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It seems that
everywhere we turn today we hear about people getting organized, clearing
clutter in their spaces, and cleaning out the garage, their desks and their
homes.
What's going on?
It's a passion to create a
"Personal Paradise"
where everything in our environment works well for us as individuals.
Welcome to
the world of Feng Shui!
This 3,000-year-old Chinese art has been making its way to the western
world in the past several years. In the Orient, especially in Hong Kong,
no one does anything without first consulting with a Feng Shui
practitioner. No land is purchased, no buildings are built and definitely
no homes are decorated. Feng Shui is highly valued as an art, a science,
and a philosophy. There are three basic principles:
1. Everything is Alive - including everything
that surrounds us in our environment. The artwork on the walls, the
carpet, our furnishings, our clothes, and our memories and associations
are alive. What are they saying to us? Do we love them?
2. Everything is Interconnected - Our neighbors, their children,
their pets, our families, friends, business associates, the shop keepers,
strangers, people in foreign lands, the trees, rivers, lakes, oceans,
mountains. Everything effects everything else. Every aspect of our life is
connected with every other aspect of our life. So we can't
"divorce" our work life from our personal life. We can't
"divorce" our prosperity from our relationships and so our
career, our knowledge, our finances, our reputation and community - all of
these - are connected. So what we do in Feng Shui is to create a positive
environment where every aspect of our lives is interconnected in an
uplifting way. There's a strong connection between environment and
empowerment.
3. Everything is Changing - This is most
noticeable to parents and grandparents and gardeners. Nothing stays the
same. We can't put the brakes on it; we must embrace it.
Feng Shui is the art of balancing extremes for human beings to thrive in.
Terah Kathryn Collins, founder of The
Western School of Feng Shui™, of
which I am a graduate, calls us the "Goldilocks" species. We
want it not too hot, not too cold, not too soft, not too hard, etc. When
we've achieved a harmonious blend of the elements, we feel safe,
comfortable and happy. This is what Feng Shui addresses.
Rule
#1, if we can call these "rules", is to LIVE WITH WHAT YOU LOVE.
Since everything is talking to us, doesn't it make sense that we enjoy
everything that surrounds us? Often times we have furniture in our homes
left over from a previous relationship. Every time we look at it we're
reminded of the past. Karen Kingston, a well-known Feng Shui practitioner,
makes the point very well from a quote she recently read in a new book
called Wrong Shui, "Never start a new relationship on a mattress
where an old partner is laying." If there's something in your life
that isn't giving you positive feelings, give it away or throw it away.
And, by the way, since we can't hide from "Feng Shui Eyes", you
can't stick it in the garage.
Rule #2 -SAFETY AND COMFORT FIRST - We need
to "adult-proof" our environments, just like we would "baby
proof" them. Pointed, sharp corners on tables hurt us, too.
Another big factor is to place ourselves in the "power
position", meaning we want to face the door in our bedrooms and our
offices. This gives us a very safe feeling. We are also entitled to live
in comfort. Our sofas, chairs and mattresses need to support us. How many
of us sit in chairs at work that are uncomfortable? What happens
over a period of time? First you experience physical discomfort
which can then manifest itself into psychological and emotional
discomfort. Remember, everything is interconnected.
Rule #3 - ORGANIZE YOURSELF - Clutter creates
chaos. It drains your energy. When we clear our clutter, we allow the
space for more wonderful things to come into our lives. Go through every
drawer, closet, the garage and even the freezer and ask yourself, "Do
I love it, do I need it, does it serve me well, would I take it with me if
I move? If you can't honestly say YES, then give it away, sell it or throw
it away. This will open up a whole new lively experience, which is the
next "rule."
Rule #4 - FULLY EXPRESS YOURSELF - There is
no greater joy than to be in full expression of ourselves. This is
the reason we are here. With the clutter gone, with our surroundings
enhanced with the things we love and by being comfortable and safe in our
environments, we can move to a higher, deeper level within ourselves,
doing the things that bring us the most pleasure. The positive energy this
creates has a ripple effect which you begin to see in all the areas of
your life. This is basic Feng Shui. Have fun with it!
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