Fire and Earth Join Together Today!

Vibrant Flowers

There is a steady flow of fire and earth today in the forecast. Yin earth takes the lead as the heavenly stem. This is a receptive and nourishing quality that is available to you as you move through your tasks today. It's also a good time to reach out to others, as they will be glad to assist you in any way they can. It's also important to have a clear idea of how you are going to plan out your day. Write down what you need to accomplish, make clear and concise decisions, and stick to your approach. 

The afternoon hours move into the energy of fire. Take care of public matters including PR work or marketing themes you may have been working on. Keep the passion burning for your vision and goals. If something isn't working or in alignment with your vision, then make the change today.

The combination of earth and fire evokes a more level-headed manner to your work today. Definitely  err on the side of caution when finalizing any decision. Don't let others change your mind or your approach. Stick to your plan and run with it.

Other Areas of Focus Today:

• Secure networking contacts as there is potential for new business venture. The combination of trigrams really bodes well for long-term outcome.
• There is a trigger to financial gain today but does require honing in on marketing tactics. Make changes where necessary, as this is the theme that runs for the entire day - goals, vision and marketing!
• Partnership is strong for financial gain as well. Once again, the focus must be on marketing tactics. 

Enjoy your day!
Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Water - Water - Water!

Monterosso, Italia

This photo always brings back wonderful memories from our trip to  Italy. Monterosso is in the province of La Spezia. It is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre. The scenery was simply amazing, the hiking challenging, and the water was so inviting.

Water is such a nourishing and soothing element. It is contemplative, introspective, communicative,  and adaptable. In today's forecast, water sits upon water. Therefore, it behooves us to capture the qualities of this element in our daily affairs. 

The quality of the water elements combining today is about helping others. However, it is important to know your boundaries when doing so, otherwise you can be taken advantage of. You may also find this combination is calling you to engage in outdoor activities and/or socializing with friends, colleagues or family members. Before doing so, make sure you finish your work. Be diligent as details matter today.

Additional Areas of Focus:

• There is a strong urge to figure out if you on the right path in life. Are you doing what you want to be doing for the next 10, 20 or 30 years? Devote some time today to figure that out.
• Is there a contact who is essential in putting forth new business? If so, it is time to reach out and discuss options.
• Take the lead in partnerships today. The combination of energy is strong for financial success. However, there is a definite correlation to networking contacts for this to happen.
• Strong resources for short-term income that has potential for long-term investments. This does require redirection of financial goals including redistribution of assets.

Daily Tip: 

Clean out any water features in and around your home. This means cleaning out the fish bowl, water fountain or outdoors pond or pool. Clean water attracts vibrant energy!

Om!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl -www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Working Today's Energy Patterns

Japanese Gardens Oregon

This is a day to delve in and run with your mission. Fire rising allows you to take advantage and carve out your new nitche. Get to the planning board and play around with some ideas. You may want to call in a few close friends to assist you in the process. You'll do much better with a group approach rather than doing it alone. Make sure you spend some time with family today as well. Plan a nice dinner without interruptions.

Other Areas to be Mindful of Today:

• Stick with the planning stage of new ventures rather than actually unveiling them. There are way too many decisions to make that require clarity. The central star is just not reliable when it comes to making sound decisions today.
• Continue your networking process today. Hone in on those who can offer you good advice. Seek a mentor if need be.  
• Keep your vision and goals aligned with your actions. It is too easy to be derailed today. Slow and steady is the pace to strive for.
• Research is essential in your process today. The more you can gather right information, the greater financial results.
• Partnership/relationships are in good alignment today. Working closely with those your trust elicits great results!
• Pay attention to detail with any real estate dealings. Avoid signing a contract today, as the tendency is for something to go wrong.
• In terms of exercise today, stick with a slower moving yoga class or relaxing walk through the park.
• Include some wood and earth foods in your diet today. Citrus, greens, quinoa, beans and mushrooms are a few examples. 

Enjoy working with the energetic combinations for today!

Om...

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

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May - The Energy of Two-Earth

May flowers 

I'm thankful for April showers, as my deck is filled with beautiful May flowers. 

This month the energy of two earth takes front and center. It's a time to stick to routine and accumulate resources for a new venture. Try not to start anything grand just yet, as the tendency liens towards struggles and conflict. New friends or relationships may arise, while old ones fade away.  The lesson here is to closely consider who you are choosing to be a part of your inner circle.

The energy of two - earth, also referred to as the trigram Kun, reaches a stage of maturity.  Perseverance and even stubbornness are qualities you can expect to encounter this month. On the flip-side, however, two-earth also elicits a gentle kind energy that helps to offset the harsher qualities. Kun is the primal mother, and as such, there is a natural tendency to take on a nurturing role this month. 

Environment:

Two-earth strives for order and balance in the surrounding environment. Therefore, make it a point this month to clear out the old to make room for the new. This will require hard work and focus, two traits that are readily available from this earth energy. 

I suggest starting from the outdoors to make your changes in the environment. Two-earth literally represents the planet earth and its' soil. You'll want to be mindful of recycling, composting and incorporating rockery, fresh mulch and soil into your landscape and gardening projects. Enroll a friend or two to assist you in the process. Two-earth loves partnering with others rather taking on the task solo. Furthermore, since two-earth is generally not an energy that initiates, it behooves you to follow its strong partnering energy.

If your indoor environment is in need of order, then alternate days working outdoors to indoors. This will keep the energy moving at a steady pace, which is so important for two-earth. Furthermore, by opening up energy in the internal environment, it will give you the motivation needed to move forward.

Relationships:

Two-earth is all about your relationships. It's a perfect month to spend time nurturing them. Go out to dinner with that special someone. Plan a day with your friends, your children or the entire family. Hit the "do not disturb" button on your phone, and keep your focus on those who mean the world to you.

Foods:

Two-earth prefers earth and fire foods such as beans, potatoes, mushrooms, chicory, endive and asparagus, to name a few. Try to incorporate these foods into your menu this month to absorb earth and fire energy; two elements that work side-by-side.  

Other Areas of Concern:

When two-earth is the highlight trigram for the month, the remaining trigrams move to different positions. On a very basic level, we are able to see how other aspects of our life take on this moving energy. Here are some things to consider:

• When it comes to family this month, you'll want to be clear with your goals. Bring some clarity to your direction, especially for the upcoming summer months.
• Long-term planning for finances is especially important this month. Partner up with your financial planner to review your portfolio. 
• Heed advice from mentor when it comes to your personal goals this month. You'll need to make sound decisions, so make sure you take advantage of your meditation time this month.
• Resources are readily available to you this month. It does require the assistance of a partner, or someone you trust. 
• Spend time with creative projects or simply reading at your leisure this month.
• Hold off on trying to start something new, as you may hit a brick wall in trying to get it started. Instead, do your research and communicate effectively what you are trying to do.
• Be mindful on the job of undermining female energy this month. Hold off on sharing any ideas with others, especially with your co-workers.

Feeling Grounded:

Earth is the most grounding of all the elements. To capitalize on this quality, take time this month for quiet meditation. The northeast sector is the best energy to assist with your meditation practice. Set up an area where you will not be disturbed and plan to remain quiet for at least 20 minutes. This will have a tremendous impact on how you navigate your day and week. A good chant to capture the root base chakra, which is associated with the element of earth, is LAM (pronounced LUM). You can repeat this sound throughout your meditation to awaken the root. As a result, you will feel more grounded, safe, secure and connected to others. You'll also alleviate the fear of scarcity.

Yoga Poses:

Any standing yoga pose bodes well to engage the pranic roots through your feet. When we root down through our feet the ability to rise upwards significantly increases. The root-to-rise effect balances our earthly desires with our heavenly aspirations. There is a natural balance that occurs between the yin side (ida - receptive), and yang side (pingala - active). Here are a few poses to consider this month:

• Mountain Pose
• Warrior 1
• Warrior 2
• Tree Pose

Happy Two-Earth Month...

Live Consciously! 

Mary Jane

Tips for Your Feng Shui Thursdays!

Let's talk about natural accents. It's amazing how you can find harmony in nature's own palette. "Nature's first green is gold, " wrote the American poet Robert Frost in his 1923 ode to the fleeting natural world. Gold is the element of metal, and a perfect accent for the metal portents of west and northwest, or the water portent of north. Making subtle adjustments to your décor is an excellent way to celebrate the simplicity and oneness with the outdoors. Here are some examples of how you can invite mother nature inside.

• Seashells or starfish placed in a decorative glass bowl and placed in the north portent is a lovely way to accent the element of water. It's always important to be mindful of where you are positioning actual water, so this is a great way to infuse the element virtually. 
• Macramé wall art unframed or framed. This is a fabulous way to infuse texture into your décor. 
• Bleached wood accent table. The lighter finish puts the focus on subtler natural details like the wood's grain and helps to keep key pieces together harmoniously.
• Hand woven natural fiber area rug. Working with natural fibers improves air quality.
• Accent metal tray for coffee table is a great focal point while activating the qualities of clarity and focus.
• Florals rich in color will naturally increase the energy (chi) within the environment. 

Use one or two statement objects to attract the eye in a muted setting. Perhaps hammered bowl or vase that work together to refract light and cast a golden hue into polished surfaces like marble and glass. If you have an open space, add touchable textures such as a decorative throw or woven wall art.
When you work with the accents of nature in décor, you invite harmony into your life. From the words of John Muir; "Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees."

Live Consciously!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl!

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Refreshing Day of Energy!

I love a refreshing energy day. It's a day that supports positive endeavors that promotes abundant return. It's important to be in alignment with your goals and visions on a refreshing energy day to gain the full benefits.

Metal is the active element for the morning hours. Therefore, it is best to approach your tasks with a well thought out plan. Create a check-list of all the things you need to accomplish today. Use your intuition in the process. If you are delegating tasks, make certain your instructions are clear and concise. In addition, make certain you are mindful of your communication tactics.

The afternoon hours move into the energy of the ox. Therefore, be prepared to roll up your sleeves and dig into some real work. There is a tendency to shoulder the plough; however, it may be more productive to let others assist you. You'll be determined however to take on the full load, but don't become annoyed if you think others are not doing their share.

Additional Energy Patterns:

It behooves to you take note of the following areas to gain the most out of your day.

• Reach out to those who have assisted you in the past when it comes to navigating new opportunities. They may have a new business venture or approach to what you are presently doing. It is worth the reconnection.
• Whatever you have been working on needs clarity. Revisit your intention and goals and see if you can refine your approach.
• Decide where you can infuse a creative aspect to your current project or business model. Infuse the element of "outside the box" thinking. It will pay off ten-fold and people will love it!

Overall, the energy is fantastic today. Rich resources are available to all. Take advantage of it and move through your work and projects with enthusiasm and gusto!

Mary Jane - feng shui yoga girl

Farm to Table Garden

Fun Farm to Table Garden

This is the cutest farm to table local garden. Today, while I was doing some errands, I stumbled onto this cute garden. It has great feng shui! 

The owner of the restaurant uses all organic ingredients grown in this charming garden.  Without realizing it, this restaurant owner incorporated  feng shui principles. Let's take a look.

Varying Heights:

I always suggest my clients incorporate varying heights in their landscape and garden designs. This gives the eye room to roam. Furthermore, it is fantastic to encourage energy to flow and keep the garden fresh.

Mixed Materials:

This is another great feature to this garden and definitely a feng shui plus. If your contemplating designing a garden or landscape area on your property, choose multiple materials to include in the design. There is a mixture of metal  and wooden containers to hold plants and vegetables. Different materials give off varied vibrations and add to the garden experience.

Seating:

There are several areas in this relatively small garden for people to sit and enjoy nature. This is fabulous as it allows the body to rest while activating the sensory system, including scent, sight, sound and of course taste with a delicious farm to table meal.

Barriers:

There are several places in the garden with natural landscape barriers that successfully contain this garden oasis from a busy roadway and parking lot. The evergreen archway is a wonderful way to attract people to come and enjoy the garden views. 

Enjoy!
MaryJane Fengshui Yoga Girl: www.fengshuiyoganj.com

FeelingTangled up?

Photo by Mary Jane Kasliner

I was walking at my favorite park the other day and was drawn to this particular tree and decided to take a photograph of it. My first impression was how dynamic and intricate the vines wrapped around the tree branches. From a feng shui perspective, I thought how these flowing vines represented the element of water. It occurred to me how nature itself is introspective. It was as if this tree was trying to tell those who pass by to spend time to move inward and discover your authenticity.

Lap three around the lake, I found myself having an internal discussion about how the elements of water and wood were meeting in this tree to support creative expression. In other words, this tree decided to take on a very creative and authentic appearance by its growth pattern. These are discussions that are very familiar to me as a feng shui teacher. Since 2005, I have trained many students in the practice and theories of feng shui. One of my favorite classes in my curriculum is the five elements. I explore all aspects of these elements including their nuclear strand. Okay, I'm a bit of a type "A" when it comes to my work. 

In 2011, my husband and I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was on that trip I really moved into the workings behind the wisdom of elements in nature. This came to me during meditations while hiking through Olympic National Park. As a result of my meditations, I decided to write my third book, Mother Nature and Bridge to Conscious Living.  It never seizes to amaze me how nature speaks to us if we are willing to take the time to listen. 

Getting back to my tree photo that I took during my walk through the park; my intention was to post it immediately on my Instagram page. However, something inside me said to wait. After returning from visiting a client this morning, I decided it would be a good idea to post my tree photo with a short blog. When I uploaded the image from my phone to my blogger post, my impression of the image changed. It looked as though everything was all tangled in the tree. Then it hit me, most of the time we let our busy schedules get in the way of seeing things for what they truly are. It was clear to me that while I was in the park, my senses were heightened to the elements of nature. I really became present in that moment to absorb the quality and vibration of the outdoor environment. There were no distractions, and that is when the tree pulled me into its energy field. This is when my impression of this tree was one of creative expression. The moral of my tree story is to take time everyday and just be in the moment. There is so much more you can see and understand as a result.

Om!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl!

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Tune in to the Energy for Today!

Arcadia National Park

Lots of earth quality for today with the yin earth stem above the earth oxen branch. This sets up for a great deal of stability and reliability, which is extremely helpful if you need to make important decisions today. The element of earth is most noted by its ability to provide a strong foundation. There is a sense of security, nourishment and love when you feel supported. Today, offer that nourishment and love to those most in need. It is a day to "receive," so why not be the one to offer this support to others. You will receive plenty in return.

Additional Areas of Focus:

Looking at the energy of the trigrams today, there are a few notables areas to consider:

• There is a terrific combination when it comes to relationships. This is a perfect day to play hooky with your significant other and have some fun! It is also a good day to join ideas with your business partner or your clients.
• Those who are Realtors, you have a great combination to work with today in sales. Move forward with contract signings and new listings!
• Ask family member or elder for career advice. You'll be happy you did, as it will ultimately lead to long-term benefits and bring clarity for your future goals and aspirations.

Areas to be Mindful of:

• Overall, there is an arguing energy between mother and eldest son today. For you moms out there with sons, take two steps back before reacting to a situation that can easily be resolved.
• If you are networking today there is tension that exist between older male and younger female. If this is a scenario that sounds familiar to you, you are better off rescheduling your meeting for better results.
• Tension exist when it comes to ales and marketing today. This can have a negative impact for reputation. Take time to review approach and hold off setting things into motion today. Take the weekend to review your approach and start fresh next week.

Enjoy the energy profile today and work it out the best way for you!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl

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Time for the Outdoors!

Finally, the weather here on the east coast is warming up; and when that happens, we  look to spend more time outdoors. Just like the indoor environment, the outdoors need attention and design to navigate chi to flow freely. Here is the short list to get you started with your own natural environment, the area around your home.

Use Your Intuition:

A certain amount of intuition is always good to help you identify problem areas around your property. For example, an area that always seems to be stagnate would bode well by infusing some yang chi such has a bird bath, or bird feeder. The activity created by life force will help to restore balance in this overly yin segment of the property.

You might want to consider how you prefer to navigate your property in terms of directions. It is very helpful to simply extend the directional points from your floor plans right out to your property to give you ideas of landscape choices. For example, it might be a good idea to create a butterfly garden in the southern portion of the yard. This is a wonderful fire energy to assist with the natural element of this direction.

Simple Garden Remedies:

There are many dynamics that can cause energy to move too quickly or not move at all. For example, chi may be extremely sluggish in any area that is too dark, so this can be remedied by introducing more light with the use of landscape lighting or clearing and cutting back overgrown vegetation.

Albeit nature provides beautiful sounds, areas that are stagnate in your yard can be reactivated with infused sounds from chimes or man-made water feature. This is a fabulous way to generate activity and wildlife. On the flip side of things, sometimes chi is overactive and therefore requires stillness. Placing a large heavy object such as a statue, or garden urn can work especially well and look fantastic.

When chi tends to linger in certain areas of your yard, you can encourage it by using straight paths. You can also use arches and obelisks, or by planting straight stemmed plants. Incorporating functional objects such as a sundial, or barbecue is also a great way to revive sleepy or stagnating energy.

Boundaries:

Having boundaries in your garden is very important as it gives you a way to control the energy that reaches your house. Essentially, there are two basic ways to vary the amount of energy that your boundary lets through. You can adapt the height of it via a tall fence, wall or hedge. If you want to encourage more chi from a particular direction, you can do it by lowering the boundary. For example, let's say you want to encourage chi to enter your wealth area, you might consider a low boundary with a gazing ball or bird house to pep up your finances.

You can also alter the density of your boundary. More chi flows through an open trellis verses a solid wall. If you have an open trellis and you want to slow down the movement of chi, then plant close-growing climbers up it, such as ivy or Virginia creeper.

Paths:

This is one of the most important features of almost any garden. Keep in mind straight paths encourage energy to flow down them, and to flow fast. This bodes well if you are trying to navigate chi to an overly yin (stagnate) area. If the chi is already flowing well, your paths should curve gently.

When creating pathways, mix up the materials you use. For example, in a shady area, a light colored path such as gravel will create a contrast and bring light to the area. Use darker materials for those areas that are too bright and need toning down.

Beds and Borders:

Flowerbeds can be an extremely attractive feature in any garden. Generally speaking, the edges of beds and borders should follow gentle curves rather than straight lines. Wide flowerbeds also bode better than narrow ones, with the ideal width to be between 3 and 6 feet. This of course will depend upon the proportions of your yard.

When constructing beds, consider varying heights of vegetation, as the change in height encourages chi to flow from higher to lower parts. If space permits, island beds are wonderful. They give you the opportunity to infuse lots of different materials, pathways and vegetation.

Have fun this spring restoring your yard and garden. Enjoy the essence of nature and live consciously!

Om,
Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

How to Best Work With The Energy For Today!

The element of fire is strong today as it is found in its yang form in the daily Bazi stem position, and yin form in the hidden stem of the Dog branch. With that being said, it behooves you to reconnect with your goals and vision. Make sure you are clear with your direction. Are there any changes or adjustments you need to make? If so, today is a good day to make those revisions. 

Spending some time outdoors today also bodes well for fire energy. Think about taking your break with a brisk walk through the neighborhood or local park. Exercise is a must with strong fire, as flow of chi within the body via the circulatory system and meridians naturally aligns to this element.

Fire over earth provides a free flowing quality of energy today. Therefore, you may find things just move according to plans. Stick with a check-list and move through it with grace. The combination between the stem and branch in the day pillar is excellent when it comes to meeting new people and engaging in public relations. You may find lots of ideas flowing in and out of your mind today. This is good, but stick to your goals making those adjustments where needed.

Other Areas of Focus:

• Younger male influence is beneficial when it comes to resources and financial gains. This is especially so when it comes to real estate. Heed the advice for positive outcome.
• Research, including reading and writing for future aspirations and opportunities. This comes directly from networking or mentor advice. It's worth taking the time to listen and then move to your own research for best results.
• Patriarch or mentor has beneficial perspective for eldest son when it comes to career or long-term goals approach. 

*The energy is very positive in the center of the structure today and therefore can grace all occupants. If you would like to spread that good chi, activate it with moving fire such as an essential oil diffuser. 

Om!

Maryjane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com