simple shui | 9 feng shui books i recommend
the most popular shui Qs i hear line up evenly on CAREER, LOVE, and MONEY, but there is one question that always runs with the most wins:
what feng shui books do you recommend?
i rarely answer it.
why?
(1) my shui journey began with a curiosity much like yours – and quenching that thirst became a self-propelled search for everything on the practice without guidance, but i always found the book/teacher i needed at that time.
(2) in my early blogging days, i shared several books i was reading, so a crumb trail exists; however, i now sit on 100+ books and choosing just a few? impossible.
(3) i learned feng shui reading whatever was available. i also introduced myself to authors and teachers. found mentors and friends. enrolled in classes. practiced + made mistakes. hired professional consultants. became certified. everything i know + teach today is an amalgamation of all this, so truthfully there isn’t a straightforward answer to the question.
hence the hedge when i am asked.
however.
we recently had the floors in our home replaced, and while i shuffled bundles of books from room to room, i found myself flipping through the teachings of my early teachers. these books are dog-eared, drenched in highlighter, note-scribbled to the max in the margins – but most importantly, every single one is absolutely loved.
so.
i am sharing that pile with you today!
*drumroll, please*
make this your lucky day| ellen whitehurst
if i scrolled way, way back through my amazon history, this would be the first shui book i ever bought. ellen’s approach + advice fit so naturally in our home, she was the first feng shui consultant i hired. the thing I LOVE most is ellen taught with a modern-day sensibility without abandoning the original teachings of shui. and her rituals for shui-making-success are now everyday protocol here at simple shui.
feng shui your life| jayme barrett
two words: gratifyingly comprehensive. between the gorgeous photography and simplicity of jayme’s advice, i was convinced this was all the book i would ever need to understand shui. while that turned out to be a tad too optimistic, if you’re looking to live a shui lifestyle, this is the compendium for you.
between heaven and earth: a guide to Chinese medicine| harriet beinfield and efrem korngold
say hello to an encyclopedia on the 5 chinese elements, which means this isn’t going to squelch your feng shui Qs. however, very few books detail the connective tissue between East and West – like the 5 elements – as well as this one. and i can’t possibly stress this enough: to really rock that shui, you gotta know the band – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.
the western guide to feng shui: room by room| terah kathryn collins
terah is among the first authors i discovered + whose words i devoured. she also has her own shui school, where i was first officially certified. terah is as cool as she comes across (which is a rare bird in the self-help field); she was louise hay’s BFF (i mean, what does that tell you?); and her collection of books are equally generous in their guidance as they are reader friendly. without her influence, this much in certain: i wouldn’t be where i am today.
creating sacred space with feng shui| karen kingston
think marie kondo was the first saboteur of clutter? i give you karen kingston. when it comes to clearing clutter, there is no wiggle in her walk. so, when you’re ready to uplevel from tidying up, check out karen’s book. however, it’s another one of her books that made this list, and it appeared in my life right when i needed a space clearing. i evangelically believe you learn the rules before you break them, so for everyone + anyone space clearing, do yourself a solid and add this to your required reading.
fast feng shui| stephanie roberts
do you like to-the-point tips, prefer lists, and appreciate the basics? stephanie is your girl. i bought ALL her books back in those early years and worked them to the bone. i still have an email exchange she so willingly gratiated me, and it is because of her thoughtful replies to those questions then that i answer so many Qs online now.
interior design with feng shui| sarah rossbach
she begins her book with a dedication to lin yun – “who taught me more than i know” – and that is the precise sentiment i feel for her every time i reach for this book. sarah delves into more of the esoteric aspects of feng shui, including rituals, divination, and yi, so it can be an intimidating read initially. however, as your shui fluency improves, it’ll be sarah’s intuitive talent you favor.
feng shui and health: the anatomy of a home| nancy santopietro
i call this book the feng shui bible, and i know i am not the only one! there is a good mix of feng shui basics alongside her energetic approaches to illness. much like sarah, she covers a wide terrain of teaching that is often passed on between practitioner and client. the good news: this book won’t sound like anything else you read. the bad news: this book won’t sound like anything else you read. it took me several reads (with a couple years in between each) before i felt confident with her wisdom in my hands, but i don’t believe you can practice/teach/shui others without digesting this book first. and i like a book that makes you earn your shui spurs!
168 feng shui ways to energize your life| lillian too
there are so many reasons i LOVE this book, but i will keep it to three. (1) the format allows me to cherry pick my shui based on what i need/want, and who doesn’t want more of that freedom in their lives? (2) lillian keeps the explanations simple and motivating. (3) reading her book reveals how much common ground there is among the different feng shui schools, which fuels your confidence – otherwise, it’s easy to dwindle from the doubt some practitioners cause when they disregard other approaches as “quackery.”
all these voices (and so many more) are ink in the water of what i do, and i am grateful each one dropped into my life. whether you pick one of these books to satisfy your own shui curiosities OR you skim the selections available at the book store or amazon today, trust your own starting point. because the way it unfolds could be the best thing to ever happen for you!
xo
p.s. the Simple Shui Circle is NOW OPEN! this is the place to ask your Qs + get your As during LIVE streams. every monday morning, i post a weekly shui tip; and once a month, there will be a new shui ritual revealed — something i typically reserve for clients! there is a monthly subscription of $33 to join — so if you’ve got burning Qs but you’re not ready to take it 1:1, this is for you!
p.p.s. if you want to get your space shui-tastic, here’s where i’m traveling through the end of the year so grab a spot before they’re gone!
L.A., California | October 23 -25, 2018
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | November 14, 2018
Appleton, Wisconsin | November 15 – 17, 2018
