Change Happens!
by P.K. Odle, The Feng Shui Advantage
The key to your success is often your ability to adapt and, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the World!” Change is the only constant, so if you don’t create change, change will create you. Heraclitus, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher best known for his doctrine extolling that change is central to the universe said “Everything flows, nothing stands still.”
According to pop-artist Andy Warhol, “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” Unfortunately, for many “The key to change… is to let go of fear.” Any sort of change, whether it’s political, social, professional or personal often, frightens people so much that they miss an opportunity to make a change for the better.
In the late 1980’s, I attended a lecture that gave me a new perspective on change. It was a pivotal point in my life that I remember as clearly as if it happened yesterday. As part of his talk, Aikido Master Thomas Crum, co-founder of The Windstar Foundation and author of The Magic of Conflict, directed us through the following exercise.
EXERCISE PART I… First everyone chose a partner. They decided who would be ‘A’ and who would be ‘B’ for the entire exercise. Subject ‘B’ was instructed to close their eyes, while ‘A’ changed 5 things about their appearance in one minute. After time was called, ‘B’ was asked to describe the changes in ‘A’s’ appearance.
EXERCISE PART II… Next ‘B’ was told to again close their eyes, while ‘A’ changed 5 more things about their appearance. Almost everyone was bewildered, because the majority of ‘Bs’ thought it would be their turn to change their appearance and most ‘As’ were struggling to even find one more thing to change about their appearance. Crum said “this is only an exercise so do the best you can,” but everyone was relieved when he called time and asked the ‘Bs’ to describe the final changes to ‘A’s’ appearance.
EXERCISE PART III… At this point, we took our seats and the ‘As’ were asked to raise their hands if they had removed something to change their appearance. Of course, all the ‘As’ proudly raised their hands. They were then instructed to keep their hands in the air if they also moved something around in order to change their appearance. The majority of the ‘As’ kept their hand up. However, only a few hands remained in the air when they were asked if they had added something to change their appearance, like putting on their coat (it was a cold winter night so everyone had a coat).
Crum explained that the exercise showed how we’ve been conditioned to think of change as giving up something or moving something around, instead of approaching change as an opportunity to gain or improve something. Needless to say, I left behind my fear of change at that lecture.
Within a few months of that turning-point, I first heard…“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” which sounds like an old Chinese proverb. Although this famous quote has been attributed to both Ben Franklin and Albert Einstein, in all honesty it’s from the novel Sudden Death by Rita Mae Brown (1983). Speaking of Chinese proverbs…
That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to me when I learned that the Yi Jing (I Ching) teaches us how the Universe is cyclical by nature and is in a constant state of change. The Yi Jing is the root of both the Chinese sciences of Feng Shui and Acupuncture, which share a 5,000 year history of improving people’s lives.
Classical Feng Shui uses time-tested calculations to determine where and when elemental remedies are necessary based on Time & Space: current cyclical influences, the year the building was constructed and the precise compass orientation of the building/unit. Today, the majority of do-it-yourself Feng Shui books disregard the cyclical nature of Classical Feng Shui, even though the cyclical influences explain why your circumstances vary from year to year within the same home/office… with the same occupants and the same décor.
Since your health is your most important asset your entire life, it’s the most important aspect in Feng Shui. Next is a harmonious relationship, which is why I love hearing from my clients who’ve gone from ‘Lonely Pillow Syndrome’ to married bliss. Or how parent / child relationships have improved, including how many children’s grades have gotten better. That’s not to say hearing how a client’s income has increased isn’t equally exciting. Especially like the client whose company went from $700,000 per year to over 5 million this year.
Through my 11 years of consulting, several clients have told me how they wished they hadn’t delayed having a Feng Shui evaluation of their home/office just because they were afraid of the changes that might be necessary. Those same clients, as well as many others, have found that investing in a Feng Shui consultation and making the required changes was a turning point for their health, relationships and finances. Even skeptical spouses admit that now they make sure all their remedies are in order and take care of ordering their Annual Update, to avoid negative circumstances before they occur. Change is inevitable, especially when it comes to the Feng Shui of your home and office.
"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." When author and early American homesteader, Flora Whittemore made that statement, I’m certain she didn’t know that you have 15° door positions that bring you more Prosperity or Consume your money according to your date of birth. I teach my clients how to locate those directions, along with all their other Feng Shui Personal Directions anywhere in the world, during all Feng Shui Advantage consultations and/or with the purchase of a one-of-kind Lifetime Keys Personal Directions Self-Mastery Toolbox.
Every day is the first day of the rest of your life. In other words, your thoughts and actions today determine your future. I’m offering you an opportunity to embrace change by scheduling your Feng Shui Advantage consultation today.
© 2007 P.K. Odle. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
P.K. Odle is a celebrated classical Yi Jing Feng Shui consultant and the Executive Director of the world-renowned American Feng Shui Institute®, where she has taught since 1998. She created The Feng Shui Advantage's "Lifetime Keys Personal Directions Self-Mastery Toolbox." To learn more about using the ancient Chinese science of Yi Jing Feng Shui to improve your Health, Relationships and Finances... through 16 weeks of FREE TIPS subscribe to her award-winning eNewsletter, The Feng Shui Advantage MONTHLY, at http://www.FengShuiAdvantage.com. The next issue could change your life!
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