Inspired Feng Shui Life

Writing effective affirmations is a powerful way to bring about positive change in your life.  But what makes an affirmation effective?  There is a lot written on the subject which can make affirmation writing an art and a science, but it really does not need to be that difficult if you just keep a few important things in mind.

An affirmation is not just “positive thinking”.  It is a way of re-wiring the way your mind works enabling you to create the positive results you desire.  Affirmations do not replace actions, they complement them.  If you are new to affirmations, it may take a little bit of practice until you get comfortable with the action of writing them, feeling them and trusting in them.  But once you feel the connection and see the results, you will understand for yourself just how powerful the act of writing out your goals can be.

Here are a few easy tips to make your affirmations powerful and effective:

• Write daily, preferably morning and evening
• Write in the present tense, i.e. “Now!”
• Use positive words and thoughts
• Write in the first person; your affirmation is personal
• Write by hand rather than typing
• Think BIG; visualize what you really want and write that, just make sure your affirmation resonates with you-do not write what you think you should be writing
• Realize that affirmations are not just about material situations, but emotional and spiritual as well
• Write with thankfulness
• Stick to one or two affirmations a day-allow yourself the opportunity to enjoy the flow rather than trying to force change
• Fine tune your affirmation until it feels right for you, then release it and trust that it is done

I have found that writing affirmations and carrying them around in your pocket for the day, then taking them out in the evening to look at them once more and then tossing them out, trusting that the universe has already worked on them in the most perfect way can be very empowering.  As those of you who see me for Reiki know, I also love to give Reiki to affirmations, giving them a little extra boost.

If you find that along the way your goals change or your previous affirmations do not feel quite right, do not be surprised.  Sometimes you discover that what you thought you wanted was not really for your highest good and your path changes.  Welcome the insight and continue forward, thankfully affirming your goals and trusting your higher purpose.

Image by Ximagination

Using the healing power of Reiki and the energy of Feng Shui, you can support yourself to make positive change in your life.  If you are looking to improve your relationships, health, well-being, your position within the workplace or you just want to gain a greater sense of joy in life,  Reiki and Feng Shui can help you achieve your goals.  Call today to schedule your appointment.

Travel Schedule: 

• I will be traveling to the Bakersfield/Lake Isabella area November 26 thru December 1, 2008.  If you would like to schedule an on-site Feng Shui Consultation or Reiki Session, please call 661-505-5371 or 818-383-7502 to schedule an appointment.
• Upon request, travel arrangements can be made to your destination.  Call for details.
• Workshops and Events.  If you would like to add a Feng Shui Consultant or a Reiki energy healer to your next event, call to discuss the details.

Greater Los Angeles County, Ventura County and Telephone Consultations:

• On site Feng Shui Consultations and Reiki Sessions for the greater Los Angeles and Ventura areas are on-going.  Telephone Consultations are always available.  Call 818-383-7502 or email to schedule your appointment. 

Many people who have not yet had the opportunity to experience a Reiki (spiritually guided universal life force energy) session themselves wonder what Reiki feels like.  A typical Reiki session will feel a bit different for each person and it may feel slightly different from one session to another depending upon what is happening with you at the time, your own specific needs and how the energy will choose to flow through you.  You can rest assured that you will always enjoy a soothing warmth and deep relaxation following each session that will allow you to heal where you need it most.

In your Reiki session, you will remain fully clothed at all times.  There is no need for you to remove clothing for the Reiki to flow through you.  You will be asked to remove your shoes and it is best to remove any heavy jewelry or not to wear any jewelry at all.  You will then simply lie down and relax; your work is now done. 

There is a range of sensations that you might expect to feel during your session.  You may feel all or none of these during your session.  Many people become so relaxed they simply fall asleep.  Some might not experience these sensations during their session, but will notice a physical difference the next day.  It just depends on you and how your body, mind and spirit choose to heal in their own perfect way.

Some of the sensations you might expect are:

• Soothing warmth
• Focused area of heat
• Tingling
• Pressure
• Tension
• Release
• Prickliness or itching
• Cold
• Sense of Reiki flowing through arms or legs and releasing through fingertips or feet
• Energy swirling
• Peace
• Joy
• Calm
• Sense of well-being

You will leave your session feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and completely soothed.  Drink lots of water following your session as Reiki helps to detoxify your system.  Pay attention to your driving as you will be deeply relaxed - no speeding tickets on your way home please! 

Remember to take good care of yourself and pay attention to any changes you feel following your Reiki session, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  You might want to keep a journal so you can track how the Reiki is healing you and helping you move forward along your perfect life path.  Note everything - is your thinking clearer, are you performing better at your workouts, do you have less pain, do you sleep better, have you found an answer to something that has been troubling you, are your relationships improving, are things going better at work, do you have greater joy in life and an overall better sense of well being?  By keeping track of where you are and how your life is improving, you will be better able to see how Reiki helps you.

Contact a Reiki practitioner in your area and find someone who you feel comfortable with.  Enjoy the healing of Reiki and see how wonderful it feels for yourself.  If you would like to share your feelings here, please feel free to comment.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, many of you are likely preparing your homes for entertaining guests.  When adding extra items for  guests along with your holiday decor, you want to take a quick check and make sure you are not overdoing things.  It is easy to clutter things up which can end up making you feel frustrated and frazzled by the time guests actually arrive rather than prepared and relaxed.

Here is an easy list of things to consider when dressing your home for holiday guests:

• If you have a proper guest room for them to sleep in-perfect!  Even if  you do not, you can make them comfortable by making sure there is a practical place to store their suitcases and hang their clothing.  A special set of towels, a carafe and water glass and even a small gift of welcome waiting for them at their resting place in your home will tell them they are special and welcome.
• Make sure there is enough room for them in the space they will be staying in.  You may need to remove a few of your own decorative items so they do not need to worry about moving them or breaking them. 
• If your guests are going to be using a bedroom that is usually inhabited by a family member, be sure to make a little room in the closet for the guest and add a few empty hangers.  The generous host of the room needs some extra pampering too for sharing their space, so be sure to remember to lovingly thank the one who is temporarily giving up their space. 
• Ensure the linens are fresh and fragrant using a lavender spray that will help them get a great night of sleep.  If you are not already using these for yourself, indulge in some today.  A little treat that can make your dreams just that much sweeter.
• Be sure you have plenty of towels in supply.  Every last member of the household needs to feel remembered so when there is a houseful, make sure you stay on top of the little details.
• You need plenty of seating for your guests, but you do not want clogged rooms.  A great way to add extra seating is with stackable chairs that can be used outside or stored away when not in use.  There are so many cool options available now, you are not limited to those standard folding chairs of yesteryear.  A quick trip to your local store will supply you with a variety of styles, something sure to suit your home.  Extra pillows are great and can be used as floor cushions, just be sure your guests understand your sofa is made to seat people rather than to serve as a showpiece for pillow fashion.
• Make sure you have enough seating at your dining table.  If the dining room is crowded, you may need to remove some furniture pieces so there is enough comfortable seating for everyone.
• When adding holiday decor items, pack up and store your year round decorative pieces. 
• Enjoy your guests while they are there and allow them a bit of free time too.  Everyone loves to visit, but time alone is important too.  Plan something special for just  yourself, even if it is just a half an hour private time for a soak in the tub or to read a book.
• After your guests have gone and you have returned your home to normal, do a simple space clearing ritual.  You can burn sage sticks or incense or you can do a more formal ceremony.  Clearing the energy in your home will restore the balance in the space and help you center yourself.

Having guests come to visit the holidays is a long standing and beloved tradition.  I hope that you find this year to be one of the most joyous years you have enjoyed yet!

Nickie is available for on-site and telephone consultations, call 818-383-7502 or 661-505-5301 to schedule your consultation.

Image by andres

In Feng Shui, mirrors have many qualities and uses.  They can be used to enhance or to push away energy. They can open up small spaces or close off spaces from entering others.  A mirror can also double what is reflected in it to create greater results, so decide how you to wish to use the mirrors in your space and how they can best support you. 

A key thing to remember when using a mirror inside your home is to consider what it is reflecting.  Is it something you love, something beautiful?  Perhaps the mirror is reflecting a view from a window or a favorite piece of art.  Maybe the mirror is in the dining room reflecting the family meal, a symbol of abundance.  If your mirror has a less than lovely reflection in it, find another location where it can bring you more of the things you love into your home.

A mirror can also be used to push energy away.  Perhaps you sleep in a bedroom with angled ceilings.  For some people, sleeping under a low ceiling might cause headaches.  A simple cure for this would be to use two small mirrors placed on the top of the headboard, facing up towards the ceiling.  In this way, the intention in how the mirrors are used is that the energy is being pushed up and away from the head of the bed.

Mirrors are just one of the powerful ways you can work with the natural energy in a home or office space.  Feng Shui takes into consideration your entire surroundings and how they relate to each other.  Contact a Feng Shui Consultant in your area and discover how Feng Shui can benefit you.

Did you know that you can apply the bagua to your desk and Feng Shui the items on your desktop?  You can!  Using Feng Shui to organize your desk can do more than just streamline your work-flow.  It can help you attract more business, sharpen your skills, improve your communication and even help you create more time for things you love to do when not working!

Just as the bagua can be applied at the entrance of your lot and to your house or office and then to your room, it can also be applied to the individual pieces located in the room.  For your desk, the bagua is applied from where you sit at the desk.  Where you sit is considered “the door”.  So simply Feng Shui your desk from there.  A great place for your phone is the helpful people corner, the far front right corner, closest to where you sit.  Your computer monitor is a fire element, so the back center in your Fame/Reputation area is a great place for it to rest.  If you use a calculator, the Wealth/Prosperity area in far back left corner is a perfect place!  Putting any books that you use daily in your Skills & Knowledge can make learning new and improving existing skills just that much easier.  That picture of your sweetheart-how about your relationship corner?  You get the idea. 

Oh, and now that you have your desk Feng Shui’d, add an affirmation of what you want to achieve and place it tape it under your desk in your helpful people section.  Just trust that the people and the situation needed to make it happen has already appeared and that your perfect life is unfolding now.  A little Feng Shui for your desk will go a very long way in achieving a multitude of positive energy flow in your life.

Your address has more meaning than just a way to find your house.  In Feng Shui, numbers represent colors, elements, directions and more. You can interpret the numbers in your address using the homophonic method as in the classic Chinese tradition, or you can interpret them from numerological view.  Whichever way you look at them, even numbers are yin and odd numbers are yang; having a combination of each can help ensure balance within the home.

You can determine the number of your home by adding up all of the numbers in your address and then reducing them to one number.  For instance, 1234 Main Street would be 1+2+3+4=10=1.  While your address is only one small part of the overall energy in your home, it does have a vibration and can be considered when looking at your home from a Feng Shui perspective.

Here are the meanings of numbers as they apply to houses and what they might mean to those who live within the home:

1  Independence.  This is great for starting new projects and new businesses. 

2  Balance.  This is a perfect home for a couple. 

3  Creativity.  Perfect home for creative and energetic personalities.

4  Security/Self Discipline.  A safe place to be, especially for someone who travels a lot.

5  Energy/Change.  Life is like a whirlwind.  Depending upon how you view it, this can be positive or negative, it is up to you.

6  Service.  Perfect for teacher, nurses and others who are caretakers.

7  Inner Focus.  Great for one who values spiritual gain above all else.

8  Material Gain.  A good home for those who are looking to make money.

9  Selflessness.  Perfect for someone who is focused on the greater good.

One of the most common questions I get is “What color should I paint my bedroom for the best Feng Shui?”  My answer usually starts out the same: “What color do you like?”  You spend a very large part of your life in your bedroom and since this is where you rest, relax, cuddle and rejuvenate, this needs to be a place you really love.  Choosing a color you like should be a priority in your home in all rooms, especially your bedroom.  By creating an environment you love, you will be enhancing the positive Feng Shui energy around you.

The walls in your bedroom should be a soothing tone.  If you really love bold, bright colors, save them for a few accents in the accessories.  Think about creating a space that is going to feel peaceful and nourishing for your soul.  You can apply the bagua to your home to determine which color supports the space and if it is one you love, using a shade of that color can work quite well.  But you have to be careful; you do not want your home to look like a bagua, you will end up feeling uncomfortable in a setting that is too contrived with color. 

Remember, in Feng Shui, energy moves and each area has the ability to support the area next to it.  There are no hard and rigid lines dividing the Feng Shui space in your home, so let each space flow into the next, including the color on your walls.  Choose colors you love and keep your bedroom soft, soothing and relaxing.  Make your bed with linens you love in natural fabrics that feel good to your skin.  Keep electronics at a minimum and remember to keep your furniture in balance within the space.  A clutter free bedroom with textures, fabrics and colors you love will support you and encourage a great night’s sleep, everything you would expect from positive Feng Shui in your bedroom.

Feng Shui is working purposefully with the things in your environment to create positive change in your life.  By making physical changes within your space, your are setting in place pathways to allow energy to flow to support you in creating the life you desire.  Working on purpose is not just a physical activity. To achieve your highest your good you need to work on purpose on all levels, including your mental and spiritual levels.

              Photo by Tim

Positive shifts happen because you create them.  They can happen in an instant or they can happen slowly.  You might have a few bumps along the road or you may just see the path open before you.  Focus on Why you are making changes and trust that you have already set in place what is perfect to create that shift and allow those changes to come to you naturally.  Whether you are working on your physical envvironment or your internal one, you really need to know what it is you want in your life and what your perfect life looks like before you can create it.  By trusting that the actions you have taken are working and then moving on allows you to accept what comes. 

Working on your life from the inside out is going to bring you greater clarity, more joy, and a sense of peace.  Once you have identified what your perfect life would be, what your goals are, why you want them and how they are going to improve your joy in life, you will be better able to assess what is not working in your environment.

Oftentimes, you will find very literal reflections of any limitations you have been placing on yourself internally in your external environment.  By identifying and acknowledging those before you make Feng Shui adjustments, you will be able to really maximize your results from your consultant’s suggestions.  Release any limitations on an internal level and replace them with images of yourself already living as you want to be.  Make changes in your external environment that will support you on a physical level to make these goals your reality.

Change is constant.  You attract everything that is in your life, positive or negative.  Feng Shui can help you improve your environment and support you to achieve your goals and remove any energy blocks.  Change starts on the inside.  Your external environment supports you and reflects what is happening on an internal level.  Decide today what you want for your life and begin creating that reality now.

For those interested in scheduling an on-site or telephone Feng Shui consultation, please give Nickie a call at 818-383-7502 to schedule an appointment and discuss the details of your consultation.  If  you leave a voicemail, please be sure to leave your phone number so I can return your call.

Travel Schedule: 

• I will be traveling to the Bakersfield area mid-July 2008.  If you would like to schedule an on-site Feng Shui Consultation, please call to schedule an appointment.
• I will be traveling to the San Francisco area July 20-24 2008.  If you would like to schedule an on-site Feng Shui Consultation during those dates, please call to schedule an appointment.

Southern California and Telephone Consultations:

• Call or email to schedule your appointment.