Seeing Your Home Through 'Feng Shui' Eyes

By Erica Sofrina, author of the book Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World.

At the foundation of Feng Shui is the belief that everything in our home is alive and talking to us. This may seem like a stretch to many, but stop and think about it; when the first thing you encounter when you enter your home is the unrelenting pile of clutter, how does it make you feel? My sense is – not so great about yourself. And who needs that? (See my article The Anatomy of Clutter)

Your home holds information about belief systems that may or may not be serving you. You can train yourself to see them by looking at exactly what is there. By acting on this information, you gain valuable tools for transformation and personal growth.

My client Elinore’s living room walls were filled with large, expensive oil paintings of her husband’s dead relatives. Sort of like the ones you might find in a castle with everyone looking very severe and disapproving. She hated them but did not have the nerve to tell her husband. He had inherited them and as the only son of a wealthy family, wanted to have them up, but they had a very small home. She had no room to put any of the pictures that she loved. Her space had an important message for her if she was willing to see it.

In Elinore’s case it revealed that she didn’t value herself enough to have that “courageous conversation” with her husband about not feeling comfortable in her own space. She didn’t feel worthy of asking him for this important thing. She could have presented him with options; he could put them in his own office or even give them to other relatives. Because she could not speak up about her own needs, she was consigning herself to live with the “eyes of the disapproving relatives” eternally following her around the house.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Shanti S.

5:52AM PDT on May 18, 2013

Thank you.

May 18
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Catherine S.

7:38PM PDT on May 17, 2013

I wanted more about the photo - that was a pretty house.

May 17
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Susan S.

5:54PM PDT on Jul 19, 2012

Helpful. Thank you.

July 19
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8:54AM PDT on Jul 6, 2012

It's all about the energy-

July 6
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HELEN V.

4:20AM PDT on Jul 5, 2012

Erica it is so true especially the comments about making the home your space- I have this very problem now that I am living at home with my dad. It's difficult to make changes, but necessary for the balance of energy in the home- it has to be right for both my father and I, therefore with a little compromise our space is changing. Its very important for someone to feel comfortable wherever they are living.

July 5
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Berny p.

1:19AM PDT on Jul 5, 2012

Thanks Erica,good article as always!

Erica S.

2:20AM PDT on Jul 3, 2012

Thank you everyone for all of the great comments and insights. I appreciate you all very much!!!

July 3
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Roxana C.

11:31AM PDT on Jul 2, 2012

Thanks for a great article.

July 2
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Winn A.

10:42AM PDT on Jul 2, 2012

Thank you for sharing.

Nancy P.

6:25AM PDT on Jul 2, 2012

Excellent article, as usual you are so right on the mark. I believe what we put into our homes is a reflection of who we are and the energy in a home is very alive.