Being Magical: The Virtual Feng Shui-ing of 300 Acres, Marlay Park

I am delighted to welcome my first ever guest blogger!  Áine Atara shares with us her wisdom on Feng Shui. Many of you know that I'm now based in a new space in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin called 300 Acres. I share this beautiful space with Emer Halpenny and Caitriona Breathnach who run ANU Skincare and Candles. We were delighted to engage Áine to come and work her Feng Shui Magic on our new space and have found it to be a powerful and enlightening process. As we gradually implement the guidance, we can really notice an energy shift taking place. I will let Áine take over from here:

Being Magical: The virtual Feng Shui-ing of 300 Acres
by Aine Atara

To be in the world right now is to live in a really unique time. While we are enjoying our technological advancements to connect to each other, many of us are also increasingly turning to more ancient ways of connecting too. In her book ‘Finding Your Way In A Wild New World’ author Martha Beck discusses the amazing magical tools available for us 21st century humans to use. She calls the ancient tools ‘the technologies of magic’ and the modern tools ‘the magical technologies’. Examples of the ancient would be the use of mandalas, and the practice of Feng Shui. An example of the modern magic would be our smart phones, and the Internet’s capabilities to connect us.

 The Feng Shui-ing of 300 Acres
When the women of 300 Acres asked for a Classical Feng Shui consult I used both kinds of magic; I completed a Virtual Visit. This means I didn’t visit in person yet I was able to read the land forms, feel the space, take dimensions, calculate compass readings and research the site all the way back to 2000 BCE. I was able to complete many calculations that have roots in 4000 year old practices based on the Magic Square.

In mathematics a magic square is a way of ordering numbers in a set and particular way. In Feng Shui we use a certain permutation of this magic; a three by three grid of squares and each square has a number 1 to 9. In the perfection of the Universe, we find that if 5 is at the centre there is just one arrangement of the remaining numbers where the addition of the three numbers either down, up, across or diagonally will add up to fifteen. This number is relevant to us all; fifteen is the number of days between the new moon and the full moon and the full moon to the new moon again. This circularity and rhythm of cycles are seen all around us. One example of this is the number fifteen being involved in ordering our days into 24 hours (360 ÷ 15 = 24). In Feng Shui calculations we also look at direction as well as time to see where there are imbalances in this perfect harmony.
 
Using contemporary technologies I was able to measure 300 Acres’ Facing and Sitting directions and from there I was able to calculate its Flying Stars Natal and Geomantic chart. With this combined knowledge I was able to advise my clients on how to fully support their new shop and what to do to correct the imbalances found in their numbers. This information was valuable to them as it turned out that their newly leased shop was a ‘Reverse’ environment.
 
There are four ways the numbers can go and these patterns are correlated with either being beneficial to health and wealth, or not.

The four types are;

1. Wang Shan, Wang Shui: Supportive for people and for money.
2. Double Sitting:                Supportive for people, but not for money.
3. Double Facing:               Supportive for money, but not for people.
4.  Reverse                         Not supportive for people or money.

 
My full client assessment and report covered much more than I can share here (and because I protect the confidentiality of everyone I work with I don’t disclose details ever) but I can share that I was able to advise Patricia, Emer and Catriona on the following;

• Where to place their cash desk for best financial flow and where to avoid placing it.
• What colours to use to support the shop.
• What colours to wear and what colour wallet each of the three owners should carry.
• Where to place the Five Element theory ‘Hua Jie’ or cures. Hua means to transform or neutralise and Jie means to understand or explain.
• Where to place affirmations, and guidelines on how to write them for each of the nine guas or palaces. Each direction relates to an aspect of the business, for example the East (3, Wood, Green) is correlated with the structuring of the business and its growth while being rooted in knowing its provenance or heritage.
• How to correct the missing gua in the West sector of the shop. The West is correlated with communication, marketing and completion of projects.
• How to activate the positive and neutralise the negative energies through the correct placement of a mirror (expanding and doubling the light), the omission of red in one area and the addition in another (red colour is the representation of the Fire element).

 
I absolutely loved consulting on this shop and brand for Healing Creations and ANU. Indeed the work Patricia and I do is very much aligned as there are many crossovers and symbology in common. The word ‘mandala’ is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘circle’ and it is a symbol of the Universe. In Feng Shui the Luo Pan compass has a circular plate that has many rings. Each describes a perfection that is related to the Taiji or Universe. This circular plate sits in a square base plate and it is this square edge that is lined up with the structure of the building being measured. Many mandalas have the square symbology too as representative of Earth and built forms. Both mandalas and Feng Shui work with focusing the mind and both are also used for establishing sacred space, externally and internally. These arts are ancient magical technologies that we moderns are appreciating more and more everyday.
 
Feng Shui Guidelines on where to hang a Mandala
Thanks for reading my guest blog post! I’ll sign off now with some Feng Shui guidelines on where you should hang a mandala;

• The most important thing is that you see it and appreciate it daily, don’t hang it too high! The middle of the piece should be at your eye level. If there are taller and shorter people in the space then compromise and go for the best height to suit all.
• You should be able to enjoy it up close to appreciate its details and also be able to see it in its entirety too. So don’t hang it behind a tall plant or in poor light.
• If your mandala is a print behind glass then go for TruVue or museum glass so that you avoid obscuring reflections of nearby lighting or windows.
• In Intentional Feng Shui terms, the ideal gua to place a mandala would be in the Northeast, as this sector is related to inner development and knowledge.
• Place a mandala anywhere you meditate or anywhere you want to add quiet strength and a calming influence.
• Always make the space as beautiful as possible around the mandala. Your environment is sacred ground and you are a sacred being! Love your space and honour yourself within it.

 
In light and kindness,
 
Áine Atara
 

aine@aineatara.com
aineatara.com
@designerfengshui

Deep gratitude to Áine for doing such amazing work on our space and for writing this wonderful guest blog. I hope you'll come and visit the space for yourself soon! We are open weekdays from 10am -12pm and from 11am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Namaste

Patricia

About Áine Atara
Áine Atara is an interior architect and Classical Feng Shui practitioner. With over 20 years experience in the construction industry she has designed corporate HQ’s in London, hotels in Europe and palaces for the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Royal families. She is a Registered Interior Designer with the British Institute of Interior Design and a Professional Member of the International Interior Design Association. Her private consultancy clients are interested in great design and personal transformation together. She is a Red Ribbon Professional with the International Feng Shui Guild and a certified life coach, training with Martha Beck. She consults on how to use interior design and Feng Shui together to delight hotel guests, please customers and retain staff by attending to employee wellness. She also consults on residences and specialises in helping people build, find or alter a home so that they are living in the most energetically supportive environment possible. She believes that the aesthetics of a design can align with taste and brand values but the full positive difference to wellbeing involves harmonising the unseen patterns too. Always looking to bring out the outer and inner beauty, her directions produce spaces more  conducive to happier working, better sleep and living well. 

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