Q & A: can feng shui improve my health?

happy Wednesday, shui-beams! when i sat down to write my first set of workbooks, i was torn. do i compose a bulleted TO DO list of quick shui changes to make around a home, or do i build a foundation that will support whatever shui you build upon it? i chose the latter because regardless of the cure, approach, practitioner, or method, one thing is certain: shui is all about reading your home. and the simplest way i know to begin doing that confidently is through LOVE and metaphor. when we become fluent about what projects our best selves, we have an instantaneous filter for any shui we read or implement: do I LOVE this? and what is this saying about/for me? so, with that in mind, let’s pivot to this week’s Q!

the QUESTION: i like the idea of metaphors in the home that correlate with what we are looking to improve in our lives. i was wondering if you had a couple of ideas for metaphors around health. i have had difficulty taking care of my health my whole life (specifically keeping a healthy weight). i just am quite bad at self-care and healthy practices. i’m hoping there are maybe a couple of small things i could do in my home that might help in that area.

the SHUI: hey, love! thanks for the Q, and how about a mountain top YES? there are some fabulous metaphors that will certainly tilt the vibrational medicine around you in your favor.

• sleuth around your space for anything that suggests ‘struggle’. this could be clutter; anything broken or not working; wilting/dying plants; expired foods; empty containers; worn out items; +/or things you really don’t LOVE. to complete this task without withering, trust your first instincts as you look around objectively. while some things might feel familiar and tolerable, when we keep them around ‘just because’, we end up on a leash energetically. and that certainly slows us down, sabotages our energy, and throws a monkey wrench into our better intentions. bottom line: good energy promotes our well-being; low vibrations disrupt it.

• keep happy, thriving, yang energy around you. most of us live in proximity of energy we don’t totally jive with – people, neighbors, buildings, high wires, etc. – so it is imperative we keep the good stuff on steady tap to counter balance what is possibly finding its way to us. my suggestion: grow a green thumb, and keep a couple plants in your surroundings super healthy +/or get into a ritual of buying a small bundle of flowers on the regular. increase your indoor lighting by either turning the lights on more or increasing the bulb wattage. and use bright colors to keep the energy lifted and living out loud! (*FYI: the plants are my favorite choice for you because when we nurture living things, it is vibrational medicine for ourselves!)

• ‘face your life’ – this one is a BIG deal, so if you can swing it, holla! think mafia boss – she always sits with her back to the wall and has full view of the room. in shui, our 3 big power spots are the bed + desk + stove. and like mama mobster, you want full view of anyone approaching. in smaller spaces and some work configurations, this can be tricky. so, use a mirror on the wall behind the stove (where you can see it). this will put you back in the power seat AND double your burners (health + wealth!) at the same time. the best power position for your bed is up against a solid wall and not in direct line of the door. again, you ideally have a full view of the room without being directly in the pathway of energy. and at work, if you face a wall, employ the mirror trick, too. the overall thought with this cure is having our back to incoming energy drains our personal chi by stimulating our fight/flight response. by alleviating this burden, we shore up more life force + energy, thus improving our health and longevity.

• hang a Swarovski crystal above your bed, if possible. when sunlight hits the crystal, it sends a ripple of rainbow hues around the room, and rainbow energy is VERY healing! plus, it is crazy pretty + totally magical!

• finally, take your attention to two spots: the center of your house/space (HEALTH) and the far left middle spot (FAMILY/NEW BEGINNINGS). remember, the shui map is like a tic-tac-toe board. standing at your front door looking into the house, imagine the map dividing your space into 9 equal squares. now, go to the far left middle square, and you are in the FAMILY area. these two areas are both essential for good health, so choose metaphors that are personal + unique to you and put them here. clean each space. it could be a fabby place for your plants to live and thrive. maybe it is where you practice your self-care rituals. perhaps you turn one of these areas into your most uplifting space of the house. xo