Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: Feng Shui is Much More Than “Good Housekeeping”
Feng Shui has become somewhat mainstream, but the common interpretation seems to be that it has to do mainly with housekeeping and design. While housekeeping is extremely important (I have been watching Hoarders, and am appalled that people can live amongst such clutter and filth), I think of Feng Shui as a sacred art and when it is approached with reverence, it can become a spiritual practice. It’s all in the intention and the way that the subject is approached.
The people who are inclined to even think of Feng Shui (those who are spiritually advanced), tend to approach the subject when there is a problem in their lives. If there are money problems, there is a plethora of information on the web about how to beef up your Wealth Qua, for instance. But in the larger scheme of things, if Feng Shui is thoroughly integrated into your life, you begin to become hyper-aware of your surroundings, and will be aware of the negative impact of clutter, for instance (going back to the hoarders, many of the people have asthma and other respiratory problems, but neither they, nor the show’s producers, seem to have any awareness that the dusty, dirty environments are probably to blame for the maladies. It seems obvious to me, but there is no mention of the health implications of living in dusty, dirty, cluttered environments. I doubt that their doctors ask about their living environments, yet that is a crucial question and could be THE reason for asthma and other respiratory ailments).
In this sense, Feng Shui is about housekeeping, but it is much more importantly about awareness . . .
Where are you living? How are you living? What are your day-to-day habits and priorities? What do you see in your environment? What do you choose to ignore? What is important to you and does your life reflect that? Does your environment reflect that? Etc., etc.
Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: The Cobbler Has No Shoes
OMG! When Will It End (The Office Ongoing Construction)
I have been living in chaos, amidst boxes and boxes of books for months now. I can attest to the fact living in a messy environment can wreak havoc with every single aspect of your life! My health has suffered drastically, and I have faced multiple obstacles during this time. There are other variables, of course . . . Mercury is Retrograde at the moment – there have been some significant transits and two major eclipses . . . it is a very trying time for many people on the planet, to say the very least.
My project is turning a bedroom into a fully functional office. I got tired of working in other people’s offices (I also do work as a Realtor and found I much prefer to work from home and go into the office only to meet with clients). A couple of friends are assisting me with the work . . . (My designer, Hedi Label is fantastic if you ever need a creative eye) and the guy who is doing the carpentry is giving me a deal, so the work is going very slowly. So far, I have these wonderful Ikea butcher block counters on three sides of the room (for office projects, artwork, etc.) and the carpenter is building custom bookcases, even as I type. Once the bookcases are done, then I can get the boxes of books off my floor and turn my dining room from a storage facility back into a dining room.
But in the meantime, my little cottage is a complete mess . . . I am not a particularly patient person (to say the least!), but I decided I had to let go of any stress around worrying about when the project might get done – I had to give into the momentum of the project or go insane (well, I have gone a little insane anyway, but probably didn’t need an excuse).
The Feng Shui implications to me have been enormous and I hope I can assist future clients from the perspective of direct experience now, living in absolute chaos and disorder from a more conscious realm where I can talk about it and process it (I have lived in disorder before but before I had formally studied Feng Shui I didn’t have any real perspective on how it was affecting me). Now I have direct, hands-on experience of what it is like to live in an unorganized environment. There is stress related to the fact it is difficult to find things, there is the unhappiness I feel when I look around me (aesthetics are extremely important to me – I am very sensitive to my environment and it displeases me that it is so trashed looking). The physical impact of the junk is exhausting. Stuff that is unorganized literally drains energy. I am living (barely living at the moment) proof. I have never been so tired in my life, and I am convinced that it is because of the way I have been living amidst this clutter for months on end.
Dining Room in Chaos
Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: Simple Solutions That Many People Resist
As a human being, mother, grandmother, Feng Shui practitioner, etc., I find myself often frustrated when I can see things in someone’s environment that may be contributing to various problems, but the person is unaware of the power of Feng Shui and is resistant to advice.
Feng Shui is a practice of awareness and people are attracted to it based on their own level of awareness. If I suggest a Feng Shui cure to someone who is unaware of the power of Feng Shui, they usually just slough the suggestion off and the problem continues until they eventually change something in their environment through trial and error.
Resistant people in my environment are very challenging for me, personally, because I can see how life would be improved with particular adjustments, but I am powerless to assist those who do not request or want assistance.
It is common knowledge at this point that some of the easiest and most powerful Feng Shui cures have to do with removing clutter on a regular basis and keeping things clean. Dust is a big chi stopper and can contribute to illness and the feeling of being stuck in particular situations.
In Black Hat Tibetan Feng Shui tradition, the front door signifies the mouth of chi, and if located in the center of the home, affects career . . . a door that sticks contributes to a career that is stuck . . . I frequently encounter people who are complaining about various career challenges, and if the front door has an obvious problem, I might mention it . . . it is amazing to me that such advice is often ignored and the problems continue . . . my personal work is to remind myself that everyone is on their own path, at their own pace, and that my advice is not wanted or needed unless specifically requested. This is a huge piece of work for me because I don’t like to see people suffer needlessly.
Another problem I frequently see is the misuse of paint in a home. Color has profound impact on mood and behavior and even the Western science of color is well documented, but I find that people are often resistant to advice on this matter, as well.
For instance, a red bedroom is asking for trouble . . . and too much red paint, in general, will contribute to an atmosphere of argument and general aggression. Color theory suggests that soothing colors result in harmonious living . . . and the people who need this advice most are the most resistant to receiving it. It is quite ironic.
When someone complains to me about persistent problems and simple solutions have been suggested and routinely ignored, it is maddening.
There are so many subjects that could be taught at home and in school that would actually help people lead harmonious lives. In ancient times, tribes taught basic skills and truths from day one – there was not the time or space for personal discovery. I wish, as a collective, we could revamp society to prioritize harmonious living practices.
Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: Why Clutter is So Pervasive
I think this is a good example of the reason many people cannot clear their clutter.This cat was recently given to me by my mother. She said it belonged to her mother and that it was a “lucky cat” full of nickels.
When I brought it home I had absolutely no idea what to do with it, so it sat on a dresser for several months. Just today I decided it has to go down to the basement (yes, some old houses in Santa Cruz have basements).
One of the reasons for my procrastination in assigning it to the basement is the fact that as unattractive as it is, it is a family heirloom of sorts. It evidently had some meaning to my grandmother and it is full of nickels she collected.
When I pass on to the next realm, I would like my children to not just toss it out like the junk it looks like it might be, but who has time to tell one’s children about every last thing they own? Not me, hence it has stayed in my house till I just can’t take it anymore.
I still don’t know how I will convey that it was my grandmother’s lucky cat without attaching some kind of note to it, which is what my mother spends a lot of time doing with her stuff. Maybe there should be a family book of semi-important notes for such things.
But the larger point is about clutter. Clutter clearing is all about making decisions in the moment regarding what to do with “stuff.” This is just an example of “semi-important stuff.” There is also “broken stuff waiting to get fixed,” “stuff I might be able to wear someday when I lose ‘x” amount of pounds,” “stuff I might read some day,” “stuff I might want to use to cook a special dish,” “stuff I need to take care of but not right now,” etc., etc.
Note: I orginally published this blog on Active Rain where someone pointed out that it was not a cat but a dog! Duh!
Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: Your Dream House!
In addition to being a Feng Shui Practitioner, I am also a Realtor. This combination of vocations puts quite a focus on the home.
I realized recently that when most people are getting ready to make a purchase, they have a general idea what features they like in a home, but it is a rare person who has taken the time to seriously think about what would make a house their special dream home.
I like where I currently live but decided to go ahead and do the exercise of figuring out the details of my particular dream house. “The answer” was not as easy and automatic as I thought it would be. I had to really consider exactly where I would like to live, first. I initially thought I would like a beach house . . . but upon further consideration I realized the country would suit me best.
This is interesting because just last year I thought I wanted to live in the city! It seemed like it would be fun to be within walking distance of theaters, restaurants and bookstores and I love the idea of urban design (turns out that I can satisfy that whim through reading design books).
I realized that above all else, I crave peace and quiet and therefore an ideal location for me would be a country parcel of at least an acre in size, preferably larger.
I don’t want to live way out in the boonies, so something not too far from town would be ideal.
I set up a property search for myself and 105 properties came up. I went through each property and none of them fit my aesthetic requirements . . . I want something that has warmth and coziness and interesting architectural details, but the house must be on a protected, yet SUNNY lot.
My ideal floor plan consists of a great room with a chef’s kitchen, because I have this fantasy of entertaining. I like Tuscan architecture at the moment (last year it was Craftsman and Victorian, which I still admire, but I am currently craving rounded stone walls, large rooms, and even modern designs, which I never would have thought was “my style”).
The above criteria might leave you shaking your head, but I now know exactly what I like and what I would want in a dream home, so I would be in a much better position to purchase something that was going to meet my psychological and spiritual needs, and that is an often missing piece in the home buying process.
Feng Shui challenges arise when the house is not working for you in ways that you might not be aware of. In my case, clutter accumulates because of lack of adequate room and storage.
When I purchased my cottage, I didn’t realize that this would be an issue. It is only through living in the house that I have become aware of the particular Feng Shui challenges of this home.
I purchased my house in the winter, so I didn’t even consider sun exposure . . . it never even occurred to me. It turns out the house has Northern exposure, which means shady yards. Come to think of it, I like a sunny back yard . . .
Feng Shui Santa Cruz Notes: Looking at Surroundings with New Eyes
I think it must be a survival skill that people get used to their own surroundings, and after a while can’t see various problems. I find that it’s always so much easier to see other people’s problem areas . . .
A case in point is my laundry room, which is in my wealth area . . . not a pretty sight at the moment. It seems to magnatize clutter. You would think I would automatically keep it spotless and pristine, but I fall into a trance and get swept up by time considerations just like everyone else and before I know it, that area is a disaster!
There are other areas in the Feng Shui Bagua of my home that tend to be persistent problem areas, and I find this is true of most people.
During a Feng Shui consultation, I will note client problem areas, and also ask which areas are the most difficult to keep clean and tidy. The areas that tend to attract clutter are those areas where you tend to see blockages or difficulties in your life.
Once you become aware of problem area tendencies, you can pay special attention to these areas and note corresponding positive changes in the areas of your life they represent. This simple awareness can be a powerful catalyst for changing bad habits, and thus effecting change in your life.
