Hey!  Here's an article I wrote for-evah ago that was appeared in a Sun Valley, Idaho publication.  Ezine.com found it and posted it on the Internet, so I decided I would too.

Enjoy!

What Feng Shui Reveals About YOU

By Katie Rogers

"A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life." --His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The above statement may seem simple at first reading, but upon consideration, it is really quite powerful. I believe that the Dalai Lama is emphasizing the importance of the state of one's living space.

Too many people are careless with the space in which they work or dwell. In terms of the Black Sect Tandtic Buddism school of feng shui (which is a derivative of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism), when a person is thoughtful (or thoughtless) in regard to his or her living space, it spills out into his or her life.

So why does feng shui have all those strange and curious "cures," you might ask, if all one has to do is create a "loving atmosphere"? The fact is most of us have forgotten what a loving atmosphere is. Sure, we may recognize it when we see it, but making it happen is a different story. This is a result of a mass disease that has taken over our world: that is the disease of not knowing how to love our selves completely. Otherwise, creating our lives according to our deepest desires and most lofty dreams would be a cinch.

I like to tell my clients to imagine reading a short story where the author describes the space. This a quick way to notice the "symbolism" that occurs in your own home. After all, the subconscious sees everything. It constantly absorbs messages from our environment and processes these messages. In turn, these messages are sent into our energy fields, creating the very lives we are experiencing. Imagine the difference of a home filled with unwanted gifts, dying plants, and cluttered closets compared to one with healthy flowers, treasured objects, and neatly organized closets with (gasp) extra space! The first home feels slightly neglected, even if the rest of the furnishings were pleasant, while the second space feels freer, lighter, and, cherished. Even the smallest of details have an impact. Our subconscious mind takes images without a filter.

symbolism goes a long way in feng shui--
interior design by Liz Williams

A wonderful start to a loving atmosphere is to first discard or give away any objects that you do not love in your home. Clutter is a sure way to block your highest potential as the subconscious sees it as a symbol of things that we don't love or need in our lives and creates accordingly. It is amazing how letting go of a thing as simple as a candle from an unfaithful ex-lover or a blanket that you have never used because it is too scratchy can lighten your load! The subconscious gets the message that you'd rather have something (or someone) better in your life.

Next, play with ideas, and find out what it is that want to invite into your life. Then consciously bring it into your home symbolically. For example, you've always wanted to travel to Italy. Then stick a postcard of Rome on your refrigerator. Would you like to amp up your love life? Figure out your own personal "romance symbol" and drape it, plant it, or play it on your stereo everyday. The key to creating a great life is to get creative!

With every object in our homes, we are sending a message to ourselves and to the Universe. Wouldn't you want your message to be one of pure and uplifting love so that you could receive that, and only that, back? Use your conscious mind to transform your subconscious mind, and then witness the shifts in your life.

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.

Dalai Lama Promotes Feng Shui (in his own words)

Re-organizing my files for the new year, I came across this article I wrote that was published in Sun Valley, Idaho back in 2005.  The Dalai Lama had just visited and spoke there....

"A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life." --His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The above statement may seem simple at first reading, but upon consideration, it is really quite powerful. I believe that the Dalai Lama is emphasizing the importance of the state of one's living space....a.k.a. feng shui.

Too many people are careless with the space in which they work or dwell. In terms of the Black Sect Tantric Buddism school of feng shui (which is a derivative of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism), when a person is thoughtful (or thoughtless) in regard to his or her living space, it spills out into his or her life.

So why does feng shui have all those strange and curious "cures," you might ask, if all one has to do is create a "loving atmosphere"? The fact is most of us have forgotten what a loving atmosphere is. Sure, we may recognize it when we see it, but making it happen is a different story. This is a result of a mass disease that has taken over our world: that is the disease of not knowing how to love our selves completely. Otherwise, creating our lives according to our deepest desires and most lofty dreams would be a cinch.

I like to tell my clients to imagine reading a short story where the author describes the space. 

This a quick way to notice the "symbolism" that occurs in your own home. After all, the subconscious sees everything. It constantly absorbs messages from our environment and processes these messages. In turn, these messages are sent into our energy fields, creating the very lives we are experiencing. Imagine the difference of a home filled with unwanted gifts, dying plants, and cluttered closets compared to one with healthy flowers, treasured objects, and neatly organized closets with (gasp) extra space! The first home feels slightly neglected, even if the rest of the furnishings were pleasant, while the second space feels freer, lighter, and, cherished. Even the smallest of details have an impact. Our subconscious mind takes images without a filter.

A wonderful start to a loving atmosphere is to first discard or give away any objects that you do not love in your home. Clutter is a sure way to block your highest potential as the subconscious sees it as a symbol of things that we don't love or need in our lives and creates accordingly. It is amazing how letting go of a thing as simple as a candle from an unfaithful ex-lover or a blanket that you have never used because it is too scratchy can lighten your load! The subconscious gets the message that you'd rather have something (or someone) better in your life.

Next, play with ideas, and find out what it is that want to invite into your life. Then consciously bring it into your home symbolically. For example, you've always wanted to travel to Italy.   Then stick a postcard of the the Mediterranean on your refrigerator. Would you like to amp up your love life? Figure out your own personal "romance symbol" and drape it, plant it, or play it on your stereo everyday. The key to creating a great life is to get creative!

With every object in our homes, we are sending a message to ourselves and to the Universe. Wouldn't you want your message to be one of pure and uplifting love so that you could receive that, and only that, back? Use your conscious mind to transform your subconscious mind, and then witness the shifts in your life.