The Feng Shui Fairy

Do feng shui ornaments bring wealth?

"What do you think about the Chinese Feng Shui ornaments that one can buy? I have been using them for some many years and then stopped last year - because of a few financial problems - last year wasn`t the best that I have had." -Antony, Germany

Ah, yes, feng shui ornaments.  I must admit that I rarely use or suggest feng shui ornaments.  Here's why:

1)  If a person can tell that your place has been feng shui'd by looking at it, and seeing all your feng shui chotchkis, then it hasn't been done properly.  Feng shui is about enhancing energy flow, and the ornaments may actually be impeding the flow!  How?  If all the energy is going to a specific thing, then it's really stopping on that one thing.  And, if it distracts from an otherwise beautiful and harmonious environment, then it's not really a fix.

2)  I prefer cures that are super personalized.  The cure will work best if the person using it is really invested in it.  For example, things like vision boards are ultra personal and require thought, time and energy on the part of the participant.  It really takes little thought, time or effort to pick up and ornament and toss it in a drawer or place it on a table.  Not to say that it's wrong, but it's not as much of a personal investment.

3)  Feng shui cures are generally mass produced and I wonder about the children that are probably slaving away to make them.  I believe that the energy going into a product affects the buyer.  You can taste the love in a home-made pie, right?  Well, I know that, if you're super tuned in, you can feel the pain and frustration in a sweat-shop or factory line ornament. 

4)  The environmental footprint of these things is rarely considered in their production and purchase.  Unfortunately, modern Chinese culture tends to ignore the environment until it's too late, their motto being "we'll deal with it later".  Well, now IS later.  As a environmental advocate, I look for other, more eco-friendly options before advising the use of feng shui ornaments. 

Here are some things that I DO suggest for bringing cash in:

1) Personal Feng Shui (body):  Pay special attention to your eating and sleeping habits.  Make sure you run your chi regularly (exercise).  Eat whole, healthy, organic foods, if possible.  Take those sleep environment suggestions seriously.  The better you feel, daily, the better your energy will be and the more prosperous you will be!

2)  Inner Feng Shui (mind and spirit):  Use mantras often.  Make sure they are in the present.  For example, saying "I want to have more money" will make it so you keep WANTING to have more money, and it will be elusive.  Try this instead..."Money comes to me easily and frequently.  I welcome it, I deserve it, and I use it wisely".  It's my favorite one, of all time and it addresses multiple issues: deservingness, receptivity, and the idea that making money can be easy if we allow space for it! 

3)  Environmental Feng Shui (surroundings):  You know what the bagua is, right?  For those that don't, you can go to my web-site at www.thefengshuifairy.com/Tools.html.  It's a tool that BTB practitioners use for trouble-shooting and manifestation.  Find a floorplan or sketch one.  Orient the bottom portion of the bagua to your front door, and you'll see how the 9 sections apply to your home.  It can also be applied to your bedroom.  There's a wealth section that can be jazzed up with purple, red, green, and gold, if those colors make sense for your decorating scheme.  A fountain, or picture of one, can also work if it fits in with your decor.  Shore up any leaky energy in this area with red.  That could be a back door in your wealth area, a toilet, a sink, some activity that you get sucked into.  Sublety is good.  The cure doesn't have to show, necessarily.  You just need to know it's there and send it energy regularly. 

4)  Then find your helpful people section.  Make an abundance wish list and place it in a silver box.  Put something that represents wealth, to you, in this area.  Would this be a good place for your vision board?  Put it in a silver frame or dress it up with silver glitter.  Use silver somehow.  Remember, it doesn't have to be visible.  Your vision board could be hanging out behind a dresser, no problem.  You'd know it's there.  That's what counts. 

Let me know if you use any of these tips, and how they work for you.  Thanks for your question!  Cheers!

"I have insomnia. Can feng shui help me get to sleep?"

Yes, feng shui can ABSOLUTELY help you sleep better.  Here are some energetic contributor's to insomnia and their feng shui solutions:

Clutter:  when your surroundings are cluttered, there are more distractions to keep you awake!  If what you see before you climb between the sheets is a bunch of stuff, that's going to be on your mind, whether you know it or not.  For example, one of my clients has dealt with many sleepless nights due to the clutter and confusion in her life.  It works the same way for me, too. 

Feng Shui Fix:  When I take the time to clear things up and put items in their proper places (in my bedroom and otherwise), I always sleep better.  It also makes my mornings better because I'm starting with a fresh slate.  Try it!  Next time you have trouble sleeping, start putting things away. 

Mirrors in the bedroom:  If you can see a mirror from your bed, it can see you!  There are times when mirrors are called for and when their use trumps all other considerations.  Most of the time, though, they can make the energy far to active (or yang) for sleeping purposes.  Have a mirror above your bed?  Uh, first off, I hope you don't live in earthquake country.  Secondly, that is far too much energy bouncing back to you in bed! 

Feng Shui Fix:  If you have them, consider removing any ceiling mirrors above your bed.  That's a red hot item, in my opinion!  If your mirror faces your bed, consider putting a curtain in front of it.  A screen might work, too.  You'll have to assess what's best for your bedroom.  If you can, find a way to cover that thing up at night!  Another option is to move your bed so it's not directly accross from the mirror.  Now, anytime you move a major piece of furniture, there are other things to consider than just the mirror.  Each situation is unique.  For something as important as bed placement, I say consult an expert. 

Yang Colors:  Do you love bright red?  Shocking white?  Vibrant yellow?  Fiery orange?  Super saturated electric blue?  Neon green?  Those colors have their place, but if they're dominant in the boudoir, they could be keeping you awake!  Colors have energy.  The ones listed (and ones like them) are all YANG colors.  In the bedroom, where YIN energy is what you need to sleep well, too much yang is counterproductive.  It can leave you feeling FRIED. 

Feng Shui Fix: if your walls are really bright, or white, consider painting them a softer pastel color instead.  Muted shade are more yin, too.  So are darker shades.  You can still have your orange, just make sure that you tone it down with a little black or brown.  And if you go for red, make sure it's a luscious darker shade, like burgundy or garnet.   Love white?  Use pastel colors, as well, so there's not as much stark contrast.  White and black is too shocking for a bedroom, in my opinion.  Need blue?  Great.  Use a soft paler blue or a darker indigo.  As for yellow, it's really tricky in the bedroom.  Unless you just LIVE for the color, use it sparingly.  It's tough to tone it down without going too pale or getting a sickly green effect.  Can't live without neon green?  Use it in your wardrobe.  Wear it during the day and learn towards softer or darker greens in the bedroom. 

Of course, since I'm looking out for your best interest, I must advise you to choose your paints and other decorating materials wisely.  Consider the planet, and you'll sleep better knowing that karma's on your side this time.  Choose wisely, and you'll avoid many of the toxins that can keep you awake and impair your health.  How do you choose wisely?  That's another question for another day.

These are just a few of the feng shui issues and solutions for insomnia.  If you want more, sign up for my e-mail list, rss feed, follow me, or send me your q's! 

Does feng shui REALLY work? Or, is it just b.s.?

I feel that it's really important to question a belief consciously, rather than just accepting it blindly.  So, I've done this with feng shui.  And, I've seen it REALLY working in my life.  And, I've seen it really working in the lives of my friends and clients.

How does it work?

There is a lot of psychology behind the use of feng shui.  For example, if you're told that moving your bed to a different position will help you sleep better and improve your finances, and you're open to the suggestion, then that programs you to be receptive to the idea.  Therefore, a conscious shift in your environment can help create a shift in your subconscious. 

Psychologically, because you made the shift in your envinronment and you are more receptive, you'll start to see opportunities to improve your finances.  Perhaps you take other actions to aid your sleep, as well.  Sometimes, feng shui works as a catalyst.  You might think, "in for a penny, in for a pound" and start to make other healthy changes.

Of course, having done this for a while, I can say, honestly, that I believe it's deeper than that, but I deal with energetics all the time.  Energetically, everything in the universe is tied together.  You have your own unique energy.  Things have energy.  Thoughts have energy.  People have energy.  Your actions have effects on things outside of yourself.  Your words may affect someone positively or negatively.  Moving your bed so that it's no longer in line with the door can have a positive effect on your health.  Yes, it's psychological, and it's energetic.  That's my opinion, anyway.  Buy into whichever part makes sense to you.

It's up to you what kind of world you want to live in.  Do you want it to be filled with reminders of bad times, or reminders of good times?  Do you want to live in the past, present or future?  Do you want to be where you are, or anywhere OTHER than where you are?  Feng shui is about making CONSCIOUS choices about our environments, for the better.  So, it has much to do with the kind of energy you put into it.  Are you going to allow space for the possibility of a positive shift, or are you going to decide that it's not going to work?  That choice is one you'll need to make.

"How can I tackle my closet? It's stuffed!"

"Do you have any ideas on how to tackle one's closet?  If I don't see something, I forget about it.  So I have tons of clothes and no space to put them.  Any ideas or help organizing would be so appreciated!" -Susan, Orange County

Some Q's for You

Thanks for your question, Susan!  I have a couple questions for you:  Is it a matter of organizing and utilizing space?  If so, could you bring in an armoire, a dresser, or some other container to help manage and separate your items? 

Or, is it a matter of making the most of the space you've got?  If that's the case, a good organizing and purging might be needed. 

You can start weeding things out by categories, and put them in separate containers.  I prefer structured containers, such as boxes and baskets.  Make sure to label them clearly.  Here are some categories to play around with:

clothes you have never worn (things with tags, etc)

clothes that need mending (shortening, zipper fixed, button sewed, etc)

clothes you will never wear

clothes that make you feel icky when you wear them

clothes that remind you of past events (I was wearing ______when my boyfriend broke up with me)

clothes that are too small and make you feel guilty about your current size (I'll fit into it someday!)

clothes that are too big (do you really WANT to grow back into it?  Really?)

clothes that make you feel dull

clothes that make you feel old

anything that's cheap and doesn't scream "Wealth!"

All in a Day's Work

This is something you can do a little here, a little there, over a day's time.  Do it in 20 minute increments.  Do 20 minutes, take a 20 minute break, 20 minutes, go for a walk, 20 minutes, check your e-mail (keep that to 20 minutes, for sure!), 20 minutes, call your friend, 20 minutes, load your laundry.  Find a timer and keep it set for 20 minutes. 

Hit the Return Key

Just make sure you keep coming back to it and, soon enough, it'll be done and you'll actually feel good at the end of it all!  Listen to some music while you're doing it.  Then, when you're done, you can assess and organize what's left by category, color, or whatever else makes sense to you.  Once you've done that, decide what you'd like to keep, from the categories, make a plan to mend what needs mending and donate what's worth donating!

The Benefits

You'll get a clean, organized, de-cluttered closet and you'll become more conscious about how your clothing makes you FEEL in the process...in other words, how it affects your chi (energy).  Of the two approaches, the second is usually my preferred method.

Let me know if this works for you and thanks for your question!

 

Is Clutter an Addiction?

I would say that, in most cases, yes, clutter is an addiction.  It dulls the senses and it is used as a numbing agent, much like food- eating your emotions...alcohol- drinking your emotions... drugs- escaping your emotions...clutter- displacing your emotions in "stuff".

Here's how dictionary.com defines addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

And, here's how clutter hoarding could look like an addiction:

Clutter is stagnant energy.  Basic law of attraction principles say that like attracts like.  So, if you've been living in a cluttered state for a long time, you've gotten used to how that looks, feels and resonates on every level.  Your clutter attracts more clutter to it and you've gotten nice and comfy (in some ways) being immersed in your stuff.  It's become deeply habitual.  Anything to change that would be at least slightly uncomfortable.  Possibly VERY uncomfortable. 

A good clearing might be good for you, but it would cause a shift that would create ripples in the rest of your life.  So, you come up with reasons for why it has to be this way...why it would only get back to this way, and you become complacent...until some kind of trauma or enlightening experience happens to shock you out of your reverie. In those moments, you realize how much pain your clutter is CAUSING for you.  The thing is, the more deeply you are immersed in your stuff, the more acute that kind of event has to be, therefore creating a viscious cycle of hiding in your stuff, being shocked into awareness...hiding in your stuff, being shocked into awareness...you get the picture.  And it's not a pretty one, is it? 

So, what to do?  I believe the best thing is to get help from a professional, to actually coach you through the releasing part, because all those emotions that have been locked up in your stuff are going to come spilling out of YOU.  This is ultimately a good thing, but it probably won't FEEL very good.  In fact, it might feel like hell.  Then again, that release of energy will start to build upon itself and clutter clearing can actually become a healthy addiction!  Of course, everything in moderation.  What I'm suggesting is that sometimes it takes just doing the thing that you know, intellectually and spiritually will help, even if you don't feel like it.  Sometimes BECAUSE you don't feel like it.  If there is only well-being and resistance, as stated in the book Ask and it is Given, then clutter is resistance getting in the way of your well-being.

Can the clutter addiction be kicked?  Of course it can.  How?  That's another question for another day...

"My Place is a Mess! How Did it Get this Way?"

If you're asking yourself this question, or you have a strong reaction to it, then I've got some insights for you about clutter and disorganization. 

Why does it accumumlate in the first place?

There might be hidden payoffs.  Ask yourself this, what are you getting from living in a cluttered disorganized environment?  It could be any number of things.  Perhaps you get sympathy from those who come to visit.  Maybe it's an excuse not to do things that seem "scary" or to take risks.  Maybe, deep down, you like the challenge of hunting down your car keys every morning.  Maybe it gives you an adrenaline rush, a sense of accomplishment.  It's time to get introspective and really be honest with yourself.  Once you figure out what the payoffs are, and put some effort into reprogramming yourself, amazing things can happen!

Overcommitment is another big one.  Maybe you never learned the value of the word "no", so you overcommit, and end up paying for it in loss of time, nervous disorders, resentment, clutter and chaos!  Let's not forget the money that all of those things cost you.  It's time to put yourself at the very top of your priority list!  You deserve it, whether you believe it or not...which leads me to reason number 3...

Maybe you have a sense of worthlessness, whether consciously or subconsciously.  Maybe you don't feel that you're worth taking care of, that you're worth having a nice place.  Perhaps your self-esteem is in the dumps....and your outer environment is a reflection of your inner environment.  Worthlessness is a belief, and beliefs can be challenged and changed, if you're willing to do the work.

Clutter is stuck, stagnant energy.  Once it's there, it attracts like things to it.  That's why a small pile, if left untended, can easily turn into a monstrous mass of junk!  It's also why it's harder for you to clean it up then it is for someone on the outside.  Yes, it takes a toll on that person, but it's not nearly as much because they haven't been living in this stuck energy and you have.

Sticky, icky emotional gunk like guilt, shame, blame, shoulds, etc. keep your energy low and can suck all the motivation right out of you!  Of all the clutter that you have, work on letting those things go first! 

I know you've got questions...bring 'em on!  I'm starting a Q&A, just for you!  Let's get it rolling!