More than a set of rules, feng shui is all about getting in touch with the energy and vibrations around us, and revealing how we’re all connected to the whole
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: When you write about feng shui, it seems that what you say is less rigid and rules-oriented than I understood it to be. You use the terms “energy” and “vibration” a lot, and I wonder if you could share more about this. Is there more than one type of feng shui? What feng shui is it that you do?
Many schools and styles of feng shui exist, so how to best implement it in the environment can vary. Yet the one common goal is to create an environment that supports those living or working within it. No one school or style of feng shui is better than another; they simply offer many ways to climb the same mountain.
Over the years, as I began to understand “energy” and get more in tune with people and their situations and homes, I started incorporating bits and pieces of my own findings into my original feng shui training and forged my own path up that mountain. Through my experiences, I saw that feng shui was fluid and not as much about rules, but rather about understanding energy and how we are each connected to the whole.
Although we physically interact within our environment, its impact is only one part of the whole. Everything is connected, and we can make changes in our lives in many ways. The environment, through feng shui, is just one way.
Universal Laws
To better explain energy and vibration, I’d like to introduce you to a Universal Law that is often overlooked. We all know about the Law of Gravity; and perhaps some of you have heard of the Law of Attraction (“like attracts like”), but how many know about the Law of Vibration? In my life and in working with feng shui, the Law of Vibration has helped me better understand the interconnectedness of everything. Let’s start with the basics.
The Law of Vibration
The Law of Vibration states that everything in the universe has an energetic vibrational frequency. Everything you see, feel, think, taste and touch is vibrating and in motion, even if it appears solid and static. Science, through quantum physics, can now show us at the subatomic level that anything solid is actually a sea of energy in motion.
You, as a human being, have a frequency that is different from everything and everyone around you, which is why you perceive that you are separate and individual. At the deepest level, however, everything is connected in one unified field of energy, including but not limited to, everything you see and own, and every relationship, feeling and thought you have — and everything you do. Yet at the same time, everything has a distinct vibrational energy that defines it.
Every person, situation and decision in your life has an energetic vibration to which you are connected. Everything in your home has a vibration that appeals to you in some way. The sum of everything you are, do and have defines your vibrational level.
The Law of Vibration in action
The effect of this is most noticeable when you are going through a change. When you tire of a job, a relationship or a piece of clothing, and decide to do something about it, your energetic vibration has changed and you no longer resonate with the item or person. As you evolve and grow, you move your vibration to new levels, attracting experiences that match it.
The energetic match with your environment
My feng shui work has shown me that homes have an energetic vibration. When you are ready for a change, whether or not consciously aware of it, you nearly always feel the need to clear out a closet or clean up the house. You may not know why, but you “feel like it,” indicating a vibrational shift to a higher level. You need the environment to better match your internal shift.
On a larger scale, every city, state and country has a distinct energetic vibration. The people, culture, language, beliefs, politics, businesses and so on, collectively create the vibrational feel of the culture. That’s why every place you go feels different. Sometimes, your energy may shift so dramatically that you no longer resonate with the city you live in and feel the need to move.
Shifting vibrations
Understand that when you desire a new relationship or career, a completion has occurred for you and your vibration has shifted. Perhaps you have learned a lesson or experienced healing or growth and are ready to graduate to a higher level of learning. If you feel a need to make a change, don’t resist it or think you “should” stay where you are. Resisting the desire for change goes against your evolutionary nature.
Challenging situations
We are always exactly where we need to be no matter where we are in life, and whenever substantial inner work has occurred, we naturally feel compelled to find new circumstances to match. Be open to recognizing your vibrational shifts as you lose resonance with people and situations around you, and accept that you are about to make a needed change.
If you want to make a change, but it isn’t happening as quickly as you’d like, use the Law of Vibration to your advantage and start shifting your home’s vibration by clearing out some clutter (old vibrations). This can help you to shift the energy enough for a change to happen.
Alice Inoue is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness U, a friendly educational establishment at Na Lama Kukui (formerly known as Gentry Pacific Design Center) on Nimitz Highway. At Happiness U you’ll find dozens of inspiring classes all geared toward personal growth, helping you live a more purposeful and ease-filled life. Visit www.YourHappinessU.com.