The Tao The Tao divides into yin and yang chi-the vital energy, made up of differing combinations of the Five Elements, the ?dragon?s breath? as it is known in Feng Shui. This ?dragon?s breath' differs in its composition, depending on which direction of the Compass it is coming from-in the same way that a Northern gale is different from a Southern breeze! The yin chi is ?feminine?-non-aggressive, yielding, receptive and is particularly found in the South West. The yang chi is ?masculine?, strong, aggressive and outgoing and can be found in the North East. Every single thing is composed of a different combination of yin and yang chi-or in terms of modern physics-negative and positive particles, charged with electro-magnetic energy. We are not solid, but revolving masses of charged particles-as is everything else---our particles react with the particles of our surroundings, if harmony is not achieved, then sparks begin to fly! The Tao is the vast ocean, composed of the ?waters? of chi, flowing in currents and eddies, into which Feng Shui masters tap. We can harmonise ourselves with the flow of the whole. We, in the modern Western World tend to categorise everything and everybody. As a result, our lives are often lived in isolation and loneliness. We have lost our feeling of Oneness with nature. Feng Shui, tai chi, meditation, yoga, chi kung and many other activities link us back into this Oneness. The movements of Tai Chi are an imitation of the movements of the Tao, the currents of chi, the twisting and turning of yin and yang. By imitating the Tao, the student becomes one with it and harmonises himself with all things. Tai chi is an oriental discipline, it has to be done totally with all one?s being. That is the way I practise Feng Shui. I dedicate myself to the Tao, I practise my Tai Chi before I set off to do a consultation. At the end of a consultation, I meditate to help the processes gel ?before? I begin my written reports. A-B-C Mind, body and soul merge in harmony during Tai Chi, in the same way they do in meditation---the best sessions of Tai Chi are often when you cannot remember doing the moves. It has to be a process where consciousness is dispersed from the mind throughout every cell of the body so that the entire being becomes pure awareness. Tai chi masters talk of ?breathing through your heels?. A-awareness, B-balance, C-control and calmness. So it is with Tai Chi. Hand, foot, breath, balance and concentration blend into each other until the individual disappears into the Void, back into the Tao--that creative nothingness. The pianist cannot think of every note as she plays it, it must simply be there. So,Feng Shui is the putting together of notes into one harmonious concerto. Leave the mind alone, leave the body alone, when we can do this, they flow with the Tao. Opposites cannot be separated. Yin strives to be yang, yang strives to be yin. We need both! Balance and harmony in all things. Flow with your nature, your simple self. You are a unique person, if you were not here the Tao would not be the Tao. The chi of your body is blending with the chi of nature. Enhance your own chi with meditation and tai chi, in the same way, enhance the chi of nature, your surroundings, by using Feng Shui. The Roots of Feng Shui Water, along with the female and the infant, is a symbol of Tai Chi. Water is a strong symbol in Taoism. Water is also used as an enhancement in Feng Shui, helping with career, health and wealth when positioned properly. Not only does the chi differ in each compass position, each chi represents different aspects of your whole life. North is career, north east is learning and knowledge, east is health, longevity and the family, south east is wealth, south is fame and public recognition, south west, physical relationships, west, the area of children, pleasure and creativity, new projects, whilst the north west is the sector of mentors, important meetings and new beginnings. Have in mind then, the importance of water in the symbolist approach within Feng Shui, where water represents prosperity and growth and remember the importance of water in early Feng Shui when sitting graves. Empty yourself of everything, so that you can be filled. Taoism and Buddhism state that extremes cannot be maintained. So it is with Feng Shui, dominance is dangerous! Go too far and you get the opposite of what you are searching for. A little medicine is good and needed, overdo it and it becomes poison. Water can be energising---overdo its use and it becomes an enemy, not a friend! In my Feng Shui work, I advise clients on what to place and where-----but, it must never be overdone. Water, overdone in bathrooms, kitchens and especially in bedrooms can be very damaging to the harmony of the environment and therefore to the A-B-C, the awareness, balance, control and calmness, the harmony of the people living in that environment. Going back to Tai Chi, the original movements were separated from each other, then at some unknown point they were joined together in a ?form?. The moves were observations of nature, the movements of water, animals, birds, snakes, trees and smoke. The same masters were observing nature for the basic rules of Feng Shui. The original moves of these exercises have been lost, no one can say what they were like. In much the same way, some of the original thoughts of Feng Shui have been shrouded in the mists of time and have developed over many centuries, sometimes into contradictions. Chi Kung and the Use of Chi Chi Kung means the cultivation of chi energy. I practise Chi Kung in movements called ?The Eight Pieces of Treasure' which are older than Tai Chi, as old as Feng Shui, older than Taoism. Throughout all Chinese history, these movements have been there, once again copied from nature and often given titles referring back to nature. Certain postures which regulate the breath and concentrate the mind are called the ?Frolics of the Five Animals?, the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and bird. The hard chi or soft chi developed can be used in martial arts and meditation respectively. Chinese medicine talks of channelled chi and it is used, in various ways, through chakra cleansing, space clearing and of course, Feng Shui. Chi Kung is standing, with feet planted firmly and performing exercises with the rest of the body, without moving your stance. You are ?earthing? your body, taking in the chi from around you. All of this ties back into Taoism, and further back before the philosophy was even called Taoism, until they were all collected together under the one philosophy. Animals and birds, as well as water, have great symbolism in Feng Shui as indeed do numbers, especially the number five which represents ?the centre? also known ,as we have learned before, as the tai chi. Yin/Yang The key word throughout it all is------- harmony, the balance of yin/ yang. As mentioned earlier, the word yin originally referred to the dark side of a hill or mountain where the sun did not reach and the word yang to the light side illuminated by the sun. As you have also read, another story says that yin yang referred to the dark side and sunlit side of a house, the tai chi being the main beam of the roof sitting between the two. In Feng Shui, the centre of the compass is often called the tai chi and is a place of very special energy flow! It is also represented by the number five, using the ?magic square? called the Lo Shu which we shall look at in detail in a future lesson. The meaning of yin and yang eventually widened in much the same way that the application of Feng Shui, once used only for gravesites, then for crops, extended out to houses and gardens, using a different form of the compass[Luo Pan] for the buildings of the living. The wider application of the terms yin and yang introduced a further sophistication-that of Wu Hsing---?the five things which are being done?--- or more simply the five elements. These five elements are moving swirls of energy, constantly changing. The five activities of water, fire, wood ,metal and earth are processes, in movement and they interact. These five elements do not so much cause something to happen as create a pattern in which something does happen! Read that sentence a few times and in it you have one of the main cores of Feng Shui. The elements, once again, are connected to the points of the compass, and the chi which is associated with each sector, as we shall soon see. Notice, there are FIVE elements, but think of them as forces rather than as solid objects. The number five fits in very well with many more things connected with Taoism and its associated ?arts', one of these being Feng Shui. There are four seasons and the balance which exists between them makes up the number to five. Wood represents things in growth, the Spring, the East; Fire, the state of maximum vitality, Summer-the South; Metal, a declining state, West, the setting sun and Autumn----- Water, in the North, a state of rest, Winter. Earth or equilibrium is the natural balance of the four----appearing in the centre of the Pa Kua(the design template placed over a plan of a house, office or garden in Feng Shui and shaped like an octagon, with a small circle at its centre.) The centre, known as the tai chi, is associated with the number five, which is the central number in the numbers 1 to 9. 1=North, 2=South West, 3=East, 4=South East, 5=Centre, 6=North West, 7=West, 8=North East and 9=South. These need to be learnt as they are also used in Chinese Astrology to determine a client?s Pa Kua numbers, their ?lucky? locations and directions. Each direction of the compass is also symbolised by an element. All the Ancient Eastern philosophies mingle and merge, all of them display the same natural truths, the same observations of the natural order of things and they all draw the same conclusions----awareness, balance and calmness. They surely cannot all be wrong! The compass points used in Feng Shui are related to the moves used in Tai Chi. The Eight Pieces of Treasure used in Chi Kung relate back to the eight compass points used in Feng Shui. The eight compass points plus the centre make nine, the number of heaven and earth combined in Taoism. I am hoping by now you are tiring of me showing you the similarities between all theses different disciplines. I would hope you are beginning to say, same mountain, different paths-and even then the paths cross many times! Connections The original name of Hsing-I Chuan, an ancient form of moving exercise similar to Tai Chi, could well have been Five Activities Boxing---- since its basic movements consist of five techniques. It describes perfectly, the Five Elements constantly in motion. Pa-Kua took its name from the eight trigrams and Tai Chi from the diagram of the Supreme Ultimate, once again all are interconnected. Tai Chi theory takes the eight trigrams and relates them to eight movements or ?gates? and subdivided these into four directions and four corners, which are all passed through during the practice of the Tai Chi exercises, or ?Form?. The movements, in all forms of Chinese exercise, were seen as a way of becoming in harmony with the universe-- with the aim of attaining health, longevity and inner tranquillity. As such, it seeks the same result as meditation, in a complementary way. Many Taoist masters have attested to the importance of physical exercise in conjunction with the practice of meditation and getting the environment right through Feng Shui. These practices began in China in prehistoric times, the vital essence of chi was known about then and-- the forces around it, the symbolic animals, shown in very ancient pottery and jewellery. Breathing techniques, for use in meditation, martial arts and Taoist ritual, have been an important subject of study in China for well over six thousand years. The Taoists, once again, were responsible for putting all the techniques together, techniques to prevent sickness, prolong youth, achieve longevity and reach their highest goal------- immortality. Even today, in the symbols of Feng Shui, these aspirations are symbolically represented in various directions and animal metaphors, immortality has ?lapsed' into the more realistic hope of longevity! Some of the movements in Tai Chi were known as--- the interplay of bird and turtle. The bird, a phoenix, symbolises the south and the turtle, the north, respectively fire and water. The east is symbolised by the green dragon, the ultimate creature of good fortune and very yang male], whilst the west is represented by the white tiger, very yin[female]. Once again, at this point, it would help to learn the different creatures and their associated compass points. Feng Shui Masters In times gone by, the Feng Shui ?master? was likely to be the old man/woman of the village, also expert at Tai Chi and meditation, practising Chinese medicine-either that or a Taoist priest. These days, a Feng Shui master/consultant is likely to be part ?hsien -sheng?(master), part interior designer and part esoteric practitioner. The Feng Shui practitioner definitely needs to know something of Taoism and Tai Chi and the basics of Chinese and Japanese philosophy,---otherwise the Feng Shui he/she performs will be cut off from its traditions and roots and merely be a hobby, a playing about with things oriental until the next fad comes along!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Soak yourself in the philosophies of China and Japan and Feng Shui will become a natural piece of the whole jigsaw puzzle and a very important, key piece, it is as well. Part of the confusion surrounding Feng Shui is the fact that it comes from all these multiple origins. There is no canonical book or almanac that can answer all of your questions on Feng Shui and there is no single school which trains the Feng Shui masters. Feng Shui has grown over many centuries by trial and error, through observation and mysticism. People in the West have now stopped trying to force the natural world to conform to the will of mankind and many are trying to live in harmony with it. This has been part of Feng Shui for thousands of years. Modern times have brought an attempt to set Feng Shui principles down in stone-but-----there is no Great Answer to tie up all the loose ends. Some practitioners set special store by using the points of the compass. Others prefer to emphasise colours, ornaments and crystals. Still more use all of these plus astrology and divination. Contradictions Because there are many competing authorities, some of the details, enhancements and cures used in Feng Shui can appear contradictory. Feng Shui began when people had a very different way of explaining the world. This is why I insist on my students getting a basic background in the philosophies that were around at the time, that they know a little of Tai Chi and Chi Kung and that they are aware of meditation and its many methods. My students then become aware of the thinking of the Ancient Chinese and how the symbolism and metaphor of Feng Shui fits in with this thinking. There are four main schools of Feng Shui, two of which I consider to be the ancient, traditional ones, Form School, using the Landscape, hills, water and valleys--- and Compass School, using the compass directions. Added to these two there are two schools of Black Hat Feng Shui, an Eastern and a Western school, both of which claim to have their origins deep within the mysteries of Tantric Buddhist practice. The Black Hat schools are very popular in America and rely a great deal of the intuitive qualities of the practitioner. Modern thought often reaches the same conclusions as Feng Shui, in the same way that yin yang can now be explained in terms of quantum physics. Social geography tells us that farming communities like to face south because their crops get more sunlight. Large companies spend huge sums of money on time-and-motion-studies to increase their workers' productivity only to reach the same conclusions as the ancient Feng Shui manuals. Feng Shui cannot be seen in isolation, but must be viewed along the Oriental philosophies with which it has so much in common. Meditation One of the strong connections with all these philosophies, which has echoes through into Feng Shui is meditation. Focusing the mind to bring peace and harmony into your mind and body has always been the basis of meditation. People have been trying to ?focus the mind? for thousands of years. Meditation is involved in all of the major religions and philosophies----- and certainly, as we have seen, it occupies a strong place in Indian, Chinese and Zen Japanese] Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Native American traditions and Taoism. But there are essential differences to be noted. In Buddhism, the real world does not exist-it is called ?Maya?, meaning illusion. In Taoism however, the real world definitely exists and is made up of yin and yang and the five moving elements of earth, fire, metal, wood and earth. Meditation, whatever you believe, is there to help you cope better with the ?outside world' and also to improve your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being. It is the sitting form of Tai Chi. Meditation masters all agree----the first thing you need to change in order to change your life is----- your mind!! Your mind controls everything and so everything else follows. Reality and Perception This article, you will be pleased to read[!], will not go into great detail about the techniques of meditation-although, if you wish, you can spend time doing that and you can learn simple visualisation methods and discover how to meditate. We basically create our own reality, through our perceptions of the world and these perceptions of the world and how we feel about ourselves and our environment are very important in the practice of Feng Shui. Meditation helps us to clear these perceptions and in so doing reduces stress and problem exaggeration. Meditation is a practice which, across all the traditions, is intended to still the turbulence of our outer and inner lives. It brings Awareness, Balance and Calmness remember A-B-C]. It creates harmony between the individual and his or her social and spiritual world. It brings stillness, understanding, freedom and tranquillity. In China and Japan and to a certain extent in India through Vashtu, the building of holy buildings using the compass points)-it is linked with Feng Shui or Inyodo as it is known in Japan-meaning ?the way of yin and yang.? Meditation is Being----be---ing, not doing! It is a method of learning to be---- without attachment, greed's, desires, aggressions or guilt's. Meditation takes us deeply into the world of metaphor and symbol. Like Feng Shui, the basics are decorated with beautiful imagery to help the mind cope with the vastness of it all. In meditation, we work with the breath, the breath is made up of chi and the chi flows round the body in the same way that chi flows round your house or garden in meandering streams of good energy. In Tai Chi, in meditation, as in Feng Shui------we are trying to trap, to enhance, to use the chi around us and in us. Breathing in meditation is the starting point and remains the most important focus right the way through into Tantric meditation and Vajrayana (these are special, quick--- yet very difficult forms of meditation.) Focusing the mind IS the basis of meditation. The Mind! The mind is infinite-there are no boundaries, no limits, no walls! All that exists, exists within the mind. Unlike the brain, which is the instrument of the mind, the mind has no form-it cannot be measured or separated from its host. It is intangible, abstract. The mind is part of the Oneness, the whole, the way, the infinite. As individuals, each one a part of the Tao, each, it would seem, possesses an infinite mind containing all that exists. In fact, there is only ONE mind, one infinite, all embracing mind--- and we are all part of it-?becoming and unbecoming?. It is this great, one mind that is the provider of all chi which is tapped into when we use Feng Shui to enhance our gardens, homes and businesses. Feng Shui is using chi, as the Chinese say,' harnessing the dragon?s breath?. Chi-containing yin and yang and the five moving energies, the five basic elements---earth, wood, fire, water and metal. Chi produces specific patterns of movement, the meandering, moving rivers of vibrations which result in the countless balanced systems of interacting currents-energy, electric magnetic energy, the movements of chi used in Feng Shui.By using Feng Shui you can learn how to trap and use this chi, how to prevent it rushing away from you and how to prevent it from stagnating! Ancient Symbolism of Animals Red is redder, water is wetter and mud is muddier! The world is how we perceive it, how we react to it. Awareness, Balance and Calmness/Control enable you to see the world in a different way. By using the chi energies within you and around you, harmony is achieved. Chi produces specific patterns of movement which results in the countless balanced systems of interacting currents, ?becoming and unbecoming?-energy, electric magnetic energy, the meandering movements of Sheng Chi the?dragon?s breath' used in Feng Shui. Four Celestial Animals There is an ancient saying in Chinese, First, luck, Second, destiny, Third, Feng Shui Fourth, virtues and Fifth, education. Feng Shui is a powerful force which can help to shape our lives, but it is not a panacea. Person Luck Merit] and Karma, as mentioned in the two previous lessons, play a major role as well. This should always be remembered when dealing with Feng Shui. It cannot create miracles, although saying that, it often seems to by producing positive attitudes out of bleakness. Feng Shui allows us to put ourselves within our immediate surroundings to the best possible advantage. The positive energies of our environment can be enhanced and nurtured then the negative ones reduced. One of the most important ways of doing this is by harnessing the power, the symbolism of what are called the ?Four Celestial Animals?. The whole of the universe and all the things inside it are continuously throbbing with the energies of the natural chi which is flowing through it. In the Landscape School of Feng Shui, also known as the Form School, practitioners will try to find the most auspicious places for someone to live so that they will be flowing in harmony with the Tao, the Universal Chi. They do this by looking at the land formations around the property, garden or commercial premises. Symbolism in Feng Shui has already been mentioned in these articles. The symbolism comes through from prehistory into Taoism and Buddhism. The Four Celestial Animals belong to this symbolism. The dragon, the tiger, the turtle and the phoenix are essential to your basic knowledge, both for the rules of Form School and Compass School Feng Shui. Dragon The dragon is the most powerful symbol in Chinese history and tradition. The whole of the landscape is very often described in terms of a dragon?s body. Dragons live in mountain ranges. They will not live in flat or desert landscapes. Dragons are the ultimate representation of good luck, bringing prosperity and abundance. You can have water dragons, earth dragons, sky dragons, celestial dragons and Imperial dragons. Your left hand side is known as your dragon side. This would bring into the property and garden the positive influence of the dragon. Hills will also slow down rushing chi into a more moderate flow. The dragon is thought of as a strongly Yang, male symbol. Its energy is growing, lively and strong. Dragons with three toes or four toes are friendlier than the five toed Imperial dragon, which really should only be used by the Emperor and his family. Incidentally, the Imperial dragon was given his extra toe so that he could show how intelligent he was. The fifth toe enabled him to read, by being able to turn the pages of a book and write, being able to hold a pen! The hills to the east side of a property should always be slightly higher than those to the right. Those to the right symbolise the tiger. The tiger is dangerous, so very unpredictable and should always be kept under control and never be allowed to dominate. The dragon protects, brings luck and success and is the ?divine bringer of storms' which clears stale and stagnant air. It is said that the dragon is most powerful in the centre of a room the tai chi], but he will bring fortune anywhere. Tiger The tiger?s power should always be second to that of the dragon. She symbolises protection, but is very unpredictable and can be dangerous when roused. I usually recommend that no images of the tiger are needed in a property, since her power there will already be extremely strong. A tiger?s power must be contained. Tiger hills, to the right of the property, if possible, when looking out of the front door need to be lower and more rounded than dragon hills. Dragons are male, tigers are female[Yin]. . The dragon and the tiger always co-exist .When there is a position for the dragon, there will always be a position for the tiger, so there is no need to use tiger imagery at all. She is already present! In China, the tiger is known as the King of the Mountain. Ancient Chinese soldiers used to have a tiger painted on their shields, bringing her ferocious spirit to help them. The tiger has always been a symbol of bold, brave leadership. The tiger likes to lead and does not follow orders easily. Amber jewellery is a wonderful protector and is known as ?the soul of the Tiger?. It is especially good for anyone finding themselves the victim of a bully! A lovely story, older than Feng Shui, about the White Tiger and the Green Dragon is that they were said to have mated and so produced abundant amounts of special cosmic chi. The special place where this happens is called Cheng Lung Pak Fu. Turtle/Tortoise There is no differentiation between a turtle and a tortoise in Chinese, they use the same word for both. A turtle is the symbol of the North, which has the Pa Kua number 1. He symbolises support, self reliance, stability and longevity, and from Ancient Chinese Taoism, the Dark Warrior. Low, rounded hills, shaped like a turtle shell symbolises the turtle. In Chinese and Japanese gardens, a turtle island is a lucky shaped rock to have near the edge of a pool. It is best if the rock is discovered in a turtle shape, rather than being' constructed?! The perfect place for Turtle hills are at the back of a property, like the headrest of an armchair. The turtle of the North is linked with winter and the colours of black and dark blue. Water is also associated with the North, bringing in wealth and abundance connected with career. He is one of the most sacred animals of China and rose deep from the waters of the Yellow river carrying magical symbols on his back. There is a story within the legends of Taoism which states that the Tortoise[turtle]had forgotten the Eight Rights and Wrongs, so its image in the West is said to help to make naughty children behave, but in the Southwest, the earth mother corner, it will make the lady of the house misbehave!!!!!!!!! A turtle ornament or picture in the North West is said to help with virility and impotence. Turtle images are always made more powerful if water is added, either real or a representation in the form of anything coloured blue, or a small octagonal mirror beneath him not a Pa Kua mirror, which should only be used outside]. Phoenix The phoenix is the final celestial animal. It represents the South, Pa Kua number 9, the number of fullness and perfection, its element being fire. It is a symbol of opportunity and its colour is red. It represents the season of summer, the season of warmth. The dragon was the symbol of the Emperor and the phoenix is the symbol of the Empress. She symbolises a life of fame, public recognition and reputation and is always very important to anyone involved in the public eye, especially show business. The phoenix has been found drawn on very ancient Chinese pottery and has always symbolised great opportunities! Low, small hills at the front of a property are the perfect place for the phoenix, looking like a footstool in front of an armchair! The phoenix symbolises all the good things about a human being?s personality like truth, virtue, loyalty, love and honesty. She is also said to signify a life of ease and luxury. In Chinese legend, the body of the phoenix symbolises the five human qualities, the head is virtue, the wings, duty, the back is correct behaviour, the breast-humanity and the stomach---reliability. She is the female, nurturing symbol, although sometimes represented by a cockerel or pheasant. The phoenix only appears on the earth in times of great wealth and is said to grant long happiness and happy marriages. As well as the South, she also can be used in the South West in pairs. Too much phoenix imagery around the house/office/garden may encourage too much passivity and ?giving in to others?, leading to a feeling of not being appreciated. Cosmic Breath You have read much no doubt about the concept of chi and through these articles, read how its ideas have permeated all of the ancient Eastern philosophies. The flow of good chi is called Sheng Chi, the dragon?s breath--whereas bad, stale or rushing chi is known as Shar[or Sha ]Chi----?killing arrows?. Straight, vertical lines as in corners, lamp posts, straight paths and edges bring Shar Chi rushing through. Legends in China and Japan say that demons only travel in straight lines--this is why, curves, soft edges and meandering lines should be encouraged. Incidentally, demons cannot jump either and this, symbolically, is why front doors and porch/hall areas should always be at least one step up into the house! Where the dragon?s breath can be encouraged, trapped and used, where a permanent circulating pool can be built up, good fortune, health and prosperity will surely follow. The interactions of the five elements ?becoming and unbecoming? will help this to happen. Earth, wood, fire, water and metal, all can be carefully controlled and used to accumulate ?chi? the dragon?s breath, by manipulation of the environment, the Celestial Animals--bringing good ?earth luck'. The Western explanation of luck explains nothing. ?He is a ?lucky' person?, we say. Feng Shui helps to explain why he is a lucky person. Even the word ?luck' then has a different meaning in the philosophies of the East compared to our everyday use in the West. It makes us see as well why Sheng Chi, good chi, the dragon?s breath, should be encouraged and helped, why Shar Chi' killing arrows? or stagnant chi should be spotted and destroyed. Sheng Chi is good and helpful to have around and brings with it a feeling of harmony, of Awareness-Balance-Calmness, Control.. Being alive and aware, in harmony with your surroundings can bring good feelings and lets us know when a place feels intuitively ?nice? or ?nasty?!! A positive attitude to the world and to life in general allows opportunities to be grabbed and used. It also allows us to get through very bad times without too much damage. The value of Feng Shui is just as important now as it was 6000 years ago in the countryside of Ancient China---perhaps more so, with all the pressures and stresses we have to put up with. All aspects of your life can be enhanced, all opportunities can be brought within reach. Using Feng Shui will bring better luck, followed by better ?richness? of life in general. Paul Darby is a feng shui expert, a registered consultant with the Feng Shui Society(UK), who travels all over advising individuals and companies on homes, gardens and offices. = Qi (Chi) Qi is a fundamental concept of everyday Chinese culture, most often defined as "air" or "breath" (for example, the colloquial Mandarin Chinese term for "weather" is tiān qi, or the "breath of heaven") and, by extension, "life force" or "spiritual energy" that is part of everything that exists. References to qi or similar philosophical concepts as a type of metaphysical energy that sustains living beings are used in many belief systems, especially in Asia. Philosophical conceptions of qi date from the earliest recorded times in Chinese thinking. One of the important early figures in Chinese mythology is Huang Di or the Yellow Emperor. He is often considered a culture hero who collected and formalized much of what subsequently became known as traditional Chinese medicine. Although the concept of qi has been very important within all Chinese philosophies, their descriptions of qi have been varied and conflicting. The etymological meaning of the qi ideogram in its traditional form qi is "qi steam rising from rice as it cooks" (source: Wenlin dictionary), which could be interpreted as the indicating the link between matter and the energy it develops. Matter and energy are said merely to be different states of the same fundamental substance. One significant difference has been the question of whether qi exists as a force separate from matter, if qi arises from matter, or if matter arises from qi. Some Buddhists and Taoists have tended toward the second belief, with some Buddhists in particular tending to believe that matter is an illusion. By contrast, the Neo-Confucians criticized the notion that qi exists separate from matter, and viewed qi as arising from the properties of matter. Most of the theories of qi as a metaphor for the fundamental physical properties of the universe that we are familiar with today were systematized and promulgated in the last thousand years or so by the Neo-Confucians. Knowledge of the theories they espoused was eventually required by subsequent Chinese dynasties to pass their civil service examinations. Qi in traditional Chinese medicine Theories of traditional Chinese medicine assert that the body has natural patterns of qi associated with it that circulate in channels called meridians in English. Symptoms of various illnesses are often seen as the product of disrupted or unbalanced qi movement through such channels (including blockages), or imbalances of qi, in the various Zang Fu organs. Traditional Chinese Medicine seeks to relieve these imbalances by adjusting the flow of qi in the body using a variety of therapeutic techniques. Some of these techniques include herbal medicines, special diets, physical training regimens (qigong), massages to clear blockages, and acupuncture, which uses fine metal needles inserted into the skin to reroute or balance qi. Traditional Asian martial arts also discuss qi. For instance, internal systems attempt to cultivate and direct qi during combat as well as to ensure proper health. Many other martial arts include some concept of qi in their philosophies. The nature of qi is highly controversial, and the old controversy among Chinese philosophy as to the nature of qi still exists. Among some TCM practitioners, qi is merely a metaphor for biological processes similar to the Western concept of the soul, and there is no need to invoke new biology, much less new physics, to account for its effects. Others argue that qi involves some new physics or biology. Attempts to directly connect qi with some scientific phenonomena have been attempted since the mid-nineteenth century. The philosopher Kang Youwei believed that qi was synonymous with the later abandoned concept of lumeniferous ether. In the early 21st century, attempts have been made to link the concept of qi to biophotons or inner biological energy flow. As of yet, science considers these claims of qi as an independent force to be unconvincing. Claims that control of qi allows one to transcend normal physical and biological processes are widely regarded as pseudoscience by the scientific establishment. There is also controversy between different groups which claim to work with qi for various purposes. Views of qi as an esoteric force tend to be more prominent in the West, where it has sometimes been associated with New Age spritualism. These views are less prominent in China, where traditional Chinese medicine is often practiced and considered effective, but in which esoteric notions of qi are considered to contradict Marxist notions of dialectic materialism. Many traditional martial arts schools also eschew a supernatural approach to the issue, identifying "external qi" or "internal qi" as representative of the varying leverage principles used to improve the efficacy of a well trained, healthier than normal body with a given work load. Some complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches not only assume its existence but believe that the purported subtle energy running through and surrounding the body can be manipulated so as to cultivate increased physical, psychological and spiritual health. Acupuncture along with other practices of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ayurveda and many other traditional disciplines worldwide provide examples of similar beliefs. Properly funded, conducted and repeated empirical research is necessary to determine if the success rate of these CAM approaches is due to the existence of subtle energy, the placebo effect, and/or various other factors. Skeptically minded followers of the scientific method have to assume the possibility that the results claimed by martial arts students and patients of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners can be explained without invoking esoteric or supernatural processes. In answer, most proponents of the effects of the cultivation of qi maintain that since modern scientific technologies have to this point been unable to create life out of organic chemicals in their laboratories, and that as qi is a metaphor for the energy of life itself, it is to be thereby demonstrated that the mechanisms of how the subject of such a metaphor would work so far elude the abilities of the scientific community to describe. Opponents argue that qi is merely a form of vitalism, a theory that was largely abandoned in the early 19th century. The concept of qi appears often in Chinese fiction, in which a stock character is that of the kung fu master who has gained control of qi, to the point that he can alter the forces of nature. This character has entered Western consciousness through the martial arts film. Many have also remarked on the similarity between the concept of qi and that of the fictional Jedi's Force in the Star Wars movies, and have suggested that George Lucas may have borrowed the concept. There are qigong masters who claim to be able to manipulate their students from a distance with qi. Romanization Qì is the pinyin romanisation of what is sometimes transliterated, using the older Wade-Giles romanisation, as ch'i (and frequently mis-spelled as chi). The Japanese form is ki while the Korean form is gi. = Yin & Yang Yin and Yang is at the heart of Feng Shui and Chinese philosophy and are used to compare everything that exists in our lives. The terms are often described as complementary but opposite states. Balancing Yin and Yang encourages the flow of Ch'i around the living spaces. "Yin" as a word conveys the secret, dark, passive and female side of the universe whilst "Yang" is a word that includes everything overt, bright, active and masculine. This concept can be applied to almost everything - day and night, bright and dark, active and passive, male and female. Feng Shui teaches us that yang compliments yin and vice versa. Colours If we speak of a room needing to more Yang, hot, positive colours should be applied - reds, yellows and oranges. In a Yin room such as a bedroom, cool, passive colours like blues or purples are needed. Rooms are often yin and yang or various reasons. Yin and Yang Symbols Yin and Yang is often represented by the Taoist tai ch'i symbol, showing a circle while the shaded section represents Yin energy whilst the lighter section represents Yang. Within each section there is a circle of the opposite energy. This emphasises the principle that nothing is totally yin and nothing is totally yang. Yin can also be symbolised by a broken line while yang is symbolised by an unbroken line. Examples of Yin and Yang in Everyday Life I've seen Yin and Yang be applied to facial features: Yin - cleft on tip of nose, parted front teeth, cleft chin Yang - eyes that are close together, narrow & deep-set slanted eyebrows towards bridge of nose, strong/pronounced cheekbones To occupations: Yin - teaching, writing, research Yang - business, sales, sports Yin and Yang for the Home For the Home - Enhance Yin with a relaxing and warm decor, soft furnishings. - The bedroom needs to be calm as energy is restored through sleep. - Yang electrical items such as Tv's, stereos and work related machines should be avoided. - Candles in the main living area will bring in positive yang energy. - Kitchens need to be more yang because this is where the family gathers to eat. - Encourage yang energy to enter and flow well through your home by keeping your hallway uncluttered. More information on how you can apply Yin and Yang with Feng Shui will be added to the site later. Five elements In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Five Elements : wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These elements were used for describing interactions and relationships between phenomena. Five phases is another way of translating wǔxíng — literally, "five goings". Traditional Taijiquan schools relate them to footwork and refer to them as five "steps". The doctrine of five phases describes both a generating cycle and an overcoming cycle of interactions between the phases. In the generating cycle, wood generates fire; fire generates earth; earth generates metal; metal generates water; water generates wood. In the overcoming cycle, wood overcomes earth; earth overcomes water; water overcomes fire; fire overcomes metal; metal overcomes wood. The doctrine of five phases was employed in many fields of early Chinese philosophy, including seemingly disparate fields such as music, medicine, and military strategy. = Classical Feng Shui Classical Feng Shui versus Popular Feng Shui methods The true essence of Feng Shui has unfortunately often been misrepresented since its introduction to the Western world some 10 to 15 years ago. It has been a time when the clever marketing of lucky charms that promise everything from health to wealth to the perfect relationship has gone relatively unchallenged. Pick up any two books or magazines and try to make sense of the information and you will understand that Feng Shui just isn’t that simple. Much of that sold under the banner of Feng Shui would be more accurately termed energy shifting, space clearing or even goal setting. Popular Feng Shui includes information commonly available through books and magazines. It is what most people are familiar with. It encompasses relatively simple methods to create positive change in a person’s environment following some basic rules. Many of the “rules” of Popular Feng Shui are so flexible and so open to interpretation that confusion reigns for those attempting the do-it-yourself method as they move from book to book. The techniques of Popular Feng Shui combine some traditional principles of Feng Shui with spirituality and psychology. They are derived from a school of thought that your environment (be it your home, business, or office) acts as a mirror of you and your life’s circumstances. Issues such as poor health, limited finances, or relationship difficulties can be linked to corresponding structural and energy imbalances in your surroundings. Results come from giving attention to your issues or concerns with the intention of creating positive change. While many of the techniques can be quite empowering and liberating, as focus and intent wanes, however, so too do the results. Classical Feng Shui, also known as Authentic or Traditional Feng Shui has been used effectively by Feng Shui Masters for centuries. It involves a scientific, yet practical and common sense approach to the enhancement of success and good fortune to the occupants of home or building. It is both a science and an art. It can be considered a science because it relies heavily on the use of complex formulae and a specialised compass known as a Lo Pan. It is an art to be able to read the compass, to read the landscape and a building and apply these formulae. It takes time, patience, practise and an enormous amount of study to master the skills necessary to be a competent Feng Shui practitioner. Classical Feng Shui methods take into account the more subtle aspects of time, direction, room location and room function and an individual’s resonance with various aspects of the building. Through Classical Feng Shui a practitioner recognises the power of the land and therefore the significant impact the external environment can have on a property and its occupants. The power of Classical Feng Shui to support effortless change (without the need for lucky charms) needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. This deeper level of the practice can bring profound and sustained personal change. It can bring luck (better luck if you are already lucky), a sense of having enough, harmony and balance. It can bring unexpected opportunities and chances for promotion and advancement. It can bring a deeper sense of who you are. Classical Feng Shui helps you to move with the currents of change over time and to reach your true potential. = Post-modern Revival With the opening up of China to the west, principally first from Hong Kong and Macau, Feng Shui became increasingly known and also practiced by western "hongs" or trading companies to satisfy local business communities, and also to encourage luck in business. Feng Shui masters have always influenced the great buildings in Hong Kong — both for good and bad ends: the famous Bank of China Tower on Hong Kong Island, with its blade-like design, was said to be a deliberate curse upon the Government House and its British administration. Still, western scholars and new-age spiritualists rediscovered Feng Shui and led to a dramatic and often erratic revival of the practice on the North American west coast California and British Columbia from the early 1990s. Architects and landscape designers are sometimes called upon to take Feng Shui principles into account, particularly in regions and cities where there are large Chinese populations. This has increased in recent years, and can be seen as part of the wider trend towards "humanising" what is seen as the "inhuman" spaces of Modernism. Feng Shui vernacular includes: fountains, the use of curves rather than hard straight lines, alignment of entrances with the best views, natural materials, and is best seen in such buildings as the Getty Center in Los Angeles by Richard Meier which stands as the best articulation of 1990s style feng shui influence and theory on the American west coast. = Three Feng Shui Keys Love is hard to find and even harder to keep alive. As Feng Shui consultants we have come across many Feng Shui design faux pas concerning relationships. Basically, there are three major Feng Shui keys in finding that special someone and holding on to them. The first Key is to make sure you are getting a good night sleep. After all, if we are exhausted the last thing we want to do is meet people or have sex. So what?s behind a good nights sleep? Let?s begin with bed placement. Our bed should be placed in a commanding position to the doorway and placed on the North wall. This will promote relaxation and effective sleep. It is also important a headboard supports our head and the bed be placed against a wall as oppose to floating in the room or up against a window. Also, watch out for too many plants, mirrors or water fountains in the bedroom. Suffice it to say, these items do better elsewhere. Let?s not forget about the bombardment of EMF?s (electromagnetic frequencies) that are in our bedrooms. Yes, this means throw the digital alarm clock out the window, place the computer in the office, and at least put the TV behind cabinet doors. When electrical appliances are turned on they emit EMF?s from an AC current. Our bodies react to this like a bolt of lightening because we operate on a DC current. Needless to say, you can throw out the idea of a restful sleep with these EMF?s lurking in the mist. Finally, let?s talk about room direction and placement according to the Feng Shui map, the Bagua. Why not choose your bedroom to be placed in the most romantic direction of all! The West direction exudes a sense of romance and relaxation. Now combine that with placing this room in the romance and partnership section of the bagua and you have a wonderful formula for love. The second key to a successful relationship is symbolism. By and large, we know exactly what we want in life through the symbolism or lack of symbolism displayed in our spaces. In other words the artwork, colour and grouping of objects in our homes speak volumes as to what we want in life. What are you telling the universe you want out of a relationship? It?s that far right corner of the room that should exude romance, sensuality and duality. So clear out the clutter, single objects, family photos, or that chest from Aunt Dotty and replace it with some romantic images. Remember, how you set up the furniture in your room counts too. One nightstand and a bed against the wall suggests there is only room for one! The third and final Feng Shui key to a successful relationship is a combination of colour, lighting and scents. If you plan on ever having sex again do not paint your bedroom lavender. This chaste energy is best to be left for your daughter?s room until she is of age to move out. Blue, yellow, brown and bright red are also problematic colours for the adult bedroom. Think romance colours when it comes to painting your bedroom and feel the sensuality explode from the walls. But don?t stop there! Let?s continue that colour scheme right to the bed linens too and pick out some soothing fabrics like cotton, silks, satin and chenille. Spray your linens with some romantic aromas like Pink Grapefruit, Rose Bulgaria or Jasmine and ignite your inner passions. Top it off with some candles for soft lightening and you are ready for a long life of romance and passion. Now, this wouldn?t be a complete Feng Shui article without giving some quick remedies for other relationship issues. If what troubles you is finding that Mr. or Mrs. Right, then enhance your space with some Western energy by placing two roses along with a written list of the qualities you are looking for in a mate and place in the Western part of your bedroom at mid-wall level. Perhaps you feel your relationship is rather superficial. Sounds like you need to make some decisions here, so activate the Northwest sector of your bedroom by placing a metal clock there and sleep with your head facing Northwest. Or maybe the only thing you and your partner have in common is arguing. You need to create a more relaxing yin environment by using pale greens, blues, creams and other pastels along with natural materials like wicker and wood. Finally, let?s not forget the partner with cold feet. You need to expose the future Mr. or Mrs. to more North-western energy so a decision can be made. Yes, make sure their head is facing in this direction when they sleep and go ahead and place metal objects or round and oval shapes in this direction of the bedroom. Cheers to a wonderful and romantic relationship! Mary Jane Kasliner & Shelley Mengo, owners of Harmonious Living, studied and received their Feng Shui certification at one of America's largest and most modern professional Feng Shui Schools, the DiAmicis School of Feng Shui in Philadelphia. Their studies also include compass school flying star method under the direction of world-renowned master, Roger Green. They are also the owners of Harmonious Living School of Feng Shui, a comprehensive certificate-training program. Their school combines Classical Feng Shui, Western Geomancy, and Ergonomic Design. They offer private consultations, various workshops, products, and other services. = Advanced Pa Kua (Bagua) The Pa Kua is an ancient and powerful Chinese symbol, made up of Eight Triagrams which are said to contain the mysteries of the universe and interpretations. Each of the Eight Triagrams on the Pa Kua relate to a separate Aspiration, which is associated with a part of your life in a specific location in your home. In order to help boost your aspirations, a section can be "activated" by using the appropriate Element. Career Triagram: K'an Area: Associated with the North Sector Element: Water. Symbolised by water features, fountains, aquariums and the colours black and blue. Advice: A good location for your home study is the Northwest which favours luck. It is linked to metal, so for example you can place a metal wind chime or hang a picture of a large mountain to symbolise the Earth, which in turn produces Metal in the Productive Cycle. Use your compass to check your location's orientation, then place it facing your best direction. Put fresh flowers on the East for Yang energy and a healthy plant on the Southeast to enhance your prospects for greater wealth. A round crystal in your desk's Southwest corner will help work relationships. Clean up the clutter to remove the yin energy and watch out for poison arrows from the sharp desk corners. Tips - Always sit in an office facing the door so that you don't get caught unaware and sit with a solid wall behind you. - At business meetings sit facing the door in one of your personal directions. - In the North Corner use water features and fish (preferably three, two light and one dark). - Add a symbolic blue light. Wealth and Prosperity Triagram: Sun Area: Associated with the Southeast Sector. Element: Small Wood, this is symbolised by plants, flowers and the colour green. Advice: This area represent your finances so care should be taken to energise the relevant sectors. For example, a toilet in the Southeast Sector is not good, so as a precaution it's recommended to keep the toilet seat down and door shut when not in use - therefore limiting the amount of positive ch'i being flushed away. If you are planning to locate rooms, it's recommended to use the Southeast Sector as an office. Tips - Place a healthy plant in the wealth area of the Southeast. Plants with sharp points and leaves should not be used. A money plant is recommended. - Use water features to produce Wood in the element of the production cycle. - If the area is dark, attract energy by placing a low watt bulb in the corner and keep the light on throughout the day and night. - Placing a mirror on a dining room wall will reflect the food on a table, this is considered auspicious as it symbolises the doubling of wealth. Relationships and Romance Triagram: K'un Area: Associated with the Southwest Sector. Element: Strong Earth, this is symbolised by crystals or paired items such as hearts, candles and the colour yellow. Advice: To enhance family relationships make sure you have photos of you and your family in this sector. Ornaments in this sector should be placed in pairs to symbolise togetherness. Those who have been single for a long time should look at this area. Tips - Activate the Southwest sector with real or silk red flowers such as roses, recognised as a symbol of love. - Use crystals to attract yang energy to this sector. - Display paired items such as mandarin ducks, double fish, butterflies or footsteps of Buddha. - Enhance the Southwest sector with figurines or statues of couples, lit by a table lamp with a ceramic or terracotta base. - Display a picture or fan featuring a red penny flower on the wall of your bedroom. - Hang a two or nine rod crystal or ceramic wind chime in the Southwest corner of your living room to increase your popularity. - Don't have an aquarium in your bedroom. - Don't use live plants or flowers in the bedroom as they are too yang. - Don't hang pictures of single people in your home. Health and Family Triagram: Chen Area: Associated with the East Sector. Element: Strong Wood, this is symbolised by healthy thriving plants and a deep green colour. Advice: Good feng shui in this area represents good health for the family. Placing a healthy round leaf in the East is auspicious, so nurture it and replace it if it withers. Pictures of plants can also be placed in the East if there is no space for a potted plant. Tips - Arrange your bed so your head is facing in your Health Direction when sleeping. - Place a healthy green plant with no sharp edges in the East. - Make sure the centre of your home is uncluttered. - Boost the East with a complementary water feature, as Water feeds Wood in the productive cycle. - Place a symbolic painting of peaches (immortality) or use ceramic items or ornamental jade trees which have lucky number of six or eight peaches. - Place a dragon-head tortoise at the back of your home for general support and prosperity. Children Triagram: Tui Area: Associated with the West Sector. Element: Metal, this is symbolised by statues made of metal, electrical appliances and the colour white. Advice: In activating the West Sector, you will be promoting family harmony and enhancing the chances of having children. Harmony will increase health, behaviour and academic performance for the children in the household. On the other side, bad feng shui in this area will have adverse effects on children in the house leading to unruly behaviour and poor academic performance at school. Placing a Buddha in the house is considered lucky and using auspicious colours such as pinks and red in the bedroom will ensure a fertile union. Tips - Place metallic objects or ornaments such as wind chimes and brass bells in the West sector. - Use earth items such as crystals, glassware, ceramics and terracotta. - To motivate children place quartz or crystals in their work area. - Use white, gold or silver objects in the West of the family living room. Education and Knowledge Triagram: Ken Area: Associated with the Northeast Sector. Element: Earth, this is symbolised by crystals and the colours brown or yellow. Advice: Find the Northeast sector of the living room or bedroom of the student, place items associated with Earth such as ceramics (empty vases are auspicious) will enhance this area. Avoid objects with sharp corners. Tips - Energise the Northeast with crystals. - Enhance the area with rounded ceramic items. - Clean the clutter, make sure education materials are not placed on the floor. - Position the desk in the Northeast sector of a room or study. Fame Triagram: Li Area: Associated with the South Sector. Element: Fire, this is symbolised by light and the colour red. Advice: A home with the south sector well lit will bring the owner recognition of their achievements. Members of the family may be promoted at work, find work or boost self-esteem. Tips - Place lights, candles and red ornaments in the South sector of your home/living room. - Use lamps with curved edges, with yellow/white/red bulbs. - Placing paintings of birds with red colourings is considered auspicious if placed in the Southern sector, - Avoid placing water objects or paintings of water in this area. Luck Triagram: Ch'ien Area: Associated with the Northwest Sector. Element: Metal, this is symbolised by metal and objects such as hollow wind chimes and the colours white, silver and gold. Advice: Chinese believe this sector should be focused on particularly and so make sure this sector is activated. It's believed the head of the household will have good career prospects and by using a tool such as a hollow six-rod wind chime will summon the appropriate energy. Tips - Enhance your luck with metal objects in the corner- TV, hi-fi or metal ornaments. - Use Earth elements in this area also, such as crystals or ceramic items. - Religious items can be placed in this sector (in Chinese terms this can be the laughing Buddha or the Gods of Three Lucks). = Mapping Bagua (Pa Kua) The Bagua Map is a tool for determining which aspects of your life are represented by different areas of your home or office. If we look at the Bagua Map on a room - first draw a floor plan of the room. Draw a square or rectangle around the outside walls. If your room is a regular shape, the room will be contained within your square or rectangle. If it's an irregular shape, such as an 'L' shape there will be a missing area. Next divide each side of your box into 3. Join the lines so you have 9 equal areas within your room. You will have a square or rectangle similar to the Bagua Map on this page. Turn your page so that the door to your room is in either the Knowledge & Self-Cultivation area, the Career area or the Helpful People & Travel area. From here you can locate the other areas. When you walk into the room, the Wealth & Prosperity area will be in the far left corner and the Relationship area will be in the far right. You can use the Bagua on any clearly defined area with an obvious entrance. You can use it on your property, your home, a room, your desk, and your garden. If you have an irregular shaped home, you will need help in determining how to place the Bagua. Please see Bagua Mapping if you would like help with this and in determining how to compensate for missing areas. Once you have the Bagua Map on your floor plan you can use it in a variety of ways. You can choose an area of your life you would like to enhance, and make an enhancement in that area. Remember that clutter in any area will be affecting you, and ideally you would balance the whole space. You can take a look at where the majority of your clutter is and see which area of the Bagua it falls in. Can you see the connection between the location of your clutter and what is happening in your life? Where does clutter keep reappearing in your home or office? Which area of the Bagua does this fall in? By locating the areas that attract clutter you will gain clues about the thought patterns that may be keeping the clutter in place. = Clearing Clutter In feng shui terms, before you can put into practice the principles it is essential that you rid yourself of all clutter that is blocking the natural flow of chi in your home and make way for some space for new opportunities to enter your life. Clutter can be defined as anything that you no longer wear or use. Clutter can cause stagnation to problem areas that you may have and if not cleared thoroughly a remedy can actually worsen problems rather than cure. Storage A well designed storage system should be created and be controllable. Look around your home and see where your clutter is then work out how it connects to the Pa Kua and which direction you should be following. You should bear in that locating storage in your most inauspicious directions is a good way of making sure that ch'i stays trapped and out of the way. Your goal should be to surround yourself with free flowing ch'i energy and by doing so you will be able to find the things you need easily. Internal clutter Internal clutter is related to your health, especially your digestive system and you owe it to yourself to make sure that your health is the best it can be. Fresh air and exercise can help to keep you fit and healthy but also by having plants in the home can help with oxygenation of the atmosphere. Try not to keep things "bottled up" inside by letting go of old hang ups and recurring problems and you should feel more motivated, optimistic and more positive about life and about yourself. Next Steps - Always keep the entrance to your home clutter free as this is considered to be the area that new opportunities and chi enter through. - Keep the hallway and stairs free of boxes, newspaper, toys etc., and let the ch'i flow freely. - In the bedroom put out of season clothes and store away unworn shoes but not under the bed. - Mend any broken appliances or throw them out. Your energy should increase. - Clear paperwork, messages, post etc., you will discover that you now have space for all those opportunities and possibilities. |
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