Where Energy Flows

It is human nature to want logical proof that something works.  It is also human nature to procrastinate. And, as human beings, one of our best qualities is that we are exceedingly quick to adapt.  These traits can often become the challenges we face when it comes to implementing feng shui cures and enhancements…  We put things off.  We hope the problem will resolve itself.  We doubt and we question. Is this really going to work?  Will it be worth the trouble?  Will it be worth the expense?  Will I really see any big results?  Even as a feng shui consultant, I find myself with these kinds of nattering questions.

Take today.  I really need a new office chair.  The ergonomics of the small, metal dining room chair I have been using just don’t cut it anymore.  For one thing, the chair has no lumbar support.  It has no arms. And, it is too short.  My back hurts.  So does my shoulder and neck.  I know these physical discomforts are a result of many hours spent working in this chair.  And yet I find myself entertaining thoughts like “C’mon, will a new chair really make that much of a difference to my life?”

Of course, my consultant-self knows the answer is “yes”.  Absolutely. 

But, there is the lazy side of me I need to wrestle with; that part of me that would rather ignore the problem and hope it goes away.  I know I will have to spend a half a day, take the bus across town (we don’t own a car here in Thailand), shop for chairs, lay out the cash and then figure out how to get it home.  I talk myself into how it is just easier, cheaper and more convenient to stay here at home and try different sitting positions.  Pillows.  Even ibuprofen.

Eventually I know that my consultant-self will win out.  I will consider how a better chair will help me be more productive.  I will perhaps view it as a symbol of abundance and success.  I know I will feel more supported.  And, certainly more comfortable.  Soon enough, I will be motivated by the part of me that knows good feng shui and good ergonomics do indeed make life better!

In the mean time, I think I’ll try a bigger pillow.

© Deb Swingholm, 2008.   All Rights Reserved.

Yesterday, I went to the local market here in Chiang Mai (Thailand) and had an interesting Feng Shui experience.  The market is a trove of Feng Shui eclecticism and as I walk along, shopping at the various stalls, I always watch for brightly decorated altars, unusual good luck charms and other Thai variations of Feng Shui application.  But, today’s lesson was a little different…

When I bought the first item on my list, the vendor gave me change, and one of the coins she handed me was rather old and discolored.  The woman was reticent to give it to me.  She shook her head and was quite apologetic, saying that it was “mai suai”- not beautiful.  But, I smiled, said I didn’t mind, and went on my way. 

Later at another stall in the market, I pulled this same coin out of my purse pocket to pay for a basket I was buying and was shocked when the vendor rather abruptly handed it back to me.  “No, I cannot take this”, she said, putting it back in my hand and literally pushing it away. 

She was willing to lose the sale altogether, rather than take the discolored coin.  But, after some negotiation, she agreed to let me pay less - an amount that included a different, shiny coin.  After a few moments of confusion, I understood.  This was about luck.  This was about the Feng Shui of money!  My purchase was her first sale of the day and she didn’t want to tarnish her luck with a tarnished coin.   

I walked away smiling, intrigued by this exchange, and began to wonder about how to apply this in my life.  Even though much of traditional Feng Shui symbolism is related to money, luck and good fortune, I had never considered how Feng Shui might relate to the contents of my purse. But, this encounter with a tarnished coin made me think about how to use Feng Shui to increase our wealth, starting with our wallets.

 Here are just a few ideas: 

• Consider your wallet or purse as an extension of your Wealth/Abundance Gua.  
• Be mindful of the way you treat your wallet, your purse and your money.  For example, do you treat your purse like a place that protects your wealth or does it become a handy place to toss candy wrappers and wads of receipts? 
• Organize your wallet.  Cut up expired credit cards, remove old receipts, etc.
• Try to use new bills and coins, even if this means an occasional trip to the bank to exchange worn, dirty money.  There is something very uplifting about giving and receiving “beautiful” money…..
• Carry an amount of cash that feels like “enough”.  Nothing says “I’m not abundant” like an empty wallet.
• Keep something in your wallet that symbolizes money-luck.  This could be a gold or silver coin, a pearl or a stone such as citrine, aventurine or emerald (I carry a small polished emerald in my wallet).

I am sure you can come up with more ideas for bringing good Feng Shui to your wallet.  And, may you be blessed with good fortune and an abundance of bright, shiny coins!

  Deb Swingholm, 2008.  All Rights Reserved.

Do you love to assist others in fulfilling their dreams?  Do you enjoy discovering how our environments and energy influence our daily life, our productivity and our success?   Then, perhaps you have considered becoming a Feng Shui and Space Clearing consultant!

Interior Alignment™ practitioners work to create harmonious, healthy environments that support the goals and deepest intentions of our clients.  Using a rich blend of techniques gathered from around the world, we balance the energy of homes, offices, gardens and plots of land. 

An Interior Alignment™  consultation can take many forms.  We may utilize Feng Shui and perform a Space Clearing ceremony.  We may do clutter clearing or work with color.  We may incorporate a Synchro-Alignment guided meditation or complete a Healthy Home assessment. Many times the consultation is done over a period of several sessions, beginning with an interview to assess the client’s intention for the home and their life. The IA Practitioner and client work together closely to make the best possible adjustments to the environment, generating spaces that not only feel good, but also nourish the intentions and goals that were identified.

As Interior Alignment™  Practitioners, we consider a consultation to be one of the highest and most honorable ways to be of service to others.

What does it take to become a Interior Alignment™  consultant, you might wonder.  Well, the first requirement is an open heart and a willingness to assist and empower others.  It takes awareness and observation.  And, it takes some curiosity about how our environments impact our health, vitality, creativity, relationships and productivity.

Beyond this, you simply need to complete the Interior Alignment™  training program with one of our skilled Master Teachers to become proficient in the Interior Alignment methods. 

There are no prerequisites, other than a genuine desire to make a difference!   

Deb Swingholm, 2008.  All Rights Reserved.

Reducing our exposure to environmental toxins and chemicals is critical, and creating healthy homes is a large part of my Interior Alignment™ practice.  I’d like to share an article I just read about a recent study of toxic chemicals found in popular laundry products and air fresheners. 

Anne Steinemann, a University of Washington professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs conducted testing and the study is detailed online in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review  website.

Anne says “I first got interested in this topic because people were telling me that the air fresheners in public restrooms and the scent from laundry products vented outdoors were making them sick, and I wanted to know, ‘What’s in these products that is causing these effects?’”.  What she found was a significant amount of volatile chemicals in a variety of air fresheners and typical laundry products.  And, many of the chemicals involved were not listed on the product label. 

Read the article here

© Deb Swingholm, 2008. All rights reserved.

“What is beauty, anyway? It’s more than something pleasant looking.
If it doesn’t stop us in our tracks and make us unable to move for a moment, unable to put into words what’s closing off the breath in our throats, then maybe it’s pretty, but it probably isn’t beauty.”  - Alan Alda

In a recent article about the upcoming World Science Festival, Alan Alda discusses the concept of beauty and he writes about how beauty is perceived differently by artists and by scientists.

Of course, what he wrote had me thinking about what I find beautiful. As an artist and photographer I am a keen observer, always looking for things that evoke a sense of beauty. But, as Alan asks… what is beauty anyway?

Last week, I found beauty in a field of wildflowers, bathed in the golden light of sunset. Yesterday I found beauty in a pair of turkey vultures, perched on a branch on a dark, foggy morning drying their feathers. Interesting, as vultures are not often thought of as beautiful.

When I consider beauty, it comes down to what touches my soul. It arises from the eternal nature within all things. Beauty is that which inspires. Beauty reaches my heart in some inexpressible way. It does not have to be physical beauty. And, it doesn’t have to be something I see with my eyes.

Wayne Dyer says “your natural state is beauty”. I think the natural state of the world is beauty. We can see beauty in all things when we are living in a way that is closely aligned with the Divine source; that essential energy that enlivens and vibrates in all things. When we connect with this energy all things have beauty.

Explore beauty. Cultivate it. Be receptive to it. Be willing to be surprised by what you find beautiful. And bring beauty into your surroundings - not what the world or a designer or an art expert says has beauty, but what YOU find has beauty.

Be open to beauty and beauty will be reflected in your life.

Copyright 2008, Deb Swingholm. All rights reserved.

As I was contemplating beauty, I remembered the Navajo prayer about “walking the way of beauty”. 

At the heart of the Navajo Way is the concept of harmony; seeing the natural state of the universe as having harmony, balance and equilibrium.  This concept is often translated as ‘Beauty’ in English.  The Navaho believe that well-being comes from being in harmony – being in right relationship, knowing yourself, knowing your purpose, following your heart and living in harmony with yourself, your culture and your surroundings.

Healing, wholeness and joy come when we are fully walking in this beautiful balance.  When things are out of alignment, when illness or problems arise, there is an underlying disharmony that must be put right. 

Interior Alignment shares this philosophy and I have collected many versions of this lovely prayer, which is used as a chant in healing ceremonies.  I share two here with you:

In beauty I walk

With beauty before me I walk

With beauty behind me I walk

With beauty above me I walk

With beauty around me I walk

It has become beauty again

It has become beauty again

In Beauty may I walk.
All day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk.
With dew about my feet may I walk.
With Beauty may I walk.
With Beauty before me, may I walk.
With Beauty behind me, may I walk.
With Beauty above me, may I walk.
With Beauty below me, may I walk.
With Beauty all around me, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of Beauty,
lively , may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of Beauty,
living again, may I walk.
It is finished in Beauty.
It is finished in Beauty.

 

May you walk in harmony and may your life be filled with beauty.

Copyright 2008, Deb Swingholm. All rights reserved.

A few months ago I wrote about how my husband and I enjoyed watching a colony of bees that decided to build a hive on our porch.  I also wrote then about the mystery of disappearing bee colonies, and now that it is summer it seems like a good time to revisit this story. 

Bees and other pollinators are suddenly in decline due to a phenomenon that has become known as Colony Collapse Disorder. 

While the exact cause has not been established, there is some evidence that bees are dying due to disease, loss of habitat and pesticide use.  Other possible explanations include a new parasite, flowers that produce less scent and a combination of stresses such as poor nutrition, limited or contaminated water supplies, and the need for bees to be transported long distances for pollination of particular crops.

In some areas of the world the bee loss is being described as “catastrophic”, with some beekeepers in 2006 reporting between 30-90% losses. Similar losses were reported in 2007, but scientists do not know how many bees have died overall, since statistics only reflect what is happening in managed colonies.  

Consider for a moment what will happen if the pollinators of our planet disappear! 

About three-quarters of flowering plants rely on birds, bees and other pollinators to help them reproduce. And, bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion annually in crop value. 

Ice cream maker Haagen-Dazs and Burt’s Bees, a maker of natural personal care products, are among companies who have pledged money for research and begun efforts to help save the bees.  The problem affects about 40 percent of Haagen-Dazs’ 73 flavors, because ingredients such as almonds, cherries and strawberries rely on honey bees for pollination.

Haagen-Dazs has created a new limited-time flavor - Vanilla Honey Bee - and will use some of the proceeds for research on the disorder. Burt’s Bees has introduced Colony Collapse Disorder Lip Balm to “soften your lips while saving honeybees.”

The US government is also taking steps to approve financing for bee research.

One reason I am an Interior Alignment^TM Teacher is to awaken people to the interconnectedness of all things.  All creatures are a vital part of the web of life and we human beings balance carefully on the shoulders of all other life on this planet.  It is essential that we live in harmony with the rest of the animals and plants on this beautiful rock we call Earth. 

This summer, if you find a hive in a spot that you believe would be harmful to you, your children or your pets, please do not spray the hive with chemical poisons. Contact a local beekeeper to relocate the hive.  Also, raise awareness by sharing information about Colony Collapse with others.  You can even write to your local news editors - newspaper or television - asking them to run the story and highlight local beekeepers as helpful resources. 

Help the planet, save our ice cream, save the bees!

Copyright 2008, Deb Swingholm.  All rights reserved