1. Environmental Affirmations

2. Original Art Carries Potent Chi

3. Match Art to Room Function and Bagua

1. Environmental Affirmations

Art reflects aspects of yourself that can lift you up or drag you down. Art that engages with positive feelings through subject matter, color, or texture creates a wonderful environmental affirmation within your home. Whether you take the time to consciously enjoy it as you sip your morning coffee or unconsciously lose it in your rush out the door, art is always speaking on your behalf with its subliminal message. Advertisers drive their multi-million dollar industry on “fuel” provided by the power of inferred and subliminal messages everyday.

• Take a moment to look at the art you have around you. What part of you is it affirming? Do you like what you see?

2. Original Art Carries Potent Chi

Art directly from the artist’s hand – whether a specially commissioned piece, a purchase from a local gallery, a gift or from your Aunt Martha, carries an increased amount of Chi.

Why?

First, you have the artist’s love for their medium. Second, you have their fascination with the subject matter. And third, you have the artist’s “hand” in the creation process. Triple-powered Chi! When you feel good about any art made by you, a family member, friend or a favorite artist, you have a powerful Chi mover!

• Collect original art that speaks to that special place within your heart and aligns with your vision of positive energy. Support the arts within your community. Chi will grow exponentially.

• Can’t afford an original? Does the artist you like sells limited edition prints? An edition print may not have as much Chi as the original but it definitely has more than a mass produced piece because the artist selects the art to reproduce and checks each print before it is signed and numbered. A limited edition represents the body of an artist’s work and that is taken very seriously. (I have seen Ray hold a piece of art from reproduction because he didn’t feel good about the way it interpreted to print.)

3. Match your art to the function of a room and the Feng Shui Bagua

When you do, you have created a dynamic Chi enhancement. This kind of “double layering” targets specific aspects of your life with focused Chi. For instance, spiritual art is especially potent in the way that it attracts and uplifts Chi when placed in the Wisdom or Helpful People area of your Bagua. Spiritual art could include images of angels and saints, great teachers and mystics, or gods and goddesses acting on your behalf to remind you of a higher purpose and a Higher Presence.

Definition: Bagua (bog-wa): The Bagua maps out nine areas of life that contribute to – or deplete from – wellness and joy. (Like career, health, love, creativity, etc.) Think of it as a blueprint for your home. But instead of showing you the location of a bedroom or closet, it reveals the area concerned with family, health, love, etc. In Feng Shui you adjust areas of the Bagua when you wish to encourage support of a specific intention or desire.

So? What kind of Chi is hanging out on your walls?

One of our spots turned out to be Charleston, SC.

Where Would You Like to Live? Findyourspot.com is a fun way to explore the possibilities!

Most of us have had at least one opportunity to move. Maybe to further a career or advance an education. Maybe to care for an aging parent. Or maybe just because a nudge from a small voice within said we are supposed to be someplace else doing something else. No matter where it comes from or why, when confronted with that opportunity, we all have to make the same decision. Where do we rest our heads?

A point on a map may tell us how to get there but beyond that, then what? That little point encompasses a lot of territory. But what does it define? If you live there already, it defines everything. If you do not, it defines nothing usable as a personal experience from which to make a decision.

I have a friend who was looking for her spot not long ago. She sent me this link for FindYourSpot. Being “gypsy-esque,” Ray and I have a happy little system of our own that has worked rather well – chuckle – but we decided to take the survey and see how FindYourSpot’s ideas compared to ours.

I was a little surprised to see that Asheville, NC was not on our list of top 24 recommended spots but I was intrigued with some of the cities that did show up as potential “spots.”

At the very least, you might find 24 places that you can put on your vacation list because they include the atmosphere and activities that you love!

Another spot. Reedy River Falls, Falls Park in the middle of downtown Greenville, SC.

This free service from findyourspot is not all inclusive but is a pretty good start in getting the conversation going. As a Feng Shui Practitioner and Clutter Coach who assists people who are not living in their spot but are trying hard to “make it work” where they are, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know yourself before making that move!

So, I’d love to hear, where is your spot? And why?

If you have a four-legged baby, you might enjoy Smitty the Kitty’s version of how critters find their spot! CLICK HERE.

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share The Messy Room with it. Together we grow.

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Feng Shui Eyes Focus on Art: Magic or Just Good Design?

You decide! Join us as we explore the world of art as seen through the eyes of Feng Shui. Whether you are an art lover, an artist, an interior decorator or simply someone who wants to feel good about what your walls are saying – you will walk away with a new view and an appreciation of the power art offers to your personal space!

Don’t Miss this Complimentary Event. 

Presented by Bernadette Rose Smith of Enlightened Interiors and hosted by The Hampton Fine Art Gallery.

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010
Time: 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Place: Hampton Fine Art Gallery, Greensboro, GA

For Directions: Click Here.

The dramatic “Lady in Red” featured in the gallery photo above is a Handpainted Silk on Canvas by Lynn Meek.

You can see more of Lynn’s work, like this gorgeous Geisha Silk Wrap to the left, at Silk Siren.

What happened here?

They say nothing causes more arguments between a couple than money or sex!

If you’ve been following this series, you know I am sharing our extreme makeover through Feng Shui eyes and that we started this project in the wealth area of the Bagua with the world’s creepiest kitchen. (Know one creepier? Send me photos.) As coincidence would have it, the second room that needed our attention was in the relationship area of the Bagua. (Seems we were going to have the money and sex thing covered!)

This poor room was sending some pretty major mixed signals. (Not advisable in a relationship, by the way.) It didn’t know what to be or what to do. Judging by the furniture, its role had been that of a living room though its location felt more conducive to that of a guest room. (The REAL living room had its own problems.)

Oh my. Is that an outside wall, you ask?

• A quick assessment revealed challenges that went well beyond the cast off furniture.

• A cement block add-on with no insulation
• Two outside walls inside
• A window with no more view
• Acoustic drop ceiling with no insulation
• A shallow ledge with no function (but for dust)
• A sliding glass door that led to a two-foot drop onto powdered granite

• A Feng Shui assessment revealed a room that was rich with relationship metaphors and some pretty hinky chi that needed redirecting, repurposing and refining.

• Insulation: Comfort zones and protection from outside influences.
• Opposing outside-inside walls: Relationship priorities as they relate to the world views and private views of a couple. A need for balance and harmony.
• Blocked window: Redirect vision. Don’t look to what is no more. To what has no view. (Like past resentments.)
• Shallow ledge: Are memories, mementos and special things that support what’s valued in a relationship placed on ledges (beliefs, expectations, fears) too shallow to safely hold them?
• Door with a two-foot drop: Unsure footing between the relationship and the world.

We did not want any of that bad chi! This room was going to have to be our living room for a good while so, like the kitchen, it had to pull more than its own weight in maintaining harmony and balance.

WE HAD WORK TO DO! CALL IN THE TROOPS!

"#@&%*!" Poor Dad. Again, wondering ... wondering.

LETS TAKE ANOTHER LOOK

BEFORE

BEFORE: Old room with all its challenges.

AFTER

AFTER: New room. Complete with insulation, new drywall, faux finish, white trim – and a porch step (for that two-foot drop) that now leads out to a poured concrete patio!

BEFORE

BEFORE: Old room with its exterior walls.

AFTER

AFTER: New room that now serves as our guest room – and an extra reading room.

Hey! A bookaholic's got to put her stash somewhere! (Were this staged to sell, many of these books would be removed.)

Addressing our extreme makeover project with intention allowed us to commit the chi to what supported our relationship as we danced with each other and the world … and around plastic sheeting and drop clothes and stacked drywall and sawhorses and paint cans and …

If Walls Could Talk! I’m sharing before and after photos throughout this Extreme Makeover Series using my Enlightened Interiors eyes. Click here for more information on my Enlightened Interiors services. Our homes have stories to tell – even those just acquired. How we ’stash our stuff’ reveals a lot – as this previous owner’s bankruptcy attests to. By paying attention and making mindful decisions, we were able to heal this old mill house (it so wanted to be happy) and lay the foundation for a home that supports our creative drives and passions.

Just joined the tour? Here’s a table of contents with links.

Part 1: The Adventure Begins

Part 2: A Kitchen Beyond Creepy

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Definition: Bagua (bog-wa): The Bagua maps out nine areas of life that contribute to – or deplete from – wellness and joy. (Like career, health, love, creativity, etc.) Think of it as a blueprint for your home. But instead of showing you the location of a bedroom or closet, it reveals the area concerned with family, health, love, etc. In Feng Shui you adjust areas of the Bagua when you wish to encourage support of a specific intention or desire.

Teachers come in all shapes and sizes. Mine, often with four legs. A petite black cat was such a teacher.

I met Mama Cat in the summer of 2001. She came with our fixer-upper and was a feral through and through. The first couple of months she tolerated our invasion, watching our activities from a distance. She slept in an abandoned wicker chair on the far end of the front porch. The house had not been lived in for a long time and, according to our neighbor, Mama’s residence had been consistent enough to produce several litters in the crawl space under the house. She looked well fed so I assumed she was a good hunter or great scavenger. Turned out, a gal across the street had taken it upon herself to feed the neighborhood strays that were smart enough to find her front porch. Mama was one of those.

The three of us (me, Ray and Smitty the kitty) were living out of one room so making our old mill house livable – while tending to our livelihoods – took up the better portion of my attention. Mama was a silent presence as we carried in building materials and hauled out scraps. I didn’t give her much thought. That is until I glanced out our kitchen window one cold, damp November morning to see three tiny kittens exploring the pile of old bricks off the back patio. Under Mama’s watchful eye, of course.

My heart did a flip. Then another. Mama Cat kicked the classroom door open with all four paws. (Well, more like sixteen.) I wish I could say my first thought was, “Oh boy. What have you come to teach me?” but it was more like, “Oh shit. Not now.”

A quick Feng Shui scan of the brick pile’s location in the bagua heightened my concern. I was screwed. Four-legged creatures have an unfair advantage with me and Mama had hit below the belt – in my Fame and Reputation* area. I knew the lesson instantly and it was one of my most challenging.

On the earth plane, I was confronted with an issue of balance. How does the cat-lover-mother-nurturer make sure God’s creatures are warm and fed and happy without losing sight of her own needs? (I’m a sucker for cats and had gotten deeply involved in cat rescue when in L.A.)

On the symbolic, esoteric plane I was confronted with an issue of balance and effectiveness. How does the healer-teacher-muse manage her concern and commitment to client’s healing processes without engaging in enabling behaviors or becoming all consumed with circumstances over which she has no control, as well as balance her client’s needs with her intention to edit and self-publish a book?

Here was an opportunity for refinement. Mama had made her Feng Shui adjustment on the brick pile and was not attached to what lesson I would take from these curious little fur balls exploring the outside world for the first time. She cared only for her kittens. Her focus was clear. I, on the other hand, had a decision to make. (One that would reflect the direction of my growth in the Fame and Reputation area of a new chapter in my life.) I could:

1. Turn my back and let nature take its course as it had with her. (But they were so small and we were heading into winter.)
2. Trap them and bring them in. (But we were living in one room and out of boxes with construction materials all around. Too dangerous for kittens. And besides, Smitty had made it very clear years ago that he was an only child.)
3. Make a warm place for them, feed them, try to tame them and spay/neuter the whole crew. If Mama would let me get close enough to turn them, I might be able to find them homes. (But I would have to do a better job of ‘letting go and letting God’ take care of them without obsessing or worrying about whether He was doing an adequate job. God and I have had this conversation.)

Messy and unclear as it was, number three was my choice. I managed to turn the kitten we called Scruffy. (She’d gotten so sick she had no choice but to trust me. Ray found a home for her.) Her brother and sister, Tigger and Sparkle, remained partly feral. They came when I called and allowed petting while eating. I was still working with them the following spring when Sparkle got sick. The vet could do nothing. It broke my heart to have her put to sleep. We lost Tigger to a tumor the spring after we lost Sparkle. (The message was clear. If I planned on feeding cats in this neighborhood, I would have to get better at loving and letting go. Better at being present to the needs and joys in the moment.)

Mama stayed strong. For nine years, she graced us with her presence and, in that time, she patiently taught me that my definition of rescuing did not always match hers. She paced me. Showed me that it was not only okay, but better if I gave in a way that she could receive. (A valuable lesson with clients today.) She followed me like a puppy. I could sit within inches of her while she ate. Place kitty treats at her feet. But never was I allowed to touch her. When she got too old to move around much she slept in a special place I made for her outside our patio door. (Where I could keep an eye on her.) She let other kitties eat her food, knowing that I would always make sure to give her more. (Personally I believe that was part of the plan all along. Keep the cats coming and keep the classroom going.)

Mama went home to God yesterday while I was out weeding and pruning her yard. I knew she was close to transitioning as she slowly made her way to the bush I had just finished trimming. She curled up in the soft bed of mondo grass underneath and went to sleep. Her work was done.

Thank you, Mama Cat,  for a job well done. It doesn’t feel right here without you. (But I’m grateful you left before the cold of winter. You and God know how I struggled with the weather thing.) I’ll miss your silent presence and watchful eyes. You got what many feral kitties do not get. A name and a long life in which you were known and loved.

————————–

Mama was probably the oldest feral in the neighborhood. In nine years, a cat can spawn 13,960,290 kittens. Thousands of animals are euthanized every year. Please be responsible. Spay and neuter.

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* For those not familiar with Feng Shui, the Fame and Reputation area represents our dance with the world. The flow of energy between how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. It is a powerful area to adjust if we want to refine what we project into the world.

————————–

As always, your comments are welcome.

Seems she had a knack for finding men who lost their jobs shortly after the relationship moved into the “exclusively dating” mode. Being self-sufficient and of generous spirit she would always find herself assisting them while waiting for them to “step up to the plate.” The current Mr. Right shadowing her doorstep was particularly perplexing to her in that she could not just boot him out. Seems she really loved this one. (In all fairness, he did turn out to be Mr. Right. Last I heard they had married, moved, and were raising a beautiful baby boy.)

Putting on my Feng Shui eyes, I moved from room to room making suggestions. I did not see anything that reflected her work and love life challenge until I got to her bedroom. There, hanging right over the head of her bed, was a beautifully framed piece of art. Pastel watercolor washes and black calligraphic brush strokes depicting Japanese women serving men.

Geishas! What a powerful subliminal reinforcement that was, especially when added to the fact that her bed was positioned on the vulnerable wall in the Wealth area of her Bagua.

Oh, did I mention that her computer and filing cabinet were also in the room? In the Relationship area?

Now it is your turn to put on your Feng Shui eyes. What is hanging out in your bedroom?

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Spooky and then some.

What sorts of creatures were peering back at us from the darkened corners of this room?

Sorry for the disposable camera quality. And the ghost on the right side doesn’t help either. Just kidding. (I think.)

Located at the back of the house – in the wealth corner of the bagua* – this kitchen won the prize for creepy. (Aesthetically and energetically.) A step down from the adjoining room, the erratic peaks and valleys of the common brick floor – set in a crushed granite bed – guaranteed uncertain footing. Between the dark wood cabinets and countertops, the 70’s brown appliances, and one small window, the room was way too dark.

It didn’t take more than a quick glance and a little imagination to see this room’s many Feng Shui challenges. Its energetic contribution to the previous owner’s bankruptcy was evident. Stepping down. Uncertain footing. Impaired vision. (And the list only grew after we moved in!)

This room was the first to get our attention for two reasons.

• From a Feng Shui perspective: We wanted no part of its ‘bad luck chi.’ Our financial resources had to remain stable because we had fully committed. We were living in this makeover project!

• From a layman’s perspective: It was just too icky to delay. We didn’t want to walk through the kitchen with our shoes on let alone prepare a nurturing meal here!

The Demolition Duo

Overhead fluorescent lights reflecting against the greasy drop ceiling didn’t help the dingy ambience. (That’s Ray on the left.)

Well beyond a coat of paint working any kind of magic, a cosmetic facelift was out of the question. With no time to waste and crowbars in hand, the demolition duo started gutting out the kitchen the first night we were there. The removal of appliances and cabinets revealed a patchwork of scavenged, mismatched wood paneling. Scraps nailed, helter skelter, across trailer wallboard and concrete blocks. It’s amazing the cabinets didn’t fall off the walls!

From floor to ceiling, the wealth area required a total clearing and makeover. There was nothing in this room that energetically supported abundance. (Unless it fell under the category of abundant grime and creepy crawlies.) Bricks were removed, crushed granite hauled out, and cement floor was poured. The drop ceiling and fluorescent fixtures were taken down. (There was no insulation above. Just attic rafters!)

"What have these kids gotten themselves into?" Thanks, Dad. We couldn't have done it without you!

BEFORE: Looking from the kitchen into the dining room. Got to love the 70′s prefab papered wallboard, acoustic drop ceiling, dark trim, rickety old cabinets and brick floor.

BEFORE

AFTER: New drywall. (Walls and ceiling.) White trim. New oak cabinets and ceramic tile floor.

AFTER

For those who know what home staging is, the photos you are seeing in this series are not home staged. (Too many personal items.) It’s just our stuff the way we live with it.

LET’S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK

BEFORE

AFTER!

Job done! What room we will go to next? (Hmmm. Maybe we should tackle the relationship area of the Bagua.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT • Before you spend a dime on your makeover project, step aside from impulse and start asking yourself questions.

How long do I intend to live here? Based on what I know about myself, will these upgrades support my current lifestyle? (Support and current are the key words here.) What’s my comfort threshold? Will I be comfortable going into debt for this? If not, can I do some of this myself? Am I upgrading beyond what this neighborhood is able to support in the next 5, 10, 15 years?

Example: Though residential for us, our mill house holds commercial potential. Upgrades that increase residential value make little difference to a commercial buyer who plans to convert the space to an office – or bulldoze it down. Normally, kitchens are high on the list of improvements that add to property value but in our case, not necessarily. Ray and I have to balance present comfort with future profit while remodeling. Though not our dream kitchen, it is a comfortable one and fits our current lifestyle. We were modest in our choices because we decided we’d rather have the money in our pocket when this property is sold than in cabinets and accessories that will more than likely be torn out. Get the idea?

If Walls Could Talk! I’m sharing before and after photos throughout this Extreme Makeover Series using my Enlightened Interiors eyes. Click here for more information on my Enlightened Interiors services. Our homes have a story to tell – even those just acquired. How we ‘stash our stuff’ reveals a lot – as this previous owner’s bankruptcy attests to. By paying attention and making mindful decisions, we were able to heal this old mill house (it so wanted to be happy) and lay the foundation for a home that supports our creative drives and passions.

Just joined the tour? Here’s a table of contents with links.

Part 1: The Adventure Begins

Part 2: A Kitchen Beyond Creepy

Part 3: A Relationship Maker (or Breaker?)

Definition: Bagua (bog-wa): The Bagua maps out nine areas of life that contribute to – or deplete from – wellness and joy. (Like career, health, love, creativity, etc.) Think of it as a blueprint for your home. But instead of showing you the location of a bedroom or closet, it reveals the area concerned with family, health, love, etc. In Feng Shui you adjust areas of the Bagua when you wish to encourage support of a specific intention or desire.

Article / Aquarius / December ©2000

“I’m confused.” she said, dropping a pile of books on my classroom floor.” The more I read, the more overwhelmed I get. They all seem to have different views. I’m afraid to make a move!”

This frequently voiced frustration merits a response that doesn’t add to fear or confusion. Feng Shui need not be perplexing if we use a simple key.

• FLASHBACK: The corner of Broadway and Brand in Los Angeles. A group of enthusiastic, young Asians wearing green T-shirts, passing out “Jesus Saves” pamphlets. I was amused by the paradoxical twist. Well into my quest for understanding as a student and effectiveness as a practitioner, I contemplated what might have gone into their decision to embrace this particular church with this particular set of beliefs. With so many versions of the Bible, and its application to Christianity, how did they choose between the differing doctrines, constructed and interpreted by man? How did they integrate this information with their cultural and spiritual backgrounds? Was it as strange and confusing to them, at first, as Feng Shui to us?

No, I’m not comparing religion to Feng Shui but sharing a perspective that can be used as a springboard in the process of choosing. If we reflect on the historical journey of religion, we gain a better understanding of Feng Shui. Not unlike religion, it has been subject to interpretations and observations as recorded by man through the centuries. Different slants on a common desire to make a meaningful connection.

An integrator in spirit, I’m not judging as to which Feng Shui is the right one. There are many paths and sooner or later we all arrive. As Dogan wrote of Buddhism “… when we master one truth, we master all truths; and when we complete one activity, we complete all activities. The place is here, the way leads everywhere.” Or, as another school of thought called A Course In Miracles puts it, “The outcome is assured.”

Let’s ease some of the confusion by taking three originating schools of Feng Shui and paralleling them with some more familiar practices. Keep in mind that, since the arrival of Feng Shui in the West, many have taken these and split off with additional interpretations, starting their own schools or sects.

1. Compass School: Ever read your horoscope? How does astrology relate to us? Particular positions of planets and stars at our time, date, and place of birth uncover a personal map to our inner and outer worlds. Mathematical calculations and observations reveal our participation in a universal scheme. Take it one step further, to our doorstep, and we have the stirrings of compass school. Feng Shui adjustments made with an awareness of the bridge between the planets, the directions, and the position of our bed!
2. Form School: Man’s interpretation of his immediate surroundings. Familiar forms found in the landscape around us. Resting dragons, leaping tigers, frogs ready to jump off a cliff. Assigning characteristics to these forms is a way of reading the energies, determining the fate of a family or a village. Signs and symbols in nature, divined by a shamanistic dialog. Agriculturally motivated, survival and prosperity depended on an understanding of the lay of the land. Using this knowledge to build efficiently supportive shelters. Not overriding natural forces but living in harmony with them. Not building one’s home on a flood plain or cliff prone to mud slides! Early environmentalists with an awareness of the bridge between land and man.
3. Black Sect Buddhist: Up close and personal. Like numerology, guiding us with our most immediate, intimate vibrational imprint! Intuitive and mystical. Acknowledging all forces within and without, honoring the power of adjustments made with awareness and intention. Psychological and spiritual, ‘archetyping’ our home to read the energies that support or deplete. Here the bridge to the world starts at our front door.

Man in the universe. Man on the land. Man on his porch. Different vantage points of the same place. All with the intention to understand our position in the world and uncover ways to encourage harmony. The result? A better quality of life, within and without!

Okay, so as we sift through the multitudes of literature and practitioners, how do we know which to choose?

THE KEY: Acknowledge the common denominator! In the diverse terrain on this planet, with all the geomantic and mystical practices available, it is what you, the enthusiastic young Asians, a thousand Feng Shui masters, and I have in common. To find balance and harmony we must first be willing to explore the terrain of the heart and recognize our position in the universe in relation to that heart intelligence.

When the heart is included and honored in our decision making, we are empowered – and so is our planet. When considering a Feng Shui cure, it does not let us forget that we are an integral part of the equation and shows us how to balance the inner with the outer. Those who disavow the importance of our heart’s participation, and place all power outside that realm in man-made doctrines and rules, are forgetting that “there” is simply a mirror bridging “here.” The true masters in these ancient beliefs and practices look for the passage through the heart, recognizing that the compass of the heart is the best geomancer of all.

 

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Feng Shui With A Twist: an unexpected or different direction, method, or slant.

Before the Twist

After the Twist!

Why the Twist? Have you read the books and watched the TV shows only to find yourself more confused about how Feng Shui works or where to begin? Do you feel like harmony and balance in your home is a good idea but your Feng Shui IQ mutated into IQ-ITIS? (I Quit It Is Too Hard.) Are you new to Feng Shui and just want a fun way to satisfy your curiosity and explore what this life-enriching practice has to offer? This workshop is for you!

What the Bleep is Fun-Shway? Bernadette’s playful, exploratory approach shows you how to activate the power of intention and attract into your home – and life – the best “chi for me.”

Fun-Shway is an attitude that offers a new pair of glasses through which to view what Feng Shui can do for you.

Start Fun-Shwaying!

Learn how to work with one of Feng Shui’s most powerful tools.

Activate a simple formula for tapping into the power of intention. (It’s no secret. Feng Shui works with the law of attraction!)

Learn to dialog with your space so you can decide what goes where and why.

Discover why centering and comfort zones are so important to the Feng Shui focus.

With over a decade of Feng Shui experience to share, Bernadette will show you how to see your home through Feng Shui eyes.

Don’t Miss These Workshops!

———————————————-

LOCATION: Spring Schedule To Be Announced. Please check back or join my Facebook page for announcements!

DATE:

TIME:

PLACE:

FEE:

Contact Bernadette to register for this workshop. Materials provided. Pre-Registration is recommended.

LOCATION: Greenville, South Carolina

DATE: Spring of 2010. To Be Announced

TIME:

PLACE: Unity Church of Greenville

FEE:

Contact Unity Church to register for this workshop. Materials provided. Pre-Registration is recommended.

This photo establishes, with more than a little drama, a strong message to those who like to collect stuff!

Seven years ago, “project” was probably not the word that one might have ascribed to our little house on Wheat Street unless preceded by the word “demolition.” (Which is likely what was in the minds of family and friends when they first cast their eyes on our “find.”)

Project is however the word Ray and I used while wearing our rose-colored glasses as we proceeded to make our offer for this old mill house in the spring of 2001. “Adventure” was the other word we used, after our offer was accepted and the mortgage papers signed, to justify the decision we made to live in our treasure while renovating it.

There is an amazing story behind our finding this house – visions included. Had we not been strongly led we might have balked at any number of points in the process of taking ownership … but the telling of that is for another time.

So, what does this photo have to do with wealth, clutter and Feng Shui?

Now, I gotta say, I will be sharing our little adventure through my Enlightened Interiors eyes because, as a case history, this house provides an abundance of stories and synchronicities that support why we all need to be mindful of what we do with our space.

When I found the house, it was vacant. The front and back doors were unlocked. And as you can tell by the garage photo it came furnished. (A joke.) My heart told me this little house had not been a home to anyone for a long time.

When Ray and I made our offer, we did not know that we were making it to a bankruptcy court. The house had just listed and our agent did not have that information until the next morning when he told us our offer was accepted. Not wanting to benefit from another’s misfortune, this news left us with a weird feeling and an awareness that we needed to spiritually treat the situation.

Certain Feng Shui schools would have advised that we step back at this point because the house held hardships that could be passed onto us. And we might have stepped back – especially after receiving the bankruptcy court’s terms of “as is” with no disclosure as to the history of anything that might affect the structural integrity of this (circa late 1800’s) house – but we were guided to proceed.

If I was worth my salt as a Feng Shui practitioner (space clearing pun intended) I would have to clear the house of any negative energy – preferably before we moved in. That the dining room window would not lock was a definite help. Each time Ray and I climbed through that window our feeling that the house wanted to be happy and would support us increased. (The neighbors were so grateful that the house might no longer be vacant that they forgave us our trespasses!) We decided to name the house Simple Grace.

Our house was one of several properties that the owner lost. She did not live in these properties but used them to stash the likes of what you see in the photo. Our garage had been boarded up since the 1970’s. Extra stuff was “stored” in the backyard, the house and the attic. (Told you the house came furnished.)

It is hard to believe that all this – and then some – was in that garage!

This cluttered, stagnant, mildewed, flea-infested mess in the garage was situated in the Wealth area of the property’s Bagua. (See definition below.) Were I not already convinced – as a practitioner – of Feng Shui’s eerie precision in predicting energy’s path, this garage and all that it represented would have erased any doubt.

IF WALLS COULD TALK? OH – BUT THEY DO!!

I am sharing before and after photos of our great adventure using my Enlightened Interiors eyes. Our homes have a story to tell – even those just acquired. How we “stash our stuff” reveals a lot – as this garage and the previous owner’s bankruptcy attests to. By paying attention and making mindful decisions, Ray and I were able to heal this house (it so wanted to be happy) and lay the foundation for a home that supports our creative drives and passions in a way that no place before it has.

So, put on your hardhat and gloves and join me for the tour!

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Definition: Bagua (bog-wa): The Bagua maps out nine areas of life that contribute to – or deplete from – wellness and joy. (Like career, health, love, creativity, etc.) Think of it as a blueprint for your home. But instead of showing you the location of a bedroom or closet, it reveals the area concerned with family, health, love, etc. In Feng Shui you adjust areas of the Bagua when you wish to encourage support of a specific intention or desire.