Category: Feng Shui

Get good vibrations – Article in Women’s Fitness

by Sara • August 29, 2014 • 0 Comments

I’m so excited to be featured in the September 2014 issue of Women’s Fitness magazine! Out of a lot of information I gave them on Feng Shui, these are the tips they chose to put in print.

The text below is a direct copy of the article.

GET GOOD VIBRATIONS
Harmonise your home with a few lessons in feng shui
Who needs a big-budget reno? We asked Sara Allard, founder of FeelGood Feng Shui (feelgoodfengshui.com), for simple tips for creating a happier home.

Clear the clutter
Not only does your junk slow energy down, it can cause blockages and lead to missed opportunities, says Allard. “If you feel the need to get moving forward, clearing clutter is a great place to start.”

Fill it with love
“When a room is out of balance we often don’t want to spend time there,” says Allard. To banish the bad vibes, surround yourself with things you really love. “Fix things that are broken and get rid of stuff you don’t use,” she says.

Use mirrors wisely
The wrong placement of mirrors can send your positive energy out the window – literally – and disturb sleep. “Cover bedroom mirrors at night, and never place a mirror opposite your front door,” instructs Allard, as this will repel energy and fortune.

Let the outdoors in
Boost the positive energy in your home and help purify the air with a few indoor plants. If your thumb isn’t so green, open some windows to let the air and ‘chi’ flow freely.

The right shade
Choose colours carefully. “For a calm room, such as a bedroom, use cool colours like greens and blues,” says Allard. “For an active room, vibrant reds and yellows will keep the positive energy pumping.”

If you find this interesting and want to know more about what you can do in your own home, get in touch and I’d be happy to help!

Cheers,
Sara

Feel Good Group in Women’s Fitness Magazine – September 2014

Feng Shui

What is this “energy” you speak of?

by Sara • August 22, 2014 • 0 Comments

I was met with an awesome challenge a couple of weeks back. I was in a conversation with people who are not yet “believers”. What I mean by that is that when they asked me what I do, and I answered that I work with Feng Shui and the energy in people’s surroundings, they just stared at me blankly. And the awesome thing was that they both said to me “I don’t understand what that means”.

So I love a good challenge and instead of going down the track of deciding these people were difficult and didn’t want to get me, I really understood that the way I was communicating what I do didn’t make sense to them. So how to explain it?

What I said was this; “You know the feeling you get sometimes when you walk into someone’s home and it just feels really nice? Compare that to a time when you’ve visited a friend, relative or even a workplace and it just feels wrong. You don’t feel welcome, and if you could, you would prefer to turn around and walk back out.”

They both agreed they had had experiences like that.

And so I said that there is something there, something that you tune into, something your body and consciousness feels that you cannot explain with rational thought. You get a gut-feeling of some sort.

And that’s when the lights went on! The gut feeling. This they understood, it made sense to them. And it was great, I was then able to connect with them and talk about Feng Shui and energy with words that they could connect to, relate to and understand.

What this experience taught me is that it’s never the other person’s fault if they don’t understand me. It’s my responsibility to be curious enough to continue asking and explaining until they “get it”. If I want people to be interested in what I do, I have to talk to them using words that they resonate with and can relate to.

So next time I’m feeling misunderstood, I will remember that maybe I haven’t been curious enough to really explain how I feel, or what is going on. Maybe I haven’t done everything I can to find words, experiences or common ground to relate to the other person. And I will look for ways to improve my communication so that they “get me”.

See, from the experience above, I learned so much more about myself and what I do and I now have a new way to explain to people how “this thing works”. That’s so very useful.

Where could you do with some new ways of explaining what goes on for you? Take some time to put new words on it and see how that works out. Have fun!

Cheers,
Sara

What is this “energy” you speak of?

Feng Shui, Inspiration, Law of Attraction

Kung Hei Fat Choi – Happy Chinese New Year!

by Sara • January 31, 2014 • 0 Comments

Today is Chinese New Year’s eve. This day (31 January 2014) marks the end of the year of the Water Snake and the beginning of the year of the Wood Horse. What does that mean? Well, as far as I understand it, it means that a year of “growing pains”, or “shedding the old skin”, of “getting rid of what no longer serves us” is (finally, I hear some say!) over.

Many have had a difficult year in 2013, and I understand that snake years are often like that. It’s about letting go of, and growing through, that which no longer serves me. So that was last year. What about this new year?

This new year, a year of the Horse, is all about moving forward. And with speed! This year might seem like it flies by. So you will be wise to be prepared for that! Align yourself with what you want for 2014 and set about creating it NOW. If you haven’t already set some intentions for this year, I strongly advise you to do so ASAP. Or you risk missing the boat, well, horse! Make sure you’re on board when your horse takes flight!

The year of the horse is about creation, about moving forward confidently, about bringing to life that which you desire.

Isn’t every year like that, you might ask? Well yes and no. Some years, energetically, will be better suited to move forward. While some years will be better for cleaning up and moving on. So it’s helpful to align with those energies for best results.

It’s always easier to “go with the flow” than to fight against it. Those of you who tried to create massive, rapid growth last year might have felt this? You might have felt like everything took forever to happen, like no matter which way you turned, there was something else to fix, to solve, to learn from. Well, that year is over. NOW is the time for moving forward!

According to Chinese Astrology, the animal sign of the Horse is a Fire element. Fire is considered to be Yang in nature and represents action, expression and propelling us forward. The Fire element is related to the Heart, so therefore the year of the horse is all about action and expression from the Heart. Yang Wood is the Heavenly Stem associated with the Horse, and this represents new impulses and opportunities. So be prepared this year for new things to come your way and be ready to take advantage of this energy of moving forward.

Put your wishes, dreams and actions out there. Go for it. Dare to dream BIG!

And remember to always operate from your heart!

With love,
Sara

Feel Good Group - 2014 Year of the Wood Horse - A group of people on horse back trail riding in the sunshine.

Get on that horse and ride into 2014!

Feng Shui, Inspiration

How to propel your intentions forward into 2014

by Sara • January 3, 2014 • 4 Comments

It’s that time of year again. The time when many of us set goals, make resolutions or put our intentions out there for the new year. Whatever way you look at it, the new year seems to signal a fresh start for many. As a new year starts, so does new habits, or the end of old ways that no longer serve us.

Sooo, how are you going with yours? Are you excitedly sticking to whatever it was you put out there? Maybe you haven’t started yet? Or have you “fallen off the wagon” already? Wherever you’re at is fine. As long as you’re ok with it!

Clearing out clutter is a very powerful way to get rid of what no longer serves you and make space for that which you want instead. Here are some tips to support you in putting some power behind that which you desire for 2014.

Start on the outside, i.e. clean up your physical space, your home and/or your workplace. Make sure that the environment you spend your time in is supporting you in what you want to attract/change/achieve.

If you set an intention around releasing weight (which most people do according to statistics) then go over your pantry and kitchen cupboards. Get real and get rid of the stuff that you know will trip you up. Give the food away to friends or family. Have a look at your closet. Do you have clothes in there that you don’t love? (I bet you do). Clear them out and give them away to the Salvos, Vinnies or similar charities.

For general health and wellbeing, clean out your bedroom. Nothing is allowed to “live” under your bed anymore! Storing stuff under your bed is a surefire way to disturb your sleep and as a result negatively impact your overall health. No work materials in the bedroom, ever. Do not charge your phone next to your bed. And if your closet is in here, give it a good clearing out. If you don’t love it or wear it, give it away.

For business or money related goals, look at your entrance and office. Your entrance should be free of clutter (no shoes, no bags, no children’s toys), light, open and welcoming. Put a picture of something that you love and that inspires you inside your front door. Clear out your office. File away that paperwork. Keep your desk tidy. Clean up the files on your computer.

If you want more friends, fun and social times in your life, look at your living room. Clean out any clutter hiding here. It could be ornaments you really don’t like, pictures or artwork that no longer appeals to you. Maybe you have a messy book shelf, or a DVD collection that is just collecting dust? Give it all away.

If you really want to go for it and improve your whole life, live lighter and feel more grounded, happy and alive, clutter clear your whole house. There is nowhere you can keep clutter and it doesn’t affect you. Yes, that includes the garage and under house storage sections, linen cupboards and other storage areas.

When you clear out clutter, it’s like letting go of energetic attachment to the past, to the things you no longer love or use. This process will create space, not just physical space, but mental space as well. You will feel lighter. You will feel inspired. You will feel ready to take on new things, and you’ll do it with joy, ease and a smile.

There are no down sides to clearing clutter, only upsides! That’s what I love about it!

And if you’re one of those people who feel stuck, uninspired and uncertain of what you want for this new year, clearing clutter will help you get clear. Maybe your life is so full of stuff, mentally and physically right now, that there is no room for more… By creating space, you might well find clarity and direction at the same time.

So go ahead and give yourself an opportunity to rocket fuel your dreams, goals and intentions for 2014! Out with the old, in with the new!

Where will you start your clutter clearing? I’m going for the wardrobe first…

Here’s to an awesome 2014 filled with joy, love, happiness, abundance and health!

All the best,
Sara

Feel Good Group - A picture of a cluttered room with boxes and stuff everywhere.

None of this in 2014 – Say NO to clutter!

Feng Shui

Why I believe specific Feng Shui advise is better

by Sara • October 23, 2013 • 0 Comments

I had a wonderful opportunity over the weekend to be part of a “women’s pampering day” (what a great idea!!!) in Sans Souci here in Sydney. This lovely woman had invited a bunch of her girlfriends to a “time out day” for themselves. I was there to talk about Feng Shui, there was a tarot card reader and a massage therapist looking after and spoiling all of us. The hostess had also cooked the most beautiful food and even though I was mainly there to do a talk, I felt really included, pampered and special. It was great fun!

So I did my talk on Feng Shui, and as always, there were lots of questions. I love it when I get an opportunity to talk to people about Feng Shui, what it is and how it works. I get to do some myth busting and really get into how Feng Shui works and how it doesn’t work. That’s one of my missions, to de-mystify this ancient art of energy balance and help people see that it’s very hands on, down to earth and practical.

I get a lot of questions along the lines of “where is my wealth corner” or “how do I activate my relationships corner”. So there are mainly two types of Feng Shui practiced outside of China, the form that I do is called Flying Stars (as well as incorporating Form and Compass schools). The type that is massive in the West, especially the USA, is called BTB, or Black Hat Sect.

The BTB form of Feng Shui builds on general advice, it talks about the 9 square bagua, and how this bagua can be overlaid and interpreted the same for every home. This is the type of Feng Shui where each home would have their “wealth corner” or “relationships corner” in the same spot. I don’t believe it works that way.

To me, that would be to say that a general astrology reading for capricorns applies in exactly the same way to all capricorns. However, there are personalised astrology charts and readings that take into consideration your exact date, time and place of birth and from that you can get an intricate, personalised reading, special just for you.

It’s the same with homes. In my experience, there isn’t one stock standard energetic solution that you can apply to every home. You need the personalisation, you need the specific interpretations for your home. Anyway, I’ve written a blog post about why I don’t think BTB/Black Hat Sect is a great approach here.

So what are the most common questions I get? And how do I answer them?

Here are some examples:

1. How can I get more money?
The truth is there are a number of areas in your home that tells me what your money making potential is like while living there. Some of them you can work on yourself, some of them you’d need a full feng shui consultation with a flying star reading to find out about. So, there is no stock standard answer to cover it all.

And here’s a start:
– clear out any clutter you have in your home. Clutter is detrimental to your energy and spirit and will hold you back in all areas of life.
– have a welcoming entrance. It needs to be easy to find your front door from the street. Once you get there, this area should be light, bright, as open as possible and feel welcoming.

2. What is the best colour for my bedroom?
Th truth is that this is really up to individual taste. It’s your bedroom. The most important thing is that you LOVE the colour here, that you feel peaceful and safe, calm and relaxed. You are sleeping here, so what you like is the most important.

Apart from that, the best colour for your bedroom will depend on what compass direction it falls in. There are certain favourable colours related to each of the eight compass directions. That aside, calm colours that you love works best in your bedroom.

3. I’ve put a (insert various objects here) in my (insert various areas of home here), is that good?
The answer is definitely YES! Why? Because you tend to place objects in your home that you love. And you tend to place objects in certain areas for a specific reason, because they look good there, you like them there or they have a specific meaning to you. All of these are great reasons.

On the other hand, the answer could also definitely be NO! What? How can I say that all f a sudden? Well, if you placed something somewhere because you think it’s “the right thing to do”, or you feel like you “should” have it there, this is not good. I can’t stress that enough, if you don’t love it, if it annoys you, if you are keeping it out of guilt, get rid of it.

So to sum up pretty much all questions I get: if you love it – it’s good for you! If you don’t love it – it’s not good for you.

For most things it really is that simple. Be guided by your own inner compass, your taste, your feelings for your home. Do what looks and feels right to you.

Yes, there are intricate Feng Shui interpretations that can be done for any home to bring in balance and harmony and maximise the energetic potential. Is this something to worry about? Never. Is it a great tool to use to get more of what you want in life? Definitely.

Make your home yours and make it shine!

Cheers,
Sara

Compass Directions, Feng Shui

Compass Directions – Northeast

by Sara • June 10, 2013 • 0 Comments

The Northeast sector of your home represents knowledge, education and self-improvement. It’s connected to the youngest son in the family and the element of earth. The emblem of the Northeast is a mountain and the number associated with the Northeast is 8. Yellow, brown, beige and orange are favourable colours for this part of your home, and it’s represented by square shapes. The season of late summer (sometimes called Indian summer) is connected to the Northeast and in your body it corresponds to your digestion as well as your hands.

This kind of information is useful if you are experiencing any issues in any of the areas mentioned above, or you want to create extra support in your life for these areas. If that’s the case it can pay off to take a closer look at the Northeast sector of your home.

For example, a bathroom in this sector will have a draining effect on the youngest son in the family as well as everyone’s ability to attain knowledge, education or self-improvement. A stove or fireplace here can mean that these areas of your life are over-active and you can tend to feel burnt out by them. To rectify these situations ideally you should move the bathroom or fireplace, which of course most often you cannot do. Instead you can create extra support for the youngest son by helping him to de-stress or by spending more time with him on his school projects and home work. It’s also important for everyone in the home to counteract these situations with taking extra care to not be lazy or give up around working on yourselves or attaining new knowledge.

Clutter in the Northeast sector of your home will create a barrier around learning, attaining new knowledge or your ability to self-improve. Clutter is attracted to the areas of your life you feel burdened by or don’t want to look at. If you find clutter in this sector of your home, subconsciously you are working against yourself learning new things and improving as a person. If this bothers you and you want to change it, start clearing the clutter in this part of your home, and you will soon find that you have more energy, time and inspiration to learn and grow.

If this part of your home is missing, or partially missing, you may experience issues in attaining new knowledge or learning things, or even experience health issues related to your digestion or hands. To counteract this you can place large terracotta pots, a barbecue or open fire place outside in the Northeast sector of your garden.

Emblem of the Northeast – Mountain.

Compass Directions, Feng Shui

Compass Directions – North

by Sara • May 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

The North sector of your home represents your career. It’s connected to the middle son in the family and the element of water. The emblem of the North is the moon and the number associated with the North is 1. Blue and black are favourable colours for this part of your home, and it’s represented by wavy and irregular shapes. The season of midwinter is connected to the North and in your body it corresponds to your reproductive organs, kidneys and bladder as well as your hair, spine and ears.

This kind of information is useful if you are experiencing any issues in any of the areas mentioned above. In that case it can pay off to take a closer look at the North sector of your home.

For example, a bathroom in this sector will have a draining effect on the middle son in the family as well as everyone’s careers/school work. A stove or fireplace here can mean that these areas of your life are over-active and you can tend to feel burnt out by them. To rectify these situations ideally you should move the bathroom or fireplace, which of course most often you cannot do. Instead you can create extra support for the middle son by helping him to de-stress or give him help around his school/career. It’s also important for everyone in the home to counteract these situations with taking extra care to not be overwhelmed, stressed or burnt out by work. Find ways to unwinds and let work go when you leave for the day.

Clutter in the North sector of your home will create a barrier around your career and related areas, such as your own business, if you have one. Clutter is attracted to the areas of your life you feel burdened by or don’t want to look at. If you find clutter in this sector of your home, subconsciously you are working against your career, business or current work situation. If this bothers you and you want to change it, start clearing the clutter in this part of your home, and you will soon find that you have more energy, time and inspiration to work on your career or business.

If this part of your home is missing, or partially missing, you may experience career related issues such as being passed by for a promotion, business being slow or even experience health issues related to your reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder or hearing. To counteract this you can place a water feature or strong metal form (such as a metal statue) outside in the North sector of your garden.

Emblem of the North – the Moon.

Compass Directions, Feng Shui

Compass Directions – Northwest

by Sara • May 23, 2013 • 0 Comments

The Northwest sector of your home represents helpful people and support. It’s connected to the father of the family and the element of metal. The emblem of the Northwest is heaven and the number associated with the Northwest is 6. Any metal colours and shades of white are favourable colours for this part of your home, and it’s represented by round or dome shapes. The season of autumn is connected to the Northwest and in your body it corresponds to your lungs and colon as well as your head.

For example, a bathroom in this sector will have a draining effect on the father of the family as well as general support and helpful people in your life. A stove or fireplace here can mean that these areas of your life are over-active and you can tend to feel burnt out by them, such as you don’t have much support around you or any helpful people in your life. To rectify these situations ideally you should move the bathroom or fireplace, which of course most often you cannot do. Instead you can create extra support for the father by helping him to de-stress and making sure he is not giving too much without receiving anything back. It’s also important for everyone in the home to counteract these situations with taking extra care of their relationships and working on finding people who will be there and support them.

Clutter in the Northwest sector of your home will create a barrier around attracting helpful people and support into your life. Clutter is attracted to the areas of your life you feel burdened by or don’t want to look at. If you find clutter in this sector of your home, subconsciously you are working against your ability to find helpful people and support in your life. If this bothers you and you want to change it, start clearing the clutter in this part of your home, and you will soon find that you start attracting more support from the people around you and finding new friends or mutually beneficial relationships.

If this part of your home is missing, or partially missing, you may experience that you lack in support in general, and support from the people around you in particular. You might feel like you “have to do everything on your own”. You could also be experiencing health issues related to your lungs, colon or head. To counteract this you can place large terracotta pots or a metal ornament of some sort in the Northwest sector of your garden.

What’s the Northwest sector of your home like?

Emblem of the Northwest – Heaven.

Compass Directions, Feng Shui

Compass Directions – West

by Sara • May 12, 2013 • 0 Comments

The West sector of your home represents children, creativity, dreams and starting new projects. It’s connected to the youngest daughter in the family and the element of metal. The emblem of the West is a lake and the number associated with the West is 7. Any metal colours and shades of white are favourable colours for this part of your home, and it’s represented by round or dome shapes. The season of autumn is connected to the West and in your body it corresponds to your lungs and colon as well as your teeth and mouth.

For example, a bathroom in this sector will have a draining effect on the youngest daughter in the family as well as your creativity, ability to dream or start new projects. A stove or fireplace here can mean that these areas of your life are over-active and you can tend to feel burnt out by them, or you are working very hard to keep up with your dreams or projects. To rectify these situations ideally you should move the bathroom or fireplace, which of course most often you cannot do. Instead you can create extra support for the youngest daughter by helping her to de-stress and making sure she is not putting pressure on herself with new projects or creative activities all the time. It’s also important for everyone in the home to counteract these situations with taking extra care to dream and be creative, while not letting new projects or ideas drag you down.

Clutter in the West sector of your home will create a barrier around your creativity, your will and ability to start new projects or ability to dream. It may even affect your chances of physically falling pregnant. Clutter is attracted to the areas of your life you feel burdened by or don’t want to look at. If you find clutter in this sector of your home, subconsciously you are working against your ability to be creative, dream and start new adventures in life. If this bothers you and you want to change it, start clearing the clutter in this part of your home, and you will soon find that you start feeling more excited about starting new projects and your ability to dream and be creative will improve.

If this part of your home is missing, or partially missing, you may experience that you lack in creativity, that you don’t want to take on anything new or that you just don’t feel that excited about your future. You could also be experiencing health issues related to your lungs, colon or mouth and teeth. To counteract this you can place large terracotta pots or a metal ornament of some sort in the West sector of your garden.

What is the West sector of your home showing you about yourself?

Emblem of the West – a Lake.

Compass Directions, Feng Shui

Compass Directions – Southwest

by Sara • May 4, 2013 • 0 Comments

The Southwest sector of your home represents marriage and other partnerships. It’s connected to the mother of the family and the element of earth. The emblem of the Southwest is mother earth and the number associated with the Southwest is 2. Yellow, brown, beige and orange are favourable colours for this part of your home, and it’s represented by square shapes. The season of late summer (also called Indian summer) is connected to the Southwest and in your body it corresponds to your digestion as well as your belly and womb.

For example, a bathroom in this sector will have a draining effect on the mother of the family as well as your marriage and other partnerships (business relationships for example). A stove or fireplace here can mean that these areas of your life are over-active and you can tend to feel burnt out by them, or you are working very hard to keep up certain relationships. To rectify these situations ideally you should move the bathroom or fireplace, which of course most often you cannot do. Instead you can create extra support for the mother by helping her to de-stress and managing her relationships, making sure she is not giving too much without receiving anything back. It’s also important for everyone in the home to counteract these situations with taking extra care of your relationships and spending some time and effort on making then work.

Clutter in the Southwest sector of your home will create a barrier around your marriage and other relationships. Clutter is attracted to the areas of your life you feel burdened by or don’t want to look at. If you find clutter in this sector of your home, subconsciously you are working against your ability to create great, functional and supportive relationships. Perhaps your experience is that relationships are hard work and difficult to manage. If this bothers you and you want to change it, start clearing the clutter in this part of your home, and you will soon find that you start feeling more at ease in your relationships and that you start acting differently and as a result others act differently towards you too.

If this part of your home is missing, or partially missing, you may experience that you lack in supportive relationships, or that you tend to end up on the “giving end” rather than having well balanced and mutually functional relationships. You may be longing to be in a relationship with a significant other, and still find yourself single. You could also be experiencing health issues related to your digestion, belly or womb. To counteract this you can place a barbecue or open fireplace, or large terracotta pots in the Southwest sector of your garden.

Look at the Southwest sector of your home and see if you can understand what it is telling you…

Emblem of the Southwest – Mother Earth.

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