Loving your home during & after Covid-19

If you are new to Feng Shui, let me tell you, there has never been a more perfect time to get started than now!  With the majority of cities, states and countries “sheltering in place”, people are working from home, homeschooling their children and basically spending every moment inside their homes.  Therefore, it is vitally important that our spaces nourish us in every way possible.  This is actually a wonderful way to define Feng Shui. When used correctly, it brings balance to disorder and chaos.  It creates stability and wholeness.   It invites and nourishes all aspects of life.  It is our not-so secret weapon to thriving and mentally surviving this pandemic.

By now, the reality that we are not getting out of here any time soon, has set in and like it or not, we are all in this together; making the best of a situation that none of us could have predicted.  Our homes can either feel like paradise or like prison.  We have a choice.  This is the time to take stock, and make the changes that need making to create a space that you love.  Feng Shui is a tool of empowerment.  In a time when so many of us feel powerless and out of control to the things happening in our world, it is one small thing that we can all do.  We start within, and expand out.

Having all this “free time” inside our homes, without the typical distractions of life, is eliminating the excuses we often tell ourselves about being too “busy” to do this or that.  As this word loses its power over us, the opportunity to stop procrastinating and take stock of the things that matter takes precedence.  Turns out that this is a great time to organize that closet, drawer(s), garage, guest bedroom, etc. that you’ve been putting off for ages.  It is also a time to take a mental and physical inventory of the things that you see every day, but stopped noticing or appreciating when life became too full of obligations.

Life can be overwhelming, and there just isn’t enough bandwidth to always give it all the attention that it needs and deserves.  When I feel overwhelmed, I find something small that I can do that will have the biggest impact. Since I don’t have a dishwasher, and I don’t wash things immediately after using them, focusing my attention on my ‘sink full of dirty dishes’ is often my favorite place to begin.  My point is, start small.

To help you get started, I am going to share a few Feng Shui pointers that are universally true, will help you feel better in your space and don’t require any previous knowledge or understanding about Feng Shui.

The first thing that you see when you enter your home, has the biggest impact on how you feel while you are there.  From the front door, the ideal room to see is the living room.  We want to invite the chi, which is just an Eastern word for energy, to chill out and get cozy. . . . to relax.   If the room you see does not make you want to relax and unwind,  it may be creating a form of anxiety and restlessness.

Homework #1 – Walk into your home through your front door.  What do you see?  How does it make you feel? Do you feel overwhelmed?  Do you feel calm and relaxed? What can you change?  Are you willing to make changes to feel more productive and focused?  If yes, keep reading.

Homework #2 – I want you to walk around your house and look for doors that hit each other.  Now, in case you aren’t sure, let me explain.   Are there any doors in your home that either hit or have the potential to bang into each other?  It’s more common than you might think. This happens most frequently between a closet door and a bedroom door.  These are called “fighting doors” and they create an on-going, but low-level type of tension.  There are two ways to combat this, but that is something better addressed in a private consultation.

And speaking of doors, it’s best that they be allowed to open fully.  By this, I mean there should not be any furniture, shoes, or toys preventing them from opening, nor should there be any items permanently stored behind them.  This door problem is similar to doors that bang, but it is easier to fix. Homework #3 – if you have something blocking a door from opening fully, find a new place for it, or get rid of it.

There is a rule in Feng Shui called the “command position”.  This means that when you are working at your desk, lying in bed, cooking or even lounging on the couch, you can see the main door to that room.  This is a huge thing in Feng Shui.  I like to compare this rule to the Vito Corleone character in The Godfather.  He would NEVER be caught sitting with his back to any door.  Being in command position demands respect.  It creates a feeling of safety, security and support.  It is so important on so many levels, that I can’t emphasize it enough.  Homework #4 – are you in command position when you are working, sleeping, cooking and lounging? How does it make you feel? Is it possible to move your furniture or yourself in order to be in command?  Are you willing to try it?  If you absolutely hate the way it feels to be in a commanding position, you can always move your furniture back.  Why not give it a try? It’s not like you have anything better to do now that you get to stay home all day and all night.

And lastly, let’s take a look at your stove.  Do all the burners work?  Do you use all the burners?  Is it clean?  The stove, in Feng Shui, is symbolic of abundance and prosperity.  If it is dirty, or if some part of it isn’t working correctly, that will have an impact on the flow of finances. 

I do realize that these tips and homework may bring more questions than answers, but the first step is awareness.  The next step is action.  Since I cannot do in-home consultations right now, I am offering remote consultations at a discounted rate.  If you are interested in learning more or feel like you are stuck, give me a call, text or respond to this post.  I’d love to help.

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Power Tools That Create Powerful Feng Shui

I had every intention of getting this written yesterday on the power day of 11-11-11 (2018 breaks down to an 11 when you add it all together), but it was pouring snow and I was busy doing the space clearing that I am about to recommend to all of you.  I have written about space clearings in the past, but not about the quadruple threat of using sage, sweet grass, Palo Santo wood, and juniper.

First, let me explain the benefits of yesterday’s energy.  It is primarily significant because of all the 1’s.  According to Joanne Sacred Scribes Angel Numbers, when we notice the number 1111, we are at a point where our thoughts are manifesting into our reality more quickly than before.  We must pay attention to what we are thinking when we notice them.  Some consider this a type of spiritual awakening to a higher level of consciousness.  For more information, check out Joanne’s blog at http://sacredscribesangelnumbers.blogspot.com

To begin any type of ceremony using Feng Shui, it is good to take a few moments to center and ground yourself into the present moment.  Often, we become overwhelmed and our energy gets scattered.  We don’t even realize how scattered we are until we pause long enough to draw our energy in and ground it down.  Find a place to sit, close your eyes and take a deep breath.  I like to do the mind-calming mudra along with the mind-calming mantra. I couldn’t find a photo of it online that I liked, so I took my own below.  The mantra goes something like this:

Gatay Gatay, Para Gatay, Para Sam Gatay, Bodhi Swaha. I say this 9 times while visualizing my energy returning to me.

Once you are mentally prepared and you have all your ceremony ingredients, it’s a good idea to verbally say a little protection prayer.  The one I like using is from the Pensacola Paranormal Society and is used with permission:

“Mother, Father, God, I command that all negative energy and energy that is not conducive to my well-being be removed through this process. If there are any attached spirits to this home, I evoke Archangel Michael to use his sword to remove them and their tie to this place. I ask for your protection and guidance in the process. Thank you, it is done, it is done, it is done.”

The next thing to do is to crack all the doors and windows in the area that you are cleansing. Then, light up your sage.  I like to use sage first because it clears the vibe of a place. Scientifically, sage removes the bacteria out of the air, and spiritually, it has been used in the form of “smudging” to clear the negative energy out or off of a person, place or thing.  As mentioned above, intention is important, so add your desired outcome into this equation and you will be all set to move on to the next item in your space clearing toolbox.

I do not know if there is a set order in which these things need to be done, but I allowed my intuition to guide me, and it chose the Palo Santo wood next.  This is an item that I only recently discovered.  It offers energetic protection, removes bad energy, uplifts emotions and fills a home with blessings.  The smoke from Palo Santo soothes the energy of a space and adds an additional layer of support and protection.

Say the following intention/prayer outloud when you light the end of the wood:  “I ask that the plant spirit of Palo Santo please infuse this space with blessings.”

The next tool I used was a dried bunch of Juniper leaves.  At the time, I did not know what a workhorse this herb truly is, so I especially want to share it with you here. “Used in purification ceremonies, burning Juniper washes away doubt, hesitation, hostility and judgement. Waft the fragrance of burning Juniper throughout the home to cleanse and protect against negativity.” (https://www.energymuse.com/juniper-smudge-stick.html). You can use it in combination with other smudging herbs as I did, or on its own, especially if you are depleted or unmotivated.  It is all about abundance and good luck, and we can all benefit from extra in those departments.

The final herb that I used is my absolute favorite!  Even its name tells its secrets.  Sweetgrass is often braided and dried and used to attract positive energies.  It has a vanilla, fennel type of scent that sweetens the air and reminds us that we are sacred humans playing a game with energy.

I included physical intentions by adding Young Living oils in the form of Abundance and Joy (self-explanatory), a hefty chunk of Rose Quartz because it symbolizes love and the attraction of more of it into our lives.  The Amethyst encourages healing, trust and intuition. Citrine is an amazing stone that is one of only two that never needs to be cleansed.  Instead it transmutes and dissipates it instead.  It enhances willpower, and aligns the chakras which can get out of alignment faster than newly balanced tires! The last crystal I used was a clear quartz wand.  Clear Quartz is an amplifier and when combined with everything else in my space clearing toolbox, it is the final piece of the puzzle needed to tune into the higher energy of our homes.

The rules of life are easier to follow than we realize.  We are powerful creators who have forgotten the power of our thoughts, and these space clearing tools can act to remind us of our divinity and strength.  It’s time to wake up and remember who we really are.

Fighting Foreclosure with Feng Shui

“All things are vibrating energy fields in ceaseless motion” – Eckhart Tolle

In recent years, foreclosure has become more commonplace then ever before. Foreclosure is everywhere and probably coming to a neighborhood near you. There is one thing that foreclosures often have in common; they are in a state of disgrace. If they have been empty for long, they usually look dilapidated. When families are forced out of a home, it is not uncommon for them to destroy the property in retaliation.  Foreclosed homes that stay empty too long, have a tendency to lower the property value of homes around them by virtue of their poor energy.

Ideally, an investor looking for a sweet deal will swoop in, pay cash, give it a makeover, and sell it for a fat profit.  In fact, entire cable programs have grown up around this concept.  There is just one problem with this scenario.  If the structural problems and predecessor energy that contributed to the home’s demise are not addressed, there is a strong probability that the new owners will have the same or similar issues.

If the problem with a foreclosed home was simply ugly carpet or paint, then replacing those items would eliminate the pattern.  However, ugly carpet does not in and of itself cause foreclosure.  In order to understand structural foreclosure causes, we must look to some of the age-old Feng Shui rules for an explanation and creative solutions.

I am going to share a few Feng Shui design flaws that may contribute to a home’s  potential to an unstable financial flow.  Our homes are a mirror to our lives, so when one begins to deteriorate, it is probable that the other will follow.

1. The front door aligns perfectly with a back door – While this design is not enough to create foreclosure all by itself, it does often lead to money coming in and going out too quickly.  Ideally, energy enters a home, meanders around and nourishes its surroundings.  However, with this design, there is no meandering, thus, there is very little energy retainage.  Now, let’s replace the word “energy” with money.  They are synonymous.
2. The front door opens up to a set of stairs – There are many variables that impact this design with the main one being the distance between the stairs and the door.  The closer the stairs are to the door, the worse it is.  The type of stairs also matters.  Stairs that have a landing, can cause less issues than the kind that cascade straight down.
3. A bathroom is located in one of the commanding areas – If you are familiar with a Feng Shui bagua, then you know that the commanding areas of any home are typically in the back of the house.  These areas correspond with the bagua sections of Abundance, Fame and Relationships.

The nice thing about Feng Shui is that by working with the elements of Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, as well as the colors and shapes that represent these elements, we can nullify negative architectural designs.  By learning to rehabilitate homes that have been devastated by the ignorance of improper home design, and using the tools we have been given within the system of Feng Shui, we can create homes that are healed.  As we heal our homes, we heal ourselves, and we create a planet that allows all life to thrive and prosper.

If you know someone that is facing foreclosure, share this article with them.  I’d love to help them prevent that potential outcome.  I can be reached at fengshuidesignconcepts@gmail.com, logynnbnorthrhip@gmail.com or at 512-496-9232.