Tag: Feng Shui Tips

Five Elements – Fire

by Sara • November 21, 2014 • 1 Comment

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Feng Shui there are five elements present in nature: Fire – Earth – Metal – Water and Wood.

Each of these elements have specific characteristics and are represented in our world by certain colours, forms, materials and seasons. They also relate to each other and can be supportive or suppressive to certain areas of your home.

So I’ve decided to do a little blog series on the different elements, how you can recognise them and use them in your home or office to create support, balance and harmony.

First out is fire, seeing as Sydney is scorching hot today and we’re definitely coming into Summer, I thought this to be very apt…

Element: Fire
Compass sector: South
Areas of life: Fame, Reputation & Respect
Family member: Middle daughter
Season: Summer
Body: Heart, cardiovascular system, eyes
Emotions: Joy (and listlessness as in lack of joy)
Supportive colours: Red, burgundy, purple and pink.

So, how can you use this information to benefit you in your daily life?

The South sector of your home represents your fame, reputation and respect. Don’t take this literally. It doesn’t mean that if the South sector of your home is in balance and harmony, you’ll be famous. What it means is that this part of your home represents your reputation on the outside, i.e. how people perceive you in business, at work or in your community.

It shows you what people say about you behind your back when you’re not there. It also tells you how you feel about these areas of your life. Are you generally a happy person, or do you feel a bit listless? Maybe you are feeling burdened or burnt out by having to uphold a certain reputation in your work or as a role model/public figure? Or perhaps people are liking your ideas and what you stand for and respecting you and/or your business or work.

All of this you can “de-code” from reading the messages that your home is sending you from the South compass sector.

So if you find that people disrespect you, gossip about you, or you are generally listless, there are likely imbalances here. If you feel that you are well respected, happy, liked and people want to hear your opinions, the likelihood is that your South sector is in balance already.

To support the South sector and all related areas in you life as listed above, you can add more fire energy here. This can be done with red (purple, pink & burgundy) colours, burning candles (or other live fire that is safe), also your TV or any other electrical equipment will have “fire energy” as well. Plastic materials and bricks also represent fire and will give support to this sector.

If you are feeling burnt out, stressed or are having any problems with high blood pressure or are at risk for cardio vascular diseases, chances are you’ve got too much fire energy in the South sector of your home, and you need to bring it down a notch or two. You can take away from the fire energy in the South sector by either controlling it with water forms (blue colours, real water or glass) or depleting it with Earth forms (such as yellow, brown, beige and orange colours, terracotta, crystals or clay).

I love teaching about this stuff, and when used correctly, the five elements can really make a huge difference to how well supported you are in your home, and in your life in general.

If you have any questions about this, please comment below and I’m very happy to help out.

Warm regards,
Sara

Fire lives in the South sector of your home

Feng Shui

Toilet lids – up or down?

by Sara • October 17, 2014 • 0 Comments

I was at a birthday party recently and got introduced to a lovely couple. We started talking and of course they asked me what I do for a living (as you do when you talk to complete strangers) and when I told them I’m a Feng Shui consultant the wife looked at me with a big smile and said:

“So can you please tell him he needs to keep the toilet seat down?” and winked at me.

Now, I know exactly where she was coming from. I get this comment a lot. Mainly from women. Who have been married for a few years. And they talk about the actual toilet seat, not the lid. Funny that, right? But I digress.

On a serious note, what she was aiming at is this belief, or misunderstanding, or I might even call it superstition, that leaving the toilet lid up will “flush all your money down the drain”. And as a result, you will struggle financially in one way or another.

Now this party was supposed to be a fun occasion, a happy celebration of someone’s life, and still, for a split second, I considered launching into a 30 minute explanation of how it really works. On second thought, I just smiled and said in my most serious, expert voice:

“Yes, always keep the toilet lid closed or you will forever be in debt.”

Afterwards I could have kicked myself! I just should never had said that. Why? Because it is a major simplification and misunderstanding of what’s really going on here. And on top of that, it just isn’t true in most cases. Plus, instead of taking the opportunity to actually explain a bit about Feng Shui, I chose the easy way out and instead fed the misconception. So now, here’s a whole blog to rectify all of that.

So what’s the deal with the toilet lid then? Up or down, or doesn’t it really matter?

It does matter. And just not for your finances. The truth is that your bathrooms/toilets don’t always relate to your wealth at all. The area of life they relate to, and therefore have a draining effect on, has got to do with which compass direction they are located within.

So while it is sometimes true that leaving your toilet lid up can have a draining effect on your finances, in no way is this always the case. Sometimes it has a draining effect on your relationships, sometimes on your work, sometimes on your health… And sometimes it’s even good to leave the toilet lid up, so that an unsupportive energy can disappear out of your home! (This one relates to Flying Stars Feng Shui and is a bit complicated, so I won’t go into that right now).

Now, how do you know what’s going on in your home?

You can check out the compass directions of your home and figure out what area your toilets, bathrooms and laundries fall in. The person and area of life connected to that compass sector may end up feeling drained/worn out/low in energy due to the Qi being flushed out of your home via the waste water.

(Important side note: To fully know where your current wealth sector is located, you will need to have a professional Feng Shui consultant calculate your flying stars and locate the “noble” for the current time period, which in 2014 is 8).

And what do you actually do with the toilet lid then?

Keep it closed. Simple. Even if you don’t know what area of life is affected by the location of your bathroom, you can never go wrong with keeping the toilet lid closed. If there is an unsupportive energy there, it will be flushed out anyway when you use the toilet, sink, shower. If there is a supportive energy there, keeping the lid closed will counteract some of the constant drainage and maintain a bit more of that positive energetic vibration in your home.

So there you have it. When in doubt – lid closed. Easy. Sorry boys.

Hope this is helpful! If there are any other things Feng Shui you want to know more about, please let me know.

Cheers,
Sara

Toilet lid up or down? You can’t go wrong with keeping the lid closed!

Feng Shui, Inspiration

How to clear clutter effectively and easily

by Sara • October 10, 2014 • 0 Comments

So for the last few weeks I’ve been focussing on clutter. Firstly why it sucks. Secondly how you can recognise it, and thirdly how to use it to get a move on.

Today we’ll look at how to actually clear your clutter easily and effectively.

The more clutter you have, the bigger a task clearing it out will seem. That’s ok. Don’t freak out. Just decide that you’re the type of person who lives without clutter and go about getting it done. It might help to give yourself a set time each day, say 15 minutes, that you will dedicate to clearing your clutter.

If the daily clearing is not your thing, then you can dedicate 2 hours every Saturday morning, or an hour Wednesday evening or whatever time works for you. Have a look at your weekly schedule and make a commitment to yourself. You can do this, and once you get started, you will notice how much better you feel, and it will get easier and easier.

This is what you do. You set up a three box system and everything that is clutter (brush up here) will need to go in one of these boxes.

1. Stuff to keep
2. Stuff to give away or sell
3. Stuff to throw out

Box number one will be things you love, use or need. So this can be your tax returns for example. You don’t love or use them, but you need to keep them. This box stays in your home. Preferably neatly put away where you can easily access the things you might need.

Box number two can be full of stuff that is functional, nice, practical and useful, but for some reason you don’t like it, or you don’t use it and you don’t need it. Ladies, your “thin clothes” go in this box (and then to friends, the Salvos or Vinnies. OK?)

Box number three will generally hold old paperwork that you don’t need to keep any longer. It will be things that are broken and can’t be fixed. And it will be stuff that is just rubbish.

Now, you might end up in a situation where you’re not sure of whether to keep something or not. What if it comes in handy one day?

I call this “keeping stuff for a rainy day”. In short, don’t do it. Holding on to things you don’t love, need or use “just in case” sends a message to the universe (or god, or whatever you want to call it) that you don’t believe you will have enough in the future to take care of your needs. You think you need to hold on to this thing as you might not be able to find a new one in the future, or you might even be thinking you can’t afford to get another one IF you need to. This creates a mindset of lack. And that’s never helpful.

If you end up worried about the stuff in Box number 2, here’s a trick. Put that box away for 3-6 months and see if you need or miss any of the stuff in there. If you don’t, give it away after whatever timeframe you set yourself. Easy!

So there you have it. This way of clearing clutter is really simple, and it works.

So give it a go!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this blog and the rest of my clutter series. Please get in touch with any questions or feedback.

Here’s to moving forward,
Sara

Easy to use three-box system for clearing your clutter.

Feng Shui, Inspiration

Your clutter is talking to you

by Sara • October 3, 2014 • 3 Comments

The last couple of weeks I’ve written about what clutter is and how it’s actually a great tool you can use to get to know yourself better and decide what area of life needs your attention next for you to move forward. If you missed those blogs, you read read them here and here.

So how do you listen to your clutter? How do you understand the subconscious messages you’re sending yourself about where you need to focus your energy next to move forward?

Where your clutter is accumulated in your home is the key.

If you have clutter under your bed for example, the likelihood is that you are either a bit stuck around your relationships, or your health, or both.

Clutter in or around your entrance indicates issues with creating wealth and living an abundant life.

A cluttered kitchen might indicate that you struggle with your wealth/abundance and also your health.

So I actually find this very helpful in my consultations. By looking at where clutter accumulates in people’s homes, I can know what areas of their life is not working optimally at this point in time. And together we can then set a plan for how to change that.

If you want to get to know your own clutter, I highly recommend you go to the “Blog Topics” drop down menu to the right hand side of this page and choose “Compass Directions” from the categories. Each of the eight compass directions represents an area of your life and a family member. By reading about what clutter in this area of your home means, you can get a better understanding of yourself and hopefully feel motivated enough to make a change.

Next week I’ll write about HOW to best clear your clutter. It will be a very hands on, practical type of instruction that you can go straight home and use.

I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions, please leave a comment or get in touch with me.

To your happiness,
Sara

Feel Good group - Your clutter is talking to you

Your clutter can have something very important to say to you…

Feng Shui, Inspiration

What is clutter?

by Sara • September 26, 2014 • 4 Comments

So my previous blog post was about clutter and how it holds you back in life. If you missed it, you can read it here.

So this pesky thing that is called clutter that is weighing you down and holding you back… What is it really?

Well, there’s the dictionary explanation, that goes something like this:
“To fill or litter with things in a disorderly manner, a disorderly heap or assemblage.”

I find that to not be very helpful in this situation. I read that and in my mind I go: “Yes, but what does that mean?”

There can be disorderly looking heaps that are completely organised. I’ve seen them myself. There are people that can pull an exact piece of paper out of a pile like that. So that’s a not so good looking filing system really. I’m not sure I would necessarily deem it clutter though. There is actually order in that pile.

So, after having observed how it affects me and my clients, this is my definition of what clutter is:

things you don’t love or use regularly
too many things in too small of a space
things that are broken or mistreated
unfinished things
things that make you feel bad
things that are unorganised (and therefore often annoy you)

So with this definition I hope you can recognise the clutter in your home.

Common places for clutter accumulation is the linen cupboard, the container drawer in the kitchen (you know where you have lids with no containers, and the other way around), your sock drawer, the laundry, the garage where boxes with things (and also stuff) seem to live a life of their own, under your bed, and in your whole closet.

So when you look at something, and you’re not sure if it’s clutter of not, ask yourself this:
Do I love it?
Do I need it?
Do I use it?

If your answer is no to all three of these questions, it’s clutter and you would benefit from getting rid of it.

So now you know what clutter is and what it does to you. Next week we’ll look at how you can use your clutter as a compass for finding out what areas in life you need to pay a little extra attention to.

Until then, go on, be brave and do some clutter clearing. Just because you can. You might be surprised at what happens!

Have fun,
Sara

Example of what clutter looks like.

Feng Shui, Inspiration

Clutter – it’s bad for you

by Sara • September 19, 2014 • 1 Comment

“What’s the big deal with clutter?” Someone asked me this question the other day. For a second or two I was just quiet. Where to begin to explain?!

The first words that came out of my mouth were:
“It drags you down. It keeps you stuck in the past and it holds you back from achieving your goals and living the kind of life that you really want.”

Not too shabby of an answer straight off the bat like that, even if I do say so myself.

Clutter accumulates where there is stagnant energy. It also works the other way around: where there’s clutter, the energy is low, slow, smelly, unpleasant and unsupportive.

Clutter drags you down and it keeps your mind occupied with stuff, it invites you to hold on to your past. How? Because in one way or another we’re energetically attached to and connected with everything we own. So the more stuff you have, the more you have to keep track of, the busier your mind is, and the more you focus your energy on the past and what you already have (the good, the bad and the ugly), instead of the future and where you want to go next.

Clutter can be physical, and that’s mainly what I’m talking about here. There is also mental clutter in the form of unhelpful thoughts, worry, anxiety, replaying events from the past, holding grudges etc. etc. etc.

Often times one type of clutter follows the other. So if you are feeling stuck in any area of your life, the likelihood is that you have accumulated some physical clutter and that you’re holding on to some stuff emotionally too.

What’s great about that (What, you just said clutter sucks, right? Yes, I did, bare with me here, there is a point.) is that you can use your clutter for good. You can use it as an indicator of where you’re stuck and what area of your life needs your attention next. That’s a good thing, right? Your clutter is telling you the next important thing to look at.

Next week I’ll help you recognise what clutter is and if you, in fact, have any!

What do you think? Is there any clutter hiding in your home?

Cheers,
Sara

Clutter weighs you down!

Feng Shui, Inspiration

Are you blocking your wealth creation potential?

by Sara • September 5, 2014 • 2 Comments

A lot of questions I get around Feng Shui are related the topic of wealth and/or abundance. There are many areas of your home connected to wealth and abundance and I’ll give you five quick fixes below that you can implement straight away.

1. Make your entrance open and welcoming
Having lots of stuff in your entrance is detrimental to a free flow of opportunities, energy and people into your home. This is what will bring more money your way, so an easy to find and welcoming entrance is essential for creating wealth.

2. Use fresh fruit
Fresh fruit represents abundance and wealth, and it brings in positive energy to your home, and your body. Have a bowl of fresh fruit sitting on your dining table to send out vibrations of abundance, and you will attract more of the same.

3. Magnify it with mirrors
Mirrors will give you more of what they reflect. So have the mirrors in your home reflect things that remind you of wealth and abundance. This could be a lush, green garden, or the bowl of fresh fruit on your dining room table for example.

4. Burn it up
Make sure you use all of the burners or hotplates on your stove equally. Doing this will energetically support all income earning members of the family to bring in money. It will also support multiple streams income finding their way to you. Why? Because the stove represents abundance and wealth as this is where you prepare your food. So make sure you keep all money channels open!

5. Wipe it down
A dirty, greasy stove top is detrimental to your wealth. Dirt and grease blocks qi and an unclean stove top signals that you don’t care about your financial situation. Make it a habit to clean your stove every time after cooking and you will be amazed at the difference this will make. Not only will you feel good, you may well find that unexpected money making opportunities start coming your way!

There you have it. Five small steps that you can easily implement today to support your own wealth creating potential.

How good is that? 🙂

Yours in abundance,
Sara

A bowl of fresh fruit on your dining table will help you attract more abundance

Feng Shui, Personal Power

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