How Feng Shui Changed My Life

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is, “How did you get into Feng Shui?”

I started my Feng Shui career because I wanted to transform other people’s lives as mine had changed over 14 years ago, thanks to Feng Shui.

A little bit of the story is on my website — I’d just gotten divorced, wasn’t happy at work, and generally felt that things weren’t going so well in my life.

But the question was, what could I actually do to make things better? I’d started writing Morning Pages and seeing a therapist, but it didn’t feel like enough.

I needed something visible, physical, that would reflect the changes I desired.

At this critical moment I enrolled in a Feng Shui course at New York’s Open Center. It was the first of many synchronicities I was about to experience, thanks to Feng Shui.

My first task was to identify my goals and dreams. I decided to focus on

• repairing my relationship with my family,
• crafting a more satisfying career for myself, and
• developing relationships with friends who had a positive outlook on life.

I still recall some of the changes I made to anchor these important Intentions.

• Photos of my Mom, Dad & sister went into the Family area, along with a thriving plant to symbolize healthy energy.
• Pictures of the kind of career I dreamed about, plus a black doormat to symbolize Water, went into the Career and Life Journey area.
• And I asked a few of my closest friends to give me small keepsakes to embody their positive energy in my apartment, which I placed in the Helpful People area.

I made other changes as well, rearranging furniture, clearing clutter and changing colors and artwork.

My apartment looked and felt like a completely different place: nourishing, welcoming, energized.

And the outcome was amazing: my career evolved into something I truly enjoyed, I settled into a more loving and sincere relationship with my family, and I created a network of wonderful friends who are still in my life today.

I discovered that the power of Feng Shui is the power of Intention, with visible and physical energies to back it up.

And that’s how I arrived at the point I’m at today.

Does anything about my experience surprise you?

The Most Yang Day Of The Year

At 7:28 (EDT) this morning the earth was tilted at its maximum angle towards the sun, in the Northern Hemisphere.

This is the Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year, and the most Yang day of the year, when the sun’s arc peaks and it shines brightly on us the longest.

Now the cycle turns again towards the darkness of Yin, which gets to its maximum point in December.

In Feng Shui the season of the Fire element has begun: hot, bright and filled with activity.

Celebrate today by staying outdoors to enjoy the sunshine for as long as you can!

For your further enjoyment, here’s a little photo diary of Solstice celebrations around the world.

photo courtesy wikipedia.org

Getting Unstuck – Treat Yourself As Your Own Honored Guest

A Feng Shui Graduation

Congratulations to the new Feng Shui practitioners who graduated this week!

The students graduated from a nine-month Feng Shui Certification program at the Metropolitan Institute of Design on Long Island (a New York State accredited school).

They learned about every aspect of Feng Shui in tremendous depth, from the Bagua to the I Ching to Space-Clearing ceremonies. I was honored to be one of the teachers on their journey towards this special day.

l. to r.: Karen Ferraro, Maureen Calamia, Rosalie Prinzivalli, Pamela Lawrence, RD Chin, Christine Bushell, Ann Bingley Gallops, Anthony Maceli.

Among the evening’s many beautiful moments, the exotic and haunting music of a bamboo flute wove its way throughout the ceremony.

Many of the new graduates already work in the design field and plan to integrate their profound new knowledge into their existing practices, adding depth and thousands of years of knowledge to the benefit of their clients.

Would you be interested in attending a Feng Shui school? What would you most like to learn about?

Nine Feng Shui Tips For Tough Times

When times are tough, Feng Shui provides a unique and powerful kind of support that isn’t offered in any other place. 

It helps you set up an environment where you feel safe and secure, and guides you to create a positive and comfortable place to live or work when you’re feeling challenged or anxious. 

Feng Shui’s Bagua Energy Map identifies and addresses nine of the most important parts of your life: Wealth, Family, Career and so on.

After you map your space using the Bagua, use this information to give yourself support and energy where you need it. 

This is one of the ways that Feng Shui enhances your life by enhancing your space.

Download the Bagua map here, and discover nine ways to boost your serenity, confidence and sense of abundance. 

Start Here
To begin, align the map so the entry to the space lines up with the bottom of the map where it says “Entry Quadrant.”  You always enter your space through the  “Travel & Helpful People,” “Career,” or “Knowledge & Self-Cultivation” area.

Starting with “New Beginnings” on the left side of the map, here are nine ways to enhance your space with Feng Shui when times are tough.  Give each one careful consideration and use those that apply best to your personal situation.

1. New Beginnings:  If you feel stuck and want a fresh start, the perfect symbol to place in this part of the Bagua is a healthy, vigorous plant with an upright growth habit.  (If you’re not a “plant person,” see my recent post about plant alternatives) No spiky (ouch!) plants, please!

2. Wealth & Abundance:  In Feng Shui the source of Wealth is Gratitude.  Place something here that symbolizes prosperity to you and for which you feel truly grateful. 

This may be something with monetary value, something personally meaningful (such as a photo of your family), or anything that reminds you of how much you have to be grateful for.

3. Fame & Reputation: How do you wish to “shine your light” in the world?  Place something here that symbolizes that idea: it could be as simple as a bright light or beautiful candle.  Whatever it is, be sure to invest it with positive energy.

4. Love & Marriage: This area is about loving your partner (if you have one) as well as loving yourself.   It’s associated with the Earth element, which represents the nurturing, physical side of life. 

Make yourself comfortable, create a cozy spot for yourself, and set yourself up to feel nourished in every way.

5. Children & Projects: This area is about having confidence in the future. It’s the ideal place for representing your hopes with a vision board or other symbol of optimism.

6. Travel & Helpful People: This area of the Bagua also means “synchronicity,” the amazing and wonderful coincidences that change your life for the better.   Place a photo or piece of art here that honors the people who have made a difference in your life.

7. Career:  The element of Water corresponds to the Career area, representing your life’s journey.  Water also symbolizes cash flow in Feng Shui, so watery artwork or water feature is ideal for this area.

8. Knowledge & Self-Cultivation:  Make time to keep learning and growing so you’re ready for the changes ahead.  Symbols of calmness and inner growth — books, a serene piece of artwork, something to meditate on — are perfect here.

9. Center: The Center of the Bagua, representing vitality and health, brings everything together.  A clear and open Center helps keep all the other areas connected and in balance.  

The Center is where Yin & Yang come together, bringing your entire space into harmony.

Given the special challenges in today’s world, it’s important to consider how every area of the Bagua may be influencing your life, for better or worse. 

So take a deep breath, use your imagination, and put Feng Shui to work to enhance your life in nine different ways.