Feng Shui on a Budget

Many times, I hear people say that they can't afford to make the feng shui adjustments they'd like, or they worry about having to buy new items in order to improve the energy in their homes. While there are a number of products available to improve the qi in your spaces, I'm a firm believer that feng shui should be available to everyone. Take a peek at the tips below for introducing feng shui into your home and office, even if you're on a budget. Keep in mind, although these adjustments are effective, especially with the right intentions, they don't take the place of a certified practitioner. 

Student Consultations

Many feng shui schools or organizations offer student consultations while students are still learning. Think of places you can get a cheaper haircut by an instructor-assisted student, or discounts on other beauty regiments, like manicures or massages, as students perfect their craft. Feng shui academies often do the same thing! Spend some time online checking out schools near you, and if you're in the New York area, try the BTB Feng Shui Masters Training Program, where I learned feng shui! Or, hire one of my students!

Holistic Spaces

We work hard on the Holistic Spaces blog to bring you as many helpful, affordable feng shui tips as possible. From our Q&A Sunday questions to the podcast to weekly blog posts on common feng shui adjustments, the Holistic Spaces blog is a good spot to find information on feng shui without the cost of a full consultation. Just use the search bar on the right-hand side under Previous Blog Posts!

One Good Deed a Day

One of the first adjustments my feng shui mentor taught me was One Good Deed a Day. It seems easy enough - just do one good deed every day for 27 days. The best part about this adjustment is that, once you really start to think about it, it becomes so much more than just a good deed for another. This adjustment can really open doors for positive energy to come to you, and it's completely free!

Plant Life

A favorite adjustment for feng shui believers and non-believers alike is the addition of plants to your spaces. In feng shui, plants bring life energy to your home or office through the wood element, which symbolizes new beginnings, kind heartedness and fresh energy. As an added perk, they also work hard to improve the air quality in your indoor spaces. Adding a plant to your home or office can be as easy as transporting some of your backyard greenery indoors or even borrowing cuttings from friend. Check out how to do that here! 

Qi Cleansing of Re-used Objects

While it is almost always better to invest in new items or plants for adjustment purposes, it's understandable that isn't always an option. Maybe you managed to find some beautiful crystals at a thrift shop, or a friend moved away and left an object in your care. These are both acceptable additions to your space, but always remember to clear the energy of any item that comes into your home. Whether you open the windows and peel some oranges or burn a little palo santo, refreshing the energy in your space, including the items there, is a very important aspect of feng shui. Usually it's best to clear the "predecessor qi" of any reused objects so you can start fresh.  

Book Tips

One of my favorite resources for feng shui on any budget is my book, 108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces. I finished my first book this year, and it's packed with tips on creating your own holistic space through feng shui adjustments and guidance, like how using different burners can open up your opportunities. If you haven't picked up a copy, check the Holistic Spaces store for a signed one! 

No matter what adjustments you decide are best for you and your space, the most important part of feng shui is remembering that it is YOUR space. Everyone deserves to have a sacred space filled with positive energy and beautiful objects that nourishes who they are. Your holistic space may be different from a friend or family members, and you make choose different adjustments that speak to you, but ultimately, all that matters is that you make your space your own. 

Have you made any of the adjustments or changes we mention on the site? We absolutely love to hear about how feng shui has affected the lives of our readers. Share your story in the comments (photos encouraged)! 

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

How To Hack Your Suboptimal Holiday Sleeping Arrangements

featured recently on MindBodyGreen by Lindsay Kellner

There's no place like home for the holidays, and yet, if you're like most people, you're traveling. While it can be wonderful to travel, getting out of our regular routines can shock our bodies, making it more difficult to eat healthfully, stay regular, and, perhaps most importantly, to sleep well. We spoke to our experts Anjie Cho, a feng shui specialist, and Ellen Vora, M.D., mbg class instructor who specializes in anxiety and is a board-certified psychiatrist, licensed medical acupuncturist, and certified yoga teacher. Both provided tips on how to ready your space and body to get your best sleep ever no matter where you are. Here are their pro tips:

1. Clear the space.

Whether it's a hotel room, sofa, or your childhood bedroom—a space that's been used by someone else or left dormant for weeks (or months) needs clearing. "There can be residual energies from the people that have stayed there before or just from the people you're staying with," Cho said. The holidays in particular can make you feel more sensitive than usual to "foreign energy," she warned. "By clearing the space, you're just giving the place a little perk to provide a restful and spacious sleeping situation while traveling."

...read full article

Let Us Welcome the Winter Solstice

It’s officially winter! Happy (late) Winter Solstice!

Many months after we celebrate the Summer Solstice, our longest day of the year, the Northern Hemisphere observes the Winter Solstice, our shortest day of the year. These celebrations are actually opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where Winter Solstice brings the longest day of the year.

Our earth is tilted on its axis as it revolves around the sun, which means that the different hemispheres experience seasons and solstices (Latin for “sun stands still”) differently. During the Winter Solstice, the Northern part of our planet reaches the furthest point from the sun we will experience during the year.

Feng shui-wise, the winter is considered a yin season, where we start to move inward physically as well as emotionally. The yin concept is also about slowing down, and emptiness. Winter in feng shui is also associated with the water element. In winter it looks like everything is dead outside on the outside, but below the snow there is life (even if it’s dormant). The water element and winter are similar. Imagine the middle of a vast ocean, where it’s very still but there’s so much activity happening if you look beneath the surface.

My meditation instructor, Joe Mauricio, called me out earlier this month on my “speediness”. I spent all year running around, never stopping to be mindful. I can’t just blame it on the year of the Horse (Chinese astrology)! Meditation can help you find that space that many of us fear. During this winter season, I encourage each of you to accept the slower pace and pause to find emptiness and space. Even five minutes a day is enough! Let yourself slow down and feel…. Bored? Empty? Quiet? Rest. Peace. And love for yourself.

Fun facts about the Winter Solstice:

Usually occurring between December 21st and 23rd, longstanding Winter Solstice activities have been combined with the popular Christmas holidays, but many of our traditions began as ancient celebrations for surviving another year! In earlier times, winter was a welcome break from hard work during the rest of the year, and almost every culture celebrates the Winter Solstice in some way.

Some of our most mysterious world wonders, including the Irish Newgrange tomb and Stonehenge, were constructed in a way that perfectly captures the sun’s light at the moment of Winter Solstice.  The Yule log also originated as a celebratory festival for the Winter Solstice. Romans even celebrated the solstice for an entire week!

by Anjie Cho