I'm so honored to have the following guest post by my teacher LuAnn Cibik...Enjoy!!!


Because color is such a powerful influence of the way a space feels, it can be one of the main things a feng shui practitioner talks to a client about. Even if they are not looking to change the overall color scheme of their space, understanding the influence of that color's energy, and how you might want to balance this is a part of the conversation I have with most every client.

Many clients choose 'white' so that they do not have to choose a color, however, white IS a color, it's all of them in fact. Yes, whites and creams can 'go' with most any other color you might choose. However, the energy of white is of crisp precision and organized focus. The energy of cream is softer, more nurturing, and relaxed.

The current grey trend appears to be going strong, and its energy is what we refer to in feng shui as Metal energy, again, a sense of focus, diligent work, and serious thoughts. That could be just perfect for your space... or it could be why you are not sleeping well in your bedroom; as too many serious 'to do' list items dance in your head.

There are no 'bad' colors. However, there are some colors that just work better for the activities in some spaces than in others. Red bedrooms can have too much active, physical energy for sleep. Teal exercise rooms may cause more sleepy feelings than workout focus.

Another layer that feng shui consultants use with color is the energy map, the Bagua. This map lays over the floor plan of your home, and allows us to see what areas of your home correlate with different aspects of your life, like romance, reputation, family, health and abundance. These areas can be enhanced by color as well. While you might not want your house painted like a colorful quilt to match the Bagua areas, understanding the energy of that color in the space can help you choose decorative accents, colored lighting, artwork and more to call in what you might be lacking.

Working with color is a passion of mine, and helping people choose the right color for them, their lives and their space is one of the reasons I love being an Interior Alignment® Practitioner!

-LuAnn Cibik, Master Educator of Interior Alignment​

You may or may not have heard of the term Biophilic Design.  It was probably a few years after I became certified in Feng Shui that I began to hear about Biophilic Design in the Interior Design community.  Wow, was I ever excited!  The design and architecture community was promoting some of the same principles that we use in Interior Alignment Feng Shui.  That having a connection to nature while indoors working in offices and inside our homes and apartments is of the utmost importance.
 
Merriam Webster defines Biophilia as the following:
 “a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with forms of life in nature.”
 
Take a look around you.  Do you see any nature represented?  Maybe a wood grain floor, stone countertop, or natural light?  You’re on the right track.  If you’re in a sea of cubicles in an office building with fluorescent lighting, we need to talk!  We get it, a cranky co-worker might complain about essential oil scents, most companies won’t re-paint just to make you happy, nor will they be willing to bust into the ceiling to add some skylights.

Here are three super easy ways to bring nature inside your office space.  These easy fixes won’t bother anyone or cost the company anything!​

1)      Bring a plant inside.  Yes, this is probably obvious, but many of my clients  just never break down to actually buy a plant and transport it to their office space.  Keep in mind that depending on the natural light available in your office you might have to occasionally place it near a window sill or take it home to give it extra love.  So, someone in your office has an allergy?  Opt for faux flowers or a silk plant.  They’ve come a long way with silk floral arrangements, and do they ever look real!
2)      Bring a lamp into your office space.  Whether it’s a desk lamp or corner lamp, if you don’t have access to natural lighting a lamp will bring you much better lighting than fluorescent overhead bulbs.  It’s another way to trigger your body into a much more comfortable feeling while being at work.
3)      Bring artwork of nature into your space.  Do you dream of the ocean while at work?  Maybe you have a wooded retreat that you love.  Make a collage or simply frame a photo or two.  Having views of nature around you will make that vacation time seem not so far off.

Here’s a bonus:
Just as you schedule time for a meeting or for a lunch break, schedule even five minutes per day to be outside breathing fresh air.   Make this part of your schedule every single day that the weather allows.

Whether you're a fan of Biophilic design, Feng Shui, or just a nature lover, making these changes will lower stress and bring you an overall feeling of well-being. 

Now we'd love to hear from you! Do you have some great examples of how you bring nature into your office space??? Please share in the comments. 

When I meet new people they always have questions about my Feng Shui work, so I created this post: My Top 4 Likes & Dislikes About Feng Shui.  I hope you find it interesting and that it may answer some of your questions too. 


Like #1    Feng Shui can be a powerful tool for manifesting
Feng Shui is a wonderful tool for manifesting all those amazing things you wish for in life.  I can help you with anything from deeper connections with family, love, health, even money!

Like #2    Feng Shui can be easy to implement
Many times, just a few tweaks can make a major impact.  There is no need to completely remodel your home or make huge changes.

Like #3    Feng Shui cures can be inexpensive and often free
No huge investment is needed to implement Feng Shui principles.  Often times, I have my clients "shop" around their own home for any needed items. 

Like #4    A Feng Shui consultation can easily be done virtually
Because we’re dealing primarily with the layout of your space, consultations can be easily completed virtually.  I personally offer consultations where we correspond via e-mail, sometimes I’ll ask for photos, and then we finish with a video conference call.

Here we go with the dislikes.  Often its simply confusion and not understanding what exactly this work is, or how it implemented.  

Dislike #1   Feng Shui can stir up the energy, so be prepared for changes that might come unexpectedly
Often, people expect that after a consultation only wonderful things will come their way.  For example, if you’re looking for a new job and we create the energy to acquire that job, its important to know that several shifts can happen.  The uncomfortable part of resigning and leaving your current job comes along with that too.  It's not all just rainbows and unicorns. 

Dislike #2    Feng Shui is often misunderstood
The practice of Feng Shui is not a religion as I sometimes get asked.  The style I practice though does allow me to implement your personal treasures and symbolism from your own interests and religious beliefs if you’d like.

Dislike #3    Feng Shui is expected to be a magic quick cure
Sorry folks, you’re not going to meet the love of your life tomorrow.  Some things work fast, other take a while. I have my clients check in on our work every six weeks for progress.  Typically, in this time some positive changes have happened.  However, I’ve also had clients find results in just days!

Dislike #4    Feng Shui principles can sometimes be confusing
Many of my clients have originally looked into Feng Shui on their own, reading books and websites and generally being confused.  The first question I ALWAYS get is "How in the world do I use a Bagua Map?"  Well, it all depends on the school or sect of Feng Shui that you’re working with.  While different schools or sects have the same goal, they’re sometimes implemented differently.

Have some other questions?  Reach out!  ​Leave a comment below or reach out to me on the Contact Page! 

 Disney World is not my first destination for a get away. I'm a 38 year old woman with no kids, why would it be? So many people, so many lines and its all so exhausting.  My husband just LOVES the place though!  If you know my husband, you know he's a rather analytical guy who loves spreadsheets and business and most often comes off as a very serious guy.  Well, then there is Disney.... it's a place where he really lets loose and has fun.  It's honestly funny to watch him there. 

In January my father-in-law turned 75 and he wanted to go to Disney World to celebrate.  As you can imagine my husband jumped on the opportunity and had our entire trip planned within a day. 

I began to prepare myself; packing my essential oils to stay grounded, extra comfy shoes, and telling myself to relax and have fun.  We left early on a Thursday morning and stayed for five days.  To my surprise I had a really great time.  I literally laughed non-stop for five days.  Not only did it make me happy to see my husband delighted, but his father is hilarious and my mother-in-law was fun too.  I had no expectations for this trip, however, it seemed to be just what I needed.  My life has been a little crazy the past few months.  I've been trying to stay grounded and centered, doing yoga and meditating and all those things you're supposed to do during stressful times.  Who knew that one of the things to make me feel the best during this time was just laughter and acting like a kid again!

In Feng Shui we use what is called a Bagua Map.  This is a map that you use with the floorplan of your space to determine how to direct the energy flow.  There actually is an area of this map that is connected to your children, creativity and also child-like self.  In life we are so often focused on being a "grown-up" that we forget to let our inner child run wild. Its important to put down the phone, turn off the tablet and stop stressing for a few minutes. Acting like a child can be rejuvenating to the soul!  For clients needing to let loose a little I first help them locate this area. Then I'll recommend anything from a collection of photos from a recent family trip to the waterpark, to creating a place to play their favorite board game.  It's all about reminding yourself that its ok to have fun and act like a kid.  Sometimes you just need to make this feeling a little more accessible. 

This Disney trip reminded me that is ok to laugh, giggle, and squeal like a child on a rollercoaster.  Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. 

Churros and chocolate...so much sugar but soooo good!

Another highlight was convincing my father-in-law to ride the carousel!

I used to have this pink spiral bound notebook that I carried with me often.  I filled up EVERY SINGLE PAGE of that note book.  There were ideas, designs, sketches and sometimes just random scribbles.  This entire notebook was filled with ideas for a magical space.  A space where people could acquire Feng Shui tools, crystals and magical décor that I would lovingly curate.  On one of the last pages I came up with a name for this space…Good Chi.

Then about a year ago, this notebook found its way to the far back corner of my desk drawer.

Who was I to do this?

How would I do this?

Where do I even begin?

I’ll admit it, I was overwhelmed and frustrated, and sort of gave up.
 
In March, I traveled to Sedona for my advanced certification in Interior Alignment® Feng Shui.  Yes, so cool!!! This was as my teacher called, “a very experiential course” that included time in meditation, visualization, exploring Labyrinths, creating Medicine Wheels and we even took part in a mini spiritual quest.  It was an incredible experience.  It was in this training that I reignited the passion that was…. perhaps…asleep.  The time was now to run forward and take action.

Upon my return I felt invigorated to do things I’d been putting off.  One of those things was my online retail  shop Good Chi.  Sure I’m not a professional web developer, photographer, or graphic designer but I did what I could.  I just dove in and asked for help where I could too.

This photo was taken last summer when Good Chi had just launched.  I felt like a million bucks!  My dream of this retail space filled with magical goods was the real deal!

Photo: Meg Witt 

Fast forward seven months and it’s grown so quickly that I had to hire some help and also enlist the help of my husband and some close friends.  So many people have been supportive and excited about this adventure and I’m grateful.  I’m thrilled to not only have this come to fruition and be doing wonderfully, but I feel like I truly am able to help more people understand Feng Shui and crystals how they can impact your life and how to easily use these tools that I’m offering.

Not sure what 2019 has in store but we sure are off to a great start.  New products are being added, we’ve made more connections with local shops and yoga studios, and even shops around the mid-west are carrying Good Chi products.  Oh, and some REALLY fun pop up shop events are in the works too!

Grateful to be having so much fun on a daily basis!​

​Haven’t checked out our online shop?
​Here you go!

There’s no need to always go to great lengths to bring your space some good vibes.  Sometimes just small adjustments can make a huge difference.  Perhaps you're in a temporary living situation like I am, where any redecorating options are limited.

My husband has taken a job out of state and we are in temporary housing until we find a home.  It has been a huge wakeup call to me, reminding me that good Feng Shui doesn’t have to be a huge in-depth process.  I find that I always want to help clients reach their goals and make huge strides in their life.  However, sometimes you just need the energy of the space to be uplifted a bit.  Sometimes you just need a small tweak.  There’s a time for major adjustments later.  

Below have been some of my favorite tweaks that we’ve employed during this transition.  Perhaps they'll help you if you're ever in our situation.
 

Candles – Lighting scented candles has been huge at setting the mood. In the evenings in our apartment it doesn’t feel cozy and relaxing as we only have rented furniture.  Everything looks and feels foreign and it almost feels like we’ve been in a hotel for months.  Lighting candles gives the space a beautiful, relaxing glow and helps us decompress in the evenings without being surrounded by our favorite décor.
 
Plants – Our apartment has white walls with very little artwork which provides little to look at and enjoy.  I knew this would be especially bothersome.  I also knew that introducing plenty of the wood element of Feng Shui would be important so I brought some of our favorite plants from home.  Our jade plant and peace lily are spending time in the apartment with us and they both seem to be doing well.  Plants really help you connect to a space and having two of our favorites has been helpful. 
 
Music – Playing some relaxing music is huge at altering the mood. It’s providing for a relaxing dinner each evening where my husband and I can connect after busy schedules and these days we're especially enjoying time together. 
 
Textures – Our temporary living situation involves rented furniture. The colors, patterns, and styles are not what we would select.  When we sit down to relax on the weekend, it just feel different, not like our cozy comfortable furniture at home.  To improve this feeling, I brought a few of our favorite throws to drape across the back of the chair, our favorite toss pillows from home were added to the sofa.  One of our favorite colorful lamps from home was brought here too.  Introducing the colors and textures we are familiar with has made a huge shift.

This temporary living situation certainly has offered challenges, however, we're having fun and it also has reminded us of simpler times. When we only had a small place, only had a few pieces of clothing to select from and, only had a couple pots and pans. I will point out that most of all we're both missing all of our books!!! Hopefully the right home that is meant for us becomes available soon, but this definitely has been an excellent reminder of  making simple adjustments to improve the energy of the space.
​

If you were to ask your home if it feels loved...what would it say? 

I believe that if you infuse your home with love it will show you love in return.  Often times I'm called in to do a space clearing on a home that has remained empty for months (or even years) and was recently purchased.  These homes have such a stale, sad, unloved energy to them.  The home literally feel abandoned!  Clients call me because they know it should be properly cleared prior to their family and possessions moving in.  However, I do more in clearings than just cleanse the space, I help my client understand the importance of removing that stagnant energy and infusing the space with love.  Love for the roof overhead, protection from the elements, a space to gather for meals, and love for having a restful place to go at the end of the day to enjoy time with loved ones. 


So how do you show your home love?  Buy some fresh flowers to place in the center of your home, bring home a new piece of art to hang on the walls, or simply give it a good cleaning with the intention of showing your home appreciation. 




Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite books Healing Environments by Carol Venolia:


"Love is the magic ingredient in any environment.  Loving the place where you are, loving yourself, and sharing love with others all build up the good feelings in a place, making them available to all who enter." 

Feeling well rested keeps us going throughout the day so it’s vital to have a bedroom that encourages a good night’s sleep.  I often am working with clients to help them find better sleep and it’s not uncommon to see these “no-no’s”.  Below is a list of items that I’ve been seeing in the bedroom lately.  We begin by removing these items and then we add in some lovely elements to promote good sleep.
 
Here’s my top three items to remove from your bedroom....
 
1. Dirty laundry hamper – A dirty laundry hamper is filled with dirt, germs, food residue, dust, and who knows what else.  Not to mention possible negative energy that you may have picked up while out and about in your day.  This is not something you want in your bedroom so place in a bathroom, laundry room or somewhere out of sight.

2. Waste basket – I’ve been noticing some clients having waste baskets in their bedrooms, especially visible from the entry door and visible from the bed.  I understand having waste such as tissues and such, however, unless you’re ill, the waste basket should be stored in another room, perhaps a nearby bathroom.  If you must have one in your bedroom, ensure that it is hidden from view.

​3. Computer – Yes, you’ve heard me discuss the problems with having a television in the bedroom, but I’ve been seeing a lot of computers in rooms lately.  Laptops or tablets lying next to the bed is not an uncommon sighting.  Looking at a computer, just prior to sleep can easily affect your sleep.  Don’t believe me?  Test it out with one week of electronics on and one off.  I’m sure you’ll transition to reading a book before bed instead of staring at a computer screen soon!
 
The next step is to introduce items to trigger rest and relaxation of your body.
And…that will be my next post! Stay tuned!

Lisa xoxo
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Antiquing is fun and I love searching for just the perfect vintage piece.  It also wonderful to receive treasured heirlooms from family members.  However, it’s important to clear the energy of these pieces of furniture, art and accessories along with the spaces they will go into.  Prior to bringing things of this nature into my home I have a ritual that I follow and I’d like to share it with you.

I have a large patio with a nice breeze often blowing across the yard.  Upon gaining a new treasure, I place it on the patio to let it air out.  This is especially nice if it’s been closed up in an antique store for some time.  I then give the piece a bit of love by wiping it down with a cloth and a water/vinegar mixture and then continue to let the air penetrate the items for a bit longer.  Next, I burn some Sweetgrass around the item and spritz an essential oil mist as a finishing touch.  It is only after this process that I introduce it into my home.  I like to make sure that it is cleared of any negative energy and just given a little love and attention.

This method can apply to a large piece of furniture, small accent, or even piece of vintage jewelry.  You may find you enjoy a different method, perhaps burning sage or using crystals.  Whatever your method, I encourage you to be cautious of what you’re bringing into your home and into your private space.  Take the time to clear and “reset” the energy of the object.  Give it a bit of love and you will surely enjoy the piece! ​