The Feng Shui Agency, Greater London for commercial and residential architecture, interior design, urban planning; for the office, home, garden and bedroom. Sarah McAllister BA Hons DS Greater London Practice (within M25) Tel: 0800 458 7267 mobile: 0779 618 5136 Email inquiries: info@fengshuiagency.com Website: www.fengshuiagency.com What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui is the study of space and landform surrounding us in and around our homes or offices. In analysing the impact of shape, colour and layout on the chi or flow of energy/life within a house or office we can use Feng Shui to support us in our goals and ambitions. By realigning the energy flow within a room we can create a more supportive and less challenging environment in which to live, work, rest or play. Alongside residential clients Sarah also collaborates with office planners, architects and landscapers. Sarah combines detailed and precise Lo Pan Compass and Form School techniques together with a strong intuitive awareness of energy flow to provide a thorough consultation tailored to your individual requirements. Sarah also offers Space Clearing - a powerful method for clearing the atmosphere within homes or commercial premises. Benefits of Feng Shui Relief from insomnia – sounder and more regular sleep Quieting of hyperactivity in children Feeling less stressed Easier communication and improved relationships Feeling of being in the flow of life Better sense of personal direction Increased opportunities Feeling more in control Increased magnetism - for both individuals and companies Please phone Sarah for more details on the above number or for more detailed information visit the Feng Shui Agency website. Residential Consultations Arguments? Money problems? Sleep problems? No energy? No fun in life? Do you find yourself always arguing with your family or friends? Does money come in and disappear quickly? Do you or your children find it difficult to sleep or study? Are you lacking energy for no good reason? Do you have a longstanding illness? Discover how your house may be negatively impacting you and how a Feng Shui consultation can help you… Implementing Feng Shui recommendations can help facilitate change but time, effort and intent must be expended by the individual having the consultation! The client commits to the process by focusing their determination, desire and intention and this is supported by my harmonising and activating the energy surrounding them. Testimonial “From the day we moved his bed to the suggested place, my son has slept through every night. He is also a lot happier and remarks how much he enjoys being in his room now. The entire house also feels somehow warmer and calmer. Even my husband, who at first thought me entirely mad for considering Feng Shui, had to admit that it has worked. We are thrilled.” L McIlheney, London N16 More testimonials can be found on the Feng Shui Agency website. Introduction to Chue Style Feng ShuiProvides you with the skills to confidently assess the floorplan of your own home or office and find which areas relate to health, career, wealth and certain family members. How to interpret the form within and surrounding the home to support yourself and encourage better chi flow. Dates: 24th & 25th May 10am to 5pm Venue: The Two Bridges Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, Edinburgh Fee £168 Visit Introduction to Chue Style Feng Shui Commercial Architecture In collaboration with experienced and versatile partner architects we project manage the integration of Feng Shui design within new builds and refurbishments of both commercial and residential premises. Any modern successful company looking to stay ahead of the game will be smart enough to take good care of its intellectual capital – its people. Providing a healthy, vibrant working environment demonstrates your commitment to staff wellbeing and makes good commercial sense too. Benefits Every business is to some extent at the mercy of market forces and experiences cycles of growth. Feng Shui helps you meet challenges more effectively. Long term benefits include increased performance, less absenteeism and more reliable sales. Clever Space...commissioned by smart people… We will be happy to give you a short presentation of our methodology and portfolio. Fees upon application. Simply call freephone 0800 458 7267 or email us to find out more. For details of feng shui in residential architecture, landscaping, self-build and green architecture, urban planning, and interior design for home, office and retail establishments please visit Sarah's website. Are You And Your Partner Compatible? Did you know Princess Diana had no water in her Four Pillars astrology chart, and was drawn to Prince Charles who had lots of water? In fact, both Diana and Camilla appear in Charles’ chart by way of the elemental relationships, Camilla representing 2nd wife and Diana 1st wife!! Blair and Brown are also a successful duo – Blair has all the power (kun) in his chart, and Brown appears in Blair’s chart in the support position!! ELEMENTAL HARMONIES - Discover your compatibility with our custom-made report detailing your own and your partner’s supportive elements and your compatibility. Our horoscope specialist uses both Chinese Ba Zi analysis (earthly influences) and the Western horoscope influences (planetary influences) to reveal a unique understanding of behaviour, preferences, career choice, likelihood of marriage, when to have children, when to avoid danger etc etc. IT’S A FASCINATING SUBJECT! £145.00 plus VAT. Contact us to order your custom-made report on 0800 458 7267 or info@fengshuiagency.com You make your own luck! The History, Development & Application of Feng Shui The history of the development of feng shui can be traced back for more than five thousand years. Feng shui has grown and adapted with the changing needs, desires and circumstances of humanity from both rural to urban environments. The science originated in rural China when farmers studied their landscape, seasons, weather and many other factors to try to understand the environment that they lived in. They learned how the rivers changed course and their rates of flow, when the sun was high or low and the quality of its heat and which areas of land were saturated, fertile or parched and why. Noticing the timing and quality of how the different energies all flowed together was complicated and scientific. It involved learning what the heavens and earth were doing and how the humans could successfully fit into the patterns. Their finely tuned expertise was purely observational, practical and common sense. This knowledge helped them to build their homes in the best positions, facing the most beneficial directions. They grew their crops in locations where they were most likely to have high yields. They survived well in their very harsh environments, building successful communities and prospering. Cities grew where the energies of meandering rivers, deep estuaries, protective mountains and flat lands combined in the most productive ways. The Imperial rulers of China became interested in feng shui as they realised that it was a powerful science. Men that were skilled in the many styles of feng shui including Ba Chop, Sam Hap, Sam Yuan and Yuen Hom methods became Feng Shui Masters who served their Imperial ruler. These highly skills Masters protected their empire by choosing the best land for the ruler’s palace, the best burial sites for their ancestry and the most opportune times for their ruler to act in order to succeed. This ensured that the ruler continued to reign powerfully and that he kept control and protected his people. In the modern societies of today the focus it on living and working in crowded, urban environments where the pace of life is quick. How do we know if our environments are beneficial to us or whether we are being exhausted or harmed by their effects? Form School The shapes within our environment affect the way chi or lifeforce energy behaves. In analysing the form of your surroundings a skilled feng shui practitioner will be able to apply ancient principles concerning earth dragons and water dragons to interpret the modern urban or rural features of a property. For instance, a road is considered a type of ‘river’ and an aerial view of a neighbourhood can give some interesting insights into the fortunes of its inhabitants. Form accounts for 60% of the influences on a property. At a micro level, the way chi flows through the interior of a property is also considered part of Form School theory. Good form is always prioritised. Compass School A building is like a human body. It has a ‘mouth’ (the door), eyes (windows), heart (often the kitchen) and a spine (the back). It also has a constitutional footprint, which is determined by the Ba Chop method and the relationship between the orientation of the building and the main front door. The influence of time on a building is likened to it’s ‘acute’ state, and this is where Flying Star comes in. Flying (as in moving over time) Stars are calculated to reveal the cosmic conditions affecting the building during a certain period of time. We are currently in the 8 fate, the cusp of which in Yuen Hom theory began in 1996 and in the Sam Yuan styles began in 1994. Within each year and month further refinements can be made to the calculations. Geopathic Stress Detection The assessment of underground waterways, energy courses and grave site selection is part of Yin Feng Shui and there are only a handful of truly skilled practitioners in the world. In certain situations Feng Shui remedies are far more effective once a premises the geopathic stress has been dealt with. Geopathic stress is a disturbance in the natural resonance of the earth’s natural radiation (7.5 – 8 Hz) which causes a resonance in a building which is uncomfortably high for the human being to handle. It can cause insomnia, irritability, fatigue, and in some cases severe illness. Gypsies rarely suffer from cancer, as their nomadic lifestyle means they are never exposed to any harmful radiations coming from the earth. Many practitioners can dowse for Negative or ‘black’ streams and locate the Positive or ‘white’ streams, in order to advise on placement of beds and desks, so that occupants are not subjected to geopathic stress. Geopathic stress neutralisers can also be purchased. Space Clearing Special herbs and resins are burned in a ceremonial and focussed way to cleanse the property of ‘predecessor chi’, stagnant energy and negative atmospheres. This is especially recommended in old homes or premises that have been lying empty or have witnessed divorces or deaths. It is also ideal to space clear a home before you move in. Horoscope An often overlooked area of Feng Shui is how an individual’s birthdate relates to the property they inhabit, and how their Ba Zi (Four Pillars) horoscope may be impacting them at the time of their consultation. Knowledge of this very accurate astrology certainly helps a feng shui practitioner to make more informed recommendations to help their client. Written by local feng shui practitioner Sarah McAllister, Director of The Feng Shui Agency Limited – THE source for authentic and professional Feng Shui surveys, courses and consultancy to design professionals. See www.fengshuiagency.com for further information or call Sarah on 0800 458 7267. Feng Shui Myths Dispelled I’m always amazed by stories from clients who have read one too many off the shelf feng shui books. Written by well meaning authors, these books can make people utterly neurotic about the dos and don’ts of feng shui, so lets clear up a few things! WHAT NOT TO WORRY ABOUT: My home faces a T-junction and I have read that this is bad See how busy the T-junction is – if the house is constantly bombarded by the commotion of traffic from this road, then you might need to grow hedging or shrubs to protect house, but if it is a very quiet t-junction then it is not of much concern. I’ve read that I shouldn’t put my sofa near the window, because my energy will leak away and I will feel overlooked This was from a client who had a huge sturdy sofa against a window which began midway up the wall and was three storeys above the street! They were not overlooked, unless by a very dedicated peeping tom with a telescope! And there was a certain amount of wall behind the sofa giving some protection. It was the best place in the room, allowing for the most space. Just be practical and go with what feels good – and throw out your feng shui books! The book says I mustn’t sleep with feet facing door as it is associated with dying. In China it is tradition to lay a coffin pointing towards the front door. But we don’t do that over in the UK, so there is no ‘resonance of repetition’ or association for us to connect with. The only reason we would prefer not to see your bed facing straight towards the bedroom door is because you will cramp the door opening and/or be sleeping in the most active part of the room, due to the channelling of chi made by the opening of the door. Nothing to do with funerals… I’m afraid you will tell us to completely redecorate the flat or knock down walls If you are refurbishing your flat, then do call us in to give advice on the best configuration. However, there are plenty of canny techniques you can employ to harmonise your space without redecorating or knocking through walls. We are only renting the property, so we can’t make any changes anyway True, you are perhaps more limited than others, but you can move your bed a few degrees, re-arrange plants & uplighters, and install a freestanding water feature. I can’t move my bed because of the way the room is laid out A few degrees on a battlefield makes all the difference in the world. Even a small shift in your bed can be felt over time. But let us take a look at your space to find new layout options – you’d be surprised at what you might have overlooked! Feng Shui Agency featured in Fabric Magazine Steven Short, Editor, Fabric Property Magazine: “I was expecting Sarah McAllister to turn up with some wind chimes, crystals and scary hennaed hair. Instead she was a vision of City chic, smartly dressed in a red brocade jacket and oozing confidence.“ “I want to make feng shui look less Chinatown’ Sarah told me before she asked lots of questions about me and my home.“ “Feng shui is like acupuncture for space. It accounts for about 30% of your luck. But it shouldn't be obvious - you shouldn't hit your head on a wind chime when you walk in.“ I called Sarah in as I've almost finished renovating my flat and want a helping hand finishing it off. I also want to activate my money corner and my relationship corner (let's just say it's been a while). Sarah is very mumbo-jumbo free and technical in her approach and she really knows her stuff. I was surprised at how important what is outside and around my flat is to my general luck and well-being. “Your relationship corner is in the front garden“ she grinned, going on to suggest good spots for flowers and plants (it currently resembles Steptoe and Son's yard and houses the remains of my ripped out kitchen). She then took compass readings in every room with an impressive piece of kit. In her subsequent report, Sarah reiterated the need to clear the front garden and tidy my shed. She also gave me plenty of design tips - colours to use, helpful objects and where to put them and even advise on colours I should wear (I live and die in black at the moment which isn't good for me). So this weekend I'm having the rubbish cleared and intend to get down the shed for a good sort out. I'll also be looking for paint and something to wear on all those hot dates I'll soon be going on. A consultation with Sarah starts at £440 but Fabric readers can enjoy a 10% discount. Just quote “Fabric N16 health“ when you call Sarah on 0800 458 7267. 2008 Year of the Rat Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins this year on 7th February. It is the main Chinese festival of the year and it is not a religious event. As the Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals the date of Chinese New Year changes from year to year. The date corresponds to the new moon (black moon) in either late January or February. Traditionally celebrations last for fifteen days, ending on the date of the full moon. In China the public holiday lasts for three days and this is the biggest celebration of the year. The Chinese calendar is different to ours. It is made up of a cycle of twelve years, each of them being named after an animal. This is very like our signs of the zodiac. Some people believe that people born in a particular year such as the year of the Rat will have some of the characteristics of that animal. February 7th marks the start of the Year of the Rat. On the Chinese calendar the new year is 4705. The popular horoscopes about compatibility and forecasts are just a bit of fun really! For a really useful personally customised horoscope you might like our intriguing BA ZI Four Pillars analysis, which takes into account the Year, Month, Day and HOUR of birth, hence 4 Pillars. It will provide you with your natural personal elemental constitution, giving you insights into career choices, romantic and business partner choices and supportive colours to include in your wardrobe. Most importantly, it will show you how to maximise the good phases in life and ‘transform’ the more tricky phases. Attain more mastery of your destiny - being forewarned is forearmed! Only £245 inc VAT. Contact us on 0800 458 7267 to book your consultation. And remember - “Millionaires don’t use astrology, billionaires do..” J.P. Morgan Space Clearing Tips De-clutter, de-clutter, de-clutter! The more you can rationalise and organise your belongings, your life becomes calmer and more serene. Clutter confuses the subconscious mind and drags the energy of a room down. Clear surfaces and out of sight storage on the other hand allows a room to ‘breathe’ and you don’t waste energy frantically looking for belongings. Emotional attachment – don’t hold onto things that are reminders of painful situations like photos of ex-boyfriends or ex-husbands – release yourself to move forward into a new phase of life. Also give away any unwanted presents. Someone else will want them! Don’t keep them as clutter! Impoverished thinking – when we hoard things for the sake of preparing for times of lack we are not demonstrating trust in ourselves or trust in life to provide what we most need at the right time. Symbols – the symbols surrounding us imprint upon our subconscious mind very powerfully, so if you are a single woman and want to attract a partner, replace those pictures of solitary goddesses with pictures of couples or romance! Fire ceremonies – in many traditions fire is used to purify an atmosphere and provided that you work with a good and benevolent intent you can safely carry out your own personal rituals to cleanse a space after an argument, after an illness or when you just want to feel a lift. Making sure your home is free of clutter or at the very least it is organised and clean, all you need is a candle with a candle stand for safety (preferably red, but white or other colour is fine) and a good 25 minutes. Settle yourself by taking some long deep breathes and visualise a cord of light from the top of your spine to the heavens and from the bottom of your spine to the earth. Feel the connection and expand this feeling. Consider what you want to cleanse or release from your life/home. Is it a bad atmosphere? Is it an unhealthy behavioural pattern? And visualise this in whatever way seems right for you. Once you have an image or a feeling, ask the power of the fire to cleanse and transform the image. See the negative image/feeling drift into the flame and become purified. Continue to breathe naturally and deeply, and when it feels right, close the ritual by smiling inwardly from the heart and requesting new positive energy to flow into your life. Be careful what you ask for!! [Please don’t leave the candle burning unattended.] Make Sure To Head For The Higher Ground Article From Kent Home & Gardens, May, 2006 A visit from Sarah McAllister is a calming and interesting experience, whatever you think about Eastern influences and all that. She practises fung shui and I invited her down to my house to have a look and tell me what she thought. It is common sense really, to begin with, and then linked with many complicated calculations, a bit of astrology and a helping of intuition. She is neither fey nor frothy, but someone whose advice sounds sensible and worth thinking about. Nevertheless I admit I was sceptical of the benefits of shelling out £300 plus to have someone wave their arms about and tell me that my chi wasn't aligned with my cho or whatever; or so I thought. Sarah travels all over Britain to clients to make their living and working space work better. She is busy, which should have told me something I suppose but I still felt cautious. Nevertheless in the call of duty I invited her down to Kent on a sunny day in May and she spent some time looking around the village where I live. The topography of an area makes a difference apparently. She produced a large and very complicated compass and quietly went about her business making notes. A language graduate, she has been in this business for 7 years, travelling for nine months in Asia; taking courses and learning as much as she could. Pop feng shui is one thing, but the style she practises (the Imperial School), is pretty academic, takes 2 years of study and is based on the 5 elements (water, air, wood, fire, earth), and is linked with astrology. You do have to be receptive but it is grounded and based on fact. I asked her for general pointers about houses. If I were buying one for example, what would she recommend I bore in mind? A nice, strong back. Higher ground if possible, and no slope. It should be slightly lower in the front and if you have moving water, that is lovely, especially in the south or south-east or east. The floorplan should be even, with no make good temples, says Sarah - but to live in, not so good. The energy moves fast, so great for spiritual activity but it would not be peaceful or grounded. The idea is to mix yin and yang and create controlled movement rather than whizzing. She will advise on colour, which is complicated depending on what you want to happen. General rules do exist though - it is always a good idea to bring in the natural world in the form of plants especially those with broad leaves, flowers, water (but below heart level), animals or fish and candles. Suncatchers work, and so do natural materials. She advises full spectrum lighting. The light from the bulbs we normally use is orange, towards the red end of the spectrum. Full spectrum is paler and much more like natural light. They promote creativity and organisation. She told me about someone who has been researching houses that don't sell and apparently 8 out of 10 of them face north-east or south-west and are 'stuck'. The cure? Paint them white, which weakens the earth and put in large plants which do the same. Sounds odd but it works. They sell apparently. The consultation takes from 2 to 5 hours and if design is involved, anything up to 3 days. And she was interesting about the detritus we all leave about the place. If it's clutter and rubbish and there because you can't be bothered to do something about it, then it doesn't help; but if it is what the Chinese call 'affection', (toys, books, photographs), then that is all right. You need to balance intuition with analysis, Sarah explains, You also have to be realistic and deal with people's expectations. I can't work miracles. Very rarely I recommend people move out. Sometimes when things are very bad I say little because I am not here to do more. Her company can call on local architects and a garden designer if necessary. Ba Zi (Chinese Horoscope) Masters does Chinese horoscopes if they are required. If you would like her to come to your house, the consultation will start with a phone call. You will be asked questions about your family, career, health and say what the problem is, if there is one. Then she will come down, bringing whatever tools she feels you will need and start work. Call sarah on 0800 458 7267 or email info@fengshuiagency.com At worst it is a fascinating experience. At best it could change your life.

This web page is part of N16health.com an alternative medicine and complementary health resource for the people of Stoke Newington in Hackney and Islington, north London UK and interested people worldwide.





     # FENG SHUI