Back in 2004, during the first group tour I took to China, I discovered surprisingly that the abacus was still being used in some stores. I was having a jacket made for me in Shanghai, so the seamstress used her abacus to figure out how...
Even though we’re in the midst of a pandemic, spring has sprung! For those of us in Minnesota, melting snow and warmer weather was greeted with open arms. In Feng Shui, spring is associated with the element of wood. Wood energy is all about growth,...
If you’ve ever walked into a Chinese restaurant or grocery store or even a Feng Shui advocate’s home, you will find a ceramic figurine of a cat sitting prominently near the entry. One paw is typically movable. The idea of a Lucky Cat originated first in...
We’re in the midst of a tumultuous time – globally, nationally, and for many of us, locally. We’re being updated with news constantly on what is happening with the current issue: COVID-19, now classified as a pandemic. It seems that there are major fluctuations in...
Feng Shui is applied to alleviate many problems, from money issues to fertility issues to allergies. So the question is: Can Feng Shui play a preventative, as well as supporting, role in our present situation with the Coronavirus? The answer: Yes. Yes, it can. In the...
The beginning of the year is a typical time for people to think about their vision for the year: what they want to do, changes they want to make, goals they want to accomplish, etc. Now that we’re into the new year (both Western and...
For many of us, we are happy to say good-bye to 2019 for a number of reasons----illness, disappointments, betrayals, losses. Of course, these occurrences happen every year, but there seemed to be a heaviness specific to the Year of the Pig. For some, it’s a relief...
Preparing your kitchen - and your life - for the New Year One of the most popular gods in Chinese culture is Zao Jun, the Kitchen God. The story goes that Zao Jun was assigned by the emperor of heaven to watch over families and take...
There’s a tradition in China that involves the exchange of red envelopes when someone wants to express gratitude toward another person or wish them well. They would put money in the red envelope and give it to them. No one really knows how the red envelope...
Books tell their own story, and they contribute to yours. The books you have reveal a little about you, like your interests. I read an article about a woman who took that to heart and she bought books specifically to influence what people thought of...
