Wellbeing Group, Doha

On Thursday, May 22 in the morning, we will be holding a 'think tank' to form a well-being, or mind/body/spirit group in Doha.



Should you feel drawn, I invite you so we can gather ideas together and have a regular networking group.

Please call me on 5044768 for time & location!







"Very often, I find that lightworkers feel stuck because they believe their purpose requires some elaborate condition that seems overwhelmingly complicated, time-consuming, or expensive. A lot of lightworkers think that they need more education, money, or time before they can help others. Some feel that they need to quit their current job, leave their marriage, or make major life changes, before they can fulfill their life's purpose.



Yet... we don't need to completely change ourselves or our lives before we can help others. We don't necessarily need to have formal teaching, advanced education, or a fully healed life to lend assistance to other people. We merely need to be centered and at peace, and these are... qualities that are eternally inherent within everyone."



- Doreen Virtue



love,

Samantha.

Boumi & Feng Shui: The Silk Road meets the East...

The Silk Road met the East today in Doha
near the Mariott hotel.

We had a great number of ladies looking at the wonderful Boumi range of table linens... and deciding which to bring into their homes to create good energy at their next dinner party.

You see, we had five tables set. Earth, laden with burnt-amber, aubergine and sunrise colour linens to bring stability and relationship harmony to a home...

Wood, a casual-feel table, with greens and chocolate linens, to strenghten family & health energy on a dining table...

Water, with sea-blue, beaded round placemats, embroidered runners and white linen, perfect for entertaining work colleagues or increasing abundance...

Metal (my personal favourite), with gold and silver beaded coasters, pearl coloured napkins and placings, topped with a silver candelabra for excellent communication and fun times,

and Fire, bright red linens, or burgundy, to perfect the romance chi on a table-for-two.


The Boumi Cushion covers were irresistible. The energy of the Afghan women's handiwork make these pieces a warm and welcoming addition to any home.

Thank you to all you ladies who visited for the insightful conversations! Your crystals will bless your homes.

I loved the energy surrounding Karen, Boumi, and her support of the ladies in Afghanistan. Feng Shui By The Sea wishes her excellent luck with her new commercial project in Dubai.

Feng Shui for healing

I hope you enjoy the article on feng shui from the LA Times, below, as I did. Although it deals with a serious issue, I feel excited and empowered to offer the power of the "Art of placement" to anyone who's looking to recreate their life anew.

"There's any number of ways to get to where we want to go. We just have to know where we're going, then choose a path and stick to it."

http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-fengshui18-2008may18,0,7959882.story

Cure for China's bad luck

Are you, or a loved one, born in 1942? 1930? 1955? 1967? 1978? 1990? 2002?

You may like to take the advice of Feng Shui Master Raymond Lo, who advises China's leaders, born in 1942, to wear an Ox pendant and keep the bad luck of the Year of the Rat away from them and the whole country. Here's the story:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/15/asia/AS-GEN-OLY-China-Feng-Shui.php

If you are born after January in one of the years above, you can print out the picture above and keep on your bedside table to draw better luck to you for the rest of 2008.



blessings... luck... and love for us all,

Samantha.

GCC, but different... Muscat, Oman

If you're anything like me, you'll have found that the five star resort hotels of the Middle East do a wonderful job of creating oases in a desert. They create pantomimes of refreshing colour in an environment that just can't be found outside the resort walls.

This is what living in the Middle East is meant to be like: Enjoying Turkish baths, fresh juices by the pool and taking Arabic coffee in cool, dark halls on velvet cushions. Swanning through beautiful old-wood interiors, thoughtful decor reflecting the ancient patterns of the land, beautifully manicured gardens and immaculately presented smiling staff.

I wish! The closest we come to actually living like this is looking out the window at the gorgeous pool while working the treadmill of the hotel's gym, knowing the reason there's no-one lounging around it is that it's 46 degrees in the shade out there. Outside the resort grounds in the city I'm resident of, for instance, being Doha, Qatar, is a dusty city buzzing with construction and incomprehensible traffic.

But an hour and ten minutes flight from here, a town every bit as picturesque and interesting as some of the most famous cities in the world rests... a place where The Chedi didn't offer the sole refreshing sight for dust-weary eyes. It's still the Middle East, and it's still 46 degrees in the shade. But it's an oasis bigger than a resort hotel. It's Muscat, capital of Oman.

There is something about an ancient port that entices and holds magic long after the sea-faring traders have ceased to exchange gold pieces. You feel the excitement, promise and hope of days gone by- there's soul here. A ring of rock-mountains surrounds Muscat, and forts watch over the pale, low city.

Did they just start planting their trees earlier, or are there more here than in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai? It's not just palm trees that dot a dry landscape- many shrubs, bushes and lawns greenify small neighborhoods with familiar shopping names sitting next to Arabic ones, and chairs and tables outdoors invite customers to dine al fresco overlooking running fountains. People are swimming in the ocean, and, high on a hill, mansions clamber for the most expansive view over the Gulf of Oman. Somehow the whole city's more understandable. These people enjoy quality living.

They call themselves the "poor people" of the GCC, as they don't mine oil or gas. But the Omanis rest comfortable in the fact that their country and Bahrain are the best regarded and most-highly sought after destinations in the region by tourists and expats alike. They are incredibly proud of their ruler and his vision for his citizens (I had heard this before, but to listen to an Omani talk loyally about HM and his appreciation for the environment is truly touching). Touching, too, is their genuine warmth towards visitors and enthusiasm for sharing their beautiful country.

Muscat- especially the old town- can offer any visitor or resident lovely feng shui, and I predict will remain a prosperous, healthy, ever-more inviting city for many years to come.

FENG SHUI BY THE SEA IN THE GULF RECOMMENDS :)

• The Dive Centre, for lunch and a glass of crisp wine in the shade of frangipani trees, and swim at the white sand beach (view pic below)


• Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, an oasis seemingly carved into the rocky cliffs, a "final outpost" of luxury living.
  

and was inspired by...

• Businesses promoting Ayurveda, Complementary & Natural herbal remedies in Muscat. Soon to come to Qatar, too, we hope.


• Omani hospitality. Beautiful spoken English, teasing humour, they're a gracious & open people. Especially to Royal Omani Police, of whom we were guest. Big Hugs!!!

Feng Shui Picture Quiz

For anyone curious, the answer to last weeks feng shui picture quiz was the element Earth. The warm tones of the picture, the rounded table in the foreground, the large, comfortable armchair and soft lighting made this a lovely corner to curl up and read a book, inviting the energy of knowledge and harmonious relationships.

Do you have your own, private "Zen spot" at home? A little time on one's own does wonders to help us come back to our lover or family with newly appreciative eyes, doesn't it?

with love,

Samantha.

PS Looking forward to sharing new Feng Shui by the Sea in the Gulf findings with you after the weekend- and a jolly jape to Oman!

Everyday beauty

feng shui THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

the world is a mirror; what i love in you i have in me.

Feng Shui & How to lose a Bad Habit, for good

This hint may seem a little controversial; but it will be one of the most freeing mind-tricks you'll ever play on yourself. Please understand, I'm not saying you shouldn't be on time to your appointments or stop losing your temper, if you've got these tendencies. What I am saying is- whatever bad habit you might have, you're making way too big a deal of it. And once you realise this, you'll free up an incredible amount of mental energy.





There is far too much energy directed towards our "badness" in life. We're told that if we didn't do this, we could have this; and we must be this sort of person to have this sort of existence. We must give up, quit, and abstain from doing XYZ before anything good can come to us!

But... this kind of thinking is self-defeating. Habits are just tendencies which we lean into regularly. We are not our bad habits!



Repeat after me: "I am not my dusty house, or my love of M&M's"

"I am NOT my dusty house, or my love of M&M's! I am not my smoking/drinking/oversleeping tendency!"





Have you ever tried to break a bad habit? Thinking "I must not do this anymore, I will not do this!" is doomed to fail, because we are inherently attracting just the thing we don't want in our life anymore through the power of our focus.





So, try this wonderful new energy trick for peace of mind. Accept your bad habit. Instead of all that wasted energy of trying to quit doing it-when you just can't hold off anymore, recognise you're choosing to do it. You're choosing to do it! And so, you must want to do it, on some level.



Now, leave that alone. A bad habit doesn't make you a bad person, and doesn't stand in the way of the beautiful life you deserve. Put it out of your mind. Get on with your day. Get on with creating your best life.



You're bigger than any of your habits or tendencies. Think bigger, and watch positive energy flow to the things you really want in life.



























One of the most peace-enhancing habits I have formed in the past few years is to live with anything that could be called in me, a"Bad Habit".

Remember, "what you focus on, grows!" I'm focusing on the good stuff! And since then, there's been so much more good to focus on. I invite you to join me!

P.S. Guess what the gift of the universe really is, when we've got good at doing this? That's right... you'll find your bad habit's been left behind, easily and permanently.




love,

Samantha.

Headline - Expat Tales

Dear Feng Shui By The Sea blog,

You have been sent this article link by Samantha courtesy of smh.com.au

To view the entire article, click on: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/02/1210131114197.html

Sign up for news updates from The Sydney Morning Herald newsroom emailed each morning and afternoon: http://smh.com.au/newsletters/subscription.html

The 2nd best way... ;)

If you hate where you are



in your health



or you hate your home



or you hate where you're at in life...







That's great.







It's time to move in the direction you want to go.







And how?



Begin by appreciating all you have now.



No matter how much you hate your jelly-belly;



Appreciate your two arms and two legs and eyesight.







Find something you like about your home- and make that small space the way you like it, whatever it needs.







As we begin to celebrate the very best of what we have right now, more good stuff must join in. Complaining only draws more to complain about! While it might seem Pollyanna to keep on appreciating the one beautiful plant in your garden, these nice thoughts are drawing ever more beautiful things to you. Because it makes you feel better. Don't catch yourself and think, "I can't feel good, because I hate this place," or, "I can't feel good, because I'm not at my perfect weight". Begin to feel good now despite it all, and watch all your life's circumstances change to reflect your good mood.

love,

Samantha.

The best way to get from where you are, to where you want to go...

Every day, and each step along the way, takes us one of two directions:



We're moving towards what we want, or

We're moving in the opposite direction.



Powerful question:

Is this taking me in a direction I want to go?



You will get what you want in the end. And the quickest way to get there, is to go straight towards it.



How to go straight towards it? An easy way is, to spend time thinking about it. Talk about it, imagine it, surround yourself with pictures of it. Ignore what the outside world looks like. See what you would like to see around you, in your mind, more clearly than your present reality.



And when you can do this, you will discover, what you've been focused on, has become your reality.

Love & Friendship

Helpful friends

The North-West

or furthest left hand corner in your home from the main door to your house, looking in.

Place a picture, or write down the name, of someone you love that you haven't been in touch with for some time, in this area.

Before too long- they will contact you.

"Love is friendship set on fire"

-Jeremy Irons.

Energy Explosion in Doha

photo courtesy of Martin Kenny.









I've not blogged before about the feng shui of Doha city itself.


It's not that I don't think Doha has good feng shui. It's just that I hadn't found where the good feng shui hangs out yet.

How do you know naturally good feng shui when you're upon it?

You feel relaxed. Everywhere you turn, is pleasing to the eye. There's a slight tingle of anticipation in the air, like there's the possibility of a great adventure. You'll spot something in the decor that jolts a memory, or reminds you of a song, or inspires you with an idea. These are all the signs. Feeling good feng shui can't be done by reading the compass.

Upon arrival here, I did go in search. In other cities in the world, I've found naturally positive feng shui in the botanical gardens. Cathedrals. Summer palaces, where rivers meets oceans, on bridges, and at lookouts.

I've found naturally beautiful feng shui at the Opus One estate, St Helena, Napa Valley.

Prague's Old Town square.

in a valley in the mountains of Vorarlberg.

Standing in Galway Bay looking to America, and on the golf course at Long Reef on Sydney's Northern Beaches.







So I don't think I've been unfair to Doha, by not going to the museum for Islamic arts, or the Spiral Mosque, which are traditional landmarks here. All the places of natural feng shui I've ever stumbled across, I've been drawn to.





Here, I gravitated to the Four Seasons. The Ritz Carlton. The major shopping malls. No natural feng shui.



The Four Seasons Spa (which has been feng shui-ied, incidentally), with it's five elements menu, luxurious hydrotherapy baths, candlelit hallways and soothing music came closest. Hot on it's heels (this was in December) was the walk-in gingerbread house filled with divine goodies in the Ritz Carlton. The magic of Christmas filled the air, and good chi meandered around the silver foil packages, jelly buttons on the wall and shiny gift hampers.



But both these places, however pretty they were, only offered a "sugar-hit" of good chi. They may be feng shui themselves, all elements in order, but do they offer others a feng shui experience- the energy to nurture and inspire?



No. No strong positive energy to uplift and support and sustain.



Many new buildings and hotels have this problem. Because it's only 2 things that can create this nurturing energy somewhere:



1. The Earth's magnetism itself. The energy of the earth's positive meridians, which has directed architects and builders to choose a special place, and over time seeps into the building and infuses all the rooms with it's beneficial magnetism, creates strong positive and nurturing chi. New buildings which keep original features or elements of the old one can inherit this good energy straight away. (think; Establishment in Sydney or London's Docklands)



2. The power of human intention. We ourselves change a space offering zero natural feng shui into a space that can heal and nurture. It takes a strong energetic being to create this quickly, but humans over time in their environment naturally power up this energy, and it doesn't follow us when we leave- it stays behind and can be built on by the next nurturing being.



And then... I went to La Cigale.



The newest five star hotel in Doha, I'd been curious to see La Cigale but couldn't quite believe it would be anything other than standard luxury (yawn). It's also in one of the ugliest areas of Doha, at the top of Al Sadd, a hectic, dusty street where new car showrooms shoulder each other, vying for customers to finance up to the hilt.



But I was invited by a lady of strong positive energy, and we entered together. The chi almost bowled me over. Wow.



It wasn't the positive energy I have felt in Europe, like a strain of delicious music that stops you in your tracks and you prick up your ears to hear again... this was like being jumped on and covered with licks by a labrador puppy. It felt good and -hey, there's something real here.



Everywhere you look, a whimsical object or a fascinating colour catches your eye. Textures and patterns are intriguing- glass and wood meld on the floor, purple stands next to red next to big brave plants. An aquarium tucked inside one wall makes you blink unexpectedly. It works.



The restaurant on level 1 we took lunch in, Le Mercato, is reminiscent of a childs play room, orange and green snug chairs hug the tables, who remind us to behave with their beige linen tablecloths. The wasabi offered with our sushi was artistically created into a life-like turtle. And above it all, huge glass cases filled with coloured wrapped sweets add an explosion of colour that makes you just want to celebrate.



The enjoyment I received from the ambiance here has been unmatched anywhere else in Doha, and whilst I can't announce to you that it was built on a meridian line, there is some great feeling to be got from hanging out here. It's not strong- but it's got some natural feng shui. How?



Remember the 2nd way an environment that offers it's occupants nurturing energy is created? The power of human intention. "We ourselves change a space offering zero natural feng shui into a space that can heal and nurture. It takes a strong energetic being to create this quickly..." Or many energetic beings. The sweets in the giant glass cases that add an explosion of colour and celebration energy to La Cigale are actually thousands of polystyrene squares, which were hand-wrapped in coloured paper by the staff in their residences, as they waited for the hotel to open. Can you imagine the excited energy they would have had, handwrapping these "sweets" to trick guests? These workers from the other side of the world, who had just been recruited to open the "finest new hotel in Doha" and were wrapping the squares, eagerly looking forward to their new job? This strong positive energy has been transmuted to the environment, and now we can all enjoy!


There are other feel-good elements to the decor: the market-place theme downstairs with it's selection of cheeses and patisserie, the unashamably girly giftware, chocolates, and all other delectable goodies on offer. And I predict with committed people in nurturing roles, offering their professionalism in hospitality within the hotel, it's natural feng shui could soon be further empowered, making this hotel one of Doha's first truly good feng shui places.

As Husby said yesterday about the town, as we were stuck in traffic, gazing at skyscrapers piled on a heap of dust- "It'll be nice when it's finished."

Bonkers for Bamboo

A funny thing to be crazy for on a Sunday. Do you know how fantastically good feng shui bamboo is?

This wonder plant is excellent for almost every area. If only I knew back then what I knew now... when I was growing up, Mum would complain bitterly about the neighbours bamboo sprouting up on our side of the fence (she cultivates a traditional English country garden in Melbourne's suburbs). The fast-growing giant bamboo represented a serious threat to our french lavender - and I remember, the more we tried to pull out the stray sprouts, the tougher they'd grow back...

It's these very characteristics of resilience and longevity that make bamboo such a beneficial plant to have in your home and garden. There is so much information in feng shui on how bamboo is wonderful in almost every area, and depending on where it's placed, can bring good health and flexibility in old age, wealth protection and accumulation, fertility (the curly, decorative stalks are excellent for this) and loyal friendships to a home.

Have to tell you, the negative energy we directed towards our neighbours' bamboo jungle has stuck with me somewhat, and though I'm a big fan of it in a pot or strategically positioned in an oriental garden, bamboo placed just anywhere and left to race to the sun can look haphazard and junky. "Haphazard" and "junky" in feng shui results in chi directed at all angles, and you'll not be able to benefit from the naturally good feng shui the plant represents. So if bamboo's in your garden, keep it as it's meant to be kept. Elegant. Inobtrusive. Controlled. It wasn't called one of "the four Gentlemen of the Garden" by the ancient sages for nothing!

But there's another way to bring the brilliant benefits of feng shui to your abode. It's bamboo as a choice for sustainable flooring. It magnificently invites positive, healthy, wealth chi into a home. The low sheen allows this chi to meander around with smooth flow, and the variety of shades will suit the taste of the most single-themed home. What's more- it's ecologically sound, so good karma!- double the feng shui benefit.

A great product, I have seen in use is the formaldehyde free Plyboo in the US- http://www.plyboo.com/flooring.html

but I'm not sure if it's avalable down under. I had a quick look around and here's a local company that is sure to help if you need further information: http://www.houseofbamboo.com.au/index.html

Why not make it an objective to bring some bamboo into your life this May?

And- if you needed another reason- for those in long-distance relationships or whose spouses live or travel overseas- it also represents fidelity.

love,

Samantha.

For more feng shui hints to make your life more ambiant and comfortable, register for Feng Shui By The Sea's free monthly newsletter here: http://www.fengshuibythesea.com/contact.htm

One for the weekend

Love everything;
love your home,
your work,
your body,
your look,
and the people you have in your life.
Love it like you want it to be, as if it was perfect already.
What could you love? What would you love?

Even if you don't love all of it- love the bits you do. As you lean towards love, you pave the path of your future with even more to love and celebrate. The narks vanish and in their place, will be a life chock-full of only the best bits.

Why be unsatisfied?
Why have around you things you don't like?
You can create whatever you want!