The goal of a Japanese Garden is to restore and recreate a calmness of body, mind and spirit through a simple, understated garden presentation.
Here are some guidelines to designing your Japanese Garden:

• Keep a simple, uncluttered landscaping theme.
• Use natural materials that move through time, such as untreated high quality wood, clay, copper, and wrought iron.
• Provide contrast for balance between wild nature, and controlled elements such as a statue, path or bird bath.
• Add Small touches of color, textures and resting places.
• Honor nature, spirits and ancestors.

By
Renae Jensen
featuring Linda Cahan

What can a 3,000 year old ancient art offer to us today that can translate into a successful retail model ?
The answer is "plenty".
In today's busy world, a store must be able to attract new business, create returning clients, and generate profit.

To the Chinese, Feng Shui is not only essential in successful business strategy, it is considered mandatory. This once secretive art was once coveted by the rich and royal as a way to maintain power and financial superiority over their competition.
Today, feng shui experts are in high demand all over the world as they apply traditional concepts to modern design. Some examples of companies that have embraced feng shui are Borders Book Stores, Citibank, Chase Asia, Paine Webber, the Morgan Bank, and the very familiar and famous Donald Trump.
Feng Shui "eyes" can be a valuable asset when creating a successful design for a shop. We have asked Linda Cahan, author of "Feng Shui for Retailers" to show us some example in action. "Feng Shui for Retailers is the first and only book on practical Feng Shui for the retail community.
Enjoy,
Renae Jensen, Editor

Taking care of the earth is a sure bet ! Green choices continue to grow and branch into very unique places.
You can enjoy both the benefits of green in your game room or your casino. Applying sustainable design principles to poker tables and other casino products can significantly reduce volumes of waste and decrease use of natural resources and lower impacts on ecosystems.
EGM Green is a venture by Executive Gaming Monthly (EGM) to bring 100% Eco-Friendly gaming products to casino and luxury markets.

"Green may be every gambler's favorite color, but the thousands of players who've arrived for the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this summer will be the first to see a "green"- as in environmentally friendly - tournament poker table.
And this year's WSOP winner will go home with his or her very own "green" table, courtesy of an innovative New Jersey-based manufacturer called EGM Green. " IGWB

Eco Friendly Poker Table
What makes it Green?

This table is constructed of approximately 98% sustainable materials by weight.

• Substrate is Urea Formaldahyde Free MDF (Medium Density Fiber Board)
• 100% FSC Certified
• Certified to Contain No Added Urea Formaldehyde
• 100% Pre-Consumer Recycled Content
• Wood armrest ring is FSC certified veneer core hardwood plywood.
• "Track" is FSC Urea Formaldahyde Free MDF
• Foam is "Rebonded Foam" (bits and scraps of foam are "rebonded" to form a density suitable for gaming tables. This product is also used for carpet padding.
• Table felt material optional 100% wool or customer choice

Eric Hansel , President of EGM Green says : "I got into this because I love gambling and have always been socially conscious. I believe that when you are looking to make a huge change like the shift happening in the casino industry towards sustainability, that you need to get your product/service into the hands of as many high profile people/businesses as possible. To this end, we have partnered with Harrah's and The WSOP to promote our table and the sustainability of their point of sale."

"As fast as possible, our society is becoming more and more technologically oriented. Homes, schools, offices, entire communities are making decisions to go wireless. Cell phones are proliferating at an alarming rate. These devices were never pre-market tested for your safety. There is an incorrect assumption that the government has "approved" these and that the research shows these are safe." IBE

Cell Phone Radiation Research Results
Dr. George Carlo - M.D., PhD, Att

Independent, medical science continues to provide mounting evidence that radiation from wireless communication devices, including cell phones, cordless, and the WiFi now deployed across schools, hospitals and offices, produces dangerous health effects. Dr. George Carlo was hired by the cell phone industry in 1993 to study the safety of the product. Dr. Carlo will review the findings of the dangers posed by the microwave radiation from high frequency radiation - membrane sensitivity syndrome, penetrating the developing skulls of children, autism, Alzheimer, inflicting genetic damage that is a know diagnostic marker for cancer. Carlo brings his case to the public in this examination of the hard science and the shady politics of a reckless high tech industry.

By Ann Marie Holmes

1. Refresh your home.
Begin at the front door and proceed to open all of the doors and windows. Turn on all the lights. Turn on any water faucets and burners on stoves. Flush any toilets. Clap your hands together in all the corners. Imagine or visualize your home completely renewed. Invite all household members to participate, if possible. Carry on for 10 or 15 minutes and then proceed to close the doors and windows; turnoff all the various elements and imagine your home brimming with beauty, balance, order, and harmony. Feel personally abundant and you and the home filled with the revitalizing breath of nature. Enact the "cleanse" at new moons, times of big changes in the home life or just because it feels good.

presented by
Karen Curry and Meira Findel

1. I am a radiant, magnetic Being.

2. Abundance is my birthright and my natural state.

3. I attract everything I desire into my life with effortlessness and ease.

4. I know that unseen loving forces are supporting me constantly.

5. I focus my attention and energy on having exactly what I want manifest in my life.

6. I am fully open to the magic of the Universe helping me with every step of creation. Miracles happen to me every day.

7. I am deeply grateful for all of my life experiences. I know they are helping me expand my thinking and my consciousness.

8. My positive emotions show me that my attention is in alignment with my desires. I am on my way to creating exactly what I want.

The Dancing Helix reveals the pattern that is archetypical to all life, the wave. In watching its dance, like watching the waves where ocean meets shore or the turbulence of a mountain stream, we are both relaxed and refreshed.

Dancing Helix is a visual metaphor into the wonders and mysteries of the rhythmical resonating patterns of Nature.
From the spiraling galaxies to the vortices of a mountain stream and onto the helical DNA, we along with the entire natural world are made from these same magical wave patterns.
Dancing Helix is art, science and imaginative visioning as home or office décor.

By
Mary Jane Kasliner, AAS, BS, CFSC, RYT

I first wrote this article just prior to leaving for a trip out to California to visit some friends, and decided to bring the draft with me to review on the flight out. I remember thinking there was something missing from the article, as if the words were just that - WORDS. I decided to put the pad down once the pilot began his descent. My vacation was about to commence and I promised myself this time "all play" and "no work."

Staying with close friends in Encinitas, California, our days and evenings were unplanned. I found myself living in the moment and enjoying the present. While taking long walks on the beach, through the town or simply across the yard, the elements of nature awoke my senses. For the first time, I really noticed the texture of the earth beneath my feet, the sounds of wind chimes clamoring in the summer's breeze, a wave crashing in the distance, a bird chirping in the tree, and even a fly buzzing by my ear.

The fire element in feng shui represents light and illumination, and symbolizes transformation. It is the element of the "Fame and Reputation" sector of the bagua.

Are you achieving your goals and dreams? Are you respected and paid well for your valuable contributions? If not, then it is time to bring some "fire" into your life. This can be achieved with color, shape, symbolism, scent, and sound.
The Fire Element is represented by:
The number 9
The color Red
The gem Tiger's Eye
Essential oils such as Cinnamon
Upward Moving Energy
The shape of a Triangle
Fire and flames-Hot and Bright
In landscapes: Peaks, mountains
In Homes: Fireplaces, candles

Without fire there would be no life on earth"

When you want more activity and stimulation in your life and space, the Yang qualities of FIRE are great to use in your decorating scheme.
Bring in touches of red, such as a bright red teapot for your stove.
Red flowers make a statement, and floating red red rose petals in your bath activate passion.
Light up your life with lots of natural light, and upward moving light fixtures.
Candles and a cozy fireplace are fire at it's best.

Fire relates to the Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and this lovely ancient heart exercise is of great benefit to you. It is called " Smiling from Your Heart".
Stand or sit facing a mirror. Now smile at yourself-really smile at yourself-directly from your heart.

That's it! True smiling from the heart, not just a fake smile, actually has a profound physiological effect. It promotes the flow of Qi and blood throughout your entire body. Both smiling and laughter can create emotional Qi and drive it through your body, helping it-and your heart-to heal. Once you've mastered this exercise, then try smiling at others from your heart.
www.tcmworld.org

Dear Conscious Design:
How do I keep my new green kitchen both clean and healthy?
SM, Phoenix, ZA

We asked Eco Expert Rebecca Reynolds, President of Green Clean for her advice.

Tip #1: Control the Moisture.

All around your home, and especially in the kitchen and bathroom which have the largest water sources, moisture is an issue. When we steam vegetables, boil water for pasta, or even wash our dishes we are adding moisture to the air. Moisture combined with dust particles, and grease adhere to surfaces, both in reach and out of our reach ( such as ceilings, ceiling fans, and tops of cabinets and appliances). The first step to take is to control the moisture by opening windows and using an exhaust fan or range hood fan while cooking. This simple step will remove a large majority of the moisture created and reduce your cleaning time.

Tip #2: An Ounce of Prevention
No need to reach for poisonous chemicals to handle the big jobs. Preventing the big messes will allow you to use safer products without the toxic consequences. Consider the tops of your cabinets. If your cabinets do not reach to the ceiling, you may be harboring more dirt, grime, and grease than you imagined. Simply wash the area with two tablespoons white distilled vinegar in a bucket of warm water, dry and then lay down a layer of waxed paper. The wax paper will prevent your cabinets from becoming loaded with dirt, ( even if you do fry or cook with oil) and it can be lifted up quarterly and replaced with new waxed paper. No cleaning necessary, and waxed paper can go straight into your compost bin so there is no waste too!

Passionate, committed, creative and dynamic describes Ann Marie, speaker, educator and author. Her book, Earth Spirit Living will inspire readers to hone their own instincts and deepen their abilities to work with energy in their homes, backyards and workplaces.
" What we do in a small, finite pattern effects our larger world. It ripples out. A single building on a single lot, when designed and built with awareness, intuition and good will, will have a positive affect on a neighborhood, a city and beyond.A pattern of balance radiates and attract more balance, improving neighbor relations, ever widening, and opening doors for abundance for land and humans. "

Yes, we are presenting the fabulous Dandelion or " lion's tooth" . Although ranked as a pesky weed in most of the US, this incredible plant is a benefit to the ecosystem of the yard, and a renowned herbal remedy and culinary delight.

Dandelions attract the lucky and beneficial ladybugs and provide great aeration for the soil. Dandelion wine is created from the flowers, and dandelion greens are cooked or placed raw in a soup or salad. One serving of uncooked dandelion leaves contains 280 percent of an adult's daily requirement of beta carotene as well as more than half the requirement of vitamin C.

The highly respected dandelion appears as a remedy in the U.S. National Formulatory, and in the Pharmacopeias of Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and the Soviet Union. It ranks as one of the top 6 herbs in Chinese medicine. It is used to treat cancer and liver disease, assist in weight loss, slow the progression of alzheimer's disease, cure anemia,reduce acid indigestion, treat bronchitis, lower high blood pressure, and the list is almost endless.

Our Dandelion also gets an A- plus for intelligence. This little lion will actually learn to "grow" lower to avoid the sharp cutting edges of the lawn mowing machine. I love the tenacity, adaptability, and symbolism of the dandelion. Hopefully, you will too !

By Deana Schimmenti

Being a teenager is not easy. We all remember those years with a hint of a smile and a good solid eye roll. This is a time when we feel all grown up; and yet, can't seem to get to sleep without that favorite stuffed toy, near enough to scare away the closet monster. Most teenagers would be surprised to find out that their parents went through the very same angst when they were their age. They may not even be aware that most of their friends are going through the same thing as well. Very often teenagers are unable to express all of the mixed up feelings they are experiencing. As adults, we know that keeping your feelings bottled up can be detrimental to your health. But how do you get your 16 year old to open up?

Baysville, Ontario
A bright, spacious strawbale home with grid-interactive solar power, solar hot water, masonry heater, radiant-heat floors, large energy efficient passive solar windows, and an R60 roof. On 47.6 acres of rolling mixed forest with circular drive, meadow, pond, and wildflower and perennial gardens.

Nestled in a temperate forest where snows can be deep, this eco-home is sturdy, substantial, and warm, with plastered strawbale walls sixteen inches thick, a 16" thick strawbale-insulated concrete foundation, an R60 roof, and energy efficient windows.

In winter, sun floods in through the passive solar glass of south-facing windows and doors. Radiant-heat floors are barefoot comfortable, and the woodburning brick masonry heater that stands in the center of the vaulted great room warms the whole house gently and steadily.

In summer, along with leafy hardwoods, the generous "Enviroshake" roof shades the south windows. The strawbale walls and concrete floors maintain a steady cool temperature, and the house is ventilated by natural convection. The large south windows and doors look out over rock gardens, eco-grass and the pond. A covered deck and airy screened porch face west toward wildflower and perennial gardens.

by Yasha Jampolsky.

The Metal Monkey Month begins on August 7 at 12:18 pm. and ends on September 7 at 3:01 pm.
The Monkey is ninth in the "Cycle of Twelve". The fixed element carried by the Monkey is Yang Metal. The Heaven Stem this month is also Yang Metal; resulting in a month of Metal sitting on Metal.
Monkeys are renowned for their lightning fast ability to figure things out and for being constantly on the move.
You can count on a boost in mental acuity as well as an increase in all activity.during this double Metal, Monkey month.

The Monkey is all about curiosity, constant motion and having fun. It may not always be apparent, but the Monkey also has a great love for knowledge and can be quite intellectually inclined. In spite of rapidly changing focus and interests, the Monkey has a profound understanding of how the universe functions and is excellent at solving even the most difficult problems. There is still plenty of time for Summer fun as the season transitions into the Autumn Metal season; and, if you do not take set backs too seriously or mind a few tricks that the Monkey might play, you may receive assistance in resolving some of the greater challenges that you have been facing lately.

Michael Rapp is a chartered Architect and Feng Shui Consultant in Munich, Germany.
His passion for architecture and Feng Shui has tremendously expanded his ability to design buildings of astonishing quality. He has developed the leading software for professional Feng Shui consultants in Europe and North America.

Join Michael Rapp in New York City, NY, USA on August 27th to learn about his methods and tools for Feng Shui Building Design. Contact Marise Hamm at 917 969-9989 or marise@livingenergydesigns.com

By RON FOURNIER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace.
Gore said he fully understands the magnitude of the challenge. He knows politicians fear to act unless voters are willing to sacrifice - and demand new fuels.
"I hope to contribute to a new political environment in this country that will allow the next president to do what I think the next president is going to think is the right thing to do," Gore said. "But the people have to play a part." He likened his challenge to Kennedy's pledge in May 1961 to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.
To meet his 10-year goal, Gore said nuclear energy output would continue at current levels while the nation dramatically increases its use of solar, wind, geothermal and so-called clean coal energy. Huge investments must also be made in technologies that reduce energy waste and link existing grids, he said.
If the nation fails to act, the cost of oil will continue to rise as fast-growing China and India increase demand, Gore said. Sustained addiction to oil also will place the nation at the mercy of oil-producing regimes, he said, and the globe would suffer irreparable harm.
While electricity production is only part of the nation's energy and climate change problem, Gore said, "If we meet this challenge we will solve the rest of it."