Feng Shui for Business, Harmony or Weapon?
The ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui is used in the U.S. mostly to create harmony, but in China it is often used as a weapon to outperform rivals.
Feng Shui Elements
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FENG SHUI – HARMONY OR WEAPON?
In the United States and other western countries the Chinese art of feng shui is mostly thought of as a way to put one’s life and home in harmony.
Anna Marie Vlad from Greenwich, Connecticut says she’s aware of feng shui, ”I’m an architechtural designer,” she said. “And I do think about the way the placement of rooms, of entries, of furniture in rooms.”
Feng Shui Design
But in China this ancient art can be used as a strategic tool for power.
Forbidden City, Beijing. The design follows feng shui rules. For instance the Hall of Supreme Harmony was placed at the center of the city along the axis line. The city's design invokes the harmony of humans and heaven.
Angel de Para is a master of classic Chinese feng shui and Chief Executive of Earth Luck International in Miami. “In Asia, my observation of it, Feng Shui is used as a weapon. It’s not used for harmony.”
De Para says people can also use feng shui as weapon for success in business or finance.
His feng shui calculations include location, compass directions, the CEO’s birthday and derivatives. He said first he considers his clients need, “What are their goals and desires? I try to match the location to their goals and desires so they peak at the moment they’re expecting their strategy to peak.”
Feng Shui Compass
For instance the energy of the so-called “Lipstick Building” is about attracting money. De Para who has studied many buildings in New York said, ”That building reflected the people that were going to be attracted to that building were going to be gathering large sums of money from the masses.”
The "Lipstick Building", 885 Third Avenue, New York. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee.
Metropolitan Opera in New York
That energy can be used in a positive or negative way.
Unfortunately convicted swindler, Bernie Madoff chose the negative. It’s here that Madoff ran a $65 billion ponzi scheme that bilked thousands of investors worldwide.
Another building, The Metropolitan Opera has a different energy. De Para says it reflects fame. That makes it the perfect location for an opera.
Neither of the buildings nor Madoff were de Para clients.
NYSE Big Board
Peace on Earth Is Possible
People generally ponder the idea of peace more often during the holiday season. Whatever holiday someone celebrates or whether he or she does not observe any at all – the thought of peace filters through the air.
Yet, most people feel peace is impossible. They see the tragedies and the negativity on Earth and they can’t see how to transform it. The answer is within the grasp of each person.
A great human revolution in just a single person will help change the destiny of a nation and all humankind, according to Buddhist scholar Daisaku Ikeda.
You can see examples of how just one person’s evolution to a higher energy, a higher life condition has changed the world. Contemporary examples include Dr. Martin L King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Each single individual made a monumental difference in the fate of his or her nation and humankind.
“But wait,” I hear you say, “I’m no MLK or Gandhi-like person.
I can’t do what they did.”
We don’t have to repeat what they did to affect the course of humanity. Elevating our life conditions (energy) into the highest state possible of enlightenment allows us to make wise and positive choices in everything we do. Put another way: fill your life with wisdom and compassion. THAT is what changes the world.
We have all the power of the
Universe inside us.
Whether you call it Love, Light,
Spirit, Source, Mystic Law, God or
positive energy, it is there available
for us to access and use.
Living our lives in the most positive
way is how we change the world.
Even a single act of kindness
ripples through the Universe with
great positive effect.
Cause and effect or reaping what you sow is a natural law of the Universe.
So, when someone asks me for directions, I take the time from my busy day to stop and help.
When a crazy driver cuts me off on the highway, I keep my life condition high and refrain from making the situation worse or more dangerous.
When my boss is angry and disrespectful, I use his negative attitude as motivation to shine even brighter (or sometimes look for a new job where I can shine).
And when a loved one hurts me, I find a way make it positive. I start by being good to myself and then sharing love with others.
As we hurry though these holidays and all our days -
let’s realize we can make a difference.
As Marvin Gaye sang, “Only love can conquer hate.”
World Peace through individual happiness.
Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me – and you!
Any Tan Is Skin Damage
Consider me, Blonde AND Smart about the sun. I know…
ANY TAN IS SKIN DAMAGE
Summer is gone, but don’t let that stop you from protecting your skin.
Dermatologist Dr. Lawrence E. Gibson says all tanning increases your chance of cancer. He wrote on MayoClinic.com, “… any change in skin color is a sign of damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Repeated exposure to UV radiation — whether from the sun or a tanning bed — increases your risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer.”
A not-so smart blond
To prevent sunburn Gibson suggests using all of these sun protection methods:
- Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, when the sun’s rays are strongest
- Cover up
- Use sunscreen frequently and liberally
Exposure to the sun – whether naturally or in a tanning bed – is showing up in cancer statistics. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed the number of cases of non-melanoma skin cancer tripled between the 1970s and 2005. While there are other causes of skin cancer, science confirms the sun is definitely the biggest culprit.
The National Cancer Institute says there were more than 1,000,000 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer in 2010. Nearly 1,000 of those people died!
There are lots of way to have fun in the sun and avoid skin damage or worse, cancer. You can even get a great natural looking tan today from a bottle. My favorite is the affordable Jergens Natural Glow Express Body Moisturizer which works in minutes to give you a wonderful glow. Another highly rated, but more expensive, self tanner is Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel.
All the careful skin care pays off, not just in the important ways of helping prevent skin cancer, but in the lighter, shall we say more superficial way of looking better and younger.
My new dermatologist, Dr Joseph Jorizzo, commented yesterday that I have done a “really good job taking care of my skin.” He should know he’s the Founding Chair of the Dermatology Department at Wake Forest University and Adjunct Professor of Dermatology at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine.
Beautiful, Protected Skin Will Thank You
So, if you want a tan from the sun or a tanning bed remember it may look good now, but you’ll pay for it later. Be blonde, brunette or whatever – but be ambitious about taking care of your skin. It will give you a lifetime of thanks.
Read part one and two of this series: Young and Immortals Still Tanning and Not Ambitious About a Tan.
9/11 Ten Years After Still Heart Wrenching
Does a linear line in time that stretches out for a decade change how we perceive a life-changing incident like 9/11? 
Ten years should make it easier to cope with the anniversary, but the 10-year mark seems different. Harder.
In 2001 I was running for my life to escape the monstrous terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (WTC). I lived just three buildings south of the towers, so like many people, I can never forget.
On past 9/11 anniversaries I climbed to the roof of my apartment building and stood quietly as the families of the victims read their names below me. With them I remembered the moments so deeply carved into our lives. Last year I moved away from Ground Zero to a different part of the city, so this year I planned to join a large group for a memorial service.
Because it’s the 10th anniversary, people are putting greater significance on the day. Chief among the events - the dedication of the 9/11 Memorial to honor the nearly 3,000 people who died.
At 6:30 this morning I was dressed and ready to go to a memorial service at St. John’s University two blocks north of the tower site. A teleconference from Munich by the Community of Sant’Egidio was bringing together people from the great religions around the world for a big meeting of peace.
As I prepared to leave my apartment, I stopped. My metro card was missing, my little chihuahua, Cha Cha, was surprisingly sick and throwing up; things felt off, wrong. I decided to stay home. And that’s OK. I feel we must trust our instincts and deal with this day the best we can.
I have pieced my life back together, for the most part. Getting inspiration from one of my favorite philosophers, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, I try to lead with optimism and believe we can create a better world. Dr. Ikeda says, Buddhism teaches the purpose of life is to be happy, and that it’s our challenge to turn the negative events in our lives into positive ones. We can turn “poison into medicine.”
So unless a fire truck with sirens blaring zips by me or something else triggers the memories, I am alright.
Except on this day, 9/11.
Ten years ago the morning sky was bright blue and the air was crisp.
Today it’s overcast and dull.
Ten years should make it easier.
Not Ambitious About a Tan
You won’t find this blonde worshiping the sun. With so much evidence about how damaging too much sun can be, I’ve adopted a Scarlett O’Hara attitude of protecting my skin.
O’HARA AND CHANEL
Tanning is a relatively new phenomena. In the civil war epic, Gone With the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara prized her magnolia-white skin and carefully guarded it against the hot Georgia sun. Having a tan was a sign you labored for a living.
- Carmen “O’Hara” wanting to protect her magnolia-white skin.
Suntans did not become fashionable until the 1920s when Coco Chanel came back from the seashore bronzed and beautiful. As the fad caught on, tans took on the reverse meaning. They became as a sign of leisure and luxury; a sign you had the money and time to pursue a sun-kissed look.
Lessons from sun worshipers in my mother's generation. Lots of tanning is not pretty!
I remember as a child seeing women my mother’s age having tanned, leathery skin from years of sunbathing.
When I attended the University of Miami, I realized how damaging tanning could be, so I stopped lying out in the sun. Still, my years of sunbathing as a teenager, riding my motorcycle in halter tops, and not always using sunscreen are starting to show on my skin.
Don’t misunderstand. I could never abandon my life in the sun. I still scuba, ride my Harley, sail, drive a convertible with the top down, and get out in nature. However, I never leave home without SPF 30 sunscreen on my face and SPF 15 on my arms. I also wear hats and sit in the shade when possible.
There are a wide range of choices in SPF or sun protection factor, so it’s easy to find one that fits your skin type or sun style. SPF ranges from 2 to 100. If you use an SPF of 15, you can stay in the sun 15 times longer than without sunscreen before you burn. So, apply, wear, and reapply.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE SUNSCREENS
I recently discovered a sunscreen I love, because it dissolves so easily on my face. Unlike some sunscreens that are thick, don’t absorb well and feel like a sticky mess under makeup, Eucerin Everyday Protection is light, airy and dissolves quickly. If I want higher SPF protection, I normally use Neutrogena’s line of sunscreens.
Dermatologists say everyone should use at least a 15 SPF. If you’re fair or burn easily, you need a higher SPF. Also make sure it protects against both kinds of ultraviolet rays – UVA/UVB.
I never leave home without at least a 30 SPF on my face and hands, and if I am riding my motorcycle, I wear at least a 50.
Long sleeves for sun protection when I ride my Harley
Read part part one of this series: Young and Immortals Still Sunbathing
And the next in this series: more reasons to be Ambitious about being safe in the sun, because Any Tan Is Skin Damage.
Young and Immortals Still Sunbathing
I’m amazed there’s still so much sun worship going on!
Bathing Beauty Today
With mounting scientific evidence that tanning can cause cancer or at the very least make you look like a lizard one day, it seems more people would cover up. So, why does it seem everyone is so Ambitious to get a tan?
Maybe Tomorrow?
The Skin Cancer Foundation says, “One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.”
FEELING IMMORTAL
As I sat in the shade of a big sheltering oak tree in New York’s Central Park this weekend, many of the people on the hill were lying out in the 90-degree sun. I noticed a young woman in her 20s with skin as white as the pages of the book I was reading. She was lying on a towel on the grassy hill. So, I leaned over from my shade tree and asked why. She quipped, “To get a tan.” I wanted to know more. “Aren’t you concerned about skin cancer or …,” but she just shrugged and returned to reading her BlackBerry.
Central Park
I could understand if it were just teens and 20-somethings baking their skin out in the sun. After all, at that age you feel immortal and able to withstand anything.
A GEORGE HAMILTON TAN
But it’s not just the young immortals who are working on their tans. Sitting on Cedar Hill in Central Park there were several men in their 40s and 50s seriously catching rays. At least one could give the famously tanned actor George Hamilton a run for his money. Even the famous may have to pay a steep price for sun worship. August 11, Hamilton denied he was diagnosed with skin cancer.
Actor George Hamilton is famous for his tan.
Meantime, let’s hope you won’t be like Hamilton or the young woman I met in Central Park who didn’t seem to care about damaging her beautiful skin. Maybe she adopted another Scarlett O’Hara attitude, “… tomorrow is another day.” I hope it’s a good one.
Next, more on why you should not be Ambitious for a tan!
And the third part in this series: Why Any Tan is Skin Damage.
Hey, What Happened to My Job Application?
Welcome to the new economy. How many times have you heard that phrase recently? Now you can add a new problem to the new economy.
People who have jobs are holding on so tightly, that some are even afraid to help the unemployed.
Friday’s pathetic payroll report showing the U.S. economy added just 18,000 jobs in June underscores the fear.
Before the world financial crisis and the great job purge of 2007-2009 when nearly 8 million Americans lost their jobs, if you knew someone looking for a job, most people would lend a helping hand. Nowadays some people are hanging on so tightly to the jobs they have, they’re afraid to even acknowledge a job seeker, afraid to give the job seeker an introduction much less a recommendation.
IS THAT REALLY WHO WE ARE
Yet workers are not the only ones gripped by fear. Companies are sitting on piles of cash, afraid to hire workers until they see definite signs the economy is picking up steam or a clear picture of what government policy will be.
And it seems politicians are afraid to acknowledge the nation’s most urgent problem is jobs – not the deficit.
MAYBE IT’S TRICKLE-DOWN FEAR
Unemployment jumped to 9.2% in June, but real unemployment topped 16.2%. There are now 25.3 million Americans out of work. Nearly half of them are the shadow unemployed. They’ve either exhausted their unemployment benefits and given up looking for work, are working part time or have been forced to create their own jobs. Many of those lucky enough to find or create jobs are eking out a living sometimes earning half of their previous paycheck.
DIGITAL DISTRESS
Not only are job seekers battling through fear and self-confidence busters, today’s digital economy means everyone has to apply online. It’s like a modern version of Alice in Wonderland. Once your job application goes down the online rabbit hole, it can simply disappear.
And let’s not talk now about how the digital process allows companies to easily cherry pick applicants – avoiding the more experienced and more expensive workers or whoever else they don’t want.
The point is – it’s nearly impossible to get a job solely online. You have to get help from the inside. More than 70 percent of hires come through networking, so without reaching someone in the know, your chances of success are very slim.
So the next time a friend, an associate or a former colleague asks you to help shine some light on an application lost down the rabbit hole, think about it. Who have you become?
No Tears or Cheers for Osama
Published: May 4, 2011.
Nearly 10 years after the attack on the World Trade Center jolted me awake in my nearby apartment, the United States finally found and killed the mastermind of the attack, Osama bin Laden.
Immediately I felt relief that the monster was dead. Bin Laden was responsible for ordering attacks that killed thousands of people around the world, including 3,000 on September 11th.
I believe bin Laden’s evil karma finally caught up with him. His death is most certainly an effect of his horrible causes, even if the U.S. Navy SEALs delivered the deadly blow.
As a former Navy wife, I am especially touched by the SEALs’ bravery.
Navy SEALs Team 6
It’s normal for people to celebrate the destruction of evil, but I hope we will remember our humanity, our human dignity and not get too carried away. We should not celebrate the death of any living thing, even if the death is necessary.
And just because bin Laden’s gone, the threat is not. America is still a target. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the city is still the No. 1 terrorist target. He said, “We have to be alert for a potential attack based on the death of bin Laden and we are.”
So while there is one less evil person on the planet, there is still a lot of danger. That said I don’t live my life in fear. In fact, I was one of the few people in my building who returned after the attack. I didn’t run, although I don’t blame those who did. We each have to find our own path.
This is where I lived on 9/11, just three buildings south of the WTC site. My apartment building was the light-colored one on the left bathed in sunlight.
I continued to live in my apartment just three buildings south of the World Trade Center site for nine years after the attack.
I moved last year, but not out of New York. I love this city and am proud of how we faced the most horrific attack imaginable and kept going. I’m part of that.
So while I’m not dancing in the streets that Osama bin Laden is dead, I am glad he’s gone. He won’t be able to cause any more suffering and that’s a very good thing.
****
Read Carmen’s 9-11 Journey.
Don’t Buy Into Fear
Like everything in life, fear is relative. It can be positive or negative. When preparing to make a speech or meet someone new, a little fear is good. It can keep us alert and add excitement to our meeting or presentation. Short bursts of fear in the right moment can also save lives. Imagine walking across the road and seeing a car speeding at you. Fear could motivate you to jump out of the way.
In the moment, fear can be good, but in the bigger picture of life fear is limiting and destructive. In life there are really only two choices: fear or love.
* Love unites us. Fear separates us.
* Love recognizes life is eternal and beautiful in the universe. Fear sees life as finite and imperfect.
* Love looks for truth. Fear seeks illusion.
Nice concepts, but how do we apply these ideas to our everyday lives? How do we choose love over fear? How do you recognize everything is an illusion except love?
Fear:
One country is afraid it won’t have enough resources to sustain its economy, so fear kicks in. The leaders start plotting ways to get resources from others. War begins.
Love:
A country short on resources turns to dialogue. It looks for ways create consensus that helping it get resources would benefit everyone. The leaders look for ways to trade and to benefit all sides. Partnerships begin.
Fear:
You worry about building a successful company. Thinking about it is fine. Planning it is great, but being afraid is not. Look at your life at the moment; be ok in the moment. Worry or fear comes when we project into the future or agonize over the past. You can only live in this moment, so apply your energy both mentally and physically to now.
Love:
Choosing love would be to recognize you have everything you need to be successful. Be kind to yourself; believe in yourself and in others. That love will fuel your success as well as your creativity. With love you can open your life to inspiration and wisdom buried deep within .
Fear:
You are afraid your lover will leave and you embrace that fear. It spoils the relationship; colors your actions and feelings and you act distrustful or clingy. You spend your time worrying about losing him or her – rather than enjoying the moments you have.
Love:
Choosing love would literally be to act in a loving way toward him or her, and yes, you should love yourself too. If your lover decides to stray or treats you badly – you have to make the decision that respects and honors your life.
* Fear is the opposite of love.
* Being concerned about what the neighbors think is fear. Believing in yourself is love.
* Fear destroys creativity and peace. Love inspires and brings hope.
* Fear is from the outside, from the environment. Love is from the inside, your life.
* Fear is a downward spiral. Love opens you up.
So, when fear shows up, it’s our job to figure out how to turn that into love. Think of it as turning poison into medicine — the negative into positive.
Happiness Is the Way
As the Buddhist saying goes, “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”
I can hear you now, “How can I be happy with so many pressures and obstacles bearing down on me?” Yet, true happiness is an unshakable life condition that stays with you no matter what problems appear. When you tap into true happiness – or enlightenment – it illuminates the rest of your life and you’re happy even when you’re working to overcome life’s challenges.
So yes, happiness is the way. Easy to say. Hard to live. Here are a few of my helpers until you find your “way.”
Attitude.
* Waking up each day and appreciating what you have, rather than wishing for what you don’t is key. Just the simple act of saying, “I’m thankful I have a bed to sleep in,” begins the process of being happy now.
* See your obstacles as opportunities. Problems we face are a chance to change our lives. Understand that and you’re more than half the way there.
* Stay grounded. Literally! If you find yourself struggling, take a walk in nature. Sit on the ground, hug a tree or swim in the ocean. Your stress levels will start dropping immediately.
* Live through love not fear.
Meditation.
* Meditating is really reconnecting with your true self which gets bogged down and covered up by all the negativity in our lives.
* You don’t have to quiet your mind to meditate. Whether you’re chanting or sitting quietly – focus on your thoughts whatever they are and breathe. The calm or peace will eventually come. There are many styles of meditating – so don’t be hesitant to add this to your life.
* Meditation raises your life condition and opens your life to all your inherent power.
* Though meditation you can also tap into the wisdom of the universe. Let’s not forget that intelligence is nothing without wisdom. Knowing something is not the same as having the wisdom to use the information to create a better life for yourself and the world.
Help others.
* The laws of karma are exact. What goes around, comes around. ”Oh sure,” you say. “What about the guy who steals and never gets caught, or the woman who treats other people horribly and seems to be just fine?” I promise you, they will definitely feel the effects of their causes, and beyond that, what makes you so sure they are not already suffering from their causes?
* Helping others makes you feel better about yourself, so it’s a win-win situation.
Stay in the now.
* All you really have is this moment.
Unlike most things, when it comes to happiness – it’s not about the journey. It’s about the destination.
