miércoles, 9 de septiembre de 2015

Talking point: Spaces

This week's talking point is spaces. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
  • Describe your room in as much detail as possible: Is it airy and roomy? Is it spacious or small? Do you share it? Is there any piece of furniture that takes up too much space?
  • How important is it for you to have your own private space? 
  • Describe a public space that you like or dislike.
  • Describe a personal space that you like or dislike.
  • Think about your present home and how you would change it to make it more comfortable to live in.
  • Are there any derelict areas in your town or city that you think could be redeveloped? Where are they? How could the areas be used to enhance the appearance of the city and offer better public services?
To illustrate the topic you can watch this video on Feng Shui where expert Leigh Kubin answers basic questions regarding the study and the practical applications of Feng Shui in homes, offices, and recreational areas and how Feng Shui can make spaces more appealing, relaxing and comfortable.

    The 411 on Feng Shui por fengshuiyourway

    Leigh Kubin: Welcome to Feng Shui Your Way. I am your host Leigh Kubin and today we learn the basics of Feng Shui. We will shop for items that reflect your personality and activate the energy in your space.
    What is Feng Shui? It literally means wind and water but as a Feng Shui practitioner to me, it means setting up your environment in a way that supports your goals. So let us take a look at the Bagua for a minute. The Bagua is the map of how chi energy that flows to your home and in turn, your life. You will align the bottom of the Bagua with your front door meaning either through the wisdom journey or helpful people areas. I am going to show you how to go into a home accessories boutique and create your own Feng Shui adjustments. We are at Simply Irresistible with owner, Dolores and she has invited us in so I can show you how creative you can get with Feng Shui.
    Dolores, tell me how do you help people that come in looking for specific items?
    Dolores Urquizo: Only when you come into home accessories like mine, I believe that the staff should be ready to assist you with finding a specific element you are looking for.
    Leigh Kubin: Well, I am so excited to see what we have got to work with.
    We are going to begin in the journey area which is about your life path. Think of unlimited possibilities. The color for this area is black and the element is water. You can activate this area by placing a black mat at your front door or by placing a water feature in this area but if you want to get more creative, find a picture that has water in it or find something that represent water like this urns.
    Now, we are in the soft knowledge in wisdom area of the Bagua. This is about setting clear boundaries creating grounding in life. This is an earth sector and the color is blue. You can put pictures of people that you want to gain knowledge from in this area or find earthy pictures such as this one with squares in it that represent earth. You can also find something fiery that replenishes earth.
    We are now in the family area, which represents what you think or do not think as possible for you. This sector is about your personal power. The element is wood and the color is green. You can have actual family photos here or get more creative by placing items that have the shape of wood or even a picture with trees in them.
    So, that leads us to the wealth area which is about eliminating obstacles. It is if someone is behind the scenes making things workout. This sector represents the fulfillment of your life path, which is directly related to the journey area. The element is wood and the color is purple but any jewel tone will work. These canisters will be a great choice because they are purple and since they hold things, it represents the accumulation of wealth.
    The fame and reputation area is the interface between you and the outside world. This does not mean you have to be famous, it just gives the way to say thank you because what you are doing with your life has value to others. Consider what you want to be known for when activating this area. The element is fire and the color is red. You can use the color red or the actual fire element or you can get creative with this triangular shapes concept with wood elements in them since wood fits fire.
    The next step is to draw someone into your life, which leads us to the relationship area of the Bagua. You will find value in yourself and find someone to share your journey with. The element is earth and the color is pink but any earthy muddy tone will work here. You will want to focus on things and pairs and create the feel of what you want in your relationship.
    Now, we are in the children and creativity area of the Bagua. This is the playground of life. In this energy pattern, we do not take life too seriously. Remember, if we do not have our time to play, we will not have the energy to continue on our journey. The element is metal and the colors for this area are pastels.
    We are now in the helpful people in travel area of the Bagua which represents your connection with the entire community. You want to draw in this energy, who do you want to support and who do you want to support you. The element is metal and the colour is white or grey. The scenery is related to health and it should be as open as possible. When this area is balanced, it creates a balance in any other area and space. The element is earth and the colour is yellow.
    Dolores, I had so much fun exploring your boutique and finding creative solutions for Feng Shui space. Thank you for having us.
    Thank you for coming and I've learned so much about Feng Shui.