Most of us foreigners living in China have heard of Feng Shui, yet the mystery and magic associated with it has convinced the majority of us that it’s primarily a dogma of ancient superstitions. Feng Shui is not a religion, although it has roots in both Buddhism and Hinduism (as well as in cosmology and other forms of metaphysics). It is said that it takes a Feng Shui apprentice thirty years to master the art. This being said, I’d like to say that the intention of this article is to simply describe what Feng Shui is; it’s not a how-to on channeling its power.

The name Feng Shui originates from China and can be translated to ‘Wind and Water.’ At its essence, Feng Shui is about living consciously in harmony with Earth and enjoying the highest quality of life possible while residing here. It’s the art of balancing and enhancing the flow of natural energies, or Chi, that make up the essence of every person, place and object. Feng Shui has evolved over thousands of years from a folk art to a highly sophisticated system of philosophy and science, often blending the old with the more new age trends and fads of the west. But its ancient form is still practiced by professional consultants throughout China, and is based on the principles of the classic Chinese book, I Ching.

Feng Shui was first used in ancient China about 3000 years ago to determine the most auspicious sites for the tombs of ancestors in order to give them the best vantage to help their living descendants. Later, it started to be used in selecting site

Hong Kong is one such example, and its prosperity is often cited as a prime example of Feng Shui effectiveness. About 90% of all the properties there are built according to Feng Shui protocols. An example of trying to manipulate chi energies, the Hong Kong Bank of China was sued by neighboring businesses because of its construction of a seventy story building of sharp angles. There’s no doubt that the architect of the building knew exactly what he was doing and deliberately designed a structure that sends arrow-like ‘killing chi’ energy at its competitors. The recourse of the occupants surrounding the building was to erect Feng Shui mirrors in an attempt to reflect the dangerous energy back to its source, and then commence litigation.

Feng Shui is based on the prevailing view of Asians that everything in our environment, living or inanimate, is imbued with energy. This is now no longer considered simply a belief, it’s currently a scientific fact that objects and elements are made up of tiny molecules and atoms that vibrate and are constantly in motion. These objects and elements are imbued with an energy that cannot be seen by the naked eye, but they are able to influence our every day life.

The energy (or Chi) of an object, person, or place is very important in Feng Shui. This Chi relates to whatever is in space, and the flow of Chi is unique to every home, business and recreational space. Space is defined as the directional orientation of a structure and is traditionally determined with a Chinese Feng Shui compass. Tools used to evaluate space calculate the Chi field, its Yin and Yang, and the Five Elements.

Chi can be broken into two components: (1) Yin and Yang, representing the opposite forces that are constantly interacting with one another, such as: feminine/masculine; passive/active; destructive/creative; soft/hard; dark/bright. These forces are always moving and always seeking balance. And: (2) The Five Elements, which are water, wood, fire, metal, and earth. These elements are believed to affect everything we do, determining our personalities, our professions, and our degree of success in life.

Learning about Feng Shui isn’t a study in “magic,” but rather, it’s about developing an awareness of the living, natural elements that we interact with daily in our lives.

Timothy Green

Author Bio

Timothy Green is the co-author of SPEAK E-Z CHINESE In Phonetic English. You can find fun and easy Mandarin lessons, as well as travel and culture tips about China at The Cathay Cafe.

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Stress is viewed as almost natural in our busy modern day lives but there are a number of things you can do to positively affect your personal stress management. Here are some tips to help you to reduce the stress in your everyday life.

1. Get more exercise

When you exercise your body releases “happy” chemicals called endorphins. These help you to feel better and are a much better (and cheaper) alternative to prescription drugs. Trouble is, most people think “gym” when someone mentions exercise. This doesn’t have to be the case. Any form of exercise is better than none. A brisk walk will do nicely. So will leaving your car further away in the parking lot and walking a few extra steps to the store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and you’ll be doing easy exercise to help yourself.

2. Take up meditation or yoga

Both of these techniques give you an easy way to help your body relax. Attending a local yoga class once a week will help you to relax and unwind your tensions. Or consider listening to one of the modern meditation CDs that do almost all the work for you – no special sitting positions, no mantras to chant, just sit back, listen and let the audio on the CD take you into a deep trance state that used to be reserved only for Zen monks.

3. Get a new hobby or re-visit one of your old hobbies

If you used to be engaged in a hobby but dropped it due to lack of time, now is your chance to go back to your old hobby or find a new one. Hobbies are your ticket to becoming ab

4. Diarize some “you” time

Your diary is probably full of all the things you have to do for other people, whether the items are for work or family commitments. Most people who suffer from stress put themselves last on their list, which can leave them no time for themselves. Put some time in your diary to devote to yourself. Make sure that other people around you don’t violate this time – if need be, book into somewhere to experience this time. Maybe a weekly cinema visit or a meal with someone close to you? Or some time pampering yourself? Even a nice, long, relaxing bath? Just make sure that you devote at least some time to yourself every week.

5. Use your vacation time

Stressed out people have a habit of not taking the vacations they are due. You need vacation time to recharge your own batteries. You’ll find that you return to work revitalized and raring to go again. At least so long as you don’t take your work with you… Leave your cell phone at home or go somewhere remote with no reception. It’s your vacation, enjoy it!

Get more tips on personal stress management and start to take back control of your life and leave your stress behind.

Trevor Johnson

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Microsoft is known for its advanced computer operating system. It has recently launched the most sophisticated OS named as Microsoft Office 2007. It is a complete set of efficiency and database software which includes the 2007 versions of Publisher, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, PowerPoint, MS Access, and Word.

Professional 2007 version lets you develop specialized marketing resources for print, e-mail, and surf the internet. It produces very successful and effective marketing campaigns for you. Apart from this, you can also generate versatile business documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and assemble databases even if you don’t have the required manpower.

The best feature that Microsoft office 2007 has got is its fast and efficient operating system. It gives you access to a host of options that save you time and keep you structured. It also has an adequate contact management system which helps you to combine all customer and viewpoint information in one place. The menus present the right tools at the exact time when you need them the most. It is certainly very stressful and difficult to keep a track of daily appointments and deadlines of your important projects. Professional 2007 makes the procedure very smooth so you are always prepared for whatever the day’s programs are. For example, the To-Do Bar in Outlook with Business Contact Manager improves your tasks, e-mail messages and follow-up appointments in a more useful way.

The success of any business depends upon taking benefit of key opportunities that come your way. Offic

Microsoft office 2007 is certainly a revolutionary product which will give a new dimension to the computer networking system. It is capable to enhance the working style prevailing in the offices and other places. It promises more consolidation into the world’s leading application suite than any previous upgrade. The 2007 version combines power, ease of use, and visual clarity that all in a whole leave previous versions far behind.

Jayson Pablo, a dedicated writer of Rupizcompare.co.uk which provide information on computer software and cheap laptops.

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What makes you happy? A better job? A long vacation? The “right one” to come along?

Marci Shimoff who created Happy for No Reason, the pursuit of happiness should not be tagged on to a single object, goal or relationship. While these will provide happiness and fulfillment, it won’t last very long.

Shimoff believes that true happiness should not rely on anything “out there” or external. Her book offers seven steps to attain satisfaction that will truly last and withstand any adversity.

Happy for No Reason is based on the current developments and knowledge on positive psychology and neurophysiology. The book also includes testimonials and interviews with everyday people who show that true contentment is attainable no matter where you are from.

Marci Shimoff who created Happy for No Reason, adds her Happiness Habits that encompass all aspects of life -from careers to money to relationships.

Marci Shimoff who created Happy for No Reason, broke through the self-help and self-improvement circle as the writer behind the Chicken Soup for The Woman’s Soul series. These best-selling books took the market to a new level, as well as touched the lives of countless mothers, wives, sisters and daughters around the globe.

Shimoff holds a Masters of Business Administration from UCLA. She further took advanced studies in stress management. Apart from her books, she appears in various conferences, corporate affairs, and engagements with non-profit organizations and women’s groups. Fortune 500 compani

If you are looking to change to become a better person, he is the right person to advice you on your life. Good Luck!

Nizzura loves to do product reviews and owns http://www.EntrepreneurCulture.com

He recently reviewed an event called The Masters Gathering where world’s top transformation experts and best selling authors have agreed to participate in the program. If you would like to know more about The Masters Gathering event, visit http://www.EntrepreneurCulture.com

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Detoxification is a process by which we cleanse the body of toxins and harmful chemicals. It involves dietary and lifestyle changes that reduce the intake of toxins and improve their elimination. These toxins come mainly from diet, drug use, and environmental exposure, and are difficult to remove. Natural detoxification is helpful in this process.

Lipophilic toxins such as DDT, dioxins and Agent Orange are more difficult to release from the body. These toxins pollute the lipids or fats in your body and surface as a variety of symptoms ranging from fatigue, headaches and rashes. They are the primary toxin related to Gulf War Syndrome. Fortunately are bodies are designed to dispose of these toxins efficiently.

Detoxifying the body is one way of getting rid of all unwanted fat, wastes and dirt. Commercials have spawned tips and advices on how to detoxify the body. And considering that the issue on the lemonade detox diet has risen to a certain degree, especially among the “larger” community, the issue on detoxifying has gotten both irks and praises.

Juice Fasting: this method requires you to drink only glasses of juice for up to three days. The juices of fresh fruits and vegetables of all kinds except citrus fruits like oranges and lemon. However, before continuing this method of natural body detox for more than three days you should always consult a doctor or a qualified nutritionist.

Toxins are all around us, we can get it from the food we eat and drink, from the environment like second hand smoke and even from personal hygiene,

In fact, if you do not try to have body detox to remove toxins from your bodies, they would accumulate and cause some very serious problems. For example, if you do not try to maintain your body well at a state which has low level of toxins, you might suffer from asthma, arthritis, infertility, lupus, etc. Of course, you might argue that these diseases can be caused by heredity. However, on the other hand, it might be caused by accumulation of toxins. Thus, you should know more about body detox so that you might be able to prevent some disastrous diseases from coming to you.

As everyone knows, yoga can help clear your mind and mental clutters. Do you know that yoga is very essential for stress management, emotional stability and aggression control? While yoga poses cultivate flexibility and strength, they can also provide compression that massages the internal organs, helping to rid the body of toxins. So check out and register with a yoga class in your area and start experiencing higher score in life satisfaction than a control group (who simply read books), become more extroverted and see a cheerier and merrier you.

Read about Natural Laxatives and Natural Detoxification at Natural Supplements

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