Should this Client Who Wants To Get Pregnant MOVE?

EMAIL FROM A CLIENT:

Hi Katie - Hope you're doing well! I have a feng shui question. I'm about to move and the place has a bath in both the love/marriage and the creativity/children corners. We are starting a family - would that hurt?

The previous tenants moved because their family was growing and she was preggo again...so obviously it didn't hurt them. I always check the story of the previous tenants to see what kind of energy has been left behind.

What's your take on something like this?

Thank you so much for your taking the time!

Source

GREAT QUESTION!!!

So...without seeing the space...
I told her that it all sounds very auspicious, given that the predecessor energy is right in line with what she wants to create in her life. BABIES!

What's "predecessor energy," you ask?

With every consultation, I ask: "Who lived here before you and what do you know about them?"

Why?

Because it's an obvious clue to the energy of the home AND because, unless the space is thoroughly cleared, the energy of those who lived there before you is still there, having a big impact!

For this reason, homes with sickness, divorce, and foreclosure should be super-carefully considered before moving in. (Definitely hire a feng shui consultant for those!) Happy homes, however, may not need as much feng shui work beforehand!

To address the other aspect of her question: Will the bathroom in Romance/Love and Creativity/Children sections of the bagua hurt?

Good Earth  (Source)

I explained that she should make sure that there is plenty of Earth energy in both places in terms of colors (muted tones for Earth), clay items, and the like. Why? Because the Romance/Love section of the bagua is an Earth energy so adding more is good, and because the Creativity/Children section is a Metal energy and Earth feeds metal and also dams some of that Water.

But, truth be told, whatever the people previous to them were doing, it was working, so she may want to keep it just as it was for them!

Like I always say in feng shui: I don't fix what isn't broken!

Y'all have a great Friday and weekend. Cheers!

Birmingham Botanical Garden Responds to "Crape Murder" Post

I was privileged to receive an email from the knowledgable Fred Spicer of Birmingham Botanical Gardens on the topic of "crape murder."  He gives an extremely thorough take on the practice and, while he does NOT advocate it, he has many good points as to why it continues to be "acceptable" in the South.

Get educated and read on!  

Crape Myrtles -- photo from Southern Living

Katie:

Source

Saw your (old) blog post just now on crape murder and thought I would add my two cents.

Believe me, I am with you 100% on strongly advocating against topping trees, and for all the reason you and the ISA list. Interestingly, though, most of those don't really apply to crape myrtles. Actually, the only two I would say factor into it are ugliness and cost over time. Rapid growth does happen (very rapid) but the resultant branches and branch attachments are not overly very weak (plus their relatively small stature means that wind-throw does not come into play).

No doubt, you have observed countless crapes that have been topped for many years in a row, sometimes hideously. 

We've all seen this horrid sight before  (Source)

However, in all the ones I've seen treated in this manner, none have been actually "murdered," in the sense of tree death. No shock and no starvation, either. (Perhaps, more precisely, there's no evidence of shock or starvation, given the strong re-growth.)

As far as insects and disease go, that seems to be more a result of cultivar selection. The major insect issue - aphids - is not exacerbated by hard pruning. Nor is the major disease issue - powdery mildew. Interestingly, the crapes in one of your BBG images are 'Carolina Beauty', one of the most aphid- and mildew-susceptible cultivars going. The presence of the disease, worse in dry years, seems of little relevance to the overall vigor of the trees. At worst it renders the fall color moot (leaves abcise prematurely).

It seems to me that crapes have an unbelievable capacity to form the chemical walls that Alex Shigo identified, which prevent the spread of decay. The most important wall is Wall 4, which prevents decay from moving down into the center of the branch or trunk (into the heartwood). That wall is also, usually, the slowest to form, and pruning angle and branch collar seem to have a lot to do with formation. But, seemingly, not for crapes. Also, it seems that physical wound closure on the crapes happens more slowly, but when you look at the repeated wounding/pruning, there's just no rot, in any direction. So it's either rapid chemical wall formation or inherent resistance on the part of the crapes to the resident wood-decaying organisms, and the latter explanation seems ridiculous to me.

Garden writers in the south have spent a great deal of energy and column-space in efforts to dissuade people from this hard pruning. Southern Living ranted about it regularly and I think Steve Bender even coined "crape murder" in an early article. Obviously, all that writing has had little impact on the practice. Most people don't think it's as ugly as you and I do, and the argument that topping them will kill them doesn't hold any water at all. I think if it had, most people would have stopped doing it.

After being here - and working with and observing crape myrtles for almost eleven years now (we did not really have them up north) - I think I can add as to why people do it.

1.) Landscapers that don't have tons of work in Jan-Feb recommend it (and introduce the customers to it).
2.) Size control (which you mentioned) and a resultant "neatly trimmed" appearance (which some people really do like).
3.) "Everybody does it - must be right".

And, I think, the most important one:

4.) To get really huge flower panicles.

Source

I believe that is the kicker. Flower panicles on unpruned crapes tend to be rather small. Flower panicles on hard-pruned crapes can be simply gargantuan. Larger panicles will flower longer (more individual florets over time) and many people love huge flowers and almost all gardeners want longer flowering times on their plants.

Personally, I have taken a softer approach on this concept than when I first got here. I still don't advocate it, and I still think that, in the main, it's almost always hideous. But I do readily admit the huge flower thing and I tell people that if "crape murder" (for whatever reason they do it) gives them pleasure - go ahead and do it. They're not hurting the plant.

However, I always follow up that discussion with a strong admonition that just because it doesn't harm crapes, it does not mean you should do the same thing to other trees. It will certainly do all the bad things you listed. Personally, I think that's the biggest risk with crape murder...people think it's okay on this tree...must be okay on all of them.

Cheers!

In natural un-topped form, in winter

Move a Plant, Get a Date

Roots Thru Rocks

I love witnessing Ah-Ha Feng Shui moments of clients.  You know, those magical episodes when they realize:  Holy #@%*!!!  Feng Shui WORKS!

Here's one recent occasion:
I gave a free teleclass on Romance a couple of months ago and opened the floor to questions at the end.  One lovely lady commented, "I have an ugly air conditioner unit in my Romance section [of the bagua map].  I can't stand it, but I am renting.  What do I do?  Do I cover it up?  Is this affecting my Romance."

I responded that this would probably need to be a case where I'd have to see it, but indeed, if the landlord won't remove it, covering it in some fashion would help alleviate the dread of seeing it every day.  Plus she didn't want a "chilly" romance, did she?

Alas,  I ran into this lady at a fun event here in Birmingham recently.  She told me of a handsome fellow she had her eye on but that he was being wishy-washy.  (Her words.)  She then said, "But I covered up the air conditioner.  I put a tree in front of it."

I made a face.

She said, "What was that face for?  Tell me!"

Well...

I explained that the Romance section of the Bagua is an "Earth" energy.  Each section aligns with a particular element: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water.  These elements work together, either "feeding" the other, or "damaging" it.

In the case of Earth, Wood damages it.  Think of roots of a tree -- they are breaking up the Earth.

Source

So no, plants and trees are not good in the Romance section (in general).

She immediately removed the tree!

And THE NEXT DAY (no lie), he emailed her committing to a weekend-out-of-town HOT DATE that he had been wavering on!!!

My client was beside herself -- not only because the date was going to be HOT, but because she was amazed at how quickly the feng shui worked!

She sent me this photo with a text:  [Oh, by the way]..."When I moved the plant I put this double crystal in the corner FYI."

Yay!  Extra points!  This crystal represents Earth (being a rock) AND it's signifies a pair, which of course, in romance, is what we want:  a pair.

I asked her:  "Did you set the intention of romance when you placed it?"

She answered with a resounding, "Yes ma'am!"

Fool proof.  Done.

So now:
Check YOUR Romance section!  When standing at the front door to your home, looking in, what is in the back right section?  That's the Romance section of the Bagua map.  Make sure it's rocking!  (Pun intended.)

9 Feng Shui Cures to Alleviate Depression

When a client calls complaining of depression, I already have a good sense of what their home is going to look like.  Depression manifests itself in the décor of a home in very specific ways.  The good news is that when you shift items in a space, the psyche takes cues and follows suit.  Therefore, whether you are having a minor bout of the blues, or your depression is more serious, please continue with the therapy, healthy diet, rest, and other “cures,” but use feng shui!  It’s a must to help the process along.

Source

1.     Lighten up, literally.  If the space isn’t getting enough natural light, this could be “keeping you in the dark.”   After all, there is a source of the depression and bringing that into the consciousness will help tremendously!  Open the curtains and windows and let the sunshine in.  Replace fluorescent bulbs with those that mimic natural light.  Bring in mirrors to reflect more light into the home.  Place lamps in those dark corners.

2.     Change the color scheme.  Dark, heavy colors have their place, but too much of it can be affecting you.  Again, go lighter and brighter.  Yellow is the chosen color for “cheerful” for a reason.  Even a pop of it goes a long way!  Avoid too much of “the blues.”  Pick colors that resonate with the buried-deep joy within you, and use those.

 I'm not sure if anyone could be sad in this room!  (Source) 

3.     Remove heavy items.  Make sure you have a balance of light and heavy to help you feel grounded, but not weighted down.  Even the appearance of a significantly heavy item sends messages to your psyche.  Replace furniture that has that burdensome feel with something fresh, light, and modern to help lighten you up.  Curtains, sofas, coffee table, armoires – it all counts.

4.     Lift items up.  Depressed people tend to collect things low to the ground.  They even hang their artwork too low or have plants that are droopy.  Rehang artwork and buy plants with a more “uplifting” silhouette to keep from feeling “low.” 

5.     Clear the clutter!  This one is the #1 feng shui cure of all time.  Items hold energy.  If a person is keeping significant items that subconsciously remind them of bad times (or even good times if there is a desire to relive the past) or because they are afraid that they won’t manifest something better, it’s going to have a major negative effect on their psyche and their lives. Get really honest with yourself about each and every item in your home, and get rid of anything and everything that you don’t use or love. 

6.     Make sure your furniture fits.  If your furniture is too big for your space, then you don’t have room to grow, and depression could set in.  On the other hand, if the furniture doesn’t fill the space appropriately, it could send signals of “void,” “incompletion,” or “loneliness.”  Rearrange and get rid of!

7.     No dead things.  Dead things (yes, even that flower bouquet you caught at your BFF’s wedding) don’t exactly have the highest vibration, now do they?  Replace with LIFE, and feel the difference.

The live plants and flowers add so much to this already WAY vibrant room (Source)

8.  Assess your artwork.  Weird and dark might be cool, but how is it affecting you subconsciously?  Just don't do it.  Put it this way:  I don't care how much a Picasso costs, I probably wouldn't hang it in my home.  

Just don't do it.  (Weeping Woman by Picasso Source)

9.     Do the self-work.  Sign up for therapy.  Do yoga. Record your dreams.  Read uplifting books.  Catch yourself in negative thinking.  You must do the work!  They say depression is anger turned inward.  Consider that in a big way and how pointless and destructive that is.  Journal your butt off!  Acknowledge your feelings, and allow yourself to feel them no matter how uncomfortable they may be.  Go through the ugly in order to get to the other side.

Look.  I’m not going to promise that feng shui can “cure” your depression entirely, but it can get you in the right direction, because when you make changes in your environment, especially with the intention of getting to the root of your depression or any other issue, you are sending powerful messages to your subconscious.   Miracles in the form of ah-ha moments, “lucky” synchronistic situations, and full-blown breakthroughs will begin to occur.  There will be moments that make you uneasy and times when you don’t want to clear the clutter or paint the room.  Do it anyway.   Even a teeny-tiny change can shift a person out of the funk and onto a clearer and happier path. 

It’s up to you!