Lose 10 Pounds in one hour!

If you thought – BS! You’re right – almost. This is a diet that’s not about not eating, Signature - 1nor incredible exercise (although it does involve an exercise!) and, true enough, it only takes one hour. I’m posting useful hints and short bits about starting to get rid of your excess stuff.  It is about losing weight – the cleaning, the storage $, the insurance to protect it, the stolen time justing thinking about where something is.

While I’ve run courses to help people lost their excess, I want to try now a slightly different tack.  I want to help you enjoy yourself as you’re down to what’s really important. So the link I’m giving you here is just a very small start. But the reward can be so enjoyable that you’ll want to follow along and do more -bit by bit. So check out the latest newsletter.

And do leave a comment!

An Ode to the Overwhelmed

At a time when there is so much to do, so many little things to be taken care of, and solitude time, I wanted to pass along this wonderful poem from another Clutter Cleaner Coach (how’ you like that onomatopoeia?) Samantha Bennet. There’s a link to her site after the poem. Enjoy. And, of course, comments are welcome!


And as you stand there Overwhelm

Late again

Because you forgot to allow time to park

And the elevator was slow

And you left 10 minutes late to begin with



With your shoes that pinch

And your pants that are a little too small

Since you started eating white bread again


And as you paw through your bag

Looking for the suite number

That you’re not sure you wrote down to begin with


Let us now praise you.



You, the untidy.

You, the careless.

You, the easily distracted by sparkly things.


The money you spend on late fees alone

Could feed a family in Africa – Which reminds you that you meant to send in the kids’ Unicef money and

Forgot.


And that despite your best efforts,

You rarely eat a square meal,

You almost never get enough sleep

And exercise seems like a word that magazines have developed

Just to make you feel bad about yourself.


But you are good and brave. Superwoman

You, flying by the seat of your pants

Making it work

Putting out fires

Saying your prayers

And dancing your dance of now and later and maybe and

I’ll-have-to-call-you-back-on-that-could-you-send-me-an-email-to-remind-me-to-call-you-back-on-that?



As innocent as each morning’s sunrise,

You are a fount of good intentions.

Your good humor is as graceful as a baby giraffe,

Even if that joke you were trying to make to the hotel clerk fell flat

And your toast at the wedding came out sounding a little…funny.



But you have gifts that no one knows about.pyke 044

You have the strength to bend in the wind

You have the joyful spirit that loves a good belly laugh,

You have the wisdom to understand that everything will all come out all right in the end and

You have the faith to light a candle rather than curse the darkness.



That is, if you could find the book of matches from that romantic restaurant that you went to for your anniversary but since you didn’t have a reservation they made you wait at the bar for half an hour during which you had two appletinis and the rest of the night is a bit of a blur. 

So much for the overpriced lingerie.


You are beautiful.


You are beautiful.



Frazzled and overworked and underpaid

You are the one who forgot your wallet

And forgot your receipt for the dry cleaners

And forgot your keys which you just set down five seconds ago, so where could they possibly have gone? 

But you never forget to say, “I love you”

And you never forget to give a big smile to that nice parking guy

And you never fail to show endless patience when the

Too-tightly wrapped and overly-conscientious start to offer their

Oh-so-helpful suggestions about how you might feel better if you would just learn to alphabetize your spice rack.

Approving staff
You are beautiful.


So, wear the lingerie on Monday for no reason.

And why not just refuse to participate in the bake sale this year?

And give yourself a compliment for something you did well today. 

Because you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever known.


© 2014 Samantha Bennett  http://TheOrganizedArtistCompany.com

May you get through this holiday season flying high and filled with gratitude!

How far is too far?

Let’s go too far. Let’s trivialize a 4,000 year old art and science. Let’s “brand” feng shui into a new sneaker. Ready? Here it is…but just know there are people who will gladly pay $225 and over for these when they are first introduced because there is a whole cult of collectors out there to rebid the price up. Is that good feng shui? I’ll let you decide.Here’s how “Kick on Fire” puts it. And for good measure, here’s how Jordan puts it.  Now, do they have ANYTHING to do with Feng Shui?  If you can figure it out, please leave me a comment, because I’d like to know!

Windows – through a glass darkly

Who wants clean windows?

We all do, that’s who. I was just sent the following article with “7 ultimate” tips for clean windows. http://tinyurl.com/q6fuujj  Go ahead and read it if you want, but I’m here to tell you you do not need any of the tips.  In fact, you only need a certain cloth and plain water.

Mystic MaidA friend gave me a “Mystic Maid” cloth months ago.  It looked like most any other microweave cloths, so I put it away. She had told me it was an incredible invention. Yeah, sure.  But later, for some obscure reason, I got it out and looked it up on the net (http://tinyurl.com/oh8sx7t) and thought, “worth a try.”

Was I surprised by the ease of no streaked clean windows? Oh yeah.  Yes, I had to rinse the dirt off the cloth, but that’s not beyond my skill level! I went back to their site to explore a bit more and found the “press reviews.” http://tinyurl.com/px5v6ex. I am now a believer, for windows, porcelain, stainless.  Because it costs $15, I treat it with care and don’t go after the really nasty stuff.

How much have I spent on squegee, mop, cloths, and cleaner? More than $15. But $15 is certainly worth it when I can, in 8 minutes, clean the slider to the patio, the kitchen windows inside and out with a single cloth and water.  I now have clean windows and can keep it that way with no bother.

This was NOT a paid commercial. Simple is better. And this is good Feng Shui!

Got Clutter? Who doesn’t!

Recently I launched a couple of free trainings about our conscious and unconscious accumulation of physical and psychological stuff. L have been working with the first step to creating positive, healthful chi by helping people rid themselves of clutter.

Technical glitches and perhaps a poor choice of timing prevented me from reaching many people. Maybe I had not clearly said why I am doing this and with whom I really want to work.

The Why

The world has become fast food, rushed, instant gratification expectant, having more stuff of less value, polarized. There’s little time to consider where we want to go, and less time to think about how to get there. We’re so busy we don’t often know where we are headed. It is a dangerous course to be on. I see few signs of any correction.  I’m convinced solutions will not come from above. If we want a sustainable future (which apparently the majority are not concerned about) each of us is going to have to do our part. Whatever that part might be.

Being sick and tired of my own passivity, I see Rome starting to burn. I spent years in an ashram where women ran the operation top to bottom. My Master would not allow men to run things – he knew far to well what men would do from our male dominated past. I learned something there – something important.

Here goes my rant.

In the “normal” world, we are caught in a patriarchal society where big is better; war is good for profiteering; corporations are people. This sets off alarms in me big time.  In my book it’s time to let women into the game in a real, substantial way.  Women don’t think war is good for business. Women don’t think the highest goal is the accumulation of money. At least, none of the women I know. Having been mothers, women know things men barely fathom.

But women are caught. Women who are breaking the glass ceiling too often are wearing suits, acting as if a man were running things. Even though they are playing by men’s rules,  they are still often subtly shut out – of the golf games where things get done – of the hunting trips (where they can get drunk and blast their friends in the face…) Alarm bells are going off.

What if each woman could see what her gift is for the world? What if she knew her powers sourced from the Divine Feminine? Could we then change the world before we go over the cliff? I think we have the possibility of a better chance through embracing the Divine Feminine than continuing on our currently imbalanced road.

Am I advocating women should rush the halls of power and seize control? Not really.  Many women I’ve met, having tried the corporate vision of success or not, are aware that that is not their God-given perspective or destiny. Small businesses they know. Services they get. Creating networks they understand.

Who are the women I resonate with? They are bright and interested in co-creating. They don’t have to have it all themselves. I’ve been able to do this wonderful dance where my wisdom meets theirs and beautiful things happen: like clarity; like emerging purpose; like apparent magic.

I want to reach more of those women. But rather than touting some big transformational course or gathering, I want to start with something simple that so many bright women can benefit from:

Knowing what is clutter and what is not.

Knowing how clutter holds a woman down and prevents her from becoming all she can be.

Knowing that the trap of unfettered capitalism has produced a suicide economy.

Not all clutter is of our own making. We are continuously bombarded by advertising on our televisions while we’re trying to relax, on the radios we listen to while driving, popping up on our computers when we log onto our favorite sites, in our email boxes – even with our spam filters. Madison Avenue has convinced too many that if we just buy this or that we will find fulfillment.  If we just take this new expensive pharmaceutical, we will solve any physical, mental or emotional problem.

How much advertising is directed at women? Most of it is because women do most of the buying in this country (60-80% depending on the source). That, interestingly enough, includes buying men’s clothes. Yet most advertising campaigns are created and directed by men. If that isn’t manipulation, what is?

Women bond and socialize differently than men. There’s a hard wiring that comes with the female that is different than that of the male. One of the most import aspects of that difference is that women share and collaborate easily. Therein lies an immense power.

The power of the group.

Alcoholics Anonymous has demonstrated the power of the group for almost 80 years. Whereas medical science has never has found a cure for alcoholism, AA has generated thousands of sober, responsible people who no long use alcohol. It’s done with 12 suggested guidelines and the power of a commonly held intention: not to take a drink today.  Simple, yet utterly profound. More powerful than all of the “miracles” of modern medicine.

The What

I’m going to start a series of telephone conference calls – fun and easy.  Each one will examine one aspect of clutter and how one might eliminate it. The call will include input from participants sharing their personal experiences and what they have observed about the way clutter holds them back.

The call will close with my take on how Feng Shui plays into each aspect, and how we can use this ancient art and science to transform an environment.

Sound too simplistic? Perhaps. But the journey of a thousand miles begins putting one foot in front of the other. The benefits of Walking the Camino aren’t accessible to those speeding by in a Ferrari. It’s a beginning.

From years of teaching I’ve learned a great way to create a new freedom, a new clarity. And it comes, paradoxically enough, by getting rid of stuff.

And the cost?

Nothing. Free. You call, listen, and participate – either anonymously or as a named participant (your choice.)

There will be replays available for a very limited period of time. I know perfectly well not everyone who would like to be on the call can make every one. Busy life. But one caveat – just listening to a replay, while valuable, doesn’t have the power, the positive effect, nor the support that live participation has.

Commonly held intention combined with focused interaction equals amazing change. Freedom. Creativity. Clarity.

I will also have guests join me to add their wisdom and their experience. Women like my friend Aline Munsch who’s working in Saudi Arabia and quietly showing women how to realize their power. and there are others, perhaps not as dramatic, but equally qualified to share their wisdom.

I’d really like to hear your reactions and suggestions about this series of live calls before I finalize how and when.

On What’s Happening you’ll find a note that will put you on the list of get weekly notificationsof the dial in number and the day and the topic.Please do not worry about your contact information – it’s kept lovingly under secure encryption and never rented, sold or shared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That time of the year…

My November/December newsletter talks about the holidays, and how to recapture some of the healing elements we can have in our home at this time.  It came as a wonderful suppose to see the International Feng Shui Guild reprint that article as it’s lead in it’s professional publication.  I get so very very tired when merchants start hawking Christmas and Hanukkah well before thanksgiving.  Seems we have monetized everything where, if it doesn’t bring monetary profit, we will just ignore it.  Celebrations are not about monetary profit, they are about human connection profit.  Luckily Feng Shui has some helpful ways to magnify that.  If you’d like to get a copy, just drop me a line <info@fengshuicv.com> and I’ll see that you get one.

In the meantime, have a blessed holiday season.

Class for the First Rule of Feng Shui

And that Rule is : Get Rid of the Clutter.  Unfortunately our economy, already faltering, would collapse completely if we did not continue to buy and use more.  That’s the nature of Capitalism – if it does not continue to grow it stagnates and dies.  Our culture is based on the premise that we can become “OK” if we only buy/use/attend/rent the Whatever. How many of us go out when we feel poorly and buy something?  And feel better.  Momentarily.

Then when we try to rid ourselves of the clutter we’re surrounded by.  We become overwhelmed and put it off for another day.  The most effective way to make a significant start toward building new habits that prevent the clutter syndrome from crowding our lives is in a group setting.  Real change can happen – just like AA!  And while you might giggle at that comparison, the truth is stark – it’s a rare individual who can kick the clutter habit without help.

So Sugeet will be holding a class for 4 Thursday nights in October to help people realize how much keeping clutter costs and creative and fun ways to get rid of it.  If you live in the Rogue Valley, go to the classes page. Master the Art of  . . .Uncluttering is there.  The page is offering a special discount for those signing up before Oct 1.

Use Feng Shui to change you mood

The law of opposites works in many parts of Feng Shui. It’s something you can do whenever and wherever to change your mood.

Feeling down? Facing a tough day you’re not looking forward to? Dress up in vibrant cheerful color. A man might wear a bright shirt or some crazy socks. A woman might step out of her comfort zone and go on the bold side. Whichever, your mood and attitude will lighten.

Got an overly stressed out day planned? Try wearing calming colors, avoid big patterns or too much texture. Dress the way you WANT to feel and watch how it can help take you there.

This doesn’t mean you finish dressing and then forget about it. You keep checking in during the day reminding yourself why you dressed the way you did and checking in with you feelings. Watch that Feng Shui at Work!

Want other information? Check out the website.

Blessings

Philosophy, mathmatics & Feng Shui

I recently saw a most amazing film,  Between the Folds, a movie, I thought, that was about origami or paper folding.  Taking a flat single piece of paper and with no cutting, no gluing,  nothing but folding, changing it into a three dimensional object.  Little did I realize this is only the surface, just as hanging a crystal from the ceiling in Feng Shui is just the surface of a profound subject of study.  By the end of the film, one starts to grok that the implications manifested by the simple act of folding paper can affect our knowledge of the way the Universe works, offering profound changes in mathematics education, seriously  influencing the development of new drugs.  The possibilities are staggering – literally.

And how is this Feng Shui?  Quite simply, the deeper I go into Feng Shui and it’s relationship to the natural world, the more profound I find it to be.  It’s very much like music by Bach – seemingly pleasant and innocuous at first listening, then “unfolding” into the work of pure genius.  The short preview online for the film (use the link above) gives only the most surface glance.  Try to get a hold of a copy – you will want to introduce it to your local school system, you will want young people to see it, and you will have a new understanding of wonderfully complex seemingly simple things can be.  I’d love to hear your comments.

Wikipedia has a couple of interesting articles on origami which you may also want to check out.

Origami

Origami planes to be launched from space

The Ashland Independent Film Festival

OK – so I left Feng Shui for the past 5 days and lived in celluloid land, working as a volunteer for 5 days.  Great time.  Nothing vey Feng Shui to say about it, but  Bill Plymton, the animator, gave a neat presentation and I thought you might want to check it out, so here’s the link.  Enjoy

Plymton’s talk