How Feng Shui Impacts Your Life

Feng Shui (fung schway) is a system of living in harmony with your environment.  Environments that use Feng Shui look beautiful and serene. Moreover, Feng Shui can lead to better health, wealth and relationships.

In recent times, Feng Shui has grown in popularity. Corporations such as Coca-Cola, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Proctor Gamble use Feng Shui in their corporate buildings.  Many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, have their own personal Feng Shui consultants.

BEFORE

AFTER

What’s it All About?

Fundamentally, Feng Shui is about chi or life force energy. It’s the invisible force present in everything. Chi is energy, and when it’s blocked in your home, you may feel stuck in a rut.  In order to live a healthy and happy, it’s best to have a  flow of chi in and around your home.

Employing the basic principles of balance and flow in your environment not only creates a visually and emotionally appealing space, it allows you to feel grounded and comfortable.  It’s like acupuncture for your home, unblocking stagnate energy and revitalizing your environment.

Feng Shui is based on the principle that people lead healthier and more abundant lives when their environment is in balance.  When when you increase your enjoyment of your home, you’ll increase your enjoyment of your life!

A Few Basic Tips

Create good energy in all areas of your home.  If you are uplifted when you look at an object in your home remove it. Fill your home with things you love and uplift your spirits.  Love is a very powerful emotion and creates good energy.

• Open the windows throughout your home and let fresh air in!
• Let the sunshine in.  Don’t keep your home too dark.  This creates stagnation.  Too much darkness is like too much clutter – it weighs you down.
• Fix everything in your home that is in need of repair or is broken or chipped.
• Remove dead plants outside and keep plants inside trimmed and healthy.
• Declutter your home.  Clean out your closets. Clutter prevents the flow of energy.
• Because your bedroom is very important in supporting your health it is important to ensure that it has good Feng Shui.  Generally speaking, it’s best to place your bed along the longest wall of the room.  And don’t put your bed against a wall with a toilet directly behind it because it creates negative energy.

Inspiration is the Light Inside You

My study of Feng Shui helped me understand how the quality of light in a space affects the way the space feels.  When there’s abundant light in a space it feels warm and welcoming.  The absence of light creates lethargy and in the long-term, depression.  Light is energy.

Just as the quality of light in an environment creates energy, the  light inside us all is key to inspiration.   Inspiration means, quite literally, being in Spirit.

Being in Spirit can be described as feeling grounded or being in the present moment.  You’re in the flow.  And when you’re in the flow, you’re open to new ideas.  Ideas simply pop into your head.  You may receive an answer to a problem, insight into a new way of doing something, or a fresh approach to a dilemma.

Inspiration is always available to you. It’s the perpetual light inside of you.  Sometimes negative thoughts cloud over the ability to connect to inspiration.   Negative thoughts can create a writer’s block or burnout or depression.  Regardless of what we call it, the problem is that we’re not connecting with our inner spirit or light.  The problem ISN’T that we don’t have any more light.

When I hear someone say “I’m not creative”  I think,  “That statement couldn’t be further from the truth.”  Every one of us is creative because we are spiritual beings.  You may not feel inspired to decorate a room, or paint a still-life landscape, but that’s not the essence of creativity. Creativity is the result of connecting to inspiration. It can be manifested by deciding to take your dog to a new park or picking colorful files for your office or simply cleaning your home differently than you usually do.  Creativity is not reserved for the arts. 

Think of each day as a creative experience, it is yours to paint the way you choose.  If you connect to inspiration you will absolutely have a fulfilling and energized day.  You can bring new energy and ideas to the mundane.  You create the day you want to have by your choice of either connecting to Spirit or by blocking off your light with dark clouds of anxiety or living in the future or in the past.  Inspiration is found in the present moment.   This is where ideas spring forth.  In this state of being you can connect with your inner self which inevitably connects you to inspiration.

My Secret to Selling Homes Quickly

As a real estate agent in Austin, Texas, I am committed selling my clients’ homes quickly, in fact my track record is 39 times faster than the market average.  What’s my secret?  I stage homes using the principles of the eastern art of Feng Shui.  Using Feng Shui creates irresistible emotional appeal.  When buyers connect to a home on an emotional level they are more likely to buy it.

Feng Shui involves creating balance in one’s environment. Every aspect of a room affects the way you feel in the space.  Colors, shapes, lighting, and furniture arrangement work together to create a harmonious feeling or conflict with each other to create a feeling of unease.  When buyers feel comfortable and relaxed they connect to a space.  Feng Shui helps balance energy so the space not only looks appealing, but offers a sense of comfort.  I refer to it as the “Ahh! Factor.” 

My company, Balanced Living Properties has become successful by incorporating Feng Shui principles to create a unique model for the business of buying and selling property.

Before putting a client’s home on the market, I stage it.  I emphasize its attributes by arranging furniture, adding color, and creating  good flow.  I showcase the home’s potential, allowing buyers to envision their dream home.

Feng Shui  puts people at ease in their environment.

 Oprah Winfrey employs her own personal Feng Shui Consultant. Major corporations such as Microsoft, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, Hyatt Hotels, CNN, ABC, IBM, Boeing, ATT, Disney and Trump have also been finding the ancient Chinese theories about flow and aesthetics of space to bring them success.

In fact, Hong Kong Disneyland‘s main gate and entrance was positioned in a north/south direction for good luck based on the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui.

Donald Trump said, “I don’t have to believe in Feng Shui, I do it because it works.” 

Balanced Living Properties takes a heart-centered approach to working with buyers and sellers, creating win-win-win scenarios and transactions grounded on goodwill.  Find more information at www.balancedlivingproperties.com.

Feng Shui – It’s Working Whether You Know it or Not

Have you wondered why you feel more comfortable in certain areas of your home than others? Have you ever rearranged your office and had more energy afterwords?  Do you know why you choose to sit where you do in a doctor’s office?  You may not realize it, but you are experiencing the effects of Feng Shui.  Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging the physical environment to ensure energy flow and balance.

You can feel the effects of Feng Shui whether you believe in it or not.  Environments with good Feng Shui naturally feel more comfortable.  For example, homes with lots of natural light sell faster than homes that are dark inside.  A bed positioned against a wall rather than in the middle of a room allows you to sleep better.  And you may be unable to relax in a house on a busy street than one located on quieter, winding street. 

Feng Shui works with qi (or chi).  Qi is the underlying essence of all things.    The goal of Feng Shui is to enhance good qi in your space while keeping out detrimental qi.  According to Chinese principles, Qi has direct impact on your health, wealth, and relationships. 

Feng Shui will help you feel more relaxed and peaceful in any environment.  Applying the principles of Feng Shui can ensure an optimum environment which will support your health, wealth, relationships and over all well-being.  It’s already working in your life, why not make it work for you?

Science Proves that Environment Influences Health

Science proves what you may already intuit – your environment influences your health. Nerve chemicals produced by your brain in reaction to an environment influence your health – specifically, your immune system.  

A study published in Science magazine concluded that patients in hospital rooms with a view of trees and natural landscaping healed quicker than patients with views of a brick wall. Subsequent studies showed that hospital patients suffering depression were discharged sooner when they stayed in bright and sunny rooms rather than in dark rooms.

Professor Irving Biederman at U.S.C. showed that viewing beautiful scenes such as a mountain vista or a sunset allow our brain’s nerve cells to receive endorphins which induce a naturally “good” feeling.  It seems that the repeating patterns found in nature such as waves, trees and mountain ranges are not only pleasing to look at, but have a calming influence.

These findings help validate the benefits of using Feng Shui principles to arrange your home or work environment. Feng Shui allows you to bring balance and symmetry into an environment through furniture arrangement, lighting, color selection, and accessories. Echoing natural patterns in a space helps you to relax. Using Feng Shui creates a feeling of peace and comfort which nurtures your health and well-being.

Feng Shui 101

Feng Shui is not a gimmick or a unique decorating style. It is a time-tested discipline with specific guidelines involving geographical, psychological, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetic and astrological concepts in relation to living space and energy flow. In short, Feng Shui is about balanced living – the alignment between you and your home.

According to scientific research, the environment has a tangible effect on your health and quality of life.  Using Feng Shui principles when arranging a home or work environment can support your comfort and health. Decorating choices such as color selections, furniture arrangement, lighting, and accessories selected in accordance with Feng Shui will create a comfortable and balanced space, helping you to relax.

When an environment has incorrect Feng Shui, it will make you feel uncomfortable.  Incorrect Feng Shui can cause loss of wealth and/or health and relationship issues.  When good location and design is combined with good Feng Shui, the environment appeals to the senses and feels comfortable, balanced and inviting.  Bottom line – you are better able to live to your full potential.

  Did You Know? 

• Based on the direction your home faces, you’ll have several
  areas that you can use to increase prosperity.
• If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable in a space but didn’t quite know why, odds are the Feng Shui was unbalanced.
• Adding red to a space will create fire energy and can help the space to feel more comfortable?
• Traditional Feng Shui does not involve philosophy, superstition
  or religion. It is the study of time and space. Feng Shui seeks to
  harmonize nature’s forces within your living or working space.
• The following companies have used Feng Shui: Microsoft,
  Chase Manhattan, Hyatt Hotels, CNN, ABC, IBM, AT & T, & Donald Trump.

Next Time…the scientific proof that environment influences well-being….

Feng Shui 101 – Good Feng Shui Helps You Feel Good

I think the following common expressions capture the power of Feng Shui.  “The air was so thick I could cut it with a knife.” “What you need is a change of scenery.”  These expressions explain a familiar but unseen phenomenon – energy.  Energy is the essence of Feng Shui.

After a heated argument, the energy imprint left by people in a room is palpable.  During a stressful meeting the atmosphere in a room may feel thick and heavy.  Why? Because of the energy. We all have a “sixth sense” that gives us a feeling of comfort or discomfort in an environment.  Most of us intuitively sense the type of energy in a space.

The philosophy of Feng Shui holds that the energy in your environment impacts the way you feel.  For example, do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable looking at the photo of the hallway above?  If you feel uncomfortable, you’re responding to imbalances of color, lighting, and shapes in the space.  This hallway does not have good Feng Shui.

Think about an uncomfortable feeling you’ve have had upon entering a hotel room, a restaurant, or a friend’s home.  What was it that made you feel uncomfortable?  Odds are, the way the space was decorated, the lighting, and the furniture arrangement did not feel balanced and harmonious.  When an environment is not alignment with Feng Shui principles you’ll be uncomfortable and it’ll be difficult to relax. 

Feng Shui follows nature’s principles of balance, symmetry, and flow.  The way a room is arranged exudes energy which you can feel. The essence of Feng Shui is to balance elements so that one doesn’t over-take another.  Choices such as wall color, furniture arrangement, artwork, accessories, and lighting create the type of energy in that you feel. 

Here Are Five Simple Ways to Create Balance and Flow in a Room:

1.  Arrange your furniture so that the largest and/or heaviest piece is against a wall.  In a bedroom, this is usually the bed. In a living room it’s usually a couch or media cabinet.

2. Don’t block windows. Don’t put furniture in front of windows unless you have a wall of windows or unless it’s most practical.

3. Keep things uncluttered. The first thing you see when entering each room should lift your spirits.

4. Arrange your furniture so that you can easily walk to it. Think of opening your arms to embrace someone. That’s the way each piece of furniture should be placed – open and accessible. Remove furniture if it’s blocking flow.  Even if it’s a family heirloom, if the space feels more open and accessible without it,  it’s best to remove it.

5.  Balance what’s on your walls too.  Use the open-arm analogy. Think of each opposing wall as an arm embracing you. It feels better to have each side balanced so you feel secure. If you’ve got a large media cabinet on one side of the room, make sure that the wall opposite has artwork sized proportionately to balance the space.

A good rule of thumb for decorating any space is if you feel comfortable and relaxed in the space, if you feel inspired when you walk into the space, and if love being in the space, it’s got good Feng Shui.

Comments, Questions or Feedback?  I’d love to hear from you.

Eight Clutter Clearing Tips You Can Start Today

Use the vibrancy of Spring as motivation for cleaning, organizing, and de-cluttering your home or office. If you’re like me, you may put off de-cluttering your desk or organizing an over-stuffed junk drawer for as long as possible. Then, when I finally do it, I feel energized and happy.  I wonder why I waited so long.  Every client I’ve worked with has reported feeling more energetic after decluttering, and happier with the way things look and feel.

Here are Eight Tips to Help You Get Started:

1. Decluttering Your Closet.  If your bedroom closet is packed with stuff and you can’t see much of the floor, it’s time to declutter. According to Feng Shui, having too much stuff in your closet keeps you blocked from opportunities. And it just feels better when look at an organized closet.  Saves you time and stress getting dressed too!

First, make three piles of things – Yes!’s, No’s and Maybe’s. The Yes!’s will be things that you can eliminate today.  The Maybe’s will be things that you think you’ll eventually give away.  And the No’s will be things that you want to keep.  Revisit the Maybe’s every so often or until you get tired of  looking at the items. Gradually move the Maybes to the Yes!’s  Whenever you feel that you can give away something, do it immediately. The goal is to have a closet full of things that you want and will use regularly and not full of things that you haven’t worn in years.  Make it a tradition to do this at least once a year.

2. Kitchen Pantry. If every time you open the pantry you think “I really need to organize this” it’s draining your energy.  Instead, schedule a block of time and clean it out – or start simply with just one small area in the pantry and do another part tomorrow.

3. Desk Drawers. It’s easy to build clutter here.  Remember that if you can’t find what you need easily, it negatively affects your peace of mind. Try to discard unneeded items consistently throughout the year.  If you’ve got junk drawer, shedule thirty minutes for the initial clean-out, and extend the time if you need to.

4. Computer Clutter. Don’t forget to clear out the clutter in your computer…emails, old documents, old applications.  Again, start in small increments of time like 15 or 30 minutes. You may be surprised at how much you can discard in just a few minutes.

5. Refrigerator. Clean out your fridge regularly and it won’t turn into a big project when you don’t clean it for a while. I recommend setting a specific day each month like the 1st or the 6th and take just a few minutes to clean it.

6. Kid’s Rooms.  Model conscious stewardship for your children.  You can give your kids the gift of loving themselves for who they are and not what they have. Don’t allow toys to take over your home. Every few months, ask your kids to find things that they can give away to children that don’t as much.  Guide  them in the experience that giving feels good.

7. Break projects into manageable pieces. Simply say work for 30 or 50 minutes on whatever project most inspires you then stop until the next time.

8. At the beginning of each month, find at least three things in your home that you can give to friends, donate, or throw away. Then do it!  Make it a game. For motivation remember that as you create space in your home new opportunities will be drawn to you.  Remember the adage, “Nature abhors a vacuum.”