[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 12/05/2007]
“Black Friday.” The term doesn’t sound so exciting, but many people are very excited about this special Friday after Thanksgiving that launches the holiday shopping season.
Well, I still remember some of those Fridays in the past. I got up early in the morning around 5 a.m. to go shopping with my mother. I have never been a shopaholic, but I love bargains.
In the midst of the enthusiastic shoppers with carts full of stuff, the excitement carried me away. I also loaded my cart with items that were such good deals that I shouldn’t pass them by.
Today, I still have jewels I bought more than 10 years ago that I haven’t used. I bought them because they were on sale, 75 percent off.
The interesting thing is I don’t wear jewels. Why did I spend over two hundred dollars buying something just because it was a good deal? I can’t figure it out today. I have to say it was not a smart thing to do.
That’s why I didn’t go shopping on Black Friday this year. I slept in and had a very relaxed day at home. No rushing, no pushing, no running around from store to store, just relaxing peacefully at home. But I was not without temptation.
On Thanksgiving morning, the newspaper with the fat advertisement flyers awaited me with warm attractive greetings - door busters, early-bird specials, free coupons, etc.
One store gave away $10. Wow, free money! Who doesn’t like free money? I could buy something without spending money! At least it could cover the gas expense for the shopping trip.
Look at the slow cooker on sale! The old slow cooker I have at home is well over 10 years old. It has aged so much, it’s near kaput. I could really use a newer and bigger one.
How about that pressure cooker? I have always wished I had one pressure cooker. It would save me some time when I do my weekly cooking of dry beans.
Well, there were so many things that I wished I could have. Yes, it would be nice to have things that are better, bigger, more convenient, more powerful and more comfortable. But I also know that I already have what I need. That’s good enough for me. Besides, I didn’t want to do any more stupid things like I did in the past. I have learned my lessons.
I also wanted to support the "Buy Nothing Day."
Buy Nothing Day is an informal day of protest against consumerism, observed by social activists.
The first Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver in 1992. A decade later, it spread to over 60 countries. In the U.S., Buy Nothing Day is the Friday after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, the busiest shopping day in the U.S.
I am not trying to elevate myself to a social activist. But I really like the ideology behind the Buy Nothing Day that our society needs to examine the issues of over-consumption, compulsive spending and instant gratification.
Buy Nothing Day is not about changing buying habit for just one day, it’s about changing lifestyle and making lasting commitment to consuming less and producing less waste.
Another interesting initiative originated in California is called Compact. A group of 10 friends made a vow to not buy anything new for a whole year in 2006. The Compactors bought second-hand. They bartered, borrowed, recycled, re-used and re-gifted. Now this group has grown to include an online Compact community around the global. Their story has appeared on media outlets around the world.
I found both initiatives appealing.
Whether the day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day, it’s a personal preference and choice. I chose it to be Buy Nothing Day. I really enjoyed buying nothing and doing nothing. It was a rare and welcome opportunity for me to relax. I used the free time to look through all the photos taken in the year and select some for printing holiday cards.
Now I am looking forward to the next holiday. My Christmas cards are already done!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Make every day Thanksgiving Day
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/22/2006]
Tomorrow, Americans around the country will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day.
When we think about Thanksgiving, we often think about this once-a-year event with a Thanksgiving feast of stuffed turkey, yams, potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie. It’s a holiday of family and friends gathering together.
I think Thanksgiving is more than a once-a-year event - it is a way of life.
Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It is about giving thanks to God.
When President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, he proclaimed it “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
In 1941, Congress introduced the legislation and established Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November.
Thanksgiving is about appreciating the people in our lives and being thankful for what we have received in life.
We have so much in this country and so much good happens to us. Yet in the rush of daily life, we fail to notice and acknowledge it. We often take things for granted.
If we focus our attention on the good and positive, focus on what we have, not what we lack, we can experience a life with contentment and joy. We don’t need to fill our life with material stuff to make us feel good.
One year ago on Thanksgiving Day 2005, I made a conscious decision to start a gratitude journal. I was inspired by the following words Oprah wrote in one of her "O Magazine" articles.
“Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change your perspective of your day and your life.”
At that time I felt my life was in need of change. I wanted to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, nurture a grateful heart and a spirit of thankfulness. I wanted to bring myself closer to my soul and to God.
I wanted to count God’s blessings in my life and to focus my attention on the positive side of life. I wanted to be mindful and more aware of even little things happening every day. I wanted to live a more authentic life.
Since last Thanksgiving, I have been writing regularly in my journal and have filled several journals. The writing itself is a tool that declutters my mind and brings out the creativity within. My journey to the inside has drawn me closer to my authentic self and God. It has transformed my life in a profound way.
I was baptized in September this year. I am thankful for being a child of God who loves me despite of my shortcomings. I am thankful for being a part of God’s family.
I am becoming a more grateful person. I write more thank-you notes to people. When people have done something nice for me, I want to show my appreciation.
When I say thank you, it not only makes the receiver feel good, it makes me feel good too.
I count my blessings every day as I write in my journal. I am more mindful of what’s happening in my life.
The more grateful I am, the more reasons I have to be grateful. I find more joy in life.
Here is something I would like you to try: Start a gratitude journal.
Every night, before you go to sleep, write down a few things that you are grateful for that day. Start to count your blessings.
Remember, Thanksgiving is not a once-a-year event, but a way of life. Learn to be thankful every day.
As the result of having a thankful heart, you life will be richer and more joyful.
I wish you all a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day tomorrow and every day of the year.
Tomorrow, Americans around the country will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day.
When we think about Thanksgiving, we often think about this once-a-year event with a Thanksgiving feast of stuffed turkey, yams, potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie. It’s a holiday of family and friends gathering together.
I think Thanksgiving is more than a once-a-year event - it is a way of life.
Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It is about giving thanks to God.
When President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, he proclaimed it “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
In 1941, Congress introduced the legislation and established Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November.
Thanksgiving is about appreciating the people in our lives and being thankful for what we have received in life.
We have so much in this country and so much good happens to us. Yet in the rush of daily life, we fail to notice and acknowledge it. We often take things for granted.
If we focus our attention on the good and positive, focus on what we have, not what we lack, we can experience a life with contentment and joy. We don’t need to fill our life with material stuff to make us feel good.
One year ago on Thanksgiving Day 2005, I made a conscious decision to start a gratitude journal. I was inspired by the following words Oprah wrote in one of her "O Magazine" articles.
“Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change your perspective of your day and your life.”
At that time I felt my life was in need of change. I wanted to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, nurture a grateful heart and a spirit of thankfulness. I wanted to bring myself closer to my soul and to God.
I wanted to count God’s blessings in my life and to focus my attention on the positive side of life. I wanted to be mindful and more aware of even little things happening every day. I wanted to live a more authentic life.
Since last Thanksgiving, I have been writing regularly in my journal and have filled several journals. The writing itself is a tool that declutters my mind and brings out the creativity within. My journey to the inside has drawn me closer to my authentic self and God. It has transformed my life in a profound way.
I was baptized in September this year. I am thankful for being a child of God who loves me despite of my shortcomings. I am thankful for being a part of God’s family.
I am becoming a more grateful person. I write more thank-you notes to people. When people have done something nice for me, I want to show my appreciation.
When I say thank you, it not only makes the receiver feel good, it makes me feel good too.
I count my blessings every day as I write in my journal. I am more mindful of what’s happening in my life.
The more grateful I am, the more reasons I have to be grateful. I find more joy in life.
Here is something I would like you to try: Start a gratitude journal.
Every night, before you go to sleep, write down a few things that you are grateful for that day. Start to count your blessings.
Remember, Thanksgiving is not a once-a-year event, but a way of life. Learn to be thankful every day.
As the result of having a thankful heart, you life will be richer and more joyful.
I wish you all a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day tomorrow and every day of the year.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
An introduction to Chinese language
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 9/17/2007]
For this school year 2007-2008, our District 833 offers a pilot Mandarin Chinese language program at three elementary schools: Liberty Ridge, Royal Oak and Newport.
Most people here probably have heard the term “Mandarin Chinese,” but don’t really know what it means.
China has eight major dialect groups: Putonghua (Mandarin), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan and Hakka.
Each major dialect sounds so differently that people speaking different dialects often cannot understand each other. In each major dialect, there are countless local variations.
The dialect used in my home town Suzhou sounds very different from the dialect used in Shanghai which is only about one hour away. Even though I don’t speak the Shanghai dialect, at least I can understand it without difficulty, because both dialects belong to same major dialect group called "Wu" dialect.
However, when people speak Cantonese, a dialect spoken in southern China and in many Chinese communities around the world, I can’t understand anything. Cantonese is like a foreign language to me.
The language spoken in Beijing (Peking), the capital of China, is referred to as Putonghua or Mandarin. Putonghua, which means "common language", is the official spoken language of China. It is also one of the four official languages of Singapore.
I learned to speak Mandarin Chinese when I went to college in Beijing. I have used Mandarin Chinese in the last 26 years. However, when I speak, some people can still notice that I have a slight accent from the South.
Even though the pronunciation of Chinese characters in the dialects can be as different from each other as foreign languages, the characters themselves don’t change. So two Chinese who can’t understand each other when they talk, can write to each other without any problem.
There are about 6300 Chinese characters. Among them, about 2500 are commonly used and are mastered by the elementary school kids. These 2500 characters make up 99% of characters used in our every day life. Once you master 2500 commonly used characters, you are considered literate and will be able to read Chinese newspapers and books. As a tourist, you can probably get by in China knowing about a couple of hundred Chinese characters.
One important part of learning Chinese is to learn to write Chinese characters.
Unlike Western languages, Chinese characters are pictographic, meaning that they are simplified pictures of the things they represent and they are independent from their sounds.
Over the last two thousands years Chinese characters have undergone transformations. Some kept this pictographic or ideographic nature while others were gradually modified or simplified so they no longer look like the original objects or ideas.
Most Chinese characters are formed by combining different and recurring components. As new words were needed for things which weren’t easy to draw, existing characters were combined to create new characters. Simpler characters often act as basic building blocks from which more complex characters were formed.
As more and more characters were introduced over the years by combining existing characters, some of them became very complicated. Writing the complicated characters requires many strokes which is very time-consuming. In the middle of the 20th century, the Chinese government created a standardized form of simplified characters to be used in China.
Today, the simplified characters are used in China and Singapore. People no longer learn the old traditional forms of characters. But the traditional forms are still used in Taiwan and in some overseas Chinese communities around the world, among the older generations.
Each Chinese character is made up of a number strokes. Strokes come in various shapes. It can be a straight line, a curve, a bent line, a line with a hook, a dot or a comma.
Traditionally, Chinese was written from top to bottom in columns beginning on the right hand side of the page and working towards the left. The cover of a Chinese book printed in the traditional way is what Westerners consider the back cover.
But along with simplifying the characters, people in China have also changed the way they write and print. Nowadays, Chinese also write from left to right in horizontal lines working from the top to the bottom of a page.
The Chinese characters are pronounced using the phonetic system called “Pinyin,” based on the letters of the alphabet.
About 1.3 billion people (one-fifth of the world population) speak some form of Chinese, making it the language with the most native speakers. Mandarin Chinese is becoming the fastest growing world language taught in schools in this country.
For this school year 2007-2008, our District 833 offers a pilot Mandarin Chinese language program at three elementary schools: Liberty Ridge, Royal Oak and Newport.
Most people here probably have heard the term “Mandarin Chinese,” but don’t really know what it means.
China has eight major dialect groups: Putonghua (Mandarin), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan and Hakka.
Each major dialect sounds so differently that people speaking different dialects often cannot understand each other. In each major dialect, there are countless local variations.
The dialect used in my home town Suzhou sounds very different from the dialect used in Shanghai which is only about one hour away. Even though I don’t speak the Shanghai dialect, at least I can understand it without difficulty, because both dialects belong to same major dialect group called "Wu" dialect.
However, when people speak Cantonese, a dialect spoken in southern China and in many Chinese communities around the world, I can’t understand anything. Cantonese is like a foreign language to me.
The language spoken in Beijing (Peking), the capital of China, is referred to as Putonghua or Mandarin. Putonghua, which means "common language", is the official spoken language of China. It is also one of the four official languages of Singapore.
I learned to speak Mandarin Chinese when I went to college in Beijing. I have used Mandarin Chinese in the last 26 years. However, when I speak, some people can still notice that I have a slight accent from the South.
Even though the pronunciation of Chinese characters in the dialects can be as different from each other as foreign languages, the characters themselves don’t change. So two Chinese who can’t understand each other when they talk, can write to each other without any problem.
There are about 6300 Chinese characters. Among them, about 2500 are commonly used and are mastered by the elementary school kids. These 2500 characters make up 99% of characters used in our every day life. Once you master 2500 commonly used characters, you are considered literate and will be able to read Chinese newspapers and books. As a tourist, you can probably get by in China knowing about a couple of hundred Chinese characters.
One important part of learning Chinese is to learn to write Chinese characters.
Unlike Western languages, Chinese characters are pictographic, meaning that they are simplified pictures of the things they represent and they are independent from their sounds.
Over the last two thousands years Chinese characters have undergone transformations. Some kept this pictographic or ideographic nature while others were gradually modified or simplified so they no longer look like the original objects or ideas.
Most Chinese characters are formed by combining different and recurring components. As new words were needed for things which weren’t easy to draw, existing characters were combined to create new characters. Simpler characters often act as basic building blocks from which more complex characters were formed.
As more and more characters were introduced over the years by combining existing characters, some of them became very complicated. Writing the complicated characters requires many strokes which is very time-consuming. In the middle of the 20th century, the Chinese government created a standardized form of simplified characters to be used in China.
Today, the simplified characters are used in China and Singapore. People no longer learn the old traditional forms of characters. But the traditional forms are still used in Taiwan and in some overseas Chinese communities around the world, among the older generations.
Each Chinese character is made up of a number strokes. Strokes come in various shapes. It can be a straight line, a curve, a bent line, a line with a hook, a dot or a comma.
Traditionally, Chinese was written from top to bottom in columns beginning on the right hand side of the page and working towards the left. The cover of a Chinese book printed in the traditional way is what Westerners consider the back cover.
But along with simplifying the characters, people in China have also changed the way they write and print. Nowadays, Chinese also write from left to right in horizontal lines working from the top to the bottom of a page.
The Chinese characters are pronounced using the phonetic system called “Pinyin,” based on the letters of the alphabet.
About 1.3 billion people (one-fifth of the world population) speak some form of Chinese, making it the language with the most native speakers. Mandarin Chinese is becoming the fastest growing world language taught in schools in this country.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wanted: a longer school year
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 9/5/2007]
I was glad my kids were finally back to school again yesterday. After three months of long summer break with VBS, RKK, vacation, and staying with friends, life is back to normal again with structure and routine. This was the day I had been looking forward to.
My kids were happy to go back to school themselves. There were excited to find out who their new teachers and classmates are.
I wish the school year could be longer and the summer break could be shorter.
The tradition of short school years dates all the way back to the 18th century, when America was a labor-intensive farming nation. The young people were needed at home to work and help out. That is no longer true.
I think the school years or school days should be expanded.
On average, U.S. students go to school 6.5 hours a day, 180 days a year. Other countries' school years are much longer: China's lasts 251 days, Japan's is 243 days, and German’s is 240 days.
Minnesota has no statewide mandatory number of school days. Each district sets its own calendar with a general average of 170 to 175 days. Minnesota students spend on average 172 days in the classroom, below the national average.
There are many benefits of having longer school years or days.
Students will have more structured learning time which will improve their academic performance.
Findings from international achievement surveys show that American students achieve poorly compared to those in other economically advanced countries.
Today’s competitive world economy requires that students in the United States receive education and training that is at least as rigorous as those received by their counterparts in other countries.
I think our students' lack of formal schooling contributes to the unfavorable results. Extending school years or days is one way to increase learning and improve academic achievement.
Now state and federal governments have more rigorous academic standards. In order to master tougher materials and meet higher standards, students need more structured learning time in school.
Increased learning time will enable students to participate in quality academic programs such as learning a world language. The earlier the students start learning a foreign language, the better it is.
Extending school years and days not only allows more learning time in classrooms, enables schools to offer an array of enrichment activities, it also gives teachers more time for planning and professional development.
Over the summer months, many students not only fail to advance academically, but they forget much of what they had learned during the previous school year. Shorter summer break will help them retain more of what they had learned.
Minnesota has the highest rate of women in the workforce in the nation. Extended school years and days will put less pressure on working parents. It will relieve them from the burdens of having to find alternative day care and activity options for their children while they go to work.
Parents will have fewer worries because they know their children are involved in constructive learning.
Currently, there are many children who are left on their own after school without adult supervision, because their parents are still at work.
I know there will be many objections to extending the school years or school days, from businesses that profit greatly from no school days to policymakers who are already burdened with funding constraints, from teachers who enjoy the long summer breaks to parents who think their children are already being too busy with activities.
But it's time to leave the tradition behind that no longer serves its purpose. We need to look forward and do what’s good for our children, our families and our country.
Let’s bring the District’s school year up to 21st-century standards before we demand our students to meet higher academic standards.
I was glad my kids were finally back to school again yesterday. After three months of long summer break with VBS, RKK, vacation, and staying with friends, life is back to normal again with structure and routine. This was the day I had been looking forward to.
My kids were happy to go back to school themselves. There were excited to find out who their new teachers and classmates are.
I wish the school year could be longer and the summer break could be shorter.
The tradition of short school years dates all the way back to the 18th century, when America was a labor-intensive farming nation. The young people were needed at home to work and help out. That is no longer true.
I think the school years or school days should be expanded.
On average, U.S. students go to school 6.5 hours a day, 180 days a year. Other countries' school years are much longer: China's lasts 251 days, Japan's is 243 days, and German’s is 240 days.
Minnesota has no statewide mandatory number of school days. Each district sets its own calendar with a general average of 170 to 175 days. Minnesota students spend on average 172 days in the classroom, below the national average.
There are many benefits of having longer school years or days.
Students will have more structured learning time which will improve their academic performance.
Findings from international achievement surveys show that American students achieve poorly compared to those in other economically advanced countries.
Today’s competitive world economy requires that students in the United States receive education and training that is at least as rigorous as those received by their counterparts in other countries.
I think our students' lack of formal schooling contributes to the unfavorable results. Extending school years or days is one way to increase learning and improve academic achievement.
Now state and federal governments have more rigorous academic standards. In order to master tougher materials and meet higher standards, students need more structured learning time in school.
Increased learning time will enable students to participate in quality academic programs such as learning a world language. The earlier the students start learning a foreign language, the better it is.
Extending school years and days not only allows more learning time in classrooms, enables schools to offer an array of enrichment activities, it also gives teachers more time for planning and professional development.
Over the summer months, many students not only fail to advance academically, but they forget much of what they had learned during the previous school year. Shorter summer break will help them retain more of what they had learned.
Minnesota has the highest rate of women in the workforce in the nation. Extended school years and days will put less pressure on working parents. It will relieve them from the burdens of having to find alternative day care and activity options for their children while they go to work.
Parents will have fewer worries because they know their children are involved in constructive learning.
Currently, there are many children who are left on their own after school without adult supervision, because their parents are still at work.
I know there will be many objections to extending the school years or school days, from businesses that profit greatly from no school days to policymakers who are already burdened with funding constraints, from teachers who enjoy the long summer breaks to parents who think their children are already being too busy with activities.
But it's time to leave the tradition behind that no longer serves its purpose. We need to look forward and do what’s good for our children, our families and our country.
Let’s bring the District’s school year up to 21st-century standards before we demand our students to meet higher academic standards.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
It would be nice to declutter my life
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 6/26/2007]
When I came to the United States in 1991, I had a couple of suitcases of stuff.
Sixteen years later - after two kids, six job changes, four moves in three states, and especially after moving into the current new house in Woodbury six years ago - the stuff in possession is more than a couple of truck loads now.
I don’t say it with any pride, but with a lot of concern.
Even though I don’t do much shopping, stuff in my house keeps growing and accumulating. I am a detail oriented and organized person. However, there are still countless times when I feel overwhelmed because I can’t find things I am looking for. Things disappear and get lost somewhere in the cluttered house.
As I spent more time organizing things and looking for things, as I feel more overwhelmed than ever by the stuff overflowing everywhere in the house, my concern starts to grow as well.
I realized that a peaceful mind can’t thrive in a cluttered environment. I really need to simplify and declutter my life in order to have less stress and more peace. I need to choose an intentional living and live my life on purpose.
What would a simplified and clutter-free life look like?
As I spend less time on things not so important, I would have more time to do the things I really want to do.
As I have less stuff to organize and keep, I would be able to find things more easily and without much effort and digging.
As my house is kept organized and tidy all the time, I would be able to invite people to my house without being embarrassed and feeling the burden of having to spend a lot of time on cleaning up.
As less things get accumulated which causes less physical and emotional stress, I would feel more relaxed and enjoy life better.
As the energy flows freely through me and the environment around me, I would feel more connected to the Spirit and be more creative and inspired (in-spirit).
As physical and emotional decluttering frees my mind of negative thoughts and feelings, I would be more mindful and be able to live more in the present.
This is the kind of life I would like to have. This is something I need to get started and work on.
There is both good and bad news for me to achieve this goal.
The good news is I know the difference between needs and wants. I don’t have any desire to keep up with the Joneses.
I don’t have the instant gratification mentality. And best of all, as my age increases, my desire for buying things decreases. Lately I don’t do much shopping.
But the bad news is I am a packrat. Even though I wasn’t born or grew up during the Great Depression in the 1930s, I experienced living conditions far worse than the Great Depression.
I was born in the 1960s and grew up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
The Depression-era mentality I have developed results in clutter accumulation, because I feel I need to keep everything.
I feel guilty to throw away or waste anything. So my house is packed with items I don’t need or use but can’t bear to part with.
Recognizing and acknowledging a problem is the first step towards solving the problem. It’s a big step to realize and admit that I have a clutter problem and that needs to be dealt with sooner or later.
By decluttering my physical environment, I will have less stress.
By decluttering my mind, I will have more peace. The end results I desire and have in mind will hopefully give me some motivation to get started.
In a future column, I will talk about Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art of placement and how it can help decluttering our lives.
When I came to the United States in 1991, I had a couple of suitcases of stuff.
Sixteen years later - after two kids, six job changes, four moves in three states, and especially after moving into the current new house in Woodbury six years ago - the stuff in possession is more than a couple of truck loads now.
I don’t say it with any pride, but with a lot of concern.
Even though I don’t do much shopping, stuff in my house keeps growing and accumulating. I am a detail oriented and organized person. However, there are still countless times when I feel overwhelmed because I can’t find things I am looking for. Things disappear and get lost somewhere in the cluttered house.
As I spent more time organizing things and looking for things, as I feel more overwhelmed than ever by the stuff overflowing everywhere in the house, my concern starts to grow as well.
I realized that a peaceful mind can’t thrive in a cluttered environment. I really need to simplify and declutter my life in order to have less stress and more peace. I need to choose an intentional living and live my life on purpose.
What would a simplified and clutter-free life look like?
As I spend less time on things not so important, I would have more time to do the things I really want to do.
As I have less stuff to organize and keep, I would be able to find things more easily and without much effort and digging.
As my house is kept organized and tidy all the time, I would be able to invite people to my house without being embarrassed and feeling the burden of having to spend a lot of time on cleaning up.
As less things get accumulated which causes less physical and emotional stress, I would feel more relaxed and enjoy life better.
As the energy flows freely through me and the environment around me, I would feel more connected to the Spirit and be more creative and inspired (in-spirit).
As physical and emotional decluttering frees my mind of negative thoughts and feelings, I would be more mindful and be able to live more in the present.
This is the kind of life I would like to have. This is something I need to get started and work on.
There is both good and bad news for me to achieve this goal.
The good news is I know the difference between needs and wants. I don’t have any desire to keep up with the Joneses.
I don’t have the instant gratification mentality. And best of all, as my age increases, my desire for buying things decreases. Lately I don’t do much shopping.
But the bad news is I am a packrat. Even though I wasn’t born or grew up during the Great Depression in the 1930s, I experienced living conditions far worse than the Great Depression.
I was born in the 1960s and grew up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
The Depression-era mentality I have developed results in clutter accumulation, because I feel I need to keep everything.
I feel guilty to throw away or waste anything. So my house is packed with items I don’t need or use but can’t bear to part with.
Recognizing and acknowledging a problem is the first step towards solving the problem. It’s a big step to realize and admit that I have a clutter problem and that needs to be dealt with sooner or later.
By decluttering my physical environment, I will have less stress.
By decluttering my mind, I will have more peace. The end results I desire and have in mind will hopefully give me some motivation to get started.
In a future column, I will talk about Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art of placement and how it can help decluttering our lives.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Lessons, garden style
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 8/29/2007]
My last column was about the joy of gardening. In this column, I want to talk about some lessons I have learned from my gardening.
You reap what you sow
This Biblical truth is common sense, but is worth a reminder. The harvest that I reap depends on the kind of seeds I sow. If I sow tomato seeds, I will not reap potatoes.
What I do comes back to me. Whatever I give out to others, others will eventually give back to me. Everything that happens to me is a result of my own actions.
If I treat others with love and respect, others will treat me with love and respect. I reap what I sow in my garden. I also reap what I sow in my life.
There is a time and season for everything
I planted some seeds of a certain vegetable in spring. They grew pretty fast and were ready for consumption within a month.
After they were all gone, I wanted to plant some more. So I planted the same kind of seeds in summer, but nothing came out. I don’t know why the same kind of seeds didn’t germinate at all.
I realized that there is a time and season for planting and harvesting. I have to do it at the right time. If I miss the desired time for planting and harvesting, it wouldn’t be good.
Everything in life has its time and season. If we don’t teach kids certain things when they are little, we can miss the window of opportunities and will not be able to do it when they are older.
More is not necessary better
In May, I planted some Chinese vegetable seeds. Out of my inexperience and greed, I planted more seeds than I should. I wanted more. So I thought the more seeds I planted, the more vegetables I could harvest.
The result was I did get more plants, but they didn’t grow well. Because the plants were too crowded together, they didn’t get enough space and sun to grow bigger and stronger. Instead of growing the roots deep down into the soil, the plants grew skinny and tall to compete for space and sun.
A few seeds landed in bigger space. They grew to be much bigger and better, because they have more space to grow.
More is not necessary better. This truth applies in real life too.
Weeds grow faster than the desired plants
I have to pull weeds in my garden constantly. They grow surprisingly faster than my vegetables. It’s easier to get what I don’t desire than what I do desire.
Good things in life happen slowly and are built slowly over time, while bad things happen quickly without much effort.
We all know it’s so much easy to gain a few pounds than to lose a few pounds. It’s so much easier to start a bad habit than to start a good habit.
I need to watch out for the weeds in my life and snap them before they can grow bigger. I need to work hard on getting the desired plants.
Constant maintenance and care is needed
Any desired plants and garden need constant care. I can’t plant some seeds and forget about them and then expect to reap a good harvest.
Planting seeds is just one of the first steps in gardening. There are a lot more things to do. I have to water and weed regularly to ensure their healthy growth.
The same thing happens in life. I can’t get married and expect the marriage will work out fine without constant work. I can’t give birth to a child and expect him to grow up by himself without raising him properly.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
I need to pull weeds constantly, and do so when they are small so they don’t takeover my vegetable plants or take away the nutrients my plants need. I think mulching is a good idea. A few hours spent mulching is better than many hours weeding.
No work, no reward
My reward comes form my hard work. Without my initial planting of the seeds, watering and weeding them on a regular basis, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the result. I can’t expect reward without putting in any efforts.
No work, no reward. This same principle applies to work life as well as our personal relationships in life.
Life doesn’t always give instantaneous rewards
Gardening takes time and efforts. There is not instant rewards and gratification. Many times, out efforts are not paid off until some time in the future.
Letting go of control
A plant needs soil, water and sun to grow and grow well. I can provide soil and water, but I can’t make the sun shine.
In real life, there are certain things I can control, but there are a lot more things that are out of my control. I need to learn to let go.
Life is a miracle
It’s simply a miracle to watch a plant grow out of a tiny seed. There is nothing more miraculous than watch how living things grow.
First there is the seed, and then a tiny seedling comes out. It grows bigger and bigger in front of my eyes.
Unlike building a house, where I can see how it is build, one brick at a time, I can’t see how the seed grows, but I know it’s growing.
Just as I know for sure, there is an architect and a builder behind the house, I know for sure, there is a Creator behind all living things, even if I can’t see it.
When I realize how miraculous life is, I also realize there must be a Creator in the Universe.
My last column was about the joy of gardening. In this column, I want to talk about some lessons I have learned from my gardening.
You reap what you sow
This Biblical truth is common sense, but is worth a reminder. The harvest that I reap depends on the kind of seeds I sow. If I sow tomato seeds, I will not reap potatoes.
What I do comes back to me. Whatever I give out to others, others will eventually give back to me. Everything that happens to me is a result of my own actions.
If I treat others with love and respect, others will treat me with love and respect. I reap what I sow in my garden. I also reap what I sow in my life.
There is a time and season for everything
I planted some seeds of a certain vegetable in spring. They grew pretty fast and were ready for consumption within a month.
After they were all gone, I wanted to plant some more. So I planted the same kind of seeds in summer, but nothing came out. I don’t know why the same kind of seeds didn’t germinate at all.
I realized that there is a time and season for planting and harvesting. I have to do it at the right time. If I miss the desired time for planting and harvesting, it wouldn’t be good.
Everything in life has its time and season. If we don’t teach kids certain things when they are little, we can miss the window of opportunities and will not be able to do it when they are older.
More is not necessary better
In May, I planted some Chinese vegetable seeds. Out of my inexperience and greed, I planted more seeds than I should. I wanted more. So I thought the more seeds I planted, the more vegetables I could harvest.
The result was I did get more plants, but they didn’t grow well. Because the plants were too crowded together, they didn’t get enough space and sun to grow bigger and stronger. Instead of growing the roots deep down into the soil, the plants grew skinny and tall to compete for space and sun.
A few seeds landed in bigger space. They grew to be much bigger and better, because they have more space to grow.
More is not necessary better. This truth applies in real life too.
Weeds grow faster than the desired plants
I have to pull weeds in my garden constantly. They grow surprisingly faster than my vegetables. It’s easier to get what I don’t desire than what I do desire.
Good things in life happen slowly and are built slowly over time, while bad things happen quickly without much effort.
We all know it’s so much easy to gain a few pounds than to lose a few pounds. It’s so much easier to start a bad habit than to start a good habit.
I need to watch out for the weeds in my life and snap them before they can grow bigger. I need to work hard on getting the desired plants.
Constant maintenance and care is needed
Any desired plants and garden need constant care. I can’t plant some seeds and forget about them and then expect to reap a good harvest.
Planting seeds is just one of the first steps in gardening. There are a lot more things to do. I have to water and weed regularly to ensure their healthy growth.
The same thing happens in life. I can’t get married and expect the marriage will work out fine without constant work. I can’t give birth to a child and expect him to grow up by himself without raising him properly.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
I need to pull weeds constantly, and do so when they are small so they don’t takeover my vegetable plants or take away the nutrients my plants need. I think mulching is a good idea. A few hours spent mulching is better than many hours weeding.
No work, no reward
My reward comes form my hard work. Without my initial planting of the seeds, watering and weeding them on a regular basis, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the result. I can’t expect reward without putting in any efforts.
No work, no reward. This same principle applies to work life as well as our personal relationships in life.
Life doesn’t always give instantaneous rewards
Gardening takes time and efforts. There is not instant rewards and gratification. Many times, out efforts are not paid off until some time in the future.
Letting go of control
A plant needs soil, water and sun to grow and grow well. I can provide soil and water, but I can’t make the sun shine.
In real life, there are certain things I can control, but there are a lot more things that are out of my control. I need to learn to let go.
Life is a miracle
It’s simply a miracle to watch a plant grow out of a tiny seed. There is nothing more miraculous than watch how living things grow.
First there is the seed, and then a tiny seedling comes out. It grows bigger and bigger in front of my eyes.
Unlike building a house, where I can see how it is build, one brick at a time, I can’t see how the seed grows, but I know it’s growing.
Just as I know for sure, there is an architect and a builder behind the house, I know for sure, there is a Creator behind all living things, even if I can’t see it.
When I realize how miraculous life is, I also realize there must be a Creator in the Universe.
The joy of gardening
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 8/22/2007]
I like plants and enjoy planting and gardening. A few people told me that I have a green thumb.
I think it’s more a compliment than the truth. I really don’t have the knowledge and skills of a master gardener. Nevertheless, I find great joy in gardening.
I grew up in the city where there were a lot more people than green space and trees.
We didn’t have enough living space, let alone any space for plants and gardening. Nature wasn’t a part of my growing up. I didn’t have any experience with planting and gardening
I think my love for plants in recent years comes from my Father. Dad likes plants. He has a few flower plants in the small apartment where my parents live now in China. As my Dad gets older and has more time, he enjoys looking after his plants more.
When we bought our first house in Woodbury seven years ago, we created a vegetable garden in the back yard. I had two purposes in mind: to grow our own vegetables in the summer and to give my parents something fun to do.
For the next few summers, my parents took care of the garden. They spent a lot of their time in the garden. Every morning the first thing they did was to check the garden. It kept them busy with watering, weeding or harvesting.
Gardening was one of the few things they really enjoyed about living here in the United States. It was a rare opportunity for them to grow vegetables. They don’t have a garden at home.
I don’t think people in the cities in China can possibly have a vegetable garden. Most live in high rise apartment buildings. Keeping a few indoor plants is the best they can do.
My parents went back home last fall. This year I am the one who has to do all the gardening work. I really enjoy it. I find gardening is very good for my body, mind and soul.
Gardening is a low-impact form of exercise. When I get tired from sitting, gardening provides me an opportunity to get up, go outside and do something productive.
The best thing about gardening is I can eat organic and healthy home grown foods while not spending much money. It really saves my grocery bills.
We all know fresh food provide the best nutrition. The closer we eat to the source where food is actually grown, the healthier is the food for our body.
Often right before dinner, I go out to the garden and pick some vegetables. I wash and prepare them within half an hour. Then they are ready for the dinner table. I love to eat my own organic vegetables picked freshly out of the garden.
There is just something very sweet when I can harvest and consume the products I have grown myself, and enjoy the fruits of my own labor.
The vegetables from my own garden may not look or even taste better than those I buy from the grocery store or farmer’s market, but there is a special feeling or a sense of accomplishment when I eat vegetable from my own garden.
I feel good because growing my own vegetables is good for my health, my pocket and the environment.
Gardening provides a creative outlet and a personal link to nature. It helps me feel attached to the earth and reminds me that I am part of nature.
As a gardener, I am also a creator. I prepare the soil, plant the seeds, then I water and weed, watch and wait, nurturing that new life into maturity.
When I am in the garden, worries and concerns seem to fade away. I am living in the present, marveling at the beauty nature brings and the miracle of life.
It brings joy that comes from hard work. It brings peace and slows me down in my busy life. It helps to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
In the last three months, as I spend more time in the garden plowing, planting, weeding and harvesting, I have even learned a few lessons.
In my next column, I will talk about some lessons I learned from my gardening.
I like plants and enjoy planting and gardening. A few people told me that I have a green thumb.
I think it’s more a compliment than the truth. I really don’t have the knowledge and skills of a master gardener. Nevertheless, I find great joy in gardening.
I grew up in the city where there were a lot more people than green space and trees.
We didn’t have enough living space, let alone any space for plants and gardening. Nature wasn’t a part of my growing up. I didn’t have any experience with planting and gardening
I think my love for plants in recent years comes from my Father. Dad likes plants. He has a few flower plants in the small apartment where my parents live now in China. As my Dad gets older and has more time, he enjoys looking after his plants more.
When we bought our first house in Woodbury seven years ago, we created a vegetable garden in the back yard. I had two purposes in mind: to grow our own vegetables in the summer and to give my parents something fun to do.
For the next few summers, my parents took care of the garden. They spent a lot of their time in the garden. Every morning the first thing they did was to check the garden. It kept them busy with watering, weeding or harvesting.
Gardening was one of the few things they really enjoyed about living here in the United States. It was a rare opportunity for them to grow vegetables. They don’t have a garden at home.
I don’t think people in the cities in China can possibly have a vegetable garden. Most live in high rise apartment buildings. Keeping a few indoor plants is the best they can do.
My parents went back home last fall. This year I am the one who has to do all the gardening work. I really enjoy it. I find gardening is very good for my body, mind and soul.
Gardening is a low-impact form of exercise. When I get tired from sitting, gardening provides me an opportunity to get up, go outside and do something productive.
The best thing about gardening is I can eat organic and healthy home grown foods while not spending much money. It really saves my grocery bills.
We all know fresh food provide the best nutrition. The closer we eat to the source where food is actually grown, the healthier is the food for our body.
Often right before dinner, I go out to the garden and pick some vegetables. I wash and prepare them within half an hour. Then they are ready for the dinner table. I love to eat my own organic vegetables picked freshly out of the garden.
There is just something very sweet when I can harvest and consume the products I have grown myself, and enjoy the fruits of my own labor.
The vegetables from my own garden may not look or even taste better than those I buy from the grocery store or farmer’s market, but there is a special feeling or a sense of accomplishment when I eat vegetable from my own garden.
I feel good because growing my own vegetables is good for my health, my pocket and the environment.
Gardening provides a creative outlet and a personal link to nature. It helps me feel attached to the earth and reminds me that I am part of nature.
As a gardener, I am also a creator. I prepare the soil, plant the seeds, then I water and weed, watch and wait, nurturing that new life into maturity.
When I am in the garden, worries and concerns seem to fade away. I am living in the present, marveling at the beauty nature brings and the miracle of life.
It brings joy that comes from hard work. It brings peace and slows me down in my busy life. It helps to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
In the last three months, as I spend more time in the garden plowing, planting, weeding and harvesting, I have even learned a few lessons.
In my next column, I will talk about some lessons I learned from my gardening.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
TV Fasting August
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 8/1/2007]
Lately I heard people talking on the radio about TV fasting. They challenge Americans to have a TV free month in August.
I wholeheartedly embrace this idea. I don’t think it’s hard to do, at least not for me. In fact, I haven’t watched TV for almost 10 years.
When I was growing up, there was no TV. Like other families, my family only had a radio. It provided news and entertainment for everyone. I don’t remember when my parents bought their first small back and white TV, probably after I left for college in 1981.
During my college years I lived in a dormitory on campus. There was no TV in the dorm. I was busy studying anyway.
After graduation I spent a year at the Chinese Central Television. I was behind the scene and could see how TV programs were produced. But I still didn’t watch much TV.
I started to watch TV regularly while studying in Germany and living with a German family. I watched news every evening. My German got better.
After I came to the US in 1991, I stayed home for a few months. There was nothing for me to do except watching TV and learning English. I spent lots of time watching TV talk shows hosted by Jenny Jones, Joan Rivers, Phil Donahue, Maury Povich, Oprah, etc.
Even though there was a lot of trash talk, and sometimes I fell asleep during the day while watching TV, they were very helpful for me to learn English. They all became my English teachers.
After my English improved, I went to work part time and eventually went to college full time and then work full time. I still watched a little bit of TV in the evenings. Usually I only watched programs I liked, such as Unsolved Mysteries, 20/20, Dateline, 60 Minutes, etc.
When my son was born 9 years ago, I got busy and gave up TV. I am not sure whether I stopped watching TV gradually or abruptly. I don’t miss TV at all. Now I feel more or less irritated when the TV is on, especially at meal time.
Instead of watching TV, I like to read and listen to radio talk shows. I think I get more out of reading and listening to radio than watching TV.
My kids don’t watch much TV either. Sometimes they watch a children’s program on tape or DVD. They certainly want to watch more TV, but I don’t let them. Now my son is more into playing computer games or game boy games. And he is at an age that’s harder to control, because he wants to do things all his friends do or everyone in school does.
I know it’s tempting for parents to use TV as a baby-sitter. It’s much easier for parents to let kids do what they want than to discipline them to do the things we want them to do.
Especially now during the three month long summer break, many kids are home all day. They are bored and spend more time on TV and games. Letting them watch TV and playing games is certainly easy on us parents. Kids get what they want. They are busy, quiet and happy. They will leave parents alone. But we know that’s not good for them to watch too much TV.
As parents, we need to be able to say “No” to their requests. Don’t fret when our kids say: “I am bored!”
Kids don’t have to be entertained by someone or something all the times. They need to learn and do things on their own. Boredom often leads to creativity.
When my son tells me: “Mom, I am bored! What should I do? Can I play my game?” I don’t feel bad about it or feel guilty of my not doing a good job as a mother.
I might say to him: “Oh, good you are bored. Now you can read a book or practice piano.” He doesn’t like my suggestion, but he doesn’t always get what he wants.
What are the benefits of not watching TV?
It minimizes the negative effects of TV on our physical and mental health, family time, and children's academic success.
Instead of living a couch potato lifestyle, we can live healthier lives by being more physically active. We have more time to exercise and play outside.
We can create our own experiences instead of living through the lives and experiences of someone else. The best memories come from life's experiences. We can only build memories with experiences, our own experiences.
Families can spend more time doing activities together.
Keeping the TV off can make meal time a great opportunity for family conversation.
There will be time to listen to music and radio.
Children are not exposed to programs that are inappropriate or unhealthy at a young age. They can spend more time reading, thinking, doing homework, creating or cultivating a hobby.
I hope you will consider and accept this TV fasting challenge in August. Turn off TV and turn on life.
Life is too short to spend it by watching others living their lives. And after a month of the experiment, you might not want to go back to TV again.
Lately I heard people talking on the radio about TV fasting. They challenge Americans to have a TV free month in August.
I wholeheartedly embrace this idea. I don’t think it’s hard to do, at least not for me. In fact, I haven’t watched TV for almost 10 years.
When I was growing up, there was no TV. Like other families, my family only had a radio. It provided news and entertainment for everyone. I don’t remember when my parents bought their first small back and white TV, probably after I left for college in 1981.
During my college years I lived in a dormitory on campus. There was no TV in the dorm. I was busy studying anyway.
After graduation I spent a year at the Chinese Central Television. I was behind the scene and could see how TV programs were produced. But I still didn’t watch much TV.
I started to watch TV regularly while studying in Germany and living with a German family. I watched news every evening. My German got better.
After I came to the US in 1991, I stayed home for a few months. There was nothing for me to do except watching TV and learning English. I spent lots of time watching TV talk shows hosted by Jenny Jones, Joan Rivers, Phil Donahue, Maury Povich, Oprah, etc.
Even though there was a lot of trash talk, and sometimes I fell asleep during the day while watching TV, they were very helpful for me to learn English. They all became my English teachers.
After my English improved, I went to work part time and eventually went to college full time and then work full time. I still watched a little bit of TV in the evenings. Usually I only watched programs I liked, such as Unsolved Mysteries, 20/20, Dateline, 60 Minutes, etc.
When my son was born 9 years ago, I got busy and gave up TV. I am not sure whether I stopped watching TV gradually or abruptly. I don’t miss TV at all. Now I feel more or less irritated when the TV is on, especially at meal time.
Instead of watching TV, I like to read and listen to radio talk shows. I think I get more out of reading and listening to radio than watching TV.
My kids don’t watch much TV either. Sometimes they watch a children’s program on tape or DVD. They certainly want to watch more TV, but I don’t let them. Now my son is more into playing computer games or game boy games. And he is at an age that’s harder to control, because he wants to do things all his friends do or everyone in school does.
I know it’s tempting for parents to use TV as a baby-sitter. It’s much easier for parents to let kids do what they want than to discipline them to do the things we want them to do.
Especially now during the three month long summer break, many kids are home all day. They are bored and spend more time on TV and games. Letting them watch TV and playing games is certainly easy on us parents. Kids get what they want. They are busy, quiet and happy. They will leave parents alone. But we know that’s not good for them to watch too much TV.
As parents, we need to be able to say “No” to their requests. Don’t fret when our kids say: “I am bored!”
Kids don’t have to be entertained by someone or something all the times. They need to learn and do things on their own. Boredom often leads to creativity.
When my son tells me: “Mom, I am bored! What should I do? Can I play my game?” I don’t feel bad about it or feel guilty of my not doing a good job as a mother.
I might say to him: “Oh, good you are bored. Now you can read a book or practice piano.” He doesn’t like my suggestion, but he doesn’t always get what he wants.
What are the benefits of not watching TV?
It minimizes the negative effects of TV on our physical and mental health, family time, and children's academic success.
Instead of living a couch potato lifestyle, we can live healthier lives by being more physically active. We have more time to exercise and play outside.
We can create our own experiences instead of living through the lives and experiences of someone else. The best memories come from life's experiences. We can only build memories with experiences, our own experiences.
Families can spend more time doing activities together.
Keeping the TV off can make meal time a great opportunity for family conversation.
There will be time to listen to music and radio.
Children are not exposed to programs that are inappropriate or unhealthy at a young age. They can spend more time reading, thinking, doing homework, creating or cultivating a hobby.
I hope you will consider and accept this TV fasting challenge in August. Turn off TV and turn on life.
Life is too short to spend it by watching others living their lives. And after a month of the experiment, you might not want to go back to TV again.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
An intro to Feng shui
China, a country with 5,000 years of history, is rich in culture and art. One of the ancient Chinese arts that has become increasingly popular in the West is Feng shui.
About 30 years ago, few people in the West knew anything about Feng shui, but today, many people at least have heard about it and some might even know more about it than the average native Chinese do.
Many Feng shui books and articles have been published in English, often focusing on interior design and decoration, landscape design, architecture, and clearing clutter.
Feng shui has been used by the Chinese to build homes and offices, design cities and villages for thousands of years. Individuals as well as businesses consult Feng shui experts to improve their lives and businesses.
So what is Feng shui? How can Feng shui be helpful in our modern lives?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art for achieving health, wealth, happiness, harmony and good fortune according to the arrangement of building design and the placement of objects.
In Chinese, Feng Shui literally means “wind and water,” referring to the two universal elements necessary for life. These universal elements are connected to Chi (or Qi), which is life energy or life force. Wind and water carry this life energy throughout the world. This invisible life energy flows through the universe and is present in everything in life.
The flow of Chi, or energy, is the key component of Feng shui. We want the Chi to be flowing evenly and gently, to go at a certain pace, not too fast or too slow. Chi travels best when it imitates nature by flowing in gentle curves, rather than along straight lines, where it can move too quickly, or against sharp edges and dead corners, where it can be blocked.
The ancient Chinese believed that the lay-out of our homes, the positioning of our furniture and other features, can affect how that life energy flows. Good Feng shui can enrich your environment and create balance and harmony in your life, while bad Feng shui can hinder the free, smooth flowing of energy and create disharmony in our life.
Creating balance and harmony is the essence of Feng shui. It’s about connecting with nature and living in harmony with our environment. If your environment is in balance, you feel better. Without balance, you don’t have harmony which can cause problems in all areas of your life.
The eight directions of the compass (north, east, south, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest) and the center, known together as the Nine Palaces, are basic components of Feng-shui.
Each direction is associated with a different kind of chi energy.
Bagua, the eight trigrams, is an energy map used in Feng shui. It is traditionally shown as an octagon with eight sections encircling the center. Bagua divides any space (your entire home or simply a room within it) into nine areas. Each area corresponds to a different aspect of your life. These nine areas represent health, wealth, fame and reputation, relationships, children and creativity, helpful people, career, knowledge, and family.
Our health, our wealth, our relationships with others, our career, all areas of our life, are affected by Feng shui. The Bagua map can be superimposed over any space to help identify where problems exit.
Feng shui teaches that by adjusting and shifting the energies within a space, by making changes to your home and using cures to correct problems, different aspects of your life can be strengthened.
Also, you can achieve balance, harmony and abundance in your life.
The Chinese believe that everything in the universe is made up of five elements: earth, water, wood, fire and metal. These elements exist in a constant movement of change.
Each element has its yin (receptive, passive) side and its yang (creative, active) side. Day and night, dark and light, hot and cold, soft and hard, feminine and masculine, they are opposites and complementary to each other. One cannot exist without the other.
Feng shui uses the five elements as one of the effective ways to create positive energy or remedy bad energy. If all of the elements exist in a space and none of them dominates, you get a feeling of comfort and harmony. Feng shui teaches us how to balance the yin and yang elements to achieve harmony.
Color is another important aspect of balance in Feng shui. Color has an effect on the look and feel of a room, but colors also have associations linked to them. For example, to the Chinese red is a lucky color, associated with life, happiness, and warmth. Green and blue are associated with new beginnings, growth and family life.
Numbers also have meaning and some are more favorable than others. Nine is considered the luckiest, partially due to apparent mystical qualities: when nine is multiplied by a single-digit number, the sum of the two digits of the product is nine.
The number four is considered bad-luck because its Chinese pronunciation, "si," sounds similar to the word for death.
In the next three columns, I will talk about how to use Feng shui to declutter our lives, what some good Feng shui practices are and what a Feng shui consultant can do for you.
I would like to end this column with an old Chinese proverb: “If there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
[This is part 1 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 10/24/2007]
About 30 years ago, few people in the West knew anything about Feng shui, but today, many people at least have heard about it and some might even know more about it than the average native Chinese do.
Many Feng shui books and articles have been published in English, often focusing on interior design and decoration, landscape design, architecture, and clearing clutter.
Feng shui has been used by the Chinese to build homes and offices, design cities and villages for thousands of years. Individuals as well as businesses consult Feng shui experts to improve their lives and businesses.
So what is Feng shui? How can Feng shui be helpful in our modern lives?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art for achieving health, wealth, happiness, harmony and good fortune according to the arrangement of building design and the placement of objects.
In Chinese, Feng Shui literally means “wind and water,” referring to the two universal elements necessary for life. These universal elements are connected to Chi (or Qi), which is life energy or life force. Wind and water carry this life energy throughout the world. This invisible life energy flows through the universe and is present in everything in life.
The flow of Chi, or energy, is the key component of Feng shui. We want the Chi to be flowing evenly and gently, to go at a certain pace, not too fast or too slow. Chi travels best when it imitates nature by flowing in gentle curves, rather than along straight lines, where it can move too quickly, or against sharp edges and dead corners, where it can be blocked.
The ancient Chinese believed that the lay-out of our homes, the positioning of our furniture and other features, can affect how that life energy flows. Good Feng shui can enrich your environment and create balance and harmony in your life, while bad Feng shui can hinder the free, smooth flowing of energy and create disharmony in our life.
Creating balance and harmony is the essence of Feng shui. It’s about connecting with nature and living in harmony with our environment. If your environment is in balance, you feel better. Without balance, you don’t have harmony which can cause problems in all areas of your life.
The eight directions of the compass (north, east, south, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest) and the center, known together as the Nine Palaces, are basic components of Feng-shui.
Each direction is associated with a different kind of chi energy.
Bagua, the eight trigrams, is an energy map used in Feng shui. It is traditionally shown as an octagon with eight sections encircling the center. Bagua divides any space (your entire home or simply a room within it) into nine areas. Each area corresponds to a different aspect of your life. These nine areas represent health, wealth, fame and reputation, relationships, children and creativity, helpful people, career, knowledge, and family.
Our health, our wealth, our relationships with others, our career, all areas of our life, are affected by Feng shui. The Bagua map can be superimposed over any space to help identify where problems exit.
Feng shui teaches that by adjusting and shifting the energies within a space, by making changes to your home and using cures to correct problems, different aspects of your life can be strengthened.
Also, you can achieve balance, harmony and abundance in your life.
The Chinese believe that everything in the universe is made up of five elements: earth, water, wood, fire and metal. These elements exist in a constant movement of change.
Each element has its yin (receptive, passive) side and its yang (creative, active) side. Day and night, dark and light, hot and cold, soft and hard, feminine and masculine, they are opposites and complementary to each other. One cannot exist without the other.
Feng shui uses the five elements as one of the effective ways to create positive energy or remedy bad energy. If all of the elements exist in a space and none of them dominates, you get a feeling of comfort and harmony. Feng shui teaches us how to balance the yin and yang elements to achieve harmony.
Color is another important aspect of balance in Feng shui. Color has an effect on the look and feel of a room, but colors also have associations linked to them. For example, to the Chinese red is a lucky color, associated with life, happiness, and warmth. Green and blue are associated with new beginnings, growth and family life.
Numbers also have meaning and some are more favorable than others. Nine is considered the luckiest, partially due to apparent mystical qualities: when nine is multiplied by a single-digit number, the sum of the two digits of the product is nine.
The number four is considered bad-luck because its Chinese pronunciation, "si," sounds similar to the word for death.
In the next three columns, I will talk about how to use Feng shui to declutter our lives, what some good Feng shui practices are and what a Feng shui consultant can do for you.
I would like to end this column with an old Chinese proverb: “If there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
[This is part 1 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 10/24/2007]
Reduce clutter: use Feng shui
Do you have too much stuff in your home that you feel overwhelmed? Do you feel stuck in your life and don’t know what to do? I think most people in this country would say yes to questions like these, including myself.
If you want to clear clutter out of your home and give your life a fresh start and get it moving again, I would recommend the book “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston.
As I talked about in last week’s column on Feng shui, everything in the universe is chi, or energy. For your life to go well, it is vital to have a good flow of life force energy in home and workplace.
Feng shui is all about ensuring the free flow of energy. Using Feng Shui principles can improve this energy flow.
What is clutter?
Karen lists four categories of clutter:
• Things you do not use or love.
• Things that are untidy or disorganized.
• Too many things in too small a space.
• Anything unfinished.
Clutter can "catch" energy, stopping its free circulation and turning it dull and stagnant.
The presence of clutter tends to lock up energy and prevent the flow of chi.
Chi should always be on the move. Air and energy cannot circulate where clutter exits. Clutter is stuck energy. Clutter creates an obstacle to the smooth flow of energy around a space. It drags the energy down.
“Clutter accumulates when energy stagnates and, likewise, energy stagnates when clutter accumulates. So the clutter begins as a symptom of what is happening with you in your life.”
How does clutter affect you?
According to Kingston, having clutter can cause extra cleaning. It can make you feel burdened, tired, hopeless and ashamed. It can keep you in the past and leave no room for anything new to come into your life. It can put your life on hold. It can affect your body weight.
People who have lots of clutter in their homes are often overweight. It can make you procrastinate and become disorganized. The clutter blocks your energy and makes it difficult to get yourself to do anything. It can cause disharmony and depression. It can cost you financially. It can distract you from important things in life.
Unneeded and unloved items can not only clutter your space, they can also clutter your psyche. Clutter causes problems in people’s lives.
Clutter can restrict the flow of opportunities coming to you. Clutter can decrease productivity and creativity. Clutter can clog your life and hinder your progress in the world.
How do you deal with your clutter?
You can keep it, wait until you die and let your relatives sort things out. Or you can take responsibility and clear it yourself. It’s far more empowering to do it yourself.
Deciding what to keep and what to give/throw away is not an easy thing to do. Ideally everything you keep should have a valid purpose. Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide:
• Is it useful and when did you use it the last time?
• Do you absolutely love it?
• Does it make your feel uplifted and energized when you think or look at it?
If it fails this “clutter test,” then it’s time to let go.
How do you clear clutter and deal with the stuff you no longer want to keep?
First, prepare several boxes. Then take everything out of a drawer or an area. Decide what to do. Unwanted items can go to one of the following boxes: a giveaway box, a recycling box, a repair box, a selling box or a trash box.
What happens once you clear the clutter out of your house?
Clearing clutter out of your house also helps you clear clutter out of your mind. It lifts up your energy and spirits. You will feel better and lighter. You will feel a renewal of energy. You will feel lighter in body, mind and spirit.
When you get rid of clutter from your house, you clear the space for something new and better. It will allow new things and new opportunities to come into your life. It will energize you and revitalize your life.
Clearing out the clutter and removing the obstacles to the harmonious flow of energy brings more harmony and balance into your life.
You will experience more freedom. Plus, you’ll feel a transformation in your life.
Adjustments made to our outer physical world can really change and improve our inner selves. If you have a clutter problem, give Feng shui a try. You could be surprised and amazed by what Feng shui can do for you.
In my next column I will share with you some additional good Feng shui practices.
[This is part 2 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 10/31/2007]
If you want to clear clutter out of your home and give your life a fresh start and get it moving again, I would recommend the book “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston.
As I talked about in last week’s column on Feng shui, everything in the universe is chi, or energy. For your life to go well, it is vital to have a good flow of life force energy in home and workplace.
Feng shui is all about ensuring the free flow of energy. Using Feng Shui principles can improve this energy flow.
What is clutter?
Karen lists four categories of clutter:
• Things you do not use or love.
• Things that are untidy or disorganized.
• Too many things in too small a space.
• Anything unfinished.
Clutter can "catch" energy, stopping its free circulation and turning it dull and stagnant.
The presence of clutter tends to lock up energy and prevent the flow of chi.
Chi should always be on the move. Air and energy cannot circulate where clutter exits. Clutter is stuck energy. Clutter creates an obstacle to the smooth flow of energy around a space. It drags the energy down.
“Clutter accumulates when energy stagnates and, likewise, energy stagnates when clutter accumulates. So the clutter begins as a symptom of what is happening with you in your life.”
How does clutter affect you?
According to Kingston, having clutter can cause extra cleaning. It can make you feel burdened, tired, hopeless and ashamed. It can keep you in the past and leave no room for anything new to come into your life. It can put your life on hold. It can affect your body weight.
People who have lots of clutter in their homes are often overweight. It can make you procrastinate and become disorganized. The clutter blocks your energy and makes it difficult to get yourself to do anything. It can cause disharmony and depression. It can cost you financially. It can distract you from important things in life.
Unneeded and unloved items can not only clutter your space, they can also clutter your psyche. Clutter causes problems in people’s lives.
Clutter can restrict the flow of opportunities coming to you. Clutter can decrease productivity and creativity. Clutter can clog your life and hinder your progress in the world.
How do you deal with your clutter?
You can keep it, wait until you die and let your relatives sort things out. Or you can take responsibility and clear it yourself. It’s far more empowering to do it yourself.
Deciding what to keep and what to give/throw away is not an easy thing to do. Ideally everything you keep should have a valid purpose. Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide:
• Is it useful and when did you use it the last time?
• Do you absolutely love it?
• Does it make your feel uplifted and energized when you think or look at it?
If it fails this “clutter test,” then it’s time to let go.
How do you clear clutter and deal with the stuff you no longer want to keep?
First, prepare several boxes. Then take everything out of a drawer or an area. Decide what to do. Unwanted items can go to one of the following boxes: a giveaway box, a recycling box, a repair box, a selling box or a trash box.
What happens once you clear the clutter out of your house?
Clearing clutter out of your house also helps you clear clutter out of your mind. It lifts up your energy and spirits. You will feel better and lighter. You will feel a renewal of energy. You will feel lighter in body, mind and spirit.
When you get rid of clutter from your house, you clear the space for something new and better. It will allow new things and new opportunities to come into your life. It will energize you and revitalize your life.
Clearing out the clutter and removing the obstacles to the harmonious flow of energy brings more harmony and balance into your life.
You will experience more freedom. Plus, you’ll feel a transformation in your life.
Adjustments made to our outer physical world can really change and improve our inner selves. If you have a clutter problem, give Feng shui a try. You could be surprised and amazed by what Feng shui can do for you.
In my next column I will share with you some additional good Feng shui practices.
[This is part 2 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 10/31/2007]
Good Feng shui practices
My last two columns were about Feng shui and using Feng shui to clear clutter. In this column I will share with you some commonly known Feng shui practices that are considered to be good ones.
Make the front entrance to your house or workplace well lit, clean and welcoming to create a good first impression and bring in positive energy.
In Feng shui, the front entrance is called the “Mouth of Chi.” It is one of the most important areas in the house or space. It is through the Mouth of Chi that opportunities and blessings come to you.
Don’t keep clutter wedged behind the door that prevents it from opening fully. Clutter obstructs the smooth flow of life-bringing energy through your home. When you remove clutter, the energy flows more smoothly and so does your life.
Ideally, your view from your house and window should not be blocked by a tall building or wall. Otherwise you feel blocked and depressed, mentally and emotionally.
In an office environment, all of the electronic equipment and most of the modern office furniture produces a lot of “yang” energy.
When a workspace is out of balance by having too much yang energy, it can cause stress and fatigue, increasing frustration and impatience while decreasing attention spans.
You need softening yin energy to balance the yang forces. Bring in some plants to soften the space and lift up your spirit. Plants can also help absorb noisy sound from the electronic equipment.
Avoid locations that have either too fast or not enough energy flow, such as houses near a freeway or at a dead end. Buildings located directly facing straight roads, such as at the top of a T-junction or at the top of a cul-de-sac are not desirable.
Oncoming traffic and headlights aimed at your building constantly send cutting chi straight toward you.
Hang a wind chime, place a fountain or create a pond near the front entrance to counteract negative energy.
Avoid building houses in front of cemeteries, hospitals, and mortuaries.
Don’t sit with your back to the door. Your desk should face the entrance. You should be able to see who is coming into your space. Having your back face the door can make you feel vulnerable.
Facing the entrance allows you to anticipate what’s going to happen. You will be able to see what’s coming instead of being surprised.
Don’t keep a dirty laundry basket in the bedroom. Stale energy hangs around dirty laundry which can affect your sleep and your love life.
Don’t start a new marriage in a house where either one of the partners has had a bad relationship.
You should not sleep with your head pointed towards the door of the bedroom because this creates a feeling of uneasiness about who might be entering the room.
Keep tops of tables simple and clutter free. Avoid over-decorating tables with objects and clutter. Those objects represent piles of stress and bad luck you could or will be carrying. You should be able to sit at a table and have an open view in front of you.
Use objects that have the power of redirecting, reflecting or shifting energy in a space. These include mirrors, crystals, wind chimes and flowing water.
Good Chi grows with plants. Plants and flowers generate positive and vibrant Chi. Place healthy or blooming plants by the front door and in your house to make the space feel attractive.
Dry and dead flower arrangements represent dead Chi. Dying plants and flowers are worse than no plants or flowers at all. They drain energy from the space and should be removed.
Use natural sunlight, lighting fixtures, candles, fireplaces or other objects that illuminate, such as crystals and mirrors, to light up a space and your life. Lights can raise good Chi.
Gentle and soft sounds can raise Chi and make a space feel calmer and more pleasant. The gentle sound of music, the sound of moving water and wind chimes can create a pleasant, relaxed feeling.
Add a water feature such as an aquarium or a desktop fountain or waterfall to your environment. Gentle, moving water generates positive energy, lifts up your spirit and has a calming effect. Flowing water symbolizes flowing Chi and money flowing to you. That’s why most Chinese restaurants have aquariums.
These are just some examples of good Feng shui practices.
I hope you have learned something new and interesting through my recent columns on Feng shui.
If you feel inspired and want to put some ideas into practice to bring harmony and balance into your home and work life, but need a little guidance and help, you can consult a Feng shui practitioner. A Feng Shui practitioner can help you discover the changes that are appropriate for you, your home, and your life situation.
In my next column I will interview Caroline Lehman, a Feng shui practitioner in Woodbury. We will find out what she can do for you.
[This is part 3 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/07/2007]
Make the front entrance to your house or workplace well lit, clean and welcoming to create a good first impression and bring in positive energy.
In Feng shui, the front entrance is called the “Mouth of Chi.” It is one of the most important areas in the house or space. It is through the Mouth of Chi that opportunities and blessings come to you.
Don’t keep clutter wedged behind the door that prevents it from opening fully. Clutter obstructs the smooth flow of life-bringing energy through your home. When you remove clutter, the energy flows more smoothly and so does your life.
Ideally, your view from your house and window should not be blocked by a tall building or wall. Otherwise you feel blocked and depressed, mentally and emotionally.
In an office environment, all of the electronic equipment and most of the modern office furniture produces a lot of “yang” energy.
When a workspace is out of balance by having too much yang energy, it can cause stress and fatigue, increasing frustration and impatience while decreasing attention spans.
You need softening yin energy to balance the yang forces. Bring in some plants to soften the space and lift up your spirit. Plants can also help absorb noisy sound from the electronic equipment.
Avoid locations that have either too fast or not enough energy flow, such as houses near a freeway or at a dead end. Buildings located directly facing straight roads, such as at the top of a T-junction or at the top of a cul-de-sac are not desirable.
Oncoming traffic and headlights aimed at your building constantly send cutting chi straight toward you.
Hang a wind chime, place a fountain or create a pond near the front entrance to counteract negative energy.
Avoid building houses in front of cemeteries, hospitals, and mortuaries.
Don’t sit with your back to the door. Your desk should face the entrance. You should be able to see who is coming into your space. Having your back face the door can make you feel vulnerable.
Facing the entrance allows you to anticipate what’s going to happen. You will be able to see what’s coming instead of being surprised.
Don’t keep a dirty laundry basket in the bedroom. Stale energy hangs around dirty laundry which can affect your sleep and your love life.
Don’t start a new marriage in a house where either one of the partners has had a bad relationship.
You should not sleep with your head pointed towards the door of the bedroom because this creates a feeling of uneasiness about who might be entering the room.
Keep tops of tables simple and clutter free. Avoid over-decorating tables with objects and clutter. Those objects represent piles of stress and bad luck you could or will be carrying. You should be able to sit at a table and have an open view in front of you.
Use objects that have the power of redirecting, reflecting or shifting energy in a space. These include mirrors, crystals, wind chimes and flowing water.
Good Chi grows with plants. Plants and flowers generate positive and vibrant Chi. Place healthy or blooming plants by the front door and in your house to make the space feel attractive.
Dry and dead flower arrangements represent dead Chi. Dying plants and flowers are worse than no plants or flowers at all. They drain energy from the space and should be removed.
Use natural sunlight, lighting fixtures, candles, fireplaces or other objects that illuminate, such as crystals and mirrors, to light up a space and your life. Lights can raise good Chi.
Gentle and soft sounds can raise Chi and make a space feel calmer and more pleasant. The gentle sound of music, the sound of moving water and wind chimes can create a pleasant, relaxed feeling.
Add a water feature such as an aquarium or a desktop fountain or waterfall to your environment. Gentle, moving water generates positive energy, lifts up your spirit and has a calming effect. Flowing water symbolizes flowing Chi and money flowing to you. That’s why most Chinese restaurants have aquariums.
These are just some examples of good Feng shui practices.
I hope you have learned something new and interesting through my recent columns on Feng shui.
If you feel inspired and want to put some ideas into practice to bring harmony and balance into your home and work life, but need a little guidance and help, you can consult a Feng shui practitioner. A Feng Shui practitioner can help you discover the changes that are appropriate for you, your home, and your life situation.
In my next column I will interview Caroline Lehman, a Feng shui practitioner in Woodbury. We will find out what she can do for you.
[This is part 3 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/07/2007]
Speaking with a Feng shui consultant
Feng shui, an ancient Chinese wisdom, is based on how energy flows. It is both a science and an art.
Anyone can practice Feng shui, but to be a certified professional Feng shui practitioner, it requires certain education, knowledge and skills.
Caroline Lehman, a certified Feng shui practitioner in Woodbury, kindly agreed to the following interview.
What was your first experience with Feng shui?
My Feng Shui journey began ten years ago in an East Asian Religions class at Hamline University. I learned that Feng Shui is Chinese for “Wind and Water” and it is concerned with the beneficial flow of life-giving energy (Ch’i) through our environment. Feng Shui is not a religion, although it is based on the Buddhist tradition of a gentle and beautiful life.
Simply put, it is an understanding of how energy flows through the universe and how we can align ourselves to it for a more peaceful and fulfilling life.
A few years later I was able to explore this ancient art of placement in depth. I began with a class on Feng Shui and clutter clearing, taught by Feng Shui consultant Darcy McDowell.
After clearing the clutter in my home, I was absolutely amazed at how my house began to feel, and how my life began to change as a result. I realized quickly that Feng Shui offers practical, logical advice on how to create environments that encourage us.
I went on to study for two years with Carole Hyder and am now a certified Feng Shui Practitioner.
Where and how did you get your certificate?
We are very fortunate here in the Twin Cities to have an excellent school that offers a two year accreditation program that is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Higher Education.
Carole Hyder is the founder and teacher of the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. You can find information about Carole, articles on Feng Shui, current classes being offered in the area, and enrollment information on her website: www.carolehyder.com.
I would encourage anyone interested in learning more to consider studying Feng Shui with Carole Hyder. I am not exaggerating when I say that it will open your eyes to a whole new way of seeing your world.
What is your approach to Feng shui?
There are several Schools of Feng Shui. While they may differ in approach or method, all of them address the flow of ch’i in and through our environments, and they seek to balance and harmonize that energy so that our spaces support our lives.
My personal training is in the Black Sect Tradition, established by Professor Thomas Lin-Yun. This tradition is very flexible, practical, and intuitive. It focuses on four primary principles: everything is energy, your intention is the most important thing, your home reflects your life, and nature provides the patterns you need.
How do you work with a client?
A Feng Shui appointment usually begins with an introductory phone call to discuss in general terms how they came to hear about Feng Shui and what they would like to accomplish with a consultation.
Before we meet, I ask for a basic blueprint of the floor plan of their home or office, along with a list of three issues or concerns that they would like to address with Feng Shui.
I prepare a packet for them that includes general Feng Shui information as well as specific information pertaining to their home or work area. I also prepare an energy map called a Bagua that is based on their blueprint; we will refer to this during the appointment.
The appointment lasts about two hours, and during that time I ask the client to tell me about their space and how it impacts their life. I then offer my insight on how the energy is flowing, what adjustments might be appropriate to bring balance to their environment, and how Feng Shui can help address their concerns.
What do you say to someone who has clutter issues, but is too embarrassed to ask for help?
Well, first of all, we all have clutter of some kind. It seems to be something that everyone can relate to on some level. Don’t forget that my own clutter issues are what drew me to Feng Shui in the beginning, so I do understand.
Secondly, I never forget that it is an honor and a privilege to be asked into someone’s home. When I walk through your front door, it is never with the intention of judging or criticizing your situation. I am there to share all that Feng Shui offers regarding what clutter is, what it does, and why it needs to go.
I can also provide some helpful information on how to move clutter along so that new, fresh energy and possibilities can flow into your life.
I would encourage anyone who wishes to rid their life of clutter to consider Feng Shui as an effective approach to the issue. You can be free of the stuff that inhibits your energy flow and drains your life.
Who would benefit most from a Feng shui appointment?
Anyone who wants to connect with their environment in a new and meaningful way, to live with deeper intention and clarity, to address an issue from a different perspective, to create a supportive, balanced, peaceful home environment, to bring focused energy to their office, or to simply see the world with new eyes will benefit from an appointment.
Feng Shui gives you a way to initiate change and move in the direction of your goals and dreams. As a result, you will gain a fresh sensitivity to how spaces affect you, how energy flows, and how you can orient your life to live in harmony with that flow.
Besides offering home or office consultations, Lehman has also written manuals on Elemental Moving and Elemental Clearing. She is developing a line of “Elemental Purses.”
For more information or to set up a Feng Shui consultation, email Caroline@ElementalFengShui.net, or call (651) 269-3315.
[This is part 4 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/14/2007.]
Anyone can practice Feng shui, but to be a certified professional Feng shui practitioner, it requires certain education, knowledge and skills.
Caroline Lehman, a certified Feng shui practitioner in Woodbury, kindly agreed to the following interview.
What was your first experience with Feng shui?
My Feng Shui journey began ten years ago in an East Asian Religions class at Hamline University. I learned that Feng Shui is Chinese for “Wind and Water” and it is concerned with the beneficial flow of life-giving energy (Ch’i) through our environment. Feng Shui is not a religion, although it is based on the Buddhist tradition of a gentle and beautiful life.
Simply put, it is an understanding of how energy flows through the universe and how we can align ourselves to it for a more peaceful and fulfilling life.
A few years later I was able to explore this ancient art of placement in depth. I began with a class on Feng Shui and clutter clearing, taught by Feng Shui consultant Darcy McDowell.
After clearing the clutter in my home, I was absolutely amazed at how my house began to feel, and how my life began to change as a result. I realized quickly that Feng Shui offers practical, logical advice on how to create environments that encourage us.
I went on to study for two years with Carole Hyder and am now a certified Feng Shui Practitioner.
Where and how did you get your certificate?
We are very fortunate here in the Twin Cities to have an excellent school that offers a two year accreditation program that is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Higher Education.
Carole Hyder is the founder and teacher of the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. You can find information about Carole, articles on Feng Shui, current classes being offered in the area, and enrollment information on her website: www.carolehyder.com.
I would encourage anyone interested in learning more to consider studying Feng Shui with Carole Hyder. I am not exaggerating when I say that it will open your eyes to a whole new way of seeing your world.
What is your approach to Feng shui?
There are several Schools of Feng Shui. While they may differ in approach or method, all of them address the flow of ch’i in and through our environments, and they seek to balance and harmonize that energy so that our spaces support our lives.
My personal training is in the Black Sect Tradition, established by Professor Thomas Lin-Yun. This tradition is very flexible, practical, and intuitive. It focuses on four primary principles: everything is energy, your intention is the most important thing, your home reflects your life, and nature provides the patterns you need.
How do you work with a client?
A Feng Shui appointment usually begins with an introductory phone call to discuss in general terms how they came to hear about Feng Shui and what they would like to accomplish with a consultation.
Before we meet, I ask for a basic blueprint of the floor plan of their home or office, along with a list of three issues or concerns that they would like to address with Feng Shui.
I prepare a packet for them that includes general Feng Shui information as well as specific information pertaining to their home or work area. I also prepare an energy map called a Bagua that is based on their blueprint; we will refer to this during the appointment.
The appointment lasts about two hours, and during that time I ask the client to tell me about their space and how it impacts their life. I then offer my insight on how the energy is flowing, what adjustments might be appropriate to bring balance to their environment, and how Feng Shui can help address their concerns.
What do you say to someone who has clutter issues, but is too embarrassed to ask for help?
Well, first of all, we all have clutter of some kind. It seems to be something that everyone can relate to on some level. Don’t forget that my own clutter issues are what drew me to Feng Shui in the beginning, so I do understand.
Secondly, I never forget that it is an honor and a privilege to be asked into someone’s home. When I walk through your front door, it is never with the intention of judging or criticizing your situation. I am there to share all that Feng Shui offers regarding what clutter is, what it does, and why it needs to go.
I can also provide some helpful information on how to move clutter along so that new, fresh energy and possibilities can flow into your life.
I would encourage anyone who wishes to rid their life of clutter to consider Feng Shui as an effective approach to the issue. You can be free of the stuff that inhibits your energy flow and drains your life.
Who would benefit most from a Feng shui appointment?
Anyone who wants to connect with their environment in a new and meaningful way, to live with deeper intention and clarity, to address an issue from a different perspective, to create a supportive, balanced, peaceful home environment, to bring focused energy to their office, or to simply see the world with new eyes will benefit from an appointment.
Feng Shui gives you a way to initiate change and move in the direction of your goals and dreams. As a result, you will gain a fresh sensitivity to how spaces affect you, how energy flows, and how you can orient your life to live in harmony with that flow.
Besides offering home or office consultations, Lehman has also written manuals on Elemental Moving and Elemental Clearing. She is developing a line of “Elemental Purses.”
For more information or to set up a Feng Shui consultation, email Caroline@ElementalFengShui.net, or call (651) 269-3315.
[This is part 4 of the series on Feng shui. Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/14/2007.]
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Living the Spirit of Life with Passion
Anyone who visits Spirit of Life Bible Church in Woodbury and hears Pastor Frank Sander’s messages is most likely impressed by what he/she sees and hears. Pastor Sanders is a man of stature, and more importantly, he is a man of passion.
At least that is how I feel as a former Chinese atheist, now a Christian and a new member of Spirit of Life.
I went to Spirit of Life in September 2004 because the Church was offering an 8 week study on “The 40 Days of Purpose.” I stayed with Spirit of Life because of Pastor Sanders. As a seek of many years, I had visited quite a few churches in my life before I came to Spirit of Life, but no other pastors have ever made a more powerful impression on me than Pastor Sanders.
At 6 feet, 3 inches, Pastor Sanders is a tall man. He had a career as a professional hockey player and played hockey for over 20 years. His athletic talent, his passion, and hard work led him to the pinnacle of his dreams as an athlete on the 1972 USA hockey team when it captured the Olympic Silver Medal in Sapporo, Japan. He played one year professionally with the Minnesota Fighting Saints.
Yet the success in his professional life didn’t bring the fulfillment and happiness he was looking for. Even though he reached the mountaintop and experienced great success, he still felt emptiness in his life. What he had achieved was not satisfying. He walked away from the worldly pursuit of success and happiness, and turned his life in a new direction.
At the age of 25, he committed his life to serve the Lord. He went to seminary and became a youth pastor. He worked with young people for almost 20 years and was an associate minister for several years after that.
Then another change happened that brought his faith and passion for Christ to a new level.
In 2001, Sanders and 13 other people started Spirit of Life Bible Church in Woodbury. It was a big step of faith for him and all the members, but their strong faith in God helped them take the risk and face the challenge.
Sander’s teaching and messages are always based on the truth from the Bible. They are practical and challenging. One thing is for sure. People do not feel bored when listening to his messages. His passion and excitement for God will infect, inspire and impress everyone around him.
His passion for Christ shows especially during his Sunday sermons. Psalm 100 says to “Shout for joy to the Lord” and that’s the way Sanders preaches. He literally makes a lot of joyful noises when he preaches. He can be as excited and passionate about Jesus as a sport fan is excited about watching his favorite team winning the Olympics.
A major focus of the church’s activities is the Children's Program that includes the weekly Sunday School classes and fun activities throughout the year, monthly Children's Church services, Cub Scouts, Vacation Bible School, an annual picnic, Fall Harvest party and Christmas Program.
My two children love to go to Sunday school at Spirit of Life. They love the small class size and the dedicated Sunday school teachers.
In the four plus years since the Church started, God has blessed it tremendously and membership has grown exponentially. The current church facility at Wooddale Drive is getting too small. With the big population growth in Woodbury, the congregation saw the need for a bigger church facility to accommodate the growth.
“There is a hunger for God in this community. We see a big opportunity and a huge responsibility ahead of us,“ Sanders said. “Moving into a new facility is another big step of faith, but we know that God will supply our needs. We are doing this for God’s glory. He will bless us again as He did over the last few years.”
The new church facility at 690 Commerce Drive is near Sam’s Club. The first service will take place at 10 am, Sunday, September 3. Everyone is welcome. For more information and to request a DVD about the church, visit www.SpiritOfLifeBibleChurch.org, or call 651-731-1900.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 8/30/2006]
At least that is how I feel as a former Chinese atheist, now a Christian and a new member of Spirit of Life.
I went to Spirit of Life in September 2004 because the Church was offering an 8 week study on “The 40 Days of Purpose.” I stayed with Spirit of Life because of Pastor Sanders. As a seek of many years, I had visited quite a few churches in my life before I came to Spirit of Life, but no other pastors have ever made a more powerful impression on me than Pastor Sanders.
At 6 feet, 3 inches, Pastor Sanders is a tall man. He had a career as a professional hockey player and played hockey for over 20 years. His athletic talent, his passion, and hard work led him to the pinnacle of his dreams as an athlete on the 1972 USA hockey team when it captured the Olympic Silver Medal in Sapporo, Japan. He played one year professionally with the Minnesota Fighting Saints.
Yet the success in his professional life didn’t bring the fulfillment and happiness he was looking for. Even though he reached the mountaintop and experienced great success, he still felt emptiness in his life. What he had achieved was not satisfying. He walked away from the worldly pursuit of success and happiness, and turned his life in a new direction.
At the age of 25, he committed his life to serve the Lord. He went to seminary and became a youth pastor. He worked with young people for almost 20 years and was an associate minister for several years after that.
Then another change happened that brought his faith and passion for Christ to a new level.
In 2001, Sanders and 13 other people started Spirit of Life Bible Church in Woodbury. It was a big step of faith for him and all the members, but their strong faith in God helped them take the risk and face the challenge.
Sander’s teaching and messages are always based on the truth from the Bible. They are practical and challenging. One thing is for sure. People do not feel bored when listening to his messages. His passion and excitement for God will infect, inspire and impress everyone around him.
His passion for Christ shows especially during his Sunday sermons. Psalm 100 says to “Shout for joy to the Lord” and that’s the way Sanders preaches. He literally makes a lot of joyful noises when he preaches. He can be as excited and passionate about Jesus as a sport fan is excited about watching his favorite team winning the Olympics.
A major focus of the church’s activities is the Children's Program that includes the weekly Sunday School classes and fun activities throughout the year, monthly Children's Church services, Cub Scouts, Vacation Bible School, an annual picnic, Fall Harvest party and Christmas Program.
My two children love to go to Sunday school at Spirit of Life. They love the small class size and the dedicated Sunday school teachers.
In the four plus years since the Church started, God has blessed it tremendously and membership has grown exponentially. The current church facility at Wooddale Drive is getting too small. With the big population growth in Woodbury, the congregation saw the need for a bigger church facility to accommodate the growth.
“There is a hunger for God in this community. We see a big opportunity and a huge responsibility ahead of us,“ Sanders said. “Moving into a new facility is another big step of faith, but we know that God will supply our needs. We are doing this for God’s glory. He will bless us again as He did over the last few years.”
The new church facility at 690 Commerce Drive is near Sam’s Club. The first service will take place at 10 am, Sunday, September 3. Everyone is welcome. For more information and to request a DVD about the church, visit www.SpiritOfLifeBibleChurch.org, or call 651-731-1900.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 8/30/2006]
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Allow me to introduce myself
My name is Qin Tang. I have been a resident of Woodbury since 2001 - and that’s how long I have been reading Woodbury Bulletin.
I really enjoy reading the newspaper every week to find out what’s going on in the community. Even though I read other newspapers as well, there is no other paper I am more loyal to than this one. It’s close to home and is more important to me.
In the past, I have had several articles published in the Bulletin. But that can’t be compared to what I am starting now - as a personal columnist for this award-winning newspaper.
I am so excited to become a regular writer for the paper and to make my contribution to something that has enriched my own life in the past six years.
The Bulletin's managing editor, Bob Eighmy, asked that I tell you a little bit about myself in this first column so people can know where I come from. It’s my pleasure to do so. I hope I will also get to know more people in Woodbury as a result of writing this column.
I came from China. My hometown, Suzhou, is a well known ancient city in China with a history of 2500 years. The city is renowned for its beautiful classical gardens, pagodas, stone bridges and silk industry. It is, therefore, a great tourist attraction. The city has been called the "Paradise on Earth" since ancient times and is also known as the "Venice of the East."
Suzhou currently has a pupation of a little over 6 million people. That's about one half percent of the total population in China. The city ranks No. 1 in its contracted overseas investments and is one of the most prosperous cities in China. Geographically, Suzhou is about one to two hours away from Shanghai.
I studied German at the Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing, the Capital of China, from 1981 to1985. After graduation I got a job at the China Central Television to help start a new German language program. A year later I left for Germany for additional education on a German government scholarship. I studied at the University of Heidelberg for five years and got my MA in German in 1991.
That same year I came to the United States.
After a lot of hard work learning English and passing my "English as a second language" test, I went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison for a master’s degree in Library and Information Science, which I finished in 1994. (Yes, you do need a master’s degree to be a professional librarian. Many people are surprised to hear that.) I lived and worked in Chicago for five years before moving to Twin Cities in 1999. Since 2000 I have been working at the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.
While I enjoy living in the US, and both of my chilldren were born here, I still feel a deep connection to my native country where I spent my first 22 years of life. I also treasure the five years I lived in Germany. I would consider myself a resident of Woodbury and a citizen of the world.
I am so looking forward to sharing with you what’s on my mind. The great thing about being a personal columnist is I can write almost whatever I want. As Bob Eighmy said: “The sky's the limit.”
I know I will write articles related to children and school. You will hear a lot about my two children, Andy, 8 and Amy, 6, who both attend Liberty Ridge Elementary School.
I will write about things related to China. Even though I left China 20 years ago, China is still close to my heart.
I will write about books I read since I like to read every day. There is nothing I enjoy doing more than reading and writing.
I will write about issues related to this community.
Most of all, I will write whatever inspires me, whatever is dear to my heart, whatever is on my mind. I hope you will enjoy my column and my writing.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/8/2006]
I really enjoy reading the newspaper every week to find out what’s going on in the community. Even though I read other newspapers as well, there is no other paper I am more loyal to than this one. It’s close to home and is more important to me.
In the past, I have had several articles published in the Bulletin. But that can’t be compared to what I am starting now - as a personal columnist for this award-winning newspaper.
I am so excited to become a regular writer for the paper and to make my contribution to something that has enriched my own life in the past six years.
The Bulletin's managing editor, Bob Eighmy, asked that I tell you a little bit about myself in this first column so people can know where I come from. It’s my pleasure to do so. I hope I will also get to know more people in Woodbury as a result of writing this column.
I came from China. My hometown, Suzhou, is a well known ancient city in China with a history of 2500 years. The city is renowned for its beautiful classical gardens, pagodas, stone bridges and silk industry. It is, therefore, a great tourist attraction. The city has been called the "Paradise on Earth" since ancient times and is also known as the "Venice of the East."
Suzhou currently has a pupation of a little over 6 million people. That's about one half percent of the total population in China. The city ranks No. 1 in its contracted overseas investments and is one of the most prosperous cities in China. Geographically, Suzhou is about one to two hours away from Shanghai.
I studied German at the Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing, the Capital of China, from 1981 to1985. After graduation I got a job at the China Central Television to help start a new German language program. A year later I left for Germany for additional education on a German government scholarship. I studied at the University of Heidelberg for five years and got my MA in German in 1991.
That same year I came to the United States.
After a lot of hard work learning English and passing my "English as a second language" test, I went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison for a master’s degree in Library and Information Science, which I finished in 1994. (Yes, you do need a master’s degree to be a professional librarian. Many people are surprised to hear that.) I lived and worked in Chicago for five years before moving to Twin Cities in 1999. Since 2000 I have been working at the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.
While I enjoy living in the US, and both of my chilldren were born here, I still feel a deep connection to my native country where I spent my first 22 years of life. I also treasure the five years I lived in Germany. I would consider myself a resident of Woodbury and a citizen of the world.
I am so looking forward to sharing with you what’s on my mind. The great thing about being a personal columnist is I can write almost whatever I want. As Bob Eighmy said: “The sky's the limit.”
I know I will write articles related to children and school. You will hear a lot about my two children, Andy, 8 and Amy, 6, who both attend Liberty Ridge Elementary School.
I will write about things related to China. Even though I left China 20 years ago, China is still close to my heart.
I will write about books I read since I like to read every day. There is nothing I enjoy doing more than reading and writing.
I will write about issues related to this community.
Most of all, I will write whatever inspires me, whatever is dear to my heart, whatever is on my mind. I hope you will enjoy my column and my writing.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 11/8/2006]
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A special adoption journey
International adoption is neither new nor rare. It seems like everyone knows someone who has adopted a child from another country. But how many people would consider adopting a special needs child even though they already have three children of their own? Probably not many. Yet the Countrymans did just that.
Tina and Steve Countryman are a couple blessed with three healthy children: Abby, 12, Luke, 10 and Zeke, 7. They are not only busy with their own children, they also have their hands full with over 50 Hmong teenagers in the St. Paul Urban Ministry that the couple leads. The family resides in St. Paul, but attend Woodbury Church of Christ.
The Countryman’s ties to Asia go back to the time from 1991 to 1996 when they were missionaries in Thailand. Abby and Luke Countryman were born there. They all have a big heart of love for the Asian people. They also feel a strong desire to help a child in need of a loving home and to share their love with those less fortunate. This led them to adopting a girl from China. Her name is Phoebe.
The idea became clear in the summer of 2004. They contacted a national adoption agency. But it didn’t work out, because they didn't meet the financial requirements.
Steve and Tina didn’t give up. They kept praying and seeking God’s help.
Then in the spring of 2005, they heard about a different adoption agency, All God's Children International. They approached this agency with their request to adopt a healthy girl from China. The agency was willing to give it a try. It asked Chinese officials if adoption was possible even though financial requirement was not met. When these officials agreed, they took that as God's clear direction for them.
They began their paperwork process by the end of the summer. In December 2005, the adoption took a new twist when the agency asked them if they would be willing to adopt a special needs girl who had been diagnosed with congenital small eyeballs.
After much talking and praying they agreed. Travel dates were March 3 to 17. It was a very emotional experience for them.
One of their most unforgettable moments came when they visited the orphanage where Phoebe lived. It was the Yanping District Children's Welfare Institute in Fujian Province, China.
To physically stand among the children at the orphanage, to reach out and stroke their faces, hold their hands and know how much they needed a home, was really hard to take in. They wished they could bring them all home, but all they could do was to try to just touch each child, talk to each one in their bed and say a silent prayer that someday each of the children would find a home and could leave the orphanage just like Phoebe did. God brought comfort in walking through the gates at the end with Phoebe in their arms, knowing that Phoebe didn't have to sleep there any more.
While the hard part of the trip was seeing all the kids at the orphanage, a different perspective presented itself a few days later at the American consulate in Guangzhou. A group of people with adopted children gathered to finish their paperwork for the children to go to the United States. They were all beaming.
Though there were many more still left behind, it was encouraging to see all these kids being placed in families who want and love them.
Back in the United States, Phoebe has been checked by two eye doctors. She was diagnosed with bilateral blepharophimosis syndrome, which has to do with the eyelids themselves. She had her first eye surgery on Aug. 30. Later in life, doctors will perform more involved surgery.
The family received two grants to cover the costs of the adoption, one from Shaohannah's Hope and one from LYDIA Fund. Likewise, the Countryman’s church family at Woodbury Church of Christ provided lots of prayer and support.
Their adoption journal can be viewed online at http://www.myladybugjournal.com/files/Countryman/countrymanHOME.html
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 9/13/2006]
Tina and Steve Countryman are a couple blessed with three healthy children: Abby, 12, Luke, 10 and Zeke, 7. They are not only busy with their own children, they also have their hands full with over 50 Hmong teenagers in the St. Paul Urban Ministry that the couple leads. The family resides in St. Paul, but attend Woodbury Church of Christ.
The Countryman’s ties to Asia go back to the time from 1991 to 1996 when they were missionaries in Thailand. Abby and Luke Countryman were born there. They all have a big heart of love for the Asian people. They also feel a strong desire to help a child in need of a loving home and to share their love with those less fortunate. This led them to adopting a girl from China. Her name is Phoebe.
The idea became clear in the summer of 2004. They contacted a national adoption agency. But it didn’t work out, because they didn't meet the financial requirements.
Steve and Tina didn’t give up. They kept praying and seeking God’s help.
Then in the spring of 2005, they heard about a different adoption agency, All God's Children International. They approached this agency with their request to adopt a healthy girl from China. The agency was willing to give it a try. It asked Chinese officials if adoption was possible even though financial requirement was not met. When these officials agreed, they took that as God's clear direction for them.
They began their paperwork process by the end of the summer. In December 2005, the adoption took a new twist when the agency asked them if they would be willing to adopt a special needs girl who had been diagnosed with congenital small eyeballs.
After much talking and praying they agreed. Travel dates were March 3 to 17. It was a very emotional experience for them.
One of their most unforgettable moments came when they visited the orphanage where Phoebe lived. It was the Yanping District Children's Welfare Institute in Fujian Province, China.
To physically stand among the children at the orphanage, to reach out and stroke their faces, hold their hands and know how much they needed a home, was really hard to take in. They wished they could bring them all home, but all they could do was to try to just touch each child, talk to each one in their bed and say a silent prayer that someday each of the children would find a home and could leave the orphanage just like Phoebe did. God brought comfort in walking through the gates at the end with Phoebe in their arms, knowing that Phoebe didn't have to sleep there any more.
While the hard part of the trip was seeing all the kids at the orphanage, a different perspective presented itself a few days later at the American consulate in Guangzhou. A group of people with adopted children gathered to finish their paperwork for the children to go to the United States. They were all beaming.
Though there were many more still left behind, it was encouraging to see all these kids being placed in families who want and love them.
Back in the United States, Phoebe has been checked by two eye doctors. She was diagnosed with bilateral blepharophimosis syndrome, which has to do with the eyelids themselves. She had her first eye surgery on Aug. 30. Later in life, doctors will perform more involved surgery.
The family received two grants to cover the costs of the adoption, one from Shaohannah's Hope and one from LYDIA Fund. Likewise, the Countryman’s church family at Woodbury Church of Christ provided lots of prayer and support.
Their adoption journal can be viewed online at http://www.myladybugjournal.com/files/Countryman/countrymanHOME.html
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 9/13/2006]
Monday, February 22, 2010
Fundraising lessons learned
This is a follow-up to my last column about my first fundraising experience for the local Chinese school. In this column I would like to share a few lessons I have learned in the process. I hope my own experience will benefit other people, especially local school PTA volunteers who help with various school fundraising events every year.
• No fear
Most people don’t like to ask others for donations. We don’t feel comfortable doing that because we dread rejection. So the first step in the fundraising process is to move past our fears of rejection and learn how to ask.
“Ask and you shall receive.” If you don’t ask, you will never receive anything.
While we should have confidence in asking and hope for positive results, we should also be prepared for rejection. We can’t expect success every time. There will be businesses that don’t return calls or e-mails. That’s to be expected. If we are prepared, then we will not be disappointed.
• Plan early
Doing fundraising is no small feat. It takes a lot of planning, determination and hard work to make it successful.
It takes time to contact businesses, wait for responses, write letters, pick up donations, evaluate results and incorporate the results into the final events. So you should plan and start the process as early as possible.
Big store or chain stores have more rules and procedures in place. They receive a lot of donation requests so they have to follow certain procedures in their decision making process. Some have to go through the headquarters before making decisions.
Some have monthly or quarterly limits to give away. So once they reach the set limits in the month or quarter, you have to wait for the next month or quarter.
Expect two to four weeks of lag time for big businesses.
• Start small
It is easier to do fundraising with smaller or independent businesses or stores than big or chain stores. Because they are not overwhelmed with donation requests, they are more willing to say “yes” if they do get requests.
With smaller businesses, the owners can make decisions on the spot. They don’t have to follow any procedures from corporate office.
So when you start small, you are more likely to find success and gain confidence.
• Prepare a letter
Some businesses will ask you to put your request in writing and on your organization’s letterhead. Some also ask for your organization’s tax ID. In the letter you should state the purpose of the fundraising. Using the five W's — Who, What, Where, Why, When — is a good guideline to write a brief letter to the business that asks for it.
• Mutual benefit
Businesses exist to make money and be profitable. When you ask for donations, don’t just say what they can do for you, but also tell them what you can do for them. It’s nice for the businesses to know that you need and appreciate their support for your worthy cause, but it’s more attractive for them if they know that they will benefit from their donations as well.
When I approached Atlantic Buffet for our fundraising event, I asked for something most people probably thought was impossible. Yet I was confident. I went to the meeting with the owner well-prepared.
Without even being asked, I prepared a letter. In the letter I not only stated the benefits this fundraising event would have for the local Chinese School, but more importantly, I listed more benefits this event would have for his business.
After reading my letter, the owner said “fine” without any objections or questions regarding my proposal. It was that simple. Again, “Ask and you shall receive.”
I am not sure it would be that simple, had I not prepared the letter to convince him that the event would benefit his business as well.
In my brief phone conversations with other businesses, I didn’t have time to say much. I only mentioned that after the event I would write a thank you note and publicly acknowledge their support through Woodbury Bulletin.
• Find a partner
For better results, involve a local business as a partner. In partnership with a local restaurant to host the event, in partnership with a local nursery to sell plants, you attract more people with less work and better results.
• Public recognition
Everyone likes a pat on the back now and then. I think when a business supports the local community and donates to your non-profit organization in the worthy cause, you should at least send a thank you letter.
In addition, a public recognition in the local newspaper is appropriate and very much appreciated. It’s a great incentive for the businesses to support local community if they will be publicly acknowledged by the local community for their support.
• My big mistake
I thought I raised enough gift certificates for every family who would attend our event.
We ended up having a little more people come to the event than expected. That wasn’t a problem. My mistake was I was so confident in my thinking that every family would get something that I didn’t do any “quantity control.”
We ended up having some families winning a prize for every family member present while very few, maybe a handful of families didn’t win anything. When I found that out at the end, I felt really bad. I wish I had done something to let every family win a prize before they could win multiple prizes. Just to be “fair.”
Through my first fundraising experience, I have learned a few lessons. I think I could do better next time.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 2/27/2008]
• No fear
Most people don’t like to ask others for donations. We don’t feel comfortable doing that because we dread rejection. So the first step in the fundraising process is to move past our fears of rejection and learn how to ask.
“Ask and you shall receive.” If you don’t ask, you will never receive anything.
While we should have confidence in asking and hope for positive results, we should also be prepared for rejection. We can’t expect success every time. There will be businesses that don’t return calls or e-mails. That’s to be expected. If we are prepared, then we will not be disappointed.
• Plan early
Doing fundraising is no small feat. It takes a lot of planning, determination and hard work to make it successful.
It takes time to contact businesses, wait for responses, write letters, pick up donations, evaluate results and incorporate the results into the final events. So you should plan and start the process as early as possible.
Big store or chain stores have more rules and procedures in place. They receive a lot of donation requests so they have to follow certain procedures in their decision making process. Some have to go through the headquarters before making decisions.
Some have monthly or quarterly limits to give away. So once they reach the set limits in the month or quarter, you have to wait for the next month or quarter.
Expect two to four weeks of lag time for big businesses.
• Start small
It is easier to do fundraising with smaller or independent businesses or stores than big or chain stores. Because they are not overwhelmed with donation requests, they are more willing to say “yes” if they do get requests.
With smaller businesses, the owners can make decisions on the spot. They don’t have to follow any procedures from corporate office.
So when you start small, you are more likely to find success and gain confidence.
• Prepare a letter
Some businesses will ask you to put your request in writing and on your organization’s letterhead. Some also ask for your organization’s tax ID. In the letter you should state the purpose of the fundraising. Using the five W's — Who, What, Where, Why, When — is a good guideline to write a brief letter to the business that asks for it.
• Mutual benefit
Businesses exist to make money and be profitable. When you ask for donations, don’t just say what they can do for you, but also tell them what you can do for them. It’s nice for the businesses to know that you need and appreciate their support for your worthy cause, but it’s more attractive for them if they know that they will benefit from their donations as well.
When I approached Atlantic Buffet for our fundraising event, I asked for something most people probably thought was impossible. Yet I was confident. I went to the meeting with the owner well-prepared.
Without even being asked, I prepared a letter. In the letter I not only stated the benefits this fundraising event would have for the local Chinese School, but more importantly, I listed more benefits this event would have for his business.
After reading my letter, the owner said “fine” without any objections or questions regarding my proposal. It was that simple. Again, “Ask and you shall receive.”
I am not sure it would be that simple, had I not prepared the letter to convince him that the event would benefit his business as well.
In my brief phone conversations with other businesses, I didn’t have time to say much. I only mentioned that after the event I would write a thank you note and publicly acknowledge their support through Woodbury Bulletin.
• Find a partner
For better results, involve a local business as a partner. In partnership with a local restaurant to host the event, in partnership with a local nursery to sell plants, you attract more people with less work and better results.
• Public recognition
Everyone likes a pat on the back now and then. I think when a business supports the local community and donates to your non-profit organization in the worthy cause, you should at least send a thank you letter.
In addition, a public recognition in the local newspaper is appropriate and very much appreciated. It’s a great incentive for the businesses to support local community if they will be publicly acknowledged by the local community for their support.
• My big mistake
I thought I raised enough gift certificates for every family who would attend our event.
We ended up having a little more people come to the event than expected. That wasn’t a problem. My mistake was I was so confident in my thinking that every family would get something that I didn’t do any “quantity control.”
We ended up having some families winning a prize for every family member present while very few, maybe a handful of families didn’t win anything. When I found that out at the end, I felt really bad. I wish I had done something to let every family win a prize before they could win multiple prizes. Just to be “fair.”
Through my first fundraising experience, I have learned a few lessons. I think I could do better next time.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 2/27/2008]
Thanks to those who helped
Several weeks ago I wrote about the new Chinese School in Woodbury, which started in September 2007.
To celebrate the beginning of the new semester (Feb. 2) and the Chinese New Year (Feb. 9), to provide an opportunity for teachers, students and their families to get together and to raise some money for student activities, the school decided to have a celebration and fundraising event on Saturday, Feb. 2.
Atlantic Buffet owner David was very kind and generous in offering us a convenient place and a great price to hold the party in his restaurant.
To encourage students and their families’ participation in this event, I, as a member of the Chinese school’s board, took it upon myself to contact local businesses and ask for their support in forms of gift certificates or gift baskets.
I have never done fundraising before. So this was a learning experience. Thanks to the generosity of businesses I contacted, it was a great experience, too.
The first business I called was Shanghai Market in St. Paul, because it is a Chinese grocery store I have shopped in the past and is well known in the Chinese community. After my brief explanation, the manager quickly promised to give us gift certificates to support our event.
As my first fundraising effort resulted in success with only one phone call and in only a few minutes, my confidence and ambition were greatly increased. Maybe I could do more than just gift certificates from one store. I started contacting businesses in the Woodbury area.
I thought Asian businesses in Woodbury might be more willing to support our Chinese New Year celebration. My first call went to Pei Wei Asian Diner. The manager promised some gift certificates on the spot. I got more encouragement after this second successful try.
I made more phone calls.
I quickly found out it’s easier to do fundraising with smaller or independent businesses or stores than big or chain stores. It’s understandable. With smaller stores, the owners can make decisions on the spot.
On the other hand, big store or chain stores managers often have to follow certain procedures or go through the headquarters before making decisions.
They receive donation requests a lot more so they have to have some rules and procedures in their decision making process. Mostly I was asked to submit a written request for their review. Big stores need two to six weeks of lag time.
Among the 18 businesses I called, almost half of them responded with positive results. Some businesses didn’t return my calls or e-mails. But that’s fine. I didn’t expect a positive response every time.
I had a pleasant experience contacting the businesses, even in cases where I didn’t get any support.
The only frustrating thing that happened to me was I was transferred twice and put on hold twice which ended up in disconnection. I was not interested in calling back again. And, personally, I am not interested in visiting that business again either.
I am thankful to all who did respond to my requests. I was especially impressed with Olive Garden’s manager Tom. He was a quick decision-maker. And he also won my most generous award.
I spent a lot of time in making phone calls, writing and dropping off requests, and picking up gift certificates. But it’s worth the effort. I got better than expected results out of my efforts for the school.
I would like to say thank you to all the businesses that supported our celebration event. They are Shanghai Market, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Acupuncture Woodbury, Olive Garden, Trader Joe's, Applebee's (Valley Creek location), Kowalski’s Market and Noodles & Company.
My biggest thank you goes to Atlantic Buffet for allowing us to host this event. Without their generous support in the first place, I wouldn’t have thought about and done any fundraising for the event.
Thank you all for making our first celebration and fundraising event a fun and successful one. The prize drawing was definitely the most fun part. Kids and adults alike all enjoyed it.
I really appreciate your willingness to help and give back to the community. I am sure your support to the local community will be rewarded with more and loyal customers.
My first fundraising experience will certainly affect where I personally shop and do business in the future.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 2/20/2007]
To celebrate the beginning of the new semester (Feb. 2) and the Chinese New Year (Feb. 9), to provide an opportunity for teachers, students and their families to get together and to raise some money for student activities, the school decided to have a celebration and fundraising event on Saturday, Feb. 2.
Atlantic Buffet owner David was very kind and generous in offering us a convenient place and a great price to hold the party in his restaurant.
To encourage students and their families’ participation in this event, I, as a member of the Chinese school’s board, took it upon myself to contact local businesses and ask for their support in forms of gift certificates or gift baskets.
I have never done fundraising before. So this was a learning experience. Thanks to the generosity of businesses I contacted, it was a great experience, too.
The first business I called was Shanghai Market in St. Paul, because it is a Chinese grocery store I have shopped in the past and is well known in the Chinese community. After my brief explanation, the manager quickly promised to give us gift certificates to support our event.
As my first fundraising effort resulted in success with only one phone call and in only a few minutes, my confidence and ambition were greatly increased. Maybe I could do more than just gift certificates from one store. I started contacting businesses in the Woodbury area.
I thought Asian businesses in Woodbury might be more willing to support our Chinese New Year celebration. My first call went to Pei Wei Asian Diner. The manager promised some gift certificates on the spot. I got more encouragement after this second successful try.
I made more phone calls.
I quickly found out it’s easier to do fundraising with smaller or independent businesses or stores than big or chain stores. It’s understandable. With smaller stores, the owners can make decisions on the spot.
On the other hand, big store or chain stores managers often have to follow certain procedures or go through the headquarters before making decisions.
They receive donation requests a lot more so they have to have some rules and procedures in their decision making process. Mostly I was asked to submit a written request for their review. Big stores need two to six weeks of lag time.
Among the 18 businesses I called, almost half of them responded with positive results. Some businesses didn’t return my calls or e-mails. But that’s fine. I didn’t expect a positive response every time.
I had a pleasant experience contacting the businesses, even in cases where I didn’t get any support.
The only frustrating thing that happened to me was I was transferred twice and put on hold twice which ended up in disconnection. I was not interested in calling back again. And, personally, I am not interested in visiting that business again either.
I am thankful to all who did respond to my requests. I was especially impressed with Olive Garden’s manager Tom. He was a quick decision-maker. And he also won my most generous award.
I spent a lot of time in making phone calls, writing and dropping off requests, and picking up gift certificates. But it’s worth the effort. I got better than expected results out of my efforts for the school.
I would like to say thank you to all the businesses that supported our celebration event. They are Shanghai Market, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Acupuncture Woodbury, Olive Garden, Trader Joe's, Applebee's (Valley Creek location), Kowalski’s Market and Noodles & Company.
My biggest thank you goes to Atlantic Buffet for allowing us to host this event. Without their generous support in the first place, I wouldn’t have thought about and done any fundraising for the event.
Thank you all for making our first celebration and fundraising event a fun and successful one. The prize drawing was definitely the most fun part. Kids and adults alike all enjoyed it.
I really appreciate your willingness to help and give back to the community. I am sure your support to the local community will be rewarded with more and loyal customers.
My first fundraising experience will certainly affect where I personally shop and do business in the future.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 2/20/2007]
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
There is no place like the library
My favorite place in Woodbury, as well as in any other communities I have lived in the US, is the local public library. There is just no other place that means so much to me as the library. There is just no other place that can be as magic as the library.
My love affair with library and books didn't start until I was in my twenties. I was definitely a late bloomer.
Growing up in China in the sixties and seventies during the Cultural Revolution, reading and libraries were not an important part of my life. My parents were just doing their best to survive every day. They didn't have extra money to buy books. I didn't have children's books at home. They didn't read stories to me as a child.
As far as I can remember, I never even used a public library in China. I think at that time the municipal library in my hometown Suzhou was open to only a limited number of adults who had special permissions to use it. I didn't read as a child and had not experienced the joy of reading and visiting a library.
I was a hard working student in school and had the good fortune to go to college in China.
When I came to the United States in 1991 after 9 years of studying German, I couldn't understand and speak English. I felt totally lost in this new world. I didn't know what to do with my life at that time.
Fortunately I lived within the walking distance to the public library in Madison, Wisconsin. I went to the library several times a week and checked out one or two bags full of books every time. I started with books at the preschool level. I would read a few dozens of children's books a day.
The more I read, the more I hungered for books and knowledge. The more I read, the better I became in the language.
Gradually I could read more difficult books. I remember reading all the books in the "From Sea to Shining Sea" and "America the Beautiful" series and learning everything about all the 50 states in the country. I still have my reading notes today. My reading served two purposes, to learn the English language and to learn about this new country.
After reading and learning for over a year, my English was improved and I could communicate in an understandable way.
I found a library page position at the Madison Public Library to check in books. I looked forward to my work. As books passed through my hands, I felt a sense of excitement again and again. "Wow, here is another interesting book I want to read!"
I found more and more interesting books to read that I wouldn't find on my own. In fact I didn't know what I wanted to read. My way of finding books to read was just to browse the book shelves. Now I had a better way to get to the interesting books.
Other library users served as my reader advisors. Every workday I took a bag of finished books to work and at the end of the day my empty bag was again filled with books to take home.
As a library user and a part-time library worker, I grew to love library and reading. I dreamed of becoming a professional librarian and working full-time in the library.
I went to the library school and got my master's in library science at the university of Wisconsin-Madison. My dream became a reality.
Library was my heaven during the difficult times in my life when I didn't know what to do and who I was. Library provided me books and knowledge, and nurtured my hungry and lonely soul.
Now library is where I work for a living, and library is where I visit frequently with my two children for adventures and enjoyment. Both of my kids got their own library card before they could read.
I am glad my kids visit library more often than McDonald's and they read more books than eat French fries. I am so grateful they can grow up with lots of books and view library as an essential part of their life.
As an immigrant, I have come to love my adopted country. For me, one of the best things of living in the US is the easy and free access to the public library and the wonderful services it provides to everyone regardless of age, background and social status. In the library, we are all equal and knowledge is freely available to everyone who desires it.
Having been a library user and librarian for over 10 years, now my life doesn't feel complete and fulfilled without reading and library. I believe passionately in the library and what it can do for people. I love my profession as a librarian.
Library can change life. It has definitely changed my life. It still helps me to learn, to grow and to live every day.
I can't imagine what my life would be and what I would be doing today if there wasn't a public library.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 4/18/2007]
My love affair with library and books didn't start until I was in my twenties. I was definitely a late bloomer.
Growing up in China in the sixties and seventies during the Cultural Revolution, reading and libraries were not an important part of my life. My parents were just doing their best to survive every day. They didn't have extra money to buy books. I didn't have children's books at home. They didn't read stories to me as a child.
As far as I can remember, I never even used a public library in China. I think at that time the municipal library in my hometown Suzhou was open to only a limited number of adults who had special permissions to use it. I didn't read as a child and had not experienced the joy of reading and visiting a library.
I was a hard working student in school and had the good fortune to go to college in China.
When I came to the United States in 1991 after 9 years of studying German, I couldn't understand and speak English. I felt totally lost in this new world. I didn't know what to do with my life at that time.
Fortunately I lived within the walking distance to the public library in Madison, Wisconsin. I went to the library several times a week and checked out one or two bags full of books every time. I started with books at the preschool level. I would read a few dozens of children's books a day.
The more I read, the more I hungered for books and knowledge. The more I read, the better I became in the language.
Gradually I could read more difficult books. I remember reading all the books in the "From Sea to Shining Sea" and "America the Beautiful" series and learning everything about all the 50 states in the country. I still have my reading notes today. My reading served two purposes, to learn the English language and to learn about this new country.
After reading and learning for over a year, my English was improved and I could communicate in an understandable way.
I found a library page position at the Madison Public Library to check in books. I looked forward to my work. As books passed through my hands, I felt a sense of excitement again and again. "Wow, here is another interesting book I want to read!"
I found more and more interesting books to read that I wouldn't find on my own. In fact I didn't know what I wanted to read. My way of finding books to read was just to browse the book shelves. Now I had a better way to get to the interesting books.
Other library users served as my reader advisors. Every workday I took a bag of finished books to work and at the end of the day my empty bag was again filled with books to take home.
As a library user and a part-time library worker, I grew to love library and reading. I dreamed of becoming a professional librarian and working full-time in the library.
I went to the library school and got my master's in library science at the university of Wisconsin-Madison. My dream became a reality.
Library was my heaven during the difficult times in my life when I didn't know what to do and who I was. Library provided me books and knowledge, and nurtured my hungry and lonely soul.
Now library is where I work for a living, and library is where I visit frequently with my two children for adventures and enjoyment. Both of my kids got their own library card before they could read.
I am glad my kids visit library more often than McDonald's and they read more books than eat French fries. I am so grateful they can grow up with lots of books and view library as an essential part of their life.
As an immigrant, I have come to love my adopted country. For me, one of the best things of living in the US is the easy and free access to the public library and the wonderful services it provides to everyone regardless of age, background and social status. In the library, we are all equal and knowledge is freely available to everyone who desires it.
Having been a library user and librarian for over 10 years, now my life doesn't feel complete and fulfilled without reading and library. I believe passionately in the library and what it can do for people. I love my profession as a librarian.
Library can change life. It has definitely changed my life. It still helps me to learn, to grow and to live every day.
I can't imagine what my life would be and what I would be doing today if there wasn't a public library.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 4/18/2007]
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Music, No pain, no gain
My son Andy started piano lesson in September 2004 when he was six years old. Less than a year later, my five year old daughter Amy began her lesson as well. Our family life has not been the same since then.
As any parent whose child takes music lessons knows, learning an instrument requires every day practice. Making the child practice can be a real challenge.
Every evening my kids have to practice piano. This is not something they are eager to do and willing to do on their own.
I always have to remind them, or to be more accurate, nag at them. Most times they comply. But there were days they didn’t cooperate and refused to play, especially at the beginning.
Andy said many times, he hated piano and didn’t want to practice. He begged me he wanted to quit. Besides complaints, many tears were shed.
As for my strong willed daughter, she didn’t like to be corrected. As soon as I corrected her mistakes, she refused to play.
I have to admit I am not someone with much patience. I can easily get frustrated and raise my voice when things don’t go smoothly.
During those difficult times, I was so frustrated, I wanted to quit too.
“Why do I spend so much money, time and energy in something that requires so much hard work and brings so much frustration into our life?” I questioned many times.
Then I have to remind myself again and again the reasons why I wanted them to learn piano in the first place. My hopes and goals for them are:
- Learn to play at least one instrument.
I grew up in poverty and didn't have an opportunity to learn any instrument. I wanted to give my children this opportunity when I can.
- Develop a love and understanding for music to enrich their life.
- Develop good study and work habits early on and learn that any success in life comes from hard work.
- Be able to delay gratification in pursuit of a greater goal and learn that there is no easy success and instant gratification in something truly great and wonderful.
- Learn patience and discipline through daily practice.
- Build confidence and self-esteem by doing something well.
- Learn that self worth comes from who they are and what they do, not from what they have. Giving them more experience is better than giving them more stuff in life.
- Use their free time to play music instead of playing computer games and watching TV.
- Do something creative to fill their time and life so they don't get bored and get into trouble when in their teenage years.
Although I still have to nag at them every day, Amy likes piano now. As for Andy, he doesn’t like it as much as Amy does. But over the last two years, we have established the daily routine that they have to play every day. They don’t question it any more. Often they just argue who plays first.
I told Andy he has to play until he graduates from high school. Then he will be old enough to make his own decision and he can quit if he wants to.
I found a good relationship between teacher and student is very important in a child’s attitude toward the music lesson. A loving and patient teacher can make a big difference in changing a child’s attitude and getting him interested and motivated in music lessons.
I am glad both of my kids have found wonderful teachers, Dr. Jo Anne Link and Dr. Joseph Zins from St. Paul. Since starting lessons with these two teachers a year ago, both Andy and Amy have a better attitude. There is less complaint and frustration. Life is getting easier during practice time.
One day last December, Andy came home from school and showed me proudly a certificate he got from his music teacher after playing piano in the class talent show. He said: “Mom, I kind of like piano now.”
That was music to my ear. It was something I had been waiting to hear.
“Hooray, let’s celebrate!” I was so happy.
I was glad I didn’t quit and I didn’t let him quit despite his many complaints and tears.
No short-term pain, no long-term gain. This is a truth in life.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 6/6/2007]
As any parent whose child takes music lessons knows, learning an instrument requires every day practice. Making the child practice can be a real challenge.
Every evening my kids have to practice piano. This is not something they are eager to do and willing to do on their own.
I always have to remind them, or to be more accurate, nag at them. Most times they comply. But there were days they didn’t cooperate and refused to play, especially at the beginning.
Andy said many times, he hated piano and didn’t want to practice. He begged me he wanted to quit. Besides complaints, many tears were shed.
As for my strong willed daughter, she didn’t like to be corrected. As soon as I corrected her mistakes, she refused to play.
I have to admit I am not someone with much patience. I can easily get frustrated and raise my voice when things don’t go smoothly.
During those difficult times, I was so frustrated, I wanted to quit too.
“Why do I spend so much money, time and energy in something that requires so much hard work and brings so much frustration into our life?” I questioned many times.
Then I have to remind myself again and again the reasons why I wanted them to learn piano in the first place. My hopes and goals for them are:
- Learn to play at least one instrument.
I grew up in poverty and didn't have an opportunity to learn any instrument. I wanted to give my children this opportunity when I can.
- Develop a love and understanding for music to enrich their life.
- Develop good study and work habits early on and learn that any success in life comes from hard work.
- Be able to delay gratification in pursuit of a greater goal and learn that there is no easy success and instant gratification in something truly great and wonderful.
- Learn patience and discipline through daily practice.
- Build confidence and self-esteem by doing something well.
- Learn that self worth comes from who they are and what they do, not from what they have. Giving them more experience is better than giving them more stuff in life.
- Use their free time to play music instead of playing computer games and watching TV.
- Do something creative to fill their time and life so they don't get bored and get into trouble when in their teenage years.
Although I still have to nag at them every day, Amy likes piano now. As for Andy, he doesn’t like it as much as Amy does. But over the last two years, we have established the daily routine that they have to play every day. They don’t question it any more. Often they just argue who plays first.
I told Andy he has to play until he graduates from high school. Then he will be old enough to make his own decision and he can quit if he wants to.
I found a good relationship between teacher and student is very important in a child’s attitude toward the music lesson. A loving and patient teacher can make a big difference in changing a child’s attitude and getting him interested and motivated in music lessons.
I am glad both of my kids have found wonderful teachers, Dr. Jo Anne Link and Dr. Joseph Zins from St. Paul. Since starting lessons with these two teachers a year ago, both Andy and Amy have a better attitude. There is less complaint and frustration. Life is getting easier during practice time.
One day last December, Andy came home from school and showed me proudly a certificate he got from his music teacher after playing piano in the class talent show. He said: “Mom, I kind of like piano now.”
That was music to my ear. It was something I had been waiting to hear.
“Hooray, let’s celebrate!” I was so happy.
I was glad I didn’t quit and I didn’t let him quit despite his many complaints and tears.
No short-term pain, no long-term gain. This is a truth in life.
[Originally published in Woodbury Bulletin on 6/6/2007]
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