Who doesn’t need a little boost in the Love Department?  Practically all of us do and with Feng Shui, it’s easy.  Whether you’re looking for love, nurturing new love, or energizing mature love, you can use Feng Shui to create some energy around your goal.

Feng Shui is based on three important beliefs:  all things are alive with energy, all things are connected and all things are constantly changing.  We take these beliefs and use them in practical ways to create the lives we want.  Hence, we move things around in our physical lives (e.g., artwork, furniture, bikes, lamps that are alive with energy) to impact our emotional lives.   We are connected to our things and our spaces and we can change them around.  When it comes to enhancing love, Feng Shui gives us lots of options.

Two hearts equal love

Here are a just a few ideas:

• Place things in twos around your home to remind you of your “coupledom” – it can be two candles on a mantelpiece; two vases with flowers on your table, two ceramic figures on a shelf, two chairs by the fireplace, two birdhouses in a tree.  You get my drift here:  the intention is two and the physical space holds two.
• What if you’re not currently in a relationship?  Do the above anyway – if your intention is being in a relationship.
• Look around your space and make sure that there is room for two – e.g., two bedside tables in your master bedroom, two stools at the bar, space for two in your closet.  Sometimes clients will tell me that they want to be in a relationship and their home is so packed with stuff there’s no room for another person.
• Love is supported by the Fire element – use the colors of fire (reds and oranges), the shape of the pyramid, photos of your loved one and animal prints to spice things up.
• When using the bagua, Feng Shui’s treasure map of your space, you’ll find the Love & Marriage area of your home in the upper right hand corner from your front door.   The Love & Marriage area is also supported by the Earth element – earth-toned colors, the shape of the square or rectangle and things made of earth, such as ceramics.   Two terra cotta birds sitting on a windowsill would work well here and here’s why:  you’d be using animals (Fire element) in a pair (two), made of earth, in an earthy color sitting in a rectangular window (Earth element x 3)!
• When laying the bagua remember that all areas under the roofline belong inside it, which means for many homes there is an attached garage in one of the bagua areas.   I know what this is like because in my home, the Love & Marriage area is in my attached garage!  In order to enhance this area I keep it very de-cluttered (no stuck energy), and we’ve hung our bicycles and fiery orange kayaks on the wall together.

With Feng Shui, there is always more than one way to change or enhance a space and you can usually use what you have on hand!  It’s simple to try, so boost up your love energy during the month of February and enjoy the good vibes.  Happy Feng Shui Valentine’s Day!

If you are lucky, you will have guests coming and going over the next six weeks blessing your home with love and laughter, great conversation, fabulous food and gifts.  Feng Shui principles can help you prepare for them and keep your home running smoothly.   With Feng Shui, we’re always looking to make our spaces safe, comfortable and harmonious.  We know that all things are alive with energy, connected and changing and that small adjustments can often reap exactly the change we’re hoping for.  Let’s apply our principles to the influx of holiday guests!

1.  Look at your guest room through Feng Shui eyes and ask yourself these questions:  Is the bed placed in a correct position — across or away from the door, not next to it — for maximum relaxation?  Is there one bedside table for a twin bed set-up and two for a double or queen bed?  Is there enough light for reading as well as a night light for finding the way to the hall bath?  Are there places to store suitcases and/or some empty bureau drawers and closet space for their clothing?   Are all things up off the floor and in their proper place?  Tissues, bottles of water, ibuprofen, and even some packaged snacks will all be welcome in the space.   Fresh sheets and towels are a must.  Clap in the corners before they arrive to “wake up” the room for them.  

2.  If your guest room also houses an office there are some ways to minimize the conflict of room use.  Set up house rules for using the space, for example, if the office-space user must work during the day, have a set time for all work to be put away out of sight prior the guests using the room.  A folding screen is a great way to separate the spaces and their uses.  Make sure faxes and phone ringers are turned off so as not to wake guests during the night.  Be sure to cover all electronics that may be “always on”, like computer printers, or simply unplug them. Putting the office to “sleep” at the end of the day will help to quiet the energy for the guest.

3.  What if the guests are taking over one of your children’s rooms?  Now your job is to ready the room for your guests and to identify a space for your child’s “room” for the duration of the stay.  Have your child welcome the guest to “their” room and show them around – where the light switch is, which drawers they can use, etc.  It’s very important to keep the floor clear of all toys and clothing. Energy gets stuck in anything on the floor and will make it difficult to rest in the room.  Change out the Superman sheets for something plain and calming.  Have fun arranging a space for your child to stay in, whether it’s under the stairs, like Harry Potter, or with a sibling.

4.  Now that you’re making physical space for your guests to sleep and rest, make space in the coat closet for their outerwear and for their special food needs in your pantry.   When you arrange the environment for your guests you invite welcoming energy into your home.

5.  Use your fine china and crystal.  Get out the vases, platters and cookie jars that your guests may have even given you in the past!    Having guests is a special occasion – celebrate them with your fine dishware.

6.  When this set of guests leaves, after washing the sheets and towels, you may wish to place a round, glass bowl of sea salt in the room to cleanse the air and refresh the energy for your next set of guests. The salt will absorb and purify the energy of the room.  Leave the salt in the room for 24 hours, then rinse the bowl and pour the salt water down the drain.  Open the windows for a few hours, too.   The room should be fresh and ready for your next guests.

Prepare for your guests this holiday season.   They’ll notice the difference and so will you!