simple shui | a thousand thanks
i’ve spent this year occupying two worlds: my own space of magic-making and shui-shaking, and a collective upwelling of adrenaline and despair to everything happening around us.
if you’re anywhere in the same situ-nario (a term coined by the lovelies), you’re feeling it, too. the mother, the neighbor, the daughter, the wife, the student, the boss-babe, and the lover in me are all so very tired. so, my rituals have been more important than ever before. one, rituals are unfailing because they’re always a good idea when we don’t know what else to do. two, rituals shift our power back into the present. three, rituals carefully untangle our intentions from circumstances. we might not have control over what’s happening in the world, but we can always guide how we show up in it.
so, today is a gratitude shout out.
despite having every self-doubt + concern this year as i talk shui WHILE wondering if the sky is falling, i keep coming back to this:
artists need to create on the same scale that society has the capacity to destroy.
{lauren bon}
which is will i keep shui-ing like i mean it. and on that note, let the gratitude parade commence:
i am wide-eyed with gratitude to be asked by architectural digest to talk shui for their new site clever. i mean, for the love of it all, ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST!
Peters advises moving 27 items in your home when it’s feeling stale: “This little ditty shakes loose that unwelcome familiarity and it is so easy. Throw a rug into a different room or… switch out the summer magazines for a stack of cookbooks.” This frees up chi to move about your home so that it doesn’t get stuck among items you’ve gotten so accustomed to that you don’t even notice them anymore. Why 27 items, you ask? “The short answer—it’s a shui thing,” says Peters. “Twenty-seven is [a multiple of] the number 9, the number representing power, manifestation, and completion.” Bonus: You don’t need to add or buy anything.
and i feel every shade of delight to learn i have been featured over at mydomaine several times this month – there is nothing but glimmer + sparkle on my face for unexpected surprises like this!
Feng shui consultant Amanda Gibby Peters of Simple Shui recently revealed how one common household item could be upping your bedroom’s energy flow and thereby wreaking havoc on your sleep. “If you have trouble sleeping, let’s talk about why that mirror on your bedroom wall might be the culprit,” says Peters. According to feng shui beliefs, mirrors increase energy flow, and this increased energy can disrupt sleep. Before completely overhauling your bedroom décor, Peters advises testing out a quick fix to determine whether it’s your mirrors that are to blame for your poor sleep. “Cover the bedroom mirror(s) for a couple nights and notice if your sleep improves,” she advises. “if you do sleep soundly with them covered, consider replacing them with someone else you love—a large print, a mural, or even a few mounted lanterns.” For those who simply can’t bring themselves to relocate their bedroom mirror, Peters explains that it’s best to “hang it on a non-facing wall when you’re tucked in bed.”
i’ve spent the month somersaulting + squealing because every morning, i ask alexa for my feng shui news flash and hear her share simple shui™ tips! if you’re not getting yours, now is the time because there’s plenty more in the forecast!
“if you’ve been caught off guard by gossip, gourds are your go-to solution. place them by your front door to trap that negative energy and open up space enough for you to respond rather than react.”
and any day i am featured over at mindbodygreen sparks a soul fire for me – because my body of work there feels like an intimate gathering of my words + shui suggestions for our homes, our havens, and our happiness.
“Mirrors literally and metaphorically double what they reflect, so it’s worth your extra mile to LOVE what it ‘sees’. A mirror over the mantle might make an impressive style statement, but if it’s reflecting a neglected corner in your house, that feeling is likely being ‘doubled’ in your life. Likewise, the front hall mirror is always a lovely gesture unless it’s showcasing a pit stop of mail, shoes, and clutter. And if your bedroom is a catch all for work, laundry, and things-without-homes – and your mirror reflects it all – you likely wake up feeling buried alive before the day begins. Bottom line: mine and mind the details of what your mirrors reflect.”
as i exhale, twenty eighteen is already in the works – workshops, new offerings, and simple shui in more places than ever before. and none of it is possible or merry without having the support + encouragement of YOU. thank you for carrying the shui torches and lighting the world with what we learn together. thank you for every question + comment sent my way, keeping my fire well-fueled. thank you for buying the workbooks + working 1:1 with me – every single purchase lights my disco ball, and i carry a forever crush for every single client of mine. thank you for jumping into the workshops this year – our work inspired me to be bolder + better + braver. thank you for reading what i write, but even better – weaving the shui into your homes and offices. whenever i think of good energy being cultivated + carefully plotted around the world, it sends a reassuring tingle down my spine. simple shui is breathing new life and building bridges that will bear even more shui because of YOU! so, a thousand thanks + all of my LOVE! all ways + always. xo
