Monthly Archives: June 2019

Our physical world is based on opposites: up and down, left and right are physical realities… and with that comes the judgments of good and bad, right and wrong. Navigating such opposition is one of the major challenges of our lives. The Chinese symbol depicting Yin and Yang polarities is a familiar symbol but has far more depth than most believe.

This is one of my favourite topics to talk about and is the subject of one of my recent videos in my YouTube series. It’s one that I’ve often spent an hour or so discussing in my advanced classes and weekend seminars, so obviously I couldn’t get as fully into the topic as I’d have liked in a video that’s aiming to be 5-7 minutes long (I went on for nearly 9 minutes!) – but there is lots of insightful information here that relates to balancing the mindset of opposition, as well as things you can do in your home to create a container that permits opposing forces to exist harmoniously.

I briefly highlight in this presentation that ‘there is no dark side’. In my workshops I often ask participants to point to the light side – but it’s a trick question the reality is that there is no light side, in that what is seen as the ‘light side’ is actually not fully light. (This shows the reality that our answers in life are only as good as the questions we ask.)

The fact that no side is exclusively light or dark is so important in many ways, not least of which is that humans try to hold onto experiences, moods, relationships, and so on when things always change, when the seed of change (and indeed, of opposition) is present in everything. So in fact there is no ‘light’ and ‘dark’ in dualistic physical experience: there is ‘lighter’ and ‘darker.’ Having both of these polarities in a physical space helps to  cultivate a mindset that will help with navigating these sometimes challenging changes.

I hope you’ll enjoy playing with opposition in your space and creating a harmonious environment that supports you in ways beyond what you can see.

Respect is a basic human need, and its lack is the source of a lot of stress for many people. While one need not be praised to the skies, one should ideally be appreciated and respected by those in your life. This theme is one that can be looked at and changed in Feng Shui with the use of the Bagua Map, which examines specific areas of the home in connection with specific topics: in this case, the Fame & Reputation area – the back centre of the home when standing in the main entrance – is the area to look at.

As I explore in this video in my YouTube series, this is not necessarily about ending up on the cover of a magazine, but rather about stimulating recognition and appreciation within your sphere of influence. In this episode, I tell an amazing story about someone who utterly transformed his life with one simple fix. Check it out:

I have often resisted the use of images of famous people in this area, as I want to encourage people to focus on their own accomplishments. However, I realized when my colleague experienced such a shift in this case that an image of someone you appreciate isn’t riding their coattails so much as it is placing an anchor for the energy of appreciation, admiration, and respect.

In telling this tale and in the naming of other hints for this area in this video, I neglected to mention that one should indeed place in this area – if appropriate to the room, of course – an item or items that relate to your own successes and recognition: certificates & diplomas, awards, gifts, and the like can work well here. But indeed, someone you respect can help hold the energy of respect in this space, thereby stimulating that feeling in you every time you see the space.

Click here to check out a few more hints at this other page on my website, including what colours and other decor choices that you can make.

In Feng Shui, everything physical in your home has a symbolic element that translates its practical function in the home to the larger fabric of your life. Therefore, your front door is more than just how you get into your home: it’s how the world sees and finds you, and how new opportunities can enter your life.

My video series on YouTube has launched a new episode about the importance of the entrance of your home, with simple tips that you can use to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your space that not only enables the area to function better but also to help attract aligned opportunities your way.

Make the changes that you can and keep your eyes peeled for shifts … you’d be amazed at the difference a little enhancement can make!