When people ask me what feng shui is, I usually tell them it is consciously creating an environment that energetically supports rather than drains the individual.
These days we give energy to so much in our lives (work, family, pets, worries, friends in distress, etc.) that it makes sense to invest some effort into creating a supportive environment. After all, no one wants to come home to be energetically drained by the environment.
An Interesting Question
Many people often tell me that when they make adjustments to improve the energy of their home, they feel the positive effects. The other day, in fact, a woman with whom I was having a casual conversation asked an interesting question: “Does feng shui last forever?”
At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant but after questioning her a bit, I understood why she was asking. About five years ago, she had hired a feng shui consultant to come to her home. She made the changes the consultant suggested, and though she was pleased with the results at the time, she felt that the feng shui “wasn’t working” anymore.
The Essence of Nature
I explained to her that in addition to creating a supportive environment, feng shui is based on the principles of nature, so it is important to bring nature’s essence into our homes to keep things flowing energetically.
Nature is always changing. Summer turns to fall, fall turns to winter and so forth. Your feng shui and the energy of your home can get stale if things remain the same season after season, year after year. When your home feels stagnant or seems to have lost its luster, keep these things in mind:
• Nature is alive and expresses itself through the natural order of change. Your home is living space, so keep it “alive” by refreshing things from time to time to match nature’s essence.
• When you do make changes in your home, set an intention as to the direction you want change to happen. We become more “seasoned” with the passing of each year, so the changes we make should reflect who we are today. For example, choose new, more comfortable furniture, select new towel sets that offer a fresher look, position items for increased convenience, and hang new, more inspirational pictures.
• The basic premise in feng shui is that our life is reflected in the space in which we live. When we make changes in our lives, we should make corresponding changes in our space, otherwise it can feel limiting. By adjusting our space, we feel a greater connection to it and can tap into its supportive energy with greater ease.
As human beings, we are constantly changing — physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You neither look at nor see things the way you did 10 years ago. You have different clothes, thoughts, feelings and perspectives. If something in your life or in your environment feels stagnant, perhaps it is time to make a change in your space.
As long as we are alive, we are never done with change. Along with our belief systems and our style, our feng shui must be updated from time to time to continually reflect the reality of who we are. Where can you make changes in your home to match who you are today?
Feng shui expert and life guide Alice Inoue, whose bi-weekly articles appear in Hawaii Renovation, offers books, DVDs, workshops and private consultations. Join Alice on 11/11/11 for her, “Get Inspired About Your Life!” event. Visit www.aliceinspired.com