So what exactly is ‘Feng Shui’?

Feng shui is simply about changing the way energy flows around your living space. It is the ancient Chinese ‘art of placement’ and deals with the relation of objects and other elements to each other.

For most of us, we cannot rebuild our homes, but we can apply some simple feng shui beginner’s principles and have fun doing it!

I use these feng shui tips regularly when I feel a “heavy energy” around me and need to force a shift and lighten the spirit! It might sound involved if it is new to you, but even a simple change of furniture, mirror placement, plant arrangement or introducing a new colour can have very positive results…

And, anyway, it is said that “a change is as good as a holiday”…

If your home doesn’t display the template that you desire, try my feng shui tips for simple and fun ways to change the template. Do it and watch your life change!

Start with these 5 Feng Shui beginners tips to create templates that can positively influence your life …

1. Create More Abundance

Start by creating the feeling of luxury in your living space. Use your creativity! Buy inexpensive things like richly coloured fabric. Include a few items that appeal to your sense of self-indulgence. Start with one room – maybe your bedroom. Drape your bed with the rich fabric. Add lots of pillows.

Display pictures or photos that portray abundance to you. Create a ‘treasure map’ to hang on the wall. A treasure map is a collection of photographs or magazine cuttings that you have put together to convey the image of what you want to manifest… A vision board. Place the ‘treasure map’ where you can see it and it will soak into your subconscious mind.

2. Create More Love In Your Life

Look to see what symbolises love to you and then fill your home with that. If the color pink reminds you of love – paint a pink wall in your bedroom. Put pink flowers in your lounge. If hearts remind you of love, put heart shaped pillows on your bed. Lots of them!

3. Generate More Creativity in Your Life

Creativity comes from being able to see “ordinary” in a different way. Look at a basket and see a lampshade. Take things that are being discarded and see what you can do with them. Take what someone throws away and make a thing of beauty out of it. You can use your home as a canvas for your creativity without spending a lot of money… Paint on fabric, paper a wall with torn paper bags layered over each other. String a length of Christmas tree lights in a dried branch and use as decoration, Frame family photos in pieces of wood off-cuts.

Be creative in your home, and you will find that you have begun to create a template of creativity in your life.

4. Create More Peace in Your Life

To create more peace in your life fill your home with the energy and feeling of peace. Paint a room blue. Replace reds and oranges with blues and pastel colors. Get rid of any object that you don’t like or anything that makes you feel irritated You DON’T have to display it just because your granny gave it to you! Play soothing music. Dedicate your house crystals to peace. Have pots of ferns in your home. Invest in an aquarium with slow-moving, graceful fish. Create an indoor waterfall so that you can listen to the sound of water flowing. Display photos and paintings of peaceful nature scenes. Soften sharp corners by draping with soft fabric. Spray lavender aroma throughout your house periodically.When your home looks and feels like a sanctuary of peace, peace will fill your heart.

5. Create More Passion in Your Life

My feng shui tips for this may seem obvious… Purple velvet curtains, luxurious pink towels, candles everywhere, overlong curtains folding onto themselves as they lay on the floor, an assortment of pillows everywhere, a mix and match of colors and fabrics. Place bowels of flowers wherever you feel. Toss your shoes over your shoulders when you take them off. Throw a paisley shawl over the sofa. Put a burgundy scarf over the lampshade. Put an oversized nude painting, slightly askew, as the central focus in your living room. Spray flower essence throughout your home. Play your favourite romantic music.

Maybe the energy in your home is too precise and confined for passion to enter and feel comfortable? Rearrange things. Create a template of passion and form will follow.

Of course, passion means different things to different people. Find out what it means to you and make a BIG show of it. It can be really fun!

Start with a small change in any area of your living space and notice the change in how you feel. Feng Shui is real stress relief for you and your home.

Want to ‘Feng Shui’ your bedroom?

Have a look at http://www.diy-stress-relief.com/feng-shui-bedroom-tips.html for a simple ‘how-to’.

Margo Bastos is passionate about holistic healing and natural stress-free living. Her abiding interest, continuing personal research and every-day philosophy is in alternative mind, body and spiritual modalities.

She has a real estate business in South Africa and her formal qualifications include a MA in Jewish Studies from the University of Cape Town. Together with Alan Mounter, a practising holistic therapist, she has a website dealing with natural remedies for managing the negative effects of stress. Visit at http://www.diy-stress-relief.com

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Common Anxiety Herbal Medicine Remedies

The most commonly used herbal remedies are Valerian Root, Kava Kava, Chamomile, Lavender and Peppermint. In most countries throughout the world you are able to purchase these extracts in tablet form at most drug and grocery stores. These same stores will also usually stock the extracts in herbal teas. Health food stores will usually supply these remedies as ground or rushed herbs with which you can then use to brew your own teas.

Valerian root – This herb is available as tablet, herb or tea and is best taken shortly before bedtime. Most professionals believe that it is safe for short-term use. If you brew your own Valerian tea, use 1 teaspoon of ground Valerian Root per pint of boiling water. You should probably add a little honey, lemon, licorice or peppermint to the tea. Most people find that Valerian by itself has quite an unpleasant taste. Ensure that the Valerian root is kept well away from your cats as it is similar to catnip. If your cats find your Valerian stash they will have an absolutely wonderful time, however, but they might not leave enough of the root for your tea.

Kava Kava – In the South pacific region an anxiety herbal medicine remedy known as Kava Kava is often used to relieve the symptoms of anxiety. Kava kava is generally available in a tablet, herb or drink form or it can even be chewed raw. It is recommended that Kava Kava is taken shortly before you retire for the night. Studies have revealed that prolonged consumption of this herb may contribute to liver toxicity problems.

Chamomile – This is a common ragweed flower that when brewed, like you do with tea leaves, the liquid gives the consumer a calming sensation. You can buy this herbal tea already made up or you can brew your own using approximately one ounce of dried Chamomile blossoms in each pint of boiling water. The problem with using Chamomile for any extended period is that it may well aggravate any seasonal allergies you generally suffer from.

Lavender – This plant is well known as an anxiety herbal medicine and has been used in Western Europe for hundreds of years. The dried lavender flowers can be brewed in teas – simply add two teaspoons of dried flowers to each pint of boiling water. The oils extracted from Lavender flowers, leaves and stems can also be used as topical remedies. An on the spot anxiety remedy is to pick a few fresh Lavender leaves straight off the plant, grind them between your thumb and forefinger and then rub your forehead with the lavender oil you have just extracted. You will then enjoy the soothing lavender scent every time you inhale.

Peppermint – Is known to relieve upset stomach symptoms associated with anxiety. Dried peppermint leaves can be brewed into teas and, similar to lavender, the oils extracted from the plant can be used as topical remedies.

Before you start taking anxiety herbal medicine you should consult with your health care provider to ensure that any anxiety herbal medicine treatments you propose to take are safe and effective and will not affect any other medication you may be taking.

For more information on Anxiety Herbal Medicine and other alternative remedies and advice please visit Chinese Natural Medicine.

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It is unavoidable and perfectly normal that we cannot sleep well from time to time, but chronic insomnia is another story. Not only will it affect our performance and productivity, chronic insomnia suppresses the immune system and leads to other disorders such as depression, chronic fatigue, headaches, and heart disease.

Exactly how much sleep is enough varies from person to person. However, studies related to mental function show that most adults need eight hours of sleep every night.

Symptoms of Insomnia

* Difficulty falling asleep at night

* Awakening during the night

* Awakening too early

* Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep

* Feeling fatigue or sleepy during day time

* Irritability, depression or anxiety

* Difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks

Causes of Insomnia

There are a lot of possible factors that can cause insomnia, such as:

* Stress and anxiety

* Depression

* Sleep Apnea

* Aging

* Stimulants

* Health Problems

Natural Remedies for Insomnia

Many people try to get OTC sleeping aids for their insomnia. Unfortunately, many such sleeping aids contain antihistamines that can not only make you feel drowsy but also reduce the quality of your sleep. In addition, these drugs cause a lot of side effects, such as dry mouth, blurred vision, and depression. Long-term use of such insomnia drugs can also be addictive.

A better, safer, and gentler alternative is the use of natural insomnia home remedies. Herbs, aromatherapy, vitamins and minerals can help you overcome insomnia so you can get a good night sleep.

However, if your insomnia is chronic and the use of natural insomnia home remedies cannot solve your sleeping problem, be sure to consult with your doctor to see if there are other underlying health problems that may be causing the insomnia.

Herbs

There are several herbs that can make excellent insomnia home remedies, for example, valerian, chamomile, passionflower, St.-John’s wort, and hops. The good thing about using herbal remedies for insomnia is, they do not make you feel groggy the next day!

You can either take any of the above single herbs, or, for synergistic effects, you can combine half a teaspoon each of the tinctures of valerian, hops, passionflower and chamomile, and take the mixture about 30 minutes before bed.

Vitamins and Minerals

If you suffer from insomnia, the minerals calcium and magnesium can help to relax the nervous system so you can fall asleep easier. Vitamin B6 is also effective since it facilitates the production of serotonin and other neurotransmitters that promote sleep.

Aromatherapy

Some essential oils have calming and relaxing effects on the body, for example, lavender, chamomile, valerian, neroli, hops, and marjoram. These oils can be used in a warm bath or a foot bath. In addition, you can add the oil to a diffuser in your bedroom, or just sprinkle a few drops on to your pillow.

For more detailed information on using natural remedies for insomnia, please visit Natural Insomnia Home Remedies.

Learn more about how to use herbs and other natural remedies for your health: Natural Health Remedies 4U.com

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