Personalized News Books

I am brand new to Feng Shui and recently picked up two books. Unfortunately, this was one of them! (The other being "101 Feng Shui Tips for Your Home". Thank goodness I read that one first -in one evening, and got a grasp on the concept. I found this book misleading because the cover makes it seem like a beginners guide ("step-by-step" blah blah), furniture placement, etc., when in actuality, this book was highly technical and confusing. It demands way too much time, concentration and adaptation for it's principles to click! -perhaps after a few simple less structured books, this highly technical one will make more sense. But for now, this is the first book I will ever be returning to Amazon! -no wonder in the preface he says 'don't jump around, read each page'. He knows what he's talking about. You just want to skip it and cut to the chase. -which never happens.

My first language is Spanish. Even when I can read, write and speak English, sometimes I rather to read books in Spanish to avoid to run to the dictionary when I don't have very clear an idea.

I checked out the price of this book for the edition in Spanish and it is TOO EXPENSIVE ($48.80). Comparing to the English version ($14.70). I know the author and/or the editorial house have to pay to a translator and expenses for printing and advertisement, and bla, bla, bla, but 3 times the price of the English version + another $4.70 is TOO MUCH!!! Now just wondering who sets the price on the books

Feng Shui Step by Step is a book of some 200 or more pages...most of which are informative and useful. The book is a good size so you don't get that small print overpacked info feeling when reading. The author invests ample explanation clear and understandable about the basics. It doesn't have a lot of boring introduction but gets straight to it without skipping essentials. The introduction actually has a handy "Personal Data" sheet in which you can write down all your relavent information for organize and clear reference. While it gives the read a taste of what is to come with the "personal data" sheet..what good does it do there so early in the book?. It Better off as a tearout if itis going to situated right at the start or it could be within or after all the necessary information.

The first 85 pages including the intro proves the reader with a sturdy foundation. There are drawings for visual reference througout the book. "The Five Elements" chapter goes through each element in detail via the subheading: Your Season of Birth, Mental and Physical States, Occupations, Shapes and Colors, Weather, Flower, Directions in Space, and Parts of the Home. In this chapter also you learn about the cycles. There are "Excerices" after each chapter.

The next chapter "The Nine Stars" is where the reader is introduced to finding their Kua number or Birth Star. The author maintains consistancy with what has been introduced in prior pages. Each Birth Star is dealt with in detail via subheadings. His subheading approach is very helpful as it provides a clean and organized view for the reader. Also in this chapter you learn about your doorway directions and how to harmonize. The following chapter after these is for harmonizing the situation for two people.

The next parts of the book "Diagnostic Methods" involves staking out your space. The author has been up to now basically following Compass School. He is better off staying with this as it is by far the most useful, clear, and accurate method in the book. Using this method we learn about applying colors to balance areas. The other two methods are "The Eight Point Method" and "The Stick Figure Method". As a very basic beginners excercise the stick figure approach is cute and interesting since it correlates with health/the body with areas your space. I can see how that works..but thats as far as it goes.

The Eight Point is none other that a watered down Black Hat Ba-gua. Whats even worse is that the author suggests "reassigning" the eight points to take up more space if it doesn't fit your floorplan as it should. This is fraught for problems, unprofessional, and regresses. Not to mention that this "Eight Point Method" has NO HEALTH section...how great is that!?. Black Hat often puts Health as center of the trigram ..however that works. The stick figure methods also uses the eight points..not recommeded.

The remainder of the book addresses spacial and placement issues decently via several chapters. Its not heavy on the cures approach but deals with it sparingly or generally..e.g "Lighting and Mirrors". It also deals with case scenarios (which are given according throughout the book as well) with more than one person living in a space. Each persons' "Personal Data" and their doorway are taken into account. The end of the book deals with a case scenario in "Making a New Home and Alterations"..which is good for those especially in the position to do so. Also miscellaneous adjunct information is offered. In the back Appendices...are charts and visuals that basically repeat the info given earlier but in a more comprehensive; full circle way.

This is is good to have around in terms of its sturdy information and consistancy throughout the book. It doesn't seem to loose itself much..expect for the "Methods" section. Its good on how to understand and apply the elements and directions to your space. The author is more focused on the color interior design, however, he does offer other decorating guidelines in the opening chapters.

Advanced folks would already know much of what this books has to say..so its a good one for advanced beginners to the novice. It will keep them very busy for starters!.

Excellent book for a beginner. Very clear instructions on how to set up a room or a whole house. I recommend this book as a starter course. If you don't want to buy more than one, make it this one.

I can't begin to tell you how many books I own or have borrowed regarding Feng Shui... I kept getting confused with each book. However - Raphael's step by step approach made it really simple and basic. I have donated all the other books but refuse to let my friends borrow the Step by Step one -they can buy it for themselves!

Just reading the excerpt I spotted a mistake. Who edits books nowadays? The word procrastinate comes from Latin: pro - for or toward / cras - tomorrow / tinere to hold, hold off.

In page after page I find myself gasping as William Knaus explains the different ways I have developed to procrastinate my life away. Knaus describes procrastination as a complex mixture of discomfort, self-doubts, perfectionism, fear of failure, anxiety, rebellion and depression developed over a lifetime. He explains how heaping blame on yourself only drives you to procrastinate more and he has created thought questions to help you develop the skills you need to pause, resist, reflect and respond.

A life changing weapon against the graveyard of missed opportunities, I highly recommend it!

Since there are only two reviews (well just one, really) I thought I should give my perspective to fill the picture out a bit. Remember, this is just my personal view.

I take it that the author is strongly influenced by Albert Ellis's REBT system. I don't know very much about it, but I would also guess that if you like Ellis' work, you'll probably enjoy Knaus' as well.

I on the other hand was turned off by the way the author presents his ideas. He seems to use complicated lingo--not always clinical, but usually obscure--to say things that could be expressed more clearly. For instance, towards the beginning we find that we'll diminish procrastination through "self regulation training". "Self efficacy is the belief that you have the power to organize, regulate, and direct your actions to achieve mastery. With high self efficacy, you'll predictably procrastinate less. With low self efficacy, you are likely to procrastinate more. Among the self regulation methods, the PURRRR acronym describes a six step--pause, utilize, reflect, reason, respond, and revise--process to keep your 'do it now' engine purring." And it goes on like that. While I don't disagree with what he says, I find that his writing style gets very little across. But I quoted him so that you can form your own opinion.

No matter how challenging this affliction can be for someone who is a confirmed procrastinator, dealing with it is not rocket science, and there's no need to obscure the matter.