Wow! Another year gone! Maybe it was because I literally spent over a month of the year sitting in hotel ballrooms learning new ways to help my clients, or maybe it was because I’m having so much fun, but time really seems to have perfected the "flying" thing.

I also wanted to let you know the good news about my Inspired Feng Shui Practitioner’s Training Course. It has been officially given the stamp of approval by the International Feng Shui Guild (IFSG) as one of their "Gold Status" Schools. Now, when you attend this training, you can proudly announce that you were trained at a school that exceeded the International Feng Shui Guild’s "peer-reviewed curriculum" and was given the "Gold Status" stamp of approval!

On another note, thanks to all of you who wrote in saying how timely and helpful my November thoughts on gaining perspective were. I appreciate your feedback. I especially liked the following note, as this gal really seemed to take it to heart in her whole life - which was my goal. Nice work, Rebecca.

"Thank you so much for this particular newsletter. It has come at an important time. I live in Reno and am in NY for my grandmother's funeral. She was like a mother to me since I was eleven years old. I'm 33 now, even though I'm feeling a bit like a lost child at the moment. It's extremely hard and sad right now. She was very healthy up until a month and a half ago, when suddenly she became ill, was diagnosed with cancer and died a few days ago. Reading this particular newsletter was *exactly* what I needed most. It is a well needed reminder that we MUST each keep our thoughts positive, because we do create our universe and the experience of our lives. It's easy to fall into depression when we think life is awful or we think we are not responsible for our reality. By taking responsibility for our thoughts and emotions, we are accepting that we create that which is in our lives. Thank you for my well needed reminder of this!"

With warm regards, Rebecca Hess

Click here:

Feng Sui Palace Product Specials

- The Nine Guas Enhancing Set is now only $97.00! Our crystal supplier said prices will be going up with our next order, so take advantage of our crystal stock now. Here’s a special collection designed to enhance for every gua in the house - the Nine Guas Enhancing Set.

It includes: one purple (prosperity) 40mm crystal, one red (fame and reputation) 30mm crystal, one pink (relationships and love) 30mm crystal, one clear (creativity and children) 30mm crystal, one silver metallic "helpful people" envelope, one 6" (career) bagua-shaped beveled mirror, one blue (skills and knowledge) 30mm crystal, one green (family and foundation) 30mm crystal, one golden (center/health) 30mm crystal.

Regular retail price if sold individually is $144.91. Buy the set this month and save 33%!

- Bio Pro Cell Phone Chip is now only $27.96! Protect the heads of loved ones with the Biopro Cell Phone Chips - this month 20% off! That reduces the price from $34.95 to $27.96! Great stocking stuffer!

- Conversations with Karen CDs are now only $4.99 per CD OR $29.99 for the Set! We’re clearing the way for new products. Pick up these CDs packed full of information for only $4.99 each, or get the whole set for $29.99!

- My Book, "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" PLUS Index is now only $11.00! The book and Index have a retail value of $16.99. And like always, all books are signed by me prior to shipping.

- Personal Breakthrough Sessions are now only $599! For you or the person who has everything but is still not happy, why not give yourself or your friends/family the gift that keeps on giving - a different, more empowering way of thinking!

I am opening my schedule again to take on 18 Personal Breakthrough clients in January 2009, which means you or your loved one can have a personal breakthrough on any problem faster than you can say "What was my New Year’s resolution again?" This is one-on-one phone time with me, where I guide the conversation to reveal your AHA moments that bring you happiness, peace of mind, and joy. So, if you or someone you know has an unwanted behavior (I can’t stop eating chocolate!,) a limiting belief (I’m not _____ enough,) or simply some feeling of being stuck and you don’t even know why, this personal breakthrough phone chat is for you. It is aimed at ridding you of anything that is stopping you from your dream future — a great way to start off the New Year.

The personal breakthrough session (usually broken into two phone conversations) is on special for 18 people for $599.

Feel free to contact me at info@fengshuipalace.com if you have any additional questions.

Ready to sign up? Contact Tiana via email link or call (714) 508-9935. I look forward to changing your life from the inside out!

Question: What do you recommend for common mid-life women’s issues such as menopause, thyroid issues, fibroids, hemorrhoids, and ovarian cysts and other such lovely things? I think I’ve got ‘em all!

Answer: I’m going to be simple here. Find a practitioner of TCM - that stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine. They are often acupuncturists as well, so if you can’t find them under one heading, look under the other for one in your area. I find their wisdom to be exceptional in this department - and they often times have much better alternatives than Western medicine. You know how whenever you take a pharmaceutical drug, there are possible negative side effects? Well, there are side effects to acupuncture and herbal remedies, too - only they are positive side effects. I once went to an acupuncturist for digestion problems, and the side effect was I no longer had PMS cramps. With side effects like that, who needs drugs - eh? (My opinion and my testimonial only. :))

From my studies in food energetics and TCM, I knew I was "yin deficient," and I wasn’t getting ahead with my dietary changes (mostly due to my sweet tooth, quite frankly). So, I went to my OB to confirm what I thought I might have. And sure enough, I had uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts. My OB’s treatment? "If they get bigger, ...and they will, we’ll do a cystectomy."

I then went to my TCM doc. I thought I’d get some acupuncture treatments for it, but he told me this problem didn’t even require acupuncture. He gave me my custom herb concoction (I ask for the dried capsule form so I don’t have to cook up and drink the tea tincture) and he said in about 3 to 4 months they would be gone. Hmmm, no help or prevention and an eventual cystectomy, or 6 capsules of herbs twice a day for a few months. I’ll try the latter, thank you. I called my OB back and said I’d like to do a little experiment for a few months before coming back in for another ultrasound.

I’m saying this to try to give alternatives to those who are "brand loyal" to Western medicine and perhaps not getting anywhere with it, or don’t like the choices they offer. If I go to Western doctors, I usually go to find out a diagnosis, but then I go to TCM or other alternative practitioners to get it fixed. Doctors are great at testing and testing, and billing and billing - and they’ve got the best high-tech gadgets, hands down. But TCM practitioners, however low-tech, have for me, the best and usually the most inexpensive treatments. Maybe it’s because I’ve studied the modality of the Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, or maybe it’s just because I’ve had nasty reactions to drugs and surgery, but I’d rather get treated with food than tested with machines and cut with knives, ....but that could just be me. Stay tuned for my success story. :)

I had been feeling "stuck" in my career, unhappy, and unable to get clear on my career goals. I felt apart from my co-workers, kind of solitary, although I get along well enough with everyone. As an Account Rep in media sales, I was transferred back to an old territory that I had been trying to get out of. My sales were down, I had a lousy attitude and consequently believed that a new job would be just the thing. Forgetting the maxim, "No matter where you go, there you are," I proceeded to engage in a job search and predictably, made no progress. This was confusing to me as I had been inviting new opportunities into my life while using effective affirmations and sweeping/cleaning in front of my door and the main entrance to the building in which I live.

At the 11th hour, your November newsletter arrived. The sentence that caused me to take a second look at my surroundings was "…I always recommend updating your environment as you make big changes in your life…" I thought to myself "the change hasn’t occurred yet, however I’d sure like it to, so let’s do it now and see what happens."

The first place I looked was my Family Gua and all is good there. Steady, income arriving regularly to meet all my bills; people treat me as part of their family; loving relationships in general with the people in my life; and upon coming home after work I totally relax and feel comfortable there. Check.

Next, I went to the opposite bagua for balance, the Creativity and Children gua, and it looks pretty good there, too. I have plans for some changes, however need the $$ to make them, first.

Next, I went to my Fame gua and noticed terrific well placed enhancements. It feels actively solid, strong and uplifting. No problems with respect in my life. Check.

Then I went to my Career gua and noticed (kind of for the first time) that the door to my apartment is faux wood. I remembered your instruction that wood/earth is not to be used here because it dams water. I looked down and my door mat. Although very beautiful and mostly black (to represent beauty and harmony/water element), the secondary color was a deep brown! Talk about counter intuitive! Mat gone.

Inside the door, although I have my water cooler placed there (very clever, I thought), I looked down and noticed that the tiles are earth tone AND square! Good grief – no wonder I was feeling "stuck." I then looked up. As there is lots of arrow chi (unusual entrance way), I hung 6 opaque crystals to correct this. Upon closer examination I noticed they were from an old chandelier, mismatched and some were chipped. Down came the crystals.

Then I looked in the relationship area (reference your November newsletter about this being the woman head of the household area). There was a picture of myself, very happy and smiling; however no one else is in it! Small wonder I have been feeling isolated at work. Gone the picture.

I then took a deep breath, remembering to exhale fully, and made changes as follows: replaced the black/brown mat in front of the door with a lively green one to offset the faux wood, washed the door and door handle, and bought a gorgeous green holiday wreath to hang there (once the plumbers are finished accessing my place every day to replace all the old pipes); selected a warm fresh green paint for the entrance way to offset the square beige floor tiles; hung one clear, bright crystal with a dolphin happily swimming atop it in the center (creativity and joy, safe travels) and placed red tape (that came in my last order from your website) on the floor in front of the corners creating the arrow chi.

I removed the small mismatched mirrors above the closet and doorway (too much reflection bouncing around a small area with no clear direction) and now have one new mirror with a black frame inside the closet on the shelf, and in the relationship area, hung my favorite picture of two horses running/playing in the snow under a bright sunlight sky (framed in black).

I put a beautiful purple bowl with rice in the prosperity area as a repository for my change at the end of the day (for the next 30 days with 10% going to charity); and placed a black and white aroma therapy diffuser atop my water cooler using Juniper Berry essential oil to promote self confidence and assist with eliminating toxins (my own negative thinking!)

It was a busy few days. The result: Immediately upon my return to work, my Director called me in to her office. She said she was pleased with the work I had been doing (?!) and told me a new hire, assigned to the territory I did not want, was starting right away. So I was free to pursue the preferred territory I had been asking for the last 6 months!

Since making the enhancement changes, I now wake up before the alarm and am excited about the prospect of my day at work! When I get there I’m happy to be with my associates, eager to learn new skills and apply them, and am truly spending my time there more wisely with clear goals for the coming months and year. Shazam! Way easier than changing jobs!

I send deepest, heartfelt thanks to you, Karen and your posse 'cause I know you don’t do it alone. I always find great tips in the newsletter and my Move Your Stuff book is so worn from re-reading it the pages are falling out time to order another one!

I’m not sure if your advice helped the writer to whom you gave such a thoughtful response in your November newsletter, however it sure helped me! I’ve started a fund to save up for your online course – any suggestions as to the best place to physically place it? Prosperity bagua? (Definitely) And the creativity and children gua is about getting things done and about the future, so a little metal or a good symbol in that zone with good intentions would be wise too. :) K)

Kind regards,

Angela

Here’s the link to report your success story. (It’s at the bottom of the web page) Feng Shui Palace Success Stories

It seems to me that each generation seems to lose a little more connection between what they eat and where it comes from. What was once obvious "common sense" is now odd or unheard of information. I was at the farmer’s market the other day when a young gal asked "Can I make pumpkin pie from this pumpkin?" When I told this story to my friend, she stated that when she was purchasing a tiny apple tree at the hardware store, a boy asked her what "the stick" was for. When she said it was an apple tree, and that she was going to plant it and eventually get apples from it, his face lit up in excitement - as he had never made the connection between the tree and the source of fruit.

In some areas, these "old-fashioned" ways are still alive (farming communities) or are making a comeback/being celebrated (the organic/sustainable communities.) And the "common sense-ness" and pace of the community seems to be different as well. I invite you to take a moment to teach a kid something about food source - and if you missed the lesson yourself - I invite you to take a moment to learn something new yourself. I say this because I think there is real "survival power" in this information. If you know the basics of how to survive (don’t eat the blue food!) deep down, you have an unconscious power of overcoming negative environments. It’s just one way to start exercising your mindfulness muscles - which will only help you have a healthier, "luckier" life in the future.

For those of you who want some place to start, try this:

Many people (at least those swayed by the dairy industry) think dairy is the only good source of calcium out there. (I once asked my young niece where milk comes from, and her response was a questioning, "cottage cheese?") But during these traditionally cooler and damper (obviously depending on where you are) months, eating and drinking dairy can create unwanted "mucus" in the system (or "dampness" in Traditional Chinese Medicine) - definitely not desirable in "cold season." So, let’s reset our tables with this bone-building alternative:

Figs! Figs are a good source of calcium. Six figs can supply 15% of your daily need for calcium. And why not get into the fall/winter food scene with pumpkin seeds! One ounce can give you half of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium - which is what helps your body metabolize calcium. So bring us some figgy pudding......here’s one I found online:

Figgy Pudding with Custard Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons rum extract (or flavored extract of your choice)

1 apple, peeled and cored and finely chopped

1 pound dried figs, ground or finely chopped

Grated peel of 1 lemon and 1 orange

1 cup chopped nuts

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 large egg whites, stiffly beaten

Custard Sauce (recipe follows) Sweetened whipped cream (optional) Preheat oven to 325*F (160*C). Generously grease an oven-proof 2-quart bowl or mold; set aside. Cream together butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar, egg yolks, milk, extract, apple, figs, lemon and orange peel. Add next 6 ingredients, mixing well. Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into mixture. Pour into prepared bowl or mold and place into large shallow pan and place on middle rack in oven. Fill the shallow pan half-full with boiling water and slowly steam pudding in oven at 325*F (160*C) for 4 hours, replacing water as needed.

Custard Sauce

2 cups milk

1 large egg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter

In saucepan, scald milk and allow to cool. Mix together remaining ingredients, except for butter. Add to cooled milk. Cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter, mixing well. Serve pudding warm with custard sauce or sweetened whipped cream. Store unused portions in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

I am revealing my beauty through both my inner and outer being.

Change your air filter and replace it with a filter that is rated MERV 11 or greater. The higher your MERV rating number, the fewer dust particles and other airborne contaminants pass through the filter. And while you are changing it, read up on when they recommend changing it and put the date in your calendar!

If you have any interest in me coming to your city for a consultation or a lecture/speaking engagement, please contact my assistant Tiana at (714)508-9935.

January 16, 2009

Laguna Hills, CA

From 6 to 9PM, I will be giving a workshop entitled "First Steps on the Feng Shui Path" at Awakenings, located at 25260 LaPaz Road, Suites D and E in Laguna Hills, CA. I will not only reveal the basics of feng shui, but offer you practical and immediately usable ways to improve your life through environmental change. I will share consultation anecdotes to further illustrate and ground feng shui principles, leaving you well informed and filled with ideas for your personal spaces. Registration fee is $27. To register, please contact Awakenings at (949)457-0797. I will also be signing books after this workshop.

January 20, 2009

Cypress, CA

From 10:30 to 11:30AM, I will be giving a lecture on positioning yourself for prosperity using feng shui at the Cypress City Senior Citizen Center at 9031 Grindlay Street, Cypress CA 90630. Call (714)229-6676 for directions and information.

January 24, 2009

Anaheim, CA

From 1 to 5PM, I will be giving a workshop entitled "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life." It is designed to teach foundational methods of feng shui, like how to overlay the bagua map onto your home or workplace, and to show you how to deal with sometimes problematic sloping ceilings, walls, beds, windows, doors, stoves, and stairs, etc. The workshop is being held at the Learning Light Foundation located at 1212 East Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92805-4249. Early registration investment is $35 and it will be $45 at the door. Call the Learning Light at (714)533-2311 to register.

March 1, 2009

Houston, Texas

From 1 to 5 PM, I will be giving a "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" workshop at Body, Mind and Soul Books in Houston, Texas. Registration fee is $65. The address is 4344 Westheimer Road on Mid Lane in Houston and the number to register is (713)993-0550. Bring your floor plan and photos so you can refer to your home during the workshop because this workshop is designed to give you concrete, practical things to do to your home to upgrade your life!

March 2-3, 2009

Houston, Texas

I will be available for on-site consultations in the Houston, Texas area over the course of these two days. Each consultation usually takes between two and three hours where you will end up with a priority list of changes to be made that are specific to the results you are requesting. The consultation fee is $699.00. Please contact my office at (714)508-9935 or email Tiana to set up a consultation time.

March 22-26, 2009

Orange County, California

I will be teaching people the onsite portion of the Inspired Practitioner Certification course on how to become confident, caring, qualified and certified feng shui consultants. This class officially begins January 26, 2009 with the pre-meeting portion of the training. If you are interested in joining me, please click here: Feng Shui Palace Inspired Practitioner Certification course. Registration deadline is January 16, 2009.

March 28-31, 2009

Orange County, California

I will be teaching the specific techniques I use in my Quantum Coaching sessions where I help people release limiting thoughts and emotions, change their beliefs, and unhook themselves from many other roadblocks between themselves and their dreams. If you are interested in joining me, please click here: Feng Shui Palace Mindful Mastery course. Registration deadline is: March 20th, 2009.

Southern California

When I’m not traveling or writing, I am available for on-site commercial or residential consultations. 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