What is Feng Shui and just how does it work? Can I begin little or do I have to make a lot of changes all at once? And, if I begin little, just where do I begin?”
There is no mystery to Feng Shui. It is all about energy. It is not a religious philosophy or a magic potion. It’s all about the same energy in Einstein’s formula E=mc². Even more than that, it is a life’s journey of surrounding yourself with the best energy possible through things, people and thought. By no means is Feng Shui a band- aid for fixing little things along the way but rather living a lifestyle that is clutter free and filled with positive energy. “Feng Shui is deliberately choosing to surround self with positive energy to bring about desired results”.
And yes, you can begin little. Sometimes a project seems so overwhelming that beginning little is the only answer. I often use the metaphor, “you eat an elephant the same way you eat a piece of pie or a hamburger, one bite at a time”. In other words, sometimes the project is so enormous that you need to do little areas or a room at a time to get the job done; otherwise you might not even begin. It can be very intimidating to see mountains of work ahead and no way out.
There is always one simple way to begin, unclutter all of your surroundings, whether at home or at work. Create open space so energy can flow freely. What you will discover is that the areas where you are hording clutter will coincide with events that continue to be issues you are dealing with in your life. Perhaps your clutter is all stashed in your health area and you find yourself putting on weight or it’s hard to lose weight or you are constantly tired and simply not feeling well. Maybe your helpful people/travel area is stacked full of stuff so you are finding it difficult to find new job referrals, keep clients happy or travels plans keep falling apart. Clutter takes the place of good energy and instead or energizing exactly what you need in life you are energizing the clutter.
Besides completely uncluttering your surroundings, the next place to work on is the room you sleep in. Once it is completely uncluttered, remove anything from your bedroom that reminds you of work such as computers, stacks of books and magazines, treadmills, ironing boards etc. The bedroom is for rest and everything you surround yourself with in the bedroom should be peaceful, including the use of soft colors on the walls. Make sure there is nothing under your bed. If there is, find some other place in the house to store it. You need complete circulation of positive peaceful energy around your body when at rest and sleeping. Your bedroom needs to be your own peace filled sanctuary. Be sure to include your closet in this process. Are you holding onto years of clothes in different sizes? “If it doesn’t fit, you don’t love it or you don’t feel really great wearing it, get rid of it”.
Next, follow the same process in the kitchen which is the second most important room in the house. Whether you cook in or eat out, the kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where you go to get nourishment and nurturing. It is important to keep counters and refrigerators uncluttered so healthy vibrant fresh energy can linger and find its way into your heart and soul. A bowl of fresh fruit should always sit on your counter as it serves to remind you to eat healthy food as well as energize abundance for you and your family. Kitchen cupboards should be clutter free, organized and easily accessible. Pantries should be stocked with nourishing (not fattening) food. Uncluttering in this room really helps encourage uncluttering your mind and body as well.
Follow this same process throughout the house making sure every room is uncluttered and filled with fresh new positive energy. The same rules apply to upstairs rooms, garages and basements as well. Start little in each of these areas so they don’t become band-aid surgery instead of a complete energy shift.
Feng Shui is truly a life’s journey of creating abundance, health a wealth by surrounding yourself with positive energy. If you choose to begin and then stop it would be only a band-aid fix. Like a band-aid it might help a little but a major shift still needs to take place. Do remember the elephant metaphor, unclutter and shift a little energy every day or every week and you will find that you’ve accomplished much and dramatically increased the positive energy in your life while traveling down your life’s journey.
Download “Feng Shui, a life’s journey, not a band-aid” in PDF Format.
© Pat Heydlauff, All Rights Reserved
Pat Heydlauff, president of Energy Design, uses Feng Shui design principles to eliminate chaos and stress at home and within oneself. More than a Feng Shui expert, Pat is a consultant and speaker who helps remove clutter and negativity while encouraging personal growth, improved relationships and prosperity. Her new book, “Feng Shui: So Easy a Child Can Do It,” shows how to achieve a better tomorrow. For information on her consulting, speaking and artwork, call: 561-408-2708.