Woman

A formula for inner peace and prosperity

Neesha Rajwanie reveals the intricate world of Feng Shui:

Suharshi PERERA

Life on Earth is a blend. A seed of life fallen on the raw Earth slowly stretches out life, blossoming into a tender plant drawing energy, changing its phases of growth according to the ‘moods’ of these energies.

The harsh rays of the mid-day sun, dew-filled tender sunshine of the early mornings or the soothing beams of the moon brimming with passion may decide the destiny of this sprouting life. Some interpret life as a ‘miracle’ and some as ‘nature’ or is it a blend of both ?

Neesha Rajwanie, a Feng Shui expert who has deeply explored this blend, applies a formula to absorb peace and sunshine to life by accumulating positive energies and banishing negative energies.

“Classical Feng Shui is the most simple and effective way to deal with our environment as it influences human well-being,” Rajwanie says.

Feng Shui, or the art of luck management is a classic example of a system that enhances the quality of your lifestyle. It brings about a balance that attracts good energy around people and thus has a positive impact on careers, relationships, health and wealth, where the secret lies in the orientation, layout and alignment within a particular property.

“No one can change destiny but one can reduce the negative impacts if you apply Feng Shui. Some mistake Feng Shui for astrology but astrology is altogether a different science,” Rajwanie who is in Sri Lanka on a five-day visit, said.

According to Rajwanie, Feng Shui is not applied only when one is going through a bad phase. It can be applied when someone is buying a new home, wants to settle down, feels his or her career needs to take off or when someone is struck by a major tragedy or when opportunities seem to pass by even though they may have tried their best to make use of them.

It is also applied when someone experiences a sudden change of fortune, when a job is lost for no apparent reason, when a bank balance does not show any savings despite all efforts and hard work or when there are recurring financial losses in business and it is not clear what is going wrong.

“Feng Shui is very dynamic. It shows results in six to 12 weeks. It all depends on a formula based on one’s date and time of birth. Many people misinterpret Feng Shui as a science based on objects but in the real world of Feng Shui, objects have no role to play. Real Feng Shui is not about frogs, toads or dragons,” the Indian guru stresses.

“Some people say if you place two love birds in the south west you will find love. But how can it be possible? If one wants to find love, he/she needs to reach out, just placing birds will not make a difference,” Rajwanie explains.

Ten years ago Rajwanie who was a jewellery designer in India experienced turmoil in her personal life. She sought help to overcome the mental agony and stress which she was going through.

But it was unresolved until Feng Shui came to her rescue. She developed a keen interest in the subject. She read several books and mastered the art under many reputed gurus first being Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai from Kuala Lumpur.

She graduated from five schools of Feng Shui and is now the Managing Director of the Institute of Divine Feng Shui in Pune, India. She has travelled to many countries to help people in need.

She has been researching on cancer for four years and for this service she has won the national award for promoting science (Feng Shui) in India.

“We have witnessed that Feng Shui alignments help cancer patients to keep the mind at peace which ultimately helps them to sleep well and to come to terms with the illness,” Rajwanie said.

Feng Shui can help people in numerous ways. With Feng Shui alignment, there is a 60 per cent possibility of conceiving for women without children, she says. But to apply it, they should be medically fit. They are treated individually by taking these facts into account; date of birth, location of the house, astrology chart and the husband’s chart.

Rajwanie also practices the Four Pillars of Destiny (Chinese astrology) Numerology, Graphology (reading the character through handwriting) Tarot card reading and Rune reading that help throw light on ways and means of improving life and help deal with.

“Tarot card reading was introduced by gypsies centuries ago and helps make very accurate predictions,” Rajwanie said.

She has authored a few books on Feng Shui and her book on Tarot reading ‘Tarot Reading Forecasts for Zodiac Signs’ is the only book written on the subject. Her latest book on Feng Shui ‘Stress factor and Feng Shui Solutions’ will be released by end March.

Rajwanie has two children. Her daughter is a chef who is also into Feng Shui art and the son is in Grade 10. She flies to Dubai once in two months to be with her husband who is a Chartered Accountant there. This is her fifth visit to Sri Lanka.

“ Everything on this earth is connected. Natural elements like the sun and moon create a deep impact on us. That’s why we have to direct the Chi (energies) to bring a balance,” Rajwanie observed.

Email: rupanis@hotmail.com

Feng Shui tips to change for good

Wind chimes- drive out negative energies

Lou pan (chinese compass)- every degree indicates a meaning

* Never place water in your bedroom

* Never keep electronic items near bed

For 2008

* Place money in the East.

* Place equipment with activity (clock, fan, T.V and fountains) in the East for wealth

* Refrain from renovating the South and North of the house- it may lead to accidents and sickness

* Education stars are in the East and North East

Let your hair down

With right shampoo and conditioner:

Sachitra KALUBOWILA

Shampoo

Shampoos are designed to cleanse the hair and scalp. It helps remove the excessive sebum (natural oil secreted by sebaceous gland), dirt and grim while balancing the natural moisture level of the hair.

Shampoos are designed for different types of hair such as normal, dry, damaged, oily, chemically treated or bleached. They contain cleansing agents call surfactants, foaming agents, perfume, preservatives, humectants, emulsifying agents and conditioning agents.

Compared to soap, shampoos are mild, lather well in all types of water and rinse off easily. Also most shampoos are pH balanced.

There are daily Shampoo, antidandruff shampoo, herbal shampoo, shampoo for chemically treated hair (straightened, permed, coloured), Intensive shampoo and conditioning shampoo.

Shampoo should be selected according to your scalp and condition of the hair. If you have a difficulty in deciding your hair type pick a mild shampoo or get advice from your hairdresser.

Conditioner

Conditioner also should be chosen to match the hair type. It adds shine, volume and body to the hair. Conditioners can be used as a hair treatment and available as rinse off and leave on conditioners. Conditioners work by depositing cationic ingredients on the hair thereby giving the hair shaft a smooth touch.

Hair will be easy to comb and shiny, when light is reflected onto it. I benefits a lot when the hair is more porous or damaged. Therefore conditioner will work harder where it needed the most.

Shampoo followed by conditioner will make the hair more manageable and prevent it from drying. But if you have greasy hair, do not use a conditioner regularly.

Points to remember

* Read the instructions on the shampoo before use. Some shampoos and conditioners need to be left on the hair for a few minutes before rinsing.

* Select the correct shampoo and conditioner according to the hair type and take adequate amount to wash the hair. (Do not use excess.)

* Many people do not wash their hair thoroughly after shampooing or conditioning. If the hair is not rinsed properly, any traces of shampoo and conditioner left on the scalp could cause minor irritation and could see flaking which may be associated with dandruff.

* Always keep your brush, comb and towel clean to maintain healthy hair.

* Your shampoo and conditioner should be pH balanced and it should not alter the quality of natural sebum.

Generally the pH factor of sebum is between 4.5 - 5.5 which is slightly acidic. So harmful bacteria cannot survive in this pH range. Also sebum protects and enhances the luster of the hair.

Therefore the pH level of your shampoo and conditioner should be balanced with the pH level of the sebum on the scalp.

Use shampoo and conditioner separately for better results as they work in two different ways. e.g.: while shampoos help remove the dirt and oil, conditioners make a protective film around the hair.

Method of shampooing and conditioning

* Before shampooing, brush your hair gently to free any tangles and loosen dirt and dead skin cells.

* Apply a small amount of shampoo and gently massage into the scalp and hair roots with your fingertips and then towards the end of the hair. Do not rub or scratch vigorously and never use nails to massage shampoo in to scalp.

* Rinse the hair thoroughly until the water runs clear before applying conditioner.

* While you are washing the shampooed hair do not allow shampoo water to run down through the body and eyes as it washes away with dirt.

* Repeat the above process only if your hair needs it.

* If your hair is dry, do not use shampoo daily. It is recommended to use a small amount of a suitable conditioner after every shampooing.

* Apply conditioners into your hair evenly using fingertips and allow 2-3 minutes to work before rinse.

* As conditioners work only on hair, try to apply them on hair shaft (not for the scalp) to prevent miner irritation. At the end, rinse thoroughly with water.

* If you have oily hair, avoid using conditioners frequently.

* Use a clean dry towel and carefully pat your hair dry.

* While your hair is still damp, gently loose out any tangles using a wide-tooth comb from tip to root of hair. This will help keep the hair away from splitting and damaging.

* If possible allow your hair to dry naturally.

(The writer is a Chief Chemist)

Profiteroles au Chocolat

Country: France

Time: 65 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the choux buns

120ml/4fl.oz. Water

A pinch of Salt

50g/2oz Butter

50g/2oz Plain Flour

2 Eggs, beaten

For the filling

300ml/10fl.oz. cream

For the chocolate sauce

175/6oz Plain Chocolate

25g/1oz Butter

2-3 tbsp Water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220C, Gas Mark 7 and lightly oil 2-3 baking sheets. Place the water, salt and butter into a medium saucepan, heat slowly until the butter melts, then bring to boil.

Remove from the heat and add the flour all in one go and mix well. Return to a medium heat and continue to mix briskly until the mixture forms a solid ball and leaves the sides of the pan.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well to incorporate the egg thoroughly then continue to beat until the mixture forms a stiff, smooth shiny dough.

Drop spoonfuls of the pastry onto the baking sheets (16-20 in all) spaced well apart then bake at for about 20 minutes or until golden and well puffed. If you prefer you can pipe them.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and make a small slit in the side of each and cool on a wire rack. Whip the cream until quite stiff. then slit the puffs in half near the base and fill with the cream. Pile in a pyramid on a shallow serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small heatproof bowl together with the butter and water. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts and all the ingredients are well combined.

To serve - drizzle the chocolate sauce over the profiteroles and serve immediately.