http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/realestate/25feng.html?pagewanted=1&emc=eta1

If big business is using feng shui in the decision making process for real estate transactions, why not consider it for your own decisions.  There really is something in the astrology, direction, elements, address and siting of a property. People are investing huge amounts of money using this type of information….

Feng shui is about the connection between people and their environment and solving problems in today’s world using ancient principles. To simplify and declutter. To get people in touch with their true, authentic selves.

To me, feng shui is the study of men and women in their environment. But what is more interesting is that we experience feng shui on all levels, at every minute of the day. Where you sit at a restaurant. Where your bed is located. What color a room is painted. Where a particular plant is placed. We respond to cues around us in both positive and negative ways.

Using feng shui, we can transform the negative energy, the negative cues, to positive ones. There is the possibility of changing an experience, however subtle the change may be.

A frequent question on the topic of wealth is “Do I need to keep the toilet lid down to protect my wealth?”  It is written and said that it should be left down to prevent the chi from going down the drain.  However, in my experience, I have not seen a direct correlation to loss of wealth, health, or energy due to the toilet lid being left up.

I can tell you from personal and professional experience that plumbing problems can be a sign that loss is occurring.  Specifically, leaky faucets, pipes and running toilets.

 A few months ago the flushing lever to the toilet in my bathroom was sticking and I had to manually lift it up to stop the water running. Annoying, but not yet a hardship to call in a plumber. I did tune in to what was going on in my life.  At the time I was having financial difficulties, namely I was avoiding dealing with some sticky situations. I started paying attention to them and dealing with the incidents that needed to be handled and weeks later the toilet “fixed” itself. The flusher went back to normal.  Additionally, I received a letter in the mail, totally out of the blue, that I am due a judgement settlement from a real estate closing three years ago. Windfall!

 C  had spent months redesigning her apartment based on my feng shui recommendations, with many results. She was dating like crazy. She left a stressful job to explore new possibilities, and in her words was happy like never before. But she had not addressed the leaking bathroom faucet. When she finally called the “super” to fix it, she got a call from her father soon after with a business opportunity and an all expense paid trip to Asia. 

In feng shui, it is all in the flow, literally and figuratively. There is a natural flow to wealth, health, and energy. When there is a breakdown, it can show up literally as a leak.  Then the thing to do is to see where there is a problem and do what there is to do to solve it. Maybe it is time to call in the plumber.

Gratitude is always a chi booster.. so let’s acknowledge all the plumbers out there.  and to complete the cycle, when paying the bill, do it with heartfelt gratitude for generating flow.

Sandy called me because she was overwhelmed. It sounds funny, but she did not know what to cook for dinner. She would go to the supermarket every day, often to Costco, while her kitchen cupboards, cabinets, and refrigerator were over stocked with food. I realized that her anxiety over dinner was a direct result of having too much on hand. It seemed easier to buy something new every day then try to go through her crowded cabinets.  We organized her pantry and cabinets so that all like products were grouped together to make it easier to see what she had and how many she had. Considering her family and lifestyle, we then determined what would be an adequate number of each item to keep on hand.  

•  I used to think that happiness was a full pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. But cans expire, produce rots and old freezer food burns, …money and resources wasted. With few exceptions, my rule of thumb is to keep a week’s worth of food inventory on hand. Reserve a day to plan the week’s meals. Keep a shopping list and shop from it when you go to the store. When shopping in bulk at places like Costco, be mindful of your goods-to-storage ratio!

 Visiting my daughter Sarah when she was a sophomore in college, I noticed that she had ten boxes of brownie mix. I asked her if the supermarket had a buy 10 for 10 dollars deal, to which she laughed and nodded her head.  My client Susan had 10 cans of pineapple slices on her shelf…apparently not an uncommon problem.

•  Do not be fooled by those supermarket discounts! You can still get the discount even if you buy two boxes instead of all ten. Buy what you need or what makes sense for you or your family.

 When organizing Tony’s cluttered family room, I realized that valuable storage space was taken up by an excess of magazines. He was storing magazines on shelves, in cabinets, in places that were not easily accessible, and as a result, not reading them and creating more clutter.

•  Have magazine and newspaper subscriptions for the amount you really read. If you are receiving new issues before reading ones you have, it is time to cut down and cancel. You can always go online to read and research. Donate to your local library. Cut out the articles you want to save – you do not need to keep the whole magazine!

 Amy had too many clothes for her closets and drawers. Clothes covered the floor, were piled all over her room, and spilled in to other rooms.  Moreover, her 3 month old baby had twice the amount of clothes she could possibly wear crowded into a small closet.

•  If the clothes you have do not fit in your drawers or closets easily, then you have too much and it is time to donate or discard. It is said that people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. Buy only what you have room for.  For example, if you have room for three pairs of black shoes in your closet, and you buy a new black pair, then REPLACE one of the old pairs.

Whether we realize it or not, our mind is constantly accounting for our things. When we have less to account for, we free up space and energy in our selves along with our surroundings. When we start to downsize, there is a change in energy and movement is created. I have seen clients lose weight, take on new projects, and feel lighter with clarity and control.

The loss of her mother in 2007 was extremely difficult for my client Monica, a teacher. For two years she felt discouraged to go through her and her mother’s things, resulting in an enormous amount of clutter and emotional strain. But after those two years of mourning and feeling disheartened, Monica was finally ready to confront her and her mother’s belongings.  This was a way for her to honor and pay respect to her mother, who she said would be rolling in her grave if she knew the disarray her apartment was in.

Clutter was running rampant in Monica’s living room. We went through boxes upon boxes, bags upon bags of miscellaneous things including old bills and paperwork, books, knickknacks, outdated teaching materials, her mother’s things, and her collection of dolls. We made piles for throw away, donation, mail to relatives, keep, and bring to school. We reorganized shelves in her living room to display family photos, relics, books, and trinkets. We implemented a filing system for her bills, paperwork, and miscellaneous items.  We rearranged her closets for better use and efficient storage space. In the kitchen, we reorganized shelves for better convenience and accessibility, which re-ignited her passion for cooking. Monica and her mother use to enjoy doing crafts together, so we also set up a space for crafts and scrap booking.

It took three days to clear the clutter and to organize, but when it was through, we could automatically sense lightness and movement – a true change. Going through her and her mother’s things was freeing and necessary. It was a way for Monica to honor her mother while taking command of her own life, to reaffirm her sense of self.
 
The next weekend she invited her family over for a barbecue for the first time. Everyone was amazed and shocked with the apartment’s transformation. It was comfortable, inviting, and uncluttered. Monica’s niece played with Monica’s collection of dolls, while her family could look through recovered old photos and enjoy the uncluttered living room. They came back the following week. Monica couldn’t be happier!

Objects are objects. People are people. Sometimes the two get mixed up. Throwing away your loved ones’ belongings is not throwing away your loved ones.   The love and feelings you have are everlasting.

My client Nina called me recently; she was having trouble selling her home.  Although the house emitted a very nurturing, loving, and cultured sentiment, as an outsider, and from the point of view of a perspective buyer, something seemed a bit off. Although the owners had an array of beautiful paintings, pieces of art, mementos from abroad, and pictures of family, all carrying a really refined sense of taste, they were not displayed and positioned effectively. Prospective buyers could not thoroughly enjoy the aesthetic of the home due to the positioning of  items within the room. The disarray of these fine pieces was a distraction from the all around viewing experience. 

We grouped paintings together with similar color tones and style. We took glassware out of storage to display. We completely rearranged the living room, opening  it up, allowing for a better flow, and displaying the clients’ unique sense of style.  Before, a large statue and  lamp were blocking the energy at the entrance of the living room, paintings were off center, the  furniture was not positioned in a very inviting way. 

A home on the market should not be stripped bare of mementos and personal items due to the lure of potential buyers. People appreciate stepping in to a loving and nurturing environment, hoping to recreate one for their own family.  It is healthy for the buyer to get an impression of the previous owners.

We created a renewed sense of balance and energy within the home – and an extremely comfortable and appealing environment for potential buyers.

Some people tend to use their houses and rooms in unconventional ways that totally suit them and their lifestyles. However a potential buyer wants a house to make sense. You don’t want them to have to think how they would use the spaces. For example, 12 years ago I sold a three-bedroom house before it was on the market. My 7-year-old daughter and newborn son had been sharing a room, and my 9-year-old daughter had her own room. To make the house more appealing, I converted one of the bedrooms into a really cute twin room for the girls to share, and the other into a sweet nursery for the baby. Now a couple could imagine starting a family in that house. They could envision their home. And that’s what happened.

My mantra to Nina when she kept saying “But I like it that way”  before we made a change with artwork or furniture was, “Remember, this is not your home anymore.” Letting go is tough… She was happy in the end!

I received two email responses from my last newsletter regarding vision boards.   One wanted information on how to do it and the other thanked me for reminding her of vision boards, because she has been meaning to do one.  You too? I have to say that I was very surprised that there is this interest in vision boarding, especially since my expertise is in feng shui and I use a vision board as a tool.  I am going to share with you how I use a vision board or a “collage with a purpose” as a tool.

The point of using a collage is to form thoughts or dreams into images. I do not use words on collages because it can limit and direct the energy into a finite way, whereas we are tapping into the limitless and unknown.

The steps to collage are very simple.

• Get paper.. any will do. I have seen collages on anything from an index card to a poster to a screen saver.
• Get images.. any way is good. You can cut out from magazines or search online for images you like. You don’t even have to use the whole image.. sometimes it is great to capture a feeling in an image.  The key when selecting images is not to think about it. Flip through magazines and cut out what jumps out at you or what “speaks” to you. It doesn’t have to make sense. Actually it is best to not make sense of it during this step.
• Arrange the images on the paper.  Again don’t think.. just do it until you are happy with it.
• Glue or tape it down.
• Take a look and see what it is saying. Does it communicate the essence of your vision or thought?   Are there surprises? Show it to others and ask what they see.

There are basically two ways to use a collage or vision board.

The first is if you are clear in your vision.  For myself, or as in the case with Sue-Ellen, my client featured in June 9 Wednesday Weekly Wisdom, vision is clear. You know what you want to have and are clear of your dreams and want a visual cue as a daily reminder. The images in your vision board or new reality collage will show what you want to have and reflect who you are going to be starting in that moment.. these may be more specific like a new red Porsche ( ok now you know mine). Be mindful that  as of the time you are putting the new reality collage together, it is as if you are in your new reality.  You are describing beyond words what you want for your life now.

The second way to use a collage collage is to get clarity if you are unsure what your direction is or what your vision is. This collage is to remove blocks by putting thoughts in to images so you can see what is in the way and what you can do… that is the  surprise if you don’t overthink it.

Here is the email from Alice, which outlines a situation where this type of collage is needed.

Thanks Tracy

My husband has just been told by his employer that they will apply for a GreenCard for us and our daughter. We’re British. Our son was born here so he’s American! Although I have stayed home with the children – my  husband’s visa wouldn’t allow me to work – now that  I know in 2 – 3 years time we’ll have a green card (apparently it takes that long) I’m starting to think about what I’d like to do. I’ve changed a lot emotionally since having my children (daughter 5 son 2) and also since moving here 4 years ago. Although my skills lie in the office environment I feel I want a different career. In your newsletter – the story of Sue-Ellen “Beginning Anew” – you mention a VISION BOARD. That sounds fascinating and something that might help me find which direction to study/train in. Any tips in a future newsletter on creating a vision board would be helpful and interesting.

Kind regards

Alice

The advice I gave Alice was to do a collage on clarity… what does it look like to her, what is the feeling of clarity. Flip, rip, and paste.  Her vision is there, but she can’t see it. She needs to clear the blocks in her path first. She may have to collage many times different thoughts or blocks before she is clear in her vision.

I will ask Alice if she will be so kind as to send in a comment after she collages.

All comments are welcome. Share your vision board/collage experience. Send them in and I will post them up!

Xxoo

Tracy

My intent is that you get something from reading this. Your time is valuable and I aim that you be inspired and motivated by the end of a few short paragraphs.

The one thing that you can count on is that there is always change. Your life is either expanding or contracting; it is never staying the same. But sometimes it looks like it. So, here’s to diving into the new and embracing those “scary” things we’ve never tried. What’s something you’ve never tried before? Do it, and let me know!