Greetings & Welcome

Feng Shui Newsletter, Volume 2, 2003

by Jucimara Markoff

In this issue

(Please click a link to read more.)

3. The article: "Creating a Healthier Home"

4. What people are experiencing from learning and using Feng Shui

5. Submit your subject request

1. Did you know that...

Indoor air pollution has been related to emotional conditions such as depression, irritability, negativism, emotional stress, anxiety, paranoia, and moodiness as well as mental conditions such as confusion, lack of concentration, mental stress, memory lapses and even disorientation? The good news is that once you make the changes you need to make to improve the air quality of your home, you will notice not only an increased sense of physical well being, but the effects will also be reflected in the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your being. These changes include: identifying sources of indoor air pollution and reducing or eliminating them, choosing natural materials for all sorts of products you bring home, changing your cleaning products for natural ones, improving ventilation, and so forth, Let us all greet our future generations with healthier environments that will support life in its fullest. It all starts in our own homes!

2. Feng Shui quick tip

Add live plants to your home. Visit http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/airFAQ.htm to see plants that will not only enhance Ch'i (vital energy) but also help to clean the air. Dr. Bill Wolverton is the NASA scientist who studied the properties of indoor plants in reducing chemicals in the air. Check it out.

3. The article: "Creating a Healthier Home"

In recent years, our homes have become the arena for the exposure to environmental pollutants in rates higher than most of us realize. According to the EPA - Environmental Protection Agency, in A Guide to Indoor Air Pollution, in the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. The main causes for indoor air pollution include indoor pollution sources, inadequate ventilation, high temperature and high humidity.

In our modern days, the sources for indoor air pollution are so many that a regular citizen might find confusing to decide which way to go. Also, the technical and chemical vocabulary are presented in ways not always easy to understand. From gases to liquids to solids and from visible to invisible to odorless products, sources include pressed wood paneling, carpets, radon, pesticides, household products, dry-cleaning goods, and personal care products to name just a few. Another study of the EPA reveals that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air. The real key to reduce our exposure to indoor pollution lies in increasing our awareness and knowledge to the causes of indoor air pollution and finding creative and ever lasting solutions to reduce and control hazards.

Imagine that when we keep the doors and windows of our homes shut, we are creating a sealed chamber where pollutants released regularly in the air by the sources mentioned above can build up to levels even higher than the ones found outdoors. An immediate action you may take that will improve the indoor air quality of your home is to increase the ventilation, by opening the windows and letting the outdoors air flush through your entire house. A second suggestion is to identify the possible sources of indoor air pollution you might have at this point and if possible replace it. There is great advantage in gaining knowledge as to what is what in this field as this will enable you to make conscious decisions next time you buy furniture, clothing, or even cleaning products that will benefit not only you and your family but also the community you live in and ultimately our entire planet.

Here are some suggestions to get you started in this process:

	Choose lead free and no VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints whenever painting your home.
	Next time you look for furniture, select solid wood, metal or old (already off gassed) furniture and cabinets. The glue used in pressed wood paneling and some furniture releases VOC (volatile organic compounds) into the air, among them, formaldehyde.
	Choose natural fiber carpets such as wool or jute or even better choose pre-finished hardwood floors or ceramic tiles. Synthetic carpeting or rugs emit off gas. They are usually composed of more than 100 different chemicals. Professional cleaning usually uses steam cleaning. This releases even more chemicals into the air because of the heat within the steam. Over time, off gassing reduces in carpets however, carpets are dust collectors and mildew presence will tend to increase.
	Keep temperature of your home between 68 and 72 F and humidity between 30 and 50%. Higher temperature and humidity levels will increase the indoor air pollutant levels.
	Get your home tested for radon every two years. It is inexpensive and it is the only way to monitor radon levels in your home. Testing for radon is a wise preventive measure against lung cancer.
	Go to the EPA website at www.epa.org and ask for informative brochures on indoors air pollution. It is free and a valuable source of information.

	When the front entrance of our homes are not well maintained, very often it is reflective of how we may be neglecting our outer physical appearance or how we may be neglecting or diminishing our value and needs in presenting ourselves to others. This also has the effect of avoiding intimacy and revealing who we are to others.
	When we try to open a door and it is hard to open, squeaks, or hits shoes or other objects behind it, we are giving out the message that we are not accessible. We are trying to say "keep away " in a subtle way.
	Sometimes, we are in a phase of life that has been hard and we are afraid to ask for help. The conflict is that we need to reveal who we are and what our needs are in order to access help, yet we unconsciously hide who we are, for fear of being judged or rejected.

Now if you find yourself in some of these metaphors, don't panic. There are wonderful ways to change our physical environments to support gentle healing on the emotional and spiritual levels. These changes create ways of helping us to move through our issues, to access the help when we need, to be open to accept help when it comes in our way, and to keep the cycle moving by helping others.

Here are some tips to clear, clean, and enhance the front entrance of your home:

	Trim the bushes. Choose plants that have round or more oval leaves to create a feeling of flow and continuity.
	Replace dead or sick plants for healthy and vibrant one.
	Paint the front door of your home if necessary. There are particularly auspicious colors depending on how the home sits on the land and also, depending on your goals and aspirations.
	Check on the number of your home. Make it clear and well illuminated.
	Check on the door bell. Make sure you do like the sound it makes and that it works well.
	Open the front door widely and check it for squeaky sounds. If necessary, use a lubricant to make it open smoothly.
	Remove obstacles from behind the door, put shoes away, hang coats, etc.
	The size of the door, materials used to build it and how the door has been positioned at the home can also have significance for the overall energy of a home and its inhabitants.

For specific information on the interior alignment, Feng Shui or space clearing of your home call Jucimara 847-520-5952 to schedule an appointment.

Email questions to jm@livinginalignment.com or call Jucimara Markoff at 847-520-5952.

4. What people are experiencing from learning and using Feng Shui

"Dear Juci,
Your kind and understanding approach to my personal needs made my experience with you very positive. The work you did on my behalf, using your excellent knowledge of Feng Shui techniques helped me deal with many of the problems I am facing at this time in my life." — Widower in Arlington Heights, IL

"Dear Juci,
It was a wonderful class. You presented your material so well, well organized and clearly. I can't wait for the next class." — Healer, Chicago suburban area, IL

5. Submit your subject request

Would you like me to write about a particular subject? Submit your request by email to: jm@livinginalignment.com .

6. Services

For a private consultation on Feng Shui or for a complete space clearing procedure for your home or office please call Jucimara at 847-520-5952

Here is what Best Selling Author, Denise Linn says about Jucimara's work:

"Jucimara's Feng Shui and Space Clearings sing with integrity, rare insight, and wisdom. I recommend her to anyone who wants to harmonize their environment."

Know someone who could benefit from my services, classes or this e-newsletter? Forward this newsletter to a friend. Thank you and see you soon! Jucimara

Feng Shui - Space Clearing - Kabbalistic Healing - Workshops Call 847-520-5952

Email: jm@livinginalignment.com

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For more information, please call Jucimara Markoff at 847-520-5952 or send an email message to jm@livinginalignment.com.

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