Guest Author - Diane Kern

The Feng Shui Connection To A Healthy Life, a guide to healthy living and high vitality by Mary Jane Kasliner is a book worth having in your library. The author is a former health care provider and as such has intriguing insights into the use of feng shui as a vehicle for improving one’s health. Ms. Kasliner is director and founder of the Teaching Tortoise School of Feng Shui and 5 Elements Designs consulting services.

This book, as do many others, starts with an introduction to the origins of feng shui. This includes a straight forward and easy to understand explanation of the eight trigrams that are so important in feng shui as well as information on the evolution of the Chinese compass, and the four celestial animals.

A chapter devoted to qi (chi) explains the division of heaven, man and earth qi. The chakra systems and the use of foods to enhance qi, direction and seasons are all touched upon. You will find in this book that the same subjects return chapter after chapter. Each time a subject reappears there is new information revealed. This unfolding creates a unique structure different from other feng shui books available. You will have to decide for yourself if this is an effective means for imparting information. I myself found it an interesting way to approach the subject.

Yin and yang and the five elemental energies are subjects that run throughout the study of feng shui. They are discussed in terms of environment, qualities of behavior and personality, food and the supportive, reducing and controlling cycles. You will also find the calculations necessary to determine your personal ming gua (birth trigram) as well as short descriptions of the personality characteristics associated with each ming gua.

Another chapter deals with the connection between earth and man made energies and disease. Ley lines, energy grids, dowsing, electro magnetic stress are discussed as are the problems created by common household appliances. Protective measures are suggested.

What would a feng shui book be without a discussion of land forms? Among the most important considerations in choosing a property are the quality of the earth, the surroundings, building materials, lot and building shapes. This chapter on the human living space offers many examples and suggestions. The designing the essential rooms for health chapter walks you through a house and discusses what to look out for in each room. Guidelines are incorporated to help you improve each area.

The remainder of the book discusses topics not really part of feng shui such as space clearing, clutter control, auras, qi gong, crystals and western and eastern astrology. But that makes them no less interesting.

Throughout the book you will find useful charts and distinctive illustrations. It is easy to read, well organized and useful. Pick up a copy. You will find yourself referring to it often.