By Kathryn Weber
Getting ahead in any area of life requires that you get plenty of attention. And, feng shui offers tips and ideas to help you gain more notice and get the recognition you deserve.
If you’re interested in progressing in life, it’s important to make feng shui adjustments to important areas such as the north (career/opportunities) and northwest (helpful people/mentors) sectors. These two sectors are critical for helping you rise in prominence.
Enhancing the north sector (of your living room, your house, and in your office or business) helps opportunities to come your way. This is done by adding water elements to this sector. Water fountains, images of water, figures of fish or shells are all excellent activators, as is metal. Metal makes water, so it’s a good way to stimulate more money to enter your life.
But it’s not all about the north.
No, the saying goes that it’s not what you know, but who you know, which explains why you need mentors and helpful people who can advise you and give you the proper introductions to help you move ahead in life and in business.
It’s interesting how different the Western and Eastern views about mentors are.
In Eastern beliefs, you always want to have someone in a prominent position to help you in your endeavors, and these influential people often seek out and want protégés to whom they can pass along their knowledge and to assist them.
In Western, and more so, American, opinions, this assistance is seen as a weakness. Americans often want to “blaze their own trails” and build their careers and business all on their own so they can savor the pride of doing it on their own, and by their own “boostraps.”
However, in today’s corporate environment, and in an increasingly more competitive world, everyone needs a benefactor or helpful guide. But, to gain this type of relationship, you have to be able to be seen by someone in the position to help you. This is where the south sector comes in.
The south is the direction that is associated with recognition and fame — and success.
To have a well-designed and helpful south sector, certain elements must be in harmony. If not, you’ll struggle to gain recognition — and fame will certainly be elusive.
With a poor south sector, you will be left feeling like you are chest-deep in the ocean and waving your arms wildly trying to get someone to notice you. Not a good situation if you are trying to get a book published, or to come to the attention of superiors, get a new job, if you’re an actor vying for acting parts, or even a single person trying to catch the eye of an admirer.
That’s why the south sector is so important.
Where is the south sector? The south, of course. Using a compass, you will want to locate the south corner of your home and office and enhance this area appropriately. Use the tips below to help you boost your south sector and get the attention and recognition you crave — and deserve!
1. Lights, camera, action. Light up the south wall of your living room by painting this wall red, adding lights or candles to this area. Place uplights into the bottoms of planters to shine light up into plants. Be sure to make this area bright and well-lit.
2. Call attention to yourself. If you have a university degree, letters of commendation, published articles, trophies, or any kind of recognition whatsoever, place these on the south wall of your living room, office, or waiting area in a business.
3. Use the power of 9. The number nine is the number associated with the south, so if you have pictures taken with famous people or other prestigious items to decorate with, put them into groups of nine on the south wall. Better still, put them all into red frames for extra recognition energy!
4. Complement the south. The south is the direction of fire, so use complementary elements here. Don’t want to paint your south wall red? Then try green or brown shades instead. These are associated with wood and the wood element feeds the fire element.
5. Plant some recognition. In the south portion of your yard or garden, plant shrubs that have red flowers and place lights out in this area of the garden. Or, plant a beautiful tree that turns red in the fall. Plants indoors are also great additions to the south part of the house (provided it is not a bedroom or bathroom). If your south corner is a bedroom or bathroom, activate the south corner of your living room instead.
6. Bring on the sun. If you have a picture of a sunrise, or figure of the sun, or anything with the sun or sunlight in it, put it in the south sector of your living room or home. This will “shine” on you and build your reputation. Even sunflowers are auspicious here!
7. The bird is the word. Use birds in the south to bring good news and recognition to you. If you can find an image of the Chinese phoenix, place this there. If not, birds such as roosters, parrots, or peacocks are all acceptable substitutes. Even peacock feathers are excellent activators when placed here. Try using 9 peacock feathers in a wooden vase to stimulate the south energy.
8. Get to the point. The south is enhanced by anything that is pointed. Therefore, triangles, arrows, or anything that is pointed represents the tip of a flame, and therefore, fire energy. If you have pyramids or triangles, place these (in groups of 9 would be best!) in the south.
9. Chime in. Ever wonder about the best place to hang bamboo windchimes? This is the place! Being made of wood, these are complementary to the south and lift the chi of the south. Make sure they have more than 5-rods, though, as a 5-rod chime would press down the chi (energy) of the south. Six, seven, eight, or nine rod chimes lift the chi and stimulate the south energy.
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