situations like loss of respect, ill health, and a host of other unpleasant outcomes.

The ultimate position for a bed is to have the person sleeping in the bed able to see who's coming into the room, have a solid wall behind their heads, and not be in line with any doors coming into the room. Here's a quick rundown on headboard positions:

The best headboard position is up against a solid wall with no windows or doors along that wall. The people in bed have a clear view to the door, but are not in line with it.

A slightly weaker bed position is a strong headboard up against a solid wall, with perhaps, a window or windows along that headboard wall to the sides of the bed.

Weaker than that is a bed with it's headboard up against the same wall as the bedroom door. In this position you cannot see who's coming into the room without siting up and turning your head around. If you've got your bed in this position, you're vulnerable to potential dis-respect, bullying, etc.

And weaker than that is a window directly above the headboard. You are definitely vulnerable and weakened by this position.

One step weaker than this actually is to have a headboard-less bed with the head zone up against a window.A headboard placed at a forty-five degree angle in the corner of a room is fine as long as it has solid walls behind it in that corner. I find that using a solid headboard is beneficial when using this forty-five degree position. It keeps you from feeling exposed at your head because of the triangle of space between the headboard and the wall that this forty-five degree position creates. Fill in that open space with something (a table of some sort?) to make it feel more solid at the head for sure if you don't have a headboard.

Another idea to keep in mind is the location of the bed in relation to light sources - especially while we're in the months where the daylight is so long. Sleeping in a lighter, "more yang" environment is working against someone with sleep issues. Traditional feng shui books might suggest that your bed be placed in a position where direct sunlight never hits it. So, if you've tried everything else, think yin and yang, and go for more yin, darker, more cave-like location that you've got if you can swing it (and remember, balance is the key!)

Solutions for Weak Bed Positions

If you have a situation where your bed cannot be placed in a great position, cure it. If your bed is in line with the door, hang a crystal somewhere between the bed and the door to disperse the fast chi. That would be a leaded glass crystal as opposed to a natural quartz one by the way.

If you have a window at the head of your bed, you could either hang a crystal to disperse the harsh energy heading your way, or place a line of red (tape, paint, whatever) across the window frame, molding, or behind the curtain rod or valance with the intention of stopping the chi from crossing through the window.

If your headboard is along the same wall as the bedroom door, then put yourself back in a powerful position by placing a mirror on the other side of the room from the bed, so you can see a reflection of the door in it while you are lying in bed. What's reflected in the mirror is energetically equal to the real thing. With the mirror you now you have "the door in front of you."

The least favorable position to put a bed is if your feet are in line with, or facing the bedroom door while sleeping. In feng shui, it's called the "death position." Try choosing one of the other weak positions over this one if you can. If you can't, then add a trunk, bench, or other piece of furniture at the foot of the bed for a bit more protection. Place red soft storage items in the trunk to give you that red "energy stopping line" between the bed and the door. If you have no room for furniture at the foot, simply apply red tape along the bottom of the bed with the intention of stopping the chi from crossing the bed. Remember, you can hide cures. I'd also hang a crystal between the bed and door for extra measure in this position.

I have effectively used a dashed red line on sub flooring in homes that were being renovated or built. Yes, the cure is hidden under the floor!

Here is some other information about beds besides placement that could also enhance quality of sleep:

Bed Materials

As far as bed materials go, a wooden bed is the better choice (versus a metal or a waterbed) because it is less likely to conduct electrical fields. Electrical fields can come from the wall behind the bed, wiring in the floor, anything plugged in near the bed like a clock or a lamp, etc. In a nutshell, if there's something plugged in around your bed (or it is your bed that is plugged in) you have the potential of sleeping in invisible fields that human bodies find unhealthy. Electrical fields disrupt sleep and have been linked to health challenges like fibromyalgia, etc.

As long as we're talking about insomnia, allow me to give you some food items that may help you get a good night's sleep. Of course, these are general recommendations only and not meant to replace any doctor or healing practitioner's advice, and as a matter of fact, I would recommend talking to a doctor or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner if you haven't done so yet:

Success Story # 1.

I read your book a couple of weeks after I put my house on the market. I had a couple of people looking at it, however no offers. I took my copper and silver box and put everything connected with the sale in it stating my intentions that the house would be sold within 30 days. The next week I received two offers, one being for cash. The new owners had only seen pictures of the inside and outside of the house before they purchased it! I am hoping that I can get my new house where it should be soon so that I will reap more benefits from Feng Shui.Success Story # 2.

I received the Biopro products I ordered from you two days ago, and I'm amazed at the difference they make in our home and our energy fields! As a Reiki Master/Teacher, I'm pretty attuned to subtle energies, and am especially impressed with the Home Harmonizers (we got two, one for each floor.)

The really interesting thing was, as I was looking around for a place to put them, I noticed we had one of those "electronic insect repeller" units, and I decided it had to go. I unplugged it, plugged in the Harmonizers, and the difference has been very amazing!My teens, who normally bicker a lot, have stopped, and I slept through the night for the first time in several years, not waking up once! I also put the Biopro chips on all sorts of electronics (computer, tv, etc.) and feel they really make a difference. Thanks for offering these products and letting us know about them, they're great! Laura

Success story #3

I have been using your book for years, and as I finally landed what could be my dream job (I haven't started yet!). Jazz posters were placed in the prosperity corner of my home, and I had forgotten all about them over the course of two weeks. Now I will be working at the largest jazz radio station in the U.S., WBGO.

Last year, I posted pictures of homes in the prosperity corner of my home, and shortly thereafter bought my first home.

Vickie

Success Story #4

I was told that ivy and plants which hang down are bad for Feng Shui. I was trying to locate the newsletter about plants but was unable.

I wanted to let you know that, after your visit to feng shui our condo for the purpose of selling it, it sold to the first buyer to see it. It sold for $21,000 over the listing price. Escrow hasn't closed yet, it is scheduled for 7/9.

I read about putting something in the "Helpful People" corner, I put a poster on my living room wall and literally within ten minutes a good electrician I needed put his business card through my front door letterbox!

Here's the link to report your success story. (It's at the bottom of the web page)

Feng Shui Palace Success Stories

We are excited to announce the Innersense contest winner! In May, we introduced an amazing line of organic haircare that we just love. We asked that if you try the products and like them, to send a business card of a salon or spa in your area to Innersense. All that sent a card would be entered into a drawing for a beautiful organic tote bag filled with Innersense products. Thank you so much for your participation! Innersense will be sending the collection of organic products to... Patti Womack in Arizona! Congratulations Patti!

And if you need more product, order it from us in the product specials link below or go to Innersense Beauty input fengshui in the code box and receive 20% off your entire purchase. This offer is good until the end of July.

Here's the link for poor bed position cures and the great special we're running this month for real estate professionals!

Feng Shui Palace Product Specials

1. I am listening to the needs of my body.

2. I am honoring the feelings of my heart and soul.

1. Clean your computer monitor, casing, and laptop with a microfiber cloth slightly dampened with water.

2. Wipe grimy keyboards with a cloth moistened with alcohol.

Budapest, Hungary

July 27-30, 2007

I will be speaking at the International Feng Shui Conference held in Budapest. There will be some pre and post conference tours and workshops as well. Click on Feng Shui Seminars - Conference in Hungary for additional information on the conference.

Orange County, CA

September 13, 14, 15, 16 and November 1, 2, 3, 4 (these 8 days are part of one class)

I'm hosting The Inspired Feng Shui Practitioner Training Program in Orange County, California. For more information, go to: Feng Shui Palace Certification Course

To register, go to:

Feng Shui Palace Certification Registration

For questions, email Mary at: mary@fengshuipalace.com

Southern California

When I'm not traveling or writing, I am available for on-site commercial or residential consultations. Prices range from $495.00 to $599.00. Call 714-508-9935 to check availability and to book an appointment time.

With intentions of being of service,

Karen

If you are having trouble reading this newsletter, please go to the newsletter that is printed online at:

Feng Shui Palace Newsletter