Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Relationship Feng Shui

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series  No Responses »
Mar 142012
 

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By Alice Inoue

Doris, one of my readers, approached me as I was getting in my car last week.  She asked me when I was going to write about feng shui in regards to relationships.  She shared that she and her friends could certainly use some insight in this arena.

What about you? Are you lacking a significant other and desire one? Do you feel as though your current relationship is draining you or has lost the luster of its early years?  If so, you may want to try some of these feng shui suggestions and set a new intent for your relationships.

The Bagua
In feng shui, every area of life and everything that happens in life can be placed into nine categories that are spatially represented by areas in your home. These nine categories make up an energetic map of your home called the bagua (pronounced bah-gwah).

The “relationship area” is in one of these nine categories. By knowing where it is, and what you can do, you are empowered with knowledge that can support what you desire. The bagua is one of the most fundamental tools of feng shui and an excellent way to apply feng shui concepts to your environment.

Where is my relationship area?
When standing at the front door facing in, the relationship area is in the back right corner. Your relationship area may be the garage, an unused room in the house, such as a storage room or even the bathroom.  Don’t jump to any inaccurate conclusions and judge the location as “bad.”  You can improve the energy of any space in your home no matter where it is.

If your layout is unique and you are uncertain if you have located “right” area, simply apply this information to your bedroom, regardless of where it is in the bagua.  In feng shui, the bedroom also symbolically represents relationships.

Use the color and feel of love
The colors of the relationship area are “romantic” colors, such as pink, red, mauve, coral, burgundy, etc., and the feel you want to go for is soft, sensual, smooth, satiny, and fresh. Anything that reminds you of romance and love is ideal. If these colors are not your style, use an accent piece or place one thing in this area that links you to what you want to manifest in a relationship.

Use symbols of romance and pairs of items
Use mirrors, figurines, candles, fresh flowers, and anything that reminds you of love to boost the energy of this area. Put a lot of focus on pairs, and remove anything that looks lonely. Pairs can come in the form of sculptures, paintings, and other images, matching nightstands, two candles, two lamps, matching pillows, salt-and-pepper shakers, and so forth.

What to avoid
Keep photos of in-laws and children and anyone not related to the primary relationship out of this area and keep the focus on the primary relationship. (If you are not looking for a partner, however, then it is all right to keep photos of you and your friends here to strengthen existing relationships.)

Avoid anything that is strongly related to past relationships so that you can “let go of the old and bring in the new.” While it is not always feasible to get rid of your bed when a relationship ends, do what you can to make it look fresh and new. Purchase new sheets and pillows, use new accent pieces, and so on.

Do not store anything under the bed that holds energy of the past, such as photos or mementos or clothes from past relationships. These are best moved out of your home. If you must keep some things under the bed, place neutral items there, such as extra bedding and pillows—things that are geared towards rest.

Avoid fountains in the marriage area or the bedroom, because they tend to move emotions excessively. If you really must have one here, make sure to place ample plants around it so that the water energetically “feeds” the plants to create stability.

What can I expect?
By setting your intention and enhancing the relationship areas of your home, you may experience an enhanced primary relationship, gain a better understanding with everyone you have a relationship with, find Mr. or Ms. Right or a see new level of commitment in your existing relationship.  Isn’t that enough incentive to give it a try?

©istockphoto.com/aliceinoue

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

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Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Entrance Your Entrance

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Jan 042012
 

By Alice Inoue

When is the last time you took a good objective look at your entrance?  In feng shui, the entrance is a vital key to bringing positive energy flow into your home.  The entrance is considered the “mouth” of the property from which life force enters allowing those living in the home to thrive with new opportunities.

Basic entrance feng shui

Basic Feng Shui says that an entrance should be inviting, attractive, comfortable and unobstructed.  It’s often advised that you have a welcome mat and portray life force in the form of color or plants. Items that block energy flow and create obstacles such as shoes and dead plants should be removed.

In addition, it is important to have your address in plain view, and your home easy to find.  Having your name and address in multiple locations is favorable – on the building, the door, the mailbox, etc.  The easier it is to find your home, the better of a job you are doing to direct the flow of energy to your entrance.

All of these are basic “entrance rules” and can be found in any simple feng shui book.  However, I’d like to go one step further and explain why symbolically and energetically it is so important to pay attention to our entrances.

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The entrance marks a threshold

The entrance of a property (the entrance is considered the architectural front door versus the garage door entrance) denotes the threshold between the outer world and the inner world.  It marks the transition from that which is considered public, to that which is private and unknown.  Making the entrance comfortable eases the subtle, yet very real discomfort in transition on a subconscious level.

Entryways that are stark and empty create discomfort.  Mystery at the entrance does not invite positive inward energy flow.  The items and furnishings you place at the entrance need to create a link to the people within in order to establish comfort and familiarity. By taking steps to do so you will “entrance” the energy to more easily cross the threshold.

©istockphoto.comaliceinoue

Create an entrance identity

Since the entrance is the first clue a visitor has of what lies beyond the door, it is important to create a clearly-defined identity.  You can do this by using items that hint about the personality and uniqueness of those living within.  It can be a distinctive welcome plaque, a unique fixture, blooming plants, or friendly figurines of items that represent you or your family – be creative!

Supportive entryway

Use hip-height items around the entryway to offer stable energetic support.  Why? Because hip-high items energetically represent “cane” energy – what people use when they are unsteady on their feet to support them as they move from one location to another.

Items and furnishings at hip height promote stability and offer a subtle sense of safety.  Entrance ways that have the feeling of support are less stressful to cross.

Make changes to invite energy

If you follow these concepts when creating your entrance, you are not only establishing a sense of safety and connectivity for those who walk through it, you are issuing an invitation for beneficial energy to enter.

Imagine yourself in the shoes of a first-time visitor when you look at your entrance.  What do they feel as they are walking towards your front door – like they can’t wait to go in or like they feel like running away?

Brainstorm for ways to create an inviting entrance so everyone in your home can benefit from the positive energy. It’s worth it!

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Color Me Beautiful

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Dec 282011
 

By Alice Inoue

Imagine how you would feel walking into a stark white room versus the same room with walls painted with an enveloping comforting earth tone such as golden bisque.  You would feel very different in each of those two rooms, wouldn’t you?

Color has the power to change the entire energy of an environment and is very important to consider when creating a space that feels good. Color can change a mood, activate your emotions, and affect your subconscious. The impact of color is greater than just what you see through your eyes; it also has a vibration that affects you both physiologically and psychologically.

In addition, your reaction to color is cultural and depends on your traditions and beliefs. For example, in America, people wear white at weddings, whereas in Taiwan, where I grew up, people wear white at funerals, so culturally speaking, white means something different depending on whether you are American or Chinese.

Color likes and dislikes are also very personal, so I always advise clients to stay away from using charts that list what colors are good for the various rooms in the home.  I prefer to work with what feels good to them. Although every color has a meaning in feng shui, it doesn’t make sense for me to suggest that someone paint a room blue just because it’s a good feng shui color for that room if the person doesn’t even like the color blue.

Feng shui color systems

There are multiple color systems used in feng shui that can cause confusion at times: bagua, five elements, and rainbow spectrum, to name a few. The bagua color system uses green to represent new life and growth, purple to symbolize wealth and abundance, and pink to represent love and marriage. You can use these meanings as your intention when you choose colors.

The five elements color system, uses the colors green, red, yellow, white, and black, and assigns meanings to each of these colors. You can choose to use these colors to represent the elemental qualities that you desire to enhance such as red for action (fire), yellow for stability (earth), and green for growth (wood).

The rainbow spectrum color system is based on having all the colors of the rainbow in a space to create a positive feeling in a room or in a home.

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Psychological color attributes

Interestingly, the discipline of psychology also has a color attribute chart that provides information on the subconscious impact that colors have on people. Some of this is very similar to the feng shui color attribute chart and is useful when you want to find colors that evoke certain emotions. For example, the psychological chart I have says that yellow represents joy and happiness, grey pulls down energy, and red provides energy and stimulates the appetite.

Bring in the essence of nature

When it comes to color, if you are not a trained interior designer with experience in picking out colors, keeping it simple is safest. Color and color strips can be confusing if you are not an expert, but by following the guidance that nature has set forth for us, we can appear as though we are experts.

My advice is always, when in doubt, use colors you would find in nature. Look at your favorite landscape image, or go to the park. The colors you see in nature are the colors that you can bring into your home without making a mistake. We never tire of looking at nature, so by choosing shades of our favorite colors from nature, you can create an environment that is based on nature’s perfection.

©istockphoto.comaliceinoue

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Tuning in to Bedroom and Balance

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Dec 212011
 

By Alice Inoue

I see televisions in the bedrooms of about eighty percent of the homes I visit.  Odds are you have one in your bedroom as well.  During a feng shui consultation, many of my clients sheepishly say, “I know that I’m not supposed to have a television in the bedroom…” Many people are afraid I will tell them to give it up – and I never do.

This “rule” that you may have heard about is based on the theory of proper placement and proper usage.  Just as in nature you would never see a large oak tree growing in the middle of a bamboo forest, or find a peacock running with the zebras in Africa, you wouldn’t consider putting your dining table in the bathroom or your bed in the kitchen.  In the same way, televisions in the bedroom are not considered a “match.”

In feng shui, the concept is that the more you place things in their “proper place”, and use each room in the way it is intended, the more balanced and peaceful the energy can be.

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The function of the bedroom

The primary function of a bedroom is rest, rejuvenation, and intimacy with yourself or your partner. The television is conventionally thought to be contrary to these functions, along with office or exercise equipment in your bedroom.  That is because it puts conflicting functions (movement and rest) in the same room.

Other television-in-the-bedroom theories

Some schools of thought believe that you can be startled by your own reflection in the television screen in the middle of the night when you awaken. Others say the signal that picks up the stations is still energetically active even if the television is off, which can disrupt sleep.

Insomnia specialists, who do not consider feng shui advice, recommend taking the television out of the bedroom to indicate to the subconscious that the bedroom is a place for rest.

While all these theories do have merit, I feel that asking a client to remove a television for feng shui purposes, if they love it, or asking them to cover it at night if they do not have insomnia, is impractical.

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When you and your mate have differing opinions…

The big challenge comes when one person loves the television in the bedroom and the other wants it removed. Often I am put in the middle of disagreements and am expected to side with one or the other.

How do I handle this? I always allow the couple to come to their own decision and navigate towards the compromise that works best. If the television is staying in the room, and it is an issue between the couple, here are questions I ask them:

  • Can you purchase a television cabinet with doors so that it is out of sight?
  • Can you cover it with a cloth?
  • Can you mutually agree upon an earlier time to turn it off?
  • Can the watcher wear a headset so the sound does not disturb the other?
  • Can the sleeper wear eyeshades to block out the light activity that may prevent them from falling asleep sooner?

It is never easy when we are at odds with our partners, especially when we firmly believe our way is right. Sometimes the one who is bothered by the television will just “put up with it,” which leads to a build-up of resentment over time.  It’s important to realize that the feelings of both parties are valid and neither is right nor wrong.

If the television is an issue for you and your partner, take the time to discuss how you can find a happy medium.  If not, may you continue to sleep in peace!

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Love It Or Lose It

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Dec 142011
 

By Alice Inoue

Take a good look around your home. Do you see things you love and cherish, or things that are just there “because”? I often see items on display in homes that I’m curious about, and when I ask the occupant to tell me about them, a common response is, “Oh, my mother-in-law (who she says she can’t stand) gave us that, and I really don’t like it”.  Or, “I don’t know. The landlord had it there when I moved in, so I kept it”.

Remove What Doesn’t Support You

To “up” the energy in your environment, make a commitment to take away anything you do not absolutely love so that what you have left will support you energetically.  Note that if there are things that you acquired during a time of sadness, that energy of sadness is still being “beamed” into your environment. Everything holds the energy of the time and space it was brought into your life.  Keep this in mind when you are deciding whether or not to keep something.

How an item holds energy

Some items in your environment can be considered neutral—such as a CD player. You may like its style, but basically, it is there to play music. Imagine that one day you and your spouse get into a heated argument about an issue you just can’t agree upon. You become emotional and, in turning your body, you bump a lamp that falls onto the CD player, leaving a gash on it. It still functions, but now holds the emotional energy of that negative interaction.

Each time you put a CD in that player from this day forward, you are reminded (consciously or subconsciously) of that issue and the argument that ensued. That CD player is now no longer a neutral item. It is not supporting you in your environment, and can energetically drain you instead.

What if my spouse and I disagree about an item?

When there are two or more people in a household, a difference of opinion often arises as to whether something is energetically supportive, especially an item in a common area.

Let’s imagine the item in dispute is a funky wall hanging that you absolutely love, but your spouse thinks is unsightly. How can you come to an agreement? One way is to reassign the meaning of the wall hanging to represent the love and respect you have for each other.

First, I would suggest that you rate the wall hanging on a scale of 1-10 as to how much you love it, 10 being the highest score. Then have your spouse rate the same wall hanging, but with 10 being highest amount of dislike for it. If you rate it a 9 and your spouse rates it a 7, then based on this rating, you love it more than your spouse dislikes it.

Next, I would ask your spouse if he or she loved you enough to allow the wall hanging to represent your love. If so, your spouse has the opportunity to transform it from an “eyesore” into a gift of love because you like the wall hanging more than he dislikes it.

The wall hanging takes on a new symbolic meaning, as a reminder of love instead of an instigator of disharmony.  Each time you see it, you are grateful and see it as a gift, while each time your spouse sees it, they remember how much they love you.

Gifts you do not like

Finally, if you receive something you don’t like, don’t display it! We are always afraid that the gift giver is going to come back and say, “Hey! Where’s that wooly mammoth statue I gave you?” However, you disempower yourself by putting it in your environment if you know it doesn’t support you.

I always say to honor the intent of such a gift, feel the love behind the gift, be thankful, and then give it away or donate it. It is okay to do this. By not doing this, you neglect to honor yourself, the most important person in your life.

©istockphoto.comaliceinoue

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Turning Over a New Leaf

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Dec 072011
 

By Alice Inoue

Plants are always used to create a feng shui positive environment because they not only add vibrancy, oxygen and life force, they symbolize growth and support us energetically.  Much of feng shui is about creating an environment that gives us energy versus one that drains us of our energy and life force.

Plant Selection

The most “feng shui positive” plants are full, lush, and vibrant. When choosing plants, select rounded leaves over spiky, thorny, or pointy leaves. Having too many pointy-leaved plants sends out a prickly energy, which your subconscious reads as “stay away”.  This is not an inviting energy.

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The artificial vs. real plant debate

Grandmaster Lin Yun, the founder of the Black Sect school of feng shui, said, “If you have to touch a plant to determine whether it is real or not, it holds even more power than a live plant.” This means that if an artificial plant looks real, it is doing its job. Your subconscious will see it as symbolic of a real plant, and it will have the same effect. Live plant energy is favorable and it’s good to have some around; however, it is better to have an artificial plant that looks alive and real, than to have a real plant that is sickly or dead.  Silk plants are excellent and are made so well these days they are hard to visually tell them apart from real ones!

Dead and dried plants

Dead flowers and dead or sick plants emit dead energy into the environment. Even dried flowers symbolize death to the subconscious mind.  I suggest that you replace dead or dying plants with live ones for an immediate boost of energy.

Many people feel bad about throwing away plants that still have a bit of life in them, but are beyond reviving.  I tell my clients that the best time to “recycle” almost-dead plants back into the universal flow is during the three days prior to a new moon because it represents new beginnings. This timing energetically gives the plants an opportunity to “begin anew”, and many of us feel better when we know we are getting rid of them at an optimal time. If the plant is already dead, then discarding anytime is fine.

Dried flower leis and plants with meaning

If you have dried flower leis or other types of dried flowers in your home that hold significant meaning or special memories, then one of my basic rules apply: “Have things you love around you.” If it is something you love, even though it is “dead”, it has a good energy and it’s fine to have around.

If, however, it has begun to disintegrate and you can’t remember why you kept it in the first place, it has lost its positive personal energy and it’s time to get rid of it.

Potpourri is often brought up because it is commonly used in homes and some are curious about it from a feng shui perspective. Although potpourri is made of “dead” plant parts, it does have life in it in the form of its added fragrance. However, once the fragrance dissipates, the dust settles, and cobwebs start forming, it is time to discard it. As long as it is kept “fresh”, it does not take away from the positive feng shui.

Useful plant tips

  • Move existing plants around to change up the energy of the environment.
  • Fill empty corners with plants to create curves, fullness, and balance in a room.
  • Use plants at the entrance to “entrance” the energy.
  • Buy a plant when you need a boost and desire support.

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Going with the Flow

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Dec 012011
 

By Alice Inoue

Fountains are desirable in feng shui because they bring the energy of water into the environment in a beautiful and elegant way.

Water was important to farmers in ancient China because the success of their rice crops depended on having abundant water. Plentiful water resulted in plentiful rice, so over time water became associated with wealth, abundance and sustenance.

Moving water represents flow, good communication, cleansing and movement whereas still water represents wisdom, calmness, and spirituality.  Choosing to place water strategically in the environment reminds us of these things and prompts us to participate further in creating them.

The effect of water

Have you ever noticed how good you feel after visiting places in nature, such as the beach, the mountains, the countryside, or waterfalls? That good feeling is due to negative ions that are naturally present in the outdoors. Remember how it feels after a thunderstorm? That “clean” feeling is actually the effect of the release of a lot of negative ions.

Positive ions have the opposite effect; they cause us to feel tired, lethargic, and fatigued. Electronics such as computers and artificial lighting generate positive ions.  In this day and age, many of us find ourselves in front of a computer all day surrounded by artificial lighting.  No wonder we are always so tired! These positive ions are suspended in the air, and the more we breathe them in, the more they affect us.  Positive ions are also found on allergens such as pollen, mold spores, dust, and animal dander.

Water and negative ions

When water splashes, it releases negative ions into the atmosphere, and these bond with any positive ions suspended there. The negative ions neutralize the heavy effect that the positive ions have on our mood and feelings. You experience this anytime you take a shower: you feel perked up and rejuvenated afterwards, don’t you? Your feeling of refreshment is a result of all the negative ions pairing up with the positive ions.

No desire for a fountain?

Photographs of water will stimulate your brain and produce the same energy, just in a different form.  If the trickling sounds a fountain makes do not resonate with you or if you have no time to maintain one and keep it running, you can get the same effect with a lot less maintenance by using images of water.

Pictures of lakes or still bodies of water represent the energy of clarity, and pictures of moving water such as waterfalls or the ocean bring the energy of flow and movement into the environment.  Choose what you want to create more of in your life and use an image of water to support you.

Image Coutesy of ©istockphoto.comaliceinoue

Where to place a fountain

The best placement for water is anywhere along the front wall or the left wall of your home, business, office, or room (while you are standing at the entrance, looking into the room).  Check that the direction of the water flow is pointed toward the center of the room.  You want to make sure the water is moving with you versus against you creating additional resistance in your life.

Will a fountain bring me good luck?

I am often asked this question and respond by saying, “The fountain itself will bring you neither good luck nor bad luck.  Your “luck” depends on how synchronous and in tune you are with your personal flow of life.  The more you resist life, the more challenges you will have.  However, by placing a fountain with intent, it will help to subconsciously direct you towards being in the flow and creating more what you want in your life.”

You are fully responsible for creating your own luck as well as your own life experiences, and a fountain can definitely be a great support and reminder on what to focus on!

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Holistic Maven Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series; Clogged By Clutter

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Lavish Life(style)  No Responses »
Nov 222011
 

By Alice Inoue

Where do I place a fountain to bring in more opportunities? Will hanging a crystal enhance my career? Should I paint my room green for better feng shui? These are frequently asked questions, yet small things like this will hardly make much of a difference, and even if they do, their effect will be short-lived. For the long-term, the foundation of your energetic environment will have the greatest impact.

Alice’s Basic Rule #1

So where do you begin?  The first thing I say is to minimize your clutter.  When I mention this in presentations, some people sigh, others groan, and many nod knowingly. Most everyone relates to clutter, no one seems to like having it, and yet, unless someone is spring cleaning or a move is imminent, it’s rare to get motivated to clear it out.

Everything in our environment is a reflection of what’s going on in our inner environment, and a cluttered home is directly correlated with the mental and emotional clutter we hold inside.  You will often hear me say, “clear your clutter, clear your mind.”  By sorting out your clutter, you sort out your life, which results in a release and renewal of your own life force.

Why we hold on to clutter

Clutter is woven into our emotional energy and it drains us. It ties us to the past instead of allowing us to live in the present moment, yet we hold on to it for various reasons. How many of these clutter scenarios do you relate to?

Clothes that don’t fit

By keeping clothes that don’t fit, you constantly have a visual reminder that you are not where you once were. If you can accept where you are with your size in the present and let go of the clothes that represent the “old” you, you will have an opportunity to create a “new” you.

Expensive but unused items

Have you ever purchased something that cost “a lot” of money and later realized it wasn’t a wise purchase? Keeping these items constantly reminds you of your “mistake”. Each time it’s in view, you subconsciously judge yourself, which holds you in the past.  Let it go.

Keeping things “just in case”

Do you have five umbrellas but only two people in your home? Do you have a closetful of shopping bags that you’ve been saving from years ago? Holding onto everything that comes into your possession shows an anxiety about the future and a lack of trust that the Universe will provide what you need when you need it. When you open up space in your home or office, you open up the possibility that something new can arrive.

Items from a past relationship

Getting rid of possessions after a break-up or a death is always difficult because it means you really have to come to terms with your grief and loss. There is no set time when things “should” be cleared out, but the sooner you are able to clear out possessions associated with a past relationship, the sooner you are able to live in the present moment.

It’s fine to keep items to remember the positive aspects of a person’s existence in your life. Clearing out others’ things is for when you need to let go and move on.

A gift you are not fond of

A gift you don’t like from someone you do like is one of the toughest things to deal with gracefully. I always say to honor the intent of the gift and be appreciative of the love that the person has for you, then donate it or give it to someone who likes it and can use it. Feng shui-wise, it doesn’t make sense to keep something that does not resonate with you.

Tied to your clutter

Imagine being tied to everything in your environment by an invisible thread of energy. As such, you are literally tied to your clutter, even if you can’t see it. Can you believe that you drag your clutter around, no matter where you are or what you are doing? You are losing your energy to it!

Clear your clutter

There are many methods to clear clutter but the simplest is using the theory of relativity.  It states that whatever is closest to you affects you the most, so start clearing from where you spend the most time. Your bedroom? Your office? Your car?

Mark your calendar

Thinking about clearing your clutter is not effective.  Make an appointment with yourself, just like you would with a good friend.  It is totally worth it because at the end of the day, you will feel far better than if you spent it at the spa or out on the golf course.  I promise.

Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD's. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.

Media Maven Welcomes Alice Inoue, Holistic Maven Guest Blogger and Feng Shui Expert

 Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series, Holistic Maven, Lavish Life(style), OMGWTF -_-  No Responses »
Oct 042011
 

Bonjour Darlings,

It’s a pleasure to welcome Alice Inoue, our expert and guest blogger “To Inspire, To Reflect, To Change” by improving the environment around us, our homes, offices and ourselves through Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice. Alice is a Hawaii-based international expert who has been published in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, where she currently maintains a weekly column with over 500,000 readers online and in print, 3 published books under her belt – A Loving Guide To These Shifting Times (2008), Be Happy! It’s Your Choice (2009), and Feng Shui Your Life (2010), which have won Indie Excellence Awards in the Body, Mind and Spirit category, with a 4th book Just Ask Alice planned for November 2011 – which features a compilation of thousands of consultations based on her most frequently asked questions (faq’s) on career, wealth, relationships, children, in-laws and health.

Alice Inoue courtesy of ww.uluart.com & Alice's FB Fan page

The Holistic Maven featured posts courtesy of Alice Inoue includes:

  • “Wall Pictures Tell Your Story” – How pictures on your wall affect the energy in your environment through symbology.
  • “Creating Energetically Secure Bathrooms” – What bathrooms mean and how to create bathrooms that offer energetic support.
  • “Motivated by Mirrors” – How mirrors affect you and basic feng shui and guidelines for placing and using the mirror for the best results.
  • “Clogged by Clutter” – Why clutter is “bad” and how to clear it out.
  • “Going with the Flow” – The use of water, fountains and pictures of water in feng shui.
  • “Turning Over a New Leaf” – The purpose of plants and how to use plants in feng shui.
  • “Either Love it or Lose It” – What to let go of and what to keep to have an energetically positive environment.
  • “TV in the Bedroom Taboo?” – When to use a TV in the bedroom, and when not to.
  • “Color Me Beautiful” – How to pick colors to paint your home for best energy.
  • “Entrance the Entrance” – How to enhance the entrance to your home for the best results.

And many more as Alice continues to be our guest expert blogger! Follow Alice on Facebook and online at www.aliceinspired.com.