Into the Mouth of Chi

By Allison Kristen Sampité

As the economy tests our financial security, relationships and peace of mind, some are taking a unique approach to help alleviate these overwhelming concerns.

North Park resident Simone Butler is a published writer and astrological Feng Shui expert, who combined astrology and western Feng Shui to help manage life’s chaos in a practical way. A practitioner of astrology for 25 years, Butler became seriously involved with Feng Shui in 2007, after recognizing her ability to translate the mystery of the invisible world into tangible means.

While traditional Chinese Feng Shui combines astrology and compass direction to determine the best place for objects, Western Feng Shui utilizes the Bagua, a map that corresponds to any type of floor plan. The Bagua is comprised of nine basic characteristics of life, which fall into different rooms of the home. Within these “guas,” there are 12 houses, which include career/life path, prosperity/abundance, knowledge/wisdom, family/foundation, creativity/children, health, love/marriage, fame/reputation, and helpful people.

In 2007, Butler asked 30 people to participate in a year-long astro Feng Shui study to see what would happen when an area of the home was intentionally activated through ritual within a specific gua during a new moon. Each new moon corresponds to birth data and indicates the house where the new moon falls.

“This is a time in which new seeds are planted that will bear fruit over time,” Butler said. “During the first half of the [moon’s] cycle, intentions increase awareness in the activated house as the full moon approaches and the results manifest themselves.”

One of those who participated was Dianna Woodley. “I contacted Simone at a time in my life where I had no love life,” Woodley said.

Woodley got divorced in 2003 and was not hopeful to find her soul mate anytime soon. After reading her chart, Butler told Woodley there was a small window of opportunity for her to meet the right person. Woodley activated her love gua (which fell in her bedroom), joined eHarmony and met Gary in March. He proposed to her by the end of the month and they currently live together in Temecula.

Guas are sensitive to neglect and require regular maintenance, Butler said, adding that unnecessary clutter or objects can block the flow of energy, or chi.

“Working with a different part of the home each month keeps your chi from becoming idle,” she said. The surrounding energy becomes critical to the success or failure in one’s life.

Sue Lemontre taught parapsychology for many years, but was never introduced to Feng Shui. After meeting Butler at a friend’s house, Lemontre learned that the first new moon fell in her prosperity and abundance gua. She set up a shrine to activate her gua and went to a casino later that night, winning $2,500. One week later she returned to play the slots and won $2,400 in gas cards. Butler said gratitude keeps the door open for more wealth to flow in.

Chris and Jenny Vellis of Australia were not participants in the study but were introduced to Butler’s reports through a friend, receiving great results in several guas. Vellis said the astrological report was a “Godsend “ for him and his wife, who were beginning a new transition.

“Jenny and I had intuitively sensed that we both needed to embrace a more positive, tangible and structured approach to magnetically attracting what we both wanted into our lives, and for the right reasons too,” he said.

The Vellises placed their lives on hold, while Chris worked for 18 months on his recently published book. “It’s about pursuing my journey and pathway to discovering personal development, empowerment, past lives and metaphysical energy healing.”

Since purchasing their first report from Butler last October, they have had success in several guas including knowledge and wisdom, career and reputation, love and marriage, helpful people, and prosperity and abundance.

“Jenny was about to transition into her eighth house on the new moon last November,” he said, “and we began preparing her prosperity/abundance area over the weekend with many photos. I even took some playful photos of her flaunting real cash that she had already won at gammon.” Jenny called hours later to reveal that she had won the jackpot, which was worth more than $17,000. The Vellises used the money to reduce some financial debt, gave some away to immediate family members and also booked a vacation. “That’s not a bad return on one’s investment of $50 per Astro Feng Shui report,” he said.

“Simone’s reports provide an absolute wealth of knowledge on the Feng Shui principles, including examples, enhancements and remedies and also allows you to get to know yourself better,” Chris Vellis said. “I am sure that after perusing one of Simone Butler’s Astro Feng Shui reports, you’ll find they are not only fun, informative, insightful and magical in nature, but more importantly that they have the undeniable potential for you to magnetically attract whatever your heart and soul desires.”

Simone Butler is a former fashion editor for California Apparel News. Her articles have been featured in the L.A. Times and New Woman Magazine. She currently writes for Starscroll and Tarot.com, and also maintains a worldwide client base through her local practice. For more information, visit www.AstroAlchemy.com.