Where Energy Flows

I love listening to Aretha Franklin when I clean my house. It is music you can move with and I use it to inspire me to do my weekly cleaning.  One of the things my mother taught me is when a person works with their hands their “thought” are put into the item they are working on - so have good thoughts.  All these years later, I remember this when I clean my house and I use this same analogy when I teach Space Clearing. 

I think of my weekly cleaning as mini space clearing and I keep my Intention in my mind and heart that I am moving out lower vibrational items and replacing them with love. I love my home and when I listen to music I love, I am embedding the Energy of love into my home.

As an Interior Alignment™ practitioner I share Feng Shui and space clearing information in workshops. Many times I ask my audience if they listen to music when they clean.  Most hands go up.  I also ask if they like to open windows when they clean, some may answer yes. I share what my mother taught me and also that they are also doing a mini space clearing.  In order for the space clearing to have “heart”, all they need to do is set an intention for their cleaning and what energy they want to embed into their home. As an aside, opening a window, you are inviting the Spirit of Air into your home. From a cultural perspective, opening windows when cleaning is a Germanic custom.  My mother in law told me that is how she was taught to do this when she cleans so that fresh air circulates through out the home as they clean.

I share with you dear reader a free handout that I share with workshop audiences - Ten Ways to Lift Energy In A Home. This is information Denise Linn shared with Interior Alignment™ practitioners and teachers.  I am sure that there are one or two items on this list that you already do in your home to raise the energy or Chi.

TEN WAYS TO LIFT THE ENERGY IN A HOME

• Give the home a surface cleaning- dust and vacuum.

• Toss sea salt in all the corners of every room - be sure to place salt on strips of wax paper or use a small dish in order to protect flooring from salt ring stains.

• Briefly open all the doors and window.

• Take down any negative photos or paintings.

• Get rid of any dead or dying plants - even if you think you can revive them as you are honoring the cycle of life.

• Put out fresh flowers.

• Light a candle.

• Burn incense or essential oils - use the best quality you can afford.

• Put on inspiring music.

• Say a prayer and ask that Divine Light fill the home.

All Rights Reserved.  Copyright, Yvette Neshi Lokotz, April 2008.

 ”The loss of my mare is not necessarily a bad thing. All will be shown for its true worth in time.” ~ from The Old Man of the Steppes Finds a Horse, Chinese teaching story

As a feng shui and space clearing practitioner and teacher I know I have touched many people’s lives, but it is not something I am comfortable talking about. This is at times difficult because many feng shui books are written from a ’success story’ point of view, and people love to hear success stories. They are fun and bring a sense of hope and wonder into the world. But I don’t focus on success stories  because the nature of energy is that we do not know what the final outcome will be. In my studies with Denise Linn, she shared an ancient teaching story about an old Chinese man and his horses. You may have heard it. The moral is “it isn’t good, it isn’t bad: we do not know the whole story.” Eckhart Tolle also shared a version of this story in The New Earth Webinar series.

Here is a story that illustrates this point. I often work with people who want to have a new romantic relationship in her life. This is a story about Sally. When I did a feng shui consultation for her, I saw that she had her desk set up in the relationship bagua area of her home (therefore on an energetic level, her relationship was with her work.) We moved the desk a few feet away into the reputation area, set up a beautiful altar dedicated to love and romance in the relationship area, as well as making several other enhancements and in addition to the manifesting work she was already doing.

A week later Sally called me very excited and happy because the energy shift happened almost immediately: not one, but several men were suddenly interested in seeing her and she had been going out on dates. It was an exciting and heady time for her, and she wanted to give me (and the feng shui) credit. It is tempting: It feels good to be thanked and to feel I have personally done something that has brought happiness, but in the back of my mind I heard those words “it isn’t good, it isn’t bad, you do not know the whole story.”

I didn’t hear from Sally for awhile but when she finally got in touch with me, it was to tell me she had began a serious relationship with one man, but some problems were coming up: the types of issues that often have to be worked through when two people begin to merge their separate lives together. Questions about roles and boundaries, and personal space. And now her gratitude for me has cooled because suddenly she has new and serious problems that she didn’t have before. As a feng shui practitioner, am I responsible for the problems? No, no more than I am responsible for the success, which is to say that my role is to help bring a change in the energy. No matter how strong my intention that the change be for the highest good of the client, I know only a small part of the story. The work may have brought up relationship issues that were there before, waiting for the opportunity to be healed. And I don’t know anything about the story and energy of other people involved in the story.

In my role as a feng shui practitioner, I don’t know how it is going to turn out, as none of us ever do. What I know is that each action we take changes life for another person — often many people. This is what feng shui teaches us: that everything in our universe is made up of constantly changing energy fields which have a type of consciousness (different levels depending on what it is.) We are a part of everything and everything we do touches and affect everything else. What happens is far too complex with so many levels and variables that it is clear that labelling is a problem. From where we stand there is such limited information available to us. All that we do simply is; not good and not bad.

© Deborah Redfern, 2008. All rights reserved.

When I began learning energy healing systems many years ago, I remember long, enthusiastic, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations I had with friends about which modality was deeper: was Reiki ‘deeper’ than Therapeutic Touch because the hands were on the body? Or was Therapeutic Touch more profound because the practitioner was sensing subtle energy fields around people?  Oddly enough, I remember hearing people’s opinions that massage was not as deep as Reiki. You can’t get much more ‘hands on’ than massage.  Hmmm… 

Our understanding of Energy is what has really deepened over the years: There is only one source of energy which operates exactly the same whether the modality is TT, Reiki or another. (I mention these two because these are the ones I’ve studied in depth.)

I see some of the same discussions happening around Feng Shui and Space Clearing today: that one type of feng shui (or the original or ‘real’ feng shui) is better than another, or that a particular space clearing ceremony is preferable over another, or is only effective so long as it is done with specific space clearing tools.

As an Interior Alignment™ feng shui and space clearing teacher, my main concern is the information being put out is fear-inducing and/or doubt producing. I’m talking about the schools who publicly ‘evaluate’ other schools. Imagine how a person would feel after reading or hearing an established teacher and/or school dismissing other schools…what if they are talking about your school?! I went through that stage myself when I first began practicing Interior Alignment™.

For a short time I honestly thought I had made a dreadful mistake in the school I chose, but when I was able to be objective, I saw the comparisons with the Energy Healing modality discussions and I also remembered the generosity of spirit that attracted me to Interior Alignment™.

What I learned from my teacher Denise Linn and Interior Alignment™ is that the depth, intensity or profoundness of the method depends on how focused the practitioner is and whether they understand Intention: energy flows where intention goes. Having compassion and integrity are also important.

The tools and techniques are not the most important thing. A $20 Bell is as effective as a $200 Bell if it is loved and treated with respect and as a sacred object. In fact, space clearing can be done with no tools at all: as with Energy Healing it is done through holding the Intent and being sufficiently focused.

So it is really what resonates within the practitioner, what interests and excites us, what feels like a natural fit, or makes us feel like we are ‘called’. On the other end, of the client, there is usually a vibrational match: the client will feel drawn to a particular modality, or a particular practitioner.  

A point a yoga teacher made has stuck with me: she said half an hour of a lower vibration emotion such as anger or fear can do more harm than eating white bread and sugar for a week. So rather than engaging in the discussions about what is best, authentic or deeper – which almost inevitably will lead to experiencing lower vibrational emotions – I simply know that if one school resonates with a person, it is the right school for them.

© Deborah Redfern, 2008. All rights reserved.

Interior Alignment™ is a blending of many belief systems that provides a depth and wealth of knowledge.  As practitioners and teachers of Interior Alignment™ we are also trained to create Altars that bridge the seen and unseen worlds in which we work. I am asked quite often about front door altars. I thought I would share one of my favorites kind of altars, Kuan/Kwan Yin for the front door.

Front door altars from a Feng Shui perspective assists Chi to floor through the door as the altar invites Chi in and from a Space Clearing perspective, the front door altar can provide protection from unwanted energies coming to your home.  So Front door altars provide both a welcome and protection at the same time.

I recently found a book by Daniela Schenker called Kuan Yin, Assessing the Power of the Divine Feminine.  Ms. Schenker goes into great depth about Kuan Yin. I appreciated this depth and sharing as I have a fondness and connection to Kuan/Kwan Yin. I have to say that this book also held another surprise gift. The forward was written by my teacher, Denise Linn. I had no idea that Denise had written this forward where she called for Kuan Yin to come and help with the birthing of her friend’s baby.

Kuan/Kwan Yin is a bodhisattva known for her deep compassion for all sentient beings as she heard the cries of the world.  Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have attained the wisdom of Buddhas but have postponed their final “liberation” or ascension. Instead they provide compassionate support to sentient beings in this world until the sentient being can achieve their own ascension.  She is also known as the protector of women and children. What I did not know was that is 33 images of Kuan/Kwan Yin for contemplation.  So there are 33 different images of Kuan/Kwan Yin to select from for your front door altar. 

The front door altar would be considered a guardian altar as it will face the front door but not directly
across the front door. The best placement is off to one side across the front door. The image you choose of Kuan Yin will protect the entryway of your home.  She will welcome visitors at the same time she will conteract any lower vibrational energies such as negative thoughts from entering your home. As you select items to add to the altar be aware of the significance of the items and your intention for the altar. You may want to add a special candle, flowers, or incense.  A special addition would be peacock feathers. The peacock is known to be Kuan/Kwan Yin’s guardian and will protect us from accidents, other disasters and can absorb negative energies.

Possible images of Kuan/Kwan Yin for the front door altar are with her using a protective mudra which is arms lifted to her chest height and the palms of her hands are parallel and facing each other; or a fearlessness mudra which is the right hand is raised and the open plam faces forward. Images using these mudras are the Four-Armed Kuan/Kwan Yin and the Kuan/Kwan Yin with a Halo of Fire (Kuan/Kwan Yin of Complete Light).

May Kuan/Kwan Yin bless your home.

© Yvette Neshi Lokotz, 2008. All rights reserved. 

If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, as I am, maybe you will recognize this passage from The Return of the King:

Then taking two leaves, [Aragorn] laid them on his hands and breathed on them, and then he crushed them, and straightaway a living freshness filled the room, as if the air itself awoke and tingled, sparkling with joy. And then he cast the leaves into the bowls of steaming water that were brought to him, and at once all hearts were lightened. For the fragrance that came to each was like a memory of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun in some land of which the fair world in Spring is itself but a fleeting memory. — J.R.R. Tolkien.

As an English Major, I can remember the days when I would have so much fun interpreting this, and other passages from the book. It is an important symbol: it is a sign of accepting one’s gifts, of stepping into leadership and service. Only the true King was said to have healing powers such as this, of taking a medicinal herb, combining it with inner resources to make something greater than the two separately.

This has great significance for using essential oils in Space Clearing. Is there a difference between getting a bottle of an essential oil, let’s take lavender, for example, and using it to scent the house, and using that same bottle of lavender for space clearing? Yes. The difference is Intent.

When I did Interior Alignment training with Denise Linn, we were learning about Holy Water – the kind used in church and religious ceremonies. Denise asked if we knew where Holy Water came from. We pondered. Did it come from sacred wells, or was it water with special healing properties? The answer – well it might be, be but generally speaking water is Holy because someone has blessed it. There again, it is intention.

There is a difference in using essential oils when they are used with Intent. Used with Intent they become sacred tools.

Imagine for a moment the life of a flower. Imagine a rose. Although the plant in which it grows may live for years, the flower, once fully open, lives but a few days or weeks. And in those few weeks they are true healing agents. The fragrance lightens hearts, the colours strengthen the energy field.

When you reflect, isn’t it something or a miracle that the essence of those flowers can be contained at all though distillation? Think of the fragility of a flower, the fleeting nature of the scent – and then the ordeal of being distilled at very high temperatures … I find it incredible. Through using essential oils with respect and awe, they become sacred tools.

Combined with our inner resources — our Intent, a synergy between practitioner and tool is created. This is where we step into our own majesty, into a role of leadership and service that Tolkien talks about because in Space Clearing, it is not the tool that does the work: it is the synergy of tool and practitioner, how the two combine to create healing energy.

 

The things surrounding you in your home serve as subliminal reminders of who you are.  They will continue to direct you towards old patterns of behaviour.  Subconscious beliefs are generally so deep-seated that one is not aware of them.

Denise Linn, Feng Shui for the Soul

We are closing in on the final days of December 2007. As we are busy with preparing for the holidays and caught up in the rush and hubbub, we tend to set aside some of the deeper meaning of how our homes help support us throughout the year.  We become unaware of our intuition and our homes when we are so busy.  As you take time out of your busy time to read this blog article, I would like to give you some information to consider for the coming New Year.

Interior Alignment™ is a system founded by Denise Linn. The Interior Alignment™ system is comprised of Instinctive Feng Shui, Space Clearing and Synchro Alignment. I would like to address Instinctive Feng Shui in this post. As professional practitioners of Instinctive Feng Shui we believe that our client’s intuition and our own intuition are our greatest allies in creating a vital energetic home that supports the goals and dreams of our client.

Many times, our client is already on the right track and just needs someone to validate this and encourage them, to empower them. Have you ever, moved furniture or artwork around? Have you ever stood back to look at the arrangement and felt either a “nope this doesn’t look right” or “yup, this looks good!” Well, this is your intuition telling you that this is good feng shui. As a professional we are also there for the client to suggest certain feng shui enhancements to encourage the balance of Chi, the elements and also the Yin/Yang.

Intention is the second most important ally in Instinctive Feng Shui. We assist our clients in clarifying their intentions for their homes, their space. What is really important to them? Then we suggest ways in which their home can help support them in their endeavors. I know this sounds a little out there, but we believe that everything has a life force. So, as we begin to move items in the home around, we add items or take items away…..we are basically using the items innate life force to better support the clients goals. As we make these changes, the changes are done with clear intention.

How can you begin to clarify your intentions on your own? Well, I would suggest you become a detective, a sleuth, in your own home. Your home contains hundreds of clues.

Since we are so familiar with our homes, we tend to look past these clues. Look at your home with the eyes of a detective. Start with your front door area. This is the architectural front door. Really take in what is there and how this area is welcoming guests, you – Chi. As you move around your home from room to room, look for the clues to what feels good and what doesn’t feel good. Make a list of the clues. Soon you will begin to see a pattern forming from the clues. At this point you can begin to identify what kind of feeling you want to have when you are home and how each room can support that feeling.

This is only a beginning to help you to identify your intention for the feeling in your home. There are many more layers to complete a feng shui assessment, but this is one step you can take on your own – empowering by using your intuition and awareness.

Copyright.  All Rights Reserved, Neshi Lokotz, 2007.