Posted on 01/01/2007 6:08:37 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
The administrative office in Fulmore Middle School is probably the last place anybody would expect to see a tiny crystal hanging from the ceiling. But the spinning object isn't just for show at the Central Austin school: It's good feng shui. Stacy Davenport, a feng shui consultant, has spent the past two months bringing the basics of the ancient Chinese philosophy to the campus grounds, offices and classrooms. Feng shui emphasizes using space and colors as a way to achieve harmony with the environment.
The crystal on the office ceiling is meant to deflect energy. The back wall is painted red to activate vision. Wind chimes both inside and outside the office "help to bring song into the space," she said. Davenport was asked to donate her services by a friend, Ellen Miller, who volunteered at the school through the Austin Rotary Club. Another feng shui devotee, Miller said she encountered a lot of negative energy at the school last year. "The energy was so bad and down," she said. "Now, it's heading uphill." Students and teachers painted two main areas of the administrative offices and cleaned the entire school: hallways, cafeteria, bathroom and 75 classrooms.
"Schools have so much more different kinds of energy," Davenport said while strolling the grounds one recent afternoon. "Plus, (kids) are so sensitive. If you shift the energy, they'll feel it." Yolanda Melendez, a sixth-grade teacher, incorporated information about feng shui into a lesson about Asia. She also reorganized her classroom, moving her desk to the "power" area in the back, decorating her room with purple and green accents and putting pictures in a corner, meant to emphasize a connection to others. She said the change has been good. "I totally believe in feng shui," Melendez said. "I believe it's made a difference to the attitude of students and the overall atmosphere of the school."
Counselor Jeffrey Healey agrees. "When people put forth the effort and energy, you see a change in the staff," he said. Davenport said she sees a larger benefit to the seemingly small changes: "You're touching over 1,100 people immediately here, and then there's the rippling effect into the community." Davenport hopes to work with six schools annually. In addition to Fulmore, she has donated time to St. Stephen's Episcopal School. She plans to start at American YouthWorks and the University of Texas Elementary School in the spring.
You're not Chinese!?!?
DONNA
[pause] No.
ESTELLE
I thought you were Chinese!!
DONNA
I'm from Long Island.
ESTELLE
Long Island?!?!
I thought I was gettin' advice from a Chinese woman!!
DONNA
I'm sorry..?
ESTELLE
Well! Then, that changes everything!
GEORGE
What?!
ESTELLE
She's not Chinese; I was duped!!
GEORGE
So what?! She gave you advice; what's the difference if she's not Chinese?!?!
ESTELLE
I'm not taking advice from some girl from Long Island!!
I have received over 10 interested Freep-Mails and almost all ask the same question:
Can you get a free Feng Shui consultation when you sign up for the Life Coaching program?
YES, YES, yes for the first 40 to sign up --limited time only.
Well, I guess next week they'll bring in an Evangelical pastor, right? Oh wait, there's an imam already scheduled/s It would be nice if they could get their knuckleheads ( I mean students;) to excel in MATH and SCIENCE, like the Chinese seem to do so well, instead of "feng shui", but that won't happen either.....
OK, this is it, the last bit of free advice.
To client 138H338-1:
Take your bowling ball out of the back closet and place it next to your bed to free up energy flowing in from the glowing sunset in the west.
I'm proud to say..our house is feng shui-less.
Most of the times, I'm proud that my house is a mess and out of sorts. It means it's lived/loved in...not idolized or shrined.
Penn & Teller BS is a great series. I try to make my teenagers watch it. It's a great counter-agent to the liberal BS and helps to make them less gulible. Highly recommended, the episode on PETA was especially good.
What? Only 1 bowling ball..several that have not been used in years should be included, eh?
When my life is out of whack, instead of using Feng Shui, I just play a country music song backwards...and I get my dog back, my truck back, my gun back, my husband back, my house back... *SMIRK*
Yeah, but what happens to your beer?
I never give up my beer in the first place, LOL!
Do you dig up Paul too?
LOL!
No numbers then you have bowling ball curse!!
Crud! Does that mean I'll superglue or contact cement my fingers together?
bowling ball curse
Otherwise known as BBC. No wonder they can't report the news correctly! They have the curse. HA!
Yu velly smart for western person. Negative energy cannot fix bad yan from dangerous chemicals in house.
Arrange all chairs to point north and point super glue to west when decorating bowling ball -- this will work only if you send me money for yang.
I like your humor, BAYCB.
"Don't spend it all in one place"
I no get money!!
Here is bowling ball curse:
May all of your Democrat relatives who you don't know about who live in Arkansas on welfare, find out about you and move-in for good!
This is for real -- you cannot get out of it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.