Guest Author - Aisling DArt

FENG SHUI IN 5 MINUTES by Selena Summers is a breath of fresh air.

In the late 1990s, people discovered how well feng shui works. In the years that followed, the market was flooded with books. Many of them were excellent, but even more were written to make money from what seemed like a fad. Even today, I still hold my breath when I see a new feng shui book.

By contrast, Feng Shui in Five Minutes by Selena Summers is fun, innovative, and offers something different from the usual feng shui books.

Ms. Summers works with "Dragon Door" feng shui, which shares much with Black Hat Sect feng shui. The bagua is determined by the entry door rather than the compass directions. However, like most well-written feng shui books, you can apply Ms. Summers' recommendations no matter how you orient the bagua (or pa kua).

Instead of starting with a dissertation on the elements, the corners, the bagua, and the cycles, Ms. Summers gets right to business. Her book is almost entirely questions and answers, and you can select any one that interests you and apply her advice in about five minutes.

She also writes with refreshing wit and humor. For example, when discussing the power locations in any room, she advises, "If young children are already rebellious, don't let them watch TV late at night sitting in power seats. You may never get them to bed." (This is in a chapter, "Good Feng Shui, Room by Room.")

She also keeps feng shui simple, which is great for beginners, but also a worthwhile refresher for professionals. I've been practicing feng shui for over ten years, and I'm delighted to be reminded of how much fun it is to find clever design solutions to challenging problems.

Ms. Summers' chapter, "The Nine Celestial Cures" isn't the usual "stick a mirror on the wall to expand an area" advice. Instead, she talks about a wealth of solutions to feng shui dilemmas. From shiny ribbons to the merits of a grandfather clock, her advice is fresh, exciting, and wonderful. And, she keeps it all simple and fun.

For beginners or for experienced feng shui consultants, this book is well worth owning.

For example, Ms. Summers explains why it's better to eat upstairs in a split-level home, and which floor your apartment should be on, for the best luck. In fact, she often gives advice for people who rent and cannot paint or significantly change where they live. She has an entire chapter called "Transform Your Apartment's Energy." That makes this book especially useful.

Then there are the funky questions, such as what to do if you want a marriage proposal in the next 18 months. Her advice combines feng shui and positive thinking for delightful results.

Ms. Summers also uses common sense. For most feng shui problems, she suggests two or three different solutions; one of them is sure to work in terms of your budget, design preferences, and location.

Finally, Ms. Summers adds fun with a chapter about lucky charms that are suited to the year of your birth, and how to use those charms day and night. Is this serious? Only if you want it to be. Her information is accurate, and her tone is light. It's a good combination.

I highly recommend this book, no matter how much (or little) you know about feng shui, or which form of feng shui you're using. It's delightful reading, and offers innovative ideas that are quick and easy to apply.





Or, order "Feng Shui in 5 Minutes" direct from the publisher, Llewellyn books.

To learn more about Feng Shui, see my many other BellaOnline columns. For more free and current Feng Shui ideas, including updated book reviews, see my website, Shui To Go! (pronounced "shway to go!").