Question of the day: If moving into the mall is considered "art," what does that say about our culture?

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- The leader of an artists' cooperative has been sentenced to probation for setting up a secret apartment inside a shopping mall's parking garage as part of a project on mall life.

Michael Townsend, 36, said he and seven other artists built the 750-square-foot apartment beginning in 2003 and lived there for up to three weeks at a time.

The artists built a cinderblock wall and nondescript utility door to keep the loft hidden from the outside world.

But inside, the apartment was fully furnished, down to a hutch filled with china and a Sony Playstation 2 -- although a burglar broke in and stole the Playstation last spring, Townsend said.
There was no running water -- instead they used the mall bathrooms. Tour the hidden apartment »

On his Web site, Townsend said he was inspired by a Christmastime ad for the mall which featured a "an enthusiastic female voice talking about how great it would be if you (we) could live at the mall."

He built the dwelling "out of a compassion to understand the mall more and life as a shopper."

Townsend said plans to make the apartment "super-sweet" with laminated wood flooring and other perks fell apart last week after he and a visiting artist from Hong Kong walked into the room and were greeted by three security guards. He pleaded no contest to a trespassing charge.

Providence Place Mall spokesman Dante Bellini Jr. described the living space as little more than "an area with stuff in it."

But Providence Police Maj. Stephen Campbell said he and other detectives were so intrigued they visited the apartment to see for themselves.

"I was surprised at what he was able to accomplish," Campbell said. "But what he did was clearly criminal. The mall is private."

"...to know that one life has breathed easier because I have lived. This is to have succeeded."

I think we all tend to think of things in large often overwhelming terms. This quote makes the idea of helping others a little simpler for me...

The gap between rich and poor is growing.

• Widening Gap: The wealthiest Americans' share of national income has hit a postwar record, surpassing the highs reached in the 1990s bull market, and highlighting the divergence of economic fortunes blamed for fueling anxiety among American workers.

• Behind the Numbers: Scholars attribute rising inequality to several factors, including technological change that favors those with more skills, and globalization and advances in communications that enlarge the rewards available to "superstar" performers whether in business, sports or entertainment.

Changing the tax structure to improve this situation is not enough. Pay attention to this as the Democrats discuss it in the coming election.

Some things you may not think about when you think of a great manager:

Great bosses get the small picture.

Great bosses never forget that employees experience things locally, from the trenches of IT or accounting or sales. In words and action, great bosses take account of those perspectives.

Great bosses make people feel smart.

Great bosses, when presented in a meeting or in private conversation with some enthusiastic but misguided bit of twaddle, listen carefully for the tiniest germ of potential. Seizing that germ, they talk it through--teasing it, tweezing it, rearranging it--until they produce something workable and smart.

Great bosses know who does what.

There is no i in team, but there is an i in underappreciated, which is how people feel when their individual contributions disappear into the common collaborative slurry

Great bosses know when they're not wanted.

Good bosses delegate. Great ones don't hang around in the background monitoring how that delegation is going.

Great bosses remember.

Employees' hobbies. Their families' names. Who plays what position on the company softball team. Who is terrified of flying. Who has expressed interest in a leadership role. And employees, in return, remember them.

Do you know of any, to the point, accurate, web sites that explain colors and positioning of feng shui (sp?). We are picking out our colors tomorrow for the house. I know almost nothing about feng shui at this point, however have heard that it is connected with your zodiac in some ways. Are there any web sites that explain this so I can figure out what my elements mean in my house.

i am sorry but chinese fengshui is not as easy as most people think. there is no website that will give you free info that works. the closest you can get is get the book by eva wong on flying stars or lillian too on flying stars and 8 mansions.

fengshui is not about arranging the furnitures, or painting the house a certain color. it is more than those things. that is why, fengshui can increase wealth or improve your health in about 2-3 weeks - this is real fengshui. things posted on the web do not work that fast, because they aren't about the fengshui concepts.

so what is fengshui like? well, there are many concepts, flying stars locate the good and bad areas in the house, then you use these to enhance your life. for example, you put the bedroom, living room and main door at the good areas/ direction; while the kitchen, toilet and stairs take the bad areas. then you position the stove, to attract more wealth into your life. you also use other concepts like 8 mansions to position beds, furnitures inside each room. then you use xuan kong da gua (another concept) to locate the doors in each of the rooms to make them healthy to the occupants. then you can also activate the current water star (flying star) to make the house financially lucky, and the current mountain star to make it more healthy for the people living in the house. this is fengshui.

For those who don't have time for a proper Feng Shui consultant or would rather not dabble too much in the various rulings: use a soothing pastel color. Truth be told, if you were to follow the most optimal color, you would have to change it almost on a yearly basis.

As I embark on my journey towards total harmony in life (HAHA) I've decided that a good starting point would be feng-shuiing my room. Now, after reading up on this art, I've realized that an integral part of feng-shui is the Ba-gua shape, and that the 8 corners are defined by the position of the main entrance door. Problem is, when you walk into my bedroom, you have to take an immediate left to enter the main room. This little "alcove" is small, small enough to walk diagonally through and still get into the room, but, it still affects the position of the Ba-gua, I'm assuming. You basically walk in, face a blank wall, and have to adjust your walking line slightly. So, my question is...WHERE are the eight Ba-gua "corners" (fame, relationships, family life, ETC.) according to my bedroom. Also, what are some tips for feng-shuiing my room? For instance, I'v heard about placing two pink candles in the love corner of my room. Any more of these types of "ch'i-boosting" tips are welcome. Thanks

to more about chinese fengshui, forget all that you have read from books. because most of them talk about a so called fengshui that is fake. think about it, if you are going to have a hosue that is to have a good fengshui based of this kind of fengshui, it won't have a bathroom anywhere inside the house, because it can cause a bad effect on that part/ aspect of your life. think about it.

second, there are a few books written that can be regard as true fengshui: a couple of authors: ms. lillian too and ms. eva wong. but you need to realize that no authors have written all of the fengshui in 1 book. and these authors have not included the secret uses of these techniques in their books. so to get an easier way to this. it is always a good idea to just hire somebody who knows fengshui.

I know one of the rules for feng shui is not to have anything heavy hanging on the wall above your bed. I have a heavy mirror with a shelf ( looks like a window ) i have moved it around my apt but i feel it looks best above my bed. Is there anything i can do to counter this "bad chi"? like hanging a crystal or something?

Also..if it looks right and "feels" right for it to be above my bed wouldn't that be enough in the world of feng shui?

i know that you want to have your cake and eat it too. but in the world of fengshui, there is no such thing.

i for one do not believe in remedies, because a remedy just make a bad into a neutral temporarily, then when right time comes, the bad will happen whether you have installed your remedy or not.

besides when you are really good in fengshui, you can do a lot of things to make the bad situation good.

in this case, the best thing to do is to remove the mirror and store it somewhere else.

a mirror does more harm than good, if it is placed in the bedroom. having you or someone else see your reflection while your in bed is like you in a casket, or simply death.

this does not have to do anything with how you feel or believe. fengshui is not based on your beliefs or anybody else's in the first place. it just works by itself.

hanging crystals in the bedroom only makes your bedroom more yang, which can aggraviate the problem more.

the thing with bedrooms, is that it is better to keep them simple, more yin, you are there to sleep, not watch tv, not surf the internet, nor enjoy listening to music - these are all yang, which must be done in the living room.

and i think the mirror is more appropriate in the living room than the bedroom.

to the person who answered that a mirror is a very useful tool in fengshui, it is evident that you do not know anything about fengshui and that you got most of your information from books. at the core of fengshui are the fengshui concepts. when you understand and know how to use these concepts. you can use other tools aside from mirrors. have you seen a well fengshui'd house full of mirrors??? i don't even think that there is a building in hongkong full of mirrors. because they do more bad than good. - this proves that the information published in most books and websites are free because they are useless!

Mirrors serve many purposes in feng shui. They influence energy by: Activating or circulating or reflecting or deflecting or amplifying or multiplying or doubling or projecting.

Mirrors bring light to dark, push away negative energy, activate a stagnant room, energize a missing corner, and double positive & negative energy. Ex: plant in front of a mirror doubles living energy. If a mirror reflects garbage, you are doubling the trash - not a good idea.

Allow mirror to reflect beauty. Do not allow clutter to accumulate in front of a mirror. The mirror should not reflect you, the door, or a window in a bedroom.

Does anyone know of any study abroad programs in Asia for Feng Shui? I am from the USA and want to conduct an independent study for a Masters Program in Design focusing on the various traditions of Feng Shui in Asia. Not sure how to find programs abroad that are in English. Any clues would be hepful.

i have been studying fengshui under master peter leung, who is based in toronto. he usually have seminars in toronto and in singapore. this coming november, he will be in singapore teaching qi men dun jia (which is for advanced students), water placements and xuan kong da gua.

I always hear my parents, aunts, and uncles talking about Feng Shui since I am Chinese and Vietnamese. I dont really know any study abroad programs but I think you could find some here in America. The adults have a book that they read and they always follow the teachings. When we buy a new house, we even look at the direction the house is facing because of Feng Shui.

Someone told me that good feng shui comes in three. I have two lucky bamboo and two is bad. They said I should go get another lucky bamboo to make it three because three is good feng shui. Why does good feng shui comes in there?

The number three in traditional Feng Shui is considered to be auspicious because it means/symbolizes creation/renewal. You'll notice that many Feng Shui enhancers and remedies come in the form of threes and with good reasoning.

You'll notice three coins tied with a red ribbon which is used for the creation of wealth (the coins are considered to boost wealth). The Fu Lu Shou (aka Three Star Gods) who create harmony and three blessings into your home. The list goes on of many auspicious entities or events in history that involve the number three.

There are other lucky numbers in Feng Shui though, the most famous one being 8 (prosperity) and 9 (longevity).

understanding fengshui isn't really that easy. you need to know why is the bamboo for in the first place.

the numbers 3 and 4 are not lucky numbers. but each of these numbers become lucky when each one of them combine with certain numbers. because these numbers present the element wood. thus, using 3 bamboos is just like having 2 wood elements in that area (1. for having bamboo, 2. for the 3 units of bamboo).

but i like to emphasize for you to use number 4 or having 4 green plants or bamboo. because the number 4 when combined with 1 signifies love or education; and when combine with 9 it forms the celebration of life/ family.

on the other hand, the number 3 always signifies conflict, even when the combination is good; while number 2 signifies illness

so having 4 green plants is like having triple wood element, because:

1). 4 units = wood

2). being green = wood

3). plant itself = wood

since you are watering it everyday. water is 1. thus, you get 4 and 1, which is a good combination.

in 2008, it is best to place 9 green plants at the east most and southeast most parts of the house, for you to attract new people into you life. this also means that you attract potential customers into your business. do not put the plants if the area is a toilet or a bedroom. and remove them when some people bothers you.

recently i left the vacuum by the front door and when my wife came home she scolded me for leaving by the front door saying it was bad feng shui to do this, i responded by saying that when feng shui was invented they didnt have electricity so how could it be bad feng shui, shouldn't she just be happy that i vacuum everyday and do the laundry and take care of the kids and do the cooking and cleaning and shopping, and pay for most of the bills from my income

Technically your wife is correct. It is bad feng shui. It's similar to leaving a trash can by your front door. It blocks the flow of chi.

The main thing is not the vacuum, but is what was in the vacuum.

Fengshui believes that the openings of the house has to be kept clean, as that's where the Chi would flow through the house.

However, if one was to leave trash or leave the door cluttered or dirty, the 'good' chi from the outside, would be either be tainted or the flow obstructed

Hence, as your vacuum acts as a receptacle for the dirt that he had sucked up, the presence of the vacuum could potientially contaminate the 'chi' flow.

However, i think your overreacted a bit for if left for a few days, the impact would not be so great.

There are some very logical and real aspects to Feng Shui and placement of home. It should have solid support in the back, some support on the sides and some in the front plus openess to bring in wonderful energy.

The flow of your home is important. The energy should not come straight in the front door and straight out the back door -- it should meander its way through the home in a wonderful way.

Don't choose a home at the end of a straight street or where there are many poison arrrows hitting it. These are straight streets or lines that slam directly into your home. Also, a very busy street is too much energy going by and you will never feel relaxed. Don't choose a home on the outside of a curve which is a very logical thing not to do anyway. For example, a car out of control at this turn could slam into your home.

They say that living near a cemetary -- though quiet -- is not good because you will always feel the grief in the air. Living near to a hospital or fire station could just be plain noisy.

In terms of inside the home, when I was married, we bought a home where the owners were going through such a bad divorce that they couldn't even sit in the same room for the closing and we had to do our closing twice!!! Eventually, we got divorced too and I really do believe that the energies of the people can go from owner to owner. For example, we got divorced too!!! I have a feeling the next couple who bought the house from us may have gotten divorced as well. You could ask for divine intervention, use some bells, chimes and smudge some sage to clear out these dark energies.

do believe there are truths to Feng Shui and the energies in a space. I believe many are just plain logic and many are real energies. You can change some and you can't change others -- they are stuck there forever because some are even immersed into the land. Just use your intuition and trust your heart about what feels good to you!

If in doubt, hire a professional Feng Shui Consultant to help .

The condo that I decided to buy has oak cabinets with a natural finish and I can pick the color granite. Im leaning toward a feng shui atmosphere but I cannot figure out the best color. Would an absolute black counter and backsplash be too much? Would it look better with some red glass tile? I read that blue, black and red are bad for the kitchen in feng shui. The condo is open so the kitchen will be visible all the time. We like the reds and oranges and might do that in the living room with our brown furniture. Im lost! Help! Would red be too much in the kitchen if we plan on doing it in the living room also?

Feng shui kitchens are considered one of the most important area of your home for health, wealth, and family harmony.

The colors that are okay are:

Any shade of yellow, red, brown or white are all good in the kitchen, but try to avoid a strong presence of water with the blue and black, because they put down the fire aspects. Feng shui is all about balance, one element can overpower and cancel another, yet you need different elements to be balanced for a space.

So, definitely go with what you love with the reds, and orange, and the brown furniture in you living room is fine.

The counter should not be black if you want true feng shui. You need the fire elements in a kitchen and water will just put that out. The red glass sounds great. There are a lot of granites that have red and copper flecks in them, may try going in that direction. Good luck.

According to classical feng shui, it depends on the direction the house is orriented (yang side or facing side and yin side or sitting side). based on this and the year your condo was built, each room houses a combination of elements interacting harmoniously or inharmoniously. so the colors and furniture one would want to put there would either help harmonize two inharmonious elements, tone down an unlucky element, or enhance a lucky element. this is according to the origional chinese form of feng shui.

Surprisingly, you can figure it all out by using the idiot's guide to feng shui!

Chinese fengshui is never about color nor style of interior design. you can have a very american home with a very good fengshui.

With regards to color, people who knows fengshui are just cautious about using the color red (and bright orange and yellow), as these colors can "activate" both good chi and bad chi. when good chi is activated, then good things happen; when bad chi is activated even by unintendedly, then bad things or accidents happen.

It is more difficult to apply fengshui to a condo than a house. because in a condo, your main front door is not the door that you use (in your floor), instead it is the front door of the whole building which all people are using. because of this, it is difficult to do a remedy to this front door, and you end up rearranging the insides of your condo unit.

Best advice i can give you is to hire somebody who knows fengshui to audit your home.

on the other hand, you can go ahead and do what you like. but if the fengshui of your kitchen will have a bed effect on your life - you will know, because the kitchen has a direct effect on how you attract money in your life. if your kitchen have a major bad fengshui. then you will end up with major money problems. and you will feel as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Another observation of mine regarding fengshui in condos, look at your neighbors, because all of the occupants of a condo share the same front door, more or less your lifestyle will be at the same range. if 50% of the occupants are middle class, then it follows that you also will have that kind of lifestyle.

I live at home, so can only really redecorate my own bedroom. I was looking on Yahoo! about Feng Shui and thought it'd be cool to bring some luck and love into my life by having a fish bowl in my room. Some people say 6 gold, 1 black fish, some say 7 gold and 1 black goldfish. Does anyone know for sure?

I was also reading some other answers/tips about Feng Shui and a person said not to put water features in your bedroom like an aquarium.

That puts a damp on my idea of putting a fish tank in my room. Is it true that gold fish need 5-10 gallons of water each? That is an awful lot! Maybe 2 gold and 1 black goldfish is okay?

first bedroom should not have any water feature like an aquarium. because water is such a powerful element that it can turn a bedroom into more yang. thus, you will have some problems sleeping and living in that bedroom. likewise, a bedroom should not have any plants either.

water features are only used in fengshui basically not to decorate but more to activate an area. but in fengshui, it is also important to do it subtly - thus, others wouldn't suspect that you're using fengshui.

it doesn't really matter how much water there is just make sure that each fish has enough room to swim. i heard that it's 6 gold fish and 1 black. hope this helped! :-)

Hi, My staircase lines directly with my front door. Bad Feng Shui, according to what I have read. How do I place wind chimes to postively affect this? Also, anyone have sites or personal experience with increases in financial wealth while practicing Feng Shui?? Thanks!

First, do not use a windchime. windchime can attract bad elements into the house, like spirits and ghosts.

Second, there are really some instances that fengshui is bad, and there is no remedy you can do to improve the situation. because in fengshui, there is a time element. meaning, even when you do a remedy, the bad is dormant, until when the right time comes and reactivate. thus, in these cases, it is better to renovate and make the bad into a good fengshui.

Third, if your staircase is a winding staircase like a screw it goes around downward, then it is bad. because in fengshui the bad gets worse when it is pressed downward. in this case, there is no remedy.

If you have an ordinary straight stairs, don't worry so much. the remedy for this is to have a bright light installed in this stairs, then paint bright red on the walls and have red tiles on the stairs. and install a good door that is always closed tight at the end of the stairs. do not paint red if this area is the southwest area of the house. because you can activate the ghost area.

Regarding websites, i do not think that there is a good website detailing the concepts to increase wealth luck. try attending fengshui seminars regarding water placements or water dragons.

Some believe that windchimes in the house are not good. the wind chime should be placed directly above the bottom step and should have a good breeze. What I did is tape red tape along the bottom of the step and threw a red rug over top of it.

I also used purple and green in the Prosperity section of my home and then cleaned the entire house from top to bottom. All broken objects should be removed. Any object that you don't like should leave.

Also make sure all prosperity sections have some purple or red in them. Make sure your Stove is immaculate and place a teapot on it.

I live at home, so can only really redecorate my own bedroom. I was looking on Yahoo! about Feng Shui and thought it'd be cool to bring some luck and love into my life by having a fish bowl in my room. Some people say 6 gold, 1 black fish, some say 7 gold and 1 black goldfish. Does anyone know for sure?

I was also reading some other answers/tips about Feng Shui and a person said not to put water features in your bedroom like an aquarium.

That puts a damp on my idea of putting a fish tank in my room.

Is it true that gold fish need 5-10 gallons of water each? That is an awful lot! Maybe 2 gold and 1 black goldfish is okay?

First bedroom should not have any water feature like an aquarium. because water is such a powerful element that it can turn a bedroom into more yang. thus, you will have some problems sleeping and living in that bedroom. likewise, a bedroom should not have any plants either.

Water features are only used in fengshui basically not to decorate but more to activate an area. but in fengshui, it is also important to do it subtly - thus, others wouldn't suspect that you're using fengshui.

It doesn't really matter how much water there is just make sure that each fish has enough room to swim. i heard that it's 6 gold fish and 1 black. hope this helped! :-)

I am need of advice on how to use feng shui or any other tips to make my father move out of mine and my husband's house. He has been here too long and doesn't not seem to have any notion to leave. He is retired and says he just wants to be around us! His stay is getting bothersome to us but we do not want to hurt his feelings. I was hoping there was some feng shui cure for this but can't seem to find any. And we are in the process of trying to sell our house, so the feng shui correction can not interfere with that.

I just want to add that my father is healthy and has retired with a good deal of money. He does not "need" to stay with us. He can easliy afford something close to us. We love him dearly but as an adult, you move out of your parents house and you don't expect them to move back in with you - especially since he does not need to be cared for. It puts a strain on our marriage (only 4 years married) because we sometimes have no time to ourselves. I just want some advice on how to help him understand that we need our space too!

For those of you who feel sorry for my dad that I feel this way, you should know one more thing...

He does not help out with money, groceries or anything but expects me to cook and clean for him. He also sits out back of my house almost every day and just drinks beer - sometimes 12 a day. Now, I have 3 children - 12, 3 and 5 months and this is something that I don't want them exposed to. My dad can't even help babysit if I need to do something because he typically has already had too many beers.

I'm a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner but, unfortunately, don't know of any Feng Shui cure for this...but you know what works?

Being honest!!!

It may be time for you and your husband to discuss openly and honestly with your father-in-law that it's time for him to move on. Before you do, come up with options for where he will move, times he can visit, etc.

Honesty is the best policy! Even if your in-law gets a little hurt up front, if you tell him in a loving and kind way that you two want your privacy back -- that it's not about him -- that you love him, etc. then even if it's emotionally difficult, it'll still be for the best for all.

you need to have a talk with your Dad. I don't feel sorry for him and I am probably his age. If you are married have your husband talk to him. He can always buy a place close to you since he sounds financially secure. I think he is taking advantage of you and I wouldn't want my kids around someone who drinks 12 bottle of beer a day. You must be tactful, but direct

You may want to re-think your intention. It sounds like you may be coming at the issue from a negative outlook. Feng shui will not support negative energy. Since you're selling your house, your father will have to move eventually. Rather than seeing him as a nuisance you want to get rid of, try adjusting your intention to a more positive one. Intend that your father find a new home where he can be comfortable and happy and still enjoy a close relationship with you.

Sometimes the best cure is love and compassion. Try talking to him about how you feel. Let him know that you love him and want to spend time with him but that you also need your own lives. Help him find a place where he can be happy and maybe find companionship as well. If you approach him with a loving attitude rather than one of annoyance, the right words will come and he might be more understanding that you think.

Does anyone know if 2414 is a bad feng shui number? That's my address, and I read on some Feng Shui websites that 2414 means easily death and must death. Can you tell me is my address really bad and if so, what do I need to do? please let me know ASAP.

I don't think 2414 means death, but because it has a 2, which means illness, therefore it makes the whole combination, not that good. but in general it is good. because you have a 41 or 14 combination which is a special combination for romance/ education. though 2 in 14 or 41 can mean problems of the heart or studies/ education/ career.

Death on the other hand is symbolized by 5. 5 in chinese is the core of earth, where there is no money and no health. while 2 means no life. the combination of these 2 numbers is the worst of all combinations.

But there are ways in fengshui how to make these numbers good. that is why there is fengshui to make life easier!

In cantonese, 2 (Yee) sounds like "easy" and 4 (Sei) sounds like "death." Also, the way to say must in cantonese is "yut ding." In your case, it applies because "Yut" is how you say ONE in cantonese.

A front door that opens in facing a bathroom door straight ahead.

Personally I dont know if I give much belief to Feng Shui, but the if the bathroom door is left open and someone is entering the house at the front door it really bothers me. Actually I dont like it even if the bathroom door is shut, so can anyone knowlegable in such things please let me know what Feng Shui says about this design in a house.

In the context of Feng Shui, it's not a very good layout.

*The Logic*Your entrance is one of the main entities for chi to enter your home. Fresh air is considered very good chi. If the first thing it flows into is your bathroom (a negative entity), the chi will adopt the negative entities.

You may notice that in many asian households/buildings that right after the main entrance, there is something very auspicious or pleasant to greet the incoming chi (and to slow it down) so it will adopt positive qualities.

*The Solution*If possible, keep the door closed at all times (better still if you don't use it at all) and place something like a large plant blocking the bathroom door. If it has to be used, then place something auspicious to greet the incoming chi which will disperse it in different directions instead of going straight into the bathroom.

This only becomes a no no, if you live inside the bathroom - as 2 doors in a straight line means that life is fast or easy to die, therefore not good. but in this case, i think it is good, because it means that you dispose of your wastes easily - in fengshui terms. if this bothers you, put a divider between them.

Just for me to be clear on a few things: Feng Shui originated in China, True or False? When did Feng Shui originate? Does it have a 'creator'?

Feng Shui did originate in china, I am not sure about the actual originating date but i do know that it was used in city planning in the 12th century. Citys were planned with the gate always to the south and barriers of mountains, walls, water were assembled to the north, east and west. The reason was to capture the positive energy which flowed from the south and block the neg energy which came from the other directions. It basically stems from the oldest elements of ancient chinese philosophy so you probably not find a specific date.

Feng shui (pronounced "fung shway") is the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. The literal translation is "wind and water".

Feng shui involves the use of geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic, and astrological concepts in relation to space and energy flow.[1] It is not simply a decorating style, but a discipline with guidelines compatible with many different techniques of architectural planning.

The source of the term is purported to come from the Burial Book written by Guo Pu  in the Jin Dynasty  the energy of the universe, is carried in the wind and retained within water. Both elements were used as a way of directing Qi, thus giving feng shui its name. Wind is said to carry energy or Qi and therefore represents the principle of change and transformation in nature. Water is said to hold energy and therefore represents the principle of stability. When applied to human affairs, wind is also representative of action, fervor, and enthusiasm, whereas water is representative of internal strength, meditative qualities, and psychological power. By relating the holding and dispersing qualities of water and wind in nature to those in human behavior, feng shui also seeks to improve the human condition through the manipulation of physical space in a way that will impact on its corresponding qualities in humans.

An individual is usually not described as having bad or incorrect feng shui, but since the practice is linked to Qi, a persons energy can either deplete or add to the energy of his or her surroundings. The space can also effect the individual, especially in matters of luck, health, and prosperity. Feng shui is not only a practice that is related to physical space, but also to the inhabitors of the space it self, as both are interconnected.

Fengshui was created in china for about more than 4,000 years. nobody really knows who created it.

In the early years it was created to increase yield of crops. later it was adapted to win wars by the military during the different dynasties. thus, during these years only top military officials are permitted to study fengshui.

during mao's regime, a lot has been burned and forgotten. many chinese fled china. and those who survived in different places practiced fengshui either from ancestors or from chinese books.

Most chinese books are not written straight forward - thus, it does not mean that if you know chinese, you'd know how to read chinese fengshui books. it is not the case. chinese books are usualluy written in codes and poems that you need to decipher them. because fengshui masters before fear that the knowledge might fall onto the wrong hands. thus, they wrote it in a way that only fenghsui practitioners can understand it.

Now, fengshui is again adapted for everyday living and business.

From my understanding, the idea number of goldfish for a Feng Shui tank is 8 ( 7 gold & 1 black goldfish). However, I have a small living space and can only have a small fish tank. Is their a lesser number of goldfish I can get with the same or similar Feng Shui benefits?

Just remember that goldfish need 5-10 gallons of water each. You would need a very big tank to get the Feng Shui number. I think your best bet is to go with the black one since, as previously stated in another answer, that is the one that absorbs negative energy then maybe get 2 gold ones. 3 is still a very good number when it comes to Chinese folklore and luck. You could also get smaller tanks and try putting them where ever they fit if you still want to try for the full 8. (My younger brother has tanks in his living room, spare bedroom, bathroom and bedroom. His tanks are massive and he doesnt have goldfish but on a smaller scale this could work well for you.)

A fish tank in the home. Fish that are healthy and strong. Many feng shui consultants request 8 goldfish and 1 black coloured goldfish in the tank. The black coloured goldfish absorbs the negative energy in the home.

Have you ever been to a place that completly follows the principales of feng shui?

fengshui is not a belief: you do not have to believe it for it to work.fengshui is not a decorating tool: fengshui is a compilation of concepts used to measure and calculate direction and location of good energy or bad energy in our environment. it is precise and accurate.fengshui does enhance our luck. it can enhance our health or our wealth luck, but usually not both. my master always remind us to always go for the money. because if you get sick, you always have money to make you better.there are no principles in fengshui, only different concepts, each using a system.

Fengshui is meticulous. it is not clean the clutter and you are done!as i said, to do fengshui, you need to calculate where the good and bad areas in your house. then distribute the different rooms based on fengshui. for the good areas, you need to use them; for the bad areas, you need to leave them alone - you can put the toilet, storage room, or garage here. and double check with the other concept, if this arrangement is good for you. because other systems don't usually go hand in hand with other concepts. so you need to double check. it is better to have your solution/ arrangement supported by 2 or more concept.fengshui is not putting an aquarium and you activate the room. because water can also activate the bad energy in the room. and knowing if the room has good or bad energy needs calculation than intuition. fengshui does not need intuition to do.

With Feng Shui "experts" all claiming different theories, conducting seminars, publishing books and selling "lucky" trinkets, it's hard to tell who'sa hoax and who's for real. Can it really improve the flow of "chi" (positive energy) into your life and deflect bad luck? What's your experience with Feng Shui?

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art form that harnesses the flow of energies according to the four elements of water, fire, wind and earth, and has been practised for thousands of years. Unfortunately it has become so commercialised (in the West and even in Asia) that it seems like a "New Age" scam, which is ironic,isn';t it?

The problem with Feng Shui nowadays is with all the new age Feng Shui sources (which surprisingly claim to be the authentic) that are tarnishing the name of traditional Feng Shui. Most of the Feng Shui books you read nowadays are those following the new age Feng Shui concept (e.g. Black Hat Sect, Intuitive, etc) which either generalize everything or just plain make up their own rules (e.g. "the color purple feels...correct here"). What is annoying is the fact that these new age feng shui "masters" seem to think that everything can be solved with a crystal ball or windchime. The truly authentic schools of feng shui involve actual calculations and are based on the five elements and its harmony.

When used properly (ie ignoring the books that generalize everything such as : west is your wealth corner for everyone), it really does work. You have to keep in mind of the role of feng shui in the bigger picture. A person has three types of luck: heaven, earth, and destiny. Feng Shui only controls earth luck, and heaven and destiny luck is not in your control. This means, if you're not destined to be a millionaire, no amount of feng shui will help you be one.

lol I have seen a lot on that feng shui but not sure if it works but have wondered myself you know like having all red to one side of the room or having all green to the other side me I got all different colors all over so that may be why I am so confused all the time,,lol I will have to try it some day and see if my life gets better,,lol good question but i am not sure if it works at all have heard that it does,, but to me I guess I will have to see before I believe it,,lol

I decided to follow it a little bit and have gotten pretty much no difference, especially in what I was trying to go for the most. I say don't bother. But if you do, don't go out of your way to spend money on it. You can find out pretty much anything you'd want to know for free online. You can re-arrange things for free at least, rather than buy stuff to reach your goal. But I suggest using your energy to directly impact your life rather than reorganize things to hope your luck improves.(I'm not a complete skeptic with new age things, I've just had no luck with feng shui)

We all want to have comfortable lives.We would do anything to find these comforts. Feng Shui is becoming like a religion to some people. In fact it can be a religion if you believe in it so much that you hardly remember your own religion. Let every Feng Shui master and madam make all poor men's dreams come true. Then we will have a rich nation. Nobody have to live in squatters. Nobody have to go without money. Everyone can get an education. All can get food into their stomach. They will have nice clothes to wear. And everyone will live happily ever after.

I read about a Feng Shui love cure/recipe and it said to take 2 photos of same size yours and his (who ever you have a yen for LOL), write your intention(s) on the back of the photos on the night of a Full Moon, take the photos and wrap them with red yarn/ribbon 100 times and then take the photos and put them in a red envelope. Sleep with this red envelope underneath your pillow for 9 consecutive nights, on the tenth day take this red envelope and throw it inot a moving body of water (i.e. beach, river, lake a strong currented body of water to take yor intention away and manifest them fully I guess).

And apparently your intended "love" with contact you, or even better see you in a whole new light.

Has anyone tried Feng Shui recipe like this and does this formula really work? Thinking of trying this tomorrow night since its a full moon.

whatever it is, there is no such thing as a fengshui love formula. fengshui only achieve 1 of 2 things at a time or per method: either increase wealth or enhance health.

it might be a witchcraft or wicca thing, but definitely not fengshui.

if it is that effective, do you think the author of the book will just freely write it down and give it to the readers for free? or will he or she sell the idea like a consultant? - like a fengshui consultant.

and another thing. i always believe that if a person came across a good idea or a good thing, he/ she will spread the word. so, if you have heard this thing from friends, then it is i think effective. if you read it from a book, then it is not. likewise, fengshui has been spread from one generation to the next in the chinese family, it must be effective. and people pay a lot just to learn chinese fengshui. did you pay a lot to learn that love formula of yours?

well, i have taken several fengshui seminars under a couple of chinese fengshui masters, and i used to be interested in witchcraft. so, i think i know the difference between fengshui and witchcraft. i think that formula is in a lewellyn book about the power of the elements, which is different from those of fegnshui. the difference is in witchcraft, your belief and emotions powers your spell or formula. whereas in fengshui, you are using the power of the earth or elements, so you don't have to believe in it.

it is possible to influence your love for this guy, even get that spark, but there is always consequences, esp. in witchcraft. and the consequence is not usually in favor in to you. why? i guess, there is always balance - like you can only have much power only if your not going to use it - to have that balance.

there is a way in witchcraft, but that formula is now way near it.

Just moved to a new apt. that I had no real control over. According to the feng shui bagua, my bathroom occupies the relationship/love/marriage corner. I need some chi adjustment ideas because I'm getting married in March and my fiance will move into this apartment. My last apt. had the bed in this corner and hey - we got engaged while I was living there (but my bathroom occupied the helpful people section and I was very lonely while living there.

you're basing your life in a book? and it is about black hat fengshui, which is the lamest! think about this, if all apartments were done like yours, then does it mean that the people living in them are damned?

i always believe that you don't have to fix something that is not broken.

you can only do chi adjustment if you calculate for your chi distribution/ flying star theory based on the degree/ facing of your door.

regarding your relationship, you can move your bedroom toward your favorable location, and/ or move your bed to face your bed (meaning when lying down your feet must point) towards your love/ romance direction. (8 mansions theory based on your birthdate)

I am looking for a rental properties and this property that I am looking at has a dead tree in front of the bedroom window. I have heard about in terms of feng shui, dead plant (tree) has some bad effects on the household, but I am not sure what's the bad thing about it.

This affects my decision on whether to take this apartment to rent for at least 1 year.

a tree near a house in general is bad fengshui, especially if it is very near the house like 10 meters. there has been discussion about this in the fengshui class i attended, and some of my friends suggested that maybe it is bad because of the roots of the tree might harm the house. but in general, it is bad.

dead tree? hmmm... i guess it is too, because a living tree is bad, how much more a dead tree.

on the other hand, i think that a dead tree is considered as a sha (bad) chi. so, i guess that it is bad especially if you can see it through your house/ bedroom. in regards with sha chi, if you can see it, then it harms you. if you cannot see it, like if it is at the back of your house, and the bedroom is also at the back of the house, and you cannot see the tree in living there... then i guess it won't really harm you.

then there is a twist here, but if the tree forms a sharp point with its branches, pointing even slightly towards your house, even if you cannot see it, it definitely harms you.

my advice is not to take the apartment.

my master also suggested that most houses with trees, especially with drooping leaves attracts ghosts in the area.

As per Feng Shui - When sitting at a desk or lying in bed, the entrance door should be in a clear line of sight, and you should have a view of as much of the room as possible.

Secondly any sort of dead tree around the house specially before your eyes should not be there. Bad elements are supposed to live in the baron trees. It is very bad in both Feng Shui and Rekhi. There is always some remedy for every thing. As your house owner to cut the tree fully so that you do not get the bad effect from it. If you like the house you can take it and just fix a ' BAGUA which is an octagonal piece fixed with mirror in the middle. this will be available at any feng shui store and you can get it and fix with a nail. This will nullify the bad effects.

What kind of question is this? How would feng shui have an effect on a specific group? It has nothing to do with people directly. The actual meaning of feng shui is the use of geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic and astrological concepts in relation to space and energy flow, with not only respect to interior decorating of one's domicile but also with many different techniques of architecture and design. So, you're use of the term in this question leads me to believe you aren't too bright. Perhaps you should sell your computer and go buy yourself a book with the money you get.

So, even though I did not answer your question, which seems largely rhetorical anyway, I do thank you for the points.

Peace, love, and feng shui...

The lack of proper usage of Feng Shui principles has led its country men to coining the term 'only in da philippines' if you know what i mean. Its government itself is divided simply because it's official buildings go against the basic principles of feng shui.

While there are spots like the makati business district that flourish (take a look at is buildings and how they are constructed, like Smart), the rest of the areas lag behind with poverty. Take a look at google maps to view things in a bigger perspective. You'll notice that areas near a water source tend to do better.

fengshui is dependent on location.

take for example filipinos living in manila, near the manila bay area. water is sex and money. since the water that is in the bay is dirty, filipinos in the malate area are involved with prostitutions and odd jobs involving sex and money.

another, the LRT and MRT routes. in fengshui, it is known that it is not adviseable to live near a fast street, because it can be deadly - the businesses below these 2 rails are basically dead, and there is nothing the mayors in these areas can do to enliven the businesses again.

another, have you wondered why the philippine government is always divided in 2 factions? take a look at malacanang palace using google earth. you will see that the seat of government is actually a circle divided by the pasig river. again water means emotions, money and sex, which are 3 things you most see in the government.

another take on this is that, in fengshui, the back of the house must be "supported" by a big mountain or a building or a solid structure. in the malacanang's case, there is no support, and the back is pasig river, which make the government even more weak, defenseless and prone to be backstabbed, which is happening to politicians from marcos to the present.

coincidence? well, in fengshui, there is always an explanation and coincidences happen all the time. that is why, when you know fengshui, you know what to avoid and what to get for a new house, so you do not suffer in the end.

most filipinos believe that a good house must have its door facing east or where the sun rises. then put a picture of the holy trinity at the middle post of the house. last, you always see the famous last supper picture at the dining area of filipino houses. in effect, most filipino houses are not optimized based on the occupant, since not all houses facing east are good for all people. next, the center of the house represents the owner's heart. in fengshui, it is not adviseable to have a post in the center of the house, because you do not want a cemented post for a heart - it means an easy death.

regarding religion, religion and money do not mix. name one country, colonized by spain in the name of catholicism and is a very rich country right now. nada! because religion and money do not mix well - meaning, if you have to have an altar in the living room, put it inside a cabinet. when you like to pray, open it up and do your thing. when done, close it up.

last the picture of the last supper at the dining table - it is literally the last supper of the family, as most of thjese families have the same problem - that they do not have enough to eat or do not have enough money to spend.

so when you know fengshui, life is easier. filipinos are not like any other nationalities. when you say that they should do this to get rich, they will say that it is evil or that it is superstition. but when you say to a singaporean, do this and you will get rich. singaporeans do it without question. so look at where the singaporeans now, and where are the filipinos now?

about 30 years ago, my dad came to the philippines to seek greener pastures from china. it is odd for him to pick the philippines. but would you believe that at that time, philippines is ranked number 1 in economy that is under the marcos regime. it is even above singapore and other southeast asian countries. now it is last, while singapore used fengshui to be number 1 in this region in less than 20 years time.

I believe that if we we each start with doing one small thing a day, we collectively can make significant changes in this world.

There is global warming, people are dying in wars, the animals are going extinct etc etc. There seems to be an overwhelming amount of things that we, as socially conscious people have to worry about. And to tell the truth, it is very stressful, and one doesn't know where to start!

One good deed a day, keeps the world in shape.

In this blog, we are going to share with each other everyday one small thing that we can do individually to improve the world.

I would like to see as much input from everyone and would love to challenge each of us to make a difference. Let's report to each other what changes we have caused! What's the change that you are willing to make today?

I wrote this a couple of years ago. It is still relevant today! Sometimes we have to put things in perspective!

If you are reading this, I ask that you please send me some healing thoughts to my lower back. Lower back pain doesn't really seem to be such a big deal compared to many other diseases. But I am a musician. To perform without much practicing (except for mental practice), and feeling unprepared for performances, and the possiblity of being in pain in the performance just overwhelms me emotionally.

I have been suffering from this pain for the last few months now. It got quite severe about a month ago, not allowing me to do much except to just lie around and think. While this has been an extremely frustrating experience, it has also been a very spiritual experience. I know that I was put in this position for a reason- which is grow, to learn, to become even more spiritual for it is in trying times that people grow. And I will be able to share the story after I overcome this hurdle. I feel like this whole thing is a battle of the mind, but not the phyiscal body. For those of you who are worried. Don't. I am starting to heal. I am getting better. I am learning to have faith. But send me good energy anyway!

Ever since my back started hurting, I have started listening to many healing meditations. After each mediation, I started having conversations in my dream-like state with a lady who seems to be what I would call an angel, or a spiritual guide. You may think that I am crazy, or that i am talking to myself. Regardless, weather she is an angel, or my higher self talking, she gives really good advice.

I wanted to share some of these wisdoms with you. They may be applicable to all of our lives. While I understand her guidance, and what I need to do, I am still struggling emotionally and psychologically trying to cope with the pain, the pressure, and the belief in myself. In time, I know that I will really get it.

Here's the first encounter with her:

I have been going through a lot with my health, and also with my job. I was thinking about quiting, or doing less of my job and concentrate more on my performing career, but I was also worried tabout the financial consequences of quitting. And here's what she says.

"There are three criteria to making a decision about your livelihood.

1) Do you have the passion for it?

2) Do you have the talent for it?

3) Is your decision in alignment with your true purpose in life?

If you answer yes to all three questions, then you should go ahead with the decision. Everything else including wealth will be taken care of. But if you answer no to any one of these, you should reconsider.

1) Do you have the passion for it?

First and most importantly, do you have the passion for it? If you don't have the passion, and love for what you want to do, than there is really no point in doing it. You can make all the money in the world with a job, and have no satisfaction from your work and therefore your life. Your life and your work are not so separate for life is part of your work, and work is part of your life. I think the angel is right in saying that we need to do what really calls us, and what makes us excited. Then it is no longer work anymore. What she was saying reminds me of this quote that a good friend of mine shared with me.

"The person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which. They simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace in whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them, they are always doing both."

-Zen Buddhism

When one has the passion for something, there is no difference between work and play. If one does not have the passion for something, then it is always work.

2) Do you have the talent for it?

Some talents are born naturally, and some are cultivated later in life. But talent cannot exist without passion, and dedication. Natural born talents also need cultivation in order for it to blossom. Unless one has the drive, and the desire to cultivate a talent, it will always stay at a certain level without any breakthrough. Talents that are cultivated later in life are the same also. It needs passion for it to go beyond its initial stage. The questions to ask ourselves is, do we have the drive, the passion, the skills, to bring our lives to the next level?

3) Is your decision in alignment with your true purpose in life?

Well, it helps to know what your true purpose in life is. If it wasn't for reading Jack Canfields' "Success Principles", I wouldn't have thought about writing down what my true purpose in life is. Some of us walk around not knowing, and searching. Some don't have one. If one doesn't have one, we may start asking ourselves why we are here? We should think about our skills, our talents, and passions in life... Can any of these areas contribute to humanity while we are on earth? Why may it be? Maybe we have more than one purpose, and that's ok. I strongly believe that we are all here for a reason. We maynot know what it is yet, but there is one. And in time, it will be revealed to us in our lives.

Here's my true purpose in life: "To use my creativity, skills, and talent to move people, bring understanding, harmony, and joy"

What's yours?

Sorry to sound kind of preachy. I didn't intend to do that. I just started writing and all this came out of me. It looks to me like this is the beginning of my first book...

To my very dearest friends,

May you be well, may you be happy.

May you experience life to the fullest, filled with love, good health, and good energy.

May your life be filled with loving firends and family.

May your heart be filled with compassion, and understanding.

May you continue to live the full potential of your life, making positivie differences in this world as you do already.

I wish you peace, serenity, and contentment.

I send you, and the universe my most positive energy.

Have a really fantastic day today, and for many more days to come,

Love,
Wendy

PS Pass this along if you like.

I am going to talk about creativity a lot since this is a subject that is close to my heart. I am a performing artist, and creativity is a vital part of my life.

But creativity is also a vital part of EVERYONE'S life! You can use creativity in how you run a meeting at work, how to decorate your house, finding new ways to spice up your marriage, gifts ideas, how to teach your children, bringing your career to the next level etc etc etc. It all requires our imagination and creativity.

One thing I know for sure is that if you can see it in your head, then you can make it happen. So visualization is a vital tool to get our creative juices and imagination going. (I will write about visualization in future posts). Here are a few quotes that helps us to be more creative. I have collected these quotes from different authors and books:

"It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be" by Paul Arden

(Yes, visualize, visualize, and visualize your success!!! Literally see, feel, hear, taste the events that you want happen in your life. Spend sometime and daydream a little! It's totally legal!)

"Don't be afraid of silly ideas"

(I say the sillier the better!!! I am sure that someone thought that being able to fly in the sky was a real silly idea once, or that it is real silly to think that we can reach the moon, even sillier to think that in 2009, CNN and many other people are all of a sudden "twittering"! I mean, even if we talked about twittering two years ago, you would be like, "huh?". Well, all of this happened because people were not afraid of their "silly" ideas. Hey, be "silly"! Great ideas come from imagining the unimaginable!

"Stop worrying about being right"

If we are worried about being right, that's self censorship right there, and that's the #1 creativity killer. Let your ideas fly, regardless of being right or wrong. Very often, the "right" ideas come out of the "wrong" ones.

"If you get stuck, draw with a different pen"

Change your tools, change your angle, change the way you have always done things. Try something new!

So guys, go for it! Go for the wrongs, go for the new and inventive, never before done, and silly way of doing things, visualize the end results!

Wendy the (Inspirational) Trainer

Hello everyone! This is my first blog post on"Soulful Inspirations". I am really excited about my new journey to help each of us achieve our highest potential spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I will be gathering resources to help us achieve our goals, and also putting some of my own thoughts here. You will find videos, links, affirmations, and book reviews and summaries.

For our first inspiration today, check out this affirmation that is sent to me almost daily by Bill Marshall. You can sign up on his website to receive free affirmations delivered to your mailbox: http://www.poweraffirmations.com/about-the-mp3s.htm

"Every cell in my body is now being transformed by my positive feelings, thoughts, and actions."

I really love this affirmation. By the way, if you love affirmations, and you own an Iphone, you ought to download "My Thoughts". They have some pretty good affirmations. It's always good to read a bunch when you are traveling on the train, or if you are waiting for an appointment etc. They have a free version, which is pretty good, or you can upgrade to their paid version, which is GREAT!

http://www.knowledgebrain.com/mythoughtsplus.html

xoxo
Wendy the (Inpsirational) Trainer

I got this in an email a little while back. And it's a great learning lesson for us to put things in perspective. Life indeed is a gift and we should be grateful for everything that we do have. We should indeed count our blessings instead of counting all the things that we wish we had. Let's all focus on the "haves" and not the "lacks".

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind.

She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her.

She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. She was then able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend asked her," Now that you can see the world,

will you marry me?"

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind.

She then refused to marry him.

Her boyfriend walked away in tears and later wrote a letter to her saying: "Just take care of my eyes dear, for I loved you so much

that it was I who was the donor of your gift."

This is how the human brain changes when our status changes.

Only few remember what life was before,and who's always been there

even in the most painful situations.

"Life Is A Gift"

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children -Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep -

Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled,and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another -

Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one MAKER.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive and still around.

Life is a gift, Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, And Fulfill it.

-Author Unknown

I recently saw this story up on a board at a college campus, and I was very inspired by it! I found out that it was put up by a lovely RA called Christie! Thank you Christie for sending this along!

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the Mayonnaise Jar and the 2 Beers. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, "Yes!" The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents."

"Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers."