Whether you have one-of-a-kind décor, custom-made furniture, or a kitchen dreams are made of, a beautiful home is no match for unsettling energy. The connection between our homes and our energy is prominent in the way we design, decorate, and function in our spaces. Haute Design sat down with Feng Shui expert and spiritual psychologist Inessa Freylekhman to discuss the key factors in creating the ideal space for welcoming positive energy in our homes.
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is an ancient art that originated in China 3000-4000 years ago. It’s about how we humans interact with our environment and how we can create spaces that fill our lives with harmony and balance. There are as many schools of Feng Shui as there are lattes at Starbucks, and each has its own distinct flavor and essence.
Feng Shui combined with psychology helps to bridge the gaps between inner and outer lives since what happens inside can often be mirrored in our home/work environment.
How can you tell if you have negative energy in your home?
If you feel fatigued, stuck, in a state of chronic rumination, foggy brained, sad or depressed, these are symptoms of negative energy and health issues. The other sign of negative energy in your space is accidents, what appears like “bad luck” happening over and over, shady people coming into your life, slowdowns, repeated loss (income, work, investment, etc.) or attracting the wrong type of relationship over and over again. Sometimes negative energy is left over from the predecessor--the person who lived in the house before you.
Quantum physics has shown us that everything is energy. Things we have always considered solid are merely particles of energy in a certain format. Our cars, furniture, homes are all made up of energy in various patterns. Feelings and thoughts are also made up of energy and even after their expression, they continue to exist and imprint on the spaces you spend the most time in.
Everyone imprints their feelings and thoughts onto their environment. Imprinting is like fingerprinting, only in the realm of the invisible-also known as the etheric level. Even though we can’t see it, the impact can be felt deeply
The emotional signature of your room is based on the predominant thoughts and feelings that you have while spending time in your space. Your thoughts, emotions, and experiences literally get absorbed into the fabric of your sheets, mattress and walls. You may have recovered from the fight or the major meltdown you had yesterday, but your room hasn’t. Your room carries those memories and the issues you might be struggling with. That negative energy is still lingering in the etheric level, the realm of the invisible. Even though you can’t see it, the impact can be felt deeply.
How can homeowners dispel negative energies in their home?
Space Clearing lifts toxic emotions and energies from the room and helps crystallize the energy so it feels sparkly and uplifting. Sometimes when I’m called to Feng Shui a home, I can actually feel a murky cloud hanging over a person’s living room space. This is my first clue that the room needs an energy clearing.
Working with sound is one of the most effective tools from my space clearing tool kit to re-energize a stagnant room. You may not know it, but low-level energy can collect in corners and get stuck. One effective tool I use to break it up and clear the way is a bell or chime. The sounds from the bell or chime invites the energy to flow. Another technique is clapping, which breaks up stagnant energy (and sends the dust mites packing).
To begin the process of space clearing, you must first decide exactly what you want out of the experience. For example, “My intention is to fully clear this room of any negative energy. I do this for the highest good of all concerned.” After you’ve set your intention, use these space-clearing tools to open the way for some great Shway.
Space Clearing Tools
I recommend a deep space clearing at least once a year, or after a negative event, such as a break-up, or before moving into a space that might have a lot of negative energy. Below you will find a deep space clearing recipe I find most useful for dissolving some of those bigger issues.
Here is a list of some space-clearing tools that can be used to dissolve any negative, stale or yucky energy that has been stuck in your home.
Bells– Any bell that makes a sound you find pleasing will work. Tibetan Buddhist bells are great, so are singing bowls and Tingshas, which look like two cymbals tied together by a leather band are low cost and work great. I use bells that I traveled to Bali and purchased from a family of bell makers that have been making the same bells for 500 years. In my opinion, they are the most powerful for clearing negative energetic imprints from a person's home.
Incense - There are many kinds of incense. If you are bothered by strong fragrances, try more subtle fragrances like Nag Champa, traditionally used to ward off negative energy.
Sage- Sage is an ancient and sacred herb that has been used ceremonially for centuries to chase away negative energy and bad spirits. Some people call it smudging. You can find a smudge stick, typically sage, cedar, sweetgrass and lavender bundled together, at most natural food stores. Light the tip of the smudge stick with a match or a lit candle, and then wave the stick as it smolders.
Orange - Orange and citrus scents such as mandarin and grapefruit can lift your spirit and uplift the vibe in a room. You can use 9 drops of orange essential oils mixed with a carrier in a spritzer bottle or use the BTB (Black Hat Tibetan Feng Shui Orange Peel blessings) which uses 9, 18 or 27 orange peels in a bowl full of water and spray the mixture with your fingers while reciting a mantra.
I also incorporate a process I studied in Bali, which employs the use of powerful Balinese Bells to break up stagnant energy lodged in the walls, upholstery, objects and furniture in a space. I call this the rotter rooter of space clearing as it has the potential to transform old energy and bring in spaciousness, joy and into deeper levels of peace in one’s life.
I bring all the supplies, my sage, orange and special bells from Bali I recite special mantras and we create an altar to symbolize the new energies you want to bring into your life. Client's need to open windows and usually participate at the beginning of the processes by stating their goals/intentions. Next, I guide the client into meditation, or they can choose to participate by following me around the house. Most people like to be still, relaxed and receive the blessing. Often times space clearing also lifts whatever heaviness and sadness that the client is carrying around. Since the home and self are symbiotic, this happens more often than not.
Which crystals would you recommend for clearing energy and promoting positivity?
Clearing energy goes way beyond the use of crystals. Crystals serve to activate, amplify, transmute and they can also absorb energy. But to deeply clear energy, you need to manually do it yourself, or hire a professional. Crystals also need to be cleared periodically.
What is an energy map or Ba-Gua?
Ba-Gua, which is a mapping system that contains 9 areas of life. This map is superimposed over the home, and each room, and used to diagnose a person's environment, as it programs it for success.
Think of it as a kind of GPS that will show you what areas of your life are the most blocked and in need of your attention.
The Ba-Gua is a grid of 9 quadrants or zones. Nearly everything in your life boils down to these nine zones. The zones relate to the most crucial elements of our lives: Prosperity, Health, Self-Image/Respect, Family, Relationships, Spirituality, Education, and Career. Using the Ba-Gua allows you to draw a grid over the top of your room and spot the areas that need the most work.
The map suggests the right color, element, symbol, or words to activate the different areas of your home, thereby your life. Activations work by activating the Chi and redirecting the energy to create more harmony and flow. Activators create positive change and new patterns in your environment.
For more information on Feng Shui, please visit www.FengShuiFromTheHeart.com
