Benefits of Reducing Clutter
A clean and uncluttered home makes guests feel welcome and makes its inhabitants comfortable. It's often easier to think clearly in a neat and organized room -- and that includes the desk in your home office.
Clutter represents stagnant, confused chi. It may be difficult to make a decision in a cluttered home, or even to make positive moves toward growth and personal development. Our clutter also has our emotions tied to it. We may not want to let go of it for emotional reasons -- and that leads to our feeling “stuck” in our life.
Good Feng Shui is characterized by free-flowing chi -- not too fast, and not too slow. If a human being can't walk across a room because furniture is filling the space with no wide pathways or toys, books, and random clutter blocks the path, the chi can't flow freely either.
Clutter in Your Spare room or Garage
We tend to place objects we don't use -- or intend to some day throw away -- in our garage or spare rooms. Even if we can't see it, this clutter can weigh us down.
Clutter in the Bedroom, Kitchen and Entryway
Clutter in these three areas is the worst of all when it comes to free-flowing chi and Feng Shui, because these three areas of the home are the most important. Clutter in the bedroom can prevent a good night's sleep.
The kitchen represents our career success and how others perceive us -- getting rid of clutter in this area and always making sure appliances (especially the stove) are clean, can lead to increased wealth and career success.
Our entryway creates a first impression and affects the chi that flows through the rest of the house. If the chi is blocked by clutter at your front door, it can't move freely through the rest of your home in a positive, life-affirming way.
How to Clear the Clutter
Begin by sorting through your belongings. Does everything serve a purpose? That purpose may simply be that it makes you happy -- that's okay. Objects that don't serve a practical purpose or bring you joy when you see them should go. Recycle, donate or, if you truly can't find a use for it and don't think anyone else can, either, throw it away.
With the remaining objects, find a place for everything and put it there. Keep everyday items in easy to reach places. Store clothes and other objects used seasonally neatly in cupboards, the spare room or garage, where you can find them easily when you need them. When you're finished using something, put it back. It really is as simple as that to keep clutter at bay and let chi flow freely through your home.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Is Feng Shui for you?
I was at a party with a group of friends recently and one was talking about how they were doing a bit of redecorating at home and moving the furniture around to try and freshen things up. One of the group said ‘You should use Feng Shui to help you decide where everything goes’.
Now didn’t that get the conversation going, where do you get a Feng Shui consultant?, do you really need one?, won’t the house look weird?, what does Feng Shui do anyway? and so it went back and forth. In reality their level of knowledge about Feng Shui in the group was very low and a lot of it based on popular misconceptions.
Many of us feel the same way, somewhat intrigued by the idea of Feng Shui but a little unsure of what exactly it is and how you go about using it.
Well the good news is that it doesn’t need to be complicated and if you understand some basics then you can even try a few things out today and get an idea of whether it is for you. I am going to outline a little bit of history, a bit of theory and then some practical tips on the types of things you can do to incorporate Feng Shui into your life.
History
Feng Shui has been around for literally thousands of years. It seems to have originated in China and is possibly a derivative of Taoism. Several different streams of Feng Shui have developed over time and this can lead to apparent contradictions between some streams of Feng Shui at times. With our faster paced, more stressed lives these days, Feng Shui has become more popular as the attraction of a home that is free of clutter and calming has a greater appeal.
What is Feng Shui?
In very simple terms Feng Shui is about getting the Chi flowing in your life and more particularly into balance. Chi is the natural energy that is flowing all around us. The theory is that by changing the position of different items, closing doors, having certain colours in the garden and so on can enhance the flow of this natural energy. Certain symbols and pictures in different locations can also help. This flow of energy will help you increase or improve your health, wealth, family unity or improve chances of great relationships.
So, what do you have to do to get this energy flowing? While I strongly recommended a consultation specific to your own home , I thought it would be great to give you some things to try in your house, garden and the rest of your life right NOW!
In your House:
The Bedroom - this is the one room or place to do even if you don’t do anything else
Obviously the points here are the real basics and are only touching the surface of what can be a very complex subject. The idea has been to give you a few things to try or give you an idea of the sorts of things that might be involved in changing your life to incorporate Feng Shui. If you have tried these and feel comfortable with the ideas and feel it is working for you then you may wish to get into the subject more deeply reading books or getting a consultant involved.
Good luck with your Feng Shui journey. I hope this has given you some basic information to help you decide if Feng Shui is something you want to incorporate into your life.
Now didn’t that get the conversation going, where do you get a Feng Shui consultant?, do you really need one?, won’t the house look weird?, what does Feng Shui do anyway? and so it went back and forth. In reality their level of knowledge about Feng Shui in the group was very low and a lot of it based on popular misconceptions.
Many of us feel the same way, somewhat intrigued by the idea of Feng Shui but a little unsure of what exactly it is and how you go about using it.
Well the good news is that it doesn’t need to be complicated and if you understand some basics then you can even try a few things out today and get an idea of whether it is for you. I am going to outline a little bit of history, a bit of theory and then some practical tips on the types of things you can do to incorporate Feng Shui into your life.
History
Feng Shui has been around for literally thousands of years. It seems to have originated in China and is possibly a derivative of Taoism. Several different streams of Feng Shui have developed over time and this can lead to apparent contradictions between some streams of Feng Shui at times. With our faster paced, more stressed lives these days, Feng Shui has become more popular as the attraction of a home that is free of clutter and calming has a greater appeal.
What is Feng Shui?
In very simple terms Feng Shui is about getting the Chi flowing in your life and more particularly into balance. Chi is the natural energy that is flowing all around us. The theory is that by changing the position of different items, closing doors, having certain colours in the garden and so on can enhance the flow of this natural energy. Certain symbols and pictures in different locations can also help. This flow of energy will help you increase or improve your health, wealth, family unity or improve chances of great relationships.
So, what do you have to do to get this energy flowing? While I strongly recommended a consultation specific to your own home , I thought it would be great to give you some things to try in your house, garden and the rest of your life right NOW!
In your House:
The Bedroom - this is the one room or place to do even if you don’t do anything else
- Your bed should be accessible from both sides.
- If possible it should NOT be in line with a door.
- Keep the air fresh in the room - open the window or get an air filter.
- Remove electrical equipment like TV’s and computers.
- Use candles
- Keep windows clean (they are the eyes to the world)
- Try and make sure you have an even number of chairs.
- Remove the clutter.
- Have some plants in the room.
- Avoid setting up your desk so your back is to the door
- Have a good filing and storage system for paperwork and stationary
- Keep it as clean as possible.
- Keep the toilet lid down.
- Use candles and music.
- Have a welcoming entrance.
- Keep it tidy.
- Add some water and somewhere to sit.
- Add Jade plants or an attractive decoration
- In your car, keep it clean, remove the clutter and play harmonious music.
- Jewelry - if you have crystals wash them regularly.
Obviously the points here are the real basics and are only touching the surface of what can be a very complex subject. The idea has been to give you a few things to try or give you an idea of the sorts of things that might be involved in changing your life to incorporate Feng Shui. If you have tried these and feel comfortable with the ideas and feel it is working for you then you may wish to get into the subject more deeply reading books or getting a consultant involved.
Good luck with your Feng Shui journey. I hope this has given you some basic information to help you decide if Feng Shui is something you want to incorporate into your life.
Feng Shui & LoA
Feng Shui and The Law of Attraction
From using crystals to following psychic fortunes, there are many techniques you can use to improve your luck. But if you want to take it a step further, try using feng shui with “the law of attraction”: nature power plus mind over matter.Feng shui (pronounced ‘fung-shway’) is the art and science of arranging and using elements in your environment to allow the smooth flow of energy, also called Chi or Qi
As popularized in Rhonda Byrne’s book The Secret, the Law of Attraction follows the principles “like attracts like" and “thoughts become things." It states that everything in the world is made up of energy and you can use your thoughts to attract energies that would bring in happiness, health, love and wealth.
Used together, feng shui and the law of attraction can be powerful tools that can help you improve your life.
There are three kinds of luck in accordance with Traditional Feng Shui- Heaven luck which depends on the time, place, date and circumstances you are born into.
- Human luck determined by your attitudes, behaviors and outlook on life.
- Earth luck which is affected by your environment: your home, your workplace and your surroundings.
Improve your home, and you will think, feel, and act differently. (Earth luck)
Improve your destiny, and you will attract your greatest dreams. (Heaven luck)
Improve how you think, feel, and act, and you will improve your destiny. (Human luck)
Among the three kinds of luck, the easiest to change right away is the Earth luck, more specifically in your home. While changing a lifetime of behaviors and thoughts might take years, improving your surroundings to enable the smooth flow of energy can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.The Law of Attraction involves three basic processes: Ask, Believe and Receive. You focus on what you want so that you can attract it into your life. This doesn’t mean that you wait passively for things to happen. Coupled with faith, you also have to take inspired action toward realising your goals.
For manifestation to occur, you need to unify the message you are sending to the Universe:
“You can attract happiness and wealth with your spirit and mind but if your home is not telling the universe the same, the universe cannot deliver."
This is where feng shui comes in. Use it to enhance and harness the energy in your surroundings, thus creating harmony between you and your environment.1. Ask and de-clutter.
Ask for what you want to have more of in the different areas of your life: health, success, relationships and growth. Be specific with your goals and dare to ask for what you really want.
For new things to come into your life, you need to de-clutter and create space. From your bag to your closet to your whole home, clean out all the excess things that become a virtual burden for you.
a. Wipe dust off furniture, remove cobwebs and sweep the floor.
b. Remove dead flowers or dried plants inside your home.
c. Throw or give away things you no longer use or need.
d. Make sure your garbage bin is always emptied at the end of the day.
2. Believe in your goals and surround yourself with empowering images.
The Law of Attraction can only work if you believe it will. Your faith has the power to attract people who will support you and opportunities that will allow you to achieve your goals.
To reinforce your belief, make sure that your environment reminds you or empowers you to achieve your goals.
a. Hang images or photos that symbolise your dreams such as a happy family picture or a vibrant nature scenery.
b. Remove all images that evoke negative and depressing vibes.
c. Hang posters with positive affirmations on the walls of your bedroom.
d. Put up a vision board complete with images of all your goals and dreams above your bed.
3. Receive your blessings and know your favorable directions.
Be open and expect to receive blessings every day. Be on the lookout for the good things that happen to you, the people you meet or the gifts you receive.
Based on the date you were born, you have a set of favorable directions where you can activate energies of success, health, relationships and growth. In feng shui practice, placing lucky symbols or charms in these directions can help you manifest your goals more quickly.
a. Remove sharp objects in the room that point at you.
b. Never sleep with your feet toward the doorway since it is believed to be the death position.
c. Always keep the toilet lid closed especially while flushing. The downward spiral motion of the water represents waste of money.
d. Remove or cover mirrors in the bedroom that are believed to disturb sleep. Television also acts like a mirror at night.
4. Be grateful.
One of the powers you can activate anytime and anywhere is the power of gratitude. Most of the time, it’s easy to take our basic needs --- home, food, clothing and shelter --- for granted. While it’s okay to aspire for other things, always be thankful for the blessings that you already have. Remember that whatever you are thankful for, you will attract more of in your life.
Feng shui and the law of attraction are simply tools from collective and ancient wisdom that you can use to empower yourself and improve your life.
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