Guest Author - Colleen O´Malley

Being married to a life/leadership coach has its advantages. Especially when the focus of each day is to maximize all areas of our lives. One area that we determined required some help was that of our physical environment. We had just moved into a new home and something just didn’t seem right. It was as if we were ‘swimming upstream’ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. After doing a bit of research and sharing stories with my ‘community’, we happened upon a couple that offered Feng Shui home consultations.

Feng Shui is an ancient art practice that focuses completely on the natural energy flow (Chi). Everything has energy, and thus affects the flow of Chi through your home or other living/working spaces. Chi flows like a gentle breeze and can transform an ordinary space into one of healing, strength and power if attracted and harnessed using good design. If the energy is blocked or must struggle to move through the space, the result is a loss of balance and thus we can become ill, whether emotionally, mentally or physically.

The principles of Feng Shui are very straightforward and practical. By incorporating the five elements of nature: wind, water, heat, metal, and earth; along with the correct use of color; proper lighting; furniture placement; and use of shapes; an entire space can be transformed by the flow of the Chi.

At first we were a bit skeptical, and then I read something that made sense:

Do you ever wonder why:
- you feel good in one store and then you walk into another, and you feel sick or sluggish?
- you find yourself incredibly productive sitting in one place, and then struggle to have a coherent thought at another?
- you are at peace in certain locations of your home, but not in others?

Perhaps the energy flow within rooms did make a difference on our well-being…

We decided to bring the consultants in, still a bit unsure of what to expect, but completely open to their insights.

Their consultation consisted of a walk through of our home. They proceeded room by room, evaluating the space and diagramming each area down to the most minute detail. The resulting recommendations were provided to us in a very comprehensive portfolio.

Since meeting with the consultants, we have made many of the changes they suggested such as painting our daughter’s nursery sage, adding some fountains in strategic locations throughout the house, and repositioning some furniture. We have noticed the ‘mood’ seems lighter and we don’t feel as weighed down in certain areas of the house. At the very least the changes have been natural for us.

As we continue to renovate the house we make conscious choices about the furniture we pick, the colors we choose for paint, the location and placement of furniture, etc. All with the intent of maximizing the energy flow through our rooms.

If you decide to have a home makeover using Feng Shui consultants, or choose to do the makeover on your own, it might be useful to read a bit more about the basics of Feng Shui (see links below). We found a great book at our library that supported the consultants’ recommendations (also featured below).

- The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Room by Room
By: Terah Kathryn Collins, Publisher: Hay House, ISBN-13: 978-1561705689

Happy Feng Shui-ing!