Clear

The first step in Feng Shui is to clear the area. When you clear an area, you clear out the old, stagnant energy making room for something new. This is also the case with your wallet. Similar to clearing out your closet or drawers, clearing out your wallet periodically will allow new energy, i.e. money, to come in. Clear out old business cards, IDs, notes, pictures, etc. This is old energy that is just taking up space. Speaking of, anything representing debt, i.e. credit cards with a large balance, should not be in your wallet…not only for practical, budgetary purposes, but for energetic reasons. It will only attract more spending and debt.

Rearrange

The second step of Feng Shui is to rearrange the furniture, if necessary. In the case of your wallet, do you need a new wallet? Is it big enough? Is it too big? Does it have enough compartments? Does it have too many compartments? Or is it just right! If your current wallet no longer fits your needs, then donate it to Goodwill and buy a new one that does. In my case, I needed a wallet with a specified compartment for bills (preferably $20 and $100 bills). My current wallet simply was not inviting for money to come in.

Energize

The third step is to add Feng Shui elements. While you don’t have to divide your wallet into the 8 areas of the Bagua Map, it is important to have designated areas in your wallet. For example, use the built-in compartments for organizing your business cards, family pictures, credit cards, bills, coins, etc. Most importantly, ensure that what you are carrying around is not only a representation of you, but what you want to attract more of into your life.

Next up… feng shui your purse! Actually that will be one of the challenges in the upcoming MIND BODY HOME CHALLENGE!  Have you signed up yet?

Rearrange your desk? That’s right!

By consciously changing the arrangement of your desk, you are shifting energy that can directly impact your job. While it is advisable to feng shui the entire office, you can simply start with your desk.

Paper Clutter. One of the first rules of feng shui to use on a desk is to clean up the space. Clear out all papers that are not necessary and organize those that are. It is often said in feng shui that, “The clutter of the room and the clutter of the soul are intrinsically linked.” If one’s work area is full of clutter, then they will more than likely work slower and have a lower productivity.

Have only on your desktop items that you use on a daily basis, i.e. computer, coffee cup, phone, etc.  Files sitting there that you haven’t looked at in a month should be filed away in their own spot. 

To cut down on paper clutter, incorporate files, trays, drawers, bins, and digital storage. At least 50 percent of your desktop should be seen throughout the day. Empty space is good. This allows for a clearer, open mind for thinking and creativity.

Desk Location. The location of the desk in the room is also an important consideration. The ‘power’ position of a desk is facing the door. This is the case whether people come in and out of your office or you work from home and no one ever enters your office.  It is about you feeling empowered and that energy infuses throughout your workday.  

Having your back to the door puts one in a psychologically vulnerable position. If this is not possible due to computer cords or other logistics, then the next best would be to have the desk at an “L” to the door. If there is a window in the office, then having the desk face the door and window would be optimal even if it is at an “L” to either the door and/or window.

Once you have your desk situated and all of your papers decluttered and organized, then the next step is what to put on your desk. The Bagua Map which is most often used on the footprint of a home can also be applied to any space, including a desk. The Bagua Map is made up of 9 quadrants just like a tic-tac-toe box and is divided accordingly:

Career: The space right in front of you — the center, front square of the tic-tac-toe box represents your career. This is a definite section to keep clutter-free. The element is water and the color is black. If you’ve got a glass top, try slipping an inspiring picture, quote, or affirmation that signifies what you want in your career. You can always just tape it underneath so that it’s not in plain view. As long as you know it’s there, that’s all that matters.

Wisdom: The front, left corner is the wisdom area. Helpful feng shui items to place here are books, anything you are studying and learning, or anything representing higher knowledge or wise people. Blue is the associated color for this area. Any drawers in this area are also included.

Family: The center left-hand side of the desk is reserved for family. This is a great place to put family photos. Wood is the associated element, so wood frames would be great. And green is the color for this area in case you have anything green on your desk.

Wealth & Prosperity: Heading clockwise around the desk, the upper, left-hand corner is the prosperity area. A well-run computer works well in this area or you can use something that reminds you of wealth and riches. It’s also a great spot for a healthy plant, perhaps a bamboo plant. If you have an “in box” you can place it here to represent money coming in. Purple is a great color for this area if you’ve got any lying around.

Fame & Reputation: It is no wonder that the most common spot to place business cards or a name placard is the same spot for Fame and Reputation. The center back one ninth of the desk is the place to let people know who you are. (This is another reason why you want your desk facing the door!) Red is the best color for this area. And since fire is the element, a candle or desk light would work here as well.

Love & Relationships: The right-hand rear part of your desk is the Relationship corner. This can be used to attract a new relationship or to spice up an existing one. Enhance this area with pink, a picture of your significant other, or maybe a bowl of Hershey’s kisses?

Creativity and Children: Now we’re at the mid right-hand side of the desk. Got kids? Put them here, preferably in metal frame this time. Or use this space for items, books, or anything that spurs your creativity. Yellow and white are the associated colors.

Helpful People and Travel: This section is the right-hand, center area of your desk and is associated with the color “gray”. It is a great place to keep your address book, iphone, or rolodex. You can also place your accounts receivable list here so the money comes in on time.

Health: The only place on your desk that we haven’t covered yet is the center square. This area governs your physical health and balance. Like the home, I advise keeping this area clear so that the chi energy can easily reach all areas on your desk.

So, you may be thinking that’s a lot of stuff on my desk when you said to keep it clutter-free. And, yes, I would agree. First and foremost, keep the desk clutter-free.

Secondly, choose which areas of the Bagua Map you would like to enhance and focus on those sections. Then, you can always use the bottom of the desk and drawers to finish out the Bagua Map. The most important thing to remember is to have an intention with each section as you go along AND to have fun doing it.

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MIND BODY HOME Challenge Starts May 30th!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN. 

Click Below for details….

This holistic perspective has been the focus of my work for the past five years.  In February, I debuted the MIND BODY HOME Challenge that integrates all of this in a 27-Day format for you to experience this connection yourself.  Because of the overwhelming success and feedback from participants, the next Challenge starts May 30th!  Join me for this 27-Day Challenge to Transform Your Mind Body and Home!

All that is necessary to participate is Email access and the desire to make positive changes in your life!

For the Challenge, you will receive an email in your Inbox each morning with your daily challenge. Each day for 27 days you will have a specific instruction with a particular theme pertaining to the mind, the body, and the home.  All three will be related in some way so that you can take a wholistic approach to balancing, transforming, and harmonizing your life.

You will also connect with others during the challenge through a Facebook Group (optional, of course).

OVERVIEW OF DAILY CHALLENGES:

MIND Challenges pertaining to the mind will include mindfulness and meditation exercises, affirmations, mantras, and inspirations.

BODY Challenges pertaining to the body will include movement, self-care, nutrition, and light yoga poses.

HOME Challenges pertaining to the home will include aspects of decluttering, organizing, green living, and feng shui.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER!

Creating an Outdoor Oasis of Beauty and Balance

As spring invites us to get outdoors again and spruce up our yards, why not consider going beyond the usual habits of gardening, and instead work with your landscape in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui?

With the summer months our yards can become an extension of our living space, and the garden allows us to feel connected to nature. Since the effective application of Feng Shui techniques do wonders for shifting the energy of interior spaces, it makes sense that the same principals apply to your yard and garden. A well designed Feng Shui garden landscape appeals to all the senses, delights visitors, and provides a calm and restorative environment to fully enjoy the summer season.

Landscaping that is energized with the flow of chi will bring life to your home, and attract an abundance of birds, butterflies and a feeling of well being. By incorporating representations of the elements, you can make your garden a retreat oasis in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui.

• Remove clutter, weeds, dead plants, objects to trip on such as tools and hoses, and other strewn debris in order to clear the space and let the energy (chi) flow.

• Don’t overwhelm the environment with every dazzling color in the book, but choose a selection of uplifting colors such as orange and yellow, and calming colors like blue, purple and white.

• Steer clear of items with sharp and pointed angles; rather choose smooth rounded corners to all objects, decorative pieces, flower pots and furniture.

• Avoid placing a fence or large object in the middle of your yard or garden, as it will block the flow of energy and disrupt the positive chi.

Elements of Feng Shui in your landscaping:

EARTH – Keep the soil fertile and the flowers, trees and grass well maintained, as this enhances the earth element. Place round stones as a border around spaces, or as appealing and calming decoration to enhance the grounding balance of the earth element.

WOOD – Choose wooden planting boxes, or adorn your landscaping with decorative wooden pieces such as a carving, bench or bamboo pieces. As a lucky Feng Shui cure, bamboo is used to attract health, abundance and happiness.

METAL – Place something metal in your landscaping to encourage the properties of that important element, such as wind chimes or planters.

WATER – Include still or slow flowing water such as a fountain, bird bath, pond or pooled water from a stream. It’s not encouraged to have a fast moving stream or river through your property, as this carries the positive energy away from your home, akin to “peace or abundance flying out the door”. Instead, have pooled or slower flowing water which can collect beneficial chi to stay in your yard.

FIRE – For the final touches of balancing the elements, fire can be represented in various ways such as candles or lanterns, or a fire pit.

You can easily create a feel-good and ambient garden patio with pillows, blankets, and outdoor music.
Just a few extra touches and working with the surrounding landscape brings restorative benefits and balance to the energy flow around and through your home. You’ll feel the difference and savour your time in the yard even more.

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MIND BODY HOME Challenge Starts May 30th!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN. 

Click Below for details….

Anna has complied of stories from Curvy Yogis sharing their experiences with yoga.  As some of you know, yoga has been a huge part of my journey.  Yoga is a metaphor for life and it continues to be a mirror for me as a teacher and student of life.

My story along with many others are in this beautiful compilation, called Curvy Voices, and it is yours FOR FREE!  LINK HERE FOR THE DOWNLOAD>>>

Namaste!

Here are some ways your small or large business can incorporate these aspects as well without breaking the budget.

1. Create a coffee shop vibe.

Try tall, long, and narrow tables for people to work alone or with others.

2. Splurge for a nice kitchen.

The party always ends up in the kitchen, right! The more pleasant a kitchen is, the more likely people will want to stick around. Provide snacks and drinks and you’ve got them.  Tea is a welcoming and inexpensive offering.   Most important, keep it clean, or else it gets gross and people will stay away.

3. Integrate Perches in Active Spaces.

A perch is the opposite of a comfy chair you sink into.  A perch gives someone a place to pause, have a quick chat, and move on.  It can break up active spaces and provide a nice flow to a space.  It also provides a place for a brief conversation that could completely change the course of a project.  A perch could be a tall stool, a tall cocktail-like table, or a built-in bar area.

4. Use incandescent or halogen lighting with dimmers.

You can dramatically change the feel of the space simply by the lighting.  For individual areas in which you want to allow people to feel more relaxed and homey, use softer lighting with dimmer switches.  If your electricity is not set up to accommodate, then try turning off the overheads and adding a floor lamp and table lamp.  You will have a completely different space and people will flock to it.

5. Create a Relaxation Space.

The more active the work environment is, the more a quiet, dark, relaxation space is needed.  This space can be small, cozy with dimmer switches.  Have it tucked away from the active spaces so that it feels like a retreat.  Have the furniture fixed so there is no temptation to move around.  Allow for soft music to play, similar to a spa or yoga studio.

6. Use Space to Level the Playing Field.

The CEO with the large corner office is out.  If you divvy space out evenly, people are more apt to feel a sense of belonging, not to mention more likely to provide creative collaboration.

7. Provide Multiple Community Spaces.

Whether it be break areas, project rooms, or conversation areas, the more community spaces you provide, the better employee retention will be.  The more someone feels ownership of spaces, the more he or she will want to be there.  Not to mention, it promotes overall morale and feeling a sense of belonging.

Feng Shui can be one of the most cost effective strategies you can use to help sell your home. In some cases, it is free or at the most the fee for hiring a feng shui consultant.

When you think of using feng shui to sell a home, you may think of moving furniture around and removing clutter. And, yes, this is oftentimes essential. But actually, most clients that I work with have already staged their homes beautifully and are perplexed as to why their home hasn’t sold yet.

When I work with clients trying to sell their home, I find that the energy block is not so much in the home, but with the homeowners. As a result, the energy in the home is negatively affected. When I walk into a home and tap into its energy, I pick up on the energy of the home as its own entity or being, as well as that of the homeowners.

A home has its own energy soup, so to speak, which is comprised of many things, including the land it sits on, its original intent at construction, leftover energy from previous owners, and even the numerology of the home. All these can factor into how a house sells on the market, particularly in a buyer’s market.

The other variable is the energy of the homeowners and how they are affecting the energy in the home. For example, in one case, the couple had divorced with the wife and kids still living in the home. Unresolved emotions coupled with negative energy being held in the area where the couple fought kept the house on the market for two years.

As much as homeowners want to sell a home, they are oftentimes subconsciously holding on to it, which can manifest in the home as clutter, overpricing the home, or simply negative or stagnant energy in the home. All of these detract potential buyers on a subconscious level.

People oftentimes confuse feng shui with staging services. While there may be a slight overlap, they are distinctly different. Staging involves removing excess clutter and furnishings and either using the homeowners’ furniture minimally or bringing in furniture to make the house look its best. For empty homes, staging is especially important. With feng shui, removing excess clutter and furniture is oftentimes advised as well. Feng Shui, however, differs from staging in that it deals with the energy of a space, not just the visual look of a space.

In using feng shui to help sell a home, a consultant works on an energetic level to clear the energy of the home, tap into the soul of the home, and, as a result, attract potential buyers. If you have done everything your realtor has advised and your home is still sitting, then consider hiring a feng shui consultant.

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Tisha Morris is a certified life coach, feng shui consultant, energy healer, yoga instructor, and author of Feng Shui Your Life (Turner Publishing).  To schedule a feng shui consultation, visit www.tishamorris.com.

1. Location. Location. Location.

This is something that feng shui consultants and realtors can agree on.  Location should be your first priority.  While realtors may consider location in terms of resell and school zones, feng shui consultants look at location in terms of energy.  Avoid neighborhoods with negative or stagnant energy.  This is often depicted by an inordinate amount of For Sale signs on the street, or in today’s market, a large number of foreclosures.

Examples of negative energy include rushing traffic, train tracks, utility or cell phone towers, cemeteries, dilapidated or abandoned structures, run-down homes, or anything that is undesireable to your eye.  Your subconscious mind sees these energy drainers every time leaving and coming home.  Over time, these negative energies wear on your physically, mentally, and emotionally.

2. Welcoming Entrance.

Look for a home with a welcoming front door entry.  Avoid homes where the front door is hidden or not obvious.  This detracts from adequate chi flow entering the home.

3. Square or Rectangular Floor Plan.

Notice what the footprint of the home is.  Avoid homes with an “L” shape or other shape other than square or rectangle.  An irregular shaped floor plan oftentimes results from add-ons and renovations.  This can disrupt the energy pertaining to the Bagua Map.  Otherwise, you may end of missing your Wealth, Love, or some other aspect of your life.

4. First Impression.

They say it takes us about 5 seconds to intuitively know if we like someone the first time we meet them.  This too is the case with homes.  Notice what your first impression is.  Do you want to stay in the home longer, or can’t wait to leave.  Also notice signs.  Dead bird in the yard.  Or perhaps a rainbow appears overhead.  Notice how your body feels.  Trust your first impression and don’t try to rationalize your way in or out of it.

If you’ve lost objectivity or can’t decide between two homes, then you may need to bring in a feng shui expert.  This is one of the feng shui services I provide.  And once you move in, don’t forget to space clear it too!

The end goal of Feng Shui and the Green Movement is the same:  Living in harmony with Mother Earth.

Thousands of years ago the Chinese incorporated Feng Shui into their living spaces as a way of life.  By intuitively following the way that the wind (Feng) and water (Shui) shaped the land, the Chinese would locate their homes in a way to optimally harmonize their living environment with the Earth’s energy.  By living “in harmony,” our host, Mother Earth, benefited as did her guests.

Fast forward a few thousand years to 2009 A.D.  One third of the Earth’s natural resources have been depleted in the last three decades.  The United States alone consumes 30% of the world’s resources and 30% of its waste with only 5% of the world’s population.  If every country consumed at this rate, we would need 3-5 planets.  And then there are the toxins.  There are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals used in commerce today with U.S. industries admitting to releasing over 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals annually.   (See www.storyofstuff.com for more stats.)

Somewhere along the way we have gone from living in harmony with Mother Earth to destroying her.  The Green Movement is about undoing this destruction. Businesses are learning that it can be a win-win situation to work in harmony with the Earth.  Consumers are now demanding earth-friendly products, from cars to shoes to food.  What everyone is realizing is that we simply cannot continue to live on this Planet while harming it.  As a result, we are coming up with smarter, better, and more cost-effective ways of living.  And, in doing so, we are slowly returning to a time of respecting our host, Planet Earth.

The Green movement encourages building with products that are beneficial to the earth and fellow man or, in the least capacity, are not harmful. Green is overall a tangible product or service that is translated into physical reality. Green fuel, green cars, green cleaning products, green flooring, green clothing – are all calculated on a basis of Harmful/Helpful terms with the ideal outcome being one that is measurable. Green has made an easy transition into the building profession.

While the Green Movement looks at how we can live harmoniously with the Earth on the physical plane, feng shui considers the same thing but on the energetic level.  For example, having toxins, energy inefficiencies, or lots of “stuff” is your home is inherently not good feng shui.  Even more so, a feng shui consultant can observe, feel, and improve the energy or chi (which is actually electromagnetic waves from the Earth) on the land or in a space to optimize the living environment.

While there is a difference in the means to the end, these two sciences overlap with a singular message that is spreading across the globe.  And that is to live consciously and in harmony with Mother Earth.