The Spiritual Health

“If only I knew that this would happen……..”This is usually the expression when any tragedy takes place. Since the dawn of civilization human being has earned to know the future.  In the quest to know what lies in store for him/ her in the future human beings have formulated and resorted to a number of ways. Whether to believe the sources which tell the future is again debatable issue that’s never going to end. Moreover it depends on your own discretion whether to believe it or not.

The Chinese civilization is one of the oldest civilization in which the documentation dates back the maximum.  The origins of Chinese astrology are said to have evolved nearly 5000 years back an believed to have begun in 2697 BC. Astrology in Chinese language is called Ming Shu. Earlier the Chinese astrology was also called Five Planet Chinese Astrology because it was based on the five planets namely Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn And Mars. 

According to Chinese astrology the date of birth is very important. The year of the birth shows a specific aspect or phase of a time cycle whose duration is 60years. This is so because the Yellow Emperor passed a rule that the years must be counted in 60cycles of “Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches”. The key influencing factor is the year of birth because it influences a person’s physical and mental attributes, happiness throughout his or her lifetime, ability, personality, and level of success. The nature of that year’s animal influences the occurrences and events in a given year.

For the purpose of classifying and counting the years the Chinese astrology uses two systems. These two systems are 

Heavenly Stems: There are 10 Heavenly Stems. Basically there are five elements Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water which are again divided into two parts on the basis of Yang and Yin polarities. Thus there are 10 Chinese Heavenly Stems namely Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water and Yin Water.

Earthly Braches: There are 12 Earthly Braches which were later replaced by the 12 Animals Signs which include Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Dog, Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Sheep, Rooster, and the last Pig. These Chinese sign astrology is famous all over the world now.

The Chinese astrology can be useful for mapping our personal traits. It reveals how we react to the environment that is around us at a particular time. It is considered to be one of the most reliable accurate chinese horoscopes in the world.

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice which studies the effect of environment on our everyday life. This Chinese practice is based on the idea that the way we feel and way we act is influenced by the environment in which we live. By properly organizing the environment around us, it would be possible to mitigate problems faced by us in our daily life.
To study the environment, Feng Shui considers that our environment could be described in terms of five main elements. These elements are: wood (‘Mu’ in Chinese), fire (‘Huo’ in Chinese), earth (‘Tu’ in Chinese), metal (‘Jin’ in Chinese), and water (‘Shui’ in Chinese). According to the Chinese philosophy, these elements correspond to specific colors, shapes, tastes, seasons, directions, and parts of the body. These five elements are constantly changing and then reaching a balance. All these elements could enter into cycles which could be either constructive or destructive.
A constructive elemental cycle could be described as:
Wood→Fire→Earth→Metal→Water→Wood
In this constructive cycle, wood creates fire which creates earth and so on. This cycle uses the positive manifestations of each element and their basic compatibility. For instance, a person born in a wood year would be compatible with a person born in a water or fire year.
A destructive elemental cycle could be described as:
Water→Fire→Metal→Wood→Earth→Water
In this cycle, water puts out fire, which destroys metal, which chops wood, which depletes the earth, which is washed away by water. In this cycle, the elements placed next to each other are not compatible. So in our arrangement of the environment, these elements cannot be placed together.
In ancient Chinese philosophy, there is a concept of buffer also. When a compatible element is placed in between two elements which are not compatible, then the adverse effect of this incompatibility would be reduced by this buffer element.
In the practice of Feng Shui, we should try to promote constructive elemental cycle and discourage using destructive elemental cycle in our arrangements of the elements.
To promote constructive elemental cycle, we require having some representation of these elements in our home. In this cycle, the element to the left feeds, nurtures, creates the elements to the right. Therefore, this element should have some representation in our home. In case, a number of people live in the house, then we will have to ensure that everybody’s supportive element is present in the house and there is no major conflict amongst these elements.
It is hoped that you must have got some idea regarding cycles of elements as defined in ancient Chinese philosophy.

Chi, you must have heard of it before; Chi Qigong or Tai Chi. It is defined as the life force; the energy that encircles us, flows through us and can be utilized by us provided we know how to connect it. Lots of people believe that the energy utilized in martial arts is available from the body. This is not completely true.

Obviously the energy is the same whether it is in a person, in the grass, or in a tree. Even unloving objects have some kind of energy to them. They hold with them the energy of the person who created them and also the energy of the materials from which they were created from. Even the procedure used can leave its outlines! Even it is also use for healing from pain.

It is this energy which enables masters of martial arts to push their bodies to unbelievable limits, to do something which is almost impossible to do. You must have possibly seen it on TV where a small man can lift up a huge person, or shatters an object or vase without even touching it. These are both the applications of Chi.

It’s not taught in most of the western applications, even in martial arts. There is a level of awareness and belief of the older ideals of a spiritual world that are required to be used fully and understand that it is there. There are many people who are simply not aware about this. It is something that children possess, but unless and until it is trained it is lost after due course of time as one enters into adulthood.

However, still it is a main aspect of martial arts. It provides strength and it can help in minimizing damage and also promote faster healing. It takes years of patience, skill and practice. Most of the martial artists or Chi masters who have gained mastery of this are highly skilled and have been training the majority of their life. For utilizing Chi energy effectively, you must be calm inside and focused.

After you have gained the awareness of the energy and can feel it in around you, you should learn how to deal with and master its flow. For using chi energy in martial arts, it is required to flow properly through the body. 

This means that you should be aware of when energy turns out to be clogged or does not flow properly and be able to make the adjustments required to keep a free flow of energy. The energy of the actual body is limited and till the time you can use it, it will become exhausted.

No matter how materialistic we all become with the passing time and the changing world, but in some corner of our heart we still pray and remember the almighty. We might work all through the day, but at the end of the day, we all still believe in destiny and fortune. Just as we believe in good luck and destiny there are many people who believe in the principles of feng shui and also follow them just to improve their luck and fortune.

We might have read or heard about feng shui from the various resources such as the newspapers, articles, or on the television. Feng shui is basically a simple Chinese technique that is followed to manipulate and also create some positive energy to improve the environment around us. Following the principles and the rules of feng shui will surely help you to improve the energy in every room and corner of your house which will thus directly increase your good luck and also attract wealth to your house.

Feng shui helps to balance the energy in your house and its environment thus attracting only the positive energy for your luck. Remember, feng shui is all about the connection between the various objects and their energy levels. Hence you should precede every stage very carefully to reap its benefits. To cherish all the positive effects of feng shui in your house and life, here are a few tips to help you improve the energy in your surroundings.

•    The entrance of your house should be clean and clear. Never keep your shoes or slippers lying outside the main door of your house. It is believed that the energy enters along with the wind into your house and so, if there are shoes near the main door, it will bring along the smell as well as the dirt along with it causing sickness. Energy comes in our house through the wind and then settles down only if there is water else it will simply just disperse along with the wind. Thus special care should be taken for the main entrance of your house.

•    Never keep a television set in your bedroom. A television acts as a disturbance in your relationship. Thus if you have one in your bedroom, make sure that you cover them with a plastic sheet and not just a simple cloth piece.

•    Avoid placing mirrors in your bedroom. They should not be placed opposite or beside your bed. Mirrors attract a third person into your relationship influencing infidelity. Thus, never place them in your room.

•    Fountains or flowing water are very auspicious according to the principles of feng shui. They bring in a lot of good luck and wealth to your life. Thus, if possible place a fountain in your house and place it in an attractive place.

•    Fish tanks are also believed to bring in good fortunes to our life but only if they are placed at the right place. Fish tanks help you to tap on the Divine Water Dragons Den for a great fortune. But if you place it in a wrong direction, it will have harmful effects in your life. It can lead you to having lawsuits, work pressure, bankruptcy and many other problems. Thus it is suggested that if you have faced any of these problems, then you should change the direction of the fish tank.

•    Kitchen is one of the most important places in our house. Make sure that opposite to the stove there is no refrigerator, washbasin, toilet or the washing machine. The fire of the stove and the water of any of these appliances clash each other causing various problems in the family such as disagreements etc.

•    Never let your children sleep on mattresses spread on the floor or on the bed. This might cause the younger children to fall from the bed and get injured. Also this may cause them to get ill frequently. The main reason for this is that the energy cannot flow from below the bed. Thus to keep our children healthy and fit, they should be allowed to sleep in areas where the circulation of energy is fine. Thus also make sure that you don’t have the double bunk beds for your children as the child sleeping below will not get fresh energy.

•    Adjust the writing or study table of your children properly in such a way that there is a solid support such as a wall at their back. This will give them a strong support as well as make then sit for a longer time rather than for just a few hours.

•    The presence of a marble table in your dining room makes you remain busy with a lot of work pressure. Thus, if you have a marble table in your house, replace it with a wooden table.

•    If you have a child who falls sick in a room, either change the child’s room or hang a beautiful metal rod wind chime with 6 rods in the room. The metal happens to break all the earth energies. Once you hang the wind chime in the room, let the wind blow in and do the job. But if the chime doesn’t ring, make it chime yourself for the positive effects.

•    Never use a red colored sofa in your house. According to feng shui, there are certain things which just shouldn’t be present in a few specific places. Red is the color for the element fire. Red sofas increase the work pressure, and also create obstacles in your work.

•    Always keep the entrance of your house towards the most active side such as a road, play ground, another house or a beautiful view so as to allow the active energy “yang” to enter your house. While the direction in which you should be sitting is termed as the “yin”. According to feng shui, you should sit in the direction which has a beautiful backyard, tall trees etc. The kitchen should be at the rear end of your house.

So, if you really wish to design your house in the feng shui style to reap all its benefits, don’t forget following these tips mentioned above.

Fen Shui has originated from China. The main principle of Feng Shui is respecting the nature.  In Feng Shui and the Chinese tradition there are various symbols that signify the elements of nature and the values attached to them. There are various visual representations of the sacred feelings. Feng Shui focuses on balancing the lives of human beings with the environment around. It also lays stress on the harmony between us and the nature. This is taken into consideration because our ancestors were basically agrarian and were dependent on the nature for their living. Most of the present generation is detached from the earth and is not aware of the importance of natural elements. Feng Shui is helping the restoration of harmony of the human beings with the nature.
If we just keep the Feng Shui aside and think of the Aquarium and the fish within it, no one can reject that the sight of the fish swimming it is not relaxing. Over and above this the viewing of the aquarium is considered good for stress relief.
Carp is the especial fish symbol in Feng Shui. The carp symbolizes prosperity and wealth. The legend of the carp mentions about the bravery and strength of the carp because it swims against the current.
The two golden carp swimming on gold coins is one of the most demanded decorative pieces in Feng Shui. The size and the material of which it is made can differ.
In Feng Shui the other poplar type of fish is the Arowana. The Arowana is also called the dragon fish. This is for those who seek good luck, happiness along with riches. Some people keep live fish in the aquarium at home or office. On the other hand there are some people who just keep and display the picture or image of the Arowana fish.

This snazzy round pendant features a cutout of the PISCES symbol and adorned with a crystal rhinestone. This pendant is crafted and authenticated for Pugster Inc. NOTE: Chain is NOT included with pendant. Metal: stainless steel Stones: rhinestone

The other type of Feng Shui fish is the Koi Fish. This fish is either black or red. This symbolizes success and wealth. This fish can be incorporated in public park ponds. Ponds with Koi Fish have their bottom covered with coins because people offer the Koi Fish coins hoping that the Koi will send them good luck.
Flower horn fish is a new fish symbol. The Chinese call it “Hua Luo Han”. This fish is very colorful. This fish is very distinct because it has a distinct hump on its head. This fish in spite of being very expensive is being bought by many. It is considered by many to be the luckiest fish.
Fish is considered not only a good omen but also to bring good luck charm. The marriage corner is said to be enhanced if you keep a painting or statue of a double fish.

Feng shui expert Mary Anne Russel shows how and what did she do to improve fengs hui of a house for her client. Feng shui is very importat for a healthy life and proper being. Here the author has show about feng shui bedroom design and other aspects for feng shui that you can use to get the best of feng shui for your house!

Every morning after we get up, the first thing that we see or visit is our bathroom. In our house, our bedroom as well as the bathroom is some of the most important and frequently visited places. Thus, the energy in the bedroom and the bathroom also has a high influence on our life. So, if you really wish to get all the advantages of feng shui and also maintain the energy level in your house, then you should preferably follow the various rules of feng shui in your bathroom.

While trying to integrate feng shui in the bathroom, there can be various problems that surface due to the various reasons. We know there is 2/3 part of water in the constitution of earth. Also 2/3 part of our body is made from water. Thus, water plays a very important part in our life. Hence, most primarily we should know that bathroom and the toilets are both governed by water which according to feng shui is the element which is associated with wealth, prosperity and a good fortune. Bathrooms are the place in your house which eliminates the waste products of our body. Thus, much thought should be given on the location of the bathroom.

The location of the bathroom in your house should be most primarily checked. Bathrooms should never be constructed above the front door of the house. This will create a lot of negative energy in the house and also compromise the fire energy which has adverse effects on the health as well as the wealth of the inmates of the house. At the same time, if the bathroom is located right next to the front door, there are chances that it will completely drain out the positive energy of the whole house. But if you do have a bathroom next to the front door or above it, then to nullify the effect you can simply put a round glass on the ceiling of the toilet. This will simply reverse the descending flow of the water in the house. To avoid the bad effects of this problem, you can also hang a crystal right in the center of the room and also place a few plants which will help to stabilize all the positive energies inside the bathroom. There are certain locations of bathroom in the house which have adverse effects on our life. Some of these locations include:

• Bathroom above the front door.
• Bathrooms above the kitchen.
• Bathrooms in the center of the office.
• And finally, bathrooms right under the staircase.

Bathroom is a very important place in the house and also in our life as according to feng shui it is associated to marriage, fame and also wealth. Thus, to attain good wealth from the bathroom, a full length mirror should be placed right outside the bathroom door. One should also prefer keeping a bowl of black pebbles on the shelf above the toilet. Bathrooms are usually a place where we try to remove all our days stress and tensions. Thus to create a positive energy in the house, we should always keep the bathrooms clean and tidy with sweet lavender scented bathing salts. To keep the bathroom more fresh and simple, keep the color of the bathroom very simple and light. This will make you feel relaxed and completely fresh. To add more warmth to your bathroom, you can add the scented candles, artworks etc.

So, to create positive energy in the house and the office make sure that you follow the right tips for the location and the interior of the bathroom.

Feelings, emotions and the expressions are all some of the most important parts of our life without which life would have been very boring. So is the case with colors in our life. Everywhere around us, we see different colors which express different expressions and feelings. The green grass, the red roses, the blue sky, and the colors of the rainbow are some of the most beautiful things that we see in around us.

Have you ever imagined what if, all these things were colorless? May be our approach to life would also have been very different without these amazing and beautiful colors. Do you know that all the colors have their different significance and meaning? All the colors that we see symbolize some or the other thing in life. Thus, even colors influence various types of changes in our emotions, feelings and also the physical states. According to feng shui, every color has a distinct vibration which affects our influences our life in some or the other way. So, lets see, what do these colors mean and how do they influence our life.

• Red: Red is the color which inspires a lot of activity and movement in the place where it is applied. It is the color that influences and signifies a lot of passion and makes the environment very powerful and stimulating. For those who suffer from anxiety, red color can be very overpowering for them and also can be a bit exhausting and stressful. But there can be various shades of the red color which also have some significance. Some of the red colors can be really energizing and also enhance sensuality. According to feng shui, the red color signifies a good luck.
• Orange: Happiness, joy, and social gatherings are what the orange color symbolizes. Orange color in the dining room is believed to enhance or increase your appetite. According to feng shui, the orange color is a very good choice for the social gathering places. It is believed to enhance communication, good and positive feelings, parties and a happy crowd.
• Green: Green is believed to be the color that symbolizes outdoors, calmness and also activeness at the same time. It brings in harmony, rejuvenates the rooms and also has the healing power that can be used in calming the place where people are into much trouble or are in need of refreshment. Thus it is a color that symbolizes both energy as well as rest.
• Yellow: Intellect, clarity in thinking, a proper organization and a positive, happy energy is what the yellow color means. The left side of our brain is yellow colored which is thought to be the logical part of our brain. The color is somewhat energizing and a very bright color and so, one has to be very careful while selecting the right place for it. Yellow color in the office can be very good and as it signifies intellect but can also be a bit problematic as it also symbolizes rest. Thus, instead of painting the whole wall yellow, you can actually think of using designs and shades of yellow color.
• Purple or indigo: Purple is the color which inspires trust, intuition and faith in any relation. The color symbolizes protection, calmness and spirituality. Painting the whole wall purple could possibly be a bit overpowering but a light shade of violet could be just right for you and your family.
• Blue: Blue is the color of spirituality, peace, rest and calmness. The color blue is often chosen for the bedrooms and the meditation rooms due to its calming energy and positivity. The blue color in the meditation room inspires a quite and peaceful meditative quality. It has also been found that in color therapies provided to people, the blue color helps to reduce the blood pressure of the patient. It helps you to have a proper sleep.
• White: White is a very pure color that signifies cleansing, purifying and uplifting while too much of white color also symbolizes sterility, loneliness or the isolating quality. Usually, in the rooms white ceilings are preferred as they reflect light and also brighten up the whole room. Thus, to make the room pure, white color can be mixed with any color to sooth your room.
• Black: According to feng shui black is the color that symbolizes income and money. it is considered to be great for careers and is able to give its best when combined with a metal. According to feng shui, black signifies power and also emotional protection.

So, now that you know about a few very important things about colors and how they can be used for our welfare, think properly before you make the decision for the color in your room.

Feng shui is a very old Chinese tradition that many people across the world follow even today simply to improve their luck and also increase their prosperity. People design their whole house according to the principles and the rules of feng shui just to increase the positive energy in their house, work space and life.

People believe that feng shui brings a proper balance in their life and also is the main reason to a good health. To increase the positive effect of feng shui on their life, people also plant only specific plants and trees in their beautiful gardens. So, if even you wish to plant beautiful plants based on the principles of feng shui in your garden, then here are few important points that you should take care off while planting plants in the feng shui style.

• While planting plants and trees in your gardens make sure that you know about the energy level of the plant. According to the rules of feng shui it is better to have plants with positive and high energy flow. Nearly plants grow in the upward direction and so, they are considered to be good according to feng shui. But there are certain plants like the weeping willow which have a downward growth which is considered to spread a negative energy around and so is inauspicious for your garden and house.

• Be very careful while cutting the growing plants as you actually are cutting the energy of the plants. Never cut the plants in the form of spikes or with sharp edges as they tend to cause harm to us also when we touch them. For instance, think about the thorns of a rose plant.

• Plant good and hearty plants in your garden and not the unhealthy and weak plants. Thus if you wish to maintain the “Chi” in your garden and also house, then remove the weak plants from your garden

• If you have planted the vines in your garden which tend to grow even higher than the trees and the house, then special care should be taken for them. If the vines are not cut regularly, then they will become negative energy also called as “Sha” in feng shui.

Following these simple feng shui rules for your garden, you will have a healthy and a beautiful garden with rich amount of positive energy flowing through it. Thus, your surrounding will also become positive and so will your house and life.

A house without plants looks just like a place enclosed by the brick walls, a house without any life or soul. The small, green and beautiful plants are like the soul of the house. They add life to the beauty of the house. Plants are said to bring a lot of happiness and peace to the house. But with the growing work load and lack of time, people just don’t find enough time to garden and take care of their beautiful plants. Plants are also very good for offices.

According to feng shui plants are extremely powerful for your house. Here are few points that explain how important plants are for our house and their respective powers.

• According to feng shui, plants are very auspicious for your house. You should grow plants and especially the wooden plants.

• Plants in the offices according to feng shui are thought to bring immense amount of luck to the career. You should place the plants in the south, east or the south-eastern corners or direction. This will bring a lot of luck in your professional life.

• Thorny plants should be placed outside the house or in the balcony. They form a protective shield for the house. They shouldn’t be placed near the entrance of the house.

• Bonsai is a plant that should be preferably avoided as they represent undersized growth of the house.

• Plants should be properly taken care off. Over sized plants increase bad energy in and out of the house. Plants should be trimmed properly and regularly. They should never overpower the house.

• For the married couples who want to have children, flowers in the bedrooms should be avoided instead fruits like pomegranates should be kept. Pomegranate is believed to be the symbol of fertility and so is auspicious.

• Fresh flowers are thought to bring in luck and a lot of fortune and so they should be placed in the living room regularly. Once they die, they should be thrown away.

• Flowers or any other auspicious thing according to feng shui shouldn’t be placed in the bathrooms as this will rebound the good luck and convert it into bad luck.

• Dry flowers bring in misfortunes in the house. Thus flowers once get dried should be thrown away.

• Lemons or oranges are believed to be auspicious for the house. They are thought to bring in good fortune and prosperity to the house.

So, now that you know about what simple plants can do to your life, be very careful while decorating your house with plants.