Hi Everyone,
As a Happy Spring gift to my wonderful readers, I’m offering a $50 discount on all Feng Shui appointments 
conducted during the month of March! The appointment must actually take place during March and appointments are made on a first-come, first served basis. Email me now if you are interested and get your Spring off to a fresh start! cathleen@sandiegofengshui.com
Posted in Feng Shui
Do I need to paint my front door red in order to have good Feng Shui?
The answer to this question is No.
This is a myth that is actually based on a misunderstanding of a very practical and very ancient Feng Shui principle. While the myth itself has no bearing on Feng Shui either good or bad, its origins are rather interesting.
Feng Shui was established in China approximately 5,000 years ago as a set of guidelines to help people live in harmony with the natural world. Living in a time centuries before the advent of lighting and heating, people had to depend upon the sun to bring warmth and light into their homes.
Early Feng Shui principles suggested that when possible, people should build their homes facing south in order to receive the maximum benefits of warmth and light from the sun.
Homes with a southern exposure were considered more favorable and fortunate than homes that faced other directions. Any direction other than south was considered less favorable, with north (where the cold bitter winds came from in winter) being the least desireable of all.
Due to its association with the sun, the element associated with the south in Feng Shui is fire, and the color associated with fire is red. In ancient China, when someone was unable to build their home facing south, they would paint their front door red to symbolically bring the “fortunate” aspects of the southern exposure to their home. This is a practice that is carried out even today, though its original meaning has been lost and forgotten with the passage of time.
So the next time you hear someone say that you need a red front door in order to have good Feng Shui, take a moment to enlighten them on the real meaning behind this old superstition. Like any good myth, it is a tale worth telling.
Posted in Feng Shui, Feng Shui Tips
In this next series of blogs, I’ll be addressing some frequently asked questions I have heard over the many years I have been a Feng Shui consultant. I hope you find them interesting!
Q. I know that Feng Shui is supposed to make me feel better about my house, but when I drive up to my home, I feel depressed. I can’t afford to make a lot of changes, what can I do? 
A. That’s an easy one.
Plant some flowers or add pots of flowers where you can see them when you get close to your house. Rutger’s University did a study that revealed that people actually release endorphins and their moods improve when they see flowers.
Think about it…what do you give someone to cheer them up or make them feel better? That’s right…flowers!
Go to the garden store and ask what flowers would do the best in your location (last the longest, attract the least amount of pests, are easy to care for, etc.), and then either plant them in your yard or place them in pots near your front door.
If you live in a cold climate and flowers aren’t an option for you right now, then opt for pretty colored pots with evergreens and berries. The greenery will promote a feeling of vitality and the color on the pots will break up the monotony of the dreary colors of winter.
In addition to flowers, be sure to fix, paint, remove or repair anything that bothers you about the front of your home. Things that need to be done and haven’t been attended to can make us feel depressed and tired. Instead of feeling that way every day, quit procrastinating and get to it. You will be amazed at how much better you feel when you come home!
Posted in Feng Shui Tips
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to share this information on how to manifest a loving relationship on your life. I hope you find it interesting. 
In order to attract a healthy, loving relationship we must first address any negative feelings that may keep us from loving ourselves. Like attracts like, so it is very important that we work on our self-love before we expect someone else to love us. Our beliefs create our reality, so when attracting a healthy relationship, it is important to consider the following:
Do you feel you deserve and are worthy of a happy, healthy relationship?
We attract events and people into our lives that reflect how we feel about ourselves, so it is important to address our own self worth and self-esteem issues before setting out to attract a partner. The more positive you feel about yourself, the more positive people you will attract. If you say to yourself, “He/she will just have to accept me as I am.” Be sure to ask yourself whether or not you accept yourself as you are. If not, what are you going to do to remedy that? Lose some weight, exercise more, get a make-over, go back to school…what? The better you feel about yourself the more attractive you will be to a potential partner and the higher the probability you will attract the love you are looking for.
Are you looking for someone for the right reasons?
Wanting to share our life with someone for love, comfort, and companionship is natural for most of us. But many people seek a partner to fulfill what is lacking in their own lives. If you are seeking a partner for status, financial security, or any other superficial reason you are sure to lose in the end. Looking for a partner to fill up a missing piece in our own lives will only lead to disappointment.
Instead, work on your own financial and emotional security. Not only will you feel better about yourself and improve your own life, but others will see you as self-confident and secure. Two irresistible qualities!
Do you have a clear vision of what you would like in a partner?
Most people put out to the Universe the statement, “I want to manifest a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife etc.” and leave it at that. Then they are frustrated or disappointed by the people that come into their lives who don’t measure up to their desires or expectations. In order for the Universe to bring you the partner you desire, you must be clear about the qualities you are looking for in that person.
You would never go out to purchase a home or car without a specific set of things you are looking for, so why would you approach finding a compatible partner any differently?
Spend some time making a detailed list of the qualities you desire in a partner. Be as specific as possible. It does no good to write down that you want someone who is “financially secure” if you do not add, “and is generous with me in sharing love, money, and possessions” or you might end up with someone who is indeed financially secure, but is also a selfish miser.
Don’t be afraid to put down the tiniest details on your list. You may even want to read over your list with a trusted friend to find out if they have any suggestions for you. For example, you may want to add something less obvious like “My partner shares the same body clock as I”. This way you are asking for a partner who gets up and goes to bed at the same time as you. Partners with very dissimilar sleeping patterns can play havoc with your love life, so add that to your list! Be as detailed as you possibly can be. Then set your list aside and read it over from time to time and make any changes or modifications as you wish.
Can you imagine yourself in a happy, loving relationship?
Once you have made your detailed list, spend some time daydreaming or meditating on how it will feel to have this wonderful new love in your life. How do their arms feel around you? Think of their kiss and the way their hair smells as they nuzzle next to you. Imagine how it will be to cook and eat a meal together, to sleep together, to laugh together. Make the image and feelings as real as possible. Feel as if this great love is already in your life. Try to do this exercise at least once a day. First thing in the morning or before you go to sleep at night is a great time to practice. By getting into the “feelings” of the relationship you will be giving energy to manifesting better and more quickly the love you seek.
Do you get out and make yourself available?
You can’t expect Ms. or Mr. Right to knock on your door and sweep you away. You need to help the Universe by getting out and allowing the possibility to present itself. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t go out and buy a ticket!
Are you focusing on “lack” or “having” in your life?
If you are focused on the fact that you are alone, you will keep being alone. To shift this situation, instead be grateful and aware of all the love you do have in your life in the form of friends, pets, and family members. When you focus on the love you already have, you are sure to bring more love to you.
An area most of my clients want to especially focus on during their Feng Shui consultation is how they can improve their love and romantic life. Since February is the month associated with love, I have included ways you can Feng Shui your home for love and romance.
1. Find the Southwest area of your home. This is your “Love and Romance” area. In order to enhance this area, choose artwork that displays pairs of things (two people, two cats, two birds, etc.). In fact, it is a good idea to maintain objects and artwork in pairs rather than single items or images of single things. Items arranged in threes are undesirable as this symbolically brings a third party into the relationship.
2. Keep clutter out of the Master Bedroom as well as the Southwest part of your home in order to keep the energies of love and romance flowing freely.
3. For more romance, add romantic fabrics to your space. Silk, velvet, satin, and other luxurious textiles evoke sensuality.
4. Candles and low lighting sets the mood. In fact candlelight is the most flattering light to be seen in for most people.
5. Shades of red, pink, and deep purples promote feelings of passion.
6. Make sure you have a nightstand on both sides of the bed, even if you are single. This will help you make room for another person in your life.
7. Remove anything in your home that reminds you of past or failed relationships. This especially applies to old mattresses!
8. If you have small children, make sure to create a “Kid-Free Zone”. These are areas (such as the Master bedroom) where children’s toys, pictures, and other items are not allowed. It is very important that the couple has a space to just be the couple, rather than “Mom and Dad”.
9. Keep pictures of other people (anyone besides the couple) out of the master bedroom. Pictures of other people can reduce the feeling of privacy and intimacy in a bedroom.
10. The element for the Southwest is earth (rock, stone, tile, etc.). One of the easiest ways to bring stone into this area is by adding a pair of Rose Quartz hearts in the Southwest area. The rose quartz hearts are available for sale by clicking here. 
This fun and exciting weekend workshop has been designed for those wishing to learn a basic understanding of Feng Shui and would like the knowledge to be able to work on their own home.
While not as extensive as the Certification Program, it is a wonderful opportunity for someone who wants to increase their knowledge and practical use of Feng Shui principles.
In this workshop you will learn basic:
•Feng Shui tips and techniques for the entire home, including all rooms and landscape or garden areas.
•History of Feng Shui
•Feng Shui tips for outdoor areas and landscaping
•Basic design techniques for each room of the house
•How to determine the Life Aspiration Areas based on the compass (wealth, career, etc.) and how to enhance them
•Introduction to the Five Elements and how to place them properly
•Space-clearing techniques
•Healthy home tips
•How to determine your Personal Best Directions
•Home Numerology
•Working with the Five Elements in decor and design
•Environmental Psychology
•How to apply what you have learned to your own home
And much more!
Dates: Saturday February 20th & Sunday, February 21st, 2010 Time: 10:00 am until 4:00 pm
Fee: $150 for the entire weekend (includes all materials, bottled water and light snacks)
Location: La Jolla, California
For more information or to register, please email cathleen@sandiegofengshui.com www.sandiegofengshui.com
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Registration has begun for this course!
The Spring 2010 Certification Course begins on March 13th!
If you said “Yes” to any of these questions, then the Spring 2010 Feng Shui Certification Course is perfect for you!
Why this course?
Cathleen McCandless has been named “The Best Feng Shui Consultant in San Diego” by San Diego Magazine. She has almost twenty years experience as a Feng Shui consultant and teacher and stars in the Nation-wide television series “Feng Shui Living”. Cathleen’s client list includes Nike, Intel, Mercedes Benz Design, Loews Corporation, Alaska Airlines, and many more. Cathleen’s work has been profiled in publications including the New York Times and the Washington Post. No other Feng Shui course available provides so much knowledge, first-hand experience, and personal attention!
Twice a year Cathleen offers this Intensive Certification course for those interested in pursuing Feng Shui as a career, for those wishing to enhance their current professional skills (interior designers, architects, realtors, home stagers, etc.) or for those who would like a deeper understanding of Feng Shui. The course covers Compass, Form, and Flying Star Feng Shui for both residential and business properties.
Some examples of topics covered during the course are:
Find out why Cathleen’s Certification students say…
“This was one of the best things I have ever done!”
-Jan M.
“I can’t believe how much I learned. This experience was so much more than I expected. I loved every minute of it!”
-Amy M.
” I loved our class so much I never wanted it to end!”
- Julie T.
“In the first two weeks after I received my Certificate I already made back the money I paid for the course and then some. The best part is that I enjoyed myself the entire time I was working. That is something really new for me.” – Mary S.
“Cathleen, your course has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. I can’t begin to thank you for all you gave to us and for being such an amazing, inspiring teacher.” – Debbie L.
Dates: Seven Weekends including the dates below:
Week One: March 13th and 14th
Week Two: March 27th and 28th
Week Three: April 10th and 11th
Week Four: April 24th and 25th
Week Five: May 1st and 2nd
Week Six: May 15th and 16th
Week Seven: June 5th and 6th
Hours:
10:00 am – 4:00 pm each day
Fees:
$1,500 for the entire course. Payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Payment plans are available!!! A deposit is required to reserve your space in the class.
Location: La Jolla, California
For more information, to place your name on the list, or to register, please email me: Cathleen@sandiegofengshui.com www.sandiegofengshui.com
