Q&A Sunday: Chinese Astrology for a Horse in a Rooster Year

This year of the Fire Rooster has been really tough for me so far. Big snow making getting to work difficult, 3 squirrel infestations in my new Nissan Rogue (wires chewed...in shop three times). I'm a Wood Horse. Please advise me how to improve my luck. Maybe a dragon in the entryway?

Shauna R., Abbotsford , British Columbia, Canada

Hi Shauna

I’m so very sorry that you have been having such a challenging year. It’s actually been a quite challenging year for many others as well. As far as the relationship between Horse and Rooster, it’s actually neutral. It may be useful for you to consult directly with a Chinese Astrology expert as it sounds like this is where your interests lie, and there are great astrologers I can recommend. Beth Grace, Doris Ingber and Yasha Jampolsky are all Chinese Astrologers you can hire. They can look at your specific natal chart, based on the time of your birth, in relationship with the energies of this specific year. Without seeing your actual birth information, there’s not much more I can advise in terms of your astrology.

As far the feng shui aspects to improve your luck, the founder of BTB feng shui, H.H. Professor Lin Yun always advised to first take of the mundane issues. That simply means what are the practical things you can do to improve the situation. Luckily the winter has passed, but as far as the squirrels, is there something you can do to prevent this happening again in the future? Then, I have a sense that you should start with the most basic feng shui adjustment of making sure your bed, desk and stove are in the commanding position. You can find more information about that here, here and here.

As far as the car damage, you can look at the feng shui of your car. It represents how you connect to the world, right? And the electrical wires are akin to your blood and nervous system. It maybe helpful for you to check that out. It might be interesting to also look at symbology of the squirrel. The squirrel is associated with playfulness but also preparation. The presence of so many squirrels may be a sign to take life a little less seriously and have more fun. However, it can also be a note to take a look at your preparations in life and ensure they are all in place. On a less obvious level, the squirrel can also be a reminder to remain mindful. Squirrels only find 10% of the nuts they hide for winter, but all of these unfound nuts do develop into larger plants and trees. So be mindful of what you "plant", because it will inevitably come back up!

Since the damage was carried out by nature, you can also create a shrine to invite the nature spirits to appease them. You can create a special place, ideally outdoors, where you make a humble offering to the nature spirits so they are happy and feel invited into your home. This would include water, liquor, rice and a small rock or statue. Do this to dedicate a small space for magic from the universe in your life, and be sure to ask nature to visit your home! There's more on that here. 

Finally, you inquired about a dragon in the entryway. I’m assuming you’re suggesting this because the Dragon is the best friend of the Rooster. In BTB feng shui we advise you carry on your body a three-dimensional dragon in the Year of the Rooster. So this is the adjustment, to carry it on you. It’s not the same to have it in the entryway. If you had another reason, let us know so we can comment on it. You can purchase the charm in the Holistic Spaces shop, and it will definitely help you have a more auspicious year. Since the Dragon is the best friend of the Rooster, the Rooster will see the dragon charm and bestow good luck and protection. 

Thank you for submitting your question, and I hope the rest of your year improves! 

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Microwaves and Feng Shui

My microwave is in the Abundance/prosperity gua. It cannot be removed. How can I improve the feng shui of the kitchen ? Can you suggest a cure?

Giuliana G., Lille, France

Hi Giuliana

Hello to France! I love that you write in such wonderful and useful questions!

In this case, my sense is that a microwave in your Abundance and wealth area may not necessarily be a feng shui issue. Things like microwaves, waste bins, laundry baskets, etc. have to go somewhere right? It's more about not letting the rubbish or laundry pile up and being conscious of your space. In the case of a microwave, are you keeping it clean and in good repair? Personally, I try to avoid microwaves because of the health risks. I also feel as though it turns the ritual of making life-force-infused food with intention into a quick and thoughtless one-minute zap. But I'm definitely not here to judge, and there is a time and place for them. Either way, I do think it is worth taking a look at the EMFs that microwaves emit. 

The radiation from microwaves isn't necessarily dangerous like other radiation (i.e. from X-rays), but there is a lack of studies regarding long term effect of the low levels of radiation from microwaves. However, microwaves do emit the same sort of EMFs as cell phones and other electronics, so they can cause stress on the body and health problems like headaches, fatigue, nausea, etc., especially in combination with the other EMFs we're exposed to regularly. Anything plugged in creates an EMF.

The best way to avoid negative effects from the microwave is to try not to spend excessive time near it. Avoid standing near the microwave and waiting for your food, and if possible, try to situate the dining table, cooking area, etc. at least 5 feet from the microwave.

Energetically I have used a plug buster (which I unfortunately cannot find online anymore) as well as black tourmaline in my home to mitigate the effects of EMFS. Black tourmaline is one of the most popular healing crystals for dispersing negative energy, and it can be very effective in working against EMFs. The stones have a quality that works to balance the energy of the body through energy conversion, and maintaining this balance can help counteract some of the many sources of stress in everyday lives, including cell phones, electromagnetic smog and other negative energies. We have a black tourmaline set in the Holistic Spaces store, and you can place a crystal between you and the microwave or around your neck.

Of course, it will also be helpful to eliminate other EMFs where possible. The fewer you are exposed to, the better!

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our “Question of the Month”.  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers.  Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Recommendations for Geopathic Stress

For a long time I have believed our home makes us sick. I was just reading about geopathic stress, and this really resonated with me. As moving is not an option (teens, schools, work) what type of cure do you recommend? I have been space clearing and de-cluttering since New Year and it will probably take me until the end of the year.

Naiomi P., Toronto, Canada

Hi Naiomi

Thank you for your question, and for listening to the podcast! 

I’m so sorry to hear that your home is causing sickness for your family. I’m not an expert on geopathic stress, however i spoke about it with my mother-in-law, Shabari Bird Lovel, who is familiar with geopathic stress. 

First, it sounds like it may or may not be geopathic stress, but in order to find out, you can work with an expert dowser. Shabari said that many accomplished dowsers can move geopathic stress lines. She also recommends reading The Divining Hand by Christopher Bird. He was my husband’s late stepfather.

Most feng shui practitioners do not have experience with geopathic stress without additional training, but it does relate to the energy of your space. Essentially, geopathic stress results from spending time in a home that is above or near certain factors, including underground streams, mineral concentrations, fault lines, etc., which can disturb the natural energy of the earth through weak electromagnetic fields. 

I asked my teacher, Katherine Metz, and she did have some recommendations for dealing with this issue. First and foremost, it's important to determine that this is, in fact, the problem. The problems you're experiencing could be caused by geopathic stress, but they could also be caused by bad feng shui, toxins, EMFs themselves or any number of elements. Katherine's first piece of advice is to move step to step to determine what the real cause is. 

To do this, we recommend you activate the Benefactors area of your home's bagua to attract the best helpful people to you to find out what the issue is. You can also work on the Health area to work with the overall health of your family and try to counteract the stress. 

I share ideas on how to activate the Benefactors area on the Holistic Spaces podcast here. You might also look for practitioners who are trained in dowsing, like my friend Beth Grace. You can read more about her here! It may be the case that you don't even have geopathic stress and can actually make some simple adjustments to solve the issue! 

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!