I think I’ve always wanted to help people find joy and beauty in their lives by creating balance and harmony within their surroundings.
Some of my happiest childhood memories were of exploring the bush on my parents rural Manitoba property. Nature had given me a wonderful gift, a vast personal playground filled with trees, plants and wildlife. It was then that I began to understand how the elements of nature impacted well being. It wasn’t until later that I fully understood the deep impact that the energy of my surroundings had on my emotions. What childhood memories do you have that made you feel a deep connection to the world around you?
I haven’t ever forgotten my need for this deep connection with nature…. I’m almost always barefoot. I am an avid gardener…I like to say that my soul sings when my hands are in the dirt. I instinctively approach my garden with the understanding of the constant movement in nature. The changing of the seasons, the moon cycles and weather patterns; energy that is constantly moving and changing. Movement that needs to be acknowledged and supported. I have developed an understanding of the need for constant communication with Mother Earth and the importance of the synchronicity of my movements with her changing energies.
As I began to develop in my practice, I began to realize that I’m not alone in this feeling. We all understand and feel the differences of the energies. This is felt by all of us in some way through the changing weather and the seasons. Some of us feel renewed and refreshed with the energy of new beginnings in the spring. Some of us prefer the energy of autumn when the air is crisp and the feeling of the energy that comes with the preparations for winter. This is because each of us has our own energy and we all react differently to the energies around us. Think of how this impacts your mood and thoughts. Remember the things that grounded you as a child? What energy made you feel good then? What energy makes you feel good now?
Basic Feng Shui principles focus on the flow of this energy or Chi that connects us to our surroundings. Have you ever walked into a room where you feel like you belong there? That’s what a good space feels like…a place where you feel safe and comfortable. We thrive when we feel good energy around us. We thrive when the energy of our homes support our thoughts and emotions. We feel motivated when our surroundings support our goals, lifestyle and values.
So, when we feel the synchronicity of the energy flow of our surroundings and our bodies there is a deep impact on our well being. Feng Shui categorizes the flow of energy into Yin and Yang. Yin energy is nurturing, like the cozy secluded feeling of a closed floor plan with few windows and artificial lighting. Yang energy is reflective and open, with firm and straight lines, large open windows and much natural lighting. However, a room with very little natural light can overwhelm and create a claustrophobic feeling – whereas a completely open floor plan with very large windows can have too much open space which can cause you to feel lost and not grounded. Its important to curate harmony and balance of these energies where we work and live. How can you curate the energy of your day to day life to support your feeling of well-being?
The practice of Feng Shui supports balance of Chi through the use of the five elements; Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. It is believed by Feng Shui Practitioners that everything in the universe belongs to one of these elements. These elements have associations with energy - like each is either Yin and Yang - there are correlations with seasons, directions, colour, shapes and materials. Through thoughtful selection and planning of the placement of these elements in our homes or offices – we can impact how the energy flows which ultimately impacts how you feel, move and behave and more importantly how you want to feel, move and behave.
Feng Shui is not a one size fits all. As it has become more of a mainstream practice, there is much information available on the internet. You need to be sure that you are applying the right formulas in the right ways that are best for you and your space. There are many styles of Feng Shui. In my practice I utilize the concepts of Classical or Compass Feng Shui and Form School. While honouring the traditional and spiritual aspects of Feng Shui it can be used in a contemporary fashion. Often people will try to improve their surroundings by applying all the Feng Shui formulas they can find with the hopes of improving their lives. When effectively used its possible to curate the five elements of Feng Shui within your home to match your energy and the energy of others that use that space. What energy do you want in your home? What energy do you need in your home?
In the midst of this pandemic, we have seen many cultural shifts and it’s not over yet. People have been Working At Home, which has meant in addition to putting in your regular workday, there was homeschooling and managing a household, all in the same spaces…its been rough for a lot of people. Many people began to work from their dining room tables with a great variety of new “co-workers” which we may have experienced via Zoom. There’s been a slight shift and now that we have become somewhat acclimatized, we have shifted slightly and begun to feel comfortable with Working From Home. However, it’s beginning to look like work from home will remain for some time and might be here to stay in some form or another.
Our relationship with the space around us has the power to nurture, motivate and refresh. Feng Shui offers tools to create connection with the physical world around us. In being mindful of the Five Elements and the flow of Chi within our living space we can manage energy. In managing this energy and how it connects us to our environment we can achieve a sense of place. Without matching the energy of a space to our energy – there is no sense of place and we can feel disconnected. Many of us are experiencing COVID Fatigue and the importance of our mental health is a heavy topic of discussion everywhere. Now – more than ever before, it is important that the energy of our environments be curated to make us feel vibrant and supported.
…by making subtle changes to our environments we can positively impact our energies, moods, and emotions which ultimately affect our well being – mind, body and spirit.
To book a free Feng Shui consultation with Avalon Lane Studio, get in touch!