How Feng Shui Cures Put Your Worry To Bed!

“Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot and you’ll survive whatever is coming.”
– Robert Tew

Worry is like a thief, it steals the goodness you deserve.

If you’ve repeatedly missed out on opportunities, wake up with headaches; regularly overlooked for a promotion at work; or daily argue with your partner over money in the same location in your home, Feng Shui would say you have a worry problem initiated by your home’s design. In this blog I share five “uncommon” design features that trigger worry and catch you off guard which can lead to missing lucky breaks and failing to see favorable openings. The following scenarios reveal that what isn’t readily apparent has an influence over behavior and interactions. The power in Feng Shui design is that by changing your environment, you alter your circumstances which allows you to bank on the good fortune that will flow into your life.

A knife edge at the front door.
A design feature I see frequently at the front entry is a corner that faces you as you enter into your home. In the Chinese language it is known as “sha ch’i”. This corner creates a knife edge and it can metaphorically cut you with headaches, distress, feeling at loss and low self esteem. If you are being criticized or learn that someone is backstabbing you, look for “sha ch’i” behind you or to your side while you work at your desk. In both of these circumstances your brain only knows there is danger directed at it. The amygdala’s job is to keep you safe, it sets up signals to get your attention in the form of anxiety. Not attending to the perceived danger creates prolonged stress in your body and an auto immune illness may likely ensue. Soften the knife edge with a string of faux pearls hung from the ceiling in increments of nine (depending on the height of your walls) or hang a 50 mm faceted crystal on a red cord in increments of nine. See the edge blunted by the light of the crystal or softened by the flow of the pearls.

Seeing a kitchen from the front door.
Whatever room you see when you enter the house influences your Ch’i and behavior. One client saw her bedroom and would take afternoon naps instead of walking to manage her weight. A game room would entice you to play video games or over indulge in media, maybe for hours neglecting important responsibilities like preparing dinner or late to pick up your children. Seeing the kitchen would be especially difficult for a person who struggles with an eating disorder or has issues with irritable bowel syndrome or any number of digestive issues. Worry that neighbors and friends might find out, they may obsess, feeling they would be judged which can lead to self deprecating thoughts and behavior.

Wealth gua missing with a “run through kitchen”.
This combo pertains to partners who worry and argue over finances. If the good Wealth gua is missing the couple may feel blocked, unsupported and carry on nightly heated discussions over finances. A “run through kitchen” is a design feature where the stove is situated between two doors that are directly aligned (in the kitchen). In this situation worry undermines trust and stability erodes between partners. Hang from the ceiling a 50 mm faceted crystals or a wind chime strung with a red cord anywhere between the two doors. Visualize the sharp Ch’i running between the two doors softens and dissipates. Compatibility and trust reawaken between the partners.

Sleeping with the bed on the door wall.
When the bed is on the same wall as the bedroom door, the brain cannot see who is coming through the door, it cannot protect you from threats of any kind. Your mind will spiral and it is a dark dance during the night of worry and angst. Over a prolonged period health issues such as insomnia, mood swings, headaches including migraines and heart trouble, e.g. arrhythmia, develop. Mental and emotional stress may accompany these and develop into more acute health issues. The adjustment is to place a mirror that reflects both the bed and the door. A beautiful fashion mirror will serve this purpose well. Off set it from the bed so it faces the door and when you awaken you can see who or what (your precious pets) is walking through the door.

Desk is out of command position.
Most desks are placed up against a wall to save space. If you work off site, your home office is generally designated as a multi-purpose room. This position of the desk is referred to as “out of command”. If a person walks through the door their unannounced appearance will startle you and the distraction initiates an imbalance within the brain. It may take up to an hour to calm your mind and return your focus and concentration to your task. During that recovery period precious time is lost that could have been used to develop a new idea or organize your work space. If it happened once it could happen again. Worry becomes a flurry of disorganized thoughts based on fear and anxiety. According to Professor Lin lack of command at the desk creates:
A sense of danger
An inability to see both opportunity and trouble coming
A narrow point of view
An outdated perspective
An old self-image
A lack of control in the world
A lack of support and good advice
Heart trouble
Being accident prone
If the desk must remain in the current position place a mirror (the size should be the length of the desk and as tall as the tallest person who sits in the desk chair). Seeing your image relaxes the brain, worry takes a holiday and you immerse yourself into finishing your projects.

There are more design details on this list. If you didn’t see one here that is relevant to your space, I am available to look over your floor plan with my Feng Shui A La Carte offering. We could get down and pinpoint what isn’t working then design Feng Shui solutions that will line your drawers with prosperity, catalyze your goals, sprinkle your life with joy and help you attain your vision of success. It would be my pleasure.

Do you want to grow your business or improve what is already a good relationship with home, family, your job or partner, I would be happy to help you with your place. I am also available for a “Your House Is Talking”  consultation service  as well as the Feng Shui A La Carte. I look forward to talking to you soon! 503-232-2543 or bette@shenmenfengshui.com.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

Photo credit: Freepik

Color Your Life With Hope

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
– Albert Camus

Going for walks in the northern hemisphere, these late September days, I marvel at the trees shimmering with hues of vermillion, titian orange and marigold that light up the landscape. If you are like me you are enjoying the autumn rhythm of shorter days. And yet I have heard from some of you saying you feel isolated by COVID-19 sheltering in place and/or fearful about the unstable political climate.

Let me share a few things that could help. Worry and unease contract our Ch’i. “When our Ch’i is weak, we are more open to absorbing negative external factors–bad luck, bad Feng Shu, and bad Ch’i –that may come our way.”(H.H.“Professor” Lin Yun). So despite external conditions we can brighten our outlooks by creating our own invincible season. Color is one of many Feng Shui principles that strengthens our Ch’i. Making color adjustments in our homes, wardrobes and offices revitalize our mental, emotional and physical energies. I see this often after a client adds color to their home or wardrobe. They express confidence, they feel they are in a better place and hopeful about the future. 

Fall for the color that makes you happy.
For your office
Red color has a stabilizing effect on the eyes (which are connected to the heart). Place a red object in the area directly across from your entry. This focal point allows the mind to get clear before you move on to your office tasks. A side note: red, symbolic of happiness, is a colorful antidote to anxiety.

Purple color has a calming, peaceful influence. It enhances visualization. If you meditate it will enhance your meditation practice and that improves your decision-making at work. Make a red and purple pillow and sit on the purple side to minimize anxiety. Or if you need to change your luck to good, sit on the red side, it raises your Ch’i.

Green color is associated with vitality. If your desk is too close to the entrance to your office or cubicle or your desk is in line of the home office door this diminishes your energy. Place a lush, leafy green plant on your desk. Its life force dispels negative Ch’i that may enter.

For your wardrobe
Red amplifies your reputation. Wearing red with the proper intention will increase your visibility both in a mundane sense and the transcendental scope. It will build your career and increase your options for success.

Green is associated with springtime, a fresh start and hope. You can look at green for a long time and not experience eye strain. Wearing apple green or blue can help minimize anxiety. Excellent for children in the first year of school or a child who daydreams.

Black, Green, Red, Yellow and White, the Five Element colors, help you interact with a person who isn’t listening, who thinks only of themselves, who argues with you and has “Yes, but Ch’i”. These colors do not change their behavior but help you respond to them with equanimity because they strengthen your Ch’i.

White color if you stress eat. Professor Lin said that when we wear white we are afraid we will spill food on our clothes so we slow down, are more careful and our stomachs will fill up faster.

For your home
Red paint for the front door for in Feng Shui symbolism, red means happiness, etiquette, power and strength. Though it protects against negative energy the main reason to paint your door red is it will continue to gather auspicious energy over time.

Green (any shade) in the kitchen can turn your finances to flowing again. Keep in mind the stove is symbolic of your finances. A vent or microwave over your stove oppresses it. Applying green above your stove will lift the energy, creating more opportunities for money to come to you: 1) easily 2) without pressure 3) and relieves worry.

Apple Green helps to deal with depression. If a friend or family member is feeling despair paint their bedroom an apple green to give them hope that a new beginning is around the corner.

Yellow, orange or brown in the center of your home helps you collect your Ch’i.  Often your Ch’i is depleted from work, raising children and overextending yourself. The center represents Health. Placing an adjustment here will help you respond to emergencies with surety and know that you can trust your decisions.

Rainbow colors in the bedroom (from my chapter in Recipes For Living Coloring Journal), “Stress creates a host of emotional burdens on your heart. If you add a complete color system to your room, for example, the rainbow colors, (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) you carry the frequencies of these seven colors. This spectrum creates homeostasis in your body. It mirrors the chakra system, the life force centers, that are the gateway between your endocrine system and cosmic forces. I love this strategy for peace. I find that displaying a scarf or a quilt invites a sense of serenity and a feeling of calm washes over me when I enter my bedroom…” Good choice for  a man searching for a partner,couples who are having disagreements or a child who may need help with their studies.

Allow me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. Details are at this link Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.