Feng Shui & Love: Overview

On August 27, I hosted a teleclass over the phone on Love & Romance.  We had a blast!  For those of you unable to make it, here's a brief summary of what we covered.

When a client's objective is to improve their love lives, whether they be single, in a relationship or marriage, or going through a break up or divorce, I first hone in on the two following places in their home:
1.  the bedroom &

Designed by Suzanne Kasler

2.  the back right section of the home.  (See my previous post on the Bagua & Romance for more details on this.)

Bedrooms are representative of Romance for obvious reasons.  (Ahem, it's called an intimate relationship for a reason.)

 I might soften this with a fluffy rug of some sort to keep a balance of yin/yang.  Source

Here's a checklist for the bedroom regarding Romance:
1.  Nothing under the bed.
2.  Two nightstands, representing balance
3.  Nurturing feel -- not too yin (feminine) and not too yang (masculine)
4.  Limited electronics.  NO work (i.e. laptop/desk) and no TV!
5.  No family photos.  You don't want your mum watching, do you?!
6.  No king beds.  (It's two twin put together -- represents a divide.)
7.  And of course, feng shui rule numero uno: no clutter.

In general, ask yourself this question of your bedroom:  Does it feel romantic?  Does it invite a partner into my life (okay...bed)?  Does it make someone feel welcome?

Another one by S. Kasler.  Imagine it at night, lit with candles.  Adding red roses would bring in passion.

Next up:  the Romance section of your bagua.
Take into account the following for that section:
1.  Be aware of anything that screams "single"....i.e. one chair, one strikingly single lamp, etc.

Uh, where's the love(seat) here?  Source

2.  Things in pairs are ideal, whether it's two candles, two flowers in a vase, or some nice artwork representing a pair.
3.  Colors:  Red, white, & pink are the typical "Romance" colors, but anything in Earth tones work as well.

a lovely sampling of Earth tones (minus that light blue)...  Source

4.  Elements to have:  Earth.  Containers, rocks, crystals, heavy items, and perhaps items in Earth-type colors will represent this element.  AND Fire.  Candles, flowers, bright colors (in doses of course) are all great for this section.
5.  Element to avoid:  Wood.  Too many plants, vertical lines, and colors in bright clear tones (such as green) should be AVOIDED in this section.  Wood "breaks up" Earth.

Please note:  the Self-Knowledge section should also be tended to when considering Intimate Relationships.  It's the front left section of the home according to the bagua map, and this is where single items are good!  When you know yourself, you have more to offer in a relationship and you will choose partners wisely, if single.  Again, Earth is the element in Self-Knowledge, so again, Earth and Fire should be represented, and Wood avoided.

If going through a break-up and wanting to move a divorce forward, consider avoiding pairs in the Romance section for the duration of time that you believe will be helpful for you.  When ready to manifest a new partner, implement the pairs again.

Single is sometimes very appropriate.  Great for Self-Knowledge too. source

One more important fact:  If you have many things from past lovers decorating your home and tucked into drawers, let them go!  It could mean that you are holding on emotionally to these past relationships, and that it is blocking you from allowing in someone new and better.  Be tough with yourself and donate, sell, recycle, or give away these items.

As always in Feng Shui, cures are not black and white but vary highly from person to person.  Furthermore, intention goes a long way, so when lighting those two candles or placing those two flowers, affirm that you are lighting them for an awesome love life!

I hope these little tips help a lot! Thanks for reading...

xoxo,
K

For more, read this previous post on bedrooms, titled More Sleep & Better Sex, Yes Please.

OH!  And there are two more FREE tele classes: Sept 3rd and 10th.  Email katierogersfengshui@gmail.com for more info.  Call in!  First up:  MONEY....

Bringing in the Green -- How Plants Can Help Your $ Grow

There's positive chi (energy) and there's negative chi.

In feng shui, you want positive!

Examples of things that promote good chi:
Good lighting
Good air circulation
Color
Movement
Cleanliness
Pets....
...and PLANTS!

Whether you buy a weekly fresh bouquet of flowers, or you have an active green thumb and it shows in your home, plants are not only cleaning the air and providing oxygen, they add beauty and life.

cover the plant and flowers up with your finger.....can you see how much difference it makes?!

Furthermore, plants represent the element of  Wood, which symbolizes growth, ideas, and expansion.  So if you're feeling stuck, go buy a plant!

Some to consider:

Lucky bamboo

Money trees

Anything easy to grow 

Anything that you can keep alive!

wall art + herbs = genius

Plants to generally avoid:

Cactus (the prickles are harmful chi)

Dried flower arrangements (weak chi)

Anything with sharp, pointy leaves

And lookie!  You can even bring an entire tree inside with a little creativity!

you gotta love an indoor tree -- your own personal oxygenator!

If you are familiar with the Bagua map, you know where your Money and Family sections are.  These sections are ruled by the Wood element, so go for it with the plants there!  It will help your money grow, and it will ensure you have happy, healthy familial relationships with your extended family and ancestors.

Color.  Just gorgeous color.

Please note, all photos are borrowed from the blog: Homedit.  Check out their page for other indoor plant ideas. xo

I mean...doesn't adding some "green" just make these places FEEL more abundant?  And how a place feels is Feng Shui 101.   Abundance yields abundance, so green it up!

Feng Shui Success (Love) Story!

The quote below is from Sheri, a long-time client.  A couple of years ago, she signed up for a feng shui-based teleconference class that I was teaching, and well...the rest is history. 

She's a great example of a client who runs with the cures and who is truly dedicated to creating the life of her dreams.

This is her "thank you note" (a.k.a. testimonial) to the power of feng shui!


"Katie's Feng Shui class changed my life!! When I enrolled in her class, I was lonely, depressed and had given up on love. However, I knew the power of Katie's Feng Shui so decided to give her class a chance. I reprioritized my personal obligations so I could take the time needed each week to focus on the different life areas in my house...."

"...I won't kid you, it was a lot of work and a bit scary at times but Katie couldn't have been more supportive and helpful and it was well worth it! I rearranged furniture, sold items on Craig's list, donated items, passed along items to friends and family and even purchased a few new items with the money I'd received from the items I sold. I gave 110% to completing each and every task from each week's class. Six weeks in to the 9 week course I met the love of my life, my soulmate and as of April 6, 2013 my husband! I've never been happier, more at peace, or felt more secure and fulfilled than I do now. Thank you Katie!!!!!!!!!!!"

How to Get High

Thankfully, somewhere along the way, I've learned the true meaning of "high."  As cliche and cheesy as it might sound, it's true:  the natural high is, by far, the best high.

So how does one get this so-called "natural high"?  What is it?

One of the definitions on Urban Dictionary reads:  "Something that getz u really happy or feel like ur high without using drugz."

I personally like the phrase: Blissed Out.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, or it's just been a long, long time since you've felt this way, chances are you've been going about things the wrong way just a tad.

Let me help.  Here's what works for me:

Secrets to a Natural High
by Katie Rogers  

Source

1.  Eat well.  I consume smoothies and salads almost daily.  In fact, I'd say that, when I'm donig my best, my diet is about 75% raw, organic, fresh food (some days way less, and some days, I eat all raw!)

YUM! (source with recipe)

The rest of my diet mostly consists of "whole" or "real" food.   Basically, I stay away from meat entirely and processed stuff that passes for food.  Bottom line: when I'm eating extra-well, it sends me soaring!  I've also been taking some B vitamins, iodine drops (for a healthy thyroid), and adding spirulina and chia seeds to my smoothies lately -- definitely extra zing!

Source

2.  Exercise.  If you're not getting the oxygen flowing through your blood, it's going to be difficult to get high.  My personal favorite high-inducer:  YOGA!!!!!  Yoga, yoga, and more yoga.  Seriously, this is where I shoot out the roof! (Not always during the class, I admit -- sometimes!-- but afterwards, YES!)

Source

I'm obsessed.  It's absolutely a mind, body, spirit exercise.  If you've done yoga and didn't like it, try, try again until you've found the right teacher for you.  If you are a beginner, I recommend you go to a beginner's class, as you'll get the foundational elements to last you a lifetime.   If ever I'm resistant to going (which is rare these days, because who doesn't want to feel high?), I have a mantra:  "It's always a good idea to go to yoga."

Besides yoga, a good, long bike ride, a nice invigorating swim, the occasional jog, and a great hike are my other favorite ways to get the O2.  Options for exercise are endless:  find one or two you like, and do it as much as possible.

3.  Get enough sleep.  Finally!  I saw the Dalai Lama in 2005 and then I saw him again in May 2013.  Both times, he sang the praises of sleep as a key to happiness.  I'm finally taking this seriously.

Sleeping Beauty (source)

To promote the best sleep possible, my bedroom is feng shui'd with very little electronics (i.e. just my lights!).  I have a headboard for support.  There is nothing under my bed.  And I try my best not to get on the computer (or look at any sort of screen for that matter) past 8:30 or 9, as it's harder to fall asleep that way.  And I go to bed early!  Also, I've been taking more breaks -- naps are great -- throughout the day.

4.  Get outside.  I call nature the Great Healer.  Seriously.  Humans are designed to be in very tight relationship with nature.  I believe that trees and rivers and oceans are literally healing us as we "commune" with them.  Horticulture and pet therapy are VERY real things!

exercise, nature, time with friends and daughter = awesome

5.  Living MY Life.   I'm doing feng shui and I'm making a movie and I'm a mom to the best little girl in the whole world.

I love my job -- a client's floor plan + bagua 

In other words, I'm living my life's passions.  I have found my dream careers, and I am doing them!

CarLess in LA, the movie!  

And I tell my daughter I love her at least 15 times a day.  (I sort of made a vow to myself when she was born that I would do this.)  Reiki, art, writing, and trees are all part of my career path too, and it all ties together, but right now, I'm fully editing my film, and my feng shui career is flourishing...and so much fun.  And no, my life is not picture-perfect -- whose is?! -- but it's uniquely and beautifully mine.

6.  Fun, rest, & play.  I admire flowers on walks.  I go to the movies.  I pet the neighbor's dog.  I love my friends so I make time to hang out with them.  I spend as much quality time with my daughter as possible (key word being "quality").  I take the day off, and I take vacations.  I have a drink or two now or then.  I have my cake and eat it too, if I want it.  I laugh.  Look, if we didn't find pleasure in things, what would be the point of all the other stuff we do in life anyway?  HAVE FUN!  Chill out.  Right?

Not photoshopped one bit -- gorgeous, right?!

Now for the definite buzz kills:
1.  Hanging out with the wrong crowd.  (You really can get new friends.)
2.  Ignoring your soul's callings.  (You are alive on this planet for a reason -- find out what it is and do it.  We will thank you for it.)
3.  Being judgmental or worrying about being judged.  (So middle school.)
4. Caffeine.  (You're just going to crash and want #5 or a sleeping pill at night.)
5. Alcohol.  (You're just going to want caffeine, bad food, and Advil in the morning.)
6.  Sugar.  (Really is a drug.)
7.  Meat.  (Takes a lot of energy to digest, and that energy could be going to other things.  Plus, poor Wilbur.)
8.  Too much dairy.  (Slows us down.)
9.  Hating your life.  (If this last one applies to you, take the day off, make a vow to be really honest with yourself as you assess your life, and make the decision to move in a new direction.  Because hate is strong word and nobody's going to change your life for you, except for you.  Be bold!  Be courageous! Say some prayers, and make the leap.  Trust me -- many, many of us have been there too --- face the fear and see what happens.)

The point is:  we can use our own energy to fuel ourselves.  With the right mix of the good stuff, we can all be as high and happy as the Dalai Lama himself.  Okay, maybe not all the time, maybe not every day, BUT don't you WANT to feel good -- like, really, truly good?  (Just don't try too hard to get high-- that's a buzz kill too.)

a new painting I did for fun

After all, the only HAPPILY ever after is the one you're going to give to yourself.

No peer pressure though.