Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Swimming Pools -- 6 Feng Shui Tips to Make them Auspicious

swimming pools are a wonderful addition to any home. They create an instant place for fun, relaxation, and exercise. plus, water is extremely beneficial in any landscape. However, in feng shui, swimming pools can often create negative influence. That's because swimming pools possess a great deal of energy in feng shui terms. It is also because swimming pools are often located at the rear of the home, and that is extremely inauspicious according to feng shui.

Even so, there are some instances when pools are a benefit to the homeowner. This would include a pool that is correctly sized, shaped, and positioned. In feng shui, certain pool shapes and sizes can create problems, such as poison arrows, which are harsh points of energy directed at the house.

On the plus side, pools positioned in certain locations can actually benefit homeowners. These are pools that are placed according to flying star feng shui. At their best, pools can be positioned to tap the "wealth star" -- the secret location of prosperity that is tied to the direction of the front door. Another benefit of flying star placement is to overcome negative energies, as pools can offset negative energy from poor star placements.

Look at placing your pool in an auspicious location and follow feng shui's design criteria to make sure your pool gives you great feng shui! Positioned right, swimming pools can add tremendous wealth luck to a home! If not, though, it can be a very negative influence that can harm your wealth. To be sure about your pool, though, consider checking in with a feng shui consultant.

The Top 6 Feng Shui pool Rules

1. Select a shape that is auspicious.
The best shapes for pools are round, oval, kidney, or curving. This is because none of these shapes have any hard edges or points that can create a poison arrow effect that square-shaped pools often do. Other good choices include octagons and figure-eights.

2. Keep your pool size proportional to the size of the home.
Pools are better if they are not overly large. If they are too large for the home, they can "overwhelm" it, imparting much negative energy. Better to go with a smaller pool than one that is too large.

3. Place pools at the sides of the yard.
If possible, it is better to position swimming pools at the side of a yard rather than directly in the rear. If that can't be accommodated, then do try to avoid having a pool that is directly in line with the rear center of the house. Pools that do can become menacing, as water behind you is considered bad feng shui.

4. Pools that embrace a home bring good luck.
These pools appear to wrap around a home or curve toward the home. These are a good design choice as they don't have hard edges pointing at the house.

5. Locate pools in a favorable sector for feng shui periods 8 and 9.
Until 2043, pools should ideally be located in the North, Southwest, East, or Southeast sectors.

6. Incorporate the five elements around your pool.
Pools should be mixed with the other elements, such as metal (handrailings, pumps, electrical equipment), wood (plants, arbors, gazebos), earth (rock, cement surroundings or deckings), and fire (lighting). This helps to ensure that the pool is well-balanced and harmoniously incorporated into the landscape.

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter feng shui e-zine and the ebook APPLIED FENG SHUI, The Science of Determining and Applying Authentic Feng Shui to Your Space In 9 Easy steps. For more information, logon to http://www.redlotusletter.com and receive this special report "16 Feng Shui Secrets for Greater Prosperity" FREE.

kweber@redlotusconsulting.com

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New Software Allows Xbox 360 Gamers to Download and Copy Games

xbox 360 gamers have something to celebrate! The age old question of "How can I copy my Xbox 360 games?" has been answered with one easy to use software package.

game copy pro is an all in one application that has been in development for several years. The software allows users of the popular video game system, as well as Wii, ps3, ps2, and Playstation gamers the opportunity to download and copy all their favorite games with it's simple to use interface. The powerful program comes coplete with everything gamers need to get them up and running in just minutes. In fact setup time for the software is under three minutes.

The package includes burning, or copying, software, download software, and easy to follow instructions and video tutorials should you have any trouble getting started. The manufacturer also provides free support via email, and questions are answered within 24 hours.

Up until now, gamers were out of luck when it came to copying these games. Now they can copy and play them, even if they do not have a modchip in their xbox 360. The new software is able to bypass the copy protection found on the game discs. And best of all, since game copy pro includes free lifetime updates, new copy protection technology is no worry.

Please remember that this software is not intended to be used to break piracy laws. You may legally copy or download games only if you have purchased the original, full version of the software you are obtaining.

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Weight Loss For Food Lovers!

So you love food? The thought of losing weight by eating less probably traumatises you! But take heart. Use these hints to make it all less painful.

We all know we need to have a well balanced diet. But this doesn't mean your diet has to be boring, just well planned. Sit down with your low fat recipe books and plan your week's meals before you go grocery shopping. Do not shop while you're hungry as you'll buy more. Only buy what's on the list. See how good it feels to have your shopping trolley full of mostly fruit and vegetables!

Change your attitude to eating by using smaller plates. You can still eat adequate proportions of the right food, but you will feel like you're eating more. Don't laugh, try this: it really works! Another little trick is to eat your nightly meal several hours before going to bed, then brush your teeth immediately. This seems to deter those late night cravings!

It's easy to remember this formula of your daily food requirements: 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit. I find that starting the day with some fruit on my cereal takes care of one of the fruit serves and then I only have to munch on an apple some time during the day to fulfil that requirement. Eating a carrot for morning tea works for me because it takes a long time to chew (and therefore feels like I'm eating more!) plus it takes care of my first vegetable serve.

Eat slowly and savour every mouthful. Think about the texture and flavour of the food as you chew. Enjoy the eating experience more. Drink water with your meals as a habit as it will help fill you up. Chop up your favourite fruit and leave it in a container in the fridge. It's amazing how we're all more inclined to eat fruit when it's already bite sized. It's amazing at a kid's party when you bring out plates of chopped up fruit how the kids won't generally complain and will polish off every last morsel!

Have you noticed how most of our social events with family and friends are built around eating? Why not be the one to change all this by suggesting a walk together instead of a dinner party, a ball game in the park instead of an All-You-Can-Eat restaurant, a card game instead of a coffee shop? The company will still be great, and you won't feel tempted to mindlessly eat lots of food.

When heading out to social or sporting events, be kind to your body and your budget by packing healthy foods before you go. most venues stock fast foods which are high in fat. In addition, you often waste previous time as a family by queuing up. If you worry that your kids will be missing out, you could buy them a treat after they've filled up on sandwiches and fruit. By then the smell of hot fries and chips will not seem as irresistable!

The truth is that none of us manage to eat everything we should on every single day of our lives. In our busy modern lives there's bound to be days the 5 vegetables 2 fruit rule is not observed. That's where health supplements come in. You'll experience great peace of mind as you and your family consume your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals in the form of a shake or capsules. It's a safeguard so that you know your body is getting what it needs. It's even more useful after exercise as whey protein shakes help repair and tone muscle. Many people also have a protein shake prior to bed to ensure that their metabolism doesn't slow down. Literally helping to lose weight while they snooze!

It's not as hard as you think to lose weight by eating well. It's not about fad diets, because these never result in sustained weight loss, and it's not about starving yourself, because you'll feel like you're missing out on pleasure. It's about organisation and retraining yourself by employing a few tricks which are tried and true.

Author Colin Johnson highly recommends whey protein shakes for overall health and as a hunger suppressant. Some of these shakes, such as Sleek and Slender, are specifically designed for the female body in mind. More information can be found at http://www.protein4health.com Colin has been a health educator, drug educator, elite sports coach and father of five all in one lifetime! He lives with his wife and family on the shores of beautiful Lake Macquarie, Newcastle.

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