Much has been written and spoken about Financial Freedom. But tonight, I’m just mulling the term over as there are so many teachers who describe what financial freedom is all about. But do they have mastery over their lives, hence their lifestyles?
As usual in any argument, 2 sides of the fence combined yields the truth. All too often making money by the million is used as the draw by marketers as the ideal in achieving financial freedom. But is that realistic? Is it an expectation or a pipe dream to have a mansion, travel everywhere on the planet, a Lamborghini, a fantastic smiling family and a dog that can talk? Then expect the huge bills too. Will you ever be free of the money and material chase?
On the other hand, there are those who do very well and have everything they can ever ask for – the ocean views, fresh air, warm temperatures all year, fresh fruits and coconuts at the door-step, more than enough to eat, a boat slip and blue skies…They want for nothing and have nothing else. Yet, by any other measure, this guy’s all but broke. He appears already retired.
Who’s really free?
But then, who am I to say what all these things mean from both sides of the fence? Well, for one, I’ve lived on both sides of this invisible fence. It’s just a state of mind made real depending on what you want, need or expect to have.
Or maybe, the commodity of living free is now so rare that the wealth has shifted to the guy who wants nothing because there is nothing to have. But that is of course, Utopia – or is it?
Of course circumstances can dictate your living conditions, but by and large, you can accept to stay the way you are, or create the new conditions that will change your lifestyle to the way it should be to your satisfaction.
Perhaps we should take a quick peek into the great wealth builders of the last 2 decades – the Chinese people.
The Luo Pan and Indispensible Feng Shui Chinese Compass.
Many very successful and wealthy personalities in the Far East have a very special wealth building weapon added to their arsenal of building true wealth. And that ladies and gentlemen seeking financial freedom, is their specially hired Feng Shui Master.
Bear in mind, many of these tycoons will never admit to having one by their side, on their payroll, because these people are precious and why would a great business person divulge his or her most valuable secrets?
In ancient times in China Feng Shui was developed as a living interpretation of harmony with the heavenly and earthly energies affecting mankind. As such, mankinds luck can be affected by such energies as time changes, days or nights, seasons, light or dark and the interchangeability of the energies of Yin and Yang. Understanding these energies, a Master can use the interpretations to predict earthly events like weather changes, possible earthquakes, and the viability of growing crops at certain times. The Tong Shu, possibly the book most in print on Earth records these interpretations on a daily basis as an annual calendar.
In the past, only the wealthy and nobility were privy to such knowledge, but today, everyone can know of at least the basics with the many Masters now coming out of the woodwork and making their “secrets” known.
To the Chinese, and indeed in the practice of Feng Shui, wealth is not just money, although money is a part of wealth. Things like family, wisdom, education, health, etc. all make up wealth. In modern times, this practice has been adapted to suit our crowded and busy lifestyles. Objects and paintings can take the place of real mountains and water features. The time energy calculations are very intricate but still adhere to the ancient principals. Each Feng Shui Master worth his salt can and will warn you of the dangers and help protect you with the proper activities and advice. Then they will offer you your wealth building directives.
This video tells alot about San Fran – Enjoy from You Tube Holiday Makers.
If you’re going to San Francisco…always those warm fuzzy memories from a different era. The band played and I sang along. As the young ladies handed out flowers so that you could put them in your partner’s hair.
Quite a lifestyle to have if you live here.
What a difference a year and a half make. Property prices had simply gone through the roof. Speculators and flippers were out in droves everywhere. Home owners trying to sell were totally annoyed with those “vultures” as a couple of friends related to me their horror stories of having their homes descended upon by bargain hunters, who outnumbered real buyers 3 to1.
It’s Fall and the kids have gone to school. The Bay area is getting a noticeable cooler swathe of air and cooler breezes. The hot summer shorts are giving way to long sleeved hoodies. The Fisherman’s Wharf is no longer filled with holiday makers.
The very fetching waitress had time to chat with us as we watched the ferries go by the Alcatraz Island, the former but still infamous prison in the sea. She looking for another job as this one no longer pays. People do not tip enough anymore and there are far fewer customers. Many people are going broke. Her own brother is now bankrupt and house prices are so low, many people owe the banks just about everything they have.
Often times in my life I tend to run into great bargains when doing something completely different. The choice was mine to take advantage of it. It appears the areas around the city and not so much within the city itself that face the greatest failure rates mortgage defaults. Many homes are now only partly built as the builders are going bankrupt along with the defaulting buyers.
But a word of caution for would be out of country buyers – the tax system and the state are not very friendly towards you and become extremely punitive in their taxation policies.
Investing in the United States is a very involved affair, but all is not lost. In fact, done right, a foreign investor can easily treat the USA as a tax haven. And California is certainly one of the more desirable parts of the country, especially near the coast. Sun, surf, gals and dudes all over the beaches with that spectacular Pacific vista. Many have moved here and never left. I can see why anyone can fall in love with this place. The weather is balmy to boot.
Ah yes, about San Fran. This is an amazingly undulating city. The entire city is built on hills and valleys. The roads can be so steep it’s a wonder the trams ever go up and down the other side.
Despite much ado about the great real estate mortgage meltdown, this is still a bustling metropolis. Their China Town is still as busy as ever. There is a plethora of older buildings and history to take in but I avoid them. The coastal park and the sights surrounding the San Francisco Bridge is far more inviting.
The very fetching waitress had time to chat with us as we watched the ferries go by the Alcatraz Island, the former but still infamous prison in the sea. She looking for another job as this one no longer pays. People do not tip enough anymore and there are far fewer customers. Many people are going broke. Her own brother is now bankrupt and house prices are so low, many people owe the banks just about everything they have.
