If there is one thing Fathers’ all around the world look forward to every year, it is the Father’s day that is celebrated on 3rd Sunday of June every year in most of the western countries. Fathers’ day is the celebration of fatherly love, gratitude, and caring.

Bamboo fountains make perfect gift items for Father’s day because of its unique cultural aspect and history. Bamboo fountains originated in Japan and were used by Japanese farmers to scare away the birds and other agriculture damaging pests. With progression of time, modern technology took over the agriculture industry, and now the bamboo fountain has become a classic and beautiful water feature symbolizing sustainability and safety.

A Japanese Shishi Odoshi bamboo fountain makes an ideal gift for Father’s day because of these 3 reasons:

  1. It gives your father a chance to setup something on his own – every man enjoys setting things up and making things work. This fountain connects a man to his evolutionary brain and fulfills the “creative” aspect of mind. When you give your dad a gift of a bamboo fountain, it gives him the joy of creating a water circulatory system or a basin in your backyard. Besides, if your dad is not a heavy duty DIY type of a guy, he may still enjoy the bamboo fountain setup because of it is fairly easy to do so and takes less than 10 minutes of actual work.
  2. Water fountain is a symbol of love and sustainability. Whenever your dad walks out to patio to relax (it may even be used indoors) the soothing sound of water will remind him of your thoughtful nature and will strengthen the fatherly bond between him and you. Water is very well known for its soothing properties, and on top of that, it has health benefits too. It is scientifically proven that water feature add negative ions to the air, which in turn makes the air pure and refreshing to breathe.
  3. Bamboo is a feng shui element of longevity and unity. A bamboo water fountain brings auspiciousness of feng shui in your life, filling it up with calmness and well-being. For years, Asian cultures have appreciated the benefits of feng shui because of its powerful implications, and for last 30 years, several western countries have started to become very aware of the energy dynamics of inanimate objects around us. Giving a gift of bamboo fountain to your dad will help him feel calm, relaxed, and content – simply because of potent feng shui implications it has on one’s life.

Don’t waste your money on electronic gadgets or a tie. A bamboo fountain stands out as a unique, thoughtful, and cultural gift that will go a long way when it comes to showing your dad that you really care.

Amy C. invites you to browse stunning collection of bamboo water features at the Indoor Fountains Store – An ultimate place to shop for high-quality hand-crafted bamboo spout water fountains

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29960RM1 Buddha Solar-on-Demand_4You are about to learn the basics of Buddhism and discover the answers to the top 4 most common Buddhism related questions.

Who is Buddha?

A prince was born around 563 B.C. to King Suddhodana of the kingdom of Kapilavastu and Queen Maya, and it was known that the prince was predicted by a holy man to become a mighty conqueror or a holy spiritual leader. He was Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who then became the founder of Buddhism, and is known as the Buddha.

Not long after Gautama’s birth his mother passed away. When the prince was but a few days old, it was said that he was unbelievably declaring that; He was supreme in the world, he was greatest in the world, he was the most noble in the world, and he was never to be re-born.

Since the founder of Buddhism was born, the King was alarmed by the prediction. He wanted his son to be a king and not a spiritual leader so he didn’t allow the prince to see the life outside the palace, by building three palaces for him to live in all luxuries all his life. But at the age of 29, he explored and discovered that life outside the palace were full of suffering.

It made him sad to realize that he was living his life with all the splendor of the rich palaces. Outside the majestic walls that protected him, he saw four kinds of people which lead him to denounce the worldly life he grew up with. He saw a very sick man, a very old man, a dead body, and a wandering monk who abstained from worldly life as a spiritual discipline (ascetic). Later teachings called Gautama’s experience as “The Four Sights” and the teachings from the prince was handed down from his followers to generations as Buddhism.

What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is the religious teaching spread by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) and his followers which reveals that the causes of suffering in life such as greed, desire and hatred can stop and people can achieve absolute enlightenment.

If Buddhism is a religion, is Buddha a God?

When Buddha was questioned if he was a God, he answered “No”. When he was questioned who he was, he answered “I AM AWAKE”. Buddha was just a man, who married and had a child. It has been an inspiration for his followers that enlightenment can be attained by a man, through thinking and not by beliefs of divine powers. Gautama’s renunciation of the worldly life lead to his enlightenment and he was named “The Awakened One” the Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Buddha’s spiritual teaching is very wide in scope but mostly patterned to follow the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhism is learning and observing our own self, understanding our own life and how to handle our daily issues. Because Buddha knew the hearts of people, he wanted man to live happily and peacefully without suffering.

What were Buddha’s early teachings?

Buddha’s first followers were a group of five holy men who took a grasp of his teachings when he went to the holy city of Benares; which gave birth to the Buddhist religion. From then on until 45 years after they travel from one place to another in India teaching the Dharma. They had insurmountable compassion to help people they meet on the roads; poor, king or slaves alike. They took the night off wherever when the night falls and live from asking food when they needed to eat.

The teachings of Buddha made him champion of the masses; making people feel they were encouraged for their own wellness. He advised people to do their own work while he could only teach them the way how to do it. He always taught them about helping each other. He never showed any sign of anger, never said hurting words and had always been patient, even with his opponents.

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Aromatherapy OilsAromatherapy is one of the most ancient fields of medicine.  It came to light in western culture in early 20th century; however, it has been used as an agent of healing since about early 11th century.  It is believed to have originated in Egyptian culture.

Aromatherapy is used in variety of ways – It is popular in spa clinics and massage therapy centers as an effective therapeutic element.  Although none of the benefits of Aromatherapy are scientifically proven yet, it is quite popular as an alternative treatment.  Here are the top 3 benefits of Aromatherapy:

  1. When the essential aromatic oils are inhaled by burning them through a mist fountain or a diffuser, the inhalation of essential oils influences our limbic system of your brain – It strengthens your immune system and acts as an effective disease prevention agent.
  2. Aromatherapy is known for its positive impact on our mood.  It is ideal for relieving stress and calming the nervous system.  A clinical research led by Ohio state university has proven a strong co-relation between lemon oil aromatherapy and relaxation and positive mood.
  3. New-age therapists believe that distilled aromatherapy oils are created from highly cultivated plants that have an essence of “life-force.”  The healing of body not only happens because of the interaction between aromatherapy chemicals and our senses, but also because of these “life-forces” from the plants that balance and promote our health at cellular level.

Aromatherapy is well known in several Asian cultures.  Among the western cultures, it is most widely used in France because of its open-minded medical community.

There are several modes of aromatherapy applications – one of the main modes is aerial diffusion via a diffuser or a mist fountain.  Several massage therapists also use it through topical application during their therapy sessions.  Modern ultrasonic technology has enabled the diffusion of essential oils in a form of a mist through a mist fountain – doing so has two fold benefits – One is that it adds moisture to the air, and second being that it creates an aromatic atmosphere.

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Here’s a great video that shows Shishi Odoshi Fountain (Deer Chaser) in action.  This video was created after doing a shishi odoshi setup video.  Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this video, you can easily get started with setting up your own shishi odoshi fountain – Here’s the video that covers shish-odoshi setup instructions:

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bedroom feng shuiThe bedroom is one of the most important aspects of your home. It provides a place to rest, revitalize, and enhance your romantic relationship to the next level.   A well designed and feng shui centric bedroom replenishes your mind, body, and spirit.

Here are the 3 must-read techniques on applying feng shui to your bedroom to add vigor and passion to your love-life:

  1. Your bedroom is your refuge – surround it with the objects you love to see, touch, smell, and hear. Make it a place of integration for all your senses. It is best to have a bedroom in the back of a house to avoid the noisy traffic and outside noises. It is recommended that you keep only a few books by the bedside. Remove computers, work-related stuff, bills, TV’s, and other large electronic equipments from the bedroom. If there is no way to remove these items, hide them under a curtain or place them in a drawer. Removing the clutter and electronics from your bedroom enables the resistance-free circulation of energy, aka, ?chi? in your bedroom.
  2. Bedroom décor should be filled with soft and soothing colors. If you prefer warmer colors, consider the creams, pinks, peaches, and earth tones. If you prefer cooler colors, consider going with light greens, blues, and lavender. Specific color combination has an impact on your mood and your feelings. For instance, it is believed that the colors like pink and peach invite love and romance, whereas t he colors like red or burgundy bring passion and excitement.
  3. Bedroom furniture that is made from natural materials integrates very well with the feng shui theory. Especially, wooden furniture made from pine, oak, teak or rattan deliver the earth’s energy to your bedroom and brings stability to your life. It is ideal if the headboards of your bed are made from solid wood since they bring in the energy of trees.

Apply these classic feng shui principles to enhance the serenity, bliss, and romance in your life. A vibrant love-life influences all areas of your life. Whether it is Valentine’s Day or Christmas, sharing it with someone your deeply love and are passionate about makes all the difference in your life. Whether you want to create a fulfilling, loving, and passionate relationship with someone new, or simply deepen your existing relationship to the next level, principles of feng shui are bound to help you in your journey of life.

Enhancing your home with with feng shui is more than just adding a tabletop fountain to it.  It is the soothing sanctuary of your home.  To learn more about feng shui applications, visit Feng Shui expert Maureen Calamia’s Green Feng Shui portal.

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1215934_54195993Your child’s bedroom should be filled with elements that enhance the imagination, self-esteem, and learning abilities.    An abundance of technological toys and flying animals cause subconscious fear in your child’s mind.

The décor items that convey your child’s goals and personality should be an integral part of your feng shui enhanced child bedroom.  It is important to keep it in sync with child’s growth – a delicate balance of future aspirations and present life.

A clutter-free bedroom is highly important, especially because a child’s bedroom can easily get cluttered with toys and objects that are collected over the years.  These objects create un-necessary stimulation making it difficult for the child to develop focus and concentration.

Some teens tend to have graphical imagery that is violent, depressing, and sexual.  Instead, instill the importance of positive and inspiring imagery from the young age by adding a manifestation board to your child’s bedroom.

While feng shui application to your kids room has its own benefits, there are benefits to applying these principles to your life as well.  applying feng shui principles to your bedroom will turn it into an oasis of love, connection, and blissful sleep.  Your bedroom is your sanctuary where you leave all the stress behind  and connect with your loved one at all the level – body, mind, and spirit.  Feng shui enhancements to your bedroom add serenity, rejuvenation, and intimacy to your life.  It renews your spirit and creates a harmony throughout your day.

A tabletop fountain is not an ideal bedroom decor item as it generates a lot of “chi”, however, if you bedroom has a fireplace, a nice little tabletop fountain would make a great addition to it.

To learn more about how to apply feng shui to your home, consider talking to a feng shui consultant.

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10040DBamboo water spouts are perfect for Japanese gardens.  They fill your garden with “zen” aura and look absolutely gorgeous.

There are three main types of bamboo spout fountains:

  • Vertical Bamboo Spout Fountain:  This type of fountains are made from two bamboo spouts.  There design is as their name suggests – they are taller in posture and the vertical bamboo spout is longer than the horizontal bamboo spout.  They make perfect fountains when they are placed at distance mainly because they create a visually appealing water feature by displaying the mild flow of water from the horizontal spout onto the container.  The container used for this type of spouts need to be atleast 10″ deeper so as to create a mild splashing sound of water.
  • Horizontal Bamboo Spout Fountain: They make great fountains for tabletop or indoor use.  They sit horizontally the edge of the container that holds the water.  It is possible to decorate the pottery bowl that holds the water with flowers and other live plants because the bamboo spouts have horizontal design style.

To learn more about bamboo spout designs and features, visit the bamboo water spout lens on squidoo.

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Valentine's DayA water fountain makes an unmatched and thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift.  They represent three unique characteristics: Love, Sustainability, and Prosperity.

Endless flow of incessantly re-circulating water in a water fountain represents your ceaseless love for your loved one.  The strong alliance of incessant love and faith is established between both of you with this unparalleled sacred gift.

Several distinct types of water fountains are available these days. You may design a tabletop fountain on your own as well.  It does not take too much work to design your own indoor fountain.  Japanese bamboo fountains, known as shishi odoshi, are great gifts for people who love gardening and outdoors.  Anyone can design a shishi odoshi fountain.  The whole process takes less than 4 hours and the end result is a exquisite shishi odoshi fountain.

In addition to love and prosperity, water fountain also symbolize sustainability.  When you give a gift of a water fountain, you communicate in a subtle manner that your love for your Valentine is unceasing, just like the Continual flow of water from the fountain.  A desk fountain acts an agent that unifies love and affection for your loved one.

If you are looking for a authentic transcendental present, nothing beats a glorious tabletop fountain in that category.  A pleasant bamboo fountain or a shishi odoshi bamboo spout is perfect gift of an individual who relishes exploring cultural and sacred realms.  Strengthen the sacred alliance between you and your partner by giving a tabletop fountain.

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Shishi Odoshi is a traditional Japanese bamboo fountain.  Only a few garden enthusiasts know about it so it hasn’t attained the popularity it deserves in western culture.  A shishi odoshi was originally created by Japanese farmers to scare away the birds and deers from their rice farms.  This classic fountain is designed in such a way that it makes a soft clacking sound on a periodic basis.  This sound is also perfect for meditating.  Most of the Japanese tea gardens have either Shishi Odoshi or Tsukubai fountain at the entrance symbolizing spiritual cleansing (similar to ablution ritual performed in Catholic churches).  Here’s a complete guide on how to design a shishi odoshi.

Bamboo has singular place in Japanese Civilization.  Its abilities to resist harsh conditions is paid singular importance.  Bamboo is applied in several forms of arts, trades, and buildings. Additionally, Japanese Civilization places high significance on water fountains because of its divine and sacral significances.

There are two main types of Japanese fountains:  Tsukubai fountain and Shishi-Odoshi Fountain.  These 2 bamboo fountains represent Japan’s unique ethnic factors. Literal translation of Tsukubai in English language is “to bend”.  Tsukubai fountain symbolizes sacredness and sanctity.  It is more often than not positioned at the entryway of the tea-house. Japan’s cultural traditions require individuals to execute a purifying ritual prior to starting the cultural or religious observance. Area around the Tsukubai fountain is created very cautiously. Ishidoro (a stone lantern) is positioned by this artistic fountain.

The Shishi odoshi fountain is another Japanese bamboo fountain that has sacked up its place in the Japanese Culture.  It was originally applied by Japanese farmers to scare off the birds and deers.  Modern age use of shishi odoshi is primarily as a beautiful garden water feature.  Americans value this bamboo water fountain a lot because of its special scheming and fresh aesthetic visual aspect.  It is recognized as rocking bamboo fountain in USA.   It has gained popularity because of the periodic soft clacking sound it makes, making it an ideal choice for meditation or spa.  NJ Accountants and business owners find bamboo fountains as a sign as good fortune and auspiciousness.

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Beautiful Mini Moonshadow Fountain

by Amy C. on January 12, 2010

Mini Moonshadow fountain is a miniature tabletop fountain.  It is made from original slate material and has elegant copper finish to it.  This beautiful fountain unifies powerful feng shui elements in one place: water element, earth element, and metal element.  Re-circulating water is considered to be a symbol of sustainability, copper is the metal element representing wealth and protection, and the element of earth is represented by slate, symbolizing stability.  The mini moonshadow fountain is known for its ability to enhance the ambiance and calmness of your indoors.

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A Relaxing WaterfallFeng Shui was developed by the Chinese to enhance the energy patterns of their indoors in an aesthetic fashion. The literal translation of feng shui is “wind & water”.  Traditional civilizations of Asia had a lot of reverence for the Gods of Wind and Water.  Pleasing the Gods of Wind and Water was one of their important rituals and was believed to bring good luck.

Feng Shui applications of water fountains are:

1.  The electric pumps that are used in water fountains were once used by rice farmers in their farms.  In the olden days, only the wealthy and lucky farmers were able to afford electrical pumps.  Because of this, there has been a symbolic connection between electric pumps and riches.   In addition, the power of electricity is startling.  This power is multiplied in effect when combined with water.  If electrical energy is yan, the water is yin.  The integration of these two forces make water fountain a peculiar feng shui element.

2. Water fountains constantly re-circulate the water leaving alone in higher charges of khi, i.e. energy.  Because of the accumulated chi, individuals experience augmented productiveness and creativeness.

3. Dressing the bamboo water fountain with a green plant like bamboo or any other indoor plant results in vivid and live indoors.  The air quality of indoors is improved because of the oxygen brought out from these green plants.

4. The trickling sounds of water producted from tabletop fountains are perfect to unwind your mind from the daily tension. These sounds of water mellow out your stress instantly.

5. The river stones and mountain rocks that are placed in the water fountains bring the centuries old preserved energy with them.  According to Feng shui traditional knowledge, this divine energy lets loose your good luck and bring about positivity in your life.

When feng shui is applied in your household, it unleashes your creativity and helps you create the life that you have always desired.  The ancient science of feng shui is believed to have substantial affect in one’s life if applied correctly.  To learn more about feng shui application in your life, visit your local feng shui consultant.

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White Noise Signal

White Noise Signal

White noise is a form of random noise with flat power density.  It has the ability to cut through the background noise, and filters out higher and lower frequency noise signals.

White noise has many applications, some of which are listed below:

  • White noise machines act as sleep enhancers.
  • Large corporations like Bank of America and ExxonMobil have started to apply white noise in their office locations to reduce the inter-office noise pollution and reduce the affects of distractions caused by cube-side conversations.
  • White noise is used in several audio equipments for production of electronic music to equalize the music signals.
  • White noise is also used in shrines and meditation centers to increase focus and concentration while keeping mind and body in relaxed state.
  • White noise is believed to be an effective cure for migraines.
  • White noise is also believed to be have soothing properties to help individuals suffering from high blood pressure problems.

It is clear that white noise, when used appropriately, has many fold benefits.

Although the benefits of white noise are well known, not a lot of people know that the white noise is generated from water fountains as well.  In addition to white noise generation, water fountains have several other benefits. To learn more about water fountain applications and benefits, read my ezinearticle on Tabletop Fountain Benefits – Discover the 5 Important Benefits of Tabletop Water Fountains

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lens1249530_orangeonlyOne of my very recent mist fountain squidoo lens  http://www.Squidoo.com/Mist-Fountain explores the topic of mist fountains in-depth.  This is probably the most comprehensive guide on mist fountains I’ve ever seen.

Some of the topics covered in this lens are:

  • Benefits of mist fountains
  • How do mist fountain really work?
  • How to effortlessly design your own mist fountain?
  • Where to find beautiful mist fountain?

This guide is a must-read guide for every water fountain enthusiast.  Check it out here: http://www.Squidoo.com/Mist-Fountain – Don’t forget to rate this lens, and most importantly, please leave your comments at the end of the lens (in the feedback section)

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1233392_32416593The other day I was talking to one of my co-workers about how stressfull it is to pick ideal, meaningful, and symbolic holiday gifts for friends and family.

I was surprised to know that there are very few options when it comes to choosing great gifts for your coworkers and work friends.  Tabletop fountains are ideal gift items for your office friends mainly because they are perfect stress-relievers for today’s high-stress work environment.

Here are some more reasons why a tabletop fountain makes a great gift item:

  1. Work is a huge part of your life.  You spend atleast 8 hours in your office/cube atleast 5 days a week.    Now that’s a lot of hours!  It is important to personalize your work-space.  In order to combat day-to-day work stress, it is imperative to have an office-space that is filled with harmony and serenity.  Water fountains are ideal gift items because they act as high quality decorative stress relievers.
  2. A tabletop fountain symbolizes wealth and sustainability.  In traditional Asian cultures, tabletop fountains are considered to be the sign of good luck.
  3. Water fountains enhance the moisture-level of air in your office.   Enhanced air-quality helps you combat nasal allergies, nasal congestion, dry-skin issues, and dandruff issues.
  4. Cordless fountains for perfect for individuals who want to go wireless!

To learn the 4 more reasons on why and how to use tabletop fountains as corporate gifts, read the blog post Tabletop Fountains – 8 Surprising Reason Why A Tabletop Fountain Makes Perfect Corporate Gift Item!

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1036The Indoor temperature control appliances like heaters generally reduce the indoor humidity level and thereby cause the air quality to deteriorate.

Indoor air humidification has several benefits:

  1. Reduces dry skin symptoms, dandruff symptoms, and itchy eyes symptoms.  (drinking a lots of water is must to help deal with these issues)
  2. A moisture rich air helps us in relieving the symptoms of asthma, sinus allergies, chapped lips, and nasal congestion issues.
  3. Humidifying the indoor air also helps you in keeping your wooden furniture free from cracks.
  4. Indoor humidification helps you keep a healthy tone of voice by moisturizing your throat and nasal passages.
  5. A recent scientific study shows  that the right level of humidity helps you get a great sleep.   To learn more, read this article:  Mist Fountains – A Perfect Solution to Your Sleeping Problems

To discover the 6 Killer benefits of humidifying your indoors, check out this Tabletop Fountains Blog Entry.

Read this article on the mist fountain blog to learn how a mist fountain can help you humidify your indoors!

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Ann Bingley Gallops - Feng Shui Consultant & Speaker

Ann Bingley Gallops - Feng Shui Consultant & Speaker

Ann Bingley Gallops, a Feng Shui Consultant in NYC,  has written an article with excellent introduction to feng shui.

Here are some noteworthy points that I learned from this awesome article on Feng Shui Introduction:

  • Feng shui is an ancient art that spans over in several specific areas and life situations.  For a total newbie, it is a lot easier to understand feng shui if the focus is on “big-picture” rather than on the specific situations.
  • Simply put, Feng Shui is an art of improving your life by making simple changes in the space that you surround yourself with on a day-to-day basis.
  • Your spaces should be arranged in such a way that it allows the life force energy “chi” to flow smoothly and easily.

For interesting details, read the full article on An Introduction to the Amazing Ancient Art of Feng Shui.

To learn more about how to improve your life through Feng Shui applications, visit Ann Bingley Gallops ‘Joy of Chi‘ blog.

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Tabletop Fountain Design How-To’s

by Amy C. on November 6, 2009

Design Your Own Stuff

Design Your Own Stuff

I’m glad to have found this highly informative set of articles on eHow on the topic of how to design Tabletop Fountains.

Most of these articles talk about design and creation of tabletop fountains from the day-to-day stuff that you have in your home.  It’s a pretty good resource for any fountain enthusiast.

If you are a tabletop fountain enthusiast, you might also enjoy these tabletop fountain articles that I’ve been writing over the course of last few months.

And finally, if you are really into designing specialty fountains like a shishi odoshi fountain or a wall fountain, check out my squidoo lens on how to design a shishi odoshi fountain, and how to design a wall fountain.

Cheers to all you DIY enthusiasts!

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3 Hidden Benefits of A Mist Fountain

by Amy C. on November 4, 2009

ice blueA Mist fountain has several benefits beyond its decorative applications.  Here are some mist water fountain benefits that haven’t been noticed by most of the people:

  • Mist fountain increases negative ions in the air that surrounds it thereby purifying the air.  This results in improved mental clarity.
  • Mist fountains help you get better sleep because the add humidity to the air that you breath.  This study conducted by Harvard Medical School connects temperature and air humidity as factors influencing sleep and wakefulness.
  • Mist fountains help relieve sinus allergies by humidifying the air that you breath.  Netipot helps you relieve the sinus issues, and breathing moist air created by misting fountain helps you keep the sinus allergies away from you!

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Maureen K. Calamia - Feng Shui/Green Living Consultant

Maureen K. Calamia - Feng Shui/Green Living Consultant

Feng Shui developed about 4000 years.  It originally is an art form that was developed by the Chinese civilization to enhance the positive life force energy “chi”  within the living spaces.

What makes Maureen’s Feng Shui consulting unique is that she combines the Green living concepts with Feng Shui.  In addition to being a Feng Shui Consultant, Maureen is certified Building Biology Practicitioner (BBP).  Integration of green living concepts with Feng Shui is one of the best ways to create sustainable and  soothing living spaces.  It’s the fusion of old world science with new world science.

To learn about how Feng Shui can help you create and enhance the peace and prosperity in your life, visit Maureen’s Green Feng Shui Consulting portal.

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Win A Free Feng Shui Tabletop Fountain!

by Amy C. on October 24, 2009

Slate Falls-NCSLAThis beautiful feng shui tabletop fountain could be yours when you enter this awesome contest – free slate falls fountain giveaway

Made from natural slate and hand made copper bowl, this beautiful fountain culminates several feng shui elements in one focal point: copper for form and organization, slate for groundedness and stability, and water for wealth and prosperity – this feng shui fountain is a must have for feng shui fountain lovers.

Learn more about this contest at free tabletop fountain giveaway contest

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How To Choose Plants For Your Pond?

by Amy C. on October 23, 2009

Water Lillies

Water Lillies

There are three types of plants that grow in the ponds. The first type of plant is called floater plants and their leaves float on the surface of the water. They have very short roots. The other variety has roots deep inside the water and leaves both inside and on the surface of the water. The last type of plant has only underwater foliage. Many people like to use water lilies as they look pretty. However water lilies need to be selected carefully depending on the size and the depth of the pond. In fact most under water plants grow very fast and need pruning.

Gord Nickel has been a professional horticulturalist for almost 30 years. Taken from his popular TV show, Gord, who has been working in gardens since he was 15 years old, teaches easy, fun gardening skills.

Planting the floaters and the underwater oxygenates is not at all difficult. They have to be just tossed into the water. The plants with roots need to be planted properly. First the roots must be cleaned of all the dead foliage and the algae. Then the roots should be planted in plastic buckets filled with aquatic compost. Then these baskets can be topped up with bricks and suspended under water. The bricks will help to anchor the roots.

Choice of Plants

Marginal plants grow well in shallow water or around the edges of ponds. Marginal plants grow equally well when their roots are under water or in the soil around the edge of the ponds. However the ideal condition is to grow the roots in shallow water. Bog plants are also suitable for such areas. Care should be taken while planting these as the roots of some plants may even pierce their baskets.

Planting scheme

The plants should be planted as per a predetermined scheme to ensure that they have a good visual affect when they grow up. Depth of the water will vary from 12 inches to quarter of an inch. The edges should be used to plant the specie with less foliage. As you go further into the pond the mud surface can be used to plant the variety with more foliage. A bit of experimentation will also help.

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Moisture loving plants

Some plants thrive in a moist environment. They require high humidity and damp earth. These types of plants are ideally placed in areas that connect your pond with the rest of the garden. Bog plants are those that will survive in boggy soil. Moisture loving plants may tolerate the boggy soil but the ideal condition for them to survive and thrive is damp soil and moist conditions.

Planting

The beds of the plants should be prepared carefully by adding organic material. If the soil is very sandy soil granules should be added. Always check out the root depth and the foliage height of the plants you are buying and see if it will be suitable for your site. The height of the foliage should be so planned that the moisture plants have maximum height. It is a good practice to obtain a sample of the plants you wish to use. Use them to see if the plants adopt to your local conditions. Visit as many gardens as you can so that you get a fair idea of what you require before ordering it.

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Mist Fountain Design

by Amy C. on October 21, 2009

A blog post I came across does a great job at explaining how to design a mist fountain

Here’s an excellent youtube video on mist fountain:

Mist fountains are especially known for their soothing benefits in aromatherapy as well as their applications as humidifiers.  Some of the modern mist fountains have LED’s incorporated in their design to create a visually stimulating environment in your indoors.   Some have a wireless controller to control the color changing led lights.

Overall, mist fountain are beautiful fountains with very useful applications.

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The Hidden Benefits of A Six-Level Waterfall

by Amy C. on October 16, 2009

Garden Waterfall - Courtesy California Waterscapes

Garden Waterfall - Courtesy California Waterscapes

According to one of the best kept feng shui secrets , building a six-level waterfall activates two of the most important feng shui stars: the mountain star and the water star.

In feng shui, mountain star enhances your relationship luck and thereby helps you create and maintain harmonious and loving relationships. The water star activates the wealth luck and helps you take your financial wealth and prosperity to the next level. Both of these starts (mountain start and water star) are considered to be equally good and important.

The mountain stars are activated by presence of crystals that are found deep under the ground and inside the mountains.  Crystal is considered to be an ultimate earth energizer because of the concentrated amount of energy contained in it from the millions of years of rock formation and geological transformation.

A waterfall is a combination of rocks and water – i.e. mountain star and water star.

A waterfall signifies the unification of three forms of energy:  heaven, earth, and human.  This trinity of three energy forms is considered to be excellent feng shui combination.

Six tiers are of these waterfall are of significance because of the number 6 – which symbolizes heaven.  Ecologically, water flows down the mountains and brings happiness to people living in the area below the mountains.  Similarly, water flowing down the top tiers of heaven is believed to bring happiness and wealth to the lower tiers of earth.

Considering adding some carp fish to the waterfall base if you want to add life and brightness to the waterfall base.  You may also add some plants and lillies.

Citation:
Too, Lillian. 168 Feng Shui Ways To A Calm & Happy Life. New York: Sterling Publishing Company Inc., 2005. Print.

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Zen Living The Zen Living: 3 Easy Steps To Effortlessly Master Zen Living eloquently describes the top three zen principles that everyone should adhere to when practicing zen lifestyle.

They are:

  1. Master Your Posture - The quintessential principle of zen living is the practice of correct posture for the sake of posture, and not for achieving a specific state of mind or feeling.  Straight spin, relaxed shoulders, and pulled in chin helps you naturally relax and get in touch with your body.  This is how you become present in the moment.  You do not do this as a means of obtaining right state of mind – you do this as a means of doing it in and of itself.
  2. Deep Breathing – One of the most under-rated zen practices is the art of breathing deep.  We do it so often that we forget about doing it right.  The key is not to worry about whether you are doing it right or wrong, but to rather focus on the breathing itself.  When you focus on your breathing, we get in touch with our true zen nature.
  3. Give up the Control – Be the water not the rock, wisely said Bruce Lee.  With constantly changing foreground, the only thing that stays same is the background – the perfectly balanced nature of your zen nature.  Don’t try to control your mind, or the images and thoughts that pop up in your mind.  Rather, let them come, and let them go.  Be aware of it.  This is not easy – it requires some special effort.

If you truly want to practice zen in your everyday life, you have to understand the meaning of keeping your mind on your breathing and your body in the right posture in zen.  Only in this way can you experience the vital freedom that Zen brings to you.

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Feng Shui & Tabletop Fountains

Feng Shui & Tabletop Fountains

Tabletop fountains are an ideal feng shui application in many ways – here are the top ten ways in which you can integrate tabletop fountains with feng shui:

  • Flowing water in a tabletop fountain symbolizes active chi – the life force of universe.  Having a tabletop fountain helps you attract more chi in your life.
  • Adding plants or other living objects to a tabletop fountains (e.g. a green bamboo) can help you revitalize your indoors with breath of fresh air!
  • Mist fountains help you create mild and enchanting fog – adding a few drops of essential oils to mist fountains serves the purpose of aromatherapy.  This helps you rejuvenate your senses and refresh you mind.
  • Sounds of water is the essence of feng shui – it signifies health and vitality.

To read the full article, look into Feng Shui Applications Of Tabletop Fountain

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