Interview Of The Week with The Feng Shui Collective: Living in harmony
Feng Shui is considered a natural science and was developed thousands of years ago in Asia. The practice was created to help people live in harmony with nature through understanding how energy moves in environments. Over time, different Feng Shui schools have evolved with the goal of harmonizing the environment and creating positive change. BWG asked the mom and daughter of The Feng Shui Collective about this magical science.
What does Feng Shui mean?
The term Feng Shui literally translates to “wind and water". We like to say that when the wind (what you cannot see, or intention), blows over the water (what you can see, all physical matter), positive change occurs.
There are more Feng Shui schools. What are their differences and what type of school do you follow?
We practice the Black Hat school of Feng Shui which, they say, is a more practical and contemporary school that uses a bagua map as its primary tool. It is oriented to the front door, where energy enters the home.
How would you describe the feng shui lifestyle?
We strive to bring balance to our lives on a daily basis. Feng Shui is iterative, not “one and done.” Since goals are always changing, Feng Shui is an empowering “tool” that is accessible to everyone. When you feel that you want to see a change in your life, Feng Shui is a useful practice for creating that in a positive way.
For example, if you’d like to enhance a relationship, with either yourself, or a loved one, or if you’re looking for a new love in your life, get to work on your romance area, which is located at the far back right of your home. You can add pairs of things, the colors pink or white, burn a candle or add a rose quartz crystal. Likewise, if you’d like more wealth, enhance the area that is in the far back left of your home. Add the color purple, an amethyst crystal or burn a candle. Always clear clutter in these areas as it represents stuck energy. And always keep your intentions clear as you move things around (remember the “wind”?)
When we are asked about crystals, we emphasize that crystals have unique energies and can enhance any environment. We advise that you purchase crystals that you love or you can research what kind of energy specific crystals can add to your environment.
Feng Shui mainly focuses on creating a beautiful home…
We always strive to enhance our environments. When you have a Feng Shui'd home, it feels wonderful from the second you walk up to the front door. Placing furniture so that energy can move freely through a space is important. When we work with our clients we often move things around. At the same time, we stress the importance of intention. One of the most important areas of your home is the front entrance because this is where energy enters. You want to invite healthy energy in, so it’s important that the entry is freshly swept, the door clean and polished, the doormat fresh and untattered, any light fixture sparkling and free of cobwebs, and that there are fresh seasonal plants (silk plants work fine).
What are the most common “mistakes" to fix in homes?
We never judge an environment, although there can be challenging ones! We give our clients suggestions of what they can do to shift the energy in the area. But we always respect a client’s intuition about what’s best for them. We walk them through Lauren’s (the daughter) unique model of goal-setting to determine the clients’ priorities, whether it be romance, money, travel, health, etc. Then we locate that energetic area in their home and provide them with ideas of how they can make that space better. All with intention!
Where can we learn more about Feng Shui?
We have a web page www.fengshuicollective.com where you can check out our learning library. We provide a lot of advice through our The Feng Shui Collective FaceBook group and share tips on Instagram @fengshuicollective. There are also many books; a couple of our favorites are The Western Guide to Feng Shui by Terah Kathryn Collins and Fast Feng Shui by Stephanie Roberts.
Last but not least what is The Feng Shui Collective’s mission?
Our mission is to make the planet a more beautiful place. We like to teach our clients the practice of Feng Shui so that they can make their environment more beautiful and perhaps influence their circle to do the same.
BACKGROUND
"I’ve been studying and practicing Feng Shui since 1994," says Pamela, the mom. "I am passionate about this natural science, and I believe that Feng Shui found me and not the other way around! It began as a hobby during my careers in healthcare and higher education, and then became a business in 2014. Now I’ve partnered with my daughter, Lauren, who has been a health/wellness coach for over ten years. She recently began bringing her unique style of Feng Shui into our practice through social media and our on-line learning library. We love to teach Feng Shui; we make it fun and practical for a contemporary audience."
Photo by @paul_milinski
