are you getting in shui’s way?

if you’ve experimented with shui in the past or are currently making a few changes in your space and feel like the results are lukewarm, today’s post is for YOU!

while many tips we find online or in books make this practice – and more importantly, its results – seem easier to conjure than your ABCs, this wisdom requires a little more than what a tidy inspiration of it implies.

there are so many nuances and layers to this work, and so it makes sense that there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all answer to any situation. and while that might feel intimidating, it is actually a FABULOUS aspect. it means there are countless configurations for working with your home (and YOU!) to create a more supportive, nurturing and empowering space than you even realize.

so, if you’re not in LOVE with your experience thus far, let’s look at possible splinters…


SPLINTER 1: you work off Instagram posts only.

context is everything in Feng Shui, and there’s so much more to it than meets the scrolling eye. want to affect change that will get your attention (pleasantly, i might add!)? develop a more discerning understanding of this practice.

simple shui tip:

make a few mindful changes to your Skills / Knowledge / Self-Cultivation gua. consider a photo of a mountain here to suggest “weightiness” – a metaphor that implies keeping your feet firmly on the ground while seeking to understand this practice more deeply. and then, find a book or teacher or consultant, and start building the base of your shui mountain.


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SPLINTER 2: you do too much too soon.

shui triggers change, and too much change simultaneously can quickly turn to chaos, which leads to two problems: (a) you become distracted by things that aren’t really changes you want to be managing; and (b) those distractions interrupt the opportunities and invitations that do matter. 

simple shui tip:

make 1-2 changes, wait and watch for “coincidences” (or unexpected developments) for at least 9 days, and then boogie on to round two of 1-2 changes. by the way, this is where your muscle memory develops – implement a shui RX / adjustment; be fully available and aware of how it influenced change; and carry that wisdom with you the rest of your days!


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SPLINTER 3: you tend to go for quick wins.

you place the water fountain in Career (more clients) or the rose quartz in the bedroom (attract / improve a relationship), and cross your fingers that your shui cure will incentivize the response you want. suppose you get the financial windfall or the perfect honey (or apology) walks into your life. if you haven’t addressed the splinters that caused the absence in the first place, there’s a good chance that existing pattern will continue. or, in other words: easy come, easy go.

simple shui tip:

cultivate your personal chi with a ritual that “matches” your shui adjustments. for example, if you’re looking to make more money, find a class or book that will help you learn how to make smart money decisions. and then, commit to that ritual with the same intensity you hold for the outcomes you’re expecting. when those two forces come together, *miracles* and magic happen!  


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SPLINTER 4: you struggle with inconsistency.

half-hearted attempts do not provoke BIG change. so, if you really mean it, figure out how to show up without interruption.

simple shui tip:

stagnant energy is energy that repeats itself, so if you feel stuck, clear some clutter. dust. create room on the shelves or in the closet. move 27 things around. deliberately wake up and shake loose those tired ways of living, seeing and being in your space. 

SPLINTER 5: you “reach” for the shui only when you’re desperate.

your chi is always going to be an ingredient in any adjustment you make – and desperate energy sedates shui’s superpowers. this is EXACTLY why i encourage this practice as a lifestyle, so your home is always cushy with a good chi reserve. because when the mood dips or your energy feels flat, your house is primed to help YOU make a comeback!

simple shui tip:

come up with your own list of rituals, and weave them into your everyday.


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SPLINTER 6: you avoid the hard work.

“don’t make me clear my clutter…” – something i hear from clients all the time. HIGH VIBE MAGIC CAN’T HAPPEN IN LOW VIBE SPACES. and that hard work – the choices, decisions, investments, effort – you’re avoiding is holding resistance in place. and abundance (of any kind) needs room to move, baby!

simple shui tip:

until you make clutter a priority, it will impact your priorities. try this: clear a space (or pare it down to the essentials) and leave it *bare* for 9 days. pay attention to any unexpected changes +/or coincidences that occur. and when those 9 days are over, be specific about what you really missed. that’s what goes back.


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SPLINTER 7: you fall back on your familiar excuses.

Netflix lures you away from making progress… you end up scrolling instead of shui-ing… distractions cut in line of that TO DO list… you spend your precious resources (time, money, energy) on other things that aren’t priorities…  

simple shui tip:

your excuses are stories that drain you of energy the minute you entertain them. so, write down your “most played” stories and burn them. Fire is the element of transformation, and this simple ritual signals you’re releasing your need for those excuses. 

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SPLINTER 8: you say NO to the assignment when it shows up.

shui triggers change, but it often looks differently than we’d like. 

simple shui tip:

ask yourself this: when i am pulled to my edge, do i push my sleeves up or walk away? how much faith do i have in the universe? because when an assignment to grow shows up, you have to do the work. not question it. and definitely not walk out on it. wrestle the self-doubt. do the work. trust the process. repeat.


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SPLINTER 9: you work the shui and ignore your own chi.

in the words of Lillian Too, “you yourself create the greatest energy. i can come to your house and do all the Feng Shui, but if you allow yourself to be very negative, then you create that kind of energy.” 

simple shui tip:

Feng Shui will always need your cooperation, so learn these basic moves and your chi will get along fabulously with your shui! xo

| photo (above) credit: Urban Stems |