Hawaii here we come! This summer were planning on taking our daughter and her family, including our 3-year-old grandson, to Hawaii. My excitement of seeing the tropics through his 3-year-old eyes is palpable. I want to ensure that good energy follows us throughout the planning process as well as the_entire trip. Therefore I’m turning to Feng Shui to help me throughout the entire process.
Where are you going this summer? Are you dreaming of exotic faraway places, fun family vacations, or even peaceful retreats? How do you get there? How do you make it happen?
Feng Shui can help you achieve your travel goals. Just as in every other facet of life, achievement follows intention, visualization, and affirmations. “Picture it and it will happen…” Positive affirmation, enhancements and vision boards in the Helpful People/Travel area play a large role. You achieve your goals when you focus clearly on what you want to accomplish and then take action accordingly.
In the Feng Shui Bagua (Ba-gua) Map (Pictured), represented as a grid of nine sectors, the Helpful People and Travel area is located in the front right corner of your home/office/business. The Bagua comes from the Chinese philosophy, “The I Ching,” and literally means “eight trigrams, with the Center being for grounding.” In the “I Ching” the Helpful People/Travel area of your home or business, located in the front right corner, is associated with the qualities of synchronicity, inspiration and confidence. When everything is aligned, people and places give us the inspiration and guidance we need. There are many stories of people being at the right place at the right time, and their lives being transformed and enhanced by words or actions of those they met, or by visiting a special place which changes their lives forever.
Enhancements for enhancing the Helpful People and Travel area in your home or business: * Art, photos, collages or figures pertaining to spiritual guides, and/or mentors or helpful people * Special places where you have traveled or want to travel (Create a Vision Board – see below) * Items in colors of white, black or grey * Things made of metal – brass, steel, pewter, silver, gold, aluminum, copper etc. * Quotes, affirmations and sayings pertaining to Helpful People and Travel
Creating a Vision Board for Travel:
A vision, or a dream board, is an excellent way to focus your energy and display your goals. Since the focus of this column is on travel, you will create a board that will reflect places you want to go. Make a collage of pictures, words and phrases that reflect where you want to be and how you want to feel when you get there. Put pictures of yourself in the scenario; act as if you’re already there. I have created a beautiful Hawaii board with pictures of palm trees, beaches and our family.
The Helpful People and Travel area is enhanced by the metal element, therefore black and white photos, white poster board, black or metal borders or frames, and/or items of metal such as foreign coins, metal objects,. Finally, place your written affirmations on your board as if they have already happened, and state these on a regular basis.
A Missing Helpful People and Travel area:
If your Helpful People and Travel area is missing from your floor plan, you can anchor the area by doing one or a combination of the following cures: Anchor the missing area structurally using the metal element wherever possible, such as building a trellis or deck, planting flowers in a flower garden or planter boxes in white, adding a large stone statue of a spiritual guide or placing a large rock on the corner, or a metal seating area. (This could be a beautiful meditation area). If the area outside is not accessible, you can symbolically anchor from the inside by hanging a 30 mm round faceted crystal, placing a mirror, and/or your travel pictures or vision board on the inside wall by the missing area.
Travel Feng Shui Kit:
Through your visualizing and affirmations, you have now arrived at your destination; but sometimes we don’t have the opportunity to book the perfect room. Whatever the reason, it is smart to travel with a small Feng Shui Kit. You can put one together by selecting small, lightweight items that boost, balance and circulate the Ch’i in any environment. For example, use a jewelry bag containing 4 round faceted crystals on strings, 4 small angels made of thick paper, 4 tea lights in their own metal cups, cleansing incense such as pine or sandalwood. When used, these items can transform a room from grim to agreeable. Also include all the necessary items such as thumb tacks, safety pins, matches, string. Also include a multicolored scarf representing the colors of the five elements (white, black, green or blue, yellow and red hues). Using the Bagua, start at the front entrance to the room and place one crystal in front of a window, and place angels in the Health, Wealth and Love areas. If the room feels especially stagnant, hang a crystal in the center of the room. Set up a place of beauty in the area where you would see as you wake up; use a 5 element cloth, incense, candles, angels and fresh flowers when available. Choose items that are light, travel well and are available at a moment’s notice.
Feng Shui at Work:
A client had dreamed of a trip to Italy for years, but life kept interfering with her plans. During our consultation we determined that her Helpful People/Travel area was in her garage. We began by cleaning and decluttering it, and then I had her create her Italy Vision Board on a large white poster board to display in front of her car, where she would see it each time she pulled in. She had so much fun cutting out pictures of the places she wanted to visit. She had heard about the scenic hike in Cinque Terre and was determined to make that part of her trip. On her board she placed pictures of each of the 5 cities and pictures of herself hiking. She decorated it with words like “Italy, Tuscany, Milan, Rome, Cinque Terre, fun, affordable, magical etc…” Her excitement began showing and soon her friends became interested in the trip. They offered to go with her and together found an affordable_venue and flight. The trip took on a life of its own. They had a fabulous time, well exceeding her expectations. I was invited to view their pictures and, seeing her success, her friends also signed up for Feng Shui Consultations.
Years ago, as I was reading Terah Collin’s book “The Western Guide to Feng Shui”, my creative daughter took it upon herself to create a Feng Shui Kit in a blue plastic makeup case for my birthday. What an amazing and useful gift! She cut out 9 angels in the colors of the Bagua, included crystals, red string, a beautiful sheer red metallic scarf with stripes of the Bagua colors, many Bagua colored candles, incense and holder. I think of her each time I use it. When traveling by plane, I select a few of the items to place in a more transportable case. It works beautifully, and the candles make for those romantic nights with my husband.
Affirmations:
Remember that in Feng Shui, intent plays a significant role in enhancing any area of your home or business. That’s why all enhancements need to be made with intentionality; written or stated affirmations are very important. It is also important for them to be expressed as if they are already happening. Examples or affirmations for the Helpful People and Travel area: “I travel as often as I like, to the places I want to visit.” “I have traveled to every place on my vision board and have met wonderful new friends.”

Feng Shui on a Shoestring:
Feng Shui enhancements do not have to cost a great deal. The wonderful thing about creating vision boards is that they can be created with anything you have around your home: photographs, drawings, magazine pictures, pictures downloaded from the computer and any kind of background poster board, paper, and cloth imaginable. None of these costs a lot but the benefits are priceless.
For questions or home consultations email at mtmccull@aol.com and put “Feng Shui” on the subject line, or visit my website at www.fengshuibymaria.com, (where you can read past columns), or Facebook “Feng Shui by Maria”, where I post pictures as examples to enhancements.
* Check out my BLOG – Just go to the website and click on “Blog”: You can view many pictures and, I will respond to your questions quickly.
Until then…Blessings!

Maria McCullough, a Benicia resident, is the owner / founder of Feng Shui by Maria (www.fengshuibymaria.com) and is a speaker and educator with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in residential, landscape and business consultations. She is a graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui and has personally trained with Terah Kathryn Collins, founder of the Western School of Feng Shui, specializing in Essential Feng Shui® and author of numerous books including “The Western Guide to Feng Shui.”

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