Preparing for 2024 - Year of the Dragon 

Are you ready for 2024? I'm planning big change on many levels and if any year is the year to do it, it's this year. Not only are we about to start a New Year, an ideal time to start something new, releasing the old and starting fresh; we're about to enter the Year of the Dragon, the Wood Dragon to be exact, kicking off the Chinese Lunar Year on February 10th.

In Chinese Astrology, there are 12 animals marking the energy of each year. We're about to leave the Water Rabbit year, considered a gentle year of receptivity (reinforced further by the strong yin Water element).

In contrast, Dragon energy is powerful and disruptive. It can mean big ideas and big change. The element Wood represents growth and expansion -- think of branches extending in multiple directions and roots going deep into the earth for strength during strong winds. All that said, this can be a phenomenal year for abundance and success. 

I've been thinking about what to do to prepare for the days ahead, wanting to make the most of the energy and create as smooth a ride as possible for 2024. Here are three things I recommend you do in the weeks before the Year of the Dragon begins:

1. Beautify Your Entry: The front door of your home is the entry point for Chi and the primary source of Chi in your home. When your front door is difficult to see or in disrepair, it is not as welcoming to the chi. If the walk to your front door is littered with garbage or dying plants or even holiday decorations that no longer seem to light up the space, it also diminishes the chi entering the home. Take some time to look at your entry and find ways to make it beautiful -- repaint the front door, remove trash, take down old decorations, add fresh plants, a new welcome mat or even a welcome sign.
2. Clear Clutter: This is a big one. Clutter becomes a significant obstacle to moving forward with ease, defining our goals and creating a path toward our own success. Start in your bedroom, but you can start small, like a drawer or dresser. Then move on to other areas of your room, then your closet. You may be able to get it all done in a day or a weekend, but if it's too big a job, set aside 10 to 15 minutes a day just for clearing out that clutter. 
3. Journal: Each day, write what you're feeling, what's happening or anything you want to get off your chest. Allow yourself to process your day. If you find one day you have nothing to say, just write "I have nothing to say" multiple times until a new idea comes to mind. By journaling you are clearing your mind of things taking up a lot of space in your head. This allows you to free up space for new inspiration. You'll be surprised at the insights. Whether a special notebook with a beautiful cover or a spiral-bound school notebook, makes no difference. And no, you do not need to show it to anyone or even keep it once it's filled. 

I hope you find these helpful, and if you try any of these, know that I will be doing each of these in the next several weeks also. Here's to our success in 2024 as we release what no longer serves and welcome the mighty Dragon!

If you'd like to learn more about feng shui, or would like a home, business or phone consultation, contact me  at bill@fengshui-24.com.

Abundance is about the Why, not the What

What does abundance mean? It’s a word that has a certain expectation to it: money, money, money (cue Broadway’s Cabaret).

While it may feel like money makes the world go around, does money in fact tie directly to abundance? How many stories have we seen that show the lottery winner who is bankrupt in just a few years, or the wealthy who are living well beyond their means despite having more money than 99% of the population?

That said, of course it can. If you suddenly receive an influx of money, and you are wise and take a hard look at your spending and debt and all that stuff a financial planner tells you to do, then yes, getting more money can lead to greater abundance.

The bigger question is WHY do you want abundance in your life? Is there a big-ticket item (a car or a house) that’s been just out of your reach? What about that trip overseas you’ve always wanted to take? Maybe you’ve had your hopes set on starting your own coffee shop?

Still, these are just what you want to do with the money. So the next question is, what would you feel if you had any or all of those things? Secure? Free? Accomplished? This is key – that feeling you’d have once you achieved what you would do with more abundance.

Why is this important? Because when we think about abundance, we often tell ourselves the ONLY way to achieve our goals is through more money. In fact, there are many ways to achieve abundance. I’ll give you an example.

My parents are retired teachers. They loved those jobs and were very good at them. They worked at a prep school in New England for 35 years. In all that time, they were incredibly abundant – and not because of their salaries. They worked on campus and were dorm heads for much of my childhood. This meant that they were responsible for watching at least 40 to 50 students (boys) of varying grade levels every school year in their dorm. No small task. It also meant they lived in the dorm on the first floor in a spacious apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked a beautiful New England campus.

Their school also offered programs abroad if teachers were willing to take students with them. They leapt at the opportunity and were surprised when the school often found it difficult to find teachers to participate. Because of this program, they were able to visit Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Australia, and New Zealand on multiple occasions – to this day, the friendships they formed in Australia have resulted in nearly annual trips there. Again, not because they were wealthy, but because they saw an opportunity and went for it.

Furthermore, when they decided to move on from being dorm heads, the school let them stay in a house just off campus that had a pool and a pool house, with some beautiful big trees in the backyard. There are stories upon stories about the time spent in that pool, including a wedding they hosted of my best friends (my dad married them).

They have always lived the most abundant life. Never because of their money but because of their openness to the opportunities around them – sure they required hard work along the way, but they never saw that as an obstacle, in part because they loved what they did.

So how do you approach the world – open to the abundance around you or unable to see abundance in front of you? Is it full of opportunity for adventure or do you only see the obstacles abounding? Do you know that when one door closes, another will open? Or, are you locking your door to keep what you do have safe and sound?

Abundance is a feeling – and when you feel abundant, even if for just a moment or two a day, it can make all the difference. In feng shui, it is this feeling – of already being abundant — that then becomes a beacon for more abundance to come your way. This is why it’s so important to surround yourself at home with what feels abundant to you.

In your kitchen, does your pantry have half-empty jars of rice or beans or nuts? Fill them up. Does your bedroom feel outdated or lackluster? Buy some new sheets or throw pillows that feel luxurious. What about your eating space – can you enhance how it feels with a table runner and a few candles?

Take a look around your home. What does it tell you about abundance? What it tells you is a good indication of how you feel about your current state of abundance. And if you want that to improve, feng shui can help.

It's Time for a New Beginning, but Where to Start?

How do we start fresh, begin anew? It’s a question that comes up every year in January, sometimes in February (Chinese New Year or Imbolc). In these days, especially in the United States, it’s a poignant question. So much has happened in the past year that has tested us on so many levels that it’s hard to even recognize that there is an opportunity for something new to begin.

Thank goodness for nature. Despite all that occurs around us, nature continues on with its cycles – sunrise continues, as does sunset; the moon continues waxing and waning; the seasons remain constant and ongoing. It’s an unending reminder that there is always a new day, always a time to begin. The holidays, like New Years, are another reminder. 

Ancient cultures recognized that the cycles in nature didn’t just represent something to inspire stories and legends – like Apollo carrying the sun across the sky – but generated a kind of energy that reflected a specific event. This energy would dictate the timing of ceremonies to benefit from this energy. 

In modern times, we recognize this too. We can feel the expectant energy rising when the sun peaks over the horizon. We can feel the peace that often comes while watching the sun set. There’s a difference in how we feel at mid-day vs. midnight. We know the energy is different, but most of us are not raised to perform ceremonies that celebrate rites of passage or honor new beginnings. 

It is this understanding, that energy changes throughout the day, that also reminds us that on a smaller scale we are surrounded by energy that changes based on the events that occur in our lives. From the tension left in a room after an argument to the celebration of a newborn first coming home or the lethargy and even sadness that sickness can often bring to a space.

In feng shui, we take this knowledge and use it to shift the energy of a space by not only allowing the energy to flow more easily but also ensuring the energy that exists in a space is uplifting and reflects back to us our dreams and aspirations.

But back to the original question. How do we start fresh, begin anew? Start by defining what it is you want in and for your life. What is your intention for your new beginning? It is not just about wanting more money, but the benefits of having that money. It is not just about having a relationship, but having what you feel represents a perfect relationship: joy, love, passion, respect, support, adventure, etc. 

You might think defining this question would be simple enough. In fact, I’ve found that this is a question many clients struggle with because they stay focused on the things they do not want. They will focus on not being sick or not being strapped for cash or not being alone. When this happens, I remind them that our intentions in feng shui act as beacons for the energy we create in our lives, so instead they should focus on things like being healthy, financially secure and a passionate, supportive relationship. 

Once you define what it is you do want, it’s a matter of aligning the energy around you to reinforce it. For instance, if you are looking for a new job, there is a place in your home that is tied to the energy of your career, and if that space is filled with representations of your current job (e.g., files of current projects) or is a storage space filled with clutter, it works against the energy of you finding a new job. Changing this space can be the first step toward a new beginning.

So take a note from nature, that change is constant; and a new beginning is happening every day. And listen to the ancients who honored nature’s events as harbingers and supporters of different kinds of energy. And take action with feng shui, but considering the energy you want to bring into your home and your life by focusing on what it is you truly want in your life. 

And if you’d like to learn more, or would like some support for creating your new beginning, reach out to me at bill@fengshui-24.com. 

Finding the Moment

A beautiful hummingbird at rest

This morning, the hummingbird sat still. As I was on the deck drinking tea, I spotted out of the corner of my eye, the little beauty hovering near one of our feeders. I had just refilled it with a homemade concoction. It got closer, tasted its prize – once, twice and then it sat still.

Considering the energy of the hummingbird and the 80 beats per second required of those wings, it seems like an unusual thing to witness. The wings stopped, as it clung to the small plastic extension created just for this purpose. It was a peaceful moment; and I can’t help but think what it must be like for this miniature creature to finally get a chance to rest. I imagined this must be a celebrated moment to take a breath for this always-on-the-go bird.
 
I also realized, as this happen just a few feet away on the kitchen window, that I was taking a break as well. A break to wonder and admire what was in front of me. I unknowingly took a moment to breathe, took that moment to focus solely on one small, beautiful aspect of nature, and it felt unusual.
 
In these times, the unusual is anything that takes me out of the head space of worry, frustration and anger that appears to be a constant presence. The unusual is anything that I don’t intentionally do to take my mind off the pandemic, the social unrest and injustice so apparent today – like working heads down to produce something at work, going for a walk, making a special coffee or using social media to divert my attention to name a few.
 
This moment was a treasure. These moments, as small as they might be, are what we all need right now. With all the change happening in the world right now, these small things are what will help us to stay balanced.
 
Not everyone has a chance to see a hummingbird in a day, but everyone has a chance in the day to see something that makes them stop, for a moment, and breathe. It may be something in nature, like a beautiful cloud or a gentle breeze, it could be an unexpected find in your home of something you thought you’d lost, it could be a memory triggered by a song; it could be a thank you out of the blue from a co-worker.
 
All we need to do is be open to experiencing these moments. And when they occur, because they will, recognize them for what they are: an unexpected gift to you, a break from the world of worry or stress, a chance to breathe.
 
Imagine, all of us, taking a break, every day, for a moment.

Finding Gratitude In These Times

These days, it isn’t always easy to find gratitude, especially when facing our own individual challenges or, as is the case now, seeing and experiencing the anxieties and fears that come with a global pandemic and social unrest.

In these times, it’s more important than ever to find way to stay grounded and focused on what fills us with gratitude so that we may find balance in our lives.

This can be a daunting ask. When I am filled with frustration, anger and uncertainty, it’s difficult to feel grateful for what’s happening in my life. Especially for those activities where I spend much of my time, like my sometimes high-stress job.

I’ve found a key, though, that makes all the difference. Start small.

Instead of trying to feel grateful for a life that is dependent on 10- to 12-hour days spent in frustrating situations doing work that does not always feel aligned with what brings me joy, I focus on tea.

You see, since I’ve been sheltering in place, working from home, I try to have a cup of tea every morning. It’s green tea. I pour it in a cup that my daughter made when she was three. The cup comes with a saucer. I hold that cup and I am grateful. Grateful for her. Grateful for my wife who took her to the ceramics class and likely held the mug so my daughter could get her little painted fingers all over the cup. Grateful to be able to have a moment to think of them and enjoy the tea before starting my day.

The nice thing about starting small is it’s easy to find other small things that bring me joy: my dog stealing my shoe because she wants to play; standing in the middle of nature and accidentally capturing a beautiful image of trees above; spending time with family on a recent vacation that included visiting my youngest daughter’s college she’ll be attending in the fall. And yes, it’s the same daughter who designed my cup.

When you combine all these things, it is so clear how lucky I am and why I have so much to be grateful for no matter what may be happening in a given day or even in these times.

Sure, the fears, anxiety and frustrations still exist, but I have a touch stone of gratitude that is always there.

So what small things in your life are you grateful for so you can find balance?

A Soulful Conference as a Catalyst for the Soul

I’m on the way back from a conference where I had the honor and privilege to speak about a topic I love, be surrounded by the energy of healers, modern-day mystics and change makers, and perform ceremony. So to say my heart, head and spirit are full would be an understatement.

The Home for Your Soul conference, sponsored by the schools of Interior Alignment® and Soul Coaching®, focused on the many “homes” for our soul – from the physical structures we live in each day to our physical bodies.

There was so much great information so I wanted to share a few great insights that really resonated with me that I thought would be valuable to anyone unable to attend. Unfortunately, I can’t share everything as there isn’t enough space in the blog (but pay attention to future blogs for more 😊).

A new way to create balance

I’ve always thought that balancing my life between the corporate world (I work for a marketing company as a VP of Project Management) and the unconventional world of feng shui, space clearing and energy work, was about dividing my time equally between the two.

What if that isn’t the case though? What if instead it’s a much more dynamic existence? One in which I can focus on both as part of a whole of who I am and what I do? It’s not about dividing my focus between the two but bringing the two together, allowing me to pull from both when focusing on either.

For instance, as I focus on feng shui, allow my corporate mindset to help drive results; and while I focus on my corporate job, consider the energy in a situation and how I can either support the energy or help to adjust it to align better with the intention of the situation. Powerful stuff.  

A state of rediscovery

There are so many of us going through changes in our lives – some big, some small – and what I realized as part of one of the presentations is that often we find ourselves in a state of rediscovery: rediscovering what it is we want, what it is we are able to do and perhaps most profoundly, who we are.

It can be a daunting task, and we could all use some support through these changes. Feng Shui, Space Clearing and energy work as a whole are great tools by which to do this.

In Feng Shui, it’s important to assess our physical space – identifying what in it supports us with connections to great people, places and events in our lives (e.g., the picture of that great trip with friends you love) to remind us of what we want and don’t want in our lives (e.g., like that chair that once sat in your childhood home but reminds you of childhood punishments). In Space Clearing, we work to shift the actual energy – changing how it feels to you by removing stagnant energy and replacing it with lighter energy charged with your intentions to better support you through times of change.

Rediscovery does not have to be a solitary journey, and there are ways we can help one another through them.

Be a leader for my tribe

Stepping into our power, no matter our line of work, can be a challenge. We often pay more attention to our doubts, worthiness and obstacles than we do on the things we want to achieve, our successes along the way and our larger than life dreams.

This recipe of negative thinking distracts us daily, making it difficult to see the possibilities and opportunities right in front of us. Or worse, telling us not to even try because there’s no real way something like – insert new idea here – could turn into your dream.

The thing is, though, it’s not just us who are affected. There is a tribe of people out there who are of like mind, like spirit, who are struggling just like we are, to feel empowered to make positive powerful change in the world. And if we focus more on what you can’t do than what we can, we become just another anchor in the old ways and limit our ability to help create a new, more vibrant and powerful perspective.

What next?

I admit, I feel like I’ve heard similar messages before, and yet, here I still am – balancing worlds, trying to rediscover myself and not truly stepping up to be a strong leader for my tribe. I also recognize the repeating cycles in life, and it’s not worth beating myself up over my perceived “delay.” 

The next step is actually fairly simple: take action. Feel free to join me.

Using Nature as Your Guide

Our homes represent a reflection of who we are. We can look around us and see colors and style that we selected, family and friends among the pictures and gifts, tokens from adventures we’ve taken, and rooms that help us relax and rejuvenate.

When we feel out of balance, want a change in our life of some sort, we look at our homes as a place to shift the feel or energy in our lives, seeking some additional level of support for that change. This is at the core of what we do in Feng Shui, and when we do, we turn to nature as a guide, incorporating aspects of nature into our home through color, pattern, texture, energetic flow and the like.

Why do we do this?

Consider that when we walk through nature, multiple scientific studies have shown, our bodies and minds receive great benefit – reduced blood pressure, improved immune systems, greater clarity in our thoughts. We in essence reset ourselves to be in alignment with the natural rhythms all around us. It creates greater balance for us mentally and physically.

This should come as no surprise, as at the core of Nature is the need to create balance as represented by The Tao. Comprised of the divine masculine and the divine feminine, it shows how without light there is no dark, without action there is no stillness. So if the nature of our universe is to find balance, then it is within our nature to find balance as well. Hold that thought.

I define being in balance as being at one with our soul’s purpose. So the better we understand our true selves, our souls, the closer we are to being in balance and a state of contentment. And while in Feng Shui, we try to do this by bringing more of nature into our homes, what happens when we leave our home? Where do we find balance then?

All around us. Think again about the nature of the universe – to create balance. Then if we look around us, among the sights, sounds and feelings we experience in Nature, we can use the outdoors as our guide. Now consider how unique each of us are – some of us are morning people, some night owls, some of us are highly driven while others prefer to observe and analyze, some of us grew up in urban environments while others in the arid deserts of the world.

When faced with this level of variety, finding balance can be a very unique endeavor – as unique as each of us. So then how does Nature do this? Help each of us find balance? It is by helping us to get grounded enough to remember who we are. It is by reminding us every day of who we are based on what we are drawn to in Nature. It is by establishing signs that speak to each of us individually based on our own life experiences.

Of course, we play a role in all of this. It is to listen and take action accordingly. When Nature tells us to pay attention, we should. When Nature reminds us that there is more to life than being a cog in the wheels of corporate enterprise, we should focus on the difference we make or want to make in the lives of the people we see every day. When Nature points us toward our soul’s yearnings, we should follow it.  

Nature guides us every day, in sometimes subtle and not so subtle ways, all in an attempt to help us find ourselves. Are you paying attention?

Bridging Divides Using Feng Shui

Light snow is falling outside. Trying to make its presence last across a sea of green-brown grass. It feels peaceful – the slow, meandering pace of the flakes filling the air, slowing my breath and body, and almost my mind.

It’s been a tough few months. I’ve been caught up in the anger and frustration many people are feeling at the recent U.S. election, and even more so the actions being taken since President Trump took office less than two weeks ago. I went to D.C. for the Women’s March with my wife and two girls, meeting up with our closest friends, in the hopes of feeling a sense of unity with others of like mind, like emotions. We made signs. We got up at the crack of dawn. We listened to great speeches and then we marched.

My family and I (lower left corner) at the Women's March in D.C.

In one sense, I’m still processing the experience, but I’m also trying to transform the energy I felt there into actionable efforts back home – getting more involved in the local political scene and planning on attending various protests and rallies.

For many in the New Age (or whatever we’re called these days) community, getting embroiled in the issues and putting a focus on the negativity being driven by the new administration, staying atop of the resulting fallout – both peaceful and violent, isn’t the approach to take. It’s depleting. It’s overwhelming. It’s an empath’s greatest challenge to stay functional in the day to day world. I get it, and yes, I’ve had a couple days when I couldn’t look at the news; but for me I need to feel like I’m able to stay on top of what’s happening. There appears to be too much at stake here for me to turn my focus away from it.

I also know though that if change is going to happen, I’m going to have to do some uncomfortable things – like try to understand people who are so far away from my belief system that I can’t see through the fog of all the labels we have for one another to allow me to even find their hands to shake.

When I have a tough challenge like this, I look for a solution, or at least the start of one, using what I’ve learned through feng shui. So as I considered this, an idea started to form around the time of year we’re in, and specifically the holiday: Chinese New Year. In China, they follow a lunar calendar, which results in their new year starting in late January or early February. This year, it started Saturday, Jan. 28, and will be celebrated until Feb. 15th.

In Beijing, a dragon dance and red lanterns offer a glimpse
of the start of the Chinese New Year celebration. 

Considered the Spring Festival, this traditional holiday is used to honor our families, starting off with the most important meal of the year: a reunion dinner. It’s a time to connect with one another and look forward to a prosperous year together.

Seeing the images from around the world, people celebrating not only in China, but London, Sydney, San Francisco, the list goes on, makes it crystal clear that the idea of family can and perhaps should be expanded to include a more global family. From that perspective, I told myself, what’s to keep me from expanding my definition of family to people outside my home, my community, my state, even my belief system?

So, if I were to honor this much larger definition of family, considering the Chinese New Year as a guide, how could I do it? There are many traditional ways to celebrate, including sharing red envelopes for best wishes, setting off firecrackers and eating lucky food. In my feng shui and space clearing practice, I like to honor others intentions through altars.

And that’s what I have done – as you can see here. My altar’s base is a ceremonial wooden bowl and includes Epson salt for grounding, a bridge to symbolize the bridging of a gap of beliefs between me and my larger family, a red envelope under the bridge that includes the words unity, respect and love and two red candle holders (red is very auspicious in feng shui) with candles to initiate the action (fire) needed here. 

An altar with the intention of creating greater unity between
people of different beliefs and perspectives.

It’s simple but altars don’t have to be complex to be effective.

So now I have a focal point for my intention to bring my larger family together. And I’ve found a way to incorporate feng shui and space clearing practices into supporting me as I work through this latest of challenges. I suspect the road ahead will include more frustration, anger and outrage, but I also know that to get past those events to one of greater unity, I need to try to understand the ideas and perspectives of my larger family, even if I don’t agree with them.

I know this altar can help me, and perhaps it, or one you make, will help you as well.

With gratitude.

Getting back to center

Starting fresh. Getting back on that horse. Brushing yourself off and standing back up. While it's not as daunting as starting over, it still has its fair share of fear associated with it. There's a sense of failure, and even if it's a small sense, it's still tied to the "f" word. A sense that you've veered off your path, if even for a short period of time.

We all go through those times in our lives when we lose our focus. Sometimes it's because of the various events in our lives, other times it's because we didn't quite know what our focus was in the first place. For me, I typically get caught up in what I like to call my Muggle world (thank you J.K. Rowling, for that and soooo much more). The one that includes long hours away from home and pays the bills.

So the issue for me isn't that I get caught up in this world. It's that I get so caught up in this world that I lose sight of what I want to be doing. There's the rub. It might sound familiar to you. If it does, then I've got some thoughts to share that may help you.

When I realize that I'm not where I want to be, which frankly takes more time than I would like to admit, I often turn to tools that help me to go inward. See we all have this inner voice that helps guide us, but I've found that my voice gets drowned out by stress, fear, anger, any negative emotion really.

There are many tools I use that hopefully may be helpful to you.

An easy one is music. I'll pop on my headphones at work so I can focus and listen to any music that really makes me feel good. Of late, this includes some Norah Jones, Christina Perri, Michael Buble and some of Adele's powerful songs. The goal here is just to make me feel good -- the opposite of how I feel when I'm stressed and worried and angry about work. Once I've got that good feeling, I'm more open to thinking about the path I want to set for myself, and I may even start listening to some meditation music with flutes, drums and the like (I love Dave and Steve Gordon's Native American music for this). This will actually help to change more than my mood but my physiology -- my breathing changes and my body relaxes. In this space, I'm much more open to that little voice inside. 

Oracle cards are varied enough that you can
find a deck that resonates with you

Another option is to use oracle cards. If you haven't used these before, or only think of these as fortune telling tools, they've come a long way since the days of a mysterious woman in a dark room with red velvet table clothes and have become valuable personal tools for many people. While I know several people who offer readings for people, and in fact I have done this as well, I think they are most valuable as personal development tools. Think of them as a way to help you listen to your own inner guidance -- like talking to your higher self. They can help you expand your own intuitive skills and give you valuable insight to a situation. The shear variety of cards that exist are pretty amazing. When I was much younger, I started with Tarot cards, moved on to angel and fairy cards by Doreen Virtue but then found cards that aligned more with my connection to nature, e.g., Animal Medicine cards by Jaimie Sams and David Carson. I've found a new deck recently that I love working with by Denise Linn -- Native Spirit Oracle Cards. Each deck will include directions for how to use them, so my advice here is to get centered, focus intently on your question and be open to the insight that comes. Your first reaction (to an image, a color, etc.) is typically the one meant for you, but each card has its own meaning in an accompanying guide book.

Peruvian Chumpi Stones

Here's a third approach you can take. There is always something new to learn on your path, where ever it may lead you. So find something that you've wanted to learn more about. If you're a teacher, is there a new method to connect with your students? If you're in retail, have you considered a new way to reach your customers? If you're a massage therapist, have you considered the importance of your space when you provide your massages and how you could enhance it? In my case, I received some new healing tools that I'm excited to try -- Chumpi Stones. These Peruvian stones are connected to sacred mountains and aligned with each of the seven primary chakras in our bodies. In conjunction with drumming, singing bowls and other tools, they are purported to provide great healing benefits. 

So there you have it, a few ways to help you get back onto your path, or perhaps stay there in the first place. I hope they inspire you to stay true to your path. 

And before I go, yes, I realize that getting lost in the stresses of work and life is actually all a part of my path -- a reminder that while I have an idea of what my path is "supposed" to be that in truth in order to get there, the stresses in fact push me closer to my goal. It's as if my path is actually much wider than I realized, and the goal is to stay in the center of my path for a clearer understanding of where my path leads. 

So that said, from now on, when I get so caught up in things I think are taking me off my path, I'll look at it as not stepping off the path but stepping off-center. Here's to staying true to our center.  

Until next time...

The real problem with clutter

Clutter brings up a lot of cringing. The word immediately raises images in the minds of many of overstuffed closets, crawlspaces desperate for our attention and stacks of papers that never seem to diminish despite our best efforts.

The problem with defining clutter in this way is that we don’t get to the real challenge associated with it, and so we overlook clutter that may be affecting us every day.

Everyone can see the big clutter items in their homes. In fact, they’re often so big that we can’t even address it without outside help or a weekend dedicated to trips to Goodwill. So we don’t, because it’s just something we all have and deal with in our lives.

There are a few problems with this.

Clutter begets clutter. Once we’ve identified a space in a room or an entire room as the place to put things we don’t know what to do with in the moment, it acts like a magnet for more clutter. Admit it, you’ve seen it happen in your own place – whether a basement, a closet, a desk or a junk drawer.

It weighs on us. Every time we look at clutter it reminds us that we need to clean it up but either don’t have the time or the will to take care of it in the moment. It’s like a daily dose of regret. Who needs that in their lives?

It’s diversionary. That’s right, when we see the big areas of clutter, we fool ourselves into thinking that clutter only applies to big messes. That just isn’t the case. Clutter can be the grouping of pictures on your piano that prevent you from seeing the good in each photo and only see a mass of photos. It can be the ceramic elephant in your home that you’re hanging onto not because you love it but because someone gave it to you and they might stop by so you want them to see you have it out.  Otherwise they might just JUDGE you. Gasp!

Clearing clutter is like a breath of fresh air for your home.

In feng shui, this means you’re filling your home not only with objects you don’t like but energy that just brings you down!

So, if that resonates with you, and I hope it does, take a look around you and see where you might have some clutter: a vase that held flowers from an ex, a second-hand chair you’ve had for far too long, a family portrait that reminds you of a time when the family wasn’t getting along so well. 

Start with just one thing. It’ll be a relief, and it may feel so good that you’ll find another thing, and another, and another. You may not get to the basement right away, but you'll feel lighter and happier and maybe, just maybe, it'll give you the boost you need to tackle that closet. 

A home's center is key to a balanced life

Feng Shui Bagua

If you’re familiar with feng shui, you’ve probably heard of the bagua (pronounced baw-gwa). If you haven’t, just think of it as a map you can place over a layout of your home. It’s comprised of 8 core life aspects (e.g., career, relationships, abundance, etc.) surrounding a central and unifying aspect of life – balance (picture the yin-yang symbol).

The great thing about the bagua is that it allows you to see how different areas of your home represent different aspects of your life. For instance, based on the placement of a room, it can represent your family or your job or the people in your life who offer support.

There are different schools of thought as to how it should be positioned (e.g., cardinal directions or the entry to a home). More traditional schools follow the cardinal directions while the more “modern” schools use the entryway. In the school where I was trained, the International Institute of Interior Alignment (learn more at www.interioralignment.com), we tend to use the entryway, but have also used direction depending on a home’s location (that’s a topic for another blog).

The nice thing about the balance aspect of the bagua is that no matter how you position the map it’s always in the center of your home. Easy, right?

OK, so why is this important? Well in feng shui the goal is to direct the energy within a home so that you have greater success in all areas of your life, and ultimately so you feel more balanced in your life across all those areas. So the center of your home can give you insight into something being off kilter in your life and it also can be adjusted to help realign the home’s energy for greater balance.

You might be asking how you might know if the center of your home is out of balance.

Well first, stand in the center of your home, or look at the center (sometimes it’s a utility closet or a flight of stairs going downward so you can’t actually be in the center), and ask yourself how you feel. Trust me, it’s important.

If you feel good, you smile or generally enjoy the space, great! That’s a good indication that things are in balance. If you do not feel so positive when you look at the space, a feng shui enhancement could probably do you some good.

Ok, so if you have more of a negative feel about the space, here are a couple common feng shui challenges that may be the culprit and how they might affect the balanced energy you’re trying to create:

1. Stairs. In feng shui, stairs, going up or down, can create some fast moving energy or chi in the space. When you have energy that moves too quickly, then the home, and in this case the center of yor home, doesn’t get a chance to benefit from it. Remember, feng shui is about directing energy to different areas of your home, and as a result different aspects of your life. The goal is to provide more support (energetically) for you to achieve your goals. If the energy doesn’t stick around in an area of your home, that aspect of your life won’t get the energetic support you want. So, stairs in the center of your home can mean you won’t be able to access the energy you need to be more balanced. It’s as if every time you try to create more balance, it eludes you.
2. No light. Light generates chi, while darkness dampens chi. So if there’s no light, the energy may not flow well in the space. Stagnant chi is a common challenge in feng shui as it creates a feeling of sluggishness and inactivity, and is reflected in our lives when it takes an inordinately long time to achieve a goal. Stagnant chi also tends to attract more stagnant or heavy energy. It’s not unusual, for example, when a room with stagnant chi becomes a dumping ground for clutter (Have you been in your garage lately?).
3. Bathroom. The bathroom in the center of a home offers challenges because of its connection to the element of water. In feng shui, water represents either emotions or money. When we are constantly “flushing” the water out of the home, this can affect our stress levels, our financial well-being or both. These can be especially frustrating imbalances.   

These are just a couple examples of situations in the center of your home that could affect the balance you are trying to create in your life. Does it mean if you have these situations, it’s the end of the world? Nope. First check your gut. Does your life feel pretty balanced (e.g., work vs. play)? If the answer is yes, great! If not, I’m happy to talk to you further about it, just shoot me an email at bill@fengshui-24.com.

Hopefully now you’ll think a little differently about your home, and the importance of its center. 

Vacations don't have to end

Climbing the trails in Sedona

Remember that last really great vacation you had? Why was it so great? What were the best moments of it?

I remember zip-lining in Costa Rica, walking the streets in Paris, eating amazing fruit in Jamaica, performing a ceremony on the beautiful red earth in Sedona, and the list goes on.

Each trip evoked similar feelings of awe, excitement and joy for various reasons. The friends and family we traveled with made these trips even better because of the laughter and the shared experiences that will last a lifetime.

Wouldn’t it be great to tap into these same feelings every day, even while at work? Or, looking out your window at the snow-covered yards? Or being surrounded by people and situations not resembling anything like your vacation?

You can, and it’s simple. When working with my feng shui clients, I’ll often make recommendations to uplift their energy as they walk into their home or a specific room (or even up to their desks). One way to do this is to identify a place they’ve visited that they loved. It can be a cabin in the woods, a beach, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or a bustling city. What’s important is that they loved it.

The Gandhi World Peace Memorial in LA

The first recommendation I make is to find a picture of the place. One in which every time they look at it, they smile or remember a great moment from their trip and place it somewhere they will see everyday. Most people take pictures when they travel, so this is a fairly easy enhancement to create.

Another option is to put out souvenirs from the trip, ones that they love and can associate with a specific positive experience from the trip (so not necessarily an airport trinket you get on the way out of town).

Then there is the option that may take a little more creativity and effort: recreate aspects of the trip in your home. You can start by imagining the feel of the place (e.g., New York City will have a very different feel than Costa Rica). Then identify some key elements that gave it the feel it had (e.g., in NYC, you might remember the bright lights, Broadway or the city never truly “sleeping” – something always happening no matter what time of day).  

A morning view in Costa Rica

Based on the NYC example, you could bring in posters of shows on Broadway, some spotlights that shine on those pictures or another key feature in a room, or incorporate several elements in the room that keep the energy flowing (e.g., a bold piece of art, some mirrors to expand the space and reflect energy back through the room, a large entertainment center, and bright colors through furniture, lamps or pillows).

Once you start adding these elements to your home, you’ll be reminded every day of the feelings you had during those vacations. It’s an opportunity to feel good every single day. I hope you take it.

Remember to look for the beauty

I like to create altars. It helps me stay connected to my own form of Spirit. I also create them on behalf of my clients when I do space clearings. (This is working with the energy of a space to change it -- aligning it with the home owner's goals and aspirations. Think of it as a house blessing.) I've also created altars for healing, meditation and to reinforce my own intentions. This isn't a post about altars though, it's about beauty.

I bring up altars though because one of the ways you can identify the sacred nature of an altar, or know that it is in effect creating the energy you want, is by its beauty. Yes, you need to work from a place of inner calm and honor each step of the process (think of a Japanese tea ceremony), and stay focused on your intention, and select the right objects to be a part of it. But once I'm done, if I look at it and can see the beauty in it, I just know it brings in a sacredness, a connection to Spirit, that will in fact support my clients, myself or my intention.

So beauty to me is an indicator of a higher power at work. And it is all around us, though we often don't stop to recognize it. We forget to look for it --  caught up in the tasks of the day, the worries that can be all-consuming or the days ahead of us or behind us. But it only takes a moment for something to take our breath away. And we never regret it.

If you're struggling with finding the beauty. I'd suggest starting with nature -- the trees, the plants, the snow, the starry night, a sunrise (shown in my picture here), a sunset, it's all around us. Make a point of noticing it every day. Pay attention to how you feel when you do notice it. You'll want to create this feeling again and again, trust me. 

If you forget, that's ok. The nice thing about beauty is that it comes in many forms, through many experiences, and we all define it a little bit differently. So it doesn't go away. You can always find it again. It just takes a moment to recognize it. 

Take a moment. 

Staying centered beyond the holidays

So the chaos of the holidays now seems to be settling down. Well, almost. While it may be this time of year that reminds us how much we need to stay balanced and centered, it’s not the only time of year. It can be work, family, friends, health, relationships and more. They all can add up to a level of stress that pushes us out of balance.

Fortunately, there are several ways to get back into balance, and one that I’ve found is very effective is the use of labyrinths.

For those who may not know what a labyrinth is, I wanted to see if I could come up with a quick and easy definition. Easier said than done. I found answers like “a single path or unicursal tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation” and “an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete” and “a maze.” The last one is just wrong and the others didn’t really give me the “quick and easy” I was seeking.

So I thought I’d turn to insight from an expert and friend. Karen Quant, another certified teacher in feng shui and space clearing through the International Institute of Interior Alignment, also happens to have built her own labyrinth in Sydney, Australia where she lives. She says on her site:

"The labyrinth is an archetypal symbol found among many cultures and countries and has been traced back to the Neolithic ages. It is a symbol of sacred space and walking the labyrinth is considered mindful action. A place where you can release anything that is no longer serving you, a place to deepen your ocmpassion, find your purpose, quiet the mind, seek inspiration, insight and clarity, or for enjoyment and meditation." http://www.karenquant.com.au/labyrinth/ 

If you need a visual, you can view Boori Boori, the one Karen created, on her site, or find images of one of the most famous ones at Chartres Cathedral in France.

So about now you may be wondering how you’re going to take advantage of a labyrinth in Australia or France or even how to find one near you (they have become much more prevalent in recent years and many churches will have them on their grounds -- http://labyrinthlocator.com/). Still, after a tough day at work or difficult time with family or just a long day of any kind, you’re not going to want to traipse out to a labyrinth to find a sense of peace and calm.

I agree.

The solution is a hand-held labyrinth. I have two. You can find them in rock shops or alternative bookstores. They’re easy to carry with you or store in your desk at home. They come with a stylus that allows you to trace the path of the labyrinth. You use it the same as if you were walking the path yourself. This means you trace the path without once lifting the stylus, going all the way to the center and then all the way out. As you start, you can focus on a specific goal or intention, e.g., letting go of anger and frustration from the day, identifying a lesson in the events of the day, or simply becoming more centered.(I’ve found that if I take a few deep breaths just before I start, I get better results.)

The compact size allows you to bring it with you anywhere, and as long as you can get away from the stress for 5 to 10 minutes, you have a simple way to get centered and return to the situation in a better place than where you started.

So as the holidays wrap up, know that you have another tool in your arsenal to help you stay centered and calm for a happier, more balanced you. 

Until next time.

Honoring the season of rest, inner work and wisdom

Winter in my backyard, 2014 (still waiting for snow this yea

Winter begins today (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). It's a time to rest, relax and restore. A time to reflect on the year's achievements and challenges. It's also an opportunity to find greater balance by aligning with the energy of the season. Nature is a great teacher, and one way to learn from her is to follow her rhythms and connect with the energy of the seasons.

Ancient cultures understood this, and lived day in and day in sync with nature. Winter allowed them to slow down their lives and take time to
understand the successes and failures of the previous 11 months (e.g., bountiful crops, unproductive hunts, expansion of the tribe).

They also knew that by aligning with the natural rhythms around them, it increased their chances of survival. Harsher climates and shorter days meant staying indoors more to protect themselves and their families from colder weather and nocturnal predators. It was a way for them to stay safe, but also to stay in balance with the cycles of nature and their lives.

Today, we may not have the same threats as our ancestors, but we also have lost our daily connection to Nature. It's less apart of our lives and more a refuge we turn to when we need it. Fortunately, there are many things we can do today to re-enforce this connection, and Winter is a perfect time to do this.

In modern times, we don't have the luxury of modifying our work day to align with shorter days. So instead of modifying your schedule, you can modify your environment to be more in sync with nature -- as it gets dark, gradually dim your lights or even try putting candles out to replace your electric lights. Connecting with the cycles of the day helps us to better connect with the cycles of the season and nature.

Another way to honor the season is to make time for reflection. Easier said than done, but even five minutes a day, meditating, listening to soothing music or just focusing on your breathing, can make a difference. You can also set an intention prior to your reflection to request images, feelings, and thoughts that will help you better understand the lessons in the past year. Winter represents a time to assess our experiences and find the wisdom within them, so this too will help you gain a deeper understanding of this season.

A simple stone gratitude altar

Four primary elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water, also align with each of the seasons. While this varies by tribe, often Winter is associated with the Earth. This element helps us to stay more grounded and stable. You can honor this element in your home by creating a small altar made of stones -- something as simple as a circle of stones around a candle that you might light each day. Another option would be to create a miniature cairn -- a welcoming symbol of protection and safe passage for travelers. If you're hosting the holidays, the cairn is a great way to honor your guests who may have traveled many miles to be with you.

In the cycle of life -- birth, childhood, adulthood, senior years -- winter also connects us to the wisdom of our elders so honoring our ancestors can be another way to deepen our connection to the season, and our own heritage. Spend time with the elders of your clan, your parents and grandparents, and see them as wisdom keepers. Listen to their stories and identify the nuggets that resonate with you. Perhaps you can simply silently honor their experiences, so different from your own. Consider creating a family tree so that you can identify your lineage. Delving into our history can help us better connect with ancient cultures that seem to show up in our countenance, the colors of our skin, hair, eyes, even our mannerisms.

So many ways to honor this season; pick one or two, or find your own. Truthfully, the more you honor the season, the more you'll be honoring yourself.  

Holiday balancing act

For many of us, this time of year represents family, friends, and a season of giving. Along with that, there are the crowded stores, cranky shoppers, stresses of making another holiday meal and bringing together people who may not get along, or even want to get along, in a single space that despite being spacious the other 364 days of the year, now reminds you of a clown car.

Yep, despite the intent of the holiday, we often find ourselves more out of balance this time of year than not. It’s a time when we can get overwhelmed by so many things, and staying centered is so much more difficult. Fortunately, you have some options, but in order to put them in place, you may need to do something that’s also difficult this time of year – put yourself first.

Gasp! I know, it’s counter to what we’re trying to do in this season of giving, but if you want to stay in balance you will need to focus on your own needs. So now that you’re over that shock, let’s talk about some simple, practical things you can do.

Breathe. Seriously, just breathe. Give yourself five to ten minutes throughout the day to step away from whatever you’re doing and focus on your breath. Long, slow, deep breathes. Have you ever noticed when we start to feel anxiety, our breath becomes short and fast and primarily comes from our upper chest? It’s true. If you instead breathe from a deeper place, your stomach, your body and mind will begin to calm down. As you take each breath, your stomach will rise and fall, your shoulders will relax and your mind will begin to clear.

Define a getaway space. In feng shui, it’s important to have spaces dedicated to your intention – for example if you want to be a painter, then you should have a room, or if you have a confined space, a corner of a room, dedicated to painting – set up an easel, canvas, paints and brushes. I recommend designating a space in your home – a bedroom, a meditation space, a favorite chair -- where you can get away from the tasks that become overwhelming, close your eyes and center yourself. You can center yourself with your breath, by lighting a candle, listening to music or maybe just picking up your favorite book. This can go a long way toward helping you to re-center. 

Step outside. Fresh air. A night sky. A tree. Flowers. Being in nature has been proven to calm our bodies, even to the point of reducing blood pressure. You don’t have to go out for long, just a few minutes will make a difference. Studies have also shown that even pictures of nature can have similar calming effects on us; so find a picture of your favorite vacation spot in nature and take a few minutes to view it and remember the great time you had there.

Dance. That’s right. There’s nothing like a good dance to change your mindset and reduce your stress levels. Blast a favorite song with a message that resonates with you. You’ll probably get others to join in with you and soon you’ll have a dance party on your hands.

So those are just a few tools you can use to stay in balance. Each one is free and easy and can actually help you shift your mental focus and reduce the stress you’re feeling. Funny thing, the more you’re able to keep in balance, the better you’re able to manage those stressful holiday situations, and yep, you’ll be happier as a result.

Give ‘em a try. You’re worth it.